Well, we are entering our third month here on our mission in Hawaii. It is still ridiculously humid due to the storms and hurricanes out in the ocean. For some reason the trade winds are not blowing as usual. We have had a few hurricane warnings but by the time they got to the islands they have fizzled out. We are currently on watch for hurricane Ignacio which is supposed to hit here early this week. It has been a category 4 until today but has been downgraded to a cat 3 but the latest update tonight is that it will miss the island. That is great news for us. Now if we can just get the winds to blow a bit.
Now on to the events of the week. We always have a meeting on Tuesdays with the other temple missionaries and the mentors (two local couples who were called to do the same thing as the missionaries) and the temple president and the matron. We received our new schedules for the month of September and I was a little disappointed that we are going to be on the same schedule as August. That is Wednesday mornings, Thursday afternoon-evening and all day on Saturday. I love the people we work with on those shifts but the irregularity of the hours is a little hard on me. I tend to not sleep as well and loose sleep because of such early mornings. Oh well, I suppose if that is the worst of my problems on this mission then I am doing great. I just have to have a few days to adjust my thinking.
As I said last week, I am getting more and more comfortable with my role as a trainer for ordinance workers and I really like working with the new sisters, especially the students that come to work in the temple. Now that most of our re-certifying is done for most shifts, I have been able to visit with sisters a little bit and it is fascinating to learn of their lives. I have had a couple of compliments this week that have touched my heart. One of the coordinators told me this week that she just loved me. She loved the way I trained and how calm and patient I am with them. I also got somewhat the same message from another ordinance worker who told President Pierce and his wife how much they loved what I was doing and how I was training. That really means a great deal to me because I felt so intimidated when I first got here. Most of these sisters have had a great deal more experience in temple work than I have. I know my Heavenly Father helps me every time I step inside the temple to be able to do His work as He would if her were here in the flesh.
This week President Uchtdorf of the First Presidency was in Laie to dedicate an addition to the PCC called the Hukilau Market Place. He was scheduled to come to the temple Saturday at 2:30 so we waited around after our shift to hopefully meet him. He did come for a very brief visit and we were privileged to shake his hand and introduce ourselves. He had had a very long day in our extreme heat and humidity so I'm sure he just wanted to get to a cool place and relax for a while.
As I said last week, some of the most tender and important things I am learning while on this mission have nothing to do with the temple. Tonight we went to a missionary musical fireside put on by the sister missionaries serving in the Visitors center here. They are so talented and have such sweet testimonies. I was SO impressed. I am in awe how many of these girls are from countries across the world. I mentioned in another post about some of the sisters serving in the temple being from other countries. Tonight we heard testimonies from Hong Kong, Mainland China, Cambodia, Japan, Philippines, USA, Mexico, and some from other islands in the pacific. How the church is growing in all parts of the world. I am just amazed at the strength and testimonies they have coming from places that I assumed the gospel was just getting a good start. These young sisters are much better equipped and have much stronger testimonies than I ever did at that age, and maybe even at my age. At any rate, they can express themselves better than I could have. I learn so much from others. Tonights message from them was about Jesus Christ and how he knows us, loves us and died for us. But how he lives in each one of us today if we will just invite him. Their closing song was I Know That My Redeemer Lives.
And so I would like to close this post by telling you (whoever reads this blog) that I know my Redeemer Lives today and has brought His gospel to the earth through the Prophet Joseph Smith. I love my savior Jesus Christ and hope I can honor Him by serving Him all the days of my life.
PS,
I received some very sad news today that my good Friend Leah Fisher's son, Bart Cragun passed away. He has been battling a horrible form of cancer for about three + years now but it finally took him. I feel so bad for his mother and siblings and especially for his sweet wife and two little boys.
Sunday, August 30, 2015
Monday, August 24, 2015
We Are Never Too Old to Gain Knowledge...
This week's update is brought to you by more seasonably high temperatures and not much wind to cool things off. It has been so warm and muggy here that when we walk from an air conditioned building to the outside, our glasses fog right up. I have never been in conditions like this. We just start laughing as we leave the temple because we cannot see until we remove glasses. Even the locals say this is not normal. I am not sure if we brought this strange phenomenon with us or not. I have been known to go on vacation and have the weather different than we expected. i.e. rain and cold in Alaska in July, rain on camping trips etc. the island of Oahu has been threatened with at least three hurricanes in the last week and a half but so far none have really materialized. There have been some heavy rains and winds on other islands but we have been spared. There is a hurricane brewing in the ocean with some tendency still to hit the island. We'll know more tomorrow. We have prepared ourselves with lots of water, sandwich makings incase of power failure, a lantern and flashlights. Not really sure what else we can do. We don't have much room for any kind of food storage but I figured we can live on sandwiches and granola bars for a few days if we had too. Locals have told us that the power can be out up to three weeks depending on strength of the storms.
