Friday, January 20, 2017

Using Good Language

This past Sunday #4 was youth speaker in church.  The topic given to her to speak on is Using Good Language.  While helping her prepare for this talk, I learned alot of things about myself that I seriously need to change.  I do not use profanity in my everyday language, but there are times that I find myself swearing - especially when I get mad (which is not at all a good excuse) !

I actually really hate it when I hear people use profanity and don't understand why people feel that every other word needs to be a curse.  Because I feel we can always use some encouragement and maybe also learn something new, I thought I'd upload a copy of Salele's talk ,,,,

Brothers & Sisters Talofa !  I have been given the topic Using Good Language.  In Ephesians 4:29 it says “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”.
How we communicate should reflect who we are as a son or daughter of God. Clean and intelligent language is evidence of a bright and wholesome mind.  Good language that uplifts, encourages, and compliments others invites the Spirit to be with us. Our words, like our deeds, should be filled with faith, hope, and charity.

A father was working with one of his young sons on a project in their home when the young boy hurt his hand and let fly a string of profanity. His mother and sisters looked on in shocked silence.
The father, an active high priest, asked to know where the boy had learned such foul language. The boy’s unhesitating response mortified the father:
“I learned it from you, in the barn last week.”
The boy probably had trouble remembering his times tables. His ability to recite the Articles of Faith was likely limited. But he learned well that lesson on profanity his dad had given him, unintentionally, in the barn.
The father learned a lesson that day, too. He resolved never again to be the source of vulgar or profane language.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks has observed, “The nature and extent of profanity and vulgarity in our society is a measure of its deterioration.” (Ensign, May 1986, p. 49.)
As this problem has mushroomed, Church leaders have reached out to youth to counsel us to overcome negative influences on our language.
Among the counsel we have received is this: “How you speak and the words you use tell much about the image you choose to portray. Profane, vulgar, or crude language and inappropriate or off-color jokes are offensive to the Lord. They harm your spirit and degrade you. Don’t lower yourself to use such language or jokes, even if people around you do.” (For the Strength of Youth, Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1990, p. 10.) We know that the brain controls what words are spoken, but when we allow a profanity to find a place in our vocabularies, the profanity, and not the brain, often seems to be in control.

President Joseph Fielding Smith states: “Profanity is filthiness. A person is known as much by his language as he is by the company he keeps. … Filthiness in any form is degrading and soul-destroying and should be avoided.” If we are not most careful with our thoughts and speech, the words we use will use us. Language has its own ethics, and one who communicates truth is like a bright light in the darkness. We must nurture language like that.

Members of the Church, young or old, should never allow profane or vulgar words to pass their lips. The language we use projects the images of our hearts, and our hearts should be pure. As the Savior taught: “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
President Gordon B. Hinckley urged us to choose the Savior as our role model, he said: “I know that the Lord is pleased when we use clean and virtuous language, for He has set an example for us. His revelations are couched in words that are affirmative, that are uplifting, that encourage us to do what is right and to go forward in truth and goodness.”

In conclusion I’d like to bear my testimony (talk about how using good language) …..

I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ – Amen !

Wednesday, January 18, 2017

You will be missed !!

I started this post 4 years ago but never posted it ... to my sister Noa, I miss you more today than ever !

The year 2012 was one where we lost some dear loved ones.  Being members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints we are taught and I believe that families are forever and we will see our loved ones again. I know I will see my family members again but I cry because I'm sad they are gone and I will miss them. 

This past year on June 22, 2012 we lost our baby sister Vanessa Noanoa Soliai-Talaiga.  I can't tell you how painful it was to hear the news and the how much I miss her.  She was only 33 and the youngest of the 7 of us girls.  She was a GREAT Aunt to all our kids and the most painful thing for me was seeing my children cry when they heard the news.  We were in American Samoa for the summer when we got the call so we cut our summer vacation short to fly back to washington for her funeral.  This was actually the first time in a long time that all us siblings were together in one place. 
It is always said that it's too bad it takes something like this for us to get together but I don't feel that way.  In 2002 we started our Fotu & Paulette family reunions and we have them every other year and we have been pretty good at most of us being in attendance so I am grateful for great siblings who always  do their best to get together for these. 

To my sister Noa ... I miss you and am thankful for your great example to me on how an Aunt really should be and to love all my nieces and nephews the same - I love you !!!


In May of 2012 one of my dear cousins Toloai lost his wife.  Toloai & Luisa were such a loving couple and my heart was sad for my cousin because we all knew how much he loves his wife and how close in age we all are and it could of been any one of us.




1st John & Katherine Samia Famiy Reunion !

