Thanksgiving Day November 28, 2019 + 11/29/20

Early his morning we went over to SunSet Beach to enjoy the beauty of the Earth where we live.  I have a new camera and took some practice pictures of the waves.

Good 
new camera!

Great zoom!










Later at noon we attended the annual Thanksgiving Day Feast Junior AhYou puts on for all the missionaries and elderly people.  We took my cousin Michele and her husband Ben and son Will with us this year.  Here are some pictures.

Will, Ben, and Michele

Leslie King and others playing Ukelele

Tonight we went over to the Temple grounds to participate in a Temple Walk.  We were to walk up to the temple passing groups of people singing and it was to be all dark, with just the Temple lite up.  Well, we parked at the VC and walked down to Laie school but no one was there, they had all congregated in the middle of the length of the walk.

We finally walked back up to where they were.  This was to start at 6:00, the opening prayer was at 6:35 and took 10 minutes.  By then we were resigned to leave. It was very disorganized and we were frustrated.  Michele and her family were with us. Each group of singers was going to take so long to get through all their songs they had prepared.  I walked into the VC to get my purse and Gerald Cause, the Presiding Bishop of our church was there visiting.  He is nice and it was nice to see him.  We then decided to forgo the free luau and go to McDonalds.  Every thing was closed so we came back home to eat leftovers.

Sunday November 30,2019

Yesterday I spent an hour or so at Turtle Bay Beach visiting with my cousin Michele who is here for a week.  What a nice time that was.  I find as I mature that family is so important, and those years when we didn't see each other because of various things, mostly raising our children, just slip away and we are still close family forever.  We reminisced about our Mother's and the role they each played in the other's life.  Little did I know my mother was such a wise person to give good advice to a newly married niece.  I so loved Michele's mother, my Aunt Rayma.  What a blessing she was in my life when I needed her so.

After I came home and finished up the preparations for our "Thanksgiving" dinner I had planned for this night.  We had two young BYUH students from our home ward come, Maggie Christensen and Grace Miller, as well as Tom and Shahara's niece Mckenzie, along with Michele, husband Ben and son Will.   We had a great time all together.  McKenzie is from where Michele's daughter lives in Arizona and will knew Maggies two sisters.  Small world in the church, as they say.  It was good food, and I think the girls enjoyed being there even if they didn't know each other or our family.  McKenzie gave them a ride back to Laie.  Then we oldies, played SKYJO, a fun game Ryan had given us last Christmas.  Was a fun night and Michele did all the dishes, as I put stuff away.  I sure love this cousin of mine.Yesterday I spent an hour or so at Turtle Bay Beach visiting with my cousin Michele who is here for a week.  What a nice time that was.  I find as I mature that family is so important, and those years when we didn't see each other because of various things, mostly raising our children, just slip away and we are still close family forever.  We reminisced about our Mother's and the role they each played in the other's life.  Little did I know my mother was such a wise person to give good advice to a newly married niece.  I so loved Michele's mother, my Aunt Rayma.  What a blessing she was in my life when I needed her so.

After I came home and finished up the preparations for our "Thanksgiving" dinner I had planned for this night.  We had two young BYUH students from our home ward come, Maggie Christensen and Grace Miller, as well as Tom and Shahara's niece Mckenzie, along with Michele, husband Ben and son Will.   We had a great time all together.  McKenzie is from where Michele's daughter lives in Arizona and will knew Maggies two sisters.  Small world in the church, as they say.  It was good food, and I think the girls enjoyed being there even if they didn't know each other or our family.  McKenzie gave them a ride back to Laie.  Then we oldies, played SKYJO, a fun game Ryan had given us last Christmas.  Was a fun night and Michele did all the dishes, as I put stuff away.  I sure love this cousin of mine.

Tuesday

Very busy week for us this Thanksgiving week.  Yesterday we attended our two Family Home Evenings after a busy day getting ready for the week ahead.  Our YSA Branch didn't disappoint with the usual night of fun games.  This game was called YSA Olylmpics but really should be called "flip the slippers across the cultural hall", our Oliver came up with this unique idea.  We had a smaller group tonight but we love them all so much.  Already tearing up thinking of leaving these young friends of mine.

We're at the start of the "Vans Triple Crown" surf competition now at Sunset Beach.  Took a minute to  run across the street and check it out.  The Hancock's dog Ellie decided to follow us.  Naughty dog! We had to bring her back.

Today we had a District meeting and
then went to the Temple.  It is the 100 year celebration of the dedication of the Hawaii Temple on Thanksgiving.  We have a huge celebration that day.  After having a lunch furnished by a local Football Star Junior Ayou, we will have a "walk" after dark from the elementary school up to the Temple.  All lights will be out except the Temple will be as usual.  There will be singing along the way and at 7:00 pm a free luau is offered to all who attend.  My cousin Michele and her husband and son Will will join us this day.  Everyone is really excited about it all.  I have a new camera, I just hope it lives up to my hopes for the evening pictures in the dark!

