Ended 17 1/2 months in Hawaii

Our last day in HawaiiAloha

Mahalo to Roy & Christine, Maria & 'ohana, Mom McQ

We are loved, We are Home in AF,UTAH

Last Day in Hawaii, going home

Aloha, Hawaii Mission

2010 Seminary Graduation@ Laie Stake

More Luahiwa 'ohana

Luahiwa Gathering

This is my maiden Name, My brother Jim is the only one carrying this name and his son Aaron.  Very few of us left, so this gathering was special in that we were finishing our mission in Hawaii, and brother Jim came to Hawaii to meet with us three sisters.  Angie's daugher Gracie and her daugher Gabby, Jim's daughter Mel, g'dau.Mel and another dau. Carly.  My son Jace and his family on my side, and sister Bobbie's sons Josiah & family, Ricky & dau., Cynthia/Louie & family, Carl & family.....a great time together to renew our familial ties.  A great day

Wrapping Up

The previous posts are photos  from the past two weeks of events that I have been wanting to include of things that we are going to miss. We had our last Seminary Class on May 13, said our goodbyes, hugs, kisses....all the Classes had breakfasts, except for one, that had a testimony meeting.  She will send us a photo of the class.  Graduation is this Sunday the 16th, and we fly home the next day, May 17, to be released on the 18th.  Sniff, Sniff.....it is time, to end this adventure, and move on.  My family members here are coming over to Kakela Beach today for a gathering.  Swimming, and eating, and getting better acquainted with each other.  I will take pictures and show my family in a Reunion setting, Hawaiian Style. Elder M and I have mailed home 5 boxes of "stuff".  We have cleaned most of the apartment that we can, while still living in it.  

The Kupunas

Bro.Jim, Sis Bobbie, Sis Angie, SonnyMe too

Kea and Taran, The Coneheads

Mahalo Jace and Taran for Sunday Dinners

Jay and Kekai on their daily walk

Noah, May Day Greek Warrior

To all you precious young mothers

It's a beautiful day.  Happy Mother's Day.  We woke up early this morning, and drove to Kaneohe to Valley of the Temples...I wish I had a picture.  It was absolutely brilliant.  The Ko'olau Range in the background, the blossoming Ohi'a tree, and the decorated gravesites.  My mother, Agnes Ululani Nahale'a Luahiwa Grace, My aunties Mary Nahale-a , Rose Luahiwa was nearby, so we could decorate those too, my last one here for this event.  We are calling Jay's Mom right now.  She is a dear, we love her so much.  We are blessed indeed to have been born to such fine women.

Another PCC Pose

Aloha Oe to the PCC

Mahalo to all our friends

Seminary Commitment

Big time slack!  One teacher came in 4 minutes after the hour, the Security at the other building never did show up.  What's happening???  Where is the "to the end, commitment?"  I couldn't leave one building until all the teachers were in their classrooms.  Elder McQuivey had to go unlock three iron gates on the outside, and 4 doors to another building, and then he had to go back to lock up after Seminary an hour later.  
The gospel is true, we mortals are fallible,but we needn't be, we are God's Army of Saints who know from whence our blessings come.  I am venting, sorry!  But while I was waiting outside the building in the parking lot for that late teacher, I saw a most beautiful sunrise...that big orange ball seemingly rising up out of the ocean.

Three Sacrament Meetings

A beautiful day for filling my bucket of blessings from my Heavenly Father.  Two Sacrament meetings on the Healing Power of the Atonement was presented by High Councilors and two Returned Missionaries.  One High Councilor was trying to express his testimony of the Atonement so desperately in his broken English, when he stopped and said, "are you understand me?"  I understood and felt the power in his testimony.  I knew he knew he Savior.  Another speaker shared how several people he taught on his mission, were brought back to activity in the church, and another was truly converted.  These are precious moments that I will always carry with me, and I got to share it with my companion right beside me. What a treat!

OCEANS

Thanks to the French. The photography, filmographers did a fabulous presentation of this movie.  I actually sat there in the theater and thanked the Lord for such amazing beauty and power that He created.  It made our study more poignant of how EVERYTHING in the whole wide world is controlled by HIM, but HE does not control us.  We are HIS creation too, but HE has given us FREE AGENCY, that we are supposed to use to be able to get the rest of the blessings HE has in store for us.  We have also been given this beautiful universe to manage, and we are not doing a very good job of it.  The ocean creatures do a good job of managing their own realm, without us making a mess of it....with our greed and waste. 

