Christmas in Hawaii

 Our second Christmas on our mission, while not surrounded by immediate family members, was surrounded by our mission family.  We spent hours setting up the Visitors' Center with 17 Christmas trees, each decorated by our missionaries or by one of the stakes on Oahu.  Here's a couple:

Decorations for our home were not quite so exotic, as you can see from these pictures.

 

On Christmas Eve all our missionaries, including the four Elders in the Zone, met at the Eubank's for a white-elephant gift exchange game and refreshments and then we went back to the VC to watch two movies, "The Stone Cutter" and "John Tanner."

Christmas morning the four senior couples made breakfast for everyone...french toast, OJ, fruit, bacon...here's a picture of the four senior elders cooking the french toast.

Kody's 23rd Birthday

Kody Cook, and his friend Oyuka, came for his birthday dinner tonight.  Oyuka is from Mongolia.  This will be his last visit before he leaves for home Thursday.  He has been here attending BYUH since the middle of April and we have enjoyed having him close by.  He takes his last final at BYUH in the morning and we'll pick him up around 4:30 pm for a ride to the airport.

Former SLC Missionary now neighbor

Today we had a delightful experience visiting with a former Utah Salt Lake City missionary who lives just down the street from our apartment.  B. Kai-O Chang began his mission with us on June 17, 1992, just 13 days before we were released and returned to Escondido, CA.  He had a rough start on his mission after we left.

Kai-O walked into the VC a while back and recognized me while I was talking to some guests in our "Temple" corner.  Pretty amazing that he would remember me 18 years later.  He didn't say anything then, or since, even though he's seen us several times from a distance.  Until today.  He said he was "blown away" seeing us "there you were, both still faithfully serving in the Church."  He said, "I thought to myself, if they can continue to be faithful and serve, so can I."  He was pretty emotional today and all three of us had a joyful reunion.  He has a wonderful wife and three lovely daughters and now works for BYUH.

30 foot Tree falls with a bang!

Thursday night just a bed-time we heard a loud crash..I mean LOUD.  We were in the middle of the largest storm we'd experienced since being here with over 5 inches of rain falling in 24 hours.  The night was filled with thunder and lightening.  The next morning we could see the cause.  This large plumeria tree was blown over by the storm.  (That's our apartment behind Donna.)  We could see that the base of the tree was hollow and diseased so when the leaves were heavy with rain water it could not withstand the force of the wind...over it went.

It's Official: We finish our Mission February 22, 2011

Elder Eubank stopped by today and informed us our replacements have been called and will be here February 24th.  Our last day will be Tuesday, the 22nd, returning us home the morning of Wednesday, February 23, 2011, and will speak in Sacrament meeting on the 27th.

New Missionary returns to source of her Testimony

Last week five new sisters began their missionary service at the Visitors' Center: Sister Pinder, Woodland Hills, Utah (same ward as Guy & Erma Baker and Norma Tew); Sister Fortun, Philippines; and three from Japan: Sister Wada, Sister Imoto, and Sister Kamada.

When Sister Imoto was asked to tell about herself and bear her testimony at our Monday training meeting, she told of her parents sending her to Laie for summer classes at BYUH at age 15 to help her gain a testimony.   While in Laie she came to the Visitors' Center and met a sister missionary who, over the course of several weeks, helped her turn her life around and find out for herself the church was true.  She was so excited to open her mission letter and learn that she would now be able to do the same for others who come to the VC.

Birthday bash!

Traditionally the senior missionaries bake a birthday cake for the sister missionaries and deliver it to their pad at 9:30 pm on their birthday.  This week, however, there were four birthdays in three days so we combined them to one evening, but gave each birthday sister their own cake.  Pictured, left to right: Sister Watanabe, Japan; SisterWada, Japan (who just arrived from the MTC); Sister Lu, Taiwan; and Sister Nishigaki, Japan.

Thanksgiving Greetings!

