September 29, 2013

This was another busy week, it seems like the weeks go by faster if we keep busy.  There is always something to do, either at the Polynesian Cultural Center or in our Young Single Adult 5th Ward.

 In the  picture is my new student accountant, his name is Wade (not his real name) and he is from China (I can't say his real name)  He is married and in his final year at BYU-H.  He is a great guy, soft spoken and very nice and considerate. He plans on going back to China when he finishes school.  Hopefully he will be able to find a job, he said the unemployment rate is very high, too many people and not enough jobs.

We worked a ticket shift at the PCC on Wednesday night, we started at 4:30 and ended around 7:00 pm.  Darkness is coming earlier in the day and it will soon be dark by 6 pm.  Hawaii does not change to daylight savings time, so when Utah changes we will only be 3 hours different instead of the current 4 hours.

Every time we work it seems we meet new friends.  The young man
above is Hawaiian and his dad is a Stake President.  This guy is full of energy and soon will be going on his mission to the Philippines.   His call is to the Northern Philippines where it is dense rain forest.  He claims he will be living in huts and sleeping on the ground.  He loves to camp out on the beach, so he is excited to go. He is dressed in his costume for picture taking with the guests.  The pictures can then be purchased by the guests for $20.  Kind of like a cruise picture.  On the left side is Joseph, he has been around the PCC for years and helps take care of the pictures.

Above we are doing the huka, or warrior dance.  We dance around in a circle and shout out war cries. Strange things we do on our mission.  Below is a picture of the PCC Prime Dining restaurant.  It has beautiful murals painted on the walls.  We are allowed to eat here after our ticket shift, the food is pretty good, prime rib, salmon and crab legs and all of the trimmings.

On payday Friday's farmer's market is held in one of the large rooms on campus.  They have all kinds of produce, not cheap but fresh.  Students come here and buy their supplies, at least it is less expensive than in the grocery stores.

We are about to order a soup, Sieman, it has noodles, fish, veggies and other stuff, it is very good.  Costs about $5.  We try to make it to the market on payday Friday just to get the soup. We usually buy an extra bowl for Keke, she is the volleyball player that you have seen in previous pictures.  She loves the soup and said it gives her energy.






The volleyball team played in Honolulu this past weekend.  We didn't drive over to the games.  We felt bad because they lost the first night.  It was close, 4th game 23 to 25.  They won Saturday night.   The team will be leaving for CA in the morning and will travel for 10 games.  We have another girl, Ariel, in our YSA Ward.  She is 6" tall and really nice.  Ariel and Keke have played together since Junior High School.

Yesterday we drove to Millinani to Walmart.  I decided to buy cutting board and cutter for sewing.  I have one at home and considered having it sent, but probably would cost about the same.  We do keep collecting things, and probably will leave them all here for someone else to use.  On the way home on the North Shore, Sunset Beach there were five large turtles beached.  We stopped to see them.  The North Shore isn't as busy as it has been in the summer.  Most of the travelers with children have come and gone.  It was a real treat not to have a 2 1/2 hour drive to get to Walmart.  Saturday summer days can be long waits with traffic.

Each turtle had a name and information

Hale'iwa is close to Sunset Beach where we found the turtles

The Green Turtles beach early afternoon and sun for the day.  At sunset they slip out to sea again.  The same turtles come each day.  They have seen 12 beach in one day.   Yesterday there were five.  They all had names and the volunteers come everyday and rope off the space to protect the turtles.   The volunteer was telling us how to tell the difference of each one, Males have long wide tails and females have short tales.  Their necks have different markings as do their shells.  Kuhina, Scallop was a male, and larger than the others,  Sapphire,  Olivia-Dawn and Hao okanaku were female.  They were 29 to 40 years old and about 185 to 200 lbs.  It was cool to see them all lined up on the beach.  

We drove further toward home and stopped to watch the sunset.  It had cloud cover so wasn't a complete sun drop in the ocean but it was beautiful.



Camera on my IPhone is not working today for me.....get the picture!!!
Papa is also taking picture above with the turtles.

It was Women's Conference last night.  They tape it here and replay on Sunday evening for a fireside. I was a bit disappointed so I went to LDS.org and listened to it earlier.  It was an inspiring conference.  Such a good reminder to all of us to keep our first covenants we made with Baptism.  I hope you all had a change to hear President Monson and the RS Sisters talks.  We are looking forward to Conference.  It will be live at 6:00 AM on Sunday here.  That's dedication to go to the church that early for two hours.  Hopefully the students will make and effort to be there.