It's not easy Being Green

We heard a wonderful talk today by a young man using some of these lyrics to
prove his point, to personal revelation.  It was a powerful message of how hard it is to be a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  While I don't personally think it's hard, I know that these young people face a world out there that challenges them every day to keep the commandments.  They are the soldiers on the frontlines.  We teach them, and send them forth to fight the enemy of all enemies. 
We have or own challenges, but it is mostly with our own failings, in maintaining humility and showing forth charity. 



It's not that easy being green

Having to spend each day the color of the leaves

When I think it could be nicer being red, or yellow or gold

Or something much more colorful like that



It's not easy being green

It seems you blend in with so many other ordinary things

And people tend to pass you over 'cause you're

Not standing out like flashy sparkles in the water

Or stars in the sky



But green's the color of Spring

And green can be cool and friendly-like

And green can be big like an ocean, or important

Like a mountain, or tall like a tree



When green is all there is to be

It could make you wonder why, but why wonder why

Wonder, I am green and it'll do fine, it's beautiful

And I think it's what I want to be

Happy Birthdays

Yesterday was Elder M's birthday, and today I enjoyed my birthday by first Skyping our Needham   ohana.We both served at the PCC today with wonderful guests, and other wonderful missionaries who work so diligently there.   Then Jay and I went to see the movie tonight ""The Last Song, another Nicholas Sparks screenplay and book.  As always, its a tearjerker, but great storyline about relationships.  And someone said tonight, "someone always dies".  I'm sappy too, so I shed a tear or two. What a great way to celebrate a birthday.  We actually celebrated two birthdays while on this mission.  Now we are ready to go back home to Utah.

HE IS RISEN

It is indeed a blessed day for General Conference.  To wake up early and listen to our wonderful leaders give us poignant and inspiring messages of what we feel today....the gratitude we feel for our Savior's love for us, by giving His life for all of us.  I watched a TV program the other night on a Christian TV station, of the life of Christ.  I was overwhelmed with emotion, as I was here in our apartment alone.  I shed tears for my Savior as he was being scourged, spat upon, mocked.....all I could see was Satan's influence on the Redeemer of the world, and I said aloud, "Oh Father, would I have been one of those dispicable people had I been alive in that time?"   And I wept even more.  Today, as I listened to our Prophet Thomas S. Monson, I felt his comforting words, and burned with a faithful testimony of our Savior Jesus Christ evermore, as Jason.....When counseled by his father, to never lose his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ....NEVER! was his firm reply, and said no more.  I know my Father lives, and loves us too.....that His Son Jesus Christ is alive again, and we will be able to live again.

Good Friday

It is Good here in Hawaii.  When in Utah, we don't have Good Friday....every Friday is Good!  There are lots of people on the roads, at the parks.  Not a good day to venture out.  But it is good indeed, to have a day off, to observe the glorious weekend for General Conference and the Easter Sunday.  We taught,or were taught by our wonderful Institute students last night as we discussed Helaman 1-4 from the Book of Mormon.  I watched a depiction of the last days of Jesus Christ, as he entered Jerusalem for the last time as a mortal..on a Christian TV station.  I kept asking myself, aloud, "would I have been one of the faithful, or one of those mean, stiff-necked Jews, who crucified him."  Such evil abounded there, and oh how he endured all of that.   It is a Good Friday for the rest of the Christian world, because they remember how he died for us all.  We remember how he arose, and was Resurrected, and gave us all, Life.  We indeed worship a Living Christ.   

April Fools jokes...

.......we had two of them today, and we bit, both times.  We are not so clever, I'm afraid.  We are so focused on other things, like teaching Institute tonight, that all our thoughts have to be coordinated so we can be in tune with the Holy Spirit.  It's a great time of year, Easter, General Conference and all.  So beautiful.  Things are green here anyway, so no spring blossoms to remind us that there is a Renewal of all things.  We feel that way everyday.  No joke!

