Happy New year 2019--Wow!

We had a noisy loud New Years Eve, barbecue dinner at the church that Elder Allen and Ramon and others grilled for us.  Lots of good food, too much good food.  Came home fairly early and it was so noisy all night.  One little dove tried to find a place to hide in our apartment, he kept flying into the screen and finally just hung on for about a half an hour.  I think he was scared and we had a light on in the apartment and the rest of the world was pitch black and so loud and scary!

This morning we ran into a breakfast that we were supposed to have at 10:00, but didn't then went over to our District meeting at 10:30.  I love these missionaries so much, what elect Elders are these young men!  Elder Bass was given a blessing because his knee is acting up and painful.  It was neat to see these newest Elder's learn how to do this, exercise their priesthood.
We then picked up Leslie King, my friend from our ward at home, and went to Seven Brothers because we hadn't had breakfast (and could)...then Leslie and I went to Sharks Cove to snorkel and swim and Ramon helped Dave get the yard ready for the wedding.  We came home, I ironed while Leslie and I watched a Hallmark Christmas Movie and then she had dinner with us and we took her back to Laie.  It's nice having a friend near by to talk to, besides Elder Sanft, who I swear never listens to me!  At least most of the time it seems that way.  Happy New year.   This is is called a something....I'll have to think what it's called, but it means a whole year of mission work without any break ups...

Monday December 31, 2018

Last night we attended the last Fireside in the Visitor's Center for the Christmas Holiday.  The Shumway family put on the fireside.  The Mom is extremely talented and she runs a voice, piano and dance studio.  So we enjoyed their talents.  The Dad is the son of Eric Shumway.

Today we went into Laie for our VC meeting at 7:30.  Great meeting.  On the way back ran into a traffic slow up...20 min. each way...There were 16 trucks and numerous workers all watching about two guys actually work.  Typical.  Some times these power lines hang clear to the ground, it's a miracle more people don't get hurt.

Tonight for New Year's we are going to Elder Allen's house for a bar b cue with the Sister's from the Visitor's Center, and then they will all watch a movie, and we will come home.  Happy New Year!

Thursday December 27, 2018

Today is our Amelia's 11th birthday.  What a blessing it is to have her in our family.  She is excited to start Young Womens!
Tonight we got all us Senior Missionaries from the Visitor's Center together and had dinner here.  We spent the day cleaning and cooking.  I made way too many potatoes and ended up freezing a pan and we still had a pan left over.  Those Costco potatoes are just too big and make too much.  I think I'll give a pan away.

We ate, and enjoyed sharing stories, had a sort of Senior meeting so we wouldn't have to in the morning and then played the candy bar exchange gift!  It was a riotous fun!   Good food, friends and fun!  Perfect way to end the day.

Lukers, Tuitupos, Sebrings, and Allens

Christmas Day in the Honolulu Hawaii Mission 2018

Merry Christmas this day.  What a wonderful day, and to enjoy the beauty of the island over here on Christmas is so special.  Yesterday we took a walk on the beach and enjoyed the warmth.

Then we came home and finished reading the Book of Mormon.

I'm thinking of the Savior today and the tremendous price he paid for us.  I am grateful for the Book of Mormon so I can understand a little bit more about my role here on earth.  I know we are here in Hawaii for a reason and it may be to help people remember why they came to earth and their responsibility to Jesus.  I love the Book of Mormon, every time I read it I wonder how people can doubt the truth in it.  Joseph Smith could never even have come up with so many weird names if he wrote it himself, let alone the stories.  I hope I have learned and can retain what I have learned by reading this book.  It humbles me to think of the magnitude of our lives and how important we are to those who might be watching our example.  I'm grateful this day for my faith and the faith of my dear sweet Husband.

Here is a picture of the present we gave each other:

We have a District Meeting today so I am baking treats for our sweet Elders again...

Hope everyone reading this had a great Christmas and remembered the true reason we celebrate this day.

Monday Christmas Eve 2018

Whew!  What a fun filled busy week!

Tuesday, the 18th, we did the lunch for the returning Missionaries, at the Stake Center.  It was a bit easier having it there than the pavilion by the Temple.  We only had about 11 returning home missionaries.  Three were our VC Sisters.

Then for most of the week we prepared for Christmas with baking and delivering and visiting with families.  We have made some good friends here and they are like family now.  Friday, we had our Senior Couples Meeting, we delivered our presents for the VC Sisters (we each had two to buy for, these were Sisters who might not have any presents to open on Christmas day).  Saturday we went with my good friend Leslie (who has now come to sew for the PCC as a missionary) with her roommate (not called companion as they each have a different assignment on this mission) into Kaneohe to a Farmer's market.  It turned out it was on Sundays and Wednesdays not Saturdays.  So we drove over the mountain to Costco, then lunch and then Walmart and home.  They were able to stock up and many items they needed.

