Tonga

Brett, Joel, Scott, Dave Bird, Emerson Lake, Zach Davis, Ben Counihan, and Dave Gordon went on a dental mission to Tonga for 10 days and had the time of their lives.

In Brett's words:
Tonga is the most amazing place and the people are awesome. The people are so friendly and welcomed us with open arms. They were truly grateful for all the time we put in to taking care of their dental needs. The island is so beautiful. The beaches are great and don't bear the mark of much tourism. Tonga seems to still be somewhat untouched by outside influences, especially north american influence. That was one of the reasons it felt so different from any other tropical region that I've been to. We saw real poverty and content, happy people who value family and culture. I felt like I was on my mission and felt at home there. We were able to work in the clinic there for four days and treated as many people as we could accomodate. All of us gained some awesome experience with the work we did. One of my favorite experiences was when we all piled onto a local fisherman's tiny boat and ploughed out acros the open ocean to a tiny island called Nuku island. It was surreal, like somewhere out of a tropical destination travel brochure. We snorkeled around the island, relaxed on the white sand, swam in the crystal clear blue water and cracked open some coconuts and dranks the water inside (one of my favorite things). It was also awesome to live a block away from the Temple. Attending church on sunday was incredible. We were all uplifted by the strong testimonies of the members and especially the youth. I will never forget the the sound of Tongan men and women singing the hymns of the church in their own unique and beautiful harmony. I hope to return someday with my family. It was an absolutely unforgetable trip.