November 26, 2013

Sights of Thanksgiving are all around us.  Everyday we are warmed by the sun, shaded by the green trees, smell the flowers and watch waves on the beach that definitely denounces fall, winter and holidays in our mind.  The trend here is to have Thanksgiving dinner and then go to the beach.  Or, many families are just meeting at the beach for the big dinner and festivities.  The beach is a given for parties and family gatherings.

I feel like I should be cooking something…like pies, yams or something.   The smells would be nice in the house, but oh well….We have decided to join the other missionaries at Tita's.  Tita's is a roadside cafe, right across from the Kahuku High School.  I guess it's a high school hangout.  Small kitchen with picnic tables outside.  Tita is going to feed the missionaries and the homeless.  Sounds good to me.  He is imu cooking 200 turkeys.  (This is putting the turkeys in a pit with hot coals and covering the birds with banana leaves).  This is the way they cook the pigs at the luau's.  It will be a new experience.  We were asked to bring a dessert.   After dinner we have all decided to go to the Beach like the locals!

We are getting ready for the Christmas Lagoon.  It will be at the Polynesian Cultural Center for 10 days before Christmas.  The villages all turn into Christmas settings from the Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus to the Shepherd's, and Wise Men.  Crews are putting up lights already.  The boats on the Lagoon will be taking guests down the river and each village will perform for them.  Also we are spotlighting three countries, Spain, Russia and Africa.  In seamstress we are making costumes and props in costumes.  Previous missionaries have told us how well this has been attended.  We will be working nights to help at the villages and delivering food etc.  This will make the holidays busy with little time to be homesick!
Today Tamera came in with her baby.  I got to hold and cuddle my Mongolian boy.  He is 13 lbs now.  Same baby you saw last week in Ron's office.   The parents are students here from Mongolia.

Check out those cheeks!

Last Friday was the last home game for the Seasiders.  They won and will be going to the playoffs in San Bernadino, California.  If they win they fly on to Iowa.  It's pretty hard of these girls to keep up with their classes, grades and traveling.  These are pictures after the game.  Keke will be getting married on the 17th of December.  Areil, the tall skinny gal is cute, spastic and silly and Stella is the third gal.  All three are from Taiwan.   Her boyfriend who is from Tonga is really pushing marriage, he's waited a year.  She didn't realize if they win and go to Iowa she will get home the night before her wedding.

Solfie, Keke, and Elder Tremea

Keke, Ariel, Sister Tremea and Stella

Elder Tremea, Sister Smith, Keke, Ariel, Sister Tremea and Stella

Family Home Evening Guest this week was Dr. Hughes, Internal Medicine here in Kahuku.   He's relatively new in town, and he has a growing practice.   His Father is a proctologist in SLC, and wants him to come back to practice in SL.  He has 5 kids, and always wanted to practice in Hawaii. He had informative basic medical advice for missionaries.   It was good to hear it from a doctor. Although Ron said he looked like a man of maybe 25.  His wife looked older than him, go figure….5 kids.   I was struggling all day Monday with vision problems and couldn't wear contacts so I wasn't seeing anything, just listening.   Heard good medical advice, but couldn't see him.

Ron and I came home from work tonight and decided to practice what Dr Hughes told us all to do. We went for a walk.  Hiked to the point.  It was a beautiful walk and the water was beautiful.  We talked to a fisherman who had 4 octopus's in his cooler for bait.  We looked at the octopus and wondered what he would catch with that.  He said bigger fish!  He had caught a 85 lb fish here at the point.  Fed his family he said.

  
 
Today is Anna's Birthday.  We have been thinking of you all day Anna.  Sorry you have to be l7 with your leg up.  This Birthday you will always remember.  All for the love of soccer.  We hope the surgery does the trick and you are up and running real soon.  We love you lots.

