Kona December 24 - 30

Kona December 24 – 30

View Towards Heaven

 

Aloha!

It’s a beautiful, warm and sunny Sabbath day here in Kona.  We hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas filled with family and love.  Our Christmas Day was great with our oldest son and his family arriving Christmas Eve to spend the holidays with us.  We had some great adventures starting when we picked up the first group of four at the airport.  The airline had shipped all the checked luggage on the same first flight to arrive so we packed the trunk of the car full then everyone had their carryon luggage on their laps during the ride back up the mountain to our apartment. Once unloaded at the apartment, we set off again to pick up the last two family members for the trip home.
The next adventure involved finding enough floor space and bed space to sleep an additional six people in our little home. The whole scene added new meaning to “Twas the Night Before Christmas” with the children all nestled, snug in their beds!  Actually, one in a single bed; one on the floor on an air mattress; one in the recliner; one on the couch; and mom and dad on an air mattress (which lost its air during the night)!  Along with luggage everywhere, Santa must have had a tricky visit to avoid stepping on someone.

Christmas Day dawned and we were all still asleep.  Thanks to Skype, we were able to be joined electronically by most of the rest of our family so, all together, we had a great Christmas morning.  By common approval, we decided to go to the beach in the afternoon and experience for the first time, Christmas on the beach!  We loaded all eight of us into our old silver Buick and headed for Honokohau.

Christmas at the Beach

 

After sunset, we headed back up the mountain to get ready to go to the movie theater to see Les Miserables.  This was a much different Christmas than we are used to having but it was a great day and the weather cooperated superbly by washing the car in a downpour at the end of the day.  Family is a beautiful thing!!

After picking up a rental van for our son’s family on Wednesday, we were able to move about the island more comfortably and a new air mattress improved the sleeping accommodations. Thursday we were back in the Temple for our regular shift while the family tourists do what tourists do when in Kona; go shopping and see things! 

On Thursday evening, the adults traveled back to the Temple along with our granddaughter.  We had made arrangements with one of the local wards for our granddaughter to join a youth baptism while we were blessed with the opportunity to fulfill the main purpose of the Temple, to seal families together forever.



Families Can Be Together Forever

Sister Elwood’s parents had not been active in church before their passing and therefore had not been sealed together in the Temple.  All the necessary ordinances were completed earlier and the time for sealing her parents together and to seal Sister Elwood’s mother to her parents had arrived.  With our son and his wife serving as proxies along with us, we were able to experience and participate in this marvelous blessing for them.   After their sealing, Sister Elwood was sealed to her parents.  We all felt the spiritual presence of many family members who had died and who came to witness this ultimate expression of the love our Heavenly Father and His son Jesus Christ have for all of God’s children.

 In this special and beautiful setting, we were joined by two members of the Presidency, the Temple Matron and her assistants.  All felt the spirit of love and gratitude for the Priesthood authority that has been restored to seal families here on earth and in heaven for time and for all eternity.  Now, some branches of Sister Elwood’s family dating back to the Twelfth Century are sealed in an eternal bond.

Friday and Saturday were days of travel and sightseeing for our son and his family while we enjoyed serving the last two days of the second busiest year in the Kona Hawaii Temple since it’s dedication in the year 2000.  We have been so blessed to have been able to participate in this wonderful work of the Lord!

As the New Year begins, we pray that you and your family will be able to enjoy good health, prosperity and a spiritually uplifting year.  While our time here shortens each day, our love for the opportunity we have been given grows greater each day and we continue to look forward to the reunion with family and friends!

Love and Aloha from Paradise!

Kona December 17 - 24

Kona December 17 – 24

Aloha and Mele Kalikimaka!

Its Christmas Eve and we are busy readying the apartment for the arrival of our oldest son, his wife and four of our Grandchildren.  This is a wonderful gift for us to have at least some of our family with us for the celebration of the birth of our Savior and the beginning of a new year.  Yes it will be crowded but full of love.  It will be happy but probably some waimaka haouli (happy tears)!!  We are excited!

This week at the Temple, we have witnessed new faces, new beginnings, and eternal sealings!  Locals and visitors alike seem to be even more happy than usual to be in the House of the Lord.  There has been no lack of hugs and kisses (Hawaiian Style) and of warm Christmas greetings from both visitors and locals alike.  Of course, in true Polynesian tradition, there has been an abundance of holiday treats in the tiny break room for all to share.  On Wednesday evening, the First Counselor in the Temple Presidency came into the office and asked me to translate some English words into Hawaiian so he could give them to some youth that had just completed a service project on the Temple grounds.  E auwe, I kela ho’omak’u!

