Week 17/18 Four Months

Aloha Friends:

The Honolulu Hawaii mission is amazing.  Nearing 500 beautiful souls being baptized this year will mark a new record for this mission.  We’re so impressed with the level of commitment from the missionaries and the members, working together to bring the gospel to their friends, family and neighbors.  The gathering moves forward and we are happy to play a small role.

Michael and I attended an Interfaith Thanksgiving Service a couple of weeks ago, held at a Buddhist temple called Honpa Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin.  It was so beautiful inside and the 13 religious faiths represented were diverse yet unified in values of love, respect, kindness, gratitude and care for each other.  Our Auwaiolimu ward bishop spoke, representing well our faith tradition with a reading from 2 Nephi 25:26 “And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.”  He spoke of Christ’s atonement and the joy that comes from knowing that Christ knows and loves each one of us.  The evening felt very “millennial” as so many differing faith beliefs gathered together under one roof with so much love and commonality.  We loved it.

This past Thanksgiving was full of gratitude for our opportunity to be on a mission, to get to know so many great missionaries and other senior couples with whom we serve.  The office couples (5 couples) gathered for a lovely Thanksgiving feast at their apartment.  We all spoke of our families who are well cared for and gave thanks for each other and the blessings of the gospel.  Christmas will be much the same.  We have fewer distractions as missionaries, so in a way we’re enjoying the simplicity of the season with a larger focus on the Savior.  It’s not to say we don’t miss all of you and our family, or decorating big Christmas trees, wrapping gifts, making caramels by the dozens, mailing out Christmas cards (although if you’d like to send us a Christmas card–address below, we’d receive it with gladness), but we’re viewing the season with different eyes.  It is a lovely time of the year and Hawaiians celebrate with even more Aloha, if that’s possible.  The Light the World charitable displays are available here in Honolulu.  We will help out at the booth on Dec 31st.

Our dear friends and fellow missionaries, Bryon and Debbie Clawson are headed home on Tuesday after serving faithfully for over 22 months.  They volunteered to help out with vehicles when the mission needed some help so trained us when we first arrived.  They are wonderful people, so willing to do whatever is needed in the mission.  They will be missed.

We’ve now been here four months and continue to enjoy attending the temple, going to district councils, zone conferences, baptisms, teaching with the junior missionaries along with our vehicle coordinator responsibilities.  We work out and/or play tennis almost every day of the week.  We feel like we’re in a good groove right now, even though every day still brings new challenges with the cars that require our daily attention.  We’re happy to help with whatever is needed.  Our weekly preparation day (P-day) is our chance to explore the island on a hike or view point or just relax by a beach and take a nap (it’s pretty dreamy).  We feel like our blog posts have become a bit repetitive (unless you want to hear more car stories) so we’ve decided to create a monthly post but look for additional postings if there is something special we want to share with you.

We love you all and appreciate all your kindness and love.  We think of you often and pray for your continued good health and well being.  Merry Christmas from our Ohana to your Ohana.

 

Address:  1212 Punahou St., Apt 2004, Honolulu HI 96826