We will miss you this Thanksgiving.  We count each of you a blessing in our life.  We are grateful you are loving and exceptional good parents to our grandchildren.  We know it takes work, love and sacrifice to raise good children in today's world.  It's not easy.  Satan is hidden everywhere trying to destroy families.  We are so thankful for the special grandchildren you have given us.  They are tenfold blessings to us.  We see how hard they are working to be good, and strong in the gospel.  That indicates the parents are hard at work.   We see young people here making bad choices and it breaks our hearts.  We are grateful for your support and love it here on our mission.  We couldn't do it without you and we want to be here to let our children and grandchildren know we have a testimony of the gospel.  We see evidence of God's love and answers to our prayers every day.  We are grateful for health and being able to serve together.  The people here are kind and loving, they have taught us we don't need material things to be happy.  They are happy carefree people.  Tomorrow in seamstress we are having a a turkey dinner and turkey trot.  Not sure what that will be…tell you next time.

Remember we love you and have a Happy Thanksgiving this week and remember to keep us in your prayers as you are always in ours.
    

November 20, 2013

Stake Conference weekend was a busy two days.  We had our Saturday night meeting at 10:00 am and a luncheon after for the students.  Unfortunately, it was a beautiful warm sunny day and the competition for beach or a meeting took it's toll.  The faithful ones were there and it was a good meeting.  The luncheon after was slow to start, typical for Hawaii.  This didn't bother the students, they were talking and having a good mingle, but the missionaries, Papa and I,  were hungry, so we left and found something to eat.  We dined with the Pollacks at #1 Taco Cafe.  It was good.  The serving size here it so large, we buy for one and it feeds both of us and then some.   Sunday Conference was at 10:00 am also.  Papa had to usher and help so we were there early.  This was aired from Salt Lake City.  We heard Elder Robins, Sister Reeves, Elder Bednar and President Uchtdorf. The theme was Repentance and the talks were good.  The talks would be on line if you would like to read them @ LDS.org.

This is a favorite way to ride around Laie.   I took these pictures after church Sunday.

Notice the clouds in the sky……it turns from grey to blue at the turn of a corner.

A favorite way to ride to church or to the beach!

It was a busy week in costumes.  We have been mending the sail for the Ha Show everyday.  It's a 75' x 20' bunch of white material they use in the show called the "sail".  When you see the show you will recognize it.  Seems to get caught on the rocks almost everyday and needs mending.  Also we had skirts and zippers to replace.  This is almost a daily task with zippers.  I'm an expert with zippers now.  It's been all good the people I work with are full of stories and always bring in the humor for the day.  We have come to a halt with the rats.  Caught 8.  We are wondering if they don't like the peanut butter any more or if we have caught all.  I hope its the latter.  Pictures are of Kathy and Tu working on skirts and helmets.  

The green and pink skirts by Tu are hard to make.  You braid the straw using two pink then two green.  Sister Cooper and I each made one.  Took us all of the morning.  The next day they wouldn't let us do any more!  Something about not getting it tight enough, they were our first try.  I think we could have done better with time, but my hands hurt so bad I'm glad they didn't ask us to do any more.

We drove to Costco after work Thursday night.  It has been raining most of the week.  Driving on the North Shore the traffic and cars were all stopped to watch the wild ocean.  Earlier that day the waves had been 30 to 45 feet high.  A young surfer from one of our Student Wards was surfing on one of the big waves without a vest, broke his surf board in half and never came up. Without a vest the surfers don't have a chance if they get knocked out.  They think he may have broke his eardrums and lost his equilibrium.  Later we heard his friend was right beside him and tried to grab his arm but he slid away.  He was 32 and had just started to come back to church and become active in his ward.   It has been a sad week for the students.  

The waves and water was so loud and angry.  The waves would crash and make sounds I have never heard before.  It was interesting to watch and hear because the sky was blue with no wind, just the angry ocean and the pounding of the waves.  It felt dangerous, one didn't have to even go near the beach to realize that.  The popular beaches were roped off.  They were using wave runners to go out to bring the surfers in.    The pictures do not look like the sound.  Waves also had calmed down from the morning.  

