Dearest family and friends,
Merry Christmas to all. We are thinking of you and the love we share. As you can see it is not winter or cold in Fiji. It is really warm. I have sent you a picture of our one and only Christmas decoration, a Fijian nativity that we bought from a member in our ward. The temple grounds are beautiful and we wanted you to see the red blossoms on a Christmas tree, named that because this is the time of year they bloom. 

Dear Ones, 
This is our Christmas Message to you from Fiji. We would like to echo Elder Bednar's words, "Be firm and steadfast in the Faith of our Savior". Samuel the Lamanite taught about the Light of the Savior, his birth and life to his people just as we do today. What he said did happen as His Second Coming will also happen. What a glorious day that will be! The Savior said: "I am the Light and Life of the World."
I love this song: HE SENT HIS SON
How could the Father tell the world of love and tenderness? He sent his Son, a newborn babe, with peace and holiness. 
How could the Father show the world the pathway we should go? 
He sent his Son to walk with men on earth, that we may know.
How could the Father tell the world of sacrifice of death? 
He sent his Son to die for us and rise with living breath.
What does the Father ask of Us?
What do the scriptures say?
Have faith, have hope, live like His Son, help others on their way.
What does He ask? Live like his Son!!!! 
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL. WE LOVE AND MISS YOU!!!
Elder and Sister Smith in Fiji

We had our December dinner with the other Sr. couples at the mission home. Sister Layton had their tree and their home decorated beautifully. We took the opportunity to have our picture taken by their tree for our Christmas message. 

You may not believe it but we do work many hours in the Self Reliance office everyday but we also do lots of fun things. Sonny's Nausori Stake had another Self-Reliance graduation and dinner. Sister Willis and I spoke at it. Suva North Stake's graduation is this Sunday and Elder Smith and I have been asked to speak. 

Tuesday we drove to the Lautoka Stake (4 hrs) to attend the Stake Presidency's Bishop's training and instruct on the Self Reliance Initiative. That stake is just getting the SRI started. The drive back to Suva, was a scenic drive up over the top and the eastern side of this island (4-1/2 hrs). Now we have gone all around the island of Viti Levu. It is beautiful to see fruit growing on trees year round and also blossoms on trees and bushes year round. I wanted to show you clothes hanging on lines in most all the villages and everyone so friendly driving past the villages. Instead of the # of stop lights, it is the # of speed bumps in each village. 

When we drive to Lautoka we stay with Elder and Sister Tanner and before we left for our drive home we helped to fix breakfast for the Elders and Sisters serving in that area. Transfers had come through and most of them were leaving the area and wanted to be together one last time. They had lots of success serving together and were sad to leave.

 Everyone is so nice to us and are inviting us to their ward Christmas parties. Parties is something that is not lacking here. The Fijians and Indians are very fun loving people.Our ward had a very fun Christmas party that was well attended. Pictured are friends and missionaries

from that ward party. The bishop handed out treats to the sweet Primary Children.

This is a message from our mission president, Pres. Layton said: Please tell all your friends that we will be needing 5 Senior missionary couples between April to July to serve in Fiji. If you are interested, please email us and he can contact you. Please also let your senior friends know. 

Much love, 

Elder and Sister Smith

Dearest Family,
It is so strange to hear Christmas Carols when it is sooo hot, especially on the West of Fiji, near the International Airport. We shared with some of the family that we would be traveling to Lautoka (4 hr. drive) to teach and give the Stake President in that area a better understanding of the Self-Reliance Initiative. We also met some of his Bishops on Sunday. He has a great vision of where he wants his Stake to be by 2020 through this Initiative. Area wise, his Stake covers over 1/2 of the Island of Viti Levu. He is very intelligent, a great leader and so is his wife. He wants his wife to learn everything and be with us to train the people in their stake. He told her, "this is an assignment and not a calling and will be as short as the people are trained, maybe 2 months".
Our second reason for going to the West was to meet and be chaperons for 23, P-13 students from the Island of Vanuatu who were attending the Church College in Samoa. They had to fly into Fiji and stay overnight in a hotel that we also stayed in, eat dinner (pizza), have breakfast and be taken back to the airport to fly home. There is always details that have to be taken care of that we helped do. Everything went quite smoothly. Twelve of the students graduated and most are planning to go on missions. Eleven will fly back in Jan. to go to the Samoa LDS Church College again because they are younger and have 1 more year of school. These students had not seen their Island of Vanuatu since the cyclone hit in March. They were great kids: very appreciative and thoughtful. They gave us a hug and wanted pictures with us before they left. They have so little and are so grateful for the blessings that being a member of the LDS Church brings to their life and also their family.
On our way home we went to the Denarau Island or Resort Island (separated by a river) where all the really nice hotels/resorts are, near Nadi. The West side of the Island is desperate for rain but it is still beautiful especially in this Island. Yes, we took pictures. We will be going back to that area at Christmas time when several Sr. Missionary Couples take a 45 min. boat ride to Treasure Island for a day. We leave from Port Denarau. We also attended the Navua Ward's SR Class on our way home. They were happy to see us so we could assist and help. The class lasted 21/2 hrs. So we got home about 10pm.
We found out today that the Self- Reliance office and people will be moving to the building by the first church that was built in Fiji near the downtown area (we call it Cornell's church) . The building was the original Mission Office in Fiji. This move will be done before the middle of January. It will be a lot further to drive and crazy traffic at 8 am.
Our friend Sonny gave us a print out of the talking points today about the temple to be learning because we will be helping to host during the Fiji Temple Open house. We are really excited about that. We love all of you and hope Christmas preparations will not be too stressful. People here do not stress over material things and their life is much more simple. Some barely have enough to live. We love all of you and Wish All A Wonderful Christmas (Christ - Filled) Season! Dad and Mom (Elder and Sister Smith in Fiji)

The couples that serve at the mission home

They call this tree the flaming tree or the Christmas tree because it Blooms around Nov to Feb. It is in full bloom at Christmas.

The next four pictures are taken of resorts around Port Denarau, Nadi, Fiji

For two days we were the chaperons for 23, P-13 students from the Island of Vanuatu who were attending the Church College in Samoa. They landed at the Nadi airport.