Cindy and Dave wanted to go to the beach one more time before they left to go back to the cold in Utah. I'm always willing to spend time at the beach. We just went to Hukilau beach because it is close by.
They also wanted to have some more time at the Polynesian Cultural Center. So, in the afternoon we headed back to the islands to do a few more activities and see a few more shows.
After we watched the show in the Fuji village, we bumped into Megan and her little baby. Megan used to live in our ward back home with the Weidners, her aunt and uncle. Our son, Derek and Megan were friends. We love it when we have surprise visits with someone we know from back home. It made my day because she is the one that recognized us and came and talked to us! I would never have recognized her among the crowd, just because I would not expect to see her here.
Then it was time to head to the airport with a quick stop for a picture at China Man's Hat near Kualoa Ranch and a stop for a quick bite to eat at Costco before their long flight home. Plus, we were able to pick up a few groceries while at Costco to restock our near empty refrigerator. Like all other family visits, it was hard to say goodbye, but we loved having time to spend together.
Tuesday morning it was back to work, but we took some time to attend a goodbye luncheon for Elder and Sister Goates (top picture) and Elder and Sister Bensen (bottom picture). They both are finishing their missions the first week of December and going home. Sister Goates worked as a seamstress making costumes and uniforms. Sister Bensen worked in retail helping in the Hapa Home store in the marketplace. Elder Bensen worked in finance and Elder Goates helped in the retail warehouse.
Also on Tuesday, Elder Rappleye received the Mahalo Award from the Cultural Presentation Division. In the email that went out to the whole PCC it stated: 2024 Mahalo Cultural Presentation Awards - We congratulate the following employees who have been nominated by various departments in the Cultural Presentation Division to be this year's recipients of our annual Mahalo Awards. They were selected for portraying what "One Ohana, Sharing Aloha" is all about by frequently helping our division to achieve our results for this year. On the certificate they gave him it says "Elder Rappleye is a model for RADIATING THE SPIRIT in all he does. He works closely with other departments to determine their needs and how he can meet them. His team also reflects his willingness to serve others." The certificate is signed by one of the Polynesian Cultural Center Vice Presidents, Delsa Moe. They also awarded him with a box of the most delicious fresh glazed scones. When Ron Finau came out to give him the scones and certificate, Elder Rappleye didn't think it was a big deal. Later when the email came out and explained the award more clearly and saw that he was the only missionary to receive the award along with actual employees of the PCC, he realized what an honor it was to be given the award. After the email went out, when other employees would see him around the PCC, they would tell him congratulations.
The Polynesian Cultural Center was open the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, so we were working that day. It was very slow at the Food Warehouse since we don't get deliveries on Wednesdays because we are usually closed. So, it was the perfect opportunity to work on putting Christmas decorations up in the office. Rowan had made a bunch of paper snowflakes to hang on the draped garland. Then she helped us all learn how to make snowflakes for our team building activity one day. The left-hand picture is how my snowflake turned out. It's the best snowflake I've ever made! Everyone's snowflake is on the window by my desk in the lower right-hand picture.
Lili put up this beautiful Christmas tree in our warehouse to bring some holiday cheer into our workplace.
On Wednesday evening, we went with the Timothy's, Goodfellows, and Weitzells to the Polynesian Dance class recital at the BYU ballroom.
This is a BYU class that any of the students can take and it teaches them all the different Polynesian dances. The recital reminded me of a mini cultural night. My pictures aren't great. We didn't have super good seats for picture taking. These pictures are showing the Tongan dances.
If I remember correctly, these pictures are showing the Samoan dances. They had a pretty big group of students performing. I recognized several from our YSA Ward.
These pictures are showing the Hawaiian dancers.
It wouldn't be Polynesian without refreshments. They served Koko Samoa, which is like hot cocoa, and bread. The Polynesian love Koko samoa, but we are not fans of it. We like our version of hot chocolate better. Besides I can't drink hot cocoa in upper 70-degree weather. It just doesn't seem right.
As soon as the Polynesian dance class recital was finished, we all headed over to the BYU McKay auditorium for the music program's, "An Island Revue - Voices of Broadway and Opera".
The music department students sang Broadway and Opera songs with huge colorful backdrops that depicted the songs.
The top picture is from Shek - the Musical, "I Know It's Today". The bottom left picture is "Va, Pensiero" from the opera Nabucco by Giuseppe Verdi. The bottom right picture is from the musical Matilda, "When I Grow Up".
Top picture to the right is from the opera The Pirates of Penzance, "Climbing Over Rocky Mountains". Bottom left picture is from the musical Anastasia, "Crossing a Bridge". The bottom right is from the opera Carmen, "Votre Toast (Toreador Song).
