Tender Mercies: January 6 - 12, 2025

 

     Monday marked our 4 months until we are released day.  Since we have ukulele class on Monday evenings, we took our "4" picture there.

      We had our first FHE of the new semester on Monday night after ukulele class.  We played a game they called squid FHE edition.  It's hard to explain, but the link below is a video Kimmy made showing everyone playing the game.  It even shows the refreshments we had after the activity.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DEhDsxtxpiQ/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

      We were paired up with a partner.  My partner, Airyn, and me in the left-hand photo, and Elder Rappleye and his partner in the red shirt.  Elder Rappleye didn't find out his partner's name.😒😏😞😦😲

  

 I posted the left-hand picture back in October.  I took a current picture of the same flower bed on Tuesday (right-hand picture), so you can see the progress of the plants.  It's looking pretty good.  I'll have to post another update right before we go home.

      All week was hard with our thoughts and prayers on Derek and Sharron, but trusting that God would provide peace, healing, strength, and comfort to carry them through the days, weeks, and possibly months of mourning.  We sent them this arrangement of flowers pictured right as a way to express our support and love for them.

      Friday morning my son's family had a little memorial for Elysium, their baby that passed.  It was held at Pony Express Memorial Cemetery in Eagle Mountain.  A few of his siblings attended along with Sharron's family members who were in town.

      We were able to get away from our assignments for an hour to view it on zoom (so, so thankful for modern technology!).  We locked ourselves in Elder Rappleye's motor pool office (top left picture).  Derek dedicated the grave with his two brothers, Devin and Neal, and his father-in-law, James Adams standing next to the grave with him (bottom right picture).  There were tears shed as we watched and listened to the short, sweet service. Then reluctantly we went back to work.

I had only been back to work after the memorial for a little while when I needed to go meet my nephew, Gab Terry, and his beautiful family.  They were on the island staying in Laie and had asked us to get them some discount tickets to the Polynesian Cultural Center.  I was able to meet them out in the Hukilau Marketplace, visit for just a few minutes and get them their tickets.  It's a definite perk serving here at the PCC - you get to see lots of friends and family!

   Friday night we were able to go to the temple for an endowment session with the Timothy's and the Lee's from our district.  The Timothy's were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary and invited our district to join them in celebrating at the temple.  It was especially good to be in the temple after the memorial service earlier in the day.  It helped us focus on the promises made by God when we keep our covenants and to "think celestial".

   

  Saturday morning, we headed down to Ho'omaluhia Botanical Gardens in Kaneohe.  We went there last March when my dad and Javann were here visiting, but we didn't see that much of the gardens.  It covers 400 acres and is surrounded by the Koolau mountains.  We did a short hike from the overlook of the lake down to the lake and partially around the lake and back up to our car.

 

    The Koolau Mountain Range is so green, lush and very stunning.  The gardens are in the middle of Kaneohe, but when you are in the gardens it feels like you are miles away from civilization.

      After visiting the gardens, we headed to town for a Costco gas run and groceries.  While we were at Costco, one of the students in our YSA Ward saw us and came over to us to say hello.  She was not one of the students we would have recognized, but she recognized us.  I was grateful that she was comfortable enough to come say hello.  So many of the students are shy and don't put themselves out there in social settings.  It warmed our heavy hearts.

      We drive by this mural that is on a building at Farrington High School on King Street in Honolulu a lot.  I finally was able to get a fairly good photo of it.

    We made it home in time to spend a little time at Hukilau Beach.  On Saturdays the beaches are always busy but not crowded.  We watched several people board sailing.  See if you can spot all 4 board sailors in the picture on the left.

        We were invited to go out to dinner on Saturday night with the Zollingers, a missionary couple from our stake back home.  We just went to the Hukilau marketplace where there are lots of choices from all the different food trucks.  We saw one of the new missionary couples at the marketplace while we were trying to decide where to eat, Elder David and Sister Nancy Haupt. We invited them to join us as well. Elder Haupt is the new electrician for the PCC and Sister Haupt is serving in the sewing room as a seamstress.  After we ate, we got our picture taken at the Shaka statue just like the tourists do - Elder Haupt, Sister Haupt, Elder Zollinger, Sister Zollinger, and us.

     We ended the week with Sister Mansaloon and Sister Pabalate over for Sunday dinner.  With another transfer coming up next week for them, it was time to have them over for dinner again before one of them might be transferred to a different area.

     We are so grateful for the small tender mercies that we received this week as we continue to serve here in paradise.  We know that God is aware of us and will succor, lift, and bless us as needed.