Aloha oʻe!

And here we are in the home stretch. It’s been so busy—first the holidays, and now we’re about to finish here, so the last-minute requests for “just one more article” or “can you get that documented before you go?” are coming in. Fortunately, we planned for this. We will wrap up our actual work days and leave ourselves enough time to tie up loose ends and finish the cleaning and packing we have yet to do. We may even have time to see one or two of the sights we thought might be nice to see before we leave.

 

We did visit one of those on our anniversary (the day after Christmas)—Kualoa Ranch. They’ve made a lot of movies there. Just a stunning piece of scenery, and we took a tour on which the guide talked about some of the movies. It was a fun day. The only other tourist attraction we’ve gone to was Pearl Harbor, last July, which was a totally different experience.

 

The picture above is from last Sunday. On the first Sunday of every month, the senior missionaries have “Munch and Mingle”—like a “break the fast” thing. At that time, we welcome the missionaries who have just arrived and sing “Aloha Oʻe” to the ones who are leaving. This month it was our turn. Throughout the evening and during the singing of the song, people are invited to give lei to the people they are saying good-bye to. (That’s not a typo. There is no “s” in Hawaiian, so whether you have one lei or many, the word is still “lei.”) In this picture we are each wearing 14 lei and 1 sea glass necklace. Kind of nice to think that so many people wanted to wish us well.

 

Another art project that will not be making it home with us is the Grinch. The Christmas party committee asked me to do a Grinch with the face cut out so people could take pictures. It was pretty popular. I will say, though, that he stood in my painting space for a few weeks, and it looks awfully empty now without him. He made me laugh. 

The paintings that ARE coming home are all wrapped and boxed. Yesterday the paint also went into a box. The only thing I’ll be painting for the next 2 weeks is a wall.

 

Providentially, last week we met a young couple who just moved into the ward, and he is a professional wood carver. They together run a business marketing his Polynesian artwork in various forms. He was thrilled to get the wood and other products that Dennis didn’t want to ship home. So now we are both artless until we get home.

 

Of course we’re doing a lot of reflecting about what our time here has meant to us: what we’ve learned and the relationships we’ve built. I think we’ll be mulling it all over for quite a while. There have been some challenges and some miracles—LOTS of miracles. We’re glad we came.

 

Now on to the next adventure!!

Using the Talents We Were Given

 

October 11, 2025

A weathered piano bench here has a new life. This is the top.

For the last 2 months I (Debbi) have been heading up the effort to reorganize the marketing offices. We’re packed in pretty tightly, so it’s been several consecutive games of Tetris to make it all happen: empty one area, redesign, fix most of the details, move back in and shift over the stuff from the next space, then do it all again. It’s about the last thing I thought I’d be doing as a missionary, but the Lord uses the skills He has helped us develop however He can. We’re almost finished—which is a really good thing because my back has organized a protest. I may be doing my usual job remotely for a few days. But it’s worth it. The improvement in the environment for the staff is already making a difference.

Dennis has also been doing something he didn’t expect on a mission. Once upon a time, the Center had a laser engraver that served well, but breathed its last a few months ago. They bought a new one, but no one really knew how to use it. (Only a couple of students who had used the old one are still here, and besides, this is a different machine.) Experience with his own laser engraver and the computer savvy it takes to calibrate one, he has found himself in the enviable position of playing with the new toy. He’s also using his engineering skills to design and create spacers they’ll need to hold ukuleles in place when they are being engraved. This is the stuff dreams are made of.

Why Do This?

 

August 31, 2025, Sunday

                                                            Lā‛ie Hawai‛i Temple, painted August 2025

Five months left. Time is going so fast now. Friends are starting to leave as they complete their missions, and we’re getting to be among the old timers whose time is short.

 Not a lot has changed in our daily work. Dennis is working hard to finish the projects he’s been immersed in before we leave. Debbi keeps plugging away, writing. So I guess the only thing that would be of interest to talk about here would be a spiritual experience of some kind.

Our new mission presidency seems to be pretty great. On July 15 they did a “meet us” devotional. President Mo‛o (a counselor) works at BYUH as Senior Manager of Strategic Enrollment. He travels all over the Pacific Rim in that work and showed us what our work here really means.

The reason the Polynesian Cultural Center exists is to help students—mostly from island nations and the Pacific Rim—get college educations. This would not be remotely possible for most of them without this program. Many of them grow up in humble circumstances. They couldn’t even afford a trip to Hawai‛i, let alone a 4-year stay while they earn degrees. Many also need help learning to navigate the world—they’ve never been off their island homes, or at least not out of their nations unless they have served missions elsewhere.

When they come here, they learn to go to school in a structured environment. They also have to work, though those who are in the I-work program (most of the students) cannot work more than 19 hours per week (so that they have time and strength for school). Some of the jobs are really fun, and some are pretty mundane. But as I interview the students for our employee newsletter, I often hear how grateful they are for the opportunity to earn; for the chance to be in an environment where their cultures are valued; for the ability to do things they would normally do anyway (dance, demonstrate skills, help people, etc.) as a means of earning their degrees. The goal is for them to leave school debt-free, and I believe that is a regular achievement.

What missionaries do here is support the students by doing some of the jobs so the PCC can keep running. As a nonprofit organization, the Center would not be able to function if it had to pay all the people who volunteer here. We also interact with the students, often temporarily feeling like parents or grandparents to them. This helps them keep going—because this is pretty tough for them. Being away from family when you’re making some of the most crucial decisions of your life is stressful.

Also in the plan for most of them is to go back to their homes after graduation to help build the infrastructure of those places. They take with them skills to build new and better services, feed industry, grow tourism, open restaurants, and act as counsellors, accountants, and teachers. They also become leaders in the Church at home.

