Kona March 25 - 31

Newest Orchids for Easter

Kona March 25 – 31

Hau’oli La i ala hou ai ka Haku!  Happy Easter!

We awoke this morning to an absolutely beautiful clear day here in Paradise.  It was truly an Easter morning to remember!  Perhaps it had something to do with being able to sleep in about four hours longer than we had for the past four days.  In the last four days, we, like the faithful Tongan saints from the Pi’ilani Ward on Maui, have risen very early to come to the Temple to serve in the House of the Lord.

"Oh How Lovely Was the Morning"

 

Shortly after 5:00 am each morning, they would come streaming into the parking lot in their rental cars; warmly greet each other then quietly gather near the front door of the Temple for a song and prayer before coming into the Temple for a long day of service.  Early Friday morning, they were gathered at their usual place and just as the sky was lightening with the glow of sunrise, they offered the Hymn “Oh How Lovely Was the Morning” in the Tongan language. Such a reverent and joyful spirit they bring to the Temple.

This was the last time we will have the opportunity to serve with the Pi’ilani Ward in the Temple.  As they were leaving Saturday morning to return to Maui, Brother He (his Tongan name is much longer and not easy to pronounce) came into the office to thank us for our service.   He is the Temple coordinator for their ward and we have worked together when scheduling their visits.  Brother He is a tall and very powerful Tongan and when he gave me an embrace of farewell, I felt humbled by his physical and spiritual strength and by his expression of love for us.  We will truly miss all our wonderful Temple friends!

On Tuesday, President and sister Mossman invited us to join them on a trip to Waimea that evening to attend a concert by the Kamehameha School Children’s Chorus.  The Chorus is from the Kamehameha Schools on Oahu and was touring and performing on the Big Island. Past performance venues include Disneyland.  The Mossman’s granddaughter had been a past member of this Chorus along with some of the children of President and Sister Nihipali.  

Kamehameha School Children's Chorus

 

It is difficult to describe in words how very good these Fourth, Fifth and Sixth graders perform!  There are 85 in the choir and all have some Hawaiian ancestry to qualify for enrolling in the Kamehameha Schools.  Their musical director was so enthusiastic and animated; it was clear the kids loved her and followed her direction perfectly.  We have attended many excellent choir performances as our children were growing up but we have never before witnessed the performance level of the Children’s Chorus.  We purchased a CD from one of their performances which we will share when we get home.

After this uplifting and joyful performance, we were greeted by a full moon rising through the wispy clouds over Mauna Kea as we rode back to Kona.  Altogether, an excellent evening!

We noted last week that we had received a surprise gift from the Young Women of the Meridian 4^th Ward.  Before we left for church this morning, we opened the last egg of the Twelve days of Easter.  We then went back to the first plastic egg and reopened them in sequence, reading the scripture in each that lead us back through the last days of the Savior’s life, His Atonement, crucifixion and Resurrection.  That last egg contained only the scripture from Matthew 28:6, “He is not here; for He is risen, as He said.”

The scriptures and the tiny reminders we found in each egg were very much appreciated and were a special reminder of whom we worship and of His suffering on our behalf along the path leading to Eternal Life that He opened for us.  We are grateful for the opportunity we have been given to serve in His house and feel of His love for each of us.

Much love and aloha from Paradise!

Jungle by the beach at Honokohau

Kona March 18 - 24

Our Home Volcano...Hualalai

Kona March 18 – 24

Aloha Auinala…Good afternoon!

It’s been a very interesting and long Sabbath day, as we have attended three Sacrament meetings in three different wards, speaking in two of them.  Today, we nearly concluded our Big Island speaking tour with only our ‘Home’ ward remaining, scheduled for April 21^st.  We have enjoyed the opportunity to visit the other wards and branches under the assignment from the Temple President. It is great seeing friends and acquaintances from the temple as well meeting new saints and making new friends.

Kona winds blew a piece of Palm Tree just missing our Kela Uhane!

As we mentioned last week, this was to have been a very busy week in the Temple with three Wards from Maui and Moloka’i visiting.  Well, it truly lived up to the forecast because a great number (for the Kona Temple) of faithful saints gathered at the temple beginning each morning before 5:00 am.  For good measure, we even had a group from the Lana’i Branch come to join in the joy of temple service.

