Samoan Ward Camp Out - It's A Big Deal

This island continues to surprise us. Behind the city park, in Laie, are several acres of carved out grassy meadows. They are referred to as the 'Cricket Fields'. You have no idea it is there until you turn a corner and come right upon it. A Samoan family invited us to watch the husband dance at "an event". We had no idea it was a Ward Camp Out. 

They come from Monday through Saturday. They set their tents up in a big circle, with a meeting pavilion and stage in the middle.

They bring their rugs, their beds and frames, TV's, swimming pools for the kids, bookcases to store their "stuff", and cooking supplies, galore. If they have jobs, they do that during the day and come back each evening.

They cover everything with canopies. (The tent has been pushed out for the day) The island people know how to put up canopies. I could not make a pole wiggle. They are solid!

Monday through Thursday evening, there is entertainment at the central pavilion. Friday evening, is a family dance. We were invited to the Wednesday evening performance. 

Some cute kids wandering around.

Singing Samoan songs. It's always beautiful.

The youth doing a western "Hoedown".

The women performing the graceful Hula. It's always impressive.


 

Spontaneous joy!

The men showing off. This was Sister Cameron's favorite. They are so quick and happy.

We had so much fun, we went back Thursday evening and watched another night of entertainment. After it was over, the music kept playing, and impromptu and irresistible dancing started. Certainly, this was an opportunity that would never come again, so I joined in.

I was the only palangi (white, in Samoan) on the stage. It was soooo much fun. Interpretive dance, for sure. Pretty soon, though, I had myself a partner. He twirled me in Samoan style. It was exhilarating! Turns out there was some judging (?) going on and my partner and I won Oreo's, Saltines and a liter of pop, which I gave away to the youth as we left. I'm pretty sure they were spoiling the Sister Missionary.

Soooo, if you're ever invited to a Samoan Ward Camp Out, go!!

Aloooooha

Haku - A crown of fresh flowers.

 Isn't she beautiful? Maile Hippolite was baptized last week and this Haku is family tradition when their daughters are baptized. Jen said she didn't know what she was going to do when it was the boys turn.

Hippolite family from our Sunset Branch. He is from New Zealand and she is from Washington. They are a kind, gentle family.

                Aloha

              

                         


               

Another Tender Mercy.

The Polynesian culture is all about sharing and food - sharing a lot of food. This mission is known as the forty pound mission, because if you serve on the Hawaiian islands, you easily gain forty pounds. 

Well, that leads to tight slacks for the Elders. (You might think I wear aloha dresses because they're cute!) I have let out several pair of suit slacks and baptism pants. And patched holes from bike crashes. And sewn shirt pockets that were over stuffed. We have used the sewing lab at BYUH. We have borrowed machines from willing branch members.

This is a nice Bernina machine, that is a loan from our neighbor. 

Elder Cameron gets in on the fun, by doing some of the hand work.

We were gifted this beauty, by another senior couple, that are going home, with the stipulation that we pass it on when we're done. We are the fourth owners to have stewardship. It has been well cared for and kept dry, so it is performing well. We are soooooo pleased.

Aloha

DARBY

Our first Hurricane.

This radar image was from yesterday. As you can see, Hilo (Kona) and Kahului (Maui), will get the brunt of the storm. These islands, plus a few mountain ranges, lessen the impact on Honolulu (Oahu).

Darbys' eye. Picture from the Weather Channel.

Minor debris. The hurricane was down-graded to a Tropical Storm.

The storm left much needed moisture. These islands know what to do with water.

Waimea Bay, the day after. Muddy ocean from flash  floods.

Also, the day after Darby. Paradise is not lost. 

Wet Aloha

From the early radar images, it looked like Kona and Maui would get hammered, but, Honolulu, Oahu, got the most rain which flooded homes and turned the freeway into a pond. We went to the airport the next day, and the freeways were dry. 

July 15, 2016

So! What do you do when it's the day before your birthday and you're at an early morning District meeting, in Laie, Hawaii?

Happy Birthday to you.

Happy Birthday to you.

Happy Birthday Elder Cameron.

Happy Birthday to you!

You go stand in front while everyone sings "Happy Birthday" to you. At 61, you don't get embarrassed anymore and frankly, you're too tired to care.

He wanted his family to see him in his "birthday suit".

Aloha

Service Project

The missionaries were asked to come and help tidy up Gunstock Ranch, located between Laie and Kuhuku. 


This is our crew for the day. City raised missionaries. It's going to be interesting. Elder Cox giving them a pep talk.

There was a lot of farm rubbish, everywhere, and the city raised missionaries got right to it and did an amazing job!

Looking much better!

This horse trailer was clear full of rubbish. They cleaned it out, into the orange dumpster.

More for the dumpster.

 Old, abandoned, bunkhouse that needed our help.

 Check out what the fence was held together with; baling twine, plastic bags and duct tape. That fence is now, gone.

Sister Nunez earned her registered nurse degree before coming on a mission. We needed her several times before this project was done.

The most popular steed choice for the advertised horseback rides. 

Owner of ranch: Don Quixote.

Horses they're permitted to ride.

Much deserved lunch. I have no idea what it is.

We found the tourist shed with real trail horses!

The Gunstock Ranch is a very nice working ranch. Our service project was waaay back behind the "good stuff". It was part of the original homestead, that got left behind, as the ranch made improvements. 

Aloha 

New Pharaoh on the Islands 

This is our new mission president and his wife,

James and Delsie Bekker, from Salt Lake City.

(Our lei making skills are expanding).

Part of the Laie Zone

Brand new sign.

Aloha

A Hui Hou

Till we meet again

Our last Zone Conference with the Warner's. President Warner had already left to do interviews before this picture was taken. The eight Elders, in the matching ties, are who we spend most of our time with. The sisters are assigned to the Visitor Center, but, love to come for cookies and P-day fun.

We made these lei's for President and Sister Warner, from the crown flower.

It is tradition to sing Aloha Oe to departing missionaries. This was our hardest, yet. The Warner's are beloved and have been a tremendous force for good, and will be missed by the young and senior missionaries. 

Sister Warner. She is easy to love.

President and Sister Warner.  Headed home after three years.

Aloha Oe and A Hui Hou

God bless the U.S.A.