On a lighter note--we have had a pretty productive week. In our temple work (since that is what we were called to do here) we are finally getting comfortable in knowing what we are supposed to be doing. I have been training new ordinance workers on nearly every shift. On Thursday night I had four BYUH students who are training to be ordinance workers. I really enjoy working with them. I guess it is reminiscent of my "teaching" days. They are bright and have a real desire to serve so they learn fast. Most of them have served missions and it is fun to see where they are from and where they served. Presently I am training a young sisters from China, Korea, Australia, Oklahoma, and Utah. I also have a few older sisters who are locals and one delightful sister from Idaho. She actually has some commonalities to my past. She lives in Blackfoot, ID and knows my cousins and my uncle (deceased) who live(d) there. She lost her husband about a year and a half ago and had a son on a mission. She just sent her last son on a mission and has put herself on this "mission" to do some healing. She works at the PCC and at the temple. What strength she has. She always has a smile and it is quite infectious. She will only be here a couple months but will probably return.
I learn so much by serving with the sweet sisters in the temple. I have learned that everyone of these people have had trials in their lives. Some heavier than others but the thing that I take from their attitude is that they love the gospel of Jesus Christ and know that trials are for our own growth and development in the big scheme of life. They love their Savior Jesus Christ and especially love serving in His Holy House. My testimony has been strengthened so my by working with them. Part of my job is to re-certify the workers who have been there for a while so as I work with them I find out a little of their personal lives. Each worker in the temple has been so welcoming to us as temple missionaries and tell us how much we are needed here.
All things I learn do not come from service in the temple. Today in Relief Society the lesson came from a conference talk by Bonnie Oscarson on the Family Proclamation. The instructor talked of how much the family means to the locals. Here the children refer to all adult women as "auntie", which links everyone as one big family. Even when people aren't genetically linked they call one another cousin or uncle. Especially in the church community. I have been very impressed with the the love that these people have for their neighbors, friends, community and any people that come into the community.
This week I have had a chance to use my sewing skills and help Debbie make valences for their windows. I actually found the fabric that they ended up buying and then making them. Keith built window boxes and I made the valences to wrap onto them. I enjoyed being of service to them and am glad I had the skills to do it. Debbie doesn't sew much so they were very appreciative of my help. While I was doing that Larry refinished our kitchen table. It had never actually been finished so he stained and varnished it. It looks so nice. Tomorrow we are going to work on painting the frame around our kitchen window. We have already made this apartment better than when we got her so we will just keep going. We need to have some projects to do on our time off.
I guess that is enough of our week for now. Can't wait to see what things I learn this week as we serve our Heavenly Father on this mission.
On a lighter note--we have had a pretty productive week. In our temple work (since that is what we were called to do here) we are finally getting comfortable in knowing what we are supposed to be doing. I have been training new ordinance workers on nearly every shift. On Thursday night I had four BYUH students who are training to be ordinance workers. I really enjoy working with them. I guess it is reminiscent of my "teaching" days. They are bright and have a real desire to serve so they learn fast. Most of them have served missions and it is fun to see where they are from and where they served. Presently I am training a young sisters from China, Korea, Australia, Oklahoma, and Utah. I also have a few older sisters who are locals and one delightful sister from Idaho. She actually has some commonalities to my past. She lives in Blackfoot, ID and knows my cousins and my uncle (deceased) who live(d) there. She lost her husband about a year and a half ago and had a son on a mission. She just sent her last son on a mission and has put herself on this "mission" to do some healing. She works at the PCC and at the temple. What strength she has. She always has a smile and it is quite infectious. She will only be here a couple months but will probably return.
I learn so much by serving with the sweet sisters in the temple. I have learned that everyone of these people have had trials in their lives. Some heavier than others but the thing that I take from their attitude is that they love the gospel of Jesus Christ and know that trials are for our own growth and development in the big scheme of life. They love their Savior Jesus Christ and especially love serving in His Holy House. My testimony has been strengthened so my by working with them. Part of my job is to re-certify the workers who have been there for a while so as I work with them I find out a little of their personal lives. Each worker in the temple has been so welcoming to us as temple missionaries and tell us how much we are needed here.