We woke up to find sixty hearts taped to our front door with messages of "thanks" from the sister missionaries we serve with.  Here are two of the comments on the hearts: 

"Sister McArthur!  Thank you so much for everything you do!  Especially for cooking for us during the open house!  We appreciate it so much.  You're the best cook!  WE LOVE YOU.  Happy Thanksgiving."

"Sister and Elder McArthur. Thank you so much for your kindness and help!  Especially during Open House.  Thank you so much so tasty food.  You are our great example.  We love you two so much!  Happy Happy Thanksgiving day!"

Chinese student wants to know more

Tonight as I was sitting at the desk greeting tourists from the PCC two oriental women were looking at our handouts.  I asked where they were visiting from.  The one who spoke English said she was a college student at a church school in Michigan.  The older lady did not speak English, only Chinese.  They were originally from Shanghai.  I was impressed to give them everything we had in simplified Chinese which is what they read on mainland China.  I even handed a Book of Mormon to the student.  She was very interested and started reading it right in front of me. 

Later I learned that as she rode the tram back to the PCC she filled out a comment card and asked for the representatives to visit her and added names of two friends.  The Lord works with individuals.   I can see that as we give out literature to the Chinese who come to the VC,  the  gospel is going forth to that nation.  I am in charge of ordering our literature from church headquarters and cannot get any more copies of the Book of Mormon in simplified Chinese as they are revising it and other Chinese literature.

We also had an interesting meeting in the morning with Elder Paul  Pieper of the Seventy.  He told of the miracles that are happening quietly in the Middle East where he is assigned.  He was also assigned to Kazakhstan and knew Craig Vincent and his wife.  Small world in the Church!  

Temple Rededication

This morning we attended the 9 am Rededication of the Temple.  Originally we were going to go to one of the stake centers since the temple could only hold 700 persons and we thought the local members deserved to be in the temple, more than we did.  However, Friday Elder Scott Whiting, Area Authority Seventy, came to the VC and handed us two tickets for the Celestial Room saying he wanted us there.

The services were broadcast by TV to all the stake centers in the Hawaiian Islands and were held in three sessions: 9 am, 12 noon and 3 pm.  In addition to President Monson and President Eyring, we heard from Elder Cook and Elder Walker.  The choir of only 24 voices sounded like the Tabernacle Choir in stereo!

My last official act as a member of the Usher Committee was to lead the group out of the Celestial Room after the official party had exited.  It has been a very rewarding, and exhausting, three months of service.  I no longer complain about not having enough to do...on average we've given full-time service (and a little bit more).

Temple Celebration

2,000 youth participated in "The Gathering Place - Celebrating the Laie Hawaii Temple."  We received Special Guest seats and attending the dress rehearsal.  Here's a picture taken with my cell phone showing the climatic ending with a large temple replica raised and the picture of the Christ projected above.

At 10 am the temple and surroundings were blocked off for two hours in anticipation of a President Monson visit.  All the VC missionaries congregated at the VC watching and waiting.  About noon the entourage showed up at the temple and I took this picture.  This is as close as we got because when the group finished touring the temple they did not come to the VC.  How sad!



Elder and Sister Eubank's 50th Anniversary

Elder and Sister Mark Eubank's 50th wedding anniversary was on Friday, November 19.  With so many things going on at the VC they were unable to break away and go to dinner with us (we postponed it until Monday).  So Donna arranged a surprise visit by all the missionaries.  We gathered outside their apartment  at 9:30 pm and helped them celebrate with a cake and lots of hugs!

VIP's begin arriving for Temple Rededication

Thursday evening we learned that President Thomas S. Monson, President Henry B. Eyring, and Elder Quentin L. Cook arrived.  Earlier Elder William Walker, Executive Director of the Temple Department, and Brother Thomas Coburn, Managing Director of the Temple Department, both came to the VC.

On Friday President Monson and President Eyring attended the Polynesian Cultural Center and our BYUH grandson, Kody Cook, ran into President Eyring and shook hands with President Monson.

