Friday

We went and checked the Elder's apartments today in preparation for transfer day next Tuesday.  We then came home and went with some friends into Hale'iwa.  On the way there we stopped to show them the turtles and lucky for us there were three small ones sunning themselves on the beach. We then had lunch and showed them where the famous bakery is for "snow puffies" is located.  Then we drove up to the Heiau above Pupakea, walked around a bit and then drove and looked at some very expensive property on the hill!

Small Turtle on beach

Elder and Sister Luker and me eating a snow puffie!

Offerings left at Heiau

Beautiful view from top of Waimea

Elder Sanft hobbling along!

 After we came home,  finished the wash, and I ironed all the clean clothes.  I wrote up the report for the apartment check and then a funny thing happened....Maile "Marco Polo..ed"  me and it showed this black screen.  She's saying..."it's 11:45 pm and this is what is keeping me awake...Esme singing to herself.."  Then I hear this sweet little baby just a talking away, hoping someone can understand her celestial language and pay attention to her, as she doesn't want to be asleep.  So cute and funny.  I told Mai to go into another room and sleep.  These days will pass so quickly by.  Little miss is definitely going to be a talker in the family.  She is so adorable and Maile is great to send me videos of her laughing and talking away, which I promptly share with whoever is near by me to enjoy!

Wednesday

Monday we had FHE with another ward YSA group.  They playe Red Rover, I was just sure someone would get a broken arm or worse.

After this is them sitting and laying around while they discuss
how they can liken this game to the gospel or to Jesus
Christ.  Everyone has to participate and they come up
with some very interesting remarks.

Today we had the opportunity of going into Honolulu to a Women and Children't hospital to visit a friend of our niece Cambria.  This friend, Robin, had just arrived from American Samoa with a new baby who had some complications and needed our great medical services here in America!  Ramon was able to give the baby a blessing and we visited a bit with his mom and Aunt.  Such sweet people.  We know the baby will do well and we know prayers will be answered and this little boy will grow up and be a fine young man. It was nice to see my husband using the Priesthood for this special little guy.

After we returned home we made a Dorito salad and went over to the Geronio's for our Wednesday night dinner.  Nick is in Norway for business so we just had a good visit without him, but he is missed.  We did a Mexican night, sort of.  It was 80 degrees out but cold and windy and everyone had on coats!  I refuse to wear a coat in Hawaii especially when it is 80 degrees!

Sunday

Yesterday our stake had a Relief Society Birthday Party.  We arrived and chose where we wanted to serve doing a service project.  I chose crocheting new born baby hats for a local hospital here.  Then we had a short presentation by "Emma Smith" and then brunch of Hawaiian Haystacks.

After I came home my great friend and neighbor,  Kathy,  helped me dip pretzels in almond bark and sprinkle about them with green sprinkles, (we did about 400-500!) and then add them to sacks with peanuts, tie a green ribbon on them.  My feeble attempt at a Birthday treat for March for the Sisters and other missionaries at the Visitor's Center.  I did about 100 sacks!

Today is "break the fast" day so I also made a ham/green bean/cheese/potato casserole for the Senior break the fast and peanut butter bars plus green salad for our YSA bunch.  Busy day but we love it.

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