All things I learn do not come from service in the temple. Today in Relief Society the lesson came from a conference talk by Bonnie Oscarson on the Family Proclamation. The instructor talked of how much the family means to the locals. Here the children refer to all adult women as "auntie", which links everyone as one big family. Even when people aren't genetically linked they call one another cousin or uncle. Especially in the church community. I have been very impressed with the the love that these people have for their neighbors, friends, community and any people that come into the community.
This week I have had a chance to use my sewing skills and help Debbie make valences for their windows. I actually found the fabric that they ended up buying and then making them. Keith built window boxes and I made the valences to wrap onto them. I enjoyed being of service to them and am glad I had the skills to do it. Debbie doesn't sew much so they were very appreciative of my help. While I was doing that Larry refinished our kitchen table. It had never actually been finished so he stained and varnished it. It looks so nice. Tomorrow we are going to work on painting the frame around our kitchen window. We have already made this apartment better than when we got her so we will just keep going. We need to have some projects to do on our time off.
I guess that is enough of our week for now. Can't wait to see what things I learn this week as we serve our Heavenly Father on this mission.
Monday, August 17, 2015
Week Eight...
Another week has passed. We have now been out on our mission two full months. In some ways it seems like forever since I have been at home in Ogden and sometimes it seems like we just left. First a report on the weather. It is still pretty warm and muggy outside. We spend most of our time inside so it hasn't been to bad but on our days off it would be nice to go on a hike or be out in the beauties of this state but when you are in it you sweat pretty bad so we stay in. We try and walk in the mornings or evenings and even at that my scalp just drips-and I usually don't sweat much. Last week we spent Monday with Keith and Debbie helping them look for fabric for valences. I will be helping make them tomorrow. I am always a little uncomfortable doing things like that for people incase they don't turn out like they want them. Hopefully it will work out ok.
Tuesday afternoon we have meetings in the temple and then we worked Wednesday morning, Thursday afternoon and Saturday morning and afternoon. It was a pretty good week in the temple. I have been training a few of the college students who work in the temple as ordinance workers. I really enjoy the interaction with them and teaching them how to perform the ordinances to the expectations of our Father in Heaven. It is interesting because some of the students are from other countries. They have been on missions for the church and are now attending BYUH. I am training a young girl from Korea who served her mission in Korea. She had a brother on a mission at the same time also serving in Korea. Her two brothers attend school at BYU in Provo and she is here. I am also working with a young girl from Mainland China who served her mission in Australia. Sometimes there is a bit of a language barrier in teaching them the ordinances. They do not understand all the English words so I have to explain them. Interesting that my patriarchal blessing tells me that I will be instrumental in teaching people from other lands and even though I am not teaching them the gospel per se, I am teaching them while here in Hawaii.
As I was talking to a mother of a young man who received his endowment this week, she mentioned that he would be fourth of her children to be on a mission at the same time! I was in awe at that. I have met some wonderful, spiritual, devoted sisters dedicated to the work of our Heavenly Father in His holy house. One sweet sister (Kindra Bingham) has come from Idaho sort of on a "healing" retreat. She has taken it upon herself to work in the temple as often and she can, but as an ordinance worker and as a patron. She lost her husband last year and just sent her last son on a mission. She just needed to come here to serve and heal. She has been such a blessing to some of the coordinators. She also serves in the PCC when not in the temple. What an example of Christ centered service she is to me.
I talked to one young sister who is studying to be a high school English teacher and her mom is a home economics teacher. She was so excited when I told her that I had been an English teacher.
Our neighbors and fellow temple missionaries, Judie and John Fry, invited us over for root beer floats tonight so I took cookies and we had a fun night of just talking. We seem to get along very well and they are happy we are here serving in the temple with them.
Tuesday afternoon we have meetings in the temple and then we worked Wednesday morning, Thursday afternoon and Saturday morning and afternoon. It was a pretty good week in the temple. I have been training a few of the college students who work in the temple as ordinance workers. I really enjoy the interaction with them and teaching them how to perform the ordinances to the expectations of our Father in Heaven. It is interesting because some of the students are from other countries. They have been on missions for the church and are now attending BYUH. I am training a young girl from Korea who served her mission in Korea. She had a brother on a mission at the same time also serving in Korea. Her two brothers attend school at BYU in Provo and she is here. I am also working with a young girl from Mainland China who served her mission in Australia. Sometimes there is a bit of a language barrier in teaching them the ordinances. They do not understand all the English words so I have to explain them. Interesting that my patriarchal blessing tells me that I will be instrumental in teaching people from other lands and even though I am not teaching them the gospel per se, I am teaching them while here in Hawaii.