The Christmas program at the Kealakekua Ward turned out to be amazing!  Like all wards, our little choir swelled in numbers for two of the practices we had prior to the performance.  This Sunday, many had not attended even one practice!  With high hopes, a red and green fuzzy lei for everyone, and an optimistic, radiant smile on our choir director, Sister Berry’s face, the program began.  Auwe (wow), where did that incredibly beautiful and joyous sound come from?  Surely not the little choir that sometimes has only three men and five women!  It had to be the result of all those prayers and the joy of celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ that brought these beautiful harmonies from those old familiar carols we sang.  Tabernacle Choir?  Maybe not…but nestled in my seat in the base section on the back row between Uncle Joe and Brother Kaipo, it sounded pretty heavenly to me and the look of astonishment and joy on Sister Berry’s face made it all a great blessing!  Perhaps, just perhaps, Sister Elwood and I will join the Fourth Ward choir when we return from our mission.  Assuming there will be enough other choir members to drown out our voices!!

Sister Elwood has made some Pumpkin Bread for all of us as well as a couple of loaves for two of our neighbors to enjoy.  I can hear the mixer running so she must be busy making something else to make sure no one goes hungry in B220!  I’m right; I was just presented with a couple of oatmeal, chocolate-chip, macadamia nut, craisin, coconut cookies, hot from the oven!  Yum!

We found a box in a closet from previous Missionaries, with a Charlie Brown Christmas Tree inside.  So, now our office/bedroom is decorated appropriately for the season.  All we are missing is a blanket of white and a temperature about 60 degrees cooler to make everything seem like an Idaho Christmas  I’m reasonably certain that I will get over the desire for snow by Wednesday morning but as we sometimes say in Idaho and Utah, “Well we really need the moisture!”

White or not, the view mauka (towards the mountain) is sunny and a mostly green forest of palms, avocado, papaya, macadamia nut and banana trees.  The green forest is accented by Red Ti plants, orange Mokihana blossoms on tall trees, and the scarlet red of Poinsettia shrubs.  Paradise…perhaps, but being home for Christmas can also be a paradise in its own right. 

We pray the joy of this Season may last through the coming year for all of us.  These are difficult times for all too many of us and some of the prospects for the future don’t seem too bright!  We do know, however, who is really in charge and we bear witness that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is the living Son of God and that our Heavenly Father will not abandon those of His children who try hard to live the principles of the Gospel… to love and serve others as we serve Him.  We are not alone!  He is as close as we invite Him to be through our actions and our prayers.  May the Lord Bless you all!

I want to add my testimony to that of my ‘companion’ and sweetheart, that we are not alone nor are in charge as much as we think we are.  I am so thankful for this time of year to celebrate the birth of our Savior and feel the love of my fellow men & sisters.

With Aloha nui loa from Paradise!

Merry Christmas from Kona

For unto you is a born this day in the city of David

A Savior, which is Christ the Lord.

Luke 2:11

“Holiness to the Lord. The House of the Lord.”

Oh how the Temple’s message ought to brightly burn in our Hearts and Minds as we commemorate and honor the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We are eternally grateful for His Atoning Sacrifice for each of us. May we rededicate ourselves at this special season of the year, to fill our lives with love and service to Him and all of God’s children.

Merry Christmas and a Joyous New Year!

Aloha Dear Family and Friends,

It has been nearly eight months since we entered the MTC in preparation to serve here in the Kona Hawaii Temple. Our time has been filled with the joy and spirit of Temple service and it’s hard to believe we only have a little over four months left to serve. We have been blessed to meet and have the joy of serving with many kind and loving saints here in this beautiful “House of the Lord.“ All our family and friends have been missed and we look forward to a reunion in 2013.

 

The Lord has blessed us with good health and the energy to fulfill our responsibilities which, occasionally, stretched over sixteen-hour days. Our testimony of temple service continues to grow each day and we know we are where the Lord would have us be at this time. We send our love and Aloha to you and all your family. We wish you a warm and happy Christmas season filled with love and good health!

Elder and Sister Elwood

Kona December 10 - 16

 More beautiful floral Arrangements at Church today

Kona December 10 – 16

Aloha from Sunny Kona!

It’s a beautiful, sunny day here in Kona!  I don’t mean to be “laying it on” all of you that have cold weather and snow but in this weather, it sure doesn’t feel like it’s only 9 days until Christmas.  Last evening, we attended our Ward Christmas Party which was a wonderful experience complete with too much food, music, hula, a Nativity program and of course, Santa Claus for the kids. Attending was a crowd estimated to be between 350 and 400 people.  We overheard some Ward members comment “Who is that?  I’ve never seen them before!” so maybe there were a few locals that heard about the Kealakekua Ward Christmas party and decided to come enjoy the food!