Prnce Kuhio Day

This the only state in America that has a holiday dedicated to royalty? Two of them Kuhio Day, today, and Kamehameha Day June 11.  Kuhio was heir to the throne of the kingdom of Hawaii when it was overthrown in 1893.  He first rebelled against the Republic of Hawaii, but years later served as a statesman in posannexation Hawaii until his death in 1920.
I was going to call Boston to see what they were doing there today, before I realized it was not a holiday there. We went with the family to see the new movie How to Train a Dragon, in 3D.  We all loved it.  But I agree with you James, I don't think we will run right out and buy a 3D TV.   

Seminary, again!

The public schools started back to school yesterday, and the private schools are on Spring Break for these two weeks.  Seminary started up again yesterday.  All teachers were on hand these two days, there were a few students, and more today.  So vacations and furloughs don't seem to help the attendance for Seminary.  There are only about 6 1/2 weeks left before graduation and certificates are issued.  

Spring Break

We get to sleep in this week, until 6:30, even 7:00.  But Elder McQuivey wakes up early to go golfing.  He likes to golf at the crack of dawn.  But we still have our other assignments like The LDS Employment Resource Center, and the PCC Restaurant, and we still teach Institute on Thursday nights.  Its great.  We love the variety of assignments we do in this service opportunity.

Winding down

It's that time in a mission, when you know you will "go home", but you will miss the people, the schedule, the climate, the ocean, the birds, the trees and shrubs, the fruit and the people(again).  Everyday, I find myself saying, "I'm going to miss that".  My testimony has grown so much.   My prayers have reached deep into my soul, pouring out to my Father in Heaven.  My companion is the handsomest, honest, seeking, person I know and want to spend eternity with.  He understands me better, and I, him.  This is the best way to truly learn more about each other, and about our Savior.  We went through some vexing trials at first, me, learning how to live with someone 24/7.  With the Lord as our partner, this trio overcame Satan's jabs, and became stronger.  We pray we will continue this mission, and endure to the end.  Me kealoha pumehana a pauole!

The week after Tsunami warning......

I am trying to show how "rough" it's been all week. This picture only shows waves way out beyond the reef.  It's really been rough, trust me.  It's been windy here in Hawaii, not much rain.  I wanted to record here, my feelings and experience after the 1946 Tidal Wave that hit the Islands.  I was two weeks from turning 7.  After living with my g'parents in Kawaihae on the Big Island for three years, my mother remarried, and sent for my brother Poaimoku and I   to live with her on Oahu.  The means of travel back then between the Islands, was by boat.  The "Hualalai" was used mainly for transporting cattle from the Parker Ranch where my g'father worked.  One week after the Tidal Wave hit the Islands, the sea was "rough".....so when the boat was transporting the cattle to O'ahu, they used a troughlike  ramp to get the cattle on the boat.  It had high sides, and I remember watching that and worrying about the cattle being herded through that onto the boat.  Well, now the few handful of passengers were told to get on the boat using the same ramp.  The ramp passengers normally used, was just a slat of wood like you would have seen in movies where a person walked the ramp from the boat to the dock, or vice versa.  So here I was, dressed in white shoes, white dress, and walking right on the very surface where the cows had just tramped, dung and all.  Eeeww!  A rough ride to O'ahu, but safe.  I was reminded of that trip all week as I watched the ocean from our apartment windows. 

Morning after

We all went to bed early last night,...all so tired.  Our beds felt like clouds,  We slept in this morning.  It was good to feel safe and dry and warm.

Mahalo Ke Akua

We were spared.  We are so very grateful.

TSUNAMI ALERT

We have been on alert since Friday night on the 10PM news.  We went to bed thinking we had time.  At 2AM, Jace woke us up to help with preparations.  We turned on the TV for updates.  Then we went back to bed to sleep until the sirens went off at 6AM.  We are being given assignments by Jace for preparations.  The park across the street emptied out this morning, while there is still one tent group not heeding the warnings.  Oh well, there are people like that.  I can tell you that the ocean looks eerily calm.  I'll sign off right now, at 7:AM

Making & Flying Kites w/Kamaile at Kamehameha

Mrs. Bode, Tutu and KamaileHaving lunch w/G'dad

Taran to the Rescue

These little pigs are wild pigs found by the house.We have named them Bacon and Kalua.  These little oinkers are so cute, we can't keep them.

