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.