Like all Polynesian parties, there was no lack of food and warm greetings for everyone.  The main course featured two whole pigs and six turkeys cooked Hawaiian style in an Imu (underground oven).  Salads of every kind, rolls, hot dishes, and of course, desserts completed the menu.  Someone said “If you don’t recognize it, don’t try it!” but there were a few things we have never seen before but we tried them and they were delicious.  The last thing we tried was a Tahitian ‘Banana Poi’ dish that consisted of bananas mashed, cooked slowly with tapioca starch then baked and served in a sweetened coconut milk…it kinda had a kick so we may not have gotten the whole recipe but it was tasty!

Food lines at Ward Christmas Luau

Kids awaiting the program...note the little "Hula Dancer" in the lower left corner

 

The program was vintage LDS with the added touch of some Hula dancers (two of which were about 10 years old and very good) and some Hawaiian Style Christmas Carols.  The Nativity program was great and provided a spiritual reminder of the birth of our Savior and His love and sacrifice for all of us.

A young 10-year olf Hula Dancer! She was very good!

 

The Nativity Play

Residents of Hawaii love to have parades and the Annual Christmas Parade was held on Ali’i Drive along the ocean front just before the Ward Christmas Party.  We didn’t attend but we heard it was hard to tell who was in the parade and who was a spectator.  We are certain everyone had a great time.

Our week in the Temple was busy and filled with the increased love of the Christmas Season.  We were greeted by Ordinance Workers and Patrons alike with hugs and kisses on the cheek along with Christmas greetings.  Several of us are still suffering the lingering effects of the sore throats we contracted last week so we were a little detached in our traditional greetings.  It is becoming common for us to participate in the Hawaiian greeting style so please don’t be offended if we bring that habit home with us!

 

The "Tree of Life"

 

The Temple grounds are undergoing a landscaping renovation along some of the perimeter walls and we are excited to see the beautiful trees, shrubs and flowers that are being planted.  I asked Ed, our non-member gardener, what variety several of the new trees was called.  He told me they were call “The Tree of Life” which is most appropriate for the Temple grounds.  They are part of the Lignum Vitae family, Liggy for short, and are a variety of ironwood trees, meaning the wood is so dense it won’t float in water.  Right now, they are bearing olive-sized, gold colored seeds resulting from pink flowers in the spring..  We look forward to seeing them in full bloom.

The sun is now sinking towards the horizon and the air may be clear enough to witness the “green flash” this evening as the sun sets.  The “green flash” occurs in a split second when the sun disappears below the horizon and the sunlight reflects through the ocean and produces the flash.  With all the volcanic “fog” or VOG we have here, this event is fairly rare to see.  We created the legend that if you see a green flash; you get to come back to Hawaii again.  We have a few of those in the bank!

Christmas is not far off and our hearts and thoughts return to family and friends at home.  This year will be a much different Christmas celebration than we are used to having in Boise.  We look forward to our oldest son and his family arriving on Christmas Eve for a week-long visit which will help fill our day.  Our thoughts and prayers are with you all and we pray we will all remember the birth and atoning sacrifice Jesus Christ made for every one of us and that we will honor him through our service and love towards others.  An early Mele Kalikimaka to you all!

Love and Aloha from Paradise!

Kona December 3 - 9

Red Torch Ginger at the Temple

Kona December 3 – 9

Malo E Lelei!

That’s Aloha in Tongan!  As promised, this has been a very busy week as we were able to enjoy the opportunity to serve with about fifty Tongan Saints from Maui.  As we have said before, serving with the Tongans is an exceptional opportunity to enjoy the spiritual blessings of reverence and faith they bring with them when they visit the temple. 

For example, they started arriving Wednesday afternoon to begin their service with a three-hour training session followed by an evening in various sessions. Thursday morning began at 5:30 AM with a Prayer meeting followed by session after session throughout the morning and afternoon.  Their day ended around 6:00 PM when they met at our nearby Stake Center for a prayerful beginning to a day of fasting lasting throughout Friday.  On Friday, after another day filled with service, they again met back at the Stake Center to break their fast with prayer, followed by dinner.  We didn’t see them again until 5:00 AM Saturday morning!  By 8:00 AM, their service in the Temple had ended and they bid us a loving “Malo” and headed for the airport to return home to Maui.  We look forward to their return again in March for another three days of faithful Temple service.  We will miss their reverent and joyful service in the Temple after we return home.