Yesterday, Sunday,  we had shorter meetings at both our Branches.  A lot of people were gone and it was kind of empty, especially at YSA.  As the YSA meeting was ready to start I looked over and saw this lady walk in, I knew I knew her but it took a minute.  It was my good old friend from when we lived in the Woodside condominiums over 35 years ago, Leslie Gibbons!  What a fun surprise.  Turns out she is related to our Branch President, through her daughter's marriage.  She had her son JD with her also.  We were able to catch up a little and I'm hoping to have her and Jim over for dinner with us some day soon.

JD and Leslie Gibbons

We had a Christmas Sacrament meeting and it was basically scriptures of Christ's birth with a lot of singing.  Our wonderful kids did a great job.  I love these people so much.

Louie and Chelsea

Alora, Ryo and Louie

Alora and Char

We actually had time to have a leisurely dinner today.  After dinner I ran over to the VC to the Fireside of the Chalk family.  While driving I passed a bad accident in Kahuku by the High School, where a utility pole had been hit by a SUV and the pole fell on top of the drivers part of the car.  When I arrived at the VC there was no power, so no lights.  It was weird.  I ran and got a flashlight out of the car and then everyone used their phones flashlight to shine so the people could be seen and see their music to perform for us.  It was a "Light your World" moment for sure.  They did a terrific job.  When I went to come home all the lights were out all over town and it was pitch black.  Spooky.  I drove through Kahuku and just past the accident the lights were on again.

I wanted to post these two pictures,  both are of Ramon with our granddaughters.  One is of Rayma 20 years ago and one is of Esme a week or so ago when we were home.  Very similar pictures of our beauties.

Ramon and Rayma 20+ years ago

Ramon and Esme

Christmas Eve we met at the chapel to have dinner that the Goo Family provided for us.  It was beautiful Salad and Soups.  It was so kind of them to think of us all at this busy time of year.  We enjoyed visiting and eating and then they stayed and sang every Christmas song in the Hymn book, all the verses, but we came home.  Wonderful end to a Christmas Eve.

Monday December 17

Today we went to the VC meeting at 7:30 and then ran into Honolulu to get our computer fixed,which is dying.  I guess we need to buy a new one as this screen if rapidly going.  So if I don't post for a few days it is because I am trying to figure out what to do.

We rushed home, it took us 2 1/2 hour with the heavy traffic.  We were trying to get back in time for FHE with the YSA branch at 6:00, to  join them in Christmas Caroling! Barely made it in time to plate some cookies and rush out the door, It was the most fun ever.  President Fullmer had a flat bed trailer behind his truck and it had a bench on it and we all piled on and he pulled it slowly up and down Kam highway stopping to go on the frontage roads by the houses as we sang.  It was amazing the crowds that gathered or came out to watch us. I think they had never seen such a thing.  We all had a great time.  I had a necklace and headband that lit up with Christmas lights and was quite festive, if i say so myself!  Here are the pictures.  We also caroled at Jack Johnson's house, he's a famous singer from here and also a famoous surfer's house, can''t remember his name.

Elder Chandler and Nicole

President Fullmer and his wife Rebekah

Our Relief Society Presidency
Marisa, Nicole, Michele, and Alora

Sunday

Another busy busy Sunday.  Started with our YSA Branch council meeting at 8:00.  Then we got a call to teach in the other branch today due to Brother Bowen filming the surf competition at Pipeline.  Then an hour later the Elders asked if we'd go to the Sunset Family Branch council meeting instead of teaching and they'd teach the lesson.  So change of mind set.  It was sad at YSA as we sang Aloha Oi to Nicole who is returning home to Arizona after years here.  I really love this girl, and wish the best for her.

At our Family Branch, it was also sad, we sang to Elder Chandler as he is being transferred to Hilo on Tuesday.  He was crying all through his farewell talk and then the singing got us all crying again.

 In Relief Society we plated up cookies and went caroling to all the auxiliaries and offered each person a cookie. 

After church we ran home and ate, and ran over to Laie to the fireside at the Visitor's Center.  The Tonga Sisters were the fireside.  They are making a name for their family, having been on the Ellen show and touring the South Pacific. I thought I got a better picture but it turned out it was on "video' and "video's" don't don't show up on this blog.  Darn. They are beautiful girls.

The sister's holding and singing with their younger siblings. Cute little ones sang great too!

 Afterward Ramon went up and found out we are real cousins.  His cousin Sulianna was their grandmother, and I even remember her,  We also met another family member, Sione Nui's daughter.  I knew Paul Niu, the brother of Sione, at CCH.  Small world.

My good friend Leslie King arrived yesterday to start her mission here as a costume sewer in the PCC.  We took her and her companion to take some pictures of BYUH all lit up for Christmas.

BYUH all lit up for Christmas, beautiful!

 We had a little bit of trouble finding Leslie's apartment in the dark but finally found it.  It's nice and new but kind of small.  But Leslie NEVER complains and is loving it all.  She has a very nice companion.