Kona August 27 - September 2

Kona  August 27 – September 2

Aloha,

This has been another wonderful week in the Temple!  We are settling into the new routine with serving only on the morning shifts with the other couple serving the evening shifts.  We keep busy with a variety of routine tasks, fixing computer problems, ordinance work, patron requests, scheduling, and of course, responding to requests from the President to, in some cases, convince the Temple Department that we need to change some information on the LDS.Org website.  Never mind that every temple website in the world uses the same template!

Whenever we close the temple for the day and lock the gates, we’ve noticed that there is almost always Geckos or other brown lizards that seem to like to climb on the gates and perch waiting for a free ride when they are closed.  Sometimes, they get startled and run across our hands but usually they ride until we drop the locking bolt into the concrete walkway before they take off in a flash.  The picture below shows a couple of Geico/Gecko riders on one of the gates.  While I was taking their picture, the little guy in the center became very curious about what I was doing and arched his neck to get a better look.  If you look at the picture close, you can see the smaller Gecko peeking around the corner of one of the bars.  We don’t let them into the Temple because they don’t have recommends!

We have met so many beautiful and wonderful people over these past four months.  Among them, are a former Kona Temple President and his dear wife, the Matron.  They are both Hawaiian and he now serves as a Sealer and she an ordnance worker.   Both are also some of the kindest, loving and humble people you will ever meet.  In our mind’s eye we can visualize ancient Hawaiian Royalty…tall, regal in bearing, gracious to all and exemplifying everything relating to the spirit of Aloha.  This describes perfectly these wonderful saints!

On several occasions, we have listened attentively to the President “talk story” about Hawaiian history…all 80 generations of it.  These are their ancestors!  Through these ‘talks’, we have learned much about the Hawaiian people and their traditions.  Sister V. often gives me a few Hawaiian words to learn and kindly helps me to pronounce the language correctly.

This week, she invited Carolyn and me to join her in the little waiting room near the entrance of the Temple.  We didn’t quite know what to expect and were not prepared for what happened when she came into the room, closed the door and asked us to sit down with her.

She began, by telling us about the Hawaiian traditions concerning quilts or coverings.  As some of you may know, there is a special quilt made in Hawaii that is usually floral in design and made with row-upon-row of very fine hand stitching, creating a very intricate and beautiful quilt.  She explained that these special quilts are called “Kapa” in Hawaiian and are crafted with ancient  traditions governing their use.  Among those traditions are the manner of folding, must never be sat upon, and that only married couples are to sleep under a Kapa quilt.

She then spoke about another kind of quilt or covering.  In Hawaiian, the word for a covering is “Kihei” meaning a rectangular kapa cloak tied in a knot over one shoulder or a bed covering.  The little town of Kihei in Maui got is name from being ‘covered’ in clouds.  Next, she told us of the Hawaiian word “Pili” which means ‘to bring together’ such as being wrapped in the arms of love for each other and for the ‘Ohana (family) or being wrapped in the arms of our Heavenly Father and His love for His children.

This beautiful story brought tears to our eyes as we learned of the Kihei Pili!  Sister V. then opened a bag she had brought with her into the room and unfolded a bright and cheerful Kihei Pili and gave it to us with her love.  She explained that she has a tradition of making these coverings to give to some of those who come to serve the children of our Heavenly Father. While she didn’t know who we were, she knew that a couple would come to serve God’s children in His House and she was prepared to recognize their service in this very special way.  Further, she counseled that  the Kihei Pili was to be used every day as a covering for us and as a reminder that our Heavenly Father opens His arms of love to each and every one of His children.

Our tears flowed freely and we all embraced together in the arms of this wonderful, magnificent daughter of God.  We’ve included a picture of our Kihei Pili that we have enjoyed every day since and we will treasure all our days.

While Rich goes to take a little nap under our Kihei Pili (yes, it is cool enough to need a light covering when napping or just sitting quietly, especially  up here on the side of the mountain ), I will tell you another ‘story’ about Sister V.  Rich has given a very apt description of how she looks and our feelings for them both….with this picture in mind.