This week was also filled with special projects in addition to our normal duties.  Sister Elwood has become quite the photographer with her cell phone and anything else that takes pictures; from cameras to I-pads!  There is always plenty of beautiful scenery and people to photograph around the outside of the Temple.  On more than several occasions, as we have been arriving or leaving the Temple, we have noticed couples and families trying to get a picture of themselves in front of the Temple.  She readily volunteers to take the photograph so everyone can be in the picture.

Orchids and Poinsettias

One couple was particularly striking this week.  On Monday, the Orchid Aisle volunteers had planted a row of beautiful red Poinsettias among the orchids on each side of the main walkway to the Temple entrance.  A couple had come to the Temple to attend a session and as they were leaving I noticed them outside the front door taking pictures with an I-pad.  She was dressed in a pretty red dress and he was attired in a cream-colored suit, white shirt and red tie.  I went to the door and he asked if I could take their picture together in front of the Poinsettia lined Orchid Aisle.  I told them I would be right back and went to get Sister Elwood to do the honors.  What a striking picture they made standing in front of all those beautiful orchids and poinsettias dressed in red, cream and white colors. I wish we could have had a copy of the photo!

There are always new ‘opportunities’ while serving here in the Kona Hawaii Temple that we never experienced while serving in Boise.  One of those was an assignment from the Temple President to design and produce the annual Temple Christmas card.  Our computers in the temple do not have software such as Microsoft Publisher that would make this a fairly simple task.  Nonetheless with one of Sister Elwood’s photographs, a Scripture from the Bible and some inspiration, we were able to assemble and have printed a suitable Christmas card for the temple.  I will share a version with you all in a couple of weeks!

Our Big Little Christmas Tree

Well, our little Christmas tree got a remake by adding 50 multi-colored lights and a couple of hand-made ornaments Sister Elwood received at the December “Malama Pono” activity with the other ‘senior’ sisters in our ward.  In spite of coming down with a cold on Saturday, I added a string of multi-colored lights outside around the ceiling of our lanai so now our little apartment is ‘decked’ but not with holly.

I never expected to get a cold here in Hawaii!  We dutifully got our Flu shots and thought with the warm climate we were set for a healthy winter season.  Not!!  I didn’t feel well enough to go to church and spread this ‘joy’ so we have spent a quiet day here at home resting and trying to get feeling better.  Maybe I need an hour in the hot Hawaiian sun to bake this thing out of me but then, being missionaries, I think we will rely on prayer, faith and rest. 

We pray all is well with you our dear family and friends! 

Much Love and Aloha from Paradise!

Kona November 26 - December 2

Heleconia at Church

 

Kona November 26 – December 2

Aloha ‘Ohana a na Hoaaloha!

Another month has passed and we are looking towards our first Christmas away from Idaho or Utah!  Although we will be in Hawai’i, we will still have some of our family with us which is going to make the experience much less nostalgic!  Rod, our oldest son (Mormon in the new 2013 Youth Theme Song for the year), his beautiful wife and family will be joining us on Christmas Eve and staying with us for a week.

We, as many of you, just watched the First Presidency Christmas Devotional!  It was, as it usually is, a wonderful and beautiful spiritual beginning to a Christ-centered Christmas season.  What an incredible blessing it is to be able to see and hear our Prophets, Seers and Revelators teach us about the Savior and His incomparable gift to each one of us.  His example to us and the touching personal stories of “giving of one’s self” are an inspiration for us to do better, to serve more faithfully and to love more freely. 

Our choir practice this morning also added to our appreciation for the Lord Jesus Christ and this Christmas season.  Our numbers more than tripled from the four of last at last week’s practice!  We even had a pianist to accompany the choir this week!  After generous praise from our sweet choir director, I wondered aloud, “and Christmas is only how many weeks away?”

This week has once again been a joy to serve in the Kona Hawaii Temple!  The annual Crèche of Joseph, Mary and the baby Jesus was placed carefully on the makai (towards the sea) side of the temple along with spotlights to illuminate the scene at night.  Sister Elwood, always with the eye for beautiful scenes, pulled out her cell phone as we walked up towards the entrance to the Temple in the early light of dawn and took some pictures to share. 

