Tuesday

WE had a pretty busy weekend but it went by so fast.  The weather was perfect again.   I walked across the street Saturday to take in some sun for an hour and the beach was so calm I was able to get in.  But unfortunately the beach has practically washed away in these past few months.  I used to could lay flat on my sheet but now I was slanted downward and it was very uncomfortable and hard to relax so tilted.  Here is a picture of how nice it was with hardly any tourists but an hour later I had to leave it was so crowded!

Sunday was a good day.  The Bussenbarks, whom we replaced, were at our meetings and everyone enjoyed reuniting with them again.  It was nice to put faces to these people we had talked to on the phone!

Monday we had our usual VCTM meeting and so many of the Sisters are sick with something.  We were cautioned about doing what we could to stay healthy.  We went into our two FHE tonight.  I took a few pictures.  It was disappointing as only the four missionaries, Louis and Alora were there tonight.  Louie made a great chocolate cake for us too.  We played Alaska kickball!

New picture of ALL the Sisters now at the Visitor's Center...67!

Louir snd Elder Gunderson

Alora and Elder Sanft eating!

Thursday

Today was spent cleaning, washing, putting away clothes, baking 4 plates of cookies, 3 kinds of cookies, to take to people,  and then fun!
Then we went into Kailua to dinner with the other senior couples from the VC.  Unfortunately the Sebrings and Sister Allen couldn't make it due to illness.  We went to Hale'iwa Joes, a fine dining place that is situated on a Bontanical garden and it was so fun and wonderful food.  We both had the prime rib and brought home about 3/4 of it for dinners this weekend, it was so huge.  Then we all had desserts.  I'm so stuffed tonight.

Left around...Sister Janice Luker, Sister Carolyn Tuitupo, Elder Paul Tuitup, Elder Allen
Elder Sanft,  Sister Sanft, Elder Bill Luker

Two Prime ribs..med well and well done...2 inches thick!

Dessert, burned carmel over mac nut ice cream with fruits!!!

Tuesday February 19, 2019

Beautiful Tuesday...

Sunset at the Visitor's Center tonigh

We started our day at attending our District Meeting with our 8 Elders.  These are such remarkable young men.  We are really loving this assignment.  They wanted more cinnamon rolls but I didn't have time so we cut up a pineapple and brought it along with forks for our treat today.  They sang to us afterward but this blog doesn't take videos so I couldn't post it.  I did get a couple of pictures of the meeting though.

This afternoon we did a shift at the Visitor's Center as Elder Sebring had surgery on his eyes, poor guy.  He had detached retinas and that is pretty serious.  We'll be doing a lot of subbing there I think.
The sunset tonight was fabulous!  I couldn't take enough pictures.  I wish I had Doran's camera with me.  Also, the full moon tonight was supposed to be the biggest, brightest all year.  It surely illuminated our bedroom all night.  You could have played soccer on our lawn it was so bright!

Looking from the doors of the VC toward the
Distributions Center and Family History center

After we were through we went and
picked up Leslie for a late dinner at
7 Brothers, of course!

Friday, Sunday and Monday

We had a busy weekend....Friday was Zone Conference, a whole day of sitting and being enlightened.  My bottom did get a little tired of the benches though.  I loved every minute of it, the last two hours we had 49 new missionaries bear testimonies and some of them were so inspiring.  The very last Sister to speak, was actually speaking because she had completed her mission, she was a "Fifita" and from Los Angeles.  I went up to her and talked with her;  turns out her uncle was our Bishop in Inglewood.  Small world, and she's a Fifita, which is Ramon's Mother's last name.

I took this picture of this coconut tree by the church that the winds last week tipped over...

Sunday we had normal church for our Family Branch but Stake Conference for our YSA Sunset Branch.  Our Mission President Bekker and his wife spoke and the Laie Temple President Hallstrum and his wife spoke and then our visiting Seventy and his wife spoke to us.  They are from Germany Elder and Sister Kopischke.  She was so animated in talking to us all.  Everyone loved her.  I went up after and showed them my missionary badge and asked if they ever met my boys?  Unfortunately they hadn't.  They were from an area over where the Iron Curtain was where Adam served.  Oh well.

