August 19, 2013

A lot of things happened over the past several days.  Our oldest grandson Erik Mangelson left for his Mission to Boston, Mass.  He entered the MTC on August 14, and will spend two weeks there for training and then depart on August 27 for Boston.  We are very proud of Erik on his choice to serve a Mission.

The picture you see here is his before mission look, notice the long hair, 

This is the after mission look, notice the hair and suit, he is going to make a wonderful missionary. He has a great personality and will fit in well in Boston, besides that, he is as sharp as a tack.  He will be able to communicate with the intellects of Harvard and MIT.  Hopefully we will be able to communicate with him and share mission stories.  We will end our mission in November 2014 and he will finish his in August 2015.  

This is a picture of the new Elders at the MTC in Provo.  They are contemplating their wise decision to serve for two years for the Lord.  Today August 27, 2013 they will be flying out to their Missions.

The picture below is of our youngest granddaughter Sarah on her first day of school for the new year. So we go from oldest granddaughter getting married, oldest grandson going on a mission and youngest granddaughter going to school.

All of our other grand kids are very busy as well.  Anna Tremea is playing varsity soccer for Deseret Hills, Maddie Barton is playing varsity tennis for the Deseret Hills, Amanda Mangelson is playing soccer for Woods Cross high school and Sam Tremea is into cross country running.  The other grand kids, Matt, Jake and Elle are all playing soccer and Sarah is having fun.  We have been very blessed to have very smart grand kids who love their grandparents (I hope) and strive to do what is right.  
We miss them dearly and all of their activities.

On P-day we got together with some other missionaries and took a ride to the famous swap meet at the Aloha Football Stadium in Honolulu.  This swap meet covers the entire stadium parking lot.  On our way to the swap meet we decided to see some Hawaii sites.

Sister Nelsen, Sister Tremea and Sister Cooper.

We went to the Pali lookout, it is a State Park where King Kamehameha fought with another warrior King.  King Kamehameha won the battle and became King of all of the Hawaiian Islands, he was the one who allowed Christianity to be openly preached in Hawaii.  Sadly King Kamehameha pushed his opponents over a cliff and they all died.  They were not very nice to their enemies.

We were standing where this picture was taken and it is a very steep drop off no wonder the warriors died.  At the lookout we could see the east side of Hawaii and it is beautiful.

We made our way to the Swap Meet in Honolulu.  This thing is huge, it is held in the football stadium parking lot, with hundreds of vendors.  We were looking for aloha matching outfits,  we finally found them at a good price.  We are required to wear matching outfits when we take tickets at the luau's in the evening.

These are one of two new matching outfits we found at the Swap Meet.

 If you are wondering who is in the picture, that is me, Elder Tremea amongst all of the clothing.  He is trying to smile, but was getting tired of walking in 90 degree heat on black asphalt.

  

On our way out of the Swap Meet we saw this old truck, notice how they have put a sealant on the roof to keep the rain out.  This looks like a red neck truck in Hawaii.  I wonder if we would do that in St George.  Probably not.

These boys had a good laugh over the truck!

Elder Tremea, Elder Cooper and Elder Nelsen

This past week we had a missionary (Elder Reynolds) get very sick from a lengthy sinus infection.  He went to the nearby Kahuku Hospital but was then transferred to Queens Hospital in Honolulu.  They found a tumor on his brain.  We were fasting and praying for him throughout the week.  Upon arrival at Queens Hospital he had three specialists.  By Wednesday they diagnosed it as an infectious brain tumor.  He has been on strong antibiotic and will be for another two to four weeks.  They are from Idaho Falls and will probably be going home as soon as he will be able to travel.  We will miss them.

Thank you Mike for sending Nancy Naomi Alexander Tracy's History to us.  It is on the I Phone and we can read it when not busy.  It might be good for all of you to look her up on google.  Her history is on line and it is an amazing story.  Nancy Naomi is my (Cathy's) Great Great Grandmother.  She was one of the first members of the church and followed the Prophet Joseph to Nauvoo and later Brigham Young to the Salt Lake Valley.   You can Google her name and get her story and information.