Strippling Warriors

 This mornings lesson that I taught in Seminary, filling in for the regular teacher.  I love these young men who fought valiantly with great faith.  I pray our students felt "the spirit" as we read together from Alma 57.  I love the Book of Mormon.  I'm so glad we are studying this text this year, while Jay and I are serving in the CES/SI program here in Laie, Hawaii. 

Home Study

Elder M got up this morning and went to Home Study with LeeAnn teaching.  She has a large group of students.  These are students who go to private schools in Honolulu.  They have to be on the road every morning when other students are attending daily seminary.  But this year, we started online for Seminary Homestudy.  Daily, these students get on their "laptops" and do the homework, while they attend on Saturday morning with LeeAnn to get the rest of the seminary lessons.  But some students have told me that they go to sleep on their rides into town each day.  Bless their hearts. 

No more blogging?????

I don't see too many new blogs anymore???  Well, I'll continue so I can have my blog made into a printed "book" by an LDS site...of our mission.  But I check my blog every day to see what's happening with everyone.

"We're Tongan"

I have to write about this.  This morning, at 6:00AM, there were two teachers who were not at the Makai chapel.  Jay went to the Stake Center, while I tried to pawn off one class to another, so I could teach the other.  Then one teacher showed up.  I went to the H6(Tongan Ward) class, and proceeded to get the class started with a song, prayer and scripture.  The last time (last week) I did this, the teacher walked in, and she took over.  But this morning, the class members tried to call her on their phone(all kids have cell phones nowadays), and they got no answer.  So I proceeded with (thank goodness, I read todays lesson ahead) teaching from Alma 44-45.  The only problem with teaching this way, I don't have any visual aids or the like.  Anyway, I relied on the Spirit and my now familiar relationship with this class.....two of the girls work at the Gateway in the PCC.  We had a fun time this morning.  We talked about "the war chapters, and why we have them"  Somehow, we got around to talking about Easter.  And the class members told me they love Easter Egg Hunting.   I then asked what they did with the eggs.  They told me they ate Egg Salad Sandwiches.  "I have a friend who puts tuna in the egg salad."  I said, "I do too"....when I said more than one was too much.  One girl said, "it's not too much, we're Tongan"....so funny, if you know what that means. 

The Three Grands...

Ammie, Tutu and G'dad.  We are the 3 Grands.  Ammie will have the greatest of responsibilities, but Tut and Gee will help when "not doing mish things"....  Taran celebrated her birthday yesterday at Leilei's at Turtle Bay, with all of us 'ohana.  The restaurant made sure to serve the children first, then handed them each a putter and balls to play on the green, while we adults dined on the patio.  Wow, on February 5th, only in Hawaii.  Today, Jace and Taran will fly to Reno to ski with her family for a few days, while the grands are 'in charge

Turtle

Protected turtles on the North Shore, Hawaii

Be Prepared

Today the Hau'ula 3rd ward recognized the 100th birthday of Boy scouts, also recognizing what had to be an inspiration for Baden Powell to originate the program.  This ward is "gung ho" scouting.  Since scouting came to Hau'ula 27 years ago, there have been 129 Eagle Scouts.  Tonight there will be another.  We feel priviledged to be a part of this program here.  How tied to the Priesthood is scouting.  Being prepared, has been the clarion call by the brethren for many years, physically, spiritually, financially, for our families.  The driving forces here in this ward is due to a sister, who helped her son go all the way through to Eagle, and she has helped many young men here, including our g'sons.  Her brother Paul, helps the 11 year olds who sometimes can fall through the cracks, going from cubs to full BSA. 