As I was talking to a mother of a young man who received his endowment this week, she mentioned that he would be fourth of her children to be on a mission at the same time! I was in awe at that. I have met some wonderful, spiritual, devoted sisters dedicated to the work of our Heavenly Father in His holy house. One sweet sister (Kindra Bingham) has come from Idaho sort of on a "healing" retreat. She has taken it upon herself to work in the temple as often and she can, but as an ordinance worker and as a patron. She lost her husband last year and just sent her last son on a mission. She just needed to come here to serve and heal. She has been such a blessing to some of the coordinators. She also serves in the PCC when not in the temple. What an example of Christ centered service she is to me.
I talked to one young sister who is studying to be a high school English teacher and her mom is a home economics teacher. She was so excited when I told her that I had been an English teacher.
Our neighbors and fellow temple missionaries, Judie and John Fry, invited us over for root beer floats tonight so I took cookies and we had a fun night of just talking. We seem to get along very well and they are happy we are here serving in the temple with them.
Sunday, August 9, 2015
More News From our Laie Temple MIssion--August 9, 2015
Well, it is Sunday and time to post another blog. I am hoping I can stay diligent in writing each week so the blogs will become a journal to us as well as informational to those who may read it. We have been here nearly two months now which means we only have ten months left. Time is passing so fast.
This week we started what is called the "swing shift" rotation in the temple. That means we work Wednesday mornings until 1 pm, Thursday afternoon until 8 pm and Saturday from 4:45 until 2 pm. That shift makes for a very long day. This past Saturday we were busy the whole time we were there. We did some training of new ordinance workers for the first hour then were busy with escorting couples there for their sealing's, both newly weds and those who had been married prior coming to the temple. It was special for me because I had never been that involved before. The time went very fast but we were exhausted when we got home. On that shift we get up at 3:45 a.m.
On our days off we made a couple trips to cities on the island where we could shop a little; Costco, Lowes, an outlet mall as well as doing a little sight seeing. There is a nice place for ocean watching called Laie Point. We have been there a couple times this week because the waves have been a good deal stronger than most days. This was due to the hurricane/tropical storm that we were supposed to get this week. The storm actually went north which is good for us. We got a little rain and some winds and but the ocean waves were pretty strong. Fun to watch.
Some of the things that I have learned since coming to Hawaii
1. If you want to go anywhere, plan on it taking most of the day. Anything you need is probably on the other side of the island. We have a grocery store and a drug store and several places to eat fast food.
2. The cost of gas is about the same as it is in Utah-maybe a penny or two less. This really surprised me since I know Hawaii used to be about $1 per gallon.
3. Costco prices are about the same here as on the mainland and the coupons each month are the same.
4. The food we buy in the grocery store is quite a bit more. For instance, we pay $4.99 for a gallon of milk and that is the sale price. Lettuce is at least $1.99/lb. Bananas are over $1.99/lb. Walmart sells them for .37 ea. but Costco is $1.99/3 lbs.-just like in Utah.
We try and buy most things at Costco but really don't have room in our apartment for large quantities of anything.
5. I also miss my large freezer and my fruit room. If we have a couple ice cube trays and a carton of ice cream and some hamburger and chicken in there-it is full.
I am grateful for the opportunity we have of serving in the Holy House of the Lord almost every day. Each day that we are there we learn something new, and isn't that what our Heavenly Father expects all of us to do in our daily lives? We were put on this earth to be life long leaners, both secular and spiritual. After all is said and done, at the end of our life we can only take our knowledge with us. I hope and pray that I will take that opportunity each and every day to learn those things my Father in Heaven wants me to learn.
This week we started what is called the "swing shift" rotation in the temple. That means we work Wednesday mornings until 1 pm, Thursday afternoon until 8 pm and Saturday from 4:45 until 2 pm. That shift makes for a very long day. This past Saturday we were busy the whole time we were there. We did some training of new ordinance workers for the first hour then were busy with escorting couples there for their sealing's, both newly weds and those who had been married prior coming to the temple. It was special for me because I had never been that involved before. The time went very fast but we were exhausted when we got home. On that shift we get up at 3:45 a.m.