Today we took Leslie and her roommate Pat into Costco and Walmart and a craft store.  We are in the process of learning how to make leis!  I came back to Leslie's apartment and she showed me how to make this one...for one of my Timpview graduating grandsons.  I need to get more materials to make another one for the other graduates.  This one is so easy and soft, unlike the one I made last week.

Then we went over to our YSA FHE at Kahuku chapel.  They had invited another ward YSA to join them so we had a large crowd.  Louis made food, pasta, but barely enough for our branch few, not the other 15 who attended.  We left but I guess they all had a taste.  They played Utimate Ninja tonight!

Elder Bass (red shirt)  Tanner  (black pants)

Elder Gunderson front

Happy Valentines Day!

This morning we woke up to thunder and lightening at about 4 a.m.  Torrential rains were beating down all morning long.  The Whetmans were still here and were going home on the redeye tonight so we decided to show them a bit of our island, the part we love without the tourists!  We went with them out to Kaena Point but it was so cold and rainy we didn't even get out of the car...except we stopped for Snowpuffie and got out.  We have to initiate everyone to Snowpuffies!  They loved them, from there we went and got shave ice, as cold as we were.

Kaena Point

Nancy and Ron Whetman

We came home in time to have a ward mission meeting at our apartment with the Elders and Sisters and Brother Bowen.  Then the sun came out but we were too tired by then to go out and celebrate Valentines.   We've been fed so well the last few days we needed to eat all our leftover food!  We are actually doing our Valentines dinner next Thursday with two couples from the Visitor's Center.  We decided last week to celebrate Valentines then!

Wednesday February 13, 2019

Today we went with Glen and Sheila Sebring (Elder and Sister) to Mililani to lunch.  We had an early lunch because they have a 2:30 shift at the VC.  We ate at the Shak, introduced it to them, it's a bar and grill and we ate outside.  It is cold here today again.  It was a fun day, and of course we stopped  and showed them the "snowpuffies" place, so they can go there on their own!

Yummy!

After we went home and I baked Valentine Cookies to take to the Geronios for dinner tonight.  At about 3:00 Nick called and said they's meet us at Pounders.  I said okay and asked which beach, the first or second?  He laughed and said "no. the restaurtant at PCC.   I told him we'd pay our own way, as it is expensive, and he said definitely NO.  So we met them and had a great time.  Ramon and I shared a pizza that was loaded, even had french fries on top (I wouldn't recommend that).  This is a great family.  I sat next to Kyton the 15 year old son and we had a great discussion about swearing (at his instigation).  Then it went on and on from there.  He is such a great kid, and has grasped the gospel so strongly. Reminded me of discussions I've had with my grandkids.  I mentioned EFY and he had never heard about it, so I told him and his parents about it.  I also had Sister Chong tell him about her expreience.  She is from China and saved for years to come to BYU and attend EFY and then went on this mission.  Wonderful young people.  

Elder Sanft and Nick Geronio

Left around table:  Nick, Elder Bass, Sister Beuhler, Sister Chong, Nicki, Elder Gunderson, Kyton, Elder Sanft

The three girls were around someplace, but not in the picture.

Tuesday

I got up early and baked cinnamon rolls for the Elders for District meeting today at 10:30, for Valentines.  They were so sweet and appreciative of my endeavors!  We stopped and bought a gallon of milk to go with the rolls.  I took some candid pictures of our meeting.  They always have a  lesson and object lesson as well.

Blindfolded Elder Gunderson being guided by Satan through and
obstacle course, first to follow his path
 and then the "Savior" to guide him out of this world.