It was about a month or six weeks into our doubling shifting with some extra-long 16 to 17 hour days.  I did not feel well one morning and had to go lay down for a while on the couch, in the same waiting area that she gave us the Kihei Pili.  After a while the door opened, it was Sister V.   She came in and sat on the end of the couch.  She said “give me your feet.”   She very gently picked my feet from the floor, put them in her lap and started to rub them and to talk to me in her soothing, gentle way.  She told me of how her mother would rub her feet when she was ill or tired when she was a child (I became a child again).  I shared with her how my Mother loved her feet rubbed and that I had grown up rubbing her feet.  We talked of other things while she massaged.  I have never felt so humble and loved!  

As she told us of the Kihie Pili, “the seams and patches do not match up precisely, I ran out of binding and had to add two inches here (she said kind of embarrassed) but that is us like our lives, sometimes things don’t always go as we want or plan, we make the best of what we are given”, what wisdom, insight and good advice!

Whenever we use ’our Kihie Pili coverlet’ I will think of her beautiful brown fingers working on it and rubbing my feet with the love of Christ in all that she does!

This last Friday evening, we traded shifts with Elder and Sister W. so they could attend an activity with some of their close friends who live here in Kona.  As we left the temple and closed the gates, the night skies cleared and the full moon brightened the night sky and shown down on the temple.  It is unusual to have clear skies in the evening but this was exceptional and a celebration of a “Blue Moon” or the second full moon in a month.  This won’t occur again for another five years or so.  I just had to take a picture and share it with you.

We finished our week with a barbeque at the First Councilor’s ‘little home’ away from home… they live in Hilo and stay here during the week.  But, that is a story for another post, promise!

Love and Aloha from Paradise!

Kona August 20 – 26

Ahoha I he ua nui!

Greetings on a very rainy afternoon from our island paradise.  At the elevation we live, about 1500 feet above sea level, the climate is very different from where the Temple is located just 7 miles away.  Up here, the temperature is about 10 degrees cooler and it rains almost every night.  These huge volcanos that form the island act as giant weather engines.  Many mornings start out clear and sunny but during the day, the rising moisture from the ocean is carried up the slopes of the mountain to the cooler air then turning into heavy clouds surrounding the higher elevations.  In the late afternoons and evenings, these clouds heavy laden with moisture, are pulled back towards the sea by gravity.  At some point, all is needed is the right combination of elements and the rain cascades down in a torrent of water.  Last night and this afternoon’s rain, I would estimate, could measure up to a couple of inches of water.

Today was Stake Conference for the Kona Stake and we enjoyed the talks and testimonies of those who spoke to us.  One couple who spoke were Senior Missionaries from a place called Idaho Falls, Idaho!  I met a couple in the Temple this week who were from Meridian, Idaho and she had graduated from Meridian High School just a few years before the first of our six MHS graduates!  A member of the Stake Presidency and another Brother we met today, all had served missions in the Arcadia California Mission in the 1983-85 timeframe when our oldest son Rod served there.   Okay, so the world isn’t very big!

The prelude music for the Conference was played on the organ by a young man in our stake that is blind.  I don’t think we’ve ever heard such beautiful and soaring renditions of the hymns as this young man performed.  You could feel a power and majesty to the music as he gave feeling and emphasis to every measure unlike we’ve ever heard before.  Even though he played without interruption for over half an hour, I could have listened to his testimony through the music that flowed from his spirit to our ears and hearts for another hour.

Today, we enjoyed the company of the other Senior Couple serving with us in the Temple.  They live just a few miles south of us and picked us up this morning to go to Stake Conference (their car is air conditioned).  After conference, they joined us for a dinner of fruit salad, tacos, and burritos followed by Raspberry cheesecake and ice cream.  We watched the NBC Rock Center report on the church from the internet.  Elder W. announced it was time for a nap so they left and we cleaned up the kitchen.  I want you to know this is no small feat to be typing, listening to the falling rain, and needing a nap!!

Just a note about the generosity and love shown by the Saints here in Hawaii. Perhaps it’s the Temple but I think it goes beyond that. The love is genuine and is not restrained like we sometimes experience on the mainland.  We have seen this from the very first day we arrived here.  While shopping in Wal-Mart, a sister who we had never met noticed our missionary badges and immediately came up and welcomed us with a hug and kiss.  Ordinance workers bring food to the break room to share with others on every shift.  Fresh fruit is to be shared with everyone.  This past week alone, we were given papaya, limes, avocado, tangelos and bananas. I think the picture says it all.  I hope we can bring a little of this love and generosity home with us.  In many respects this truly is a paradise!

