May 12, 2014

The past two weeks have been very busy.  We were so tired this weekend we simply collapsed!
We did go to our Sunday church meetings.  Mothers Day was a day of rest.  But I better start with two weeks ago…

The Harlem Globetrotters came to Laie BYU-H.  The missionaries supported the event, but I can say that we had seen enough by half time, and probably won't be wanting to see another game in our lifetime.  The children loved it and the students didn't support it as much as we thought they would, probably because of the cost.  The best part was the mascot.  He was pretty funny.  The plays were still the same.

Samoan Devotional was Saturday morning at the PCC.  Each village at the PCC has a devotional once a year.  This time it was the Island of Samoa presenting the devotional.  The speakers are mostly students from Samoa and they present a theme for the meeting, at this meeting the theme was respecting our heritage.  These young people do a wonderful job and are very humble and most of them very poor.  During the meeting a rooster (chicken) flew up on the beams and starting crowing, it was very distracting but the meeting went on.   There were many comments from the speakers about the noise but finally the chicken stopped crowing, must of fallen asleep like some of us do during our church meeting.

Did you find the chicken?

Chicken joined the choir.  Inside the Hut.

One of the Samoan Huts

Above is the chiefs hut in the Samoan village.  This was just recently remodeled.  The Samoan culture is very strong in Laie and their chiefs have a lot of say as to what goes on at the PCC.  The Samoans are a large and friendly people and are not in a hurry.


Derek and Emily (Mangelson) Egan graduated from the University of Utah on Friday May 2, 2014. Derek graduated with Honors Bachelor of Science in Operations Management and Emily graduated with Bachelor of Science in Marketing.  We are proud of both of you and Love you both!

They are a handsome couple

They are on their way…..

We have had some birthday boys during April.  Jake turned 14 on April 7, and Sam turned 15 on April 17.  We miss and love you boys.

Sam and Anna at Laie Temple

Jake standing by statue at Polynesian Cultural Center

Coming this week is Erik's 20 birthday.  He sent us a picture of him and his companion.  They wanted to look alike…..bought glasses, ties and matching suit's I hear!   He's doing good in Connecticut.

Erik is on the left, can you tell.  I think he has gained weight.  Looks like he will gain much more if he wants to look like his companion. We are very proud of Erik and the way he is performing on his mission.

Aimee sent us pictures of Madeline on her first Prom Date.  She couldn't remember the boys name but he is 6'5" and Maddie is all of 5'2…..she did her best with 4" heels and stood tall.  You look real cute Maddie, hope you had a good time.  (Don't you think Mom's should know the name of the boy their daughter is going out with?)

Maddie and friends going to dance

Mary came to see us.  She arrived on Wednesday and stayed in Honolulu the first day.  She was with her friend Kathy.  Kathy helped her with car and getting around.  They came out to see us on Friday and I took her to the temple.  They visited the Polynesian Cultural Center and stayed for the Ha, Breath of Life Show that night.  It was good to spend some time together.  We drove in to Honolulu Saturday and took them to the Swap Meet.  We pushed Mary in wheelchair until we were all hot and tired.  We took them back to hotel and then did our shopping and came home.  Sunday they came out and Mary spent the day again with us.    I took her to Turtle Bay and we walked around the hotel and beach.

Mary and Cathy at Temple

Mary at Turtle Bay

Smelling the flowers

Relaxing by the water

I haven't heard from you Mary, did you get home?  Maybe trip wore you out.  I hope you found everyone okay at home.  Love you.

May Day was a busy day at the Polynesian Cultural Center.  It's an annual festival to have the Elementary Laie School come to the PCC and have music and dance festival at the Ha Theater.  It was  busy with children practicing during the days before the festival too.  We were able to go to the performance.  The children here learn very young how to dance and perform on stage.

                                                The top picture is of the May Day Queen.

The second picture is of the children's  white costumes.  After they finished dancing they dropped their white costumes and were all in colorful south of the boarder costumes and music.