We saw that it was 15 degrees in Utah today, can't complain at 88 today.  Although, a little snuggle on a cold night in a warm bed sounds pretty  good after all this heat for 17 months.

Sunday

Wednesday night we had our usual gathering at the Geranios house.  This night it was packed with people and food.  Nick decided to barbecue steaks and they were yummy.  I took a big batch of baked beans and huge potato salad and some guacamole.  We all had a good time.  The view was wonderful and Lilika posed for me with Blue the bird.

Then Thursday we substituted at the Visitor's Center for the Allens.  I took a picture of two of the Sisters whom we have grown to love.  Sister Argyle and Sister Mohi.

Then yesterday, Saturday, we again substituted there for the Redders.  It was a rainy day both days and not very many people ventured out.  Today we have our usual church meetings and we are looking forward to a quiet spiritual day.  This week starts out full taking out the Christmas Trees, at the Visitor's Center, for the Stakes to decorate this week.  

We have a big celebration for the 100 year celebration of the Hawaii Temple's dedication on Thanksgiving.  My cousin, Michele, and her husband and son will be here to celebrate with us.  There is a big luncheon at noon for all the Missionairies at the PCC then a walk from Kam Highway up to the temple grounds where there is a free luau for all in the evening.  I have been reading the book Stories fo the Temple in La'ie, Hawaii this past week.  It is full of beautiful miracles and stories of the Hawaii Temple. So uplifting for me.

Wednesday

Yesterday we had our usual "returning missionary luncheon".  We had it earlier, at 12:30 instead of 2:30.  Made it really easy for me to hand out temple names for these missionaries to do in the temple after lunch!  Only one of our Visitor's Center Sisters was going home, Sister Liu  to Taiwan.  She was so sad to leave.  I reminded her of when she first met us, the second day she was here, she came to dinner with the Zone leaders and two other Sisters.  She was so shy, she wouldn't eat a thing!  Later she told me she was afraid and shy and didn't know "the English".  Now she is fluent and speaks like a native, she plays the piano beautifully and is the life of any get together!  We all just love her!

Sister Liu with us

We later met up with the Smarts and Kaanapu's and went into Kaneohe to dinner at Hale'iwa Joes.  Had a great time visiting, laughing and sharing food with them.  Our favorite place with favorite people!

Monday November 18, 2019

This morning we went into our VCTM meeting and Elder Allen directed us via Facetime as he is off his leg for a while after surgery.  He decided that he'd show us several of the Nativity videos the church has put out each year.  They have had a big push to do this for missionary work, especially in the big city of New York on Times Square.

He started by telling us about how he was one of the two producers for Mr. Krugers Christmas and some interesting things about Jimmy Stewart.  One of which was when he went to do the scene with him looking at the Nativity scene Mr. Stewart told them to have everyone not essential to the filming to leave the set, as he only had "one of these in him" and he couldn't do it more than once.  If you recall, it is a very touching scene where he talks to Jesus.

This year's Nativity video is really interesting.  It is not in English but maybe Arabic or Egyptian, I don't know for sure.  You basically just watch Mary and Joseph as they go to Bethlehem where we believe their family lived, it shows how crowded the house was, leading us to believe they went out back in the stable to have the birth.  Poor Mary is a little dirty and smudged and so tired and worn looking.  It is so realistic, and Joseph is so loving and concerned.  It is the best nativity show I have ever seen, and was wonderful.  When the Wise men come, it is 3 or 4 years later, authentic and realistic, and the one Wiseman is so overcome with joy, you just cry watching him as he sees little Jesus standing there.  It was very well done and will soon be shown to the public.  I loved it and am so ready for Christmas now.

On that note, I found my Christmas Wrasse today at Hanauma Bay in bright pink and turquoise colors.  I chased him around for about a half an hour and finally got a shot worth sharing.  He's a beauty and I think pretty rare.  God in all his humor and talent created this fish for us.  I will blow this picture up and hang it in my computer room next to my first Christmas Wrasse I found years ago, which was olive green and orange.   We went with the Smarts to Hanauma Bay after missionarying work was done today.

Saturday November 16,2019

This morning we are getting ready to go do apartment checks of the Elders apartments.  I'm baking pumpkin chocolate chip cookies for each apartment....Such good boys transitioning into men!