In closing, the Young Women’s program is inspired and has and is playing a very important part in our family.  The Temple Matron, my Hawaiian Kumu (Teacher) gave me this translation from the YW values…

                E ku ana au, me he ho’ike o Akua  (I will stand as a witness of God)

                I na manawa apau (at all times)

                I na mea apau  (in all things)

                A me na wahi apau. (and in all places.)

 

Love and aloha from Paradise!

 

                                                                Bounty of Paradise

Kona August 13 - 19

Kona August 13 – 19

Aloha!

This has been a very quiet week as we have now shifted to only serving on the morning shifts.    There were, however, a couple of highlights.

First, we enjoyed the company of the full-time Elders as we hosted them for dinner on Wednesday evening.  In a role shift, we provided the spiritual message and bore our testimony about the importance of both the service of proselyting missionaries and temple service missionaries in bringing all of God’s children to the ordinances of exaltation.  We really appreciate the service of the full-time Elders in our ward and since, tonight is transfer night, we hope they don’t get the dreaded transfer call.

Second, even though this was a quiet week, I did end up in the emergency room at the hospital this afternoon.  I had been exhibiting the symptoms and the pain of another kidney stone since last Friday morning.  In fact, the pain was pretty intense Saturday morning so I stayed home while Carolyn made the trip to the temple by herself.  As part of the training for Sister W. in assisting new missionaries and those coming to be sealed after marriage, it was important that Carolyn be there to provide that training.  Saturday was the longest we had been apart since late April.  She even got to go do the shopping without me which I’m sure she enjoyed since I do not like to go shopping!

I was wakened about five thirty this morning with the intense pain I have, unfortunately, come to know all too well.  We stayed home from church and called the full-time missionaries to come give me a Priesthood blessing.  Finally, we went to the hospital to verify my diagnosis and to get some serious pain killer into my system.  The diagnosis was correct and now we just have to wait for the final phase of this process.

So, I’m tired and a little more ‘dopey’ than normal, therefore, we bid you our Love and Aloha from Paradise!

P.S. Time to start planning for Christmas!

Kona August 6 - 12

New Stake Pavillion

    

View from the Kona Stake Center

Kealakekakua Ward Sunday Picnic

Kids Playing at the Picnic

 

Kona August 6 – 12

Malo e lelei,

Greetings in Tongan!  Our new missionary couple speak Tongan and they are trying to educate (confuse) me with another Polynesian language.  Elder W. was born in Tonga, emigrated to New Zealand when he was about 8 years old and later became a professional Rugby player.  While we are about the same height, the power comparison ends there!

This week, we have concentrated on training our new best friends to use the temple computer systems and procedures.  Elder W. was set apart as the Assistant Engineer so he will be more extensively trained in the facilities aspect of temple operation.  They are a delightful couple and since they used to live in Kona, they know virtually every local that comes to the temple. On Friday, along with one of our regular office volunteers, they were comfortable enough for us to leave early in the evening and for the first time since we arrived, we had a Friday evening off.  It will be very strange to have most of our late afternoons and evenings free.  We think we may as well go to the Temple for sessions.

On Wednesday evening, we attended a Relief Society meeting in the Kau Ward to listen to the Matron and one of her Assistants address the subject of Family History.  Sister Mossman spoke about her Hawaiian heritage and of her search for her Great Grandmother’s grave site.  Her Great Grandmother had been exiled as a young woman to the Leper colony at Kalaupapa on Molokai’i where she met and married her Great Grandfather.  Under the laws then in place, Kalaupapa was a life sentence due to the fear of spreading leprosy.   While there, her Grandmother was born and under the laws, was allowed to leave the island before she reached one-year of age.  It is hard to imagine the grief of having to give up your only child.

BYU became interested in this touching story and sent a crew to Hawaii to film sister Mossman’s quest to find something of the past to link her to her Great Grandmother.  The resulting four minute film was titled “Searching for Emma” and was shown to the group.  Sister Mossman then sang a song she had written about this quest and her journey of discovery to honor her Great Grandmother.  This was a very touching and tearful story and she gave us a copy of the DVD for us to share when we get home.