Friday after work another missionary couple, Dennis and Sherleen Cooper from Logan, Utah took us to the Schofield Air Force Base Commissary.  They took us to the grocery store.  Great prices, most were comparable to Costco, but you didn't have to buy in bulk.  I think that is the first time we have ever been into a Base Commissary.  We met a young man in the Army stationed here.  The Coopers knew him, he was 32 handsome and not married.  Said he was looking for a wife.  If you know anyone, he was a good catch.  I was thinking Margo?  

Hawaii is a very expensive place to serve a mission so we try to conserve whenever we can.

Sunday we moved into our new Chapel.  It is beautiful inside and serves 8 Wards.  Four wards start at 8:00 am and four wards start at 12:00 pm.  There are two chapels back to back with a partition.  This can be opened into a large multi purpose room and used for not only Stake Conferences but other large gatherings.  It is also used for classrooms on the BYU-H campus.  The Bishops Offices are on the second floor as are the two chapels.  On the bottom floor is an open area with tables and couches for the students.  They all took advantage of the area and lingered longer.  I think it was built for that very purpose.  It was definitely a gathering place for the students.  The classrooms all have lab or computer tables in the rooms.  Next week is the big celebration for 50 Years of the PCC, and the Chapel will be dedicated Sunday by Elder Nelson.

There is hardly any parking.  It is a walking campus and there are more stalls for bikes than cars.

We are grateful for the new building.  It felt good to be in the Chapel instead of the theater room we have been meeting in.  We have the largest Ward in our Stake.  The Chapel was filled Sunday.  Elder Tremea was asked to speak in two Wards Sunday.  One was in our own Ward.  We spent most of the day at Church.  I met with the Relief Society Sisters and he went to speak at the l5th Ward.  At noon we started our Block of meetings.  Our Sacrament Meeting had four speakers and Elder Tremea lucked out and didn't have to speak.  I felt bad because I had missed the morning Sacrament Meeting when he spoke.

We arrived home at four and had two couples over for dinner.  One couple was invited and the other just popped in!  We had plenty of food and it was an enjoyable evening.  I found out I can entertain with four plates plus paper plates, and 6 forks.  We laughed and talked about what we can really do without and still be happy.

We felt bad when we heard that Anna had torn her ACL again.  Anna, you will have a few little marks on your knees to prove your soccer stories when you tell your children someday.   We hope you recover real soon and can keep up with all your extra activities and schoolwork.  We love and miss all of you.  Thanks for your notes and emails.   Be sure to pray and watch for the miracles in your life.
Papa and Nona

August 13, 2013

Tonight I am thinking of the feelings Mark and Becky are experiencing.  The last day before dropping your boy to the MTC is bitter sweet.  We are so grateful Erik has chosen to go on a mission.  One Hundred years ago, in the early 1900's my Grandfather Samuel Knight went on a mission to the same Boston Area.  You will walk probably in some of the same places he walked with the same gospel message.  At the time my Grandfather Samuel Knight left on his mission, my father was taken out of school.  He finished the 8th grade.  He stayed home to help his mother with the farm and his younger brothers and sisters.  This included an orchard of apples, cows to milk and the farm to run.  My father was the oldest of eight children.

Below is a picture of my mother and father.  

 Samuel Tracy & EuDora Kendell Knight

Below is the picture of my Grandmother Robina Tracy Knight and Grandfather, Samuel Knight. Grandfather would walk down the lane to see my Dad every day.  He was a tall stately man.  He came at milking time.   He would talk for awhile and then walk back home.  Grandmother would make hot bread in the cold stove.   She had a bowl or vat on the porch full of plum jam to spread over the hot bread.

Good luck Erik.  I have a vision of you entering the MTC with the other thousand missionaries and having a great uplifting experience!

We jumped right back into the mission routine upon coming home.  I didn't go into to work the first morning, but I went for the afternoon.  It was good to be missed, needed and wanted back.  I went right to work making leggings and arm skirts.  We had to weave each leaf onto a string.  It was like braiding but each leaf had a square knot with the twine.  After the first one my hands were numb!  It did get better as I caught onto the rhythm of the braiding.  We have to make 100 pairs.  The first one took me over and hour, KaKay was making them in 20 minutes.  I will get faster I hope.

KaKay from Thailand, she is on the BYU-H Volley-Ball team.  She can braid much faster than I can.

