Mardy

Mardy is a member of our Sunset Branch and is seventy years old. She and her husband were baptized less than ten years ago. She took care of her disabled husband for several years, before he passed away. She also has a progressive eye disease that will eventually blind her. Currently, she can see shapes and shadows. She lives alone and is fiercely independent. It took us multiple tries, and a couple of months before she would even let Elder Cameron do some yard work for her. She would stick pretty close to him and observe how he cared for her plants. It didn't take her long to recognize his gentle and accomplished hand. We set up a standing appointment, every Thursday at 4:30, to help her in any way she needed us to. After a couple of weeks, she quit following him and she and I sit on the shaded porch and I read scriptures to her. Elder Cameron has set them up on her computer so she can listen to them, but its much more fun to discuss them as we go. As a former teacher, she adds keen opinions to religious and political conversations. She has started using the local van service to attend sacrament meeting. This is a tremendous step for her.

Aloha

 Three missions completed and they know stuff!

      1st mission - Mission Presidency - Russia

      2nd mission - Mission President - Russia

      3rd mission - Church Office Building - Salt Lake City         

      4th and current mission - Troubleshooting for Mission Presidents - Nampa

     They took time out to visit us and enjoy some sun, sand and surf. 

Oh yeah, and a helicopter tour. 

Bruce and Maureen Allcott at Laie Point.

The impressive Ko'olau Mountain Range and part of the Kualoa Ranch.

I took this picture from the internet to show the valleys between the ranges. My picture, above, was taken from the ocean side or front of the mountain range on the left.

Kualoa Ranch tour bus, we rode. It reminded me of a medic bus from the series MASH. The ranch is 4000 acres of a private nature reserve. It is also the site to many TV shows and movies. 

We had never heard of this World War II defense gun bunker. It is built into the face of the ranch cliff and has concrete lined tunnels that we walked through. After the war, the military turned it over to the private land owners and is now used as a "movie museum" for the films that have shot scenes at the ranch.

Photo of one of the guns. This is hanging on the wall inside the bunker.

Chinaman's Hat as seen from the mountain side.

Byodo-In Temple, a non-denominational Buddist temple, in Kaneohe. It commemorates the first Japanese immigrants to Hawaii. It is a beautiful building and is a replica of a 900-year-old temple in Kyoto, Japan. It is not a functioning Buddhist temple and welcomes people of all faiths to worship or meditate. 

 Japanese cemetery, impeccably, groomed.

Bruce and Maureen, attending our YSA Branch, with us.

 Maureen's beautiful picture of the sunset at Sunset Beach. It's a tough place to live!

Aloha

If you invite them, they will come!

Steve and Katie at the Laie Visitors' Center.

 This statue is of Hamana Kalili, who lost the three middle fingers of his right hand while working at the Kahuku Sugar Mill. Because of the accident, he was moved to guard the sugar train, and used his hand to signal "all clear". This wave evolved into the shaka as the children and residents mimicked him.

Elder Cameron mimicking his Ukulele buddy.

Our children mimicking our Christmas card.

Beautiful, Bougainvillea.

At, Seven Brothers, eating macadamia/coconut crusted shrimp. Mmmm. Katie has an enormous brother burger. They're tasty, too.

The turtle whisperer, at Secret Turtle Beach.

We love our kids.

Aloha

Deep Sea Fishing Excursion

Very early, one Saturday morning, (5:30 am early) we were unexpectedly woken up by a neighbor, Craig, who came through our door and told Elder Cameron to "get up, get dressed, we have lunch ready, you're going fishing, meet you in front in five minutes"!

Fishing crew. The sun wasn't even up, yet!

Nephew, Brother-in-law, nephew, Elder Cameron

(Craig taking the picture.)

They sailed eleven miles out. Beautiful.

Fish On!  Reeling in the fish.

Elder Cameron's got it in the boat.

Trolling.

Craig's nephew caught a Marlin. 

Reeling in # 2.

Skipjack Tuna (Aku) for dinner. It was delicious!