We've been happy to the Ron and Patti Smart here this week.  They are friends from our time at Jamestown.  They are staying in Turtle Bay and we've been able to get together a few times to enjoy each other's company.  Tuesday our meetings were cancelled so we went into Waimea Falls and did the tour and later drove up to Kaena Point.

We have enjoyed having friends from home with us. We went to the Laie Temple with them yesterday morning and then they went on and spent the day at the PCC while we attended to some missionary business.  While at Waimea Falls I took this picture of this Ginger Flower, my favorite and so fragrant.  It is hard to find around here anymore and competes with so many of the other "gingers" that don't have any fragrance.  This one they sometimes make leis out of.  My favorite!

November 11, 2019 Veterans Day

Saturday morning we went into  Laie to the PCC to a Tongan Devotional at the Tongan Village.  It was a beautiful Hawaiian morning and many people were there.  We listened to three young BYUH students bear their testimonies and tell us also how much they enjoyed working in the Tongan Village. They all spoke on the theme, which was Humility.

President of the PCC, Alfred Grace

Yesterday we attended our meetings and in our Sunset Family Branch our landlord David Hancock gave a talk.  It was interesting to hear about his life and how he ended up here in Hawaii permanently.
We had some good talks today.  They have asked us to teach the Temple Prep class in our YSA Branch.  We start next Sunday.

Our friends Patti and Ron Smart are arriving today for a visit.  We are excited to see them again and hope they have a wonderful visit.  Tonight we have to present at the FHE for the couples at the Grant Building at BYUH.  Ramon will talk about his journey in becoming a citizen and his service in Viet Nam.  I am a little nervous, as there are usually about 100 people there.  I  bought 100 small American flags to hand out to each person.

Ramon speaking at our couples FHE

Friday November 8

Yesterday was our 50th wedding anniversary!  I never thought I'd live this long to be married this long!  But what a surprise.  We've had our ups and downs along the way but I am so grateful we've "endured" and loved each other to survive the low spots.  The things I look back on are such wonderful memories.   Most of the memories include our children, it seems like we can't enjoy something without wishing our children were with us to enjoy it also.  Ramon has been a wonderful husband and care taker of us all.  I love him so much.  He is thoughtful and always goes out of his way to put me first.  I hope we have many more years ahead, and in my brain I am still young and forget we're nearing the end.

We got up early and went into the VA clinic and then out to breakfast at Annie Miller's restaurant, then stopped by Costco and home by 1:00.  I'd had a bad headache all night so I took a nap, which is NOT like me.  Then we went into Laie, picked up two dozen donuts and a gallon of chocolate milk, ran it over to the teaching center's fridge and then off to the Temple.  We had a branch Temple night with our YSA kids.  We were asked to be the witness couple, and ended up in the "disability" session, since that is what happens at 4:00 at our Temple.  It was nice and then we watched a few baptisms for the dead, we'd never seen this here.  Then we got out and went and got our food and milk and went to the pavilion and waited for people to come.  Elder and Sister Rose were at the temple so we invited them to have donuts with us.  They waited a while til someone else came and then left to go home.  We had a small group but it was nice.  Hopefully, this will continue on and we'll get more participants in the future.

It was a nice day.  We we gave each other nice presents and all is well with us old folks!  Today we cleaned, ironed and went snorkeling where we ran into Staci Christensen and her daughter Maggie at Sharks Cove.  Here are some "fish" pictures we took.

"my" fish I always look for, called a Christmas Wrasse
He comes in many colors, this one was pink and turquoise but
looks orange here 

Ramon took this of a wall of fish he likes to go see each time we go

Monday November 4

Today I went to the doctor because of some sores in my mouth and throat and ears aching.  She said she had had the same thing and just gotten over it and it was a virus and lasted 6 weeks!  Yikes.  I'm not sick sick, just miserable with these sores.  I will endure on...

We had our meetings this morning, VCTM and are now practicing for our Christmas Fireside where we sing two lines of Silent Night in Tongan.  Each of the Sisters sing in the language they know best, the two German Sisters are by far the best!

Elder Sanft and I walked across the street to see the waves.  We could hear them loud and clear.  We had a tournament  last week when Maile was here and the waves were tremendous, and  then after it was over, the waves went down to nothing, but now they are up again.  We sat and watched them, so powerful with such  majesty, God in all his power and glory!

Last night we went to our FHE at the YSA Branch.  I am going to post pictures from one of our first YSA Family Home Evenings when we first got here and some from last night.  What a difference in the amount of people attending.  Last night there were 38 of us!  Compared to the olden times of Alora and the 4 Missionaries and us 2 and maybe a couple of members.  It is so much fun with so many more people!  She goes to a lot of work to make this fun and we are so happy it is now fruitful.  Although we need more time, usually just have an hour to play, remark and eat.

Before...August 2018

After, November 2019