After some beautiful songs about Heritage written and performed by two brothers in the ward, Sister Nihipali, an Assistant to the Matron, shared the story of her efforts to trace her family history.  Sister Nihipali is Chinese and through much prayer, travels and a fair number of miracles, she has been able to trace her ancestry on some lines, back 25 generations.  Carolyn and I started a Family History class today!

Also today, the Ward Choir performed in Sacrament Meeting.  When Carolyn and I arrived this morning we doubled the size of the Choir. Fortunately, three more sisters and two brothers’ joined in the last practice! Everyone was amazed when Brother Kaipo arrived wearing glasses and sporting a new haircut! (See the post about the Hawaiian Language Baptism) He had donated his long hair to Locks of Love and was later sustained as the Assistant Ward Mission Leader…that’s awesome!  I told him that I hoped his short hair wouldn’t affect his beautiful singing voice…it didn’t!

After church, everyone was invited to a picnic at the adjoining parking lot of the temple, to celebrate the graduation of the grandson of one of our ward members.  I’ve included some pictures on our blog from the picnic which consisted of rice, chili with franks, salads, curry, spaghetti, and desserts!  Mainland wards ought to take the hint!  Yum!

Finally, the First Counselor brought us an awesome treat from his home on the Hilo-side of the Island, a White Pineapple.  I’ve included a photo on the blog of this White Pineapple which is the sweetest pineapple we’ve ever eaten.  While it may look similar to the pineapple you find on the mainland, the flesh is a creamy white and so sweet it almost defies description. This White Pineapple is rarely exported so if you find one on the mainland, give yourself a real treat.  After trimming off the rind, we ended up with four or five pounds of sweetness!

In Hawaiian…A hui hou! Or in Tongan ‘Alu a e!

Hawaiian Proverb – ‘A’ohe lokomaika’I I nele I ke Pana’i. (No kind deed has ever lacked its reward.)

Love and Aloha from Paradise

White Pineapple

Kona July 30-August 5

Kona July 30 – August 5, 2012

Aloha!

This has been a relatively ‘routine’ week at the Temple.  We’ve been busy preparing for the new Senior Missionary couple that joined us on Saturday, August 4^th.  Elder W. has been set-apart as the Assistant Engineer and Sister W. will join Carolyn in the office.  After another week of double-shifts while we train them to use the computer systems and office procedures, we will only work the morning shifts on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. On Wednesday and Saturday, we will all be in the office since we don’t have evening sessions on those days.  Because the office is not very large, I’m sure we will take turns attending sessions while the other couple staffs the office.

We’ve been contemplating what we will do with our spare time since, as on most days, we will be through by 1 or 2 in the afternoon.  The last three months have been so busy with learning our responsibilities and serving as the only Senior Missionary couple we really haven’t been anywhere.  I’m sure we will stay out of trouble however!

Elder and Sister W. are delightful people and we have quickly learned to love them.  They used to live in Kona and served as Ordinance Workers before moving to the mainland to help with family.  Their warm and loving reception from the members here is a testament to how well-loved they are and we are excited to have them serve in the Kona Temple with us.

Last evening, the Temple President and Matron took all of us to dinner to get better acquainted.  We had originally planned to go to a local Thai Restaurant but they had closed, so the President announced we would all go to the bowling alley to eat!  Ok, we had the same mental picture!!

It turns out that there was a section of table and booths for eating and a huge menu.  While we had to go to the counter to order, the food was delivered to our table and was delicious and very plentiful.  We had a wonderful evening of getting to know each other and getting ‘stuffed’ with good food.  I’ve been feeling the effects of all that eating today!  Auwe noho ‘i ‘e! Oh my goodness!

Tuesday begins a new experience in our Mission as we start the training with Elder and Sister W.  We’re now in our fourth month of serving here in Kona and we continue to recognize the great blessings of serving in the Kona Hawaii Temple.  I may have said it before but it bears repeating that although we may be the second smallest temple in the world, we have the biggest heart!

E komo mai I ka Hale La’a!  Welcome to this Sacred House!

Love and Aloha from Paradise!

Kona July 22 - 29

Kona July 22 – 29

Sunday evening and it has been a good week!