A photographer was telling this girl to back up…. they were behind the tape, it was a bit frightening to watch.

Today is Wednesday and we have had a wonderful spiritual day.  Keke went to the Temple for her own endowment.  She asked us to go with her.  She is so sweet, innocent and naive.  She said after she felt like a new person.  Her parents are Buddhist and have encouraged her both in her school, volleyball and church.  They asked her tonight if she wanted to have her  endowment in her native language, and she said no, I only know the gospel in English.  She has been a member for two years.  She joined the Church after she arrived here to play volleyball.   This is her fiancee.  They will be getting married December 17, 2013.  Pictures were taken tonight after the Session in the front of the Temple.

This hasn't been a very good night for me and the Blog.  I had pictures in and completed when I pushed a remove button to remove double picture and lost the entire Blog.   This is a version of what I can remember.

Taking tickets at the PCC Aloha  Exit we were excited to see this big snail climbing up the Bamboo Tree.  It was big.  I think it was close to 4 inches long.  It's shell was shinny and hard.  I measured and watched, but the two hours we were there it never moved.   It had a pretty hard connection to the tree.  

Elder Tremea and Tamera's Husband Boulua and their baby boy.  Boulua works with me in the business office.    

 This big guy is their baby, he was nearly 10 pounds when he was born,  he is ready to play football, except they don't play football in Mongolia.  The parents are both students at BYUH and work at the PCC.  They eventually will go back to Mongolia when they have graduated.  BYUH will waive half of their tuition if they return to their home country.  They will be big assets to the Church in Mongolia and will help with the growing population of LDS members.

November 10, 2013

We know about Hawaii rainstorms.  It has rained since Wednesday.   It pours and puddles are everywhere.  The kids just run around barefoot.  I'm starting to think that might be a good idea.  It is so wet it will ruin all leather shoes.  We are wearing beach shoes that can get wet.  Flash flood warnings have been posted everyday too.  The highway was blocked into Laie today from a tree that had fallen onto the road and water was a foot deep.  This keeps the north shore green and pretty.

I went with some Missionary Sisters into Honolulu on Thursday to buy fabric for the Settlement.  It was a informative fun day.  I saw hundreds of bolts of Hawaiian fabric.  We bought fabric for quilts and pillowcases that are made and sold at the PCC Settlement.  We spent a lot of time coordinating fabric pieces.  Good therapy for me.

On Monday nights we have our family home evening meeting with all of the Missionaries.  This week our goods Missionary friends the Maples, Joe and Janace were leaving to go home to Tennessee.  They are leaving a little bit early because of an accident he had at the PCC.  The scaffolding he was standing on tipped over and he fell 6-8 feet and crushed his heel.  They decided not to do surgery here in Hawaii but to go home early and have it done in Tennessee.  They helped us get acquainted with our Mission and have been a big support to us.  We wish them well.  At the end of the FHE we sang the Hawaiian going away song.  They do this for all of the departing Missionaries.  It was a special occasion.

On Friday night another Missionary couple the Snow's, Kreston and Carol Ann are also leaving. They are from the Provo area and have been here 18 months.  They both work in the PCC warehouse and were assigned to pick up and deliver merchandise for the PCC.  They traveled all over the Island of Oahu, going to stores and buying stuff for the PCC.  Most of the time they were driving in circles since we are on an island and can't drive to far in a straight line.  They also have been wonderful friends.  We had a dinner for them at the Robinson's, Phil and Susan, they have a small apartment that overlooks the beach.  The view is spectacular.  They live on the same road as the house the kids will be staying in when they visit us next year. The Robinson's live in St George above the St George Golf course.  We will have made lots of new missionary friends and hopefully we will keep in contact with them after our Mission.

