Multi-cultural event

Sunday afternoon in Australia and it's a beautiful sabbath day.  The ACT (Australian Capital Territory) hosts a three day event in downtown Canberra that celebrates the many different cultures of this country.  Yesterday we wandered past the booths from various countries and tried foods from sample trays that were offered to us.  There were pastries, both savory and sweet, from Morocco, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and other middle eastern countries.  There were dancers from Poland and the islands of the South Pacific and music from every corner of the globe.  If you stopped to take it in; the smells, colors and sounds could almost overwhelm a person.  We had a massive plate of food that came from a booth from Samoa.  Several members of the church were there and it was such a sweet moment to see their big smiles and feel of their love.  The plate of food they stacked up for us would've fed five people.  They also serve a drink that has watermelon, mango, pineapple and coconut milk.  It really isn't a "drink" because it's so thick.  They grate the watermelon, pineapple and mango so you can chew it.  I loved it.  I could never buy mango's and pineapple back in the states like they have here so it will probably never be recreated back home.

Today, after church with the Black Mountain Ward, we went, as a Stake, to Stage 5 where Silvia Wang led a choir from the church.  They sang several beautiful arrangements, including a Tongan hymn and President Stuart said a few words.  Evelyn was a part of the choir and I tried to get a picture and some video for the family. I played a critical role as a member of the audience.  It was such a sweet experience to see my wife standing on the stage, singing a Tongan hymn.   We are truly a world away from the cold temperatures of Wyoming and the quiet comforts of home.