Jean McQuivey Larson

Mahalo Jean for Lunch

Photos of Roosters

Chickens, chickens, chickens/tortoises

They're everywhere.  The roosters start crowing way too early in the morning.  But then, we are usually up and gone so early that we aren't bothered by them.....unless it's Furlough Friday.  Like today!  If this island is ever held hostage by the local unions, who won't allow the ships to dock, they can always find chickens for dinner.  Taran has 4 Rhode Island Reds who are plump and beautiful.  "Don't even think it"  says Kea.  Kea domesticated a wild hen, and named her Shiver.  Shiver comes around to get any left overs from the Reds food source.  One day she jumped into the Reds coop, and just about lost her life, except that Jay saved her when he noticed the commotion in the corner of the yard.  I thought of that song from Music Man, where the women sing, "pick, pick, pick, talk a lot, pick a little"  Anyway, Jay saved her.  She is part of this menagerie.  Did I tell you about the two little baby tortoises that Kea happened upon in the turtle cage one day?  Taran took them to the vet, and he pronounced them well and healthy.  We would never have known they were there.  With this being the rainy season(only it's been dry) they might have drowned.  It's a day off for us today, we are going into town to meet Jay's cousin Jean Larson for lunch later.
Institute last night was oh so inspiring, we learned a lot.  Our students teach us so much. 

Hawaii Standard Time

I've noticed that if I write late at night here in Hawaii, the date will be posted as the next day, on this blog.  No wonder I am so confused all the time.  Actually, I enter my blog postings when I feel especially touched by the Holy Spirit.  So time, measured by earthly periods, does not matter.   Which brings to the fore, that we in our finite minds, are so earth bound, we have a difficult time stretching our spirits beyond this sphere. 
I just like being a missionary here in Hawaii.  Soon it will be time to leave here and return home to Utah.

Mid-year Seminary Convention

This day was awesome...starting with the most awesome sight.  We boarded a bus hired for all our Sem. Teachers from this side of the Island.  On the way into town, riding along the coast, on Kamehameha Highway we were blessed with a view of the rising sun.....in full orb, of red, through palm trees.  I did not have my camera, but several teachers took pics, I hope to get a copy.  We had an awesome breakfast of Chuk, yogurt, pastry and fruit.  Then we heard from our keynote speaker, president Steven Wheelwright, and afterwards broke out into three workshops.  Every workshop with it's uplifting handouts, and technology hints, gave us a lot of resources to help in this awesome program for these awesome young people of the church today.  Yahoo!  Awesome!

"chilly"

The temperatures do not tell the story.  There is a wind that has cooled our weather around here.  Well, it's not really that chilly, but we have been drinking hot chocolate and closing all the windows while we read.  Curled up on the couch with a "blanky" is way different than what we've been used to here.  We're not complaining, the coolness is good for cuddling.

MLK.Jr. Day

We spent today with family.  Jay went hiking with Jace and Taran and family, while the two g'mas stayed home.  I did some cleaning and laundry, while Sherrill did her paperwork for the Rental Units she manages.  After the hike, the family had a BBQ while I called Janessa on Skype for her 16th Birthday.  Then we went to the Laie Park(outside) to watch Jarrod's basketball team play in the North Shore Youth Basketball League.  It's so fun to be there and meet everyone and anyone.  It's the place to be.  It's back to Seminary, early morning tomorrow.  We love this calling.  It's the very best place to be, doing the very best we can. Me Kealoha Pumehana. 

Invictus

I went with Sherrill tonight, to see this movie...I love this movie.  Morgan Freeman was well cast..and I did enjoy Matt Damon's portrayal too.  I don't know much about Rugby, but I can see why the people around the world,  think that our American Football is for sissies.  Rugby is brutal.  I always loved the poem, Invictus.  "I am the master of my fate, I am the Captain of my soul."

Institute Laie

We are studying Mosiah 18-24 tonight.  I love these chapters.  Elder M and I are really a team.  He leads the class through the scriptures and I jump in from time to time.  I asked him if that was a bother for him when I do that, but he says, "No, I like it when you add a different perspective."  Isn't he cute!  I just love to talk, but I do sit in among the students and smile at him while he's trying to lead the class in discussion,.

Trade Winds

I thought I knew what trade winds were, I do now.  It is the wind that blows from the Northeast.  When it blows, all gunky air goes away, and we feel a great deal of relief.  The winds bringing in the Vog, has been Southeast.  But I do have to admit that it is "chilly"  For those of you mainlanders.  It is chilly.  Yes, our high today was 75 degrees, but the trades blow in and we actually have a wind chill factor.  The humidity along with the wind makes for the chill in the air.  I am wearing a sweater. No kidding! 

