Hawaiian History and PCC Behind the Scenes

 

      The Royal Iolani Palace in Honolulu is a living restoration of Hawaiian Culture and History.

A group of us went to Honolulu to learn about Hawaiian Royals and the history surrounding the end of that era of Hawaiian Kings and Queens and their lives, traditions and culture. The palace was occupied  by USA government offices but later has been returned to much of it's original look thanks to many donations and hard work of the Society that has found and returned thousands of historical artifacts and recreated the beautiful home of these Hawaiian monarchs.

THIS MAN CHANGED HISTORY.......... The next part of our adventure was close by the palace at the Mission Houses Museum.

The beginning of this story happened after an orphaned Hawaiian boy, whose family had all been killed in the wars between Hawaiian kings, was left to live on his own. As a teenager he swam out to sea at what is now Waikiki beach, and got on to a merchant ship to escape. The captain took pity on him and he spent the next 3 years sailing the Pacific, working, learning about Christianity,  and eventually docking in New England. From there he somehow ended up on the steps at Yale University lamenting, "no one give me learning". Obookiah, who was found to be brilliant, was then mentored and helped to create a codified system of translating the English, Greek, Hebrew, and Latin biblical texts into the Hawaiian language. Because of his passion for his new found Christianity, Obookiah planned to return to Hawaii, then known as the Sandwich islands, to spread the good news of the gospel. Progress and plans for that mission were tragically cut short when he died from typhus at the age of 26. Because of his life and his passion to spread the gospel of Christianity to his people, the Foreign missions board chose to send 7 missionary families, known as the Pioneer Company on the long and arduous trip to that unlikely destination, that was NOT on the top of the list of where to send missionaries next.  

You can see how the Lord has his hand in all things, and that his tender mercies are in the small details of life to accomplish HIS work. Those missionaries paved the way for what would soon be a place where The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints thrived....Polynesia. The same way that Martin Luther paved a way to create a culture which was ready and willing to accept the light when the GREAT RESTORATION took place because of all the religious upheaval at the time of Joseph Smith. 

This is where one of the missionary ladies gave to birth 7 children. Notice the forceps in the bowl...Glad it wasn't me there. Below you will notice their water filtration system. Pour water in the top and wait for is to get filtered by the stones then clean pure water would go into the buckets below...ingenious I think.

Our District leaders Brother and Sister Gotes took us on a tour of the "Ha Breath of Life" Theater where they have the very prestigious Polynesian show that is for some their best experience in Hawaii.

      Sister Arlene Gotes is lucky enough to work in this costume and wardrobe room 2 days a week.

                               Sister Arlene Gotes and Brother Kent Gotes, our District leaders.

The skirts are continually being re-made weekly out of these ti leaves that are harvested and brought in to keep the dancers of the different polynesian cultures that use them fully outfitted. The fire dancers are usually needing new ones as they often have some "damage" when the night is over. The skirts are very heavy and ti leaves are deveined and woven with a special technique that will soon be learned by Shelley Petersen, who will be in this department when she arrives next month. I got to try one out!!! 

This week I saw some familiar faces at the PCC when Tekarra and Patrick Roach came along with Nick and Keecia Larsen. We had a great visit and I helped them get ticket to the night show!!