KaKay

This is our sewing room, all these leaves need to be braided, plus boxes under the tables.

KaKay is good teacher

I want to go see her play volleyball.  She is the setter.  She was playing volleyball at her high school in Thailand and her coach was a Mormon.  She let her read the Ensign's and told her she had a special spirit.  She helped her get into BYU-H by small miracles.  I will get her testimony and share it later. She had small window to take ACT Test, and pass...obtain a passport and papers to come September 2012. After she arrived she was converted and baptized.  She is the only member in her family in the church.

The costume washroom is connected to the costume department.  Poi is working there in the mornings. He is always hungry.  I always take food in for the students.  They have empty tummies in the mornings.  Amazing how much these guys can eat.

Sister Smith is sewing red feathers.

While I was home I purchased a fan from Walmart.  They are sold in St George for the Tuachan Shows.  It's a little fan and bottle of water to keep you cool.  My friend, Sherleen, in Seamstress is always HOT.  So I bought a fan for her.  Sherleen is a Sister from Logan, Utah.  She shared it with the other sisters in the seamstress room.  We all had a good laugh.

This is our sweet little Nona.  She has worked at the PCC for 45 years.  She started dancing when she was four and her Mother and Father worked at the Hukilau.  She is retireing in October.  She has cut freehand with no patterns for all the dresses and costumes at the PCC for years.  Unfortunately, no one can take her place.  This is why Sister Jolene Smith is here.  She has written a book on pattern making.  She also made the latest changes for Deseret Clothing Industry on the women's garments. She is making a difference here, just like Nona.

The Hukilau Beach is within walking distance of our apartment.  It is just below the Laie Temple. We can walk to the temple and see the ocean below.

We have a couple finishing their mission.  Elder and Sister Palmer.  They are from Arizona.  We had a party for her in the Seamstress Department.  I sent you a video on the iPhone, hope you watch it.   It gets pretty funny when all the women get together!

                                         This is a Hawaiian pieced quilt top we made for her.

This week we had a fun experience to have Dawn and her Husband, Jared spend their Honeymoon at Turtle bay.  They came to the PCC on Wednesday and spent the day.  We were able to see them on Wednesday and invited them back on Friday when we worked.  We took them to Prime Dining to eat with us.  They were so happy.  We are thrilled to see Dawn married with a instant family.  She will love those girls.  They came to church on Sunday with us.

                   They were married in the Los Angles Temple.  Flew to Hawaii for their Honeymoon.

Cute little Family

                                                     



Dawn and Jared at Prime Dining

It's Monday night here and we are getting some awesome pictures from the Mangelsons.  We will be thinking of you tomorrow Erik.  Have a great day.  Take your testimony and scriptures and change the world.

August 7, 2013

We left early July 26, 4:30am for Honolulu driving in the dark. By the time we drove through Koneohe the sun was raising.  We made it to the airport and parked in Nene Goose level 6.  Hope we remember!  Flight was good, both of us excited to see kids.  Michael waiting for us in Las Vegas, only we couldn't find him.  He was on second level and he could see us ...but we had come out of the airport on bottom floor where limo pickup was.  He waved an called from second story parking and we finally made connections.

We stopped for tacos on the way home.  We arrived late.  We visited with kids an went to bed tired.  Tammy had bedroom all ready....just like the Tremea Marriott for us.  Saturday morning Tammy had  fixed breakfast and we drove over to our home.  This was weird feeling to walk in our home with everything covered and closed up.  The kids had been there earlier in the week and spiffed up the inside an out...knowing we were coming.  We had change of flight and came home earlier for Erik's farewell So we didn't fly into SLC.  We did a quick stop at Tanners and Kidwell's.  Spent some time at Aimee's and then kids had BBQ and swimming at Mike's.  Anna was at BYU for a week so didn't see her.

We stopped in to see the Kidwell's.  Elle and Sarah played with Eve's cat Trapper.   




Early Sunday morning we all drove separately to Salt Lake.  We arrived about 11:00 am.  Erik didn't know we were coming so he was surprised,  it was fun to be altogether.





