Kona September 10 - 16

Kona September 10 – 16

Aloha,

Today is Sunday and when we left for church this morning we were blessed by a clear blue sky, no VOG, no clouds, and only the beauty of one of Gods’ creations stretching before us.  Almost as soon as we got to the highway leading down the mountainside to Kailua-Kona, we could see the coastline and ocean stretching before us.  What was unusual this morning was that the view was so clear, we could see clearly all the way to the horizon over 40 miles of ocean away! 

I mentioned before how we are blessed with beautiful flowers brought by members to decorate the rostrum, piano, organ and wherever there is room for a vase.  Today was no exception!  There were containers of Kalihii Ginger (Tahitian torche) in all those places.  Kahilii Ginger is an appropriate flower for a church because it has golden blooms and a heavenly fragrance that was evident throughout the chapel.

After church, we detoured from our normal route home to drive down Alii Drive which runs right along the coast.  The colors of the ocean are so varied and the fresh smell of the ocean and the surf connecting with the shore combine for an almost breathtaking experience.  As the driver, I had to keep a wary eye out for the joggers, cyclists and crazy haoles but enjoyed the drive none-the-less.   It did seem strange though, to drive by our condo in Sea Village where we had spent so many memorable vacations.

This week, we celebrated our 49^th Wedding Anniversary!  Every moment has been full of love and appreciation for each other.  Hawaiians have a saying “HE ‘OLINA LEO KA KE ALOHA” (Joy is in the voice of love) which is so true! While we have spent a number of anniversaries here in the Islands, it was extra special to be able to spend the day in the Temple serving others, and then to celebrate our love for each other. 

That evening, we made reservations for Sam Choy’s Kai Lanai Restaurant for dinner.  Kai Lanai literally means ‘patio over the sea’ and the name is justified by the view.  Built up on the mountainside above Keahou, the view of the Pacific Ocean at sunset is truly spectacular.  For those of you who have been to Kona, Sam Choy’s rests on the site formally occupied by a Wendy’s fast food that was put out of commission by an earthquake several years ago.

Sam Choy is a world-famous chef whose specialty is Pacific Island cuisine.  Dinner was outstanding and not very expensive (even for missionaries).  For our Pu Pus (appetizers), we ordered Calamari (squid in a tempura batter and deep fried) served with a delicious, slightly spicy dipping sauce.  To our surprise, it also included three or four baby octopus prepared in the same way as the Calamari.  Yes we did and they were excellent! 

After the appetizer, they served ‘sampler’ portions of both soup (Creamy Carrot and Ginger) and fresh green salad with a creamy Wasabi dressing.   Pictures are worth a thousand words, so they say, but you will have to make the trip to taste the goodness of our Entrée and this wonderful dinner!  We will go again!

Macadamea Nut Crusted Chicken with Brown Rice  New York Steak with Garlic Mashed Potatoes

 

Beginning next week, we will welcome the Saints from Maui to the temple again.  It is always a joy to serve with these faithful brothers and sisters and to be humbled by their sacrifice in time and treasure to come and serve in the temple.  Since our islands are separated by about 18 miles of very deep ocean, they can’t simply get in the car and make the trip to the temple.  Airfare, lodging, and food make their trips expensive and a significant commitment of time.  The difference in this visit, over their visits in June and July, is the addition of the second Senior Missionary couple to the temple.  Our days won’t be so long, only 9 - 10 hours instead of 17 but the joy of serving will be just the same.

The Temple Presidency has elected to offer an addition endowment session at 6:30 PM on three Wednesday evenings each month, to encourage increased temple attendance by members of the Kona Stake.  Since we don’t have Ordinance Workers assigned to Wednesday evenings, the Presidency and both Missionary couples will have the blessing to serve as the Ordinance Workers.

