Back To Work: July 15 - 21, 2024

       Since July 1st, we have been on the summer schedule for the Polynesian Cultural Center.  Which means we don't have Wednesday's off until the middle of August.  So for 7 weeks we will only have Saturdays to do all of our chores and play, which means we might not have much time for play or exploring the island.  Last week we took a break and did lot of fun activities and exploring with family. But now for the next 5 weeks we will be working 5 days a week.

    In the Food Warehouse we have had a lot of workers leave, and have 4 open positions, and 2 new employees.

    This is cute Rachel.  She is from the Philippines, and a very small petite girl.  They have to lift some pretty heavy boxes and 50 pound bags of food items.  I'm not sure how she does it.  Hopefully they are team lifting the heavy items.

    She always has a beautiful smile on her face.  She has been working at the warehouse for about a month when I got this picture with her.

      Ralph is the other new employee.  He is from the Philippines also and started working about the same time as Rachel.  Both Rachel and Ralph seem to get along well together, so I asked them if they knew each other before starting to work at the warehouse.  They said they did not.  Sister Sauve and I think Ralph and Rachel make a cute couple, so we are hoping for wedding bells for those two.  We are both going to be trying our best to be matchmakers with Rachel and Ralph.

     On our way home from our Ask Me Shift, we saw a limo parked in the PCC parking lot.  I had to stop and get a picture because the last time I saw a limo in the parking lot I didn't get a picture.  Now I have proof that rich and possibly famous people visit the Polynesian Cultural Center.  Maybe someday we will actually get to see who these rich people are.

Elder Rappleye found his second chicken's egg in with the batteries of a cart this week as he was servicing the cart.  Not sure why the chicken's like to lay their eggs on the batteries (might be because it's a warm place) and we're not sure how they can fit into the engine to even lay those eggs.

We had our monthly senior devotional on Tuesday night.  The picture on the left is the group of missionaries singing the song, "His Eye is on the Sparrow" from the Hymns for home and church.  That is the first time we had heard this new hymn.  I was asked to sing in this group, but since the practices were going to be the week Scott and his girls were here, I declined.  I wanted to spend my time with them as much as I could.  From left to right in the picture:  Sister MiLinda Hudnall, Sister Jackie Lee, Sister Julie Coleman, Sister Tamie Taylor, Sister Suzanne Ratelle, Sister Cynthia Jacobson, Sister Sandra Van Bloom, Sister Jenise Zundel, Elder Brian Coleman, Elder Larry Fisher, Elder David Wayt, Elder Robert Thompson, and Elder Kent Goates.

Sister Delsa Moe, vice president of Cultural Presentations at the Polynesian Cultural Center was our speaker. She told us how the PCC came to host some of the events of FESTPAC that was held in Hawaii in June (see my blog post June 10 - 16) and told us stories of how the spirit/environment of the PCC touched the lives of those who came to perform. One man who is a member of the church, but has not been attending for years was touched to go back to church with his family because he wants his daughter to grow up and attend BYU-H and work at the PCC.  Another man who has been studying to be a minister of another faith but having some doubts about continuing came and after participating at the PCC and engaging with the employees decided to go back home and hear the missionary lessons and has just gotten baptized.  When the member of the royal family from Tonga came to the PCC she had only planned on staying for the Tongan performance and then going back to Honolulu.  After the performance she changed her mind and stayed to tour the PCC and enjoy the luau.  She ended up staying all day and left with a very good impression of the Polynesian Cultural Center.  

It was good to hear these examples of the influence of the PCC in people's lives.  As we work here behind the scenes doing menial everyday tasks, it's hard to feel like what we are doing is making much of a difference.  Our efforts seem so small and unnoticed, but "by small and simple things are great things brought to pass" (Alma 37:6).  As everyone does their part in making the PCC the best it can be and sharing the light of the gospel in what they do, the hand of the Lord works His miracles in the lives of those ready to receive His spirit and let it swelleth and sprouteth and begin to grow (Alma 32) in their hearts and lives.  Not only is the Polynesian Cultural Center a great place for tourist to visit to learn about the islands and culture of Polynesia, it is a place that spreads the spirit of Christ throughout the world.  Because what we have learned is that the spirit of Christ is the spirit of Aloha.

Just as a side note, Delsa comes to the pool to exercise in the mornings at the same time I am there doing my water aerobics workout.

On Wednesday afternoon, I went to my final dentist appointment to finish the dental work of my root canal! It's so good to finally finish that process 102 days from the time my tooth started hurting.  Glad to have that experience in my rear-view mirror.

      On Thursday night we had a Luau assignment at Hale Aloha.  It was my turn to help at the entrance and Elder Rappleye was at the exit.  The woman in the picture to the left came up to me and asked me where I was from.  I told her South Jordan, UT.  She then asked me if I was Angela Jorgensen's ( our oldest daughter) mom.  That surprised me because I didn't know who she was at all.  Then she told me she was Sara Armstrong's (one of Angela's good friends) mom.  I have meet Sara before, but not her mom.  Her whole family seemed to know Angela, so I had to get a picture of the gang to send back to Angela saying, "Look who found me!"  We just happened to be substituting for another couple that night and normally wouldn't have been there.  It's amazing how many times that has happened to us.

      All week after work I was doing laundry to catch up because I haven't done any the whole week Scott's family was here.  Then Saturday it was cleaning day and grocery shopping day.  It had been two weeks since we had done a grocery shopping trip, so the cupboards and refrigerator were quite empty.  

    On the way home from Honolulu, we tried to order a Little Caesar's pizza online for pick up in Kaneohe with our half price online coupon deal, but their website was not working.  It just kept showing "Oops, didn't work. Try again."  When we finally got to the store in Kaneohe, we still had not been able to order our pizza.  I go inside and told them my problem and asked if I could still get the pizza half off even though I couldn't order it online.  The area assistant manager just happened to be there, and he offered us the pizza for free.  I told him I was willing to pay for it, but he insisted it was on the house.  So, I gratefully accepted it, and we headed home to Hau'ula 40 minutes away.  The pizza smelled so good that we couldn't wait until we got home to eat it.  We both ate a piece of pizza on the way home while it was "hot and ready".  Here's a picture of Elder Rappleye eating his pizza and driving home.

      Sunday for the piano lesson class, they had two new students who needed to do the conducting course before they start the keyboarding course.  The week before Sister Coleman had taught them their first lesson, but she was not there this week, so they asked me to teach it since I had taught the class with Sister Bodily during winter term.  Sister Bodily has gone home, so Iza, a student who has graduated and was in our YSA ward Fall/Winter term is helping me teach.  Thanush is one of the students.  He is from India.  Mariella is the other student and she is from the Philippines.  With only two students we should be able to get through the conducting course a little quicker than last time when we had 6 students.  I'll have to get a picture to post next week.