Our mission couple Elder and Sister Reynolds are still here.  He is slowly recovering in the hospital. It has been a week of prayers and fasting for him.  He has been in coma for 3 days.  He will be in the hospital for a long time, then physical therapy.  I hope he has a window to travel and can fly home to recover.

On Sunday we attended Church, another all day event.  I started at 9 am met with the Elders Quorum, at 10:30 we met with the Ward Council and at noon we started Priesthood and Relief Society and finished with Sacrament.  We got home around 3:30 and then I went back for a Stake Leadership Training meeting at 5 pm.  Finally finished up around 6:30.  Not much time to sit around and read and relax.  Since we are called to serve it is enjoyable to meet with the young people and feel their loving care and sharing their love.   Below is a picture of our Elders Quorum Presidency.  From left to right is Tim, from Taiwan, 1st councilor, Freddy, from Hawaii, President, Kevin from California, Secretary, Elder Tremea, Jason, from Hawaii, 2nd Councilor and Elder Creer new missionary from Provo Utah.

These guys try to do the best they can with a very changing quorum.  The move-in and move-outs is crazy.   We are constantly changing the Quorum leadership.  We have about 50 members in the Quorum and most of them are returned missionaries.  It is a struggle to keep them active.  Once they leave the mission field they tend to become inactive so the Presidency is also on the look out for ways to keep them coming to Church.

That was a cute Homecoming picture Anna.  Your dress looked very classy and pretty.   It's too bad girls your age all don't dress modestly.    The flower on your wrist looked pretty too.  Who was the boy?  Is this the boy your taking to the Sadie Dance?

Elle that was a pretty awesome goal you told us about.  Doesn't matter the size it's what's inside that really counts.  Hope you don't mind if I put your letter in the Blog for everyone to read about the game.

hello,

Yesterday i shot the winning goal for my team! yeah! its true! my coach Whitney, put me in forward because i was the only one who could see open areas,  wanted to try it out,  and i was full of energetic. this is how i scored,  Katie (not the wagner twin) was right defender, passed it to Paige, who was right midfield or center half, (thats what one of the coaches, Rich calls it) and i ran up through the middle for her to pass, and i shot with my eyes closed, linda like in yatze you take a chance to get an open house, and it actually went into the left side corner! well, i passed off 4 things in Give Me Liberty thing at school, the Continents, Old Glory, Symbols of Utah, and the Star spangled Banner, and i got a squishy fake football that has stars and stripes on it. Cloe is still working on going down on the stairs, she's doing pretty good all you do is tap her belly and she'll go down a step until she and you are at the bottom then as fast as a rocket she'll run up.


love……………………………………………………………………………………………………winninggoalscorer;……………………………………………………
elly  (yes its now spelled with a Y)


I was looking through some photo's of the family.  Must be a bit homesick for ya.  

Remember when.....

Together Days

Nice Teeth!

Amanda What the....

Elle's new Friend

Sarah and Elle's new Family Friend

Good Times!

       

September 22, 2013

Aloha Family and Friends,

It seems to be a struggle to get the Blog out all at once.  We decided it might be better if we wrote our thoughts daily than try for the week.

Last weekend we were busy shopping after work to get supplies for the Student Ward Hukilau.  It doesn't seem like a big thing, but to go to Costco here it takes about one hour to drive.  By the time we did some errands and shopped at Costco we were tired.  Then we remembered we didn't have freezer space nor fridge space.  We bought 144 hamburgers and 75 hot dogs and all the condiments plus the buns.  We filled the large cart at Costco.  We did distribute the food to the Bishop's home before we came home.  He had a freezer.  Saturday was a busy day for Dad.  He left early to help the Elders set up.

Tongan Choir 

I went to the Tongan Devotional.   I  had helped to make the green shirts and blouses for the choir and I wanted to see them.   The Ward Party was a winner... l50 kids came.   They ate and ate and played volleyball.  The beach was the best entertainment.  The waves were great for body surfing and paddle boarding.

Tonight is Tuesday evening.  Dad has gone to the church for High Council Meeting.  We took Sister Smith out for dinner tonight before he went.  She is still struggling to get the materials and patterns going here at the Seamstress Room.  It's very hard to reform or make changes.  She was so enthusiastic when she arrived and has been hitting brick walls ever since.  The culture and people here are really afraid of changes.  Nona leaves the 2nd of October and that will be a big change so we will see what happens after that.  I realize how hard it must be for single sisters.  They do struggle with cars, repairs and many other issues without a husband.  She likes to go with us and bounce things off Ron to get his opinion and ideas.

