The End is Nigh at hand...

At our Munch and Mingle we said Aloha to 4 great missionaries who will be dearly missed and remembered for all their work and dedication. Shelley Peterson served in the sewing department and in costumes for the Ha Breath of Life show, which equaled a lot of back aches and hard work. I could NOT have served there...THANKS SHELLEY. Kerry and Jerry Raindson who were the physical facility coordinators, which means caring for all the missionaries housing needs. They were at our apartment several times fixing air conditioning and broken taps etc. Great people. Then Julie Larsen who has been my BFF sidekick since I got hear. We both teach ukulele lessons at the settlement and had the same schedule so she was my RIDE whenever and wherever. We are also part of the SETTLEMENT SISTERS singing group which I was so fortunate to be part of with Jacque Lee and Margaret Penfield. We started off singing as we waited to teach lessons and discovered we all sang harmony and our voices complimented each others. It was nothing but pure JOY singing together.

This is us singing, "Sisters" at the Munch and mingle for our last performance. It was a hit. Gina Wayt is our talented choreographer and does a great job to make it simple and fun for us "old sisters"

                              Singing again at the Mission Devotional which we have each month.

I am going to miss both of these SISTERS. Shelley has been a great roommate and cooking partner because we both like to make GOOD FOOD. Julie is my everyday ukulele buddy and singing friend.

      This is Julie Larsen singing in the tabernacle choir for 20 years and travelling the world with them.

Everyday we sing for special events in people's lives - birthdays, anniversaries and marriages. These 3 couples just happened to be here at the same time, as newly weds from 3 different parts of the world, St. George, Utah, Korea and Wisconsin. We sang Elvis's Hawaiian wedding song from the movie "Blue Hawaii" which was filmed here at the Polynesian Cultural Center in 1963 right on this little lagoon where we teach at the settlement. When we sing we usually have a whole group of us all singing parts and they LOVE it. Several times when we have sung to people they have actually gotten emotional and it's a nice feeling.

Speaking of emotional moments. One day I taught an extended family group where there were some "SPECIAL  CIRCUMSTANCES" I will say. The 2 young children loved it all. I do try to make it fun by doing Row Row Row Your Boat and Old MacDonald's Farm, with lots of great noises and animation.  As they got up to leave, first the little boy and then the little girl just ran up to me and hugged my legs. I admit I had to hold back tears knowing that those sweet little children were so precious and loved by our Heavenly Father. It was a moment I will never forget as long as I live. 

Our amazing Turtle House is full of fun good times. We had the Sister missionaries over and they are a great couple of gals working hard in Laie. They work at the visitors center, call center, tract door to door in the community and do tram tours taking people from PCC around the school and up to the temple.   

   Siser Regencia from the Phillipines, Sheri, Sister Kim Cambodia, Sharla, Shelley and Joan. 

With the onset of more gallbladder attacks Julie decided it was best to get surgery right away rather than risk more very painful attacks before she went home or while travelling on a plane. So on Friday September 12,  I took her to Castle Hospital in Kailua where she got day surgery. It was more difficult than they thought because she is diabetic so it was a wait and a worry but all was well in the end. Julie had lots of people praying and helping her. She did a lot of laying around for her recovery, drinking smoothies that I made, eating soup and dinners people brought and waiting to get a painful drain tube out before leaving to head back to Utah.

I took Julie to the airport where she flew home, first class overnight with Delta. She said it was the best money she ever spent, which I hope meant it was pretty comfortable for her after her crazy last few weeks in Hawaii. Julie is an example of great kindness, love and dedication to all that is good and true. She was ALWAYS thinking of other people and wanting to make sure not to offend anyone, something that I don't think about much. She will be missed BUT we plan on getting together again soon in Utah.