The Festival went on for three hours.  Every child in the school performed.  Every person living in the little town of Laie was at the performance to watch.  Big crowd, the theater was filled, no seats available.

The World Fire knife Championships were held at the Polynesian Cultural Center this past week.  We have been scrambling to get costumes and outfits for the competitors and workers.  I think everyone had a new outfit, a new shirt, new palliates and lava lavas.    We also made a new sail for the Ha Show.  It was made with beautiful white silk.  We made four panels of 18 yards long, 42" wide.  We figured we worked with 72 yards of material in length and a football field is 100 yards long.  It took four of us a week to finish it.

We were able to get the new sail finished for the Fire knife Opening.  It was completed for the Friday show.  The fire retardant wasn't put on the finished sail however.  When I watched the show I held my breath that the fire wouldn't be too close.  The Saturday show that we were able to watch was altered some, and the fire was used more than usual that night.  Truly, the Lord blesses this place, otherwise it would have burned down long ago.  The fire was over and under the sail so close I thought it would go up in a poof of smoke, but it didn't.  All went according to plan.  The fire dancers competed during the intermission.  We were able to see the Saturday final night Ha show and see the final three competitors.  It was a once in a life time show.  The fire knife finalist had drums play as they danced. For three nights we heard drums.  I was plugging my ears.  This was the 22nd annual World Fire knife Championship.  Let me explain what a fire knife is:  it is like a baton with both ends on fire. The ends have a material with gas and lighted, it burns very hot and these guys twirl the baton as fast as they can.  To be perfect there should not be a break in the fire circle as it is twirled.  It was kind of scary for us to watch,  but they are not afraid.

This picture is of Jeralee Galeai.  Her Mother works with me in Theater and Costumes.  I made her dress for competition night.  Her father is a fire knife dancer in the Ha, Breath of Life Show every night.  No wonder his daughter likes the fire knife.  She was 14 and won in the Junior Competitors.

May Day Festival for seven High Schools on Oahu were all the the PCC on Saturday morning.   Each year they have a "We are Samoan Festival" with the high schools participating.  It was like fantastic, they performed many different routines and were all in sync.  It was like going to the Davis Cup held at the University of Utah for the high school bands.  

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The custom of the Samoans is to throw money for the performers.  This is all money on the ground thrown to the dancer.  The money will go to the Kuhuku Samoan School Club.  

At the end of each performance money is thrown at the performers.  This is a tradition for the Samoan people, hundreds of dollars were given to the schools to support the Samoan club at each high school. We were fortunate to be here on our Mission to see these performances.  I guess these are the perks of Mission life at the PCC. Friday night Shen Yun Show.  A group of missionaries got together and went to a Chinese ballet call Shen Yun.  Beautiful costumes and beautiful and graceful dancers.  We borrowed a 12 passenger van from the PCC and went to the concert.  Many of the single sisters do not have cars, the van provided a way to get them all to the concert.  The Pollacks and Ron and I were going alone for Mothers Day Treat, but it ended up that Stacy and I shared our husbands with the single sisters.

The Shen Yun Show is Classical Chinese Dance.  The Chinese Dance is one way which 5,000 years of Chinese culture has been passed down and retained.   The show has never played in China.  It was China's rich cultural traditions displayed through music and dance.  The costumes were beautiful with bright flowing colors.  If you have a change to see it, go.

Elder/Sister Pollock, Sister's Linton, Johnson, DisPain, Bisson, Tisdel, Myasaki, Lewis and Sister/Elder Tremea

Wonderful Show

We passed our one year mark.  It's been like a celebration at the PCC for two weeks now, so I guess we will call it good.  It has gone fast and slow.  The weeks fly by, but sometimes the days seem really slow.  Today we worked all day and then worked tonight taking tickets.  We are still walk abouts so we are moving, walking and checking people.  Very tired tonight.

Looking through pictures and remembering the days gone by with family just a year ago.  We are almost to 51 year Anniversary.  Grateful for family and friends.    Where in the world are we?

Love and miss you all.