Getting up at 3:30 am for three days in a row proves telling on the energy level, even when serving in the temple.  On Saturday, we received a reprieve and slept in until 4:30!

Inviting campfire

Last evening, we were invited to join the First Counselor and his wife at their little ‘home’ on the slopes of Hualalai, the volcano we live on, for a barbeque.  This is our second visit to their ‘home away from home’ for an outdoor barbeque over an open fire.  The menu included Dutch oven baked bread, wonderful steaks, baked potatoes and beans followed by Carolyn’s coconut cream pie sprinkled with chopped Macadamia nuts.  (See our previous post from our visit to the Hilo side of the Island when we stayed with the Heinzen’s at their permanent home in Kea’au.)  A brief rain shower followed by some quality time around the fire with a light mist, only enhanced the evening.  We’re glad we brought light wind breakers with us to Hawai’i!

Toasting feet around the fire

This week, we also received a special box in the mail from home!  We waited until we completed our day of service in the temple and got back to the apartment before we could thoroughly investigate this surprise.  Inside, we found a dozen plastic eggs numbered 1 through 12, some mints, candy, a puzzle and a note of instructions.  All this was a gift from the Young Women in our ward.  We were instructed to open one of the plastic eggs each day before Easter.  Inside was something to remind us of the last days of our Savior (so far) leading up to the Atonement, death and Resurrection.

Easter Puzzle from YW

 

It took us a while but we were able to complete the puzzle (do the intricacy of how it was cut out)  which turned out to be hand written greetings and wishes from the young women and their leaders.  It was a great and welcome greeting from home and we say Mahalo Nui Loa to everyone involved!  We look forward to opening the remaining ‘eggs.’

Still no travel orders from the Temple Department so maybe we’ll be here forever!  OK, we know they haven’t forgotten us and we are looking forward to greeting our replacements on April 18^th.  Goodness, that’s only 25 days!

Love and Aloha from Paradise.

Mountain Apple Blossoms

Mountain Apples

Kona March 11 - 17

Cool day for the old Blogger!

Kona March 11 – 17

A cool Aloha from the Pacific!

Another Sabbath day has arrived and it seems like we just got back home from our Hilo trip.  But, that was a week ago. 

We have been so engaged in making preparations for one of the busiest weeks we will experience in the Temple that the days passed even more quickly than usual.  It will all begin early Tuesday morning with the Temple filled to overflowing with the Saints from Moloka’i and Maui.  On next week’s post, we will provide more details but suffice it to say, that by 1:00 pm Tuesday afternoon, we will have witnessed about the same number of living ordinances equal to an average three to four month period in the Kona Temple.

Today, we were given an unexpected blessing at church.  When we arrived at our ward this morning, we saw the Second counselor in the Temple Presidency and his wife in the Chapel so we sat down next to them.  They asked if we had heard that a special choir from Laie was on the Big Island and they had sung the intermediate hymn in Hawaiian during the Sacrament meeting in the ward that meets just before our ward.  We were not aware of this choir and that they performed their hymns in the Hawaiian language so we were disappointed we had missed hearing them sing.

Well, all was not lost because President and Sister Nihipali told us that the Laie Hawaiian Choir was also singing during the Sacrament meeting of the ward that follows our ward.  So today, we attended two Sacrament meetings for the second week in a row, in order to hear the choir (there also were two excellent talks). 

The first hymn the choir performed was Secret Prayer (Pule Malulia).  It was wonderful to hear this beautiful hymn sung in the Hawaiian language which is a very musical sounding language when spoken by a native speaker, not by me!  For the intermediate hymn, they chose a medley of short hymns about the Savior.  It brought a little maka wai to hear these hymns sung in Hawaiian.

In addition to a very busy week coming up in the Temple, we will be speaking in two more wards next Sunday.  These two wards will mark the end of our Mission’s speaking tour.  We will speak in our ‘home’ ward on April 21^st, just a week before we leave for home.

Much love and Aloha from Paradise!