David Hanneman

In 1960, before the Palomar Stake was organized, the District held a Samoan Luau fund-raiser (taalolo) at the recently constructed meetinghouse in Vista.  A Polynesian group from Orange County was contacted to help us and one of the men who helped us was David Hanneman.  I later met David when I was called as Regional Representative (1977) and assigned to the Anaheim Region.  He was, I believe, on the High Council working with the missionary program.

 He now lives in Laie and has been here for many years, and is a member of the Laie 3rd ward, the ward we attend on Sunday.  When we first attended the ward there was David Hanneman and as he greeted us he recognized me and reminded me of our relationship in the Anaheim Region, and said he had a letter from me in his file at home.  (The next week he brought the letter to church to remind me.)

He served as president of the Laie Temple, as a patriarch, and is still the historian for the Polynesian Cultural Center.  Of all those we've met in Laie, David Hanneman stands head and shoulders above all the rest -- a true disciple of Christ.  One day, when I grow up, I hope to be more like him.

Bob and Cynthia Hendershot finish the VC "mission"

Bob and Cynthia Hendershot, our dear friends from Escondido (now Highland, Utah) finished their four-week mission covering for us at the VC and doing double-duty by helping at the Open House every day.  Their mission at Temple Square prepared them for helping us out and they were absolutely wonderful.  Everyone at the VC instantly fell in love with them.  They accepted the invitation to come without hesitation, even though their new home was still under construction and the final inspection would not be scheduled until their last days in Hawaii.  They attended our Monday morning training meeting and the sisters sang Aloha Oe to them in parting.  In the second picture the sisters are holding up a "Temple Handkerchief" that Sister Brown's mother had made and sent as a gift to all the missionaries, for use during the Dedication next Sunday.

Open House comes to a close

Saturday, November 13, closed the Open House with 4,920 guests, bringing the total tos 43,034.  We ended the 20-day Open House with 163 referrals and thousands of very favorable comments.

One of my favorite experiences happened today around 2:00 pm when Kevin and Lita Acdal came from the Big Island with their daughter, Chantel Hidaro, Chantel's two daughters (11 and 13) an aunt and a family friend.  Bishop Wilkes, bishop of the Honokaa ward had called me earlier in the week and explained that Chantel had terminal cancer and the family was hoping we could accommodate her with a tour of the temple.  Chantel's husband had been killed in an auto accident in 2004.  I was able to give them a personal tour and we spent almost an hour in the temple.  As we left the temple the friend (a lady in here 50's) grasped my hands in hers, pressed them to her forehead, and said she would never forget her feelings inside the temple as long as she lived.  She described it as having "chicken skin" all over her body.

Bishop Wilkes reported afterwards that the next day Chantel was back at church, and said all she wanted to do was go back to the temple.  So, the bishop processed a temple recommend card so she could attend the dedication this coming Sunday.

I had performed the sealing of Kevin and Lita in the Kona Temple five years ago, and Kevin told the bishop how surprised he was that President McArthur was so warm and friendly since his recollection was that I was a "stern" temple president.  I guess I let my guard down...will have to be more careful to protect my reputation.

Temple Open House Celebrates Veteran's Day with 6,000 guests

Busiest day of the Open House was Thursday, November 11th, Veteran's Day, with about 6,000 visitors.  For about two hours we had a line, four-wide, down to the lower parking lot, about 150 to 200 feet long. 

Temple Open House Overwhelming

The last three weeks have been a whirlwind of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual demands.  The Open House takes every ounce of energy - and then some.  We start at 7:15 in the morning and most days don't wrap things up until late in the evening.  But it's worth it.  Here's the view of the Open House "campus" we see from our apartment.

As of Saturday, November 6th,  25,000 guests had visited the Open House, with 5,000 that day.  We've also had almost 100 referrals for the missionaries. 

