Sunday June 2 - Kam's Birthday!

Well, a report on the Zip Line and baptism...

First, I will never do that again but I did enjoy the day.  The kids (the young adults) helpers were all LDS and the guy a returned missionary from India.  They were cute with us and very patient with my fears.  I did 7 lines, and every time figured I'd crash into the pole and or hit my head so bad, but I didn't and was so relieved when it was over!  It was so hot wearing helmets and the gear!  Elder Sanft (who loved every minute of it) took some pictures.

Beautiful Kaawa Valley

Leslie and me

Ramon and me

One of our "waiting" platforms...

Me and Noah

Ready to go...not!
After we rushed home and wanted to get ready for the baptism, we had about 1/2 hour to get ready, and Dave had shut off the water.  He was quick to turn it on but we decided we'd just go dirty and so put on "clean" clothes over our stinky bodies and rushed into Kahuku.  Then the baptized guy wasn't there and didn't show up for 1/2 hour!  So we could have showered, that is where he was, stopped at someones place to shower.  He had been homeless but they found him a room to live someplace, but maybe it didn't have a shower!  You have to have an address to get baptized.  It ended up being a nice baptism.  I hope to take pictures of him today after his confirmation.  He is 66 years old, and his name is Ray.  He's a nice guy, seems very smart, and has loved reading the Book of Mormon and has grasped the doctrine rapidly and seems really sincere.

Raymond Kritkz

We went to our Sunset Family Branch were Raymond was confirmed and given he gift of the Holy Ghost.  Then later we went to our Sunset Branch and after we had Break-the-Fast with Nachos. 

Christian Fullmer who was responsible for converting Raymond

Then at the end of the day we went over to the Visitor's Center for a Fireside by the Bekkers.  What a wonderful spirit was felt there.  These are tremendous people and they have blessed our lives while we have been here.   We are surely going to miss them when they leave in July.  The musical numbers brought everyone to tears.  I think it is also because we have 9 Sister's leaving this transfer and they have been such good worthy Sisters.  I love them so much but lucky for me most of them are in Utah and promise to come visit.

President and Sister Halstrom, Temple President

Elder Luker, President and Sister Bekker

Sister and Elder Allen 

Sister Bekker, I love how she uses her hands!

Sisters singing at the end, just beautiful!

Sister Beuhler (2nd one) Sister Boyce

Super Saturday

Wow!  What a way to start the weekend.   First our grandson Sam (Doran's) got his mission call. to Alpine Mission, this mission covers southern Germany, all of Austria, and German speaking Switzerland. He'll go to the England MTC in October.  We are so proud of this boy, our first missionary!  He's also coming here with his broher Isaac to see us in July!  Can't wait!

Then Doran ran in the Utah Valley 10K this morning and came in 1st place in the Master's Division (40 and older).  Way to go son...again!

                                                       Good weekend for this family.

Lot's happened in May, three graduates, one mission call, Marisa won her election at UVU and got a scholarship,  Jozy got to meet his namesake; Jozy Altidore...

Sorry it's blurry

Now we are off to do a 7 line Zip line with Leslie King.  Hope I don't have a heart attack!  Then back home for a special baptism of a man who is 66 years old.  An old surfer dude that found the light!

Tuesday May 28, 2019

Today we had our weekly District meeting, I was up early making cinnamon rolls for the Elders, this is becoming a tradition to do before every transfer.  They love them and eat them up while drinking a gallon of milk. Then we went into the VC for an interview with President Bekker.  He is such a wonderful leader and has taught us so much.  His wife is just like a good friend I've known forever.   Here is a picture of us before our interview.  He also gave us a terrific blessing and we felt so close to our Father in Heaven as he was speaking.

After we left the interview we rushed home and got ready to attend the Dedication of the new Teaching Center.  As we were driving over a huge thunderstorm came and just poured down the rain.  We arrived and saw all the chairs set up outside and groaned.  The refreshments had been moved to inside the garage of the Allens, so they were safe.  Five minutes before we started the rain stopped and everyone hustled to wipe the chairs dry.  President Bekker said in his speech as they were driving through the storm they looked up at the Temple and sun beams were shinning down through the black clouds over the Temple.  Everyone had been praying the rain would let up and it did,  just in time.

Sister Shirley and Sister Tonga
They sang beautifully while Sister Tonga
played the ukulele

President Bekker inside of Teaching Center

Elder and Sister Bekker in Teaching Center


We hadn't ever been so involved in a dedication before but enjoyed it and loved the Dedication Prayer President Bekker gave.  Afterward I took a quick picture of the Sister's eating dessert (cake).

On Wednesday I got up early (5:30)  and made a batch of banana bread muffins to take to the Geronios at night.  I had a doctor appointment in town and then we had to shop for "break-the-fast" items for Sunday and then home.  Wednesday night we again went over  to the Geronio's to have dinner and a spiritual message with them.  We had a good crowd and the food was great as always.  After the missionaries, Elder Bowen, Catharine Zant all headed over to our place for a correlation meeting...good meeting but was long.

Kyton trying to climb a coconut tree!

The Tofa's, Keri Ann and Chris
While at the Geronios Ryan sent me pictures of Alexis' graduation that was going on right then.  It was hard to not be there but she was very understanding.  We are so proud of her.  She was the Salutatorian and had to give a speech.  She graduated number 2 in her graduating class of over 600 students.  She is a beautiful young woman and has a full scholarship to UCLA.  Here are some pictures he sent us.

The whole family, Derek, Ryan, Reeves, Alexi and Flora

Memorial Day 2019

Sunday we went to our two church meetings and came away a bit disappointed.  Not one hymn was sung or mention made of Memorial Day, with the exception of David Bowen, our Branch Mission Leader who gave a great talk about his grandfather and the war he was in.

