Thursday

Today started out just really bad.  First my phone wouldn't work, I did everything I've been told to do to reboot it up.  Then I went upstairs and asked Josh to help me, he couldn't figure it out so I called the Sprint store.  They walked me through a few things, nothing helped. They said to make an appointment.  I called Maile to help me, she couldn't.  Then I tried a Sprint store closer to us to make an appointment, and they thought they could help over the phone.  They recommended I do a few things, I did and then they said I needed to contact Apple.  I called them and made an appointment for Monday afternoon since I'll be in town then anyway for my infusion.

 I was a little worried because it was so late in the day with traffic and all, for that appointment.   Then Ramon's phone started not working so I called back and changed the appointment for tomorrow at 3:50 because we needed a phone over the weekend.  Both times they warned me I probably needed a new phone.  Then Ramons phone started working, he had grabbed mine thinking it was his and had the wrong phone, so his had worked all the time.

All this as we were puttering around here, washing and we had the ironing board set up (remember we are in a tiny studio) and I hadn't really gotten ready for  the day yet, in a ratty old Muumuu, the Elder's stopped by!  It was about 9:45.   They charged in, laughing and saying "we're having a meeting here and couldn't get you on the phone!"  I thought they were joking and continued to iron...until the Sisters arrived.  I asked them why they didn't call Elder Sanft's phone...grrrr.  So we had to stop everything and have a meeting, and if you know me you know I like to be in control....of how I look, how my place looks, etc. Here I was dressed in not much more than a nightgown, looking like a scary old lady.   I was fuming a little, and kind of grouchy.  I knew we needed to be at the Visitor's Center for our shift at 2:00.  The meeting lasted until noon.  Then the power WENT OUT at about 11:00.  Yikes.

Our bathroom doesn't have a window, and we have exactly two candles and one flashlight.  We muddled through our meeting then the Sister's left and the Elder's decided to eat their lunch here, we offered a few tidbits (candy, water and tangerines) to go with their lunch.  They finally left, and I wondered what to do about getting ready.

Just about 12:30 Dave appeared at our window by the bed asking if we'd like electricity.  He then tried to pull something out there to connect the generator and nothing happened.  He got frustrated because the generator wouldn't turn on and said he thought he had run over a cord with the lawnmower.  Yikes again!   I decided I'd get dressed the the Muumuu uniform for the Center and take all my makeup and curling iron over to the VC and get ready there.  So I called Sister Tuitupo and asked her to open the back door for me to slip in.  So that was the plan.

When got out our door and it started pouring like the Heaven was letting everything go, I mean really really buckets.  We ran for the car, got in, and I forgot my badge.  I got out, ran to the apartment and got it.  Ran back and we forgot something else, so I ran back and forth.  By the timeI settled in the car my hair was sopping wet and so was I.  The umbrella wouldn't have helped because it's only a 5 foot walk from the car door to the overhang of the house, but buckets of water were pouring down, and I would have gotten wetter as I opened up the umbrella or shut it down.

Whew, then we started out.  It was slow slow driving, as it was flooding and we were creating such a splash every time we drove through a giant puddles.  But we made it in safely, ran with umbrella to the center.  I got situated in there at the bathroom, which is large, just as a bus load of Asian women arrived.  I love them but they are pushy.  One especially so, I had to stand firm and hang on to my supplies as she must have thought they were for her to use.  Honestly....

We had a busy afternoon in spite of the rain.  Trams still arrived and bus loads of tourists still came.
It was nice having a little time to visit with the Sisters a bit.  They are so choice, and we received 7 new ones on Monday.  After working a while there, I settled down and felt a bit more peaceful.  I needed to be there and calm down and breathe.

I started to show a Sister some of my Halloween pictures of treats I had made, and low and behold my phone started working!  My prayers really really do work.  I had asked so many people how to fix my phone and nothing.  Finally it dawned on me to pray, dumb that I am, it always takes me a while to think of that!  Was another tender mercy of the Lord.  I really really didn't want to drive into Honolulu tomorrow in the rain to fix a phone or buy a new one.

On our way to close down the VC,  Elder Sanft lost the key to the main doors, after we had turned off the lights.  We all were scrambling around looking for it with flash light because it was too much trouble  to turn on all the lights again.  I turned and saw three Sisters on their knees right by the Christus and heard them praying for the lost key.  It was immediately found and all was good.

We were starving after our shift ended at 8:00, no milk at our place and no electricity to use the microwave and no light to see in the kitchen, only lights from from a window over by the bed, so we hadn't eaten lunch.   We drove over to Foodland, bought milk and then went to 7 Brothers for dinner! The day was saved.

Things I'm grateful for today:

Granddaughters that call me up to see how we are....they are so loving.
Power of Prayer
Safe home and good people around me
Sister's on this mission that love us unconditionally, and really show it
Good friends at home who are taking my place and ministering to my aunt...Dianne, Leslie and Janet, thank you.  And dear dear Lavina!