     Donna's assignment has focused on our "Special Needs" tent where folks in wheelchairs or those who are unable to walk up and down 50+ stairs begin their tour, (they use an elevator to go up and down the three levels of the temple).  Included in the picture is Lisa Bahen Ellis and Lorrie Porter.  Lisa grew up in Escondido (she's severall years younger than we are) and is married to Dean Ellis.  Dean is our "boss" and is chairman of the Ushering Committee.  Dean, Don and Merlin Waite, share in the overall duties orchestrating 200 +/- volunteers every day.  Lorrie (just sitting in the chair for the picture) is one of four coordinators of the Special Needs tent and is handles the evening shift every night.

     This picture was in the LDS Meridian internet magazine and shows Don pointing to the Special Needs tent while assigning Volunteers to their duty stations.

Who says Missionaries can't have fun

Our doorbell rang around 9:30 pm and we were "treated" with a Halloween visit by our sister missionaries from the VC.

Sometimes it is too easy...

A couple came with the PCC tour the other day but didn't follow the group into the theatre or to the back of the VC where the exhibits are.  Instead, they sat down on a sofa on the far side of the Christus lobby.  I was on the opposite side of the room and watched several pair of sister missionaries walk by them, with no effort to engage them in a conversation. 

As I walked toward them, the husband stood and approached me and asked "Do you have a Book of Mormon?"  I said yes and asked if he would like one.  He said he would...that he had always wanted to read one.  I offered to mail one to him or have one delivered to his home and learned that they would be in Hawaii for another three weeks and was hoping to be able to read it while here.

Bottom line: Donna found a copy and we gave it to him and we'll have missionaries call on him at home when he returns to answer his questions.  I also invited him to return and go through the temple.  He said he would.

Arnold lives in Groton, Connecticut...in Don Worthington's mission (Don and his wife are from our home ward (Country Park 4th), so I dropped him a note so we could join forces in helping Arnold and his wife in their study of the gospel.

Ron and Susan Ward

Yesterday (Saturday) we were surprised when Ron and Susan Ward walked into the Visitors' Center!  Susan is Dick Stone's daughter.  (Dick is my cousin and just a month older than I am. We grew up together...he lived in Compton and I lived in South Gate, CA...just a few miles apart.)

Ron and Susan live in Sandy Utah and Ron has a floor-covering business.  They are in Hawaii with Ron's parents and his six siblings and their spouses celebrating his parents' 60th wedding anniversary.  They all came to our ward this morning and then Donna and I went with them to the temple grounds and VC for picture taking.

Two in a Row!

I (Donna) was the only missionary available when a Filipino Mom and Dad and their three young children entered the VC.  They loved the Christus statue and narration and on their Comment card said, "I really like the lobby area with the big image of Jesus, just like being alive in front of you."   The children loved all the "hands-on" exhibits and the parents expressed  a desire to learn more about temples.  I'm sure they will attend the Open House.  When they finished their tour and filled in the Comment Card and checked the box asking for missionaries I was so happy.  Rey (the Dad) added this comment on the card, "I would like (to know more) and really appreciate the kindness (and) hospitality of the hostess."

One of the next guests to come in was a couple from the Netherlands.  After greeting them I took them to one of our theatres and started our five-minute history video of Laie.  By then Sister Clark from Provo, Utah was availabe and I turned them over to her.  When they finished their tour, they too, filled out the Comment card and asked to have missionaries visit them.

Our Visitors' Center goal is to reach 300 Referrals a month and we met the goal for the first time in September (302)!  In September 8,319 guests visited the VC.  (The 302 referrals includes those the Sisters get working in the Call Center.)

So seeing two families in a row want to know more about the gospel is a wonderful experience.

Ho'omaluhia Botanical Garden

We needed a few hours to "get away" and rejuvenate our bodies so we drove to Kaneohe (40 minutes south) and visited the Ho'omaluhia Botanical Garden.  We've never been there and was impressed with the 400 acres planted with rain forest trees and shrubs.  It was first created by the US Army Corps of Engineers for flood protection and includes a 32-acre lake.