1/13/2010

We are loving being in Paradise.  We drove over to the North Shore yesterday to view the 20 ft. waves and surfers.  We talked to one surfer who had just "come in" from surfing.  He said "it's brutal out there".  We asked him if he surfed Monday, in the 40 ft. waves.  He said yes, and that he was scared at the huge waves.  He is from Australia, and they don't have waves like that.  This year for some reason, the waves are higher, and more abundant. 
It was our "P-Day" but we have no such thing.  With Seminary at 6AM and then helping out at PCC, we had one window of the day to wash clothes, and to vacuum the apartment, and drive over to the North Shore to see the Surf and the surfers.   
We met our neighbors from American Fork yesterday, for the first time.  They are delightful people.  Ralph had a music competition to attend here at the UofH.  He and Rebecca had never eaten at Ted's Bakery before, so we had to introduce them to our famous North Shore(hole in the wall)eatery.  It's always crowded, and they serve the best food. It's not just a bakery. They are most famous for their Haupia-Chocolate Cream Pie.  And any other pies, for that matter.  Elder M likes the plain Chocolate Cream Pie, I like all the pies.  They have the best crusts and cream topping.  I especially like the Macadamia Cream Pie, but you can't beat that Haupia Chocolate Cream Pie. 

LDS Employment Resource Center

We volunteer here at the church ERC two days a week, but all day long.  And since the people are not pounding the door down to get in to look for jobs, we have lots of time on our hands to do Seminary and Institute work, and checking on our emails and blogs.  We also do reports for our Seminary teachers and prepare reports for the bishops too.  It's great.  Someone has to do the office work.  We got to our first chapel this morning, and then Elder M left me there, while he drove over to the Stake Center building.  6:00AM and one teacher was missing, 6:05AM still no teacher, so I jumped in and started the class of 6 students waiting there, and had them lead us in singing Love One Another.  Then I asked a young man to offer our prayer for the day.  And then I had another young man take the roll for two days.  You see, we left that building last Friday, thinking all the teachers were there, and this same one was missing.  So a visiting Bishop from another ward asked a connecting teacher to unfold the divider between the two classes, and teach the class without a teacher along with his.  This is just some of the kind of things that go on, and we as coordinators for the Stake on Seminaries, "fill in" when assigned people don't show up.  I was ready to teach the class, based on our continued study of the Book of Mormon.  I just needed to know where they were in the scriptures.  There is an assigned list of what chapters to teach on a specific date.  Not all teachers are on schedule that way, so I have to find out where they are, when I jump in like that to teach.  Thank goodness for a lifetime of studying the scriptures.  No panic.  Just call on the Holy Ghost to help you, and you're off and running.     Jay found that the gates to the front of the Stake Center was not unlocked this morning and students were jumping over the fence to get in.  Oh my!

Sabbath Day in Hawaii

The thought occurred to me this morning, after visiting several wards in this church here in Laie, Zion is growing.  Lots and lots of children here.  Oh my, I love it.  Beautiful children.  I'm not going to look at children back home again, the way I look at them here, and I want to eat them up.  I have been able to hold a few here and there.  Yesterday at the basketball courts (outside), lots of children....sooooo cute.  Jarrod and Noah's teams did well.  We have three months of Saturdays to go sit outside at the basketball courts to watch games being played.  Everyone can be found there on Saturay mornings.  Just go there at 8:30AM, and sit through every game until you get tired of watching and get hungry, go home, and then go to the PCC to "work".  Love it, love it, love it!
But today, is voggy again, and I think the gunk in the air that I'm breathing is starting to get into my upper respiratory system...I'm coughing more!
We went to a ward to visit this morning, and we couldn't find a parking space, so we came to our office, and we couldn't find a parking space here too.  This hallway where we have our offices, is the children's hallway for the Nursery.  The cutest kids here.  I will have to take some photos of these beautiful children. 

1/7/2010 Vog

Another beautiful day in Hawaii.  The vog is messing up the scenery but at least we can enjoy some tropical breezes. 
To any and all of you who read this blog.  Please, please write to your congressmen/women, senators and opine about all that is wrong about this out of control government.  Anything that is right?  I don't know, but if you can find something, then opine about that too. 
The gospel is true, there is a God, and he is a loving Father, who sent His son Jesus Christ to Save us All.  The Holy Ghost is there to confirm this to you.  Pray to have your very own testimony of your divine nature, to KNOW that you are a son/daughter of this One True God.   