Early Dawn view of the Temple Creche

 

The reason for the Season 

 

It has also been a week with a little unexpected excitement.  Sister Elwood picked at something on her leg that, while very small, began to bleed.  I practiced some of my best Boy Scout training in vain attempts to stem the bleeding, all to no avail.  Compresses, ice, nothing would work.  Finally, around 9:30 PM, we decided a journey to the ER was in order.  This was our second trip to the Kona ER and we were again met with friendly service.  To shorten a two hour visit…the doctor diagnosed the injury as some kind of vascular??? and put in two stitches to stem the flow.  All is now well and I get to practice medicine with only a marriage license and take the stitches out in about 10 days!!

As promised last week, we took a few pictures of some of the floral beauty of Ka Mokupuni Nui (The Big Island) that we get to look at every day.  This is not to say, that as much as we enjoy the blessings of warm weather and beautiful scenery, we do miss the cool fall days and colors of home.  The jury is still out on whether we miss snow!

                 Poinsetia behind the Apartment 

Mamalahoa Highway "Swans"

Finally, next week will be highlighted by a visit to the Temple by another Tongan Ward from Maui.  Next Thursday, Friday and Saturday, our days in the Temple will begin before 5 AM and will extend throughout the day.  This will be a large group of saints with more than 50 coming to the Temple for joyous and reverent service.  Our previous experiences tell us that while we will be tired physically, we will be blessed spiritually by the opportunity to serve with our brothers and sisters in the Temple.

Love and Aloha from Paradise!

P.S.
This ship has been anchored in Kailua Bay for about two weeks.  Warship? Nope, it's Paul Allen's
 (co-founder of Microsoft) 414 foot yacht, "Octopus!"

Kona November 19 - 25

Kona November 19 – 25

Aloha!

We hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving with plenty of love, family and food!  It seemed strange to be far away from family and home but we enjoyed the day nonetheless.  A dear brother and sister that serve in the Temple (and care for the Orchid Aisle), invited the Presidency and Missionaries to their lovely home for Thanksgiving dinner.

 

                                         View of the North Kohala Coast

                                        Thanksgiving at the Maluo's

They warmly welcomed us to their home in the northern part of the Island located in a gated community called Kohala Ranch which overlooks the North Kohala coast of the Big Island.  The view of the ocean is spectacular even though it was cloudy and hazy while we were.  We could hear thunder rolling across the water but it never rained while we are there.  North Kohala is very dry, receiving little rain each year.  The area is famous for beautiful resorts and emerald green golf courses cutting through the black lava fields.  We have played on two of the courses in previous visits but a Missionary Budget can’t stand the green fees.

Table centerpiece

Thanksgiving dinner was delicious…turkey, ham and all the trimmings.  True to the Hawaiian tradition there was enough food for three times the number of guests invited so we ‘had’ to carry enough food home with us to provide another generous dinner.

                                                            Almost full!
                                                   
This week saw our first snowfall of the season!  Not here in Kona where it’s still in the mid-80’s but on top of Mauna Kea (White Mountain) where the elevation is nearly 14,000 feet.  It hardly seems like Christmas is near!  Today at choir practice we began rehearsing for the Christmas program although we didn’t have anyone to play the piano.  We have a lot of work to do!

Today the chapel was decorated with baskets of white anthirium with delicate pink spadix and darker pink spathe.  You’ll need a dictionary or a degree in Botany!  We got involved directing some visitors (malahini) and didn’t get a picture.  Maybe next week! 

One thing we have noticed is the emergence of the striking red Poinsettia that seem to grow everywhere; often shrubs fifteen to twenty feet in height and circumference.  This is a ‘blooming’ season for many flowers and shrubs.  A drive along the old narrow and winding Mamalahoa Highway, where our apartment is located, is becoming like a drive through the Garden of Eden. This P-day we’ll get some pictures!

Serving at the temple this past week was supposed to be somewhat slower than last week because we didn’t have any Wards from Maui scheduled and the Annual Training was over.  Tuesday morning started off with water in the break room from a broken hose on one of the washing machines.  The week got busier from there with special projects for the President and Matron, scheduling a large Maui Tongan Ward visit for the first week of December, and another special project from the President to design and print the Temple Christmas cards by next week.  We love the work and the blessing of stretching ourselves to meet the needs of our patrons and leaders!  E hana me ka ha’aha’a (Let us work with humbleness).

Finally, we put up our mighty 32 inch Christmas tree and Sister Elwood is cutting garland from red tissue paper to add a ‘homey’ decoration.  We will add the 22 ornaments and look for a bag of snow to make everything look like an Elwood Christmas Tree.  You will have to wait until next week to see the final product!  We include a picture below of last year’s tree in Boise to whet your imagination!

Another Hawaiian word for the day –Kuleana – take responsibility; stewardship. Good advice for us all.

Much love and Aloha from Paradise!