Temple Open House Planning in full gear

The hours and hours of planning and preparation for our big orientation meeting with all ward volunteer coordinators came to fruition tonight with over 160 coming to the VC for our presentation.  Theirs is the big job of organizing 70 to 100 volunteers for each shift.  There will be three shifts per day: 7:30 - 12:00; 11:30 - 4:00; 3:30 to 8:30.  Each stake has two or three days to cover.  Our job is to coordinate all the ushers, tour guides and sister missionaries (about 50 per shift).  Yours truly took the lead in developing the PowerPoint presentation for the training, along with creating a number of Roster forms.  In addition to the VC sister missionaries helping introduce each tour group and helping in the reception tent, we are recruiting 45+ former sister missionaries who are now BYUH students to supplement the full-time sisters.  The pictures show some of the attendees and Dean Ellis, chairman of the Usher Committee.  Dean is married to Lisa Bahen, both from our generation in Escondido.  Dean also serves as a bishop of a student ward at BYUH.  He does a great job leading our committee.

Termite Tenting

We had an interesting couple of days preparing for the tenting of our apartment for termites.  First, all opened food products, including refrigerator stuff, needed to be double-bagged - this took about three hours.  Then we moved to a vacant apartment across the driveway and stayed away for about 36 hours.  Of course, we reversed the process, unbagging and putting away the food.  A bearable inconvenience.

Picture of all VC Missionaries

New Missionaries Arrives

Sister Belinda Wong arrived today from Australia.  Her parents are Chinese and, while she was born in Australia, she has lived most of her life in China, both Hong Kong and mainland China, including Bejing.  Our first impressions are that she will be another outstanding missionary!

Elder and Sister Crouch were transferred to Laie from the Big Island were they have been serving as proselyting missionaries in Kau since last November.  Kau is right in the path of the VOG from the Kilauea Volcano and Elder Crouch was "deathly" alergic to the gases.  It was either go home or get off the island.  We met them when we flew to Hilo to speak a month ago.  (See August 14 posting)

Two "Favorites" Complete Mission

These two sister missionaries have been outstanding in every way.  Great teachers, great companions, great leaders, spiritually strong and faithful in every way.  They finished their missions today and are returning home.

Bridget Smith is from Cedar Hills, Utah and will be continuing her education at BYU in Provo.  She is a direct descendant of Hyrum Smith (although she kept this quiet during her mission).  She served as one of the Sister Trainers.  [Grandsons please take note: I have her Facebook info and e-mail address and know she would be receptive to getting acquainted.]

Kristy Aguda is from the Philippines and is returning home with plans to attend a local college for a year and then return to either BYU Hawaii or BYU Provo.  Her family live in a rural part of the country and her father continues to farm by hand without the aid of a tractor or Carabao.  She has the smile and personality to melt the most obstinate guest.  She was full of questions and we loved our daily visits as she leaned over the VC counter soaking up everything Donna shared.  [If she shows up in Utah, she too, will be at the top of my grandson referral list.]

VC Visitor gets Baptized

You may recall my posting on January 29th about Leah and Rob Clendenning from Canada.  Leah was a member but Rob was not.  As they wrapped up their VC January visit Rob was invited to be baptized - even that day (in the Pacific Ocean).  He responded that he probably should get baptized but wasn't quite ready to say yes. 

Later that week he called and said he was ready and wanted to be baptized that night.  I arranged the baptism, drove over to Ko Olina and interviewed him, filled out the papers, and then suggested he actually wait until he returns home so their children could be present.  Since then he has taken his time and studied a number of books.  We've become "e-mail pals" as we shared scriptures, answered gospel questions, etc.

So you can appreciate how happy both of us were to receive his e-mail saying his baptism date was set, and asking for a letter from me that his wife could read at the baptism.  He was baptized this week!  Now we're looking forward to a visit from them a year from now so they can be sealed in the South Jordan Temple!

November 21st:  Received this picture and the following note:

My testimony has been growing steadily but not rapidly as I still try to figure out the balance between work and the everyday versus our eternal roles and perspectives. Nonetheless, we are so much stronger as a family and individuals with the ever present blessings of the Gospel.