Craig, his nephew, brother-in-law, nephew, and Elder Cameron with their catch of the day!

Aloha

~ Samoan Wedding ~

If you EVER have the opportunity to attend a Samoan wedding, always go! It is a spirited and splendid celebration.

Kalani and Ayesha Nahenahekamakanimaikalanimai Fitisemanu III
(A gentle breeze from heaven)
She was the Relief Society President in our YSA Branch.
(I can say her name)

The groom is also local, so there were many 

people attending, but, mostly family. 

It was held at the Polynesian Cultural Center, 

in a luau venue, to accommodate the crowd.

Taualuga, (traditional money dance) symbolizes the conclusion of a monumental task. (And a fundraiser for the newlyweds). Money is thrown into the air or onto the floor, by anyone attending, while the bride dances.

The groom was led to a chair in front of the dais area, and 
then Ayesha danced an exquisite hula for him.



What an evening!

Talofa

January Adventures

Local Keiki (Island children).

We were asked to serve in the Visitors' Center, again. I enjoy doing this, very much. 

Besides, Chinese, Japanese and Koreans, we met two women from Poland 

and a couple from Denmark, this time. The Danish woman was

 very striking. Her mother is Danish and her father, Tongan.

Elder Cameron loves this picture that hangs in the Visitors' Center.

Our January has been very busy, as we hit the ground running, after the holidays. 

We have served at the food bank, attended Zone Conference as well as a satellite broadcast from Salt Lake, explaining the changes to the missionary program. Missionaries can now customize their schedules to accommodate safety, local culture, health, and productivity.

For example, if you're serving in Hawaii, you get up at 6:30 a.m. and are home by 9:00 p.m.

If you're serving in Africa, you're up much earlier, because you must be home by 6:00 p.m. for safety concerns. If you're in Latin America, you sleep in later and come home later. Besides flexibility in daily schedules, p-day has additional time for emailing, laundry, shopping, exercising, etc. 

Also, key indicators, which is how missionaries report their productivity, have gone from nine to four. Our missionaries are thrilled with the changes. 

To quote Elder Bednar "I think one other thing that's intriguing about this is that this is a worldwide church and one size doesn't fit all". 

I have decided (per request) to get somewhat more "personal" with this blog, so here goes.

President Uchtdorf came to Hawaii for a family vacation. He loved the food at the PCC and made a special effort to meet and compliment the cook. Well, "the cook" is the head chef at the PCC and our most recent baptism. Elder Cameron and I meet with him weekly and discuss gospel principles. He was pretty excited by the honor.

Aloha

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow

Just Kidding

Snow was hauled in to the PCC, right before Christmas .

 It lasted about 30 minutes. 

This is the BIGGEST box of Christmas chocolates I have ever seen. 

Count on the Tongans to go big. Those are OUR two Tongan Sisters in the back row.

Elder Cameron and Wally, his new pool buddy, from California.

 He is 92 and our landlords step-dad.

Wally got bored with all the Christmas preparations 

the girls were doing, so he showed up at our door, daily. 

Q: What does the Statue of Liberty have to do with the Nativity?

                             A:  Absolutely nothing!                                                                                                  I was being a really good angel, standing on the sofa,

 with a christmas tree skirt around my neck,

 and the decorations hanging in the back,

 were somehow, perfectly hung. 

The shepherd is holding me steady with his staff.

 Ainsley, as a wise man. 

(She looks like "Lawrence of Arabia".)

We spent Christmas Eve with the Daniel Family from our Sunset Branch.

They have four children and a dog named Pineapple.

We had waffles with three kinds of fresh fruit and whipped cream.

Ainsley, Te'a, Cruz and Briar in their really hot pajamas from grandparents in Utah.

This is our YSA Sacrament Meeting, on Christmas Day.

The Rec. Center doesn't open on holidays,

 so we met in the Branch Presidents home.

Most of our kids were with their families.

 It was truly a very special meeting. 

Aloha and Happy New Year