The Dog Days of Summer

Although we are in the "dog days of summer," its not much hotter now than ever in Guam.  According to tradition July 24 to August 24, when Siris is in the sky, "the Sea boiled, the Wine turned sour, Dogs grew mad, and all other creatures became languid; causing to man, among other diseases, burning fevers, hysterics, and phrensies." (Brady’s Clavis Calendaria, 1813.)   Grant and I have both contracted and overcome a virus of some sort. Other than that, its been a pretty great two weeks.  

August 4 we hosted Family Home Evening at our apartment and invited Rose and Jim Cruz (center) to join us (Elder and Sister Martin, Sister and Elder McCabe).  Jim is an authentic Chamorro, born and raised on Guam.  Rose, his lovely wife, is from California.  They have been stalwarts of the Church on Guam since the early 1970s.  We enjoyed hearing them reminisce about Guam and its people, including memories of the U.S. invasion in 1944 when Brother Cruz was six. 

Our next Family Home Evening, a tour of the submarine Oklahoma City which is in port at the Naval Base, was sponsored by the McCabes the following Saturday.  It was fascinating and we were glad that Grant mastered his claustrophobia and was able to join us.

Mondays are always a busy time at the Stake Center/Mission Office/Area Support Office where the missionaries gather to wash their cars, e-mail home and enjoy playing volleyball and basketball.

Last Saturday Grant and I spent the day at the far north tip of Guam at Ritidian Beach.  This little fellow came out to greet us.

We hiked six miles along the beautiful coast.  The cliffs are limestone, the beach a mixture of sand, coral and shells, the water was 17 shades of blue, turquoise and indigo. We were alone most of the way.

Many of the shells we found were inhabited.

In some places we walked on a limestone shelf of petrified coral.

We ended our "P" day by driving up to the top of Nimitz Hill and watching the sun set over the Philippine Sea.

Today we visited the Barrigada Ward.  We met with Happiness Ichin and his son Happy to start their family history.  Happiness was the second member of the Church in Chuuk and the first missionary sent from that island.  He is also the second counselor in the bishopric.