We have enjoyed another week in the Kona Temple!  Today is our three-month anniversary of the beginning of our mission to the Kona Temple.  Time has really flown by and it’s getting hard to remember when we were in Boise and not in Hawaii.  The new Senior Missionary Couple will begin their training tomorrow in the Provo temple then travel to Hawaii, arriving in Kona Friday August 3.  We remember with great fondness Elder and Sister Hammond’s instructions for the days we were in the Provo Temple for our training.  We look forward to meeting and help train this new couple.

Out of respect for privacy, we’ve tried not to include the full names of the individuals that we have met and included in our blog.

We attended our first baptism on Saturday afternoon.  This was a very spiritual and uplifting opportunity for us and we were grateful for the invitation to attend.  Kawika is 8 years old and had asked his father to baptize in the Hawaiian language.  Kaipo, his father, asked me to witness the baptism and I was honored to do so.  While Kaipo performed the ordinance, I followed the Hawaiian translation to insure it was performed correctly (it was).  The program was very family oriented and spiritual.  I’m sure our Heavenly Father was very pleased with Kawika’s decision to be baptized.  After the program, and in accordance with Hawaiian tradition, we had plenty of food in the courtyard of the church. Sometime, I’ll have to take a couple of pictures of our Stake Center so you can see the unique design and functionality of the building.  There was also a wedding reception at the same time and we almost didn’t know there were two major activities going on at the same time in the building.

I had mentioned before about giving a Hawaiian translation of the Book of Mormon to a Hawaiian brother, ordinance worker at the temple.  He has been diligently reading as I’ve reported before.  This Saturday, he brought a hand drawn pedigree chart of his family line that includes Kamehameha the great king who united the Hawaiian Islands and also Jonathan Napela, who assisted George Q. Cannon in translating the Book of Mormon “Ka Puke i Molemona” into the Hawaiian language.  He was struggling to follow references to the scriptures because in 1855, when the translation was completed, the Chapter and Verse headings were much different than today’s marking. I helped him to see how to accomplish this task that took me about three years to complete.

I’m struck by the irony that I was able to use my limited Hawaiian language skills to assist a descendant of Kamehameha and Jonathan Napela, and in witnessing the baptism of one of God’s children.  Truly the Lord utilizes everyone to fulfill His purposes.

Today, we attended choir practice and Sacrament meeting in our ward then we were picked by the Second Counselor in the Temple Presidency and his wife, for the 45 minute trip to Waimea to attend the Sunday meetings of the Waimea First Ward.  It was great to recognize and meet the saints in Waimea that we have come to know and love through their temple service. 

The Waimea chapel is an amazing combination of a very high, open-beam ceiling reminiscent of early 1900’s architecture with very modern, brushed nickel lighting fixtures in the ceiling.  This was a most pleasing look and the acoustics were exceptional. We would have like to have taken a picture to share with you.

The President and Assistant to the Matron spoke to the combined young men and young women of the ward about Patriarchal Blessings and Self Worth.  Once again we were taught correct principles of the Gospel in a very effective and in the case of the President, a most unique way.  This is a story for another day, but I can assure you, those young people will not soon forget the principles that were taught and the tender mercies revealed in the meeting.

Finally, last Sunday evening we took a short walk around our apartment in the Kona Coffee Villas and we took some pictures to share with you.

Much Love and Aloha from Paradise!

  

Coffee Tree                                                     Avacado Tree                         Macadamia Nuts and Blossoms

                                                       Fresh Avacado picked off the tree

Kona July 16 - 22

 

Our Beautiful Orchid Aisle Leading to the Entrance of the Kona Hawaii Temple

Aloha na hoaloha  maua a ‘Ohana! (Greetings to our friends and family!)

I’m including some pictures I took this week of the Orchid Aisle at the entry to the Temple.  These Orchids were newly planted, replacing perfectly good looking Orchids that needed some time in the shade to rejuvenate and refresh before being rotated back to the Orchid Aisle.  Some local members take care of this project as a service to the temple they love.

