"Positivity" challenge

There have been a lot of posts on Facebook recently, people nominating friends and family, and challenging them to post three positives a day for "X" number of days. I received such a challenge from my sister, Jeannie....about a week ago. Partly because I don't have much time to only glance at FB, let alone post many responses, I did not respond to her challenge right away. But, I also felt a need to spend some time and ponder on the things I was grateful for.

I was reminded of a talk that Pres. Dieter F. Uchtdorf gave in the April 2014 conference entitled,  "Grateful in Any Circumstances". He said,

"It is easy to be grateful for things when life seems to be going our way. But what then of those times when what we wish for seems to be far out of reach?

Could I suggest that we see gratitude as a disposition, a way of life that stands independent of our current situation? In other words, I’m suggesting that instead of being thankful for things, we focus on being thankful in our circumstances—whatever they may be.

When we are grateful to God in our circumstances, we can experience gentle peace in the midst of tribulation. In grief, we can still lift up our hearts in praise. In pain, we can glory in Christ’s Atonement. In the cold of bitter sorrow, we can experience the closeness and warmth of heaven’s embrace.

Being grateful in our circumstances is an act of faith in God. It requires that we trust God and hope for things we may not see but which are true. By being grateful, we follow the example of our beloved Savior, who said, “Not my will, but thine, be done.”

True gratitude is an expression of hope and testimony. It comes from acknowledging that we do not always understand the trials of life but trusting that one day we will."

These "positivity" challenges, and Pres. Uchtdorf's talk have caused me to ask myself, "What am I truly grateful for? When the load I am carrying becomes increasingly difficult, can I see the blessings in my life? What are they?"

It's good to ponder on all the things Heavenly Father has blessed us with, especially during difficult times. What Pres. Uchtdorf said is true. When our hearts are full of gratitude, "we can experience gentle peace in the midst of tribulation." 

So, what am I grateful for? Not just on the good days, but also on those days that sometimes feel like they will never end? 

1. My family coming to see us in Tonga. Getting to see them face to face, hug them, just "be" together. Playing with Brielle. Watching them have fun together.

On the boat heading to Pangaimotu, a small island for a day of snorkeling and playing in the water

Blow holes at  Houma

Joanna at the Ha'amonga - the Tongan Trilathon

No explanation necessary.

My good natured son, Tyler - wearing the flower Brielle gave him :)

Love that face

2. Technology......... that allows Garth and I to "hangout" with our family each week, and allows us to find out what friends and extended family are up to....almost real time!

3. Garth. He is my rock.

4. My family....my parents, grandparents, siblings, in-laws, out-laws....Sometimes we're a little crazy, and we don't always agree. But my family (and Garth's) has always supported me and blessed my life. I cherish the memories I have of spending time with them. 

With the Hamblin's - ages and ages ago

My favorite picture of the Berger's...pretty much sums us up..a little chaotic, but love being together

Elder Napa'a

5. Missionaries. There are some great young men and women in the Tonga Nuku'alofa Mission. Their examples, testimonies, and strength encourage me to do better

Elder Sitake

Elders Makasini, Tauvaka, Napa'a

Elders Montgomery and Fifita

Sisters Tavo and Paea

Some great missionaries heading for Vava'u

Elders "Haleki," Reid, Steele and Lotulelei (joined by Jesse) heading home

Sisters 'Akau'ola and Tauelangi - fantastic sister missionaries

Elders helping move boxes from outside, to the conference room

6. Friends. Friends from home....

Christmas in Hawaii with the Willis' and the Huntsman's

Picnicking with the Perkin's and the Huntsman's

....and friends I have made, and am making, here in Tonga.....

Sister Va'enuku

Senior missionaries

Elder Meyers, Dad, Elder Aland

More great senior missionaries

I have met "kindred spirits" here in Tonga...friends I would never have known if we hadn't come on this mission. I am better for having them in my life.

7. Serving a mission alongside my dad. Having lived in Alaska for so long, we didn't get to see our families very often. I LOVE spending this time with my dad. I get to see him every day!

