TONGA!  We are here!  We arrived yesterday (Saturday) around 4:00.  We arrived at the airport in Fiji around 8:30 AM yesterday just to make sure we had a seat.  I had some time, so I checked on the luggage.  They said that the luggage was waiting for us in Tonga and had been for the last 3 days.  When we arrived in Tonga, we had a welcoming party to greet us.  We had Elder and Sister Johns (Senior missionaries that are serving in the Dental Clinic), Brother and Sister Tonga (some locals), and some of their kids. Tonga is beautiful!  Lately, they have been having a lot of rain, so the landscape is amazing.  Lots of palm trees, very green, and lush with all sorts of foliage.  We drove to the Liahona campus (where the school, apartments, Dental Clinic, and temple are).  Along the way, they pointed out all the interesting things of Tonga.  This is a 3rd World country and a lot of the homes are very basic, but the surprising thing is - is that everything is so clean.  A lot cleaner than what we expected.  We passed several villages and in each village, there is a LDS church.  The church has a strong presence here.  They said that about 60% are LDS and about 30% are active.  It is the highest population of Saints in one country.  Tonga is it's own country and they are ruled by a King.  They take great pride in that.  The King owns all the land, so no-one else has rights to the land.
     We got settled last night in our apartments.  The apartments we're staying in are very basic.  It reminds me of College Dorms.  We got unpacked, got organized, and went over for dinner at the John's apartment.  The kids saw all the bugs crawling all over the floor and tables and were freaking out a little bit, but I think they'll get used to it.  Ella was crying last night because she saw a bug on the toilet seat and didn't want to go to the bathroom before bed.  She said, "what if the bug bites my bottom?"  HA!  I told her that the bug was trying to use the bathroom too and we have to share our apartment with the bugs.  I know - I have to work on my Dad skills.  The 4 older kids are in one apartment and we are in another.  They are right next door, so if they need anything, we're right around the corner.  Makayla and Maddison are rooming together and Logan and Braden are rooming together.  Heidi, Ella, and I are in the other apartment.
     Right as Heidi and I were laying our heads down to go to bed, I felt a little animal run across my chess.  Heidi freaked out a little bit and said, "a lizard is on your pillow - Get it off - AHHHH!"  I turned on the light, looked, and we had a little pillow friend - a Gekko!  I took it outside and let it go. We had a good laugh about it.  We slept well last night!  It took Heidi a little bit because she kept looking for other bugs that might leap out at her.  Welcome to Tonga!
     Happy Father's Day!  Today is Father's Day and I just wanted to tell all the Fathers out there thank you for all you do for your families.  Thank you Dad for your great example of faith, love, hard work, friendship, dedication, and for always being there for me and our family.  I hope all you Fathers have a great day!