This past week was almost a ‘vacation’ as we were able to serve an almost normal schedule of split shifts between the morning and evening sessions. We also had the opportunity to meet many visitors coming to the temple to serve in the House of the Lord.  They came from as far away as Switzerland (a grandson of President Kimball), and as nearby as neighboring islands.  I’m surprised by how many visitors come from Arizona and, more specifically, from Mesa.  As former residents of Scottsdale Arizona, we understand the desire to flee the scorching heat of the Valley of the Sun in July for the moderation of Kona with daily temperatures ranging from about 86 – 89 every day.  TV weather forecasts are really boring here!

Another ‘small world’ experience this week…A few years ago, while serving at the recommend desk in the Boise Temple, a couple came to the desk and presented their recommends.  After scanning, I commented that their last name meant “many women or many wives” in Hawaiian.  The sister was surprised and asked, “How do you know that?”  When I responded that I had been trying to learn the Hawaiian language and of our love for Hawaii, she asked “if we had ever been to Moloka’i?”  I told her that we had not been there but hoped to go sometime.  She said, “Let us know when you go and I will tell my parents, who live there, and they will meet you at the airport, provide lodging in their home and take you all over the island to see the sights!”

Several weeks ago, I had made arrangements for several saints from Moloka’i to visit the temple and serve as Ordinance Workers and attend sessions.  This week, we’ve had the pleasure of working with these wonderful people and we got well acquainted with the sister and her husband who had made the arrangements with me.  OK, you’ve guessed the rest of the story!  I asked this sister if she might know of a couple living on Moloka’i that had a daughter living in Nampa, Idaho.  Turns out she and her husband were the parents!

We were blessed to have the Full-time Elders for dinner last Wednesday evening. There had been a transfer and the ‘new’ Elder was from Pocatello, Idaho…of course!  We treated them to an “Elwood Sunday dinner” even though it was the middle of the week.  Sirloin Roast beef, mashed potatoes (thanks Ore-Ida), gravy, green beans and tossed salad.  Carolyn baked a raspberry cheesecake for dessert.  There were no leftovers!!

We have to get back to reading The Book of Mormon (Hawaiian Translation).  When we were serving the long days without a break, it was too easy to set the alarm and crawl into bed to get some rest for the next day.  The Hawaiian brother that I gave a copy of the Hawaiian translation to has been faithfully reading and is nearly into Third Nephi.  He promised to be finished by this coming Saturday and I can tell this has been a very spiritual experience for him as it has been for us.

One of our ward members that sits next to me in choir and that I mentioned before as having borne his testimony partly in Hawaiian, also has a copy of the Hawaiian translation.  Last week, in preparation to baptize his son in the Hawaiian language, asked and we looked up the baptismal prayer in my book …Third Nephi Chapter 11 Verse 25…

”Ua loaa ia’u ka mana I haawiia mai e Iesu Kristo, ke bapetizo aku nei au ia oe iloko o ka inoa o ka Makua, a o ke keiki, a o ka Uhana Hemolele. Amene.”

This week, he brought his Book of Mormon to church and wanted to find that scripture so he could memorize the prayer.  His translation was the same as my copy with the 1855 Chapter (Mokuna) and Verse numbering so the reference was off by about 20 pages.  I had marked my translation for the current Chapter and Verses and we quickly turned to the verse so he could mark his copy.  He has invited us to attend the baptism next Saturday and we are excited to attend.  We feel a close kinship to this family for several reasons. I’m beginning to understand my compulsion to read the Book of Mormon in Hawaiian more each day.

On the technology side, the Temple President very often asks for some attendance analysis or a list of workers, or scheduled ward visits, etc.  I spend most of my day on the computer and Carolyn has figured out most of the new Temple Schedule Program and the Ordinance Recording System.  After some frustration with the touch-pad on our Laptop here at home, we finally acquired a wireless mouse that has made this process much faster.  To top the week off, Motorola upgraded our new Droid Razr phones to the new “Ice Cream Sandwich” operating system…happy new learning curve!!  Now what kind of name is “Ice Cream Sandwich’” for a smart phone operating system?  Maybe we need ‘smart users!”

Yesterday, we received a letter with notes from many members of the Fourth Ward!  Carolyn read it to me as we traveled into Kona Town and it was so heart-warming and uplifting to hear their notes to us.  We miss our Home Ward and all our family and friends there but we are happy here serving where the Lord has called us.  Mahalo nui loa ward members!

Much love and Aloha (and some Smart-Phone confusion) from Paradise!!