Check out the Rainbow

This picture of the Laie HI Temple was taken a couple of weeks ago by Bruce Bean, the superintendent overseeing the remodeling of the temple..

Sister Tripp's Birthday

The Tripp's treated everyone for ice cream and cake on her birthday.  Fun time.

Turtle Bay Music

Hungry for good music we bought tickets to a piano and guitar duo performing at the Turtle Bay Resort.  The music, performed by husband and wife Jeff and Lisa Linsky, was more improvisational and more jazz than we like, even though Jeff, the guitarist was an outstanding guitar player.

Speaking Trip to Hilo

The Hilo Stake on the Big Island invited us to speak at it's annual High Priests' meeting and dinner on "The Joy of Missionary Service" so on Saturday afternoon we caught a 3 pm flight, arriving in Hilo around 4:00 pm.

Donna included in her remarks a card made by Marin we received a few days ago.  Everyone loved the card as Donna tied it into our mission.

In preparing for this assignment Don e-mailed the missionaries who were in our MTC "class" and asked them what their concerns had been for serving a mission.  Most responses focused on "what to do with our home" and "will our family be cared for."  We especially liked the answer from Elder and Sister Powell serving in the mission office in Santiago, Dominican Republic.  They said their answer about their family came as "...an apostolic promise from Elder Bednar...that if we would take care of His children in the Dominican Republic, He would take care of ours at home.  We have decided that He is a much better caretaker of our children than we could ever be of His children, even if we worked all day every day."

Our talks were well received and we both felt the Spirit guiding our message.  Many flocked to the stand afterwards to thank us.  Sister Lowe sought us both out during the night and said she had never wanted to go on a mission but during our talks it was revealed to her that she and her husband should go, and that they should sell their house at a certain time, visit their daughter for three months, and then begin serving.  After the meeting as she shared her thoughts with her husband he said that he had received the same exact inspiration.

We spent the night with President and Sister Bauer and caught a 1:20 pm plane back Sunday (after waiting from 9 am at the airport for a delayed plane).  We had just two hours to serve at the VC before leaving for a Temple Open House committee meeting in Mililani.  Needless to say, by the time we got home at 10 pm we were both exhausted.  Here we are with President and Sister Bauer.

New Missionary Couple Coming to VC

While attending the Hilo Stake HP dinner/meeting (see accompanying blog) we met Elder and Sister Keith Crouch who are now serving on the Big Island but are being transferred to Laie in a few weeks and will serve part-time at the VC and part-time proselyting.

We learned that Elder Crouch was baptized in the Ramona Branch in 1968 when about 18 years old.  (Most of you know that Ramona is in the foothills beyond Escondido, CA.)  Elder Crouch remembered many of the members there,(Don McGoffin, the Tippitts family, others,) and especially remembered President Wallace Gray, president of the Palomar Stake.  He sure loves President Gray who helped send him on a mission.  When I was a stake missionary we covered the Ramona Branch and held a number of meetings in the Tippitt's "castle" home.  There were several daughters in the family who were our ages (when we were teenagers) and who would come to Escondido and participate in some of our youth activities.

It was in 1968 that I was called to be President Gray's second counselor in the stake presidency, but Elder Crouch and I could not make a connection as we talked about the "good ol' days."

Willkommen Sie im Besucherzentrum

Today I met two tourists from Germany, Anneliese Philipp (age 70+) and her daughter.  They came to the VC looking for the "Cultural Center" meaning the Polynesian Cultural Center.

 Anneliese spoke little English but her daughter spoke English very well.  We started with the Christus narration in German, beginning a wonderful ninety minute visit which also included our Laie history video, God's Plan for His Family, a visit to our temple corner, learning about the Book of Mormon (I handed her the German copy), and ended with listening to President Uchtdorf's testimony.  They both asked very insightful questions and we developed a bond of friendship and a mutual love for the Savior.  As they left Anneliese said she would like a Book of Mormon which I first planned on having delivered to her in Germany, but later decided to give one to her out of our supply room.  I also gave the daughter a copy in English.  They asked if they could take my picture with Anneliese and so we traded pictures.  Here's a picture of the two of them taken outside of the VC.