We did have the two Sisters from our YSA Branch over for dinner and had a nice visit with them.  Peggy, our upstairs neighbor and landlady has been feeling awful so I made her a pot of chicken soup, that seems to help a bit.  Wish there was more we could do to ease her pain.

Monday we had our normal VC meeting and Elder Allen spent the whole time talking about Memorial Day memories he had and showed pictures of his family at the graves this year,  and then opened it up to testimonies or memories we had.  I wasn't going to say anything but the spirit pushed me up and I bore my testimony, which I rarely do,  I stood before them in my 4th of July dress and mentioned that we, like the Allens, celebrate Memorial day by decorating our loved ones graves.  I then mentioned Ramon and his service to our country and how this is also a great part of Memorial Day, and how I often don't tell Ramon how proud I am of him and what he did.  I then mentioned his Purple Heart and how he went right back out after healing to fight some more!

This year Maile put flowers on my parents graves, as well as Bill's and our grandson Max.  Ramon said she is growing up just like me and he could kiss her!   funny...

After, we went by and picked up Leslie to take her with us to Sam's Club and Walmart.  Since she doesn't have a car we try to help where we can.  On the way back we stopped at some "birthing" stones in Wahiawa and took pictures.  I guess the royalty came here to give birth.  Not my idea of a pleasant birthing process, plus it's hot out side.

Leslie on the trail to the stones...

                              Look comfortable?

After dropping Leslie off at her home, we came to ours and got ready for a swim party at the Kehoe's house.  It is a beautiful home on the hill above the ocean and they have a pool.  Just the kids swam, but we ate hot dogs and hamburgers and visited.  I took the 7 layer bars.  We had to miss a party the couples had at the Luker's new pad but it was okay.  We also missed our YSA who went into the Ala Moana park at dusk to float lanterns with the thousands of others, we watched it on TV.  There were so many things going on but our obligation tonight was to our Family Branch.  I came home and made up some dough to bake tomorrow for District Meeting for the Elders to have cinnamon rolls.  We also have an appointment with President Bekker and a special dedication of the Teaching Center tomorrow night that we need to take things too as well as be present.  Here are some pictures of the swim party.

Trenton and baby Van

Ramon taking a picture behind Nick Geronio

Beautiful home and setting!

Saturday May 25, 2019

 Yesterday we had the most mazing Zone Conference.  Our Mission President Elder Bekker has been called to be an area Seventy in the church and he is such an amazing man.  Everyone loves Elder Bekker.  He inspires us all to try harder and be better at calling people to come unto Christ.

President Bekker's wife is also a great leader.  They had just met with President Nelson in Kona last week and she wanted to share some of his words with us.  President Nelson was asked what he had learned in the 10 decades he had lived.  He said that we should learn to live with disappointment but what matters most is that our Father in Heaven is concerned that  those who have left should come back to Him again.  He left them with 10 things to know:

1.  That God is our Father and wants us to have joy and return to Him.  He will never take away our agency.

2.  Jesus is Christ and came to do one thing, the will of His Father.

3.  We are created in the image of Them.

4.  God communicates through His Prophets, in all the past dispensations he didn't because the Gospel was lost, but it has been restored and now He communicates again to men through His Prophets.

5.  Scriptures are true, and we have been given the Book of Mormon.

6.  The church is true,  it's the same church as was here for Adam, Noah and Abraham.  It was been restored as it was then.

7.  Satan is allowed to function on earth today.  If you want to be miserable follow Satan, if you want to be happy follow Jesus Christ.

8.  The youth of Zion today are the greatest chosen generation ever.

9.  Joy comes from one thing, keeping the commandments, the world needs to be more religious, devote yourself to the Lord.

10. Salvation is an individual matter but Exaltation is a family matter.  Blessings come by following certain laws.  If you want a blessing for something find out what the laws are for the blessing then you will receive the blessing....like the law of tithing.  (which I totally know is true!)

Sister Bekker reminded us to keep the Sabbath day holy, that how we keep the Sabbath day holy is telling the Savior how we feel about Him.  The blessing that come from this law are:
1.  We are unspotted from the world
2.  Are blessed temporairly
3,  Spiritually blessed

President Bekker later bore his Testimony.  He said it was different from the one he had born before to us.  Since then he had been called to be an area Seventy and they had spend a week in training with the Apostles of the Lord.  He said he now does not witness of Jesus Christ but he now knows assuredly that he lives.  He was so humble when he told us this.  He is such a great man and leader of this mission.  He told us if we'd do four things we would never fall away from the church.
They are pray, study the scriptures, go to the Temple, and Serve.

We also played around with the Family Tree app and I found a close 4th cousin sitting right in front of me.  Everyone else's closest was 9th cousin so this was pretty cool.  He came from my mother's side, my grandma was red headed and he has red hair.  He is one of our 8 Elders we work closely with and now I will ask him more questions next time I see him.  His name is Elder Allen!

Tuesday

We had a wonderful surprise last night and met up with the Kaanapus and had a quick dinner with them and their grandchildren, they are here on grandparent tending trip!  Today we met them again and had lunch at Pounders.  Good friends are those you can talk and talk and talk and never get enough said on either side.  Gee, we missed them and all our friends....and family.

Peter Ramon, Hutia and I

Good Eternal Friends!

First thing today we went to do a session at the Temple, and then went to our District Meeting at 10:30.  At noon we met up with the Kaanapus for lunch.

A side note, our dear doggie friend Chester is going to heaven tomorrow.  After enduring to the end bravely he will be released from his pain and hurts in the morning.  His hind legs don't work anymore and he has a big tumor on the top of his left leg, you can see it in the photo.   We have enjoyed this gentle giant doggie.  Ramon has especially loved him.