8. Having a temple across the street. I get to go to the temple every week! That's something I've NEVER been able to do. For 26 years about the only times we got to go to the temple was when we were "down south" visiting family......two or three times a year, if we were lucky. 

Tonga Nuku'alofa Temple

9. Temple blessings. I am grateful I am sealed to my Garth, and my children are sealed to me.

We were just babes....

Loved this day - Jon, Joanna and Brielle sealed as a family

10. The ocean. I was born in the middle of southern Idaho....far, far away from any ocean. When I moved to Alaska I knew that the ocean was my home. Whenever I need to release frustrations all I have to do is go to the ocean. It's as if sound of the crashing waves on the rocks drowns out all the negative thoughts, the touch of the gentle waves about my feet wash away my sadness, the breeze through my hair clears the cobwebs from my mind so I can think clearly once again, and the sun on my face reminds me that light always overcomes darkness, that the Savior is my light and is always there for me. Then peace and calm fill my heart.

11. My Savior. Without Jesus Christ I would not live again, and would not see Jon again.

Without Jesus Christ I would not be able to live with my family forever.

Without Jesus Christ my burden would indeed be heavy. His words are true...“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

“For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” 

So, Jeannie, although I don't think this is exactly what you were asking me to do, thanks for helping me think about what I am grateful for. For, as Alma said, “Have we not great reason to rejoice?” We do, indeed, have great reason to rejoice.

Baby "Breeches"

The middle of August we, along with several senior missionaries, took a whale watching cruise. 

Left to right - Holbrooks, Hamblin's, Sam (back row - captain and owner), van den Akker's, Woods, Sis Burbank (front row), Simone (back row behind Sister Burbank - originally from Italy, currently teaching Italian at University in New Zealand), Meyers, Nina (crew, back row between the Meyer's), Georgie (naturalist), and James (crew). In the very back are the crew. 

The original plan was to make this trip in September when the baby whales are a bit bigger and more playful, and the mama's aren't so protective. But, we heard Georgie (the naturalists on the boat, and who Garth and the kids met on their whale snorkeling trip in July, and instantly became good friends) was leaving for Sri Lanka the following week, so we decided to bump up our trip by a month. 

That's Georgie in the tan cap standing just left of center

It's actually a whale watching/snorkeling cruise by Deep Blue Dives, but senior missionaries can't snorkel with whales. That's something that will have to wait until just before we go home. But, some of the non-missionaries were able to jump in the water and get up close and personal with some whales.

Not being in the water didn't hamper the whale watching, however. What a trip! An entire day on the water watching whales.

We saw lots and lots of whales – some in the distance...

and some very, very close.... 

A mom and her calf got extremely close. At first they were quiet, just swimming along. 

Then the mama breached, as if to show the baby how to do it.

And then the baby breached. 

And then it was as if the baby said, “Man, this is FUN. Mama, look what I can do!!!” It breached maybe 15 times, one breach after another.

We even saw some bulls chasing a female. Poor thing. Female humpbacks sure put up with a lot just so they can procreate. It was interesting behavior to watch, however. Something I never thought I'd get to see. It just looks like a bunch of whales in the pictures, but it was definitely bulls chasing - aggressively chasing - a female.

The female is ahead of the males - to the far right

So....in case you were wondering.......the humpback whales in Tonga are part of the Southern Hemisphere humpbacks. They DO NOT go to Alaska to summer....they go to the Antarctic. Tonga, and other places in the South Pacific, are their summer grounds where they breed and have their babies, just as Hawaii and Mexico are the summer grounds for the Northern Hemisphere humpbacks. THOSE are the whales that go to Alaska for the summer. Whales in Tonga do the same things as whales in Hawaii....they breed, have babies...but they do not eat......there is no food for them. That is why they go to the Antarctic (and to Alaska for the Northern Hemisphere humpbacks) in the summers – the water isn't as cold as it is in the winters, and there's lots and LOTS of food. I bring this up ONLY because someone on our whale watching cruise, who was from North America, asked when the whales we would be seeing would travel to Alaska. Answer.....they don't! Just in case you were wondering the same thing. :)

On our way back, as if the whales knew we were leaving, several in the area waved good-bye to us. A perfect ending to a perfect day.