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.
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