Oh, this is the machine I work on in Theater/Costumes.  Looks like it has been 100,000 miles!!!  I think it is at least 40 years old.  Everything rusts here in Hawaii.

Bernina Machine

We had a gathering of the missionaries for two anniversaries.  The Swanson's 50th and the Maple's 51st.  It was a fun evening.

Brother and Sister Reynolds are in the picture.  He's in the white shirt and she is sitting by me. Tonight (Sunday) he is back in the hospital.  The infection is back, they don't think in the brain, but the infection has planted itself somewhere else in his body.   He was put on a breathing tube and medication for infection again.  We are having a fast for him Tuesday.  I wish they would have flew home two weeks ago.  They were trying to wait until a son and family came October 2.

The week went by pretty fast.  We worked every day.  Papa had a Missionary farewell in his department.

Sister Jolene Smith and Matt from PCC HR Department.  

Sister Smith is returning home to Anchorage Alaska.  Sister Robinson works in the same building and joined us for Sister Smith's farewell party.  Sister Robinson and her husband Phil live in St. George.  We played 5 Crowns with them tonight

Friday and Saturday night Keke had volleyball games.  They won both nights 3 games straight.  Keke is having shoulder pain and will be going in for an MRI this week.  I keep feeding her on game days and she appreciates and is thoughtful and kind.  She keeps texting me little notes.  She brought her boyfriend to meet us Saturday before the game while we were taking tickets at the Luau.   We have some work to do!!!

Sister Cardnel and Sister Tremea...she is from Canada

The Aloha Luau.  This just opened for the 50th

Papa's little friends before the show

Thanks for all your letters.  I have been homesick this week.  It would be nice to fly home and be involved with family life for a bit.  Keeping busy helps, but it comes and hits at the oddest moments.

Today Papa talked in another ward.  He gave an awesome talk on faith and virtues.  He will have to tell you about it.  Since I am on the High Council I had the opportunity to talk in a ward and give a message from a general conference talk.  I talked on faith today from Elder Neil Anderson's talk about a Trial of Faith.  In that message I included a story about the Mangelson's boating accident and the effect it had on Erik.  About how the whole family prayed to be saved, even Erik, his faith must have been strong enough to seek the Lord's help.  I think he realized that they were saved by a higher power and that the prayer was a transmission line to talk to the Lord.  It worked!!!  They were all saved.   It also helped that they were prepared and all had their life jackets on.  If we are prepared
in what ever we do the Lord will help us finish the task required.  If we will do our part he will help us do the rest.  He wants all of us to succeed in worthy projects that are beneficial in his sight and especially if they help others.

We pray daily for each of you,
Love and miss all of you.

September 9, 2013

Dear Family, and Friends,

This has been an exciting busy ten days.  Thousands of visitors came from all over the world.  Many came to participate in the shows and others came back to visit family, friends and remember good times.  All good.  The Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC) was busy every day.

Each morning we had a Flag ceremony.

Song and Devotional

Three couples, Dave and Bonnie Adams from St. George; Don and Charlene Kimball from Sandy; and Marlo and Sherrie Wilcox from Farmington were here.  We were able to spend time with each of them.  They all served previously here at the PCC and were anxious to renew acquaintance's and do all the things they didn't do when they were here.  We decided to take good notes and remember to do and see all they missed and came back for.

Dave and Bonnie Adams took us to dinner at Turtle Bay.

Many of the activities were free and we were able to enjoy.  Sunday, September 1,  there was a Musical Fireside at the Cannon Center.  Every Island from the PCC had a choir.  They all sang in their own native language and wore native costumes.

Music and Dancing Concert Daily at 5pm

Musical Fireside

We have a new couple come from Arizona, Elder and Sister Lund. He has been musical director at Eastern College of Arizona.  In two practices he had all the missionaries singing like a choir. It was quite an experience to be led by him.  We sang like we knew what we were doing!  I think we had Divine intervention, maybe the angles were helping because with what he had to work with.... we were good.  It was an emotional experience.  I'm sure we will have more opportunities to be lead by Elder Lund.



With all the performances and shows the sewing and costume departments were humming.  I can't believe how many people came in the day before, the day of or even hours before the performance to have a dress, blouse, or shirts made.  Polynesians have faith it can be finished in time and it was!!!  I had braided tea leaves, 30 to 40 sets of arm and ankle leggings.  They are sprayed and put in the freezer to use in the fire show.  The boys wear them on their wrists and ankles.  The fire is so close to them they always wear the tea leggings taken right out of the freezer.