Last August we had the first ever family reunion for my Mother and her siblings.  It was so good to get together with my first cousins.  We were all raised in Samoa but thru the years the majority of us have moved to live stateside !  My mother was the oldest of my grandparent's 4 children.  My Mom June Paulette Samia had 9 kids & 7 of us 9 with our families attended, the next oldest my Uncle Drury Siomia had 4 children and 2 of his 4 kids with their families attended, my Uncle John Poleta Jr had 8 children & 5 of his children with their families was in attendance.  We started our reunion on the 17th of August and we ended it on the 20th of August !  I was so grateful to  not only spend time with my sibling but also have the experience of showing our kids some places we always went to when we used to visit during the summers with our parents and my husband who was raised in Hawaii got to eat all the food he loves !
Where it all begin .... Our grandparents John Poleta & Katherine Needham Samia !

The representatives of  June Paulette & Fotu Soliai !

The representatives (missing Gilbert & Diane)  of Drury Siomia & Sameme Uperesa ! 
The representatives of John Poleta Jr !


Most of all of us who was in attendance for the last night of the reunion !

Till our next reunion in 2018 !  Hope more of us will be able to attend !

It's 2017 already ?!!

Seriously .... where has the time gone ?!  So much has happened since the last time I blogged and I want to make sure I start documenting the memories.  So for the new year it is my goal to log in at least once a week to blog the week's "memories" !

Jan 8 - 15 2017

Our ward started a new time for church this year .... we now are 11:00am - 2:00pm.  I like the time - not too early not too late.  Sundays we have our weekly toonai (dinner) of the 2 houses and than we hold our combined Family Home Evening.  It is always a good time when we get together.  Nothing much happened during the week except the normal weekly activities but let me update on some happenings with kiddies ....

Williard Afoa II -

Will got sealed in the Seattle Washington temple last year on June 14, 2016 to a beautiful (both inside & out) girl originally from Utah.  Her name is Kaylene Finau but everyone calls her Pudgie,  With Pudgie we got 3 little boys whom we love.  Raider Taualai is 8
and twin 5 year old boys Amani & Shana.  They moved in with us and are adjusting to being around so many girls :) !

Sisilia Kaulei -

Sisilia started working last year Feb at DGS and because of that her parents have been able to travel for free on Delta airlines. Thanks Sizzle you're the best !

Fotuopalaau Iafeta -

Fotu graduated from Kentridge high school last June and not long after got a job !  He has plans to attend college as he still really wants to play college football !

Salele Kapiolani -

Salele is now a Jr in high school and was diagnosed with Diabetes & high blood pressure a couple of years ago.  She is well but we are still trying to control her condition.

Luluvita Kapua -

My baby is a freshman in high school and is enjoying it.  She started to play club volleyball and hope it helps her to be a good player as well as keep her in shape.


Saturday, July 13, 2013

Back Home 2012 !

Some of you might not know but our oldest son went back to Samoa to live with his Aunty Va the 1st quarter of his sophmore year in high school.  Well on May 26, 2012 he graduated from Marist High School and so we all went to his graduation.  Lulu (my baby) & I left May 17th so we could attend his bacalaureate that was on May 20th and Big Williard, Sisilia, Salele & Fotu flew in to surprise him on May 24th. 

It was so good to be home !  This was my first time back since my father's one year since his death in 2008.  The kids (Sisilia,Fotu, Salele & Lulu) had not been back there since we left in American Samoa in 2006.  Because my sister Lulu & bro Jun flew home earlier in May to take their two youngest (who I take care while everyone is at work & school) Leone & Loi down, we had planned to spend the Summer in Samoa and not come back till August 9th.

I can't explain just how happy I felt to be back home ..... to see my parents again, to see the house I grew up in, the village I lived in my entire life, the chapel I went to church in every sunday, seeing Laufou (where South Pacific Traders used to be) & remembering my parents working there for many,many, many years.  It was so nice to talk to my kids and being able to show them places that I had so many memories at, taking them swimming in the village, they absolutely LOVED being able to ride on the back of their Aunty Va's truck and loved spending time in faleniu with their Grandma Matuu, Aunty Tumua and the rest of the family . 

We ended up having to come back to Washington sooner than planned but are still grateful that we were able to spend the time we did with Aunty Va, Uncle Meki & Jerry and be there as long as we were.

Here are some pictures from our summer ......












Monday, January 7, 2013

Happy Birthday Noa

Today she would of been 34.  It gets dark early here in Washington this time of the year.  So right after the kids got out of school we took all of them up to see their Aunty.  We got her a bouquet and they sang Happy Birthday to her.   We miss you !!!



Wednesday, January 2, 2013

New Year, New Goal !

One of the things I want to absolutely stay on top of this year is logging in daily and blog something, anything, even if it's only two sentences long. The year 2012 went by way too fast and so much happened ...  I'm just going to put some pictures in with some lables and hopefully that will help with remembering things.

January is always kick off for Kent Parks basketball ( Lulu only ) ....




April I forced myself on the Suamataia family & we went to the Bay Area for Easter - we were also able to surprise Sis Solomona & treat them to dinner.











 
We got back from Cali took the kids bowling ....
 




 
I am going to end here for now and start a new post highlighting other things that happened in 2012 !