Kona March 4 - 10

Splendor of Dawn

Kona March 4 – 10

A warm Aloha dear family and friends!

We just realized that all you ‘mainlanders’ have moved another hour away from us with the beginning of Daylight Saving Time.  To us, it seems simpler to just go one way or the other permanently and quit changing the clock twice a year.  Hawaii does not participate in DST but our clock radio thinks we do, so now we have to double check the time to make sure we don’t get up before we have to.

Another week has hurried past and we enjoyed the opportunity to serve in the temple with the Saints from the Lahaina 1^st Ward in Maui.  It was good to greet many familiar faces we’ve served with during their previous two visits since we arrived last May. 

On Thursday, they completed their morning sessions and had left for lunch. We were completing our office tasks and preparing for the afternoon schedule when the doorbell rang.  Yes, the Kona Hawaii Temple does have a doorbell!  Due to our small size and limited staffing, we usually lock the entry doors after scheduled sessions begin and rely on the doorbell between sessions.  In this case, there were two young men from the Lahaina 1^st Ward with a box of Subway sandwiches, chips and cookies for the Presidency, Matrons, Sister Elwood and myself, compliments of the Bishop!  It was a sweet and welcome gesture that symbolizes the love and generosity of the Saints we have the blessing of serving with in the Temple.

Saturday afternoon, we packed a bag, left our apartment and headed for the Hilo-side of the Island to fill our speaking assignments at two more Big Island wards.  We had been invited to stay overnight at the home of the First Counselor in the Presidency and his wife to avoid the need to arise early on Sunday morning for the two and a half hour drive to Hilo.  They live in a town called Kea’au on the outskirts of Hilo, spending the week serving in the temple in Kona then returning to their home in Kea’au during the weekends.

Harvesting Oranges 

Harvesting Bananas 

Mountain Apple Blossoms

 

They are such wonderful hosts and have been a blessing to serve with them in the Temple.  Each week when they return to Kona, they always bring us a bag filled with whatever fruit is in season (which is usually year-round); oranges, bananas, lemons, and pineapple!  In addition to spending Saturday evening with our gracious hosts, we were able to visit the source of all those bags of fruit! The bounty of this land is remarkable!

This morning, we visited the Keaukaha Ward at 9:00 am and the Ainaola Ward at 11:00.  While we organized and printed our talks when we began this ‘speaking tour’, we seldom give exactly the same message each time we speak.  Sister Elwood speaks on the topic of “I Love to See the Temple” while my subject is “The Temple, A Priority.”

We are always pleased to see many of the Ordinance Workers and Patrons that we have come to know and love during their service in the temple when we visit their home wards.  They greet us like family (‘Ohana) and make us welcome.  We have visited 6 wards now and have only 3 more wards to visit.

What we know of in English as “The Big Island”, is called “Ka Mokupuni Nui” in the Hawaiian language.  This really is a ‘Big’ island and our journey this weekend was over 230 miles roundtrip!  The variety and diversity of this island is amazing with eleven of the earth’s thirteen climate zones.  We had a safe and pleasant trip around the southern part of this beautiful land, plus our trusty Buick delivered over 31 MPG!

We are looking forward to catching up on a little sleep this coming week as we return to our regular temple schedule.  Hopefully, we will be able to store some of this energy because on March 19^th, we will begin two weeks of visits by four wards from Maui.  Perhaps the blessings and opportunities we receive from temple service explain why time is going by so quickly.  In any case, we are so blessed to be able to serve in this very special place!

Love and Aloha from Paradise!

Fresh Orchid Table Centerpiece

Kona February 25 - March 3

"Pansy" Orchids

Kona February 25 – March 3

Aloha,

We awoke this morning to a beautiful, clear day which has continued into this afternoon.  It was good to be back in our ‘home’ ward again and feel the lingering excitement from last evening’s “Fifth Annual Kealakekua Chili Cook-off” held in the Stake Center.  Of course we attended and enjoyed an evening of talent, noise, and good food.