1/6/2010

Random stuff.  I just looked at my entry on the other blog, and I realized that I had been bragging about my Christmas gift of a new laptop.  As luck, or whatever we call it, we had to return it to HP.  Yes, yesterday Fedex picked it up at Jace's workplace, and took it back to HP.  Darn.  I was so looking forward to using it every single moment of every day.  I wanted to learn some more stuff to do too.  Like, this blog of my favorite friends and family blogs to add to this blog from the other one, and I don't see the same promptings that I had when I listed them before. 
Seminary went well this morning even though I had to leave Elder M at the Makai chapel, while I dashed over to the other building.  I almost forgot that I had left him back there, I got "talking story" with a couple brethren.  He was almost the last one at the Makai chapel when I got there.
We helped at the PCC last night.  The crowds are cutting back down, I'm sure it's the January thing.  People recoup after the holidays.  If not for the Asian visitors, the tourist industry here in the Islands would really be at a huge loss.
Elder M and I are continuing our "study and preparations" for Institute this week.  We took the last two weeks off for the holidays, and the students are anxious to get back at the Book of Mormon.  It is the most perfect book.  I am reading, for special interest, a book called An American Gospel, by Erik Reece.  He is the son of a Baptist Minister who committed suicide at age 33, and g'son of a Baptist minister...  I keep thinking that people just don't "get it".....we have it.  As a missionary of the only true gospel on the face of the earth..... many others are good, but we have all truth, I can't help but think how sad it is, that many people looking for the real thing, keep missing the mark. 

Seminary started up again

5:30AM here we come.  We were surprised to learn that we have some new teachers.  We literally dashed through all the classes to meet with the teachers before they started classes for the day.  Then drove over to another building and got caught up with those 6 teachers with class rolls and recap lists and welcome wishes.  Then we drove here to our office to enter information for the CES Secretary in Honolulu.  And it's only 7:00AM right now.  Our day is half over.  But we do have an assignment at the Polynesian Cultural Center tonight at 4:30PM.  So we keep busy.  And it's the good kind of busy. 

Jan. 4, 2010

It's beautiful in Paradise.  More like perfect.  We are serving at the Employment Resource Center at this writing, but we have a lot of time on our hands as we are commited to being here, just in case, someone needs our help.  We can help a little, but they need to make some effort, as well.  We had a great Sabbath yesterday, attending Fast Meetings in three wards.  The first ward we attended in Laie, had three baby blessings, so it was full.  And they had time for 7 testimonies.  The next ward in Hau'ula was also fully packed, and 11 inspiring testimonies were born, including a shout out for a 16 year old girl who had read the Book of Mormon straight through since Thanksgiving.  The last ward we attended was the Singles ward, Laie North 10th Ward.  Very few were in the congregation, like maybe 50, and there were 16 testimonies shared.  What a delightful day filled with the Spirit.  We are so blessed.  We feel the "aloha" here in everyone we see. 

1/1/2010 Kulia i ka nu'u

Yes, I am going to start this one up again.  So the first two pics here tell about us back in 2007.  But the sunrise here is a perfect way to start out the day and the new year.  We are in Hawaii still, as missionaries, with only 5 months left.  We just celebrated Jace's 47th today.  He also leads us in the Aha'aina, where we prepare to board our canoe for a long journey through the new year.  With the following values: Salt for Purity(ma'ema'e) symbol of cleansing;  Awa for Responsibility(kuleana); Ulua for Industry(pa'ahana) the fish ulua is a strong swimmer against the currents.  Uala for Humility(ha'aha'a) sweet potato which is harvested from the earth representing deep humility.  If we are humble, we may be sweet.  Kalo for Intelligence(na'auao) which represents lasting and sustaining.  Pipikaula symbolizing Strength(Koa).  The cord and tradition binds us together.  Shrimp for Service(lawelawe), Ouick to act.  Ko'oloa, duck or chicken(to fulfill everything completely, to be complete(Pono)  That was the menu, now we just have to live these values daily in our lives.  There should be 12, so Jace's family lives by one a month, by embracing the light in their lives.   This family with a Hawaiian heritage, and several caucasion ethnicities....where we bring it all together to draw on our Heavenly father's care, our greatest heritage of all, as His sons and daughters.