May 7 - 13 2018

A good week at the temple.  Tuesday we arrive at the temple dressed and ready for prayer meeting by 6:15.  We stay for the 7 o'clock session, mobility impaired session, then come home until 10:15 when we go back and officiate and follow the 11 and 4 pm sessions.  In between we serve in other capacities in the temple.  On other days we sometimes go early and go on the 8 o'clock session and stay until after our 4 o'clock session, around 6 pm.  Saturdays are a treat.  We are assigned to escort weddings, usually two of them.

This last Saturday we helped with a couple from the Hawaii and one from California.  The first couple were students here.  The second story was that as a young woman they had a lesson on temples and were given pictures of different temples.  Laie is the one she got and she has always wanted to be married here.  His grandfather is a sealer in the Bountiful Temple so he and many family and friends came with them to be married here.

China Man's Hat

We had a lovely  mother's day with Church at 8 am.  We received a beautiful rose and a Hershey bar.  Great classes and Sacrament meeting and RS and then a huge picture of the RS.  We drove out to "Just Serve" and pick up food to be dropped off at Pastor Virgil's for him to distribute the food from Kualoa Ranch.

President & Sister Hafoka 

The Faetta Sisters sang some beautiful number

That evening we attended a fireside at the Temple Visitors Center.  President and Sister Hafoka, recently released as 2nd Counselor in Hawaii Honolulu Mission were the speakers with the Fella sisters singing.  It was a real treat.  They have been called as Mission President of the Papua New Guinea Port Moresby Mission in July.  They are wonderful missionaries.  He related several stories of his life and missionary experiences.  His theme was "we will go and we will do whatever my priesthood leaders ask me to do".  He came from a very poor family but was able to get an education.  He joined the Church at 21.  He was in the military and had a good career.  A few years later he was called to be a counselor in the Bishopric.  He told his leader, "I am very busy right now".  He was given good council which has stayed with him all his life.  The Lord knows you and what you are doing.  Putting the Lord first will bless your life in all ways.  He accepted.  A few years later the Ward was divided and he had left the military and was starting his first year in Grad School.  He was called to be Bishop.  Again he said, this is not really a great time.  Again "The Lord knows"  Go and do and you will be blessed, which he was.  He and his wife have always followed the hymn I will do and do whatever my priesthood leaders as of me. 

He is also a great missionary.  Help me be the missionary you want me to be.  None of this matters without the Savior and recognize promptings of the Spirit to invite others.  Have faith and courage--I will go and do. The New Guinea mission has 100 elders, all natives from the island, no sisters and how hallies.  Two stakes and 15 Districts and a population of 8 million. 

Saturday night we attended the Wor

The Deckers are going home to Iowa.  They live in front of us

We all sing Aloha Oe when missionaries leave and this is the ukulele accompaniment 

 

These white birds are everywhere

Dan from temple FM is putting in a new window for us.

The roofers are working on the roof 

Dan moving a window

 Fire/knife Championships.  What fun.  We watched the junior division 6-11 and 12 - 18.  These young boys were amazing.  As an exhibition in between they had a 5 year old perform.  He was amazing.  They have been doing this for 26 years. 

The drummers at the Fire/Knife championships

one of the young competitors 

We went to visit an assisted living facility and ran into Brother    from our Ward who goes every Sunday and sings to them.

 It has been raining all week on and off.  The volcano is still spitting out lava and rock and gases.  It is becoming more dangerous and more homes have been lost and there are now 20 fissures in the earth.  The smoke has been going out to sea so far. 

Our challenge this week.  Have Faith and courage to invite others to come unto Christ. Be a good missionary and do some ministering.