Chili Cook-off Entries

There were at least eighteen ‘chili ‘entries from traditional to vegetarian; with beans to beanless; beef to chicken; and of course, mild to hot and spicy.  Traditional rice, salads, rolls and desserts added to the chili and filled everyone to the top.  Interspersed with eating was a talent show and drawings for door prizes.  One thing you can say about a ward party in Hawaii is that there is no lack of kids, food, happy people and general chaos!

My Kinda Chili!!

A couple of talent highlights were first, a traditional Hawaiian Chant by one of our good friends who speaks fluent Hawaiian.  Brother K. had taught his two sons (age 6 and 8) plus one of the other boys in our ward to join in the Chant while wearing warrior costumes.  They were great! 

At church today, during the break between Sacrament Meeting and Sunday School, we complimented Brother K. on the performance and asked him if he knew a Chant (‘Oli) concerning the importance of gaining knowledge that the Temple Matron had tried to teach us at a Christmas gathering at their home over the Holidays.  He indicated that he knew the Chant and recited it right there in the hallway (in a quiet manner).  We were impressed and asked him if we could record the Chant.  He said sure and we stepped into the kitchen where Brother K. recited the chant while we recorded it on our Droid.  We will be happy to share it when we return home.  Perhaps if I listen to it enough times….probably not!

While it may seem like a broken record…we had another great week in the Temple!  There are a lot of visitors coming to the temple from places where there is still a cold, snowy winter and we are always happy to see them at the Temple.  I greeted one couple at the recommend desk and noted they were from Hyde Park Utah, where my father was raised and his family lived for many years.  After a few questions, turns out they are acquainted with one of my first-cousins that still lives there.  Not only is time flying by but the world is clearly shrinking!

Temple Wall

One former visitor called the Temple and asked if anyone could take some pictures, of the hand built wall lining the back property of the temple grounds, highlighting the contrast between the temple grounds and the tangle of the Kiawe brush and grasses on the other side of the wall.  This sister had noticed this during her visit and had returned to Utah before realizing how the contrast could be used effectively in her Relief Society lesson.  Never turning down a chance to take a picture, Sister Elwood made it a priority to take some pictures and email them to this sister.  We hope her lesson turned out well and we will share one of the pictures.

Sister Elwood celebrated her birthday this week in a pleasant but different way than usual. 

We had talked about going out to dinner at Sam Choys or some other good restaurant in Kona to have a quiet celebration.  Tuesday morning, Sister H., one of our great Office Volunteers, invited us to join her and the Missionaries at her home for dinner on Thursday evening.  It seems that her husband often has to work late so, when she invites the missionaries and she learns her husband won’t be home in time for dinner, she has to meet the missionaries at the door, explain the problem, and give them money to go out for dinner.  Understanding the situation, we agreed to join her for dinner so the Missionaries wouldn’t have to go out for a hamburger or pizza instead of getting a home-cooked meal.

Earlier in the month, we had signed up to host the full-time young Missionaries for dinner on Tuesday evening.  Over dinner, we told them we would be eating with them again on Thursday evening at Sister H’s home.  They couldn’t remember their dinner schedule but looked forward to meeting us again for dinner.  The Elders do like to eat and they’re sort of grandsons for us. 

Thursday afternoon as we were leaving the Temple, the Elders met us and explained that there was a mistake somewhere because, on their schedule, they had another family hosting them for dinner that evening. 

Some "Grandkids" to hug

Before leaving for dinner we got to SKYPE with some of our family and electronically celebrate her birthday, including an electronic, candle blowout on the Birthday cake.  Long story made short… we SKYPED with family; enjoyed a great roast beef dinner; met some of Sister H’s family, including five grandchildren which provided Sister Elwood the opportunity to hug and enjoy some non-adult company; and were later joined by the Elders who ate some dinner and dessert.  All-in-all, a good way to celebrate a birthday.

Next weekend we will be back on the speaking ‘circuit’ traveling to the Hilo side of the Big Island to visit and speak at two wards over there.  President and Sister Heinzen, he is the First Counselor in the Temple Presidency, have invited us to stay at their home in Kea’au on Saturday evening to avoid an early Sunday morning 100+ mile drive.  We look forward to the visit and speaking in the Ainaola and Keaukaha wards.

Much love and Aloha from Paradise!