Yesterday I got a message from a Sister who was our secretary in our LA mission, they were here in Hawaii and wanted to say "hello".  They were staying in Laie and asked if we were near.  I told her we would be in Laie on Tuesday for a District meeting until noon.  She said they'd go to the temple and then call us when they were done.  We got out of our meeting and the phone immediately rang before I had even gotten into the car.    It was Sister Whetman saying they were just leaving the parking lot of the temple.  I told her we were about 1000 feet away in the parking lot of the church next to the temple.  Anyway, we went over to the PCC and had lunch with them and visited for over 2 1/2 hours.  It was a fun visit,  to catch up on 6 years.  They are here until Thursday, I talked them into going to dinner tomorrow night at the PCC and see the show.  We  couldn't go with them as we have a standing dinner date with the Geronios on Wednesday nights.  But we may see them as another surf event is taking place starting tomorrow and they want to watch one of them.  Here is a picture of us.

Ramon eating his Hawaiian hamburger
it had a fried egg on top!

Us with the Whetmans

Monday February 11, 2019

Yesterday it was the coldest it has been here for me.  It was down to 65 degrees but the wind was so high it made it much colder.  Before our 2:00 church the power went out all over the island.  Trees were down and it was dangerous.  I pulled into the parking lot and there were no spaces to park so I was going to drive on around the building, as there is parking on both sides.  Then I saw this parking space by a tree, but left it thinking it was too close for us to get out, with the knee scooter and all.  When we came back around the 2nd time a huge limb had fallen right on the parking spot we would have been in!  Tender mercies!  We had our church and Relief Society without lights and it was spooky.  I was anxious to get home safe.

The power was off all night, lucky for us Dave our landlord is an electrician and has a handy generator.  Gave us power but no internet or TV.  But we were just fine.

Today we had our VC meeting this morning.  We came home and I spent 4 hours making this fancy candy lei. I doublt I'll make another.  It's very stiff, made out of Jolly Ranchers.

We then went back into Laie at night for FHE with the senior couples.  Tonight President Halstrum, the Temple president talked to us.  Our temple here will celebrate 100 years on November 27, 2019!  I'm glad we will still be here for that event.  He said nothing big was being planned for the celebration yet.

After attending the above FHE we went into Kahuku to our YSA one.  This one is always different and a bit wild.  There were two new guys I didn't know there.  Really nice men.  We played a fun game but it was about over when we arrived.  I snapped a few quick pictures.

Louie with our refreshments!  He's the greatest!

Saturday

I cleaned good today.  We got our new bedroom...finally, so happy to have it.  It has been a trial living in a studio, like a motel room for two!  But we love it here and are now glad of the bedroom!

I left Ramon watching BYU basketball, and ran into Leslie's apartment.  She's been nice enough to sew for me.  We went over to Longs drug store and then over to PCC to get a Acai bowl for me to try, she loves them.  I do too, now!  Acai is a type of ice cream/yoghurt dessert with lots of fresh fruit, granola etc. on top.  It was really cold weather today...70 degrees and everyone was wearing hoodies and shorts and freezing.  But to be fair, the wind was really blowing and I even got cold.  The first time I've admitted it in 7 months over here!  We drove up to the point and I took more pictures.  There are warnings out about the surf and beaches are closed.  Sure is windy.  But beautiful ocean views.

Laie Point

Friday

Surf warnings today.  I walked down to the beach early and took a couple of pictures.  Then we spent the first of the day visiting a few people, and especially KloeAnn and Charles.  She is always ready for us with a water bottle and a treat...and I always bring a plate of cookies or something too.  Then on we went to run errands.  I wanted to show these pictures of Sunset Beach this morning.

Large swells

Wednesday February 6, 2019

Today we got together with three other couples serving at the Visitor's Center and went into Honolulu and visited the Honolulu Museum of Art and Doris Duke's home called Shangri La.  We had a full day and after ate at the restaurant that the Handcock's son Josh works at as a manager.  The food was good and we had a great time.  We didn't get back here until after 4.  Fun day with good friends.  I'm going to post the pictures I took because the book at the gift shop was $75.00 and I was too cheap to buy it.

Doris Duke

Pool house

Dresser

Bathroom

Mosaic panel

"front" room

Chandelier

My kind of swimming pool!

Her Bedroom ad rooftop room

Whales, you can't see them here

Husbands dock for his yaught

Tapesty room