There were two missionaries leaving, Erik was the last speaker.  We are proud of him.  All the family came to Becky's after.  She had sandwich meats, fruit and cookies.  We enjoyed family, Mangelson's were there, Frank & Myrna came and the Barton's .  Along with neighbors and friends of kids.  Emily an Derek getting all excited over upcoming wedding.  Mike and Tammy had to drive back to St George for work and Anna had HS Soccer.  Scott went home with them to work until wedding day, Thursday morning.  All very busy with work an family.  Aimee and kids stayed at Becky's with us.  

Monday morning Aimee and Papa went to Primary Children's Hospital with Jake to start his treatments of Remicade.   It was a 6 hour procedure,  We are praying this will help control the Crohn's Disease.   I went with Becky for dress fitting, Costco and shopping.  So much to do before wedding!!!

We all helped do some yard work.  The flowers all needed to be deadheaded and weeds pulled.  The holly hocks were still blooming along with daisies, roses and sunflowers.

Tuesday morning we had dental appointments, Mark checked our teeth and Karen cleaned.  We are hoping we won't have teeth problems for at least 15 months.

Tuesday evening Mark  Erik and Papa cut the grass and finished up the yard.  It took all hands including Amanda, Maddie, Sarah and the boys Matt and Jake to finish beautifying the yard!  Tuesday and Wednesday was crazy pulling  everything together.  Two tents went up and Chris brought all the flowers to arrange and put together Wednesday evening.  The wedding preparations just kept coming.  The English garden and all the cut flowers were taking shape.  Chris did magic with pictures and flowers.  Even the house was smelling like wild flowers.  Bridesmaid dresses appeared and Becky's dress was finished.   Emily was in an out of total bliss looking like the lovely innocent bride to be.

August 1, 2013 the big day.    The wedding ceremony was at the Salt Lake Temple at 10:30am.  It was a spiritual ceremony and Grampa Mangelson married them for time and all eternity.  Emily looked radiant the entire day.  Her dress was beautiful on her.  The wedding followed with lots of picture taking and a lunch at Toscanos at the Gateway.

Mary Fuller, my sister was able to spend the day with us.  She got up early and left Huntsville, drove to Woods Cross alone and we met her there.  I was busy walking with Mary and enjoying the moments with grandchildren, birde and groom and family that I didn't take enough pictures on my iphone.   

                      Emily and Derek coming out of the Salt Lake Temple after they were just married.

Pictures taken at the Temple Doors....

                                                                    Jake and Sarah

Amanda here at Macy's picking out her dress for the day.  This is the dress!  She could be a model.

I

                                                               Maddie and Amanda

                                     Nona and Papa with all the Grandchildren but the Bride!

In the meantime...at home there was a bit of wind, some rain, and wind again.  We hurried to help bring calm to the weather havoc.  About one hour before the reception started it stopped raining.  Garden looked green an lovely and the party proceeded.  The evening went on without wind or rain.  After the reception ended at 9:00 pm the dancing began.  The kids and family all danced and had a good time.  Derek and Emily left with balloons flying.  

We ate salads, sandwich meats and cookies from the farewell an wedding all week.  All was laughter and fun having the family together.  Jacob had soccer tournament at park city for two days.  His team took the Gold!

                                                             Jake winning the Gold!

Family drove back and forth to the games, school shopping was added at the outlets at Park City.  We gathered and had a BBQ of hamburgers and hot dogs.  The kids went swimming in the indoor pool at Mark and Becky's. We Laughed at all the funny quirky things that happened on the wedding day.  I think it was a perfect day for Emily, all her wedding pre-planning accomplished a beautiful day.

All to soon it's hugs an good bye's.  It was a week full of memories and proud moments for parents an grandparents.

We are flying back to Hawaii and I am watching the sun set in the clouds.  Looks like a golden paintbrush has spilled a bucket full of orange and yellow paint.  No mountains or ocean just fluffy clouds an blue sky above.  It takes my breath away and leaves me with tears in my eyes. 

I am so grateful for the gospel in our lives that binds our family together forever and the love and support of each of our children and grandchildren.  We are flying back to our mission and I feel like we can finish what we started.  We can do hard things!!! God will give us the strength to do it. I know our family will be blessed.  I feel that Jake will be blessed and will grow and develop as he is supposed to.   Our children and grandchildren will be protected and blessed if we have faith and continue to do what is right.  
















PS  I need more pictures for this past week!!!