Gathering Happening HERE

Hazel is back. Summer just zipped by and I picked Hazel up from the airport and we had Sunday Dinner together courtesy of my roomates who got it all ready for us when we arrived back in Laie. She is ready for another year at BYUH. Its an amazing place with such diversity and kind and wise students just like her.

                          Joan, Julie, Marrae Brunner (newby at the Settlement) and Margaret Penfield

We love going to watch the sunset at Turtle Bay Resort. We picked up some food to eat along the way at the food trucks in Kahuku and went into the resort like tourists who belonged there, and had a nice view of the sunset. We do this often but it never gets old. Nature and the beauty of the earth that God has made for us never disappoints with all the amazing colors of the sky, sun and clouds with forms that are always changing and making magnificent and breathtaking beauty.

                                       Look at those cloud "gorillas" holding hands !!!!

Back- David Wayt, Julie Larsen, Margaret Penfield, Joan, Jacque and Brent Lee

Front- Gina Wayt, Ihilani Bailey, Anna        ( Service Missionary) Hella Lunnen, Marrae Brunner

We enjoyed having our cute young service missionary for the summer who finished out her mission here teaching ukulele and now is moving to Utah. She was so fun to have around and is originally from Florida. She served the first part of her mission in Washington State. 

This is the gal below, Sulia Sua, that is taking her place who went out on her mission to Henderson, Neada with Elder Innis Harker.  When I told her my name she told me about Elder Harker that she was serving with for a while in Henderson....small world.

                                                             Sulia Sua and Joan Harker

                                         More beautiful Sunsets this time at Turtle Bay

                Elder Farrell took this crazy picture of me that he said would be  great postcard.

Here is the whole group. A bunch of single sisters and 2 single elders. A beautiful view with food and good fun and conversation. Just because we are old we can still have fun I guess.

Back to school fun included a street fair in Laie, just down the block from the turtle house which included a great band, good food, all kinds of handcrafts and Hawaiian made beautiful jewelry etc. It was a big community event and it was fun to see the little kids dancing in the streets and loving every minute of fun with their families.

We aren't the kind of missionaries at the Settlement that "preach the gospel" but we get to meet amazing people who touch our hearts and who's hearts this place affects immensely. One of these couples is Gina and Arthur Lekstutis. They are a wonderful people who met in Taiwan where Arthur was a medical scientist and inventor. They have been married for over 40 years and spent most of their time in New York where they raised 3 children. Gina owned a huge flower shop which she was passionate about. When Arthur was diagnosed with Parkinson's they sold everything and moved to Mililani, Hawaii where they already had a home because they LOVE it here and they have made fond memories in the past. They became Ohana members at the PCC and come every week as therapy for Arthur. He walks everywhere and just being here lifts his spirits and makes them both happy. We had seen them on occasion, then one day I got to give them them an ukulele lesson and visited with them, as usual inviting them to take the tram tour to the temple. Julie joined in the visit and while visiting said she loved Chinese Food. That unleashed a whole lot of kindness from them. Each week when they come they have been binging mountains of good food which all of us at the settlement eat and also give to students. They love our little settlement family because they are so kind and friendly to them and we save them a spot to watch the Huki show each Tuesday. Also we have had to recruit Elder Burnside to meet them at the front gate with a cart to haul in all the food and he is so friendly too. I got Gina's number so she could call me as they arrived and meet at the front. This went on for a few weeks and I would text big thank you's back and forth with her. A couple of weeks ago I texted her and said it would be great if she could go to church with us. She said that would be good. 

This happened after I read one of Elder Innis Harkers letters where they were just walking down the street and saw a couple getting out of their car and asked if they could have a prayer with them...and they said yes.  I thought well I know that " if you don't ask, the answer is alway no", so I got brave and asked.
The next Tuesday I told Jacque the story and she showed me how to refer them to the missionaries online. I told Gina and she said the sisters called and were meeting on Friday with them at the Mililani church. Gina said they were gonna talk "story" a Hawaiian word for getting together I guess.

We have visited back and forth on the phone and by text. I told her I know how much she cares for Artie, as she calls him, because of all she has sacrificed for him and the way she hold his hand and loves him and cares for him. |I invited her to make sure she asks and finds out one very important question from the missionaries. " How can Gina and Artie, and their family, be together forever " She says she is excited to know!!! This Tuesday the missionaries are meeting them at the temple when they come....to talk more story!!