Well, it was so busy show nights last week the men were not given the freezer leggings.   They used regular tea leaf leggings that had been previously used and not refrigerated.  Apparently some of the guys got pretty hot and burned in some cases, but the show went on as usual!  Today many funny experiences were exchanged.  At one point the stage was so full of people from previous years they could hardly dance.  This was a reunion for performers from the beginning 50 years ago to now.  You could see in their faces how happy and spiritual they were.

Kathy who is over costumes was sewing her costume just minutes before her performance.  That reminded my of when my own mother, EuDora, used to sew dresses for me.  She always pulled them off the ironing board just before I left to go to the dances with Ron.  I can still feel the warmth of the iron on the dress when I think about it.  My family was a bit like the Polynesians, a bit late for everything....Tremea's however, were always prompt and early.   Not sure we have that worked out even after 50 years of marriage.

The Alumni Talent Show was the hit of the week for us.  It lasted 4 hours, but the finale was awesome.  All the PCC Administrative people were in the show.  It's amazing to realize everyone here preformed in the shows sometime in their live.  They can dance, sing and perform.  President Grace and VP Bobby and Logo along with 15 other guys danced the Men in Black Dance.  They brought the house down.  I hope a video is put out with the best of the week for you to see.  Carol Mikida was here and we had comments that between Conferences in October the PCC 50th Anniversary Events would be shown.  I hope so, it will be fun to watch.

On Thursday morning I went to a Hukilau at a beach park named Hukilau Beach.  A Hukilau is a Hawaiian tradition of native Hawaiians fishing with nets.  They row a boat out in the ocean with a long net attached.  As the boat goes out the net streams out and trails behind the boat.  The boat goes out about 100 yards and makes an arc to another point on the beach.  People start pulling the net towards the shore and the fish are trapped and then used by the islanders for food.  In the picture you see a man with a fish in his mouth, this was part of the Hukilau celebration to show respect to the Creator for the abundance of fish.  The Hukilau became popular to tourists visiting the island and became such an attraction that the locals starting charging for the Hukilau.  They then starting feeding the fish to the people for their lunch along with a lot of other foods and it became a money maker.

In 1963 it was decided by the Church to start the Polynesian Culture Center to support young students from various polynesian islands and they used the Hukilau as a pattern. Instead of catching fish they decided to do the pig thing, which is traditional in the Polynesian Islands.  They put together a luau with a show and food, it was rough going the first few years until tourism started big in Hawaii.  It is now the number one paid tourist attraction in Hawaii.

Elder Tremea and the Luau Photographer 

   Thursday we worked and took tickets.  This was the big night of the Ball.  All the yards and yards of chiffon we had sewn together were draped in the Island Buffet and Prime Dinning area.  Plants and trees were brought in and lights dimmed.  The band was very loud and the music was not my favorite. We didn't buy tickets to go but we saw the decorations and later heard it was standing room only and very very hot inside.  There is no central air conditioning in 98% of Laie.  So without the trade winds (which have been lame for two months) it was hot.

On Friday Ron and I went to the PCC Journey Theater because they were playing Elvis Presley's "Paradise Hawaiian Style".  It was filmed here at the PCC in 1965.  The PCC had been opened for two years.  The cast were from Laie and worked at the PCC.  Many of the people were here last week celebrating and were the moms, dads, and aunties, that were in the show with Elvis.   It would be a good family night show for the the kids.  We had never seen it.

On Saturday the PCC sponsored a parade thru Laie town.  It started at the PCC and then traveled to the Temple and back.  Maybe a 2 mile round trip traveling through the homes in Laie.

Walking Polynesian

Small Town Parade but good band!

Just for you Scott

The Maori

Hawaii has horses!  Actually the LDS Church has a 6,000 acre ranch north of the town of Laie.

 For part of the parade it rained like crazy, in Laie, when it rains it pours but it only lasts for a few minutes then the sun comes out and it is beautiful  We found a spot on the side of the road, parked and watched the parade from the car when it was raining, when the sun came out we were outside cheering.  It was a small town parade but lots of fun.  Elder Russel M Nelson and his wife Wendy were in the parade and they got a lot of cheers from the audience.  It was very comforting to have an Apostle of the Lord with us.