On our days off we made a couple trips to cities on the island where we could shop a little; Costco, Lowes, an outlet mall as well as doing a little sight seeing. There is a nice place for ocean watching called Laie Point. We have been there a couple times this week because the waves have been a good deal stronger than most days. This was due to the hurricane/tropical storm that we were supposed to get this week. The storm actually went north which is good for us. We got a little rain and some winds and but the ocean waves were pretty strong. Fun to watch.
Some of the things that I have learned since coming to Hawaii
1. If you want to go anywhere, plan on it taking most of the day. Anything you need is probably on the other side of the island. We have a grocery store and a drug store and several places to eat fast food.
2. The cost of gas is about the same as it is in Utah-maybe a penny or two less. This really surprised me since I know Hawaii used to be about $1 per gallon.
3. Costco prices are about the same here as on the mainland and the coupons each month are the same.
4. The food we buy in the grocery store is quite a bit more. For instance, we pay $4.99 for a gallon of milk and that is the sale price. Lettuce is at least $1.99/lb. Bananas are over $1.99/lb. Walmart sells them for .37 ea. but Costco is $1.99/3 lbs.-just like in Utah.
We try and buy most things at Costco but really don't have room in our apartment for large quantities of anything.
5. I also miss my large freezer and my fruit room. If we have a couple ice cube trays and a carton of ice cream and some hamburger and chicken in there-it is full.
I am grateful for the opportunity we have of serving in the Holy House of the Lord almost every day. Each day that we are there we learn something new, and isn't that what our Heavenly Father expects all of us to do in our daily lives? We were put on this earth to be life long leaners, both secular and spiritual. After all is said and done, at the end of our life we can only take our knowledge with us. I hope and pray that I will take that opportunity each and every day to learn those things my Father in Heaven wants me to learn.
Tuesday, August 4, 2015
Six Weeks And Holding...
The work in the temple has been going much better. At first I felt so intimidated because I was not really sure what my duties were. I have become more familiar with the procedures and policies of this temple and I am a little more sure of myself when it comes to the sacred ordinances that I help to perform when called upon to do so.
This week we will work under President and Sister Bell of the temple presidency. They are the only ones that we have not had a chance to work with so that should be good. We also change our schedule to Wednesday morning, Thursday afternoon and Saturday morning/afternoon. Beginning at 4:45 in the morning. Not so sure I will love that shift since it is an hour earlier than other days and we stay until at least 1:00 in the afternoon. They say that is the busiest day of the week with more weddings so the time should pass quickly.
I would like to write about the FHE meeting that we were privileged to attend this week. We actually attend them each Monday night for the senior missionaries serving at the PCC, BYUH and the temple. So far they have been good and informational. Tonight's was exceptional. The senior missionary couple over the Visitors Center and the sweet sister missionaries were the speakers and music for this meeting. I was so impressed with the talent and spirit that these sisters have. Brother and Sister Priday started the meeting with a short video about the beginning of the saints and the building of the temple here in Laie. We were then blessed with testimonies from a few of the sister missionaries. They come from many different countries (Cambodia, Hong Kong, Mainland China, United States) and varying circumstances. What testimonies these sweet girls have and were so appreciative of the help that the senior missionaries offer through example and testimony. Each of them helped increase my testimony of my Savior and His gospel on the earth in this dispensation. I was impressed with one sister from Bountiful, Utah who played a beautiful piano piece (I think it is called Jesus the Christ). Before playing it she bore her testimony and asked us to think of our own conversion story as she played.
These were my thoughts:
I have been a member of the church all of my life, had wonderful teachers along the way, faithful parents who were involved in their church callings. After I was married, I too had numerous church callings from primary worker, pianist, young women leader, Sunday School teacher, relief society presidency and teacher. Each of these have added to my testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel and a love for my savior Jesus Christ and my Heavenly Father. All of the trials I have experienced in my life have also added to and helped shape my belief system. To anyone who happens to read this blog, I want you to know how much I love my Savior, Jesus Christ and how grateful I am for His sacrifice for me. I know that He knows each of us and the trials and triumphs we have in our lives. I am so grateful for, and have a testimony of Joseph Smith and his spiritual preparedness, dedication, commitment and love of Christ as he brought this gospel to the earth again, under the direction of God, His son Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost. As hard as it was to leave my children and grandchildren behind, I am grateful to be serving this mission on the beautiful hallowed grounds of Gods holy temple at this time in my life.
I am grateful for the knowledge of eternal families and pray that each member of my family will live according to the principles of the gospel so that we can all be together after this mortal life with other members of our family and many wonderful friends.
Now, on to another week in the temple. Have a great week!
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