Robinsons on the left, us and the Fullers, behind are the Pollack's

On Saturday Night a few of us Missionaries got together to go to a BYUH play.  Before the play we ate at the Seven Brothers restaurant here in Laie.  Great hamburgers.  As you can see we are having fun.  It sure breaks up the week to be able to get out with the Missionaries.  The BYUH play was also good, a little strange but good.  The name of the play was Blithe Spirit and was held in the McKay Auditorium.  It was an English play about a couple talking to the first wife's dead husband.  His second wife was not amused as you can suspect.  It was hard to understand but we had fun.  It was raining hard out side and the rain was coming in from the roof and dropping on our heads,  we just moved to other seats and continued on.  In Hawaii when it rains it rains very hard but is usually short lived.  In the winter it tends to be more cloudy and usually has more rain.

On Sunday night we had a YSA 5th ward musical fireside, I would say this was probably one of the top 10 firesides I have ever attended.  This fireside was put on by our Elder's Quorum, I was impressed the way it was put together.  The theme of the fireside was "Why I Believe in Christ",  It was all singing and short testimonies.  The singing was wonderful, all church songs and sung by people who could really sing.  Some of our ward members provided some of the music.  Great talent. Several young people who were recent converts were asked to share their testimonies.  It was an emotional evening.  I might add when  a testimony was shared the piano was playing in the background, it certainly added to the thought that was given.

In the picture is a group of our young Missionaries serving in this area.  They put together a song and sang for us.  They delivered a powerful message just in their singing.   This type of fireside would be a big success anywhere, especially to promote Missionary work.  This was a great way to end a busy week.

The Mission President and his wife came Monday night for Family Home Evening.  It was all about Missionaries and the work.  There are 52 mission homes throughout the world the church has just purchased for the influx of missionaries.  These young men and women need our help.  Some are very homesick and need support.  We have seen two Elders and two Sisters walking in Laie.  The Elders have a car, but the Sisters were walking.  I think about how homesick I am some days and try to imagine how these young missionaries are doing.  They are so faithful and strong and committed to the gospel at such an early age.  President and Sister Warner said we were to all work for a Celestial Cultural Mission.   We were instructed to keep the gospel message simple.  We see and work with students from all over the world here.  Many of the students are homesick and concerned for their loved ones at home.  He said the First Presidency and the twelve gather together at 10:00 am every Thursday morning and pray for the missionaries.   He said that the Savior is walking with us as missionaries, and we are good enough to be out spreading the good news.   Don't let Satan have any part of us, be obedient and to pray and to keep a prayer in our heart daily.  We were all uplifted when meeting was over.

We love and miss you.  Your in our thoughts and prayers.

November 3, 2013

Another busy week in the Mission field.  This mission is probably much different than other senior missionary assignments, we have set hours at the PCC during the day and then we help out the BYUH students during the rest of the time.  Below you see Wade and Sarah, they are from China and they are the new parents of a baby boy named Tyler.  Wade works with me in the Business Office and is in the process of learning the accounting system.  He asked me if we could drive to the hospital and pick up their new baby which was born on Saturday, Oct. 28.  The baby had to stay in the hospital for a few days because he had a fever and they wanted to watch him.  He was 9 lbs 3 oz.  On our way to the hospital in Konahoe which is about 25 miles away, we treated them to lunch at the California Pizza restaurant.  As you can tell they are pretty happy.

Below is a picture of them taking care of the baby.  You can probably tell Wade is just wondering what to do next.  Fathers don't really have the instinct that mothers do on what to do next.  Sarah had it pretty much together.  She was really tired after we finally got the little family in the car to go home.  It took over an hour to get the infant car seat ready to go.  I think they had borrowed or bought a used one, and the hospital was very particular to have it right before we could take them home. Sarah and baby slept all the way home.