Another blessing of serving in a small temple is the opportunity to help clean the temple!  The temple is cleaned after every shift by the Ordinance Workers assigned to the shift, unlike larger temples that have paid members that come to clean every evening. On Saturday, a more thorough cleaning is performed.  Big Island wards are assigned to come and clean the temple each Saturday afternoon, but sometimes there are only three or four members that show up to clean.  When there is a shortage, the Presidency, any remaining Ordinance Workers, and the Missionary couples pitch in to fill the gap.  I felt blessed to vacuum the Celestial Room and wished the vacuum was quieter. A General Authority has said “We don’t clean the temple to keep it clean, we clean the temple to keep it from getting dirty!”

We miss you all and send our love, prayers and aloha from Paradise!

Kona September 3 - 9

Kona September 3 – 9

Aloha ‘Ohana a na hoaloha! Greetings family and friends!

The time is racing by.  Only five more days to our 49^th Wedding Anniversary!  We have spent many anniversaries here in the Islands.  This year, I think we will go to Jackie Ray’s for dinner after our temple shift that will include assisting the Presidency in training Shift Coordinators!  Auwe, only one year to Gold!

We promised to tell you about a wonderful evening we spent with the First Counselor and his wife at their little home only a couple of miles away from our apartment here on the mountainside.  They are in their fourth year as a Counselor and Assistant to the Matron here in the Kona Temple, having served three years in the previous Presidency.

They have a nice home on the Hilo side of the island and are the source of most of the bananas, tangerines and pineapple we receive each week.  In addition to his assignment as First Counselor, he serves as the Temple Engineer.  He is very skilled in everything mechanical and has an engineering background.  Because of the high cost of housing here in Kona, he modified a truck trailer into a bedroom, tiny kitchen and a bath.  They parked it on our Bishop’s family farm and live here during the week then go home to Hilo for the weekends.

They invited us to join them for an outdoor barbeque.  He cooked chicken on a grill over a fire and baked bread in a Dutch oven. We had a great time with an excellent dinner and good conversations.  After dinner, we enjoyed desert of Carolyn’s Decadent Carmel Apple cake while sitting around  the fire.  At this altitude, the fire felt pretty good!

 

                               We were joined around the fire by a ward member...see the orchid story below.

Monday, Labor Day, we opened the temple for a special visit by 2 wards from the Hilo side of the Island.  They have a tradition of Labor Day visits to the temple to perform baptisms, endowments and sealings as part of what they call “The Elijah Program.”  It was good to spend most of Labor Day ‘Laboring’ in the Lord’s House with these faithful saints.

Last Sunday, our Stake Center was blessed to have a beautiful orchid collage near the front of the chapel.  One of the ward members lives up the mountainside and raises all kinds of plants and fruits.  He brought these to share with the ward members. He is very skilled and built the plant stands they are mounted on.   They are so beautiful and brought a special reverence to our meeting.  Today, someone had brought vases full of Anthurium, red Ti leaves and Bird of Paradise for the podium, desk, piano and organ.  What splendor!

 

 

 

 

 

We have lots of lizards around the apartment complex.  Most are Geckos and Skink lizards but occasionally, something really unusual crawls out of the bushes.  That was the case this week when we encountered a 10-12 inch Chameleon crawling across the stairs leading up to our apartment.  This was a three-horned version called a Trioceros Jacksonii or Jackson’s Chameleon.  I just had to take some pictures to share.

 

 

 

A quick update on what becomes of some of those bunches of green bananas that we are given nearly every week.  In fact, we’ve had more than three dozen bananas at one time. Problem is, when they ripen, they seem to ripen all at once!  Last week, I made a batch of Grammies’ banana bread with fudge icing. It was a loaf cake and about 10 muffins.  We took then to the Temple break room last week….can I just say ‘they were a hit!’  It’s not like we don’t ever get banana bread….we do, all the time!  I believe the most common compliment was “that fudge icing was a great touch!”  Grammies’ banana bread and fudge icing wins again! Yum! Yum!

We pray for you all and express our love and aloha from Paradise!

 

 

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!