The German greeting up above says, "Welcome to the Visitors' Center."  Today I experienced the Lord's "Welcome" extended to two lovely daughters of God and was reminded once again that The Spirit is not limited by language - His language is universal and the invitation to Come Unto Christ is to ALL of God's children.

An Evening at the PCC

We served at the Polynesian Cultural Center tonight and greeted 311 guests at the Ambassador Restaurant.  Photo crew took our picture and gave a copy to us.  Here we are in all our glory.

And, just before we began taking tickets at the Ambassador, we visited with our stake president from South Jordan, President David Tate and his incredible family.  They are here, enjoying a week's well-deserved vacation.

Doug and Michelle Friends Visit VC

We were happy to see Scott Driggs and his family at the VC last week.  They bought a home around 2000 from McArthur Homes in Park Village (West Jordan) and were neighbors of Doug and Michelle, and have stayed close friends with them ever since.  They now live in South Jordan.

South Carolina Nurse-to-Be wants to know more

Donna greeted two ladies who came to the VC today and played for them the Christus message (a wonderful 90 second message using the Savior's own words from the scriptures).  Afterwards she brought them to our large theatre to see our 5-minute Laie history video.  Before showing the video I gave a brief intro about when the first missionaries came to Hawaii (1850), followed by the translation of the Book of Mormon into Hawaiian by George Q. Cannon and Jonathan Napela which lead to over 4,000 Hawaiians being baptized.

After the video one of the ladies wanted to see the first edition Hawaiian Book of Mormon.  How could the Book of Mormon help them, she asked, if they could not read?  What makes your church different from other Christian religions?  Her questions led to our Prophet's corner and a discussion about Priesthood authority, restoration, and prophets.  This was followed by more exhibits and discussions.  We ended up in God's Plan for His Family.  She then told me that she had come to the VC because the day before they had been to the PCC and had been so impressed by the young people she met there...they were happy, clean, with a refreshing conviction of the gospel...that she wanted to learn more about our beliefs.  She said that she had felt that same feeling during her entire visit in the VC and that seeing "God's Plan" was the capstone of her emotions.  I want to know more about your beliefs, she told me, because of what she had experienced over these two days.

A couple of years ago she felt prompted by God to quit her job and go back to school to become a hospice nurse.  So she followed the prompting and is now half way through her nursing college courses. Who knows, she said, perhaps her vacation to Hawaii (taken on a last-minute whim) was another prompting so she could come to the PCC and VC and learn about the Church.  The missionaries will deliver her a Book of Mormon and share the gospel message when she returns to South Carolina from her vacation.

Air Conditioner Technician finds more to check out than the cooler

The VC has had a history of problems with the air conditioning system.  As a result a service rep has visited us a number of times.  Today when he came to the VC he said that he had been at BYU-H and several young men shared with him info about the Church and told him he should come to the VC to learn more.   Donna was able to answer his questions, provide him with some pass-along cards and the Joseph Smith pamphlet and invite him to learn more.  He was rushed but was visibly impressed by what he had learned (and felt) and is coming back when he has more time.  [Nice job, BYU-H guys in sharing your testimonies!]

Pirates of the Caribbean 4

Tonight we were returning from Kaneohe and decided to drive Kamehameha Highway that hugs the ocean.  As we passed He'eia State Park Donna said, "Look, there's the Black Pearl!"  Sure enough it was moored at the small boat harbor and like a ton of other lookie-loo's we parked and walked in.  We couldn't get very close to the boat but we found a lot of people who said they were waiting for Johnny Depp to walk by.  I cheated and copied this picture from the promo on the web.

Here's what the Black Pearl looks like from the highway.   As we continued our drive we passed the staging area where the crew parks and then we passed a secured area with a lot of nice house trailers.  Filming here should be done in a few weeks.  The movie is to be released next May.