Finally you can see dad hold up his new baby son.  In China to have a son is highly desired to pass on the name and heritage of the family.  Also in China they are only allowed to have one child, unless there are special circumstances.  If they don't comply with the rules the children are aborted before being born or given to other families after being born.  Sometimes the parents will move away from the country to protect the child.  The name they picked was Tyler, an American name, but they will eventually give the baby a name in China.  It takes a few months to decide what name to give the child because the parents wait to see how they feel, then pick words that speak of strong, handsome, even beautiful flower and tree names that they feel they want for future of their son.

Wade and Sarah are both members of the Church.  Wade has been on a mission to Australia and is going to BYUH and majoring in accounting.  Sarah has been a member for only 2 years and loves the gospel, she is also a student but is taking this semester off because of the baby.   She learned about the Gospel while visiting relatives in California.  She was approached by Missionaries and after she got back to China was baptized.  They met at the Hong Kong Temple while doing baptisms.

Never a dull moment working in the Costume Department.  Remember the rat we caught last week, well the very next day we caught another one.  Sister Cooper and I called in the maintenance boys to clean it up.  This one was bigger....

Elder Cooper, Sister Cooper and Elder Nielson

Sister Cooper and I had been sewing some pieces of material that was laying around for blouses alike for Halloween.  Then she got the idea we could dress up like the RAT PATROL!  Well, as things go, it mushroomed and we dressed up and painted faces, then Sister Smith wanted to be included so we made her a costume with a garbage bag etc.  She was the Rat.  We paraded around the PC with all the Seamstresses.  I guess it is a tradition for them to dress up and walk to the Administration Office and see President Grace.  Well, we made a hit.  He laughed and laughed.  Said he would get right on the maintenance crew to clean up the rats.  He can say that now that we caught the two.  It was a fun morning and we were all exhausted for the afternoon.  Mostly we ate and laughed.  The Polynesians like us better when we eat and hang loose with them.

Sister Tremea, Sister Cooper and Sister Smith

President Grace's Office

The Sweat Shop Seamstress Sisters

 Halloween in Laie is a big deal.  They closed off the streets in the housing area and by the Temple and thousands of kids and people walked the streets.  Everyone decorates their yards with lights etc, and literally move outside and have a party in the street.  The kids had pillowcases filled with candy. Some told us they spend $100-$200 dollars for candy.  Each year seems to get bigger.  We saw some of it then went to see the Seasiders play volleyball.  By the way they won two more games this week. They are on the road for the next two weeks.  Papa said they moved into 4th place in the Nation!!!

Saturday, P-day we went to the Macadamia Nut Farm.  We sampled everything free and Cooper tried some Noni Juice Remedy.  Since he enjoyed it so much I had her put some on my neck and shoulder.  Felt pretty good after that.  We found out we can buy the Noni Juice right here at the PC with our discount, so we decided not to buy any.  We sampled all the nuts and waived the good smelling macadamia coffee and went for the tour.  We learned about nuts and Hawaiian fruits and how to make fire.  The women in the group were given headdress's with the hibiscus flower to wear over the right ear if single, left if married and in the middle if you don't know yet!  He was a funny informative guide named Payle.  He got married three months ago in the Laie Temple.

I think Elder Cooper was enjoying the foot rub!

Payle, our Guide.  This is Star Fruit plant, the little yellow ones you can buy.

Showing us how to make fire.....

Making Fire

Bus Tour

Boat Ride

Sister Cooper, Payle and Elder Cooper

Beautiful Mountains by the Nut Farm.   Numerous movies have been made here.

He stamped it out with his feet!!!

Today was a nice day.  It was Fast Day.  We had a wonderful testimony meeting today.  These kids are from so many countries and so far from home they each have a special story to tell.  We love them and we love that we are here to serve.  There is a strict Honor Code at BYU.  Most of the kids are so good, but we had three girls in our Ward who were growing marijuana in their apartment.  They were sent home this week.   Go figure...

We have you in our hearts and prayers everyday.  We hope you pray for your families and pray for each other too.
Love and miss you,  Nona and Papa