Elder and Sister Nelson

Sunday was a busy day for us.  We had Sacrament then RS and Priesthood starting at 8:00 am.  We were given tickets to be in the Heber J. Grant Building because Ron is on the High Council so we went there at l:00 pm and stayed for both the Church Educational System Devotional Meeting and the Dedication of the new Building.  The building was packed and the Aloha Center was also full.  Elder and Sister Nelson went to the Aloha Center for the Devotional and then walked over to the new Heber J. Grant Building to do the Dedication.  We were able to see President Warner and his wife, our Mission President.

New Chapel and Classrooms for BYU-H Students

This was after 5 hours of Meetings...President and Sister Warner

Elder and Sister Nelson were accompanied by body guards and whisked away promptly.  He was asked spontaneously to speak at the night show Friday and we heard he was very nervous and only spoke for a few minutes.  We did get to see them at the parade on Saturday and I went to Sister Nelson's Fireside.  I was able to talk to her a few minutes before the meeting.  She was very kind and commented how grateful she was that the Mangelson Family were safe and protected from their boating accident.   I have thought about that too, and I feel so blessed to have children and grandchildren who live so as to have the spirit of the Holy Ghost as their guide and protection.

The Fireside was a spiritual evening.  I feel like I'd like to share her thoughts.  She first talked about the pre-mortal commitments we made in Heaven.  The eons of years we lived before our earthly life. How nice it would be to have a pre-mortal DVD to remind us of our life before we came.  She compared life to a spook alley, why we are sometimes drawn to certain people, music, art, earthly things. Certainly we knew and were shown previously what we love and are drawn toward here.  Her challenge to each of us was to try to be a Holy Woman for three days.  To ask our self each day, "Would a Holy Woman do this, say this, think this?   She promised it would change our life.  Lets all try it.

The days and weeks are flying by.  We were glad to hear Erik had had a better week.  Once he gets busy he will be happy.  We have been so scheduled everyday.  Ron likes to be to work at 8 so we get up dress, eat and pray and he walks to work.   I get some wash in and clean and fix something for dinner and leave about 8:45 am.   We meet at noon rush home for lunch and back to work at 1:00 pm.  If we are taking tickets that night we leave at 4:00 pm, come home change and are back at PCC by 4:30 pm.  By the time we finish with tickets and dinner we get home about 8:00 pm.  By then we are ready to shower and fall into bed.

Tonight was Family Home Evening.  Elder and Sister Palmer spoke to us.  They leave for home tomorrow.  Elder Palmer was the missionary who talked frequently to us before we came regarding our jobs and housing.  They were good to help us.  We will miss them.   Home for them is Thatcher Arizona.  That must be the last town in Arizona...he said to come visit.

Elder and Sister Tremea and Elder and Sister Palmer

These two Elders refuse to wear anything but shorts to Family Home Evening

Today in sewing we learned we have 30 dresses to make by Saturday for the Tahiti Devotional.  We still have 12 men's shirts to finish.  We will be busy this week.  School started today for the students.  Kids were everywhere on campus.  Keke came to see me because she won't be working in costumes in the mornings now.  I am going to miss her.  I have been feeding her on game days and trying to educate her on eating lots of carbs before games.  She is so cute about it and tells me she feels and plays better when she eats my food, soup etc.  Her team played a tournament last weekend.

KeKe is on the left with hair in little bun

Somehow we managed to see every game.  They won the tournament.  It was so fun to scream and holler again at a game!!! Papa and I fit right in.  We now have a Missionary Section and we are drumming up for Missionary support.  The team is good.  Papa said they haven't played a real tough team, but it has been fun for us to watch.  Keke is so grateful we come to support her.  She said her parents never watch.   I thought the BYU-H team was coming to St George, but just reread the schedule and Dixie is coming here on October 26.  I guess you will have to meet Keke another time.

We  love all your letters, emails and notes from home.  Thank you so much.  They keep us going.  I think I am feeling more at home here.  I realized I haven't stopped to pick a plumaria blossom from the tree for a while.  The trees are loaded with blooms and fragrance everyday.  I have to remember not to take life for granted.  It's so beautiful, and we are blessed to be here to serve the Polynesian people.

I think we have an artist in the family.  Maybe Elle will share "Cloe's Adventures".  Posting some fun pictures of family.  We appreciate the pictures you send us.

We love and miss you all.  Haven't heard how the newlyweds are doing?  How are you Emily and Derek?  School, work and keeping house keeping you busy?   Hope to hear from you soon.
Be good,
Love,
Nona & Papa

Hand made by Elle

Maddie on the mountaintop

Remember this Anna?

My Girls!

  

Four Wheeling

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