My favorite songs they sang were "So Long, Farewell" from the musical Sound of Music, (top picture), "Masquerade" from the musical Phanton of the Opera (bottom left), and "King of New York" from the musical Newsies. They were probably my favorites because I'm the most familiar with those three musicals.
The whole night was a lot of fun watching so many students sharing their talents.
Thursday was Thanksgiving Day. Last year we had only been in Hawaii for a week and a half before Thanksgiving, and it was a hard day - we were missing our family, we felt out of place not knowing any one very well and still adjusting to our new role as missionaries at the PCC. This year was much better. Although we still missed being with our family, we felt at home with our mission ohana. We arrived late (misunderstood the starting time) and our district leader greeted us and told us they had saved a place for us at the table they were sitting at (top left picture). That made us feel welcomed and loved. It was certainly a feast with plenty of food. The Ah You family hosts the senior missionaries every year for Thanksgiving, providing most of the food. The missionaries each bring a dessert or salad.
After the dinner, our district all went over to the mission settlement in the PCC, and Sister Jackie Lee taught us how to make Hawaiian shirt Christmas ornaments. She provided all the embellishments for us to customize each of our ornaments. It's been a long time since I've done a craft project. Sister Lee is a woman after my own heart - a fellow crafter. The bottom right picture is our finished products - the red shirt is Elder Rappleye's, and the pink shirt is the one I made.
After our district activity, we headed over to the HGB on campus to join our YSA Ward's Thanksgiving dinner/get together. I couldn't eat another bite of food, so we just visited and enjoyed the karaoke singing by the students. We were somewhat forced to take some of the leftovers home with us, so we grabbed a bag of ham and a bag of mashed potatoes. We wanted to make sure all the students who wanted food to take home got some.
Friday was not a day off for us, we both had to go into work. I did not miss the black Friday crazy shopping that day, but I did manage to shop a few black Friday deals online.
On Saturday we went back to do the Pu'u Ma'eli'el hike that is across the Kam highway from the Valley of the Temple cemetery. The first time we hiked it the weather was not good and the view at the top was clouded over. This time the weather was better, although the lower part of the trail was quite muddy. I wouldn't be surprised if that section of the trail never dries out. You can see how muddy it was from the pictures to the left. We really had to go slow and make sure we had good footing so we wouldn't slip and fall. The red clay dirt gets quite slippery when wet.
This time the view at the top was great! In the top right photo, you can see China Man's Hat Island in the background. It's small, but you can see it. The bottom view pictures are Moku-o-loe Island, or Coconut Island in Kaneohe Bay(bottom left). It's a marine research facility of the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, part of the University of Hawaii. The bottom right-hand picture is a view looking down on the town of Kaneohe and the mountains beyond. We were determined to hike this trail again before the rainy season started. The lower part of the trail would be impossible to traverse once the rainy season starts.
We had to get back home early to do a Hale Aloha shift at the PCC. Elder Rappleye was watching the back exit. While he was back there, one of the student servers offered him a pineapple drink. It's the drink the luau visitors are served in hollowed out pineapples. We have tasted it before, and it is delicious. When we were finished with our shift, we headed to the Gateway buffet. As we walked into the Gateway building, we were greeted with this beautiful Christmas tree.
We had two piano students graduate on Sunday. Both performed really well. The top picture is Lainey's graduation photo. Sister Julie Coleman was her teacher (behind her in the green dress). Lainey played a new age version of the hymn she chose. The bottom picture is Cherry's graduation photo. Sister Sandra VanBloem was her teacher (to the right of Cherry, who is making the heart figure with her hands). Cherry played her hymn without making one mistake. Good job, ladies!
After piano lessons were over, it was time to get ready for our monthly Munch and Mingle dinner with all the senior missionaries.
After we enjoyed our meal, the "settlement sister" (top picture) entertained us with a musical number, "Papa's hi nui sulu" with the help of Elder Ron Bates dressed up as Papa. It was a big hit. A sulu is the Polynesian skirt the men wear and Elder Bate's is wearing one in the pictures. 
There was a big group of senior missionaries going home in the month of December - 17! So many of them we consider friends and hope to be able to see again sometime after we come home. Elder Ron and Sister Patty Bates (top left picture), Sister Sandra VanBloem (bottom left picture), Elder Brian and Sister Julie Coleman (bottom right picture), Elder Kent and Sister Arlene Goates (middle right picture). All of them are from Utah, in fact the Goates live in South Jordan fairly close to us. The top right picture shows most of the group that we sang Aloha 'Oe to, except for the Brocks, Wadmans, and the Silvas.
We are now among the most seasoned senior missionaries serving here in our mission.
WOW! Have you been busy and having a great time too. Missions are so wonderful and we make so many new friends. Merry Christmas from all of us. Aloha
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