Aloha Family and Friends,
This was a busy but fruitful week. We had Nona's Graduation/Retirement Party Friday. She is the master seamstress who has been with the Polynesian Cultural Center for 45 years. For probably 35 of these years she has been standing and cutting shirts, mu mu's and dresses and lava lava's for the village workers, waiters and waitresses at the Luau's. She measures each person, then starts to cut. It's an art, and I'm not sure what will happen tomorrow when she is gone. Tomorrow will be an awakening for many here. They seem to start to worry when it's crunch time. Remember that "Hang Loose", it's a real thing here.
The missionaries and students that work with Nona practiced all week on a dance for her. The song we danced to was "Thank You for being a Friend". If you google it you will be able to hear the song/tune. The director of the Ha Show taught us the dance. He's good!!! He took 15 of us who were old and slow and never danced and turned it into a real dance routine. We practiced everyday.
Each of us made a lei for Nona and after the dance gave it to her. She had so many lei's we couldn't see her face.
She reminds me of Ron's mother Josephine. She is maybe five foot, and short little legs, but a big smile and kind words for everyone. Friday morning was the party and farewell.
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| Giving Nona a candy lei |
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| Nona was given a recliner chair, gifts on table and everyone gave her a lei they had made or bought. |
The feather lei she is wearing would take hours and hours to make.
Sister Cooper, Nona and Sister Tremea
Nona is one of the oldest and last of the original Polynesians here. She is 73.
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| Nona and Brother Hannaman |
In the picture with Nona is Brother Hannaman. He is another pioneer. He has a little room in the Administration Bldg filled floor to ceiling with books, pictures and historical data of the Polynesian Cultural Center. He still comes everyday to work on the history and pictures.
We were able to listen to Conference. Saturday we got up at 5:30 am to see it on TV live. That's dedication! Our landlord ask us over to watch the first session and he cooked breakfast for us. At 10:00 am we were watching the 2:00 pm Session of Conference. At 2:00 pm we went to the Fullers home. They live up on the Point where it's almost a 360 view of the ocean. I took a Crock pot full of stew and bread so the guys could watch the Priesthood Session live. Deon and I sat, watched the ocean and told stories while Ron and Gary watched the Priesthood Meeting. The Fullers are missionaries working at BTU-H at the Honors Office. They told us about a young student from China. He came to see them two weeks ago and said his bike had been stolen. This past week he came back to their office and said he had found his bike on campus so he took it. It was locked with his lock. He opened the lock, took his bike but left a note to whoever had had his bike for two weeks with his phone number to call him. He reported this again to the honors office because he didn't want to be caught with his own bike that had been stolen. The Asian kids are respectful and kind and lack the English skills and it's an uphill climb for them here. Some take advantage of their situation.
I think my favorite talk was Elder Holland. For some reason I always look forward to what he has to say. His talks come from his heart and this one I felt very close to. I remember he said something like never harden your heart, ask for priesthood blessings and believe in miracles. Never loose hope if miracles don't come, follow the Savior's example..... if the bitter cup doesn't pass, DRINK IT and be strong, go forward and happier days will be ahead. He also talked about slowing down...rest up. By the letters and news from home you all might want to try that. Fill your own bucket then you are stronger to fill the buckets of your families. We love you and know you are sacrificing and working hard for your children. You will be blessed and when your old....like us...joy and happiness comes from knowing your children are being good.
Today after conference we had a a missionary Conference Luncheon.
A new student is working with me in costumes. She actually works in the laundry next door. Her name is Song. She is from Hong Kong. I am learning more about her everyday. Her father was a teacher in a school. She is an only child, which is common there. Parents can only have one child. She was starting college and very unhappy. She said her life was what her father wanted for her. Her room mate was happy all the time, so she asked her what made her happy. She said she couldn't tell her. It took a long time for her to tell her it was because of the church she belonged to. In China you cannot belong to Church only Buddhism practiced there. Song wanted to go to church with her but her friend had to ask her Bishop first. This was all in secret. The Bishop asked what kind of person Song was and all about her before he said she could come. Many nights she talked to her parents before they gave her permission to go. She did not want to go without telling her parents out of respect for them. Her father thought it might be a cult religion that was popular there. After she started attending she wanted to be baptized. Another problem. One cannot be baptized in China she had to go to Hong Kong. Again she had many talks with her parents. I can only imagine how her parents felt. Having only one child and trying to understand her feelings. She left China and went to Hong Kong where she was baptized. So tender and young in the gospel. Tune back in next week. Story to be continued....I want to send Blog out tonight and her picture has not come to I photo from I phone. Oh well, picture will come next week. She is China girl, guess what she looks like.
Love and miss you.
Be good and do good!
Nona and Papa
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