President Mo‛o showed us pictures from his travels—photo after photo of branch, ward, district, and stake officers who are BYUH grads. They are strengthening the Kingdom where they stand; and because they love and understand their native lands, they can do it better than anyone else. He said, “This is the plan, and it is working.” When you look at serving here in that way, our work here is an amazing thing.

 June 29, 2025

What Are We Doing?

Dennis' Makau Fish Hook on its stand.

I thought I might just update you on all the stuff that's been going on for the last couple of months that have kept me too busy to write. (Not really. I just couldn't hone in on anything profound, so I kept putting it off.)

Dennis

Dennis has spent his time at the PCC on special projects in IT, transferring large amounts of  data to new systems and automating account updates due to the high turn-over of student workers. He's been writing code to try to accomplish that, making slow, steady progress. In other words, he's in his element and loving it. 

On most weekends he gets to carve a bit.

Dennis' Makau and the stand. Note the detail.

Our next door neighbors work at the Visitors Center, and they asked him to make a bookstand for displaying the scriptures on their front desk. He just finished that this weekend.

Bookstand for Visitors Center.

Debbi

May is busy around here. One major factor is the annual fire knife competition that goes on for several days. Check it out at https://worldfireknife.com/ Most, if not all, of that footage was shot at the Polynesian Cultural Center. Some we saw in person. I love the drums that accompany the dance, but I wear earplugs.  I hope to leave here with my hearing intact!

Another glimpse into fire knife is a PBS documentary on one of the female champions (local here): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orAH3XbhJF8.

Fire knife is part of "We Are Samoa," a month-long festival, if you will, in which all the schools in the area use the theater at the Center to put on end-of-year programs. Since so many here have Samoan roots, this is a big deal. There are many major productions.

This was also the time period when limited showings of the movie the Center produced started. It's been winning awards at festivals and is scheduled for some theaters soon. The movie is about the students at BYU-H, most of whom work at the Center to contribute to their tuition. Their stories and struggles are mind blowing and humbling. https://www.sharingalohathemovie.com/

I wasn't in the middle of all this, but I was on the fringes, writing/editing copy.

Right at the end of April, with the new semester at BYU-H, I started attending a class, but not as a student. I was there to learn about what all goes into preparing a double-hulled canoe and his crew for a one-month sail around the islands of Oahu, Molokai, and Maui. BYU-H owns and the Center houses Iosepa (said canoe) and I was writing about it. (https://blog.polynesia.com/voyaging-iosepa-2025) In the process, I got to know the students who would be part of the crew, and was asked to monitor and edit the copy they would be sending out daily from the voyage. That I did, adding to the fun for the month of June, and the posts are still coming in. If you use Instagram, you can check them out @iosepavoyagers.

The sail was May 22 through June 20. It was kind of exciting to follow along with them on their adventure. Though they had an itinerary, they had to change it a few times in the middle of the trip because of weather or other factors. Part of sailing is being able to adapt--big life lessons for the voyagers. I'm still writing about it--things to be published on the Center's blog page later, maybe. And of course I painted  a 16 x 20 portrait of the canoe.

"Iosepa" Painted in May 2025

Interestingly, one of our missionary friends wanted to buy it, so this one won't be coming home with us. 

Below is another one that has found new home.

Alex O'Brien moved, taking "Pretty Boy" with her.

Most of the paintings so far I still have, and their numbers are growing. But I am doing some things that are specifically for people here. As mentioned a couple of blogs ago, our district did talk me into teaching them to paint. We had a fun evening as each person expressed herself/himself on canvas (and I gave away my "samples.") And I added artistic piano benches to my list of skills. More pics later.

 Looking Deeper

I was thinking about pictures I could post on our blog, and an unexpected one came to mind. It’s what we see from our front window. Lots of wires, crowded houses, fleets of cars—even a kayak on a roof—with a small patch of sky in the middle. Unless we stand on the outer edge of our porch, turn left, and look very hard, we have no evidence that we are 300 feet from a beautiful beach. Metaphor: Sometimes life seems to close in around us. All the details of getting through each day press in and are the most prominent things in our view. But beyond all that is glorious beauty.

 Sometimes when I look out the window my eyes don’t even see the mess in the foreground. I’ve learned to push past it and only see the patch of sky. It’s not until I look at the cold reality of the photograph that the tangle of wires, the jagged pavement of rooftops, the jumble of everything stored outside come into view.

 All that stuff has purpose. The people who own it use it. They obviously value it. The fact that it blocks our view is of very little importance. The good news is that I can understand the viewpoint of the neighbors and the value of their beachfront property, and let the minor inconvenience of our view stay in its proper perspective.

 There are rewards in being able to look beyond what closes in on us. Because we know what’s on the other side, we also know the claustrophobia it can cause does not represent reality. And once in a while, something magical happens in the clouds, and that little patch of sky becomes a wonderland. That patch is where reality lives.

 Finding Bits of Paradise, Even When It's Not a Vacation
 

Since this is what many seem to think we do over here, I thought I'd humor you. I had to go back to November pictures to find this. We really don't get to the beach very often.

Still, we are having some fun. We go to the temple every week, which we love. We had dinner with some friends last week, and will be having dinner with another group this week. We have our monthly devotional and our district meeting this week, too, which are usually really interesting. And our evening of answering questions for guests at the Center ("Ask Me" duty) is tomorrow.

Last week we helped out with a screening of a movie the Center has produced that will be making the rounds on the Mainland, starting next week with a screening in Orem, Utah. If you want to see if it's coming near you and find out how to get tickets, sign up for updates here.

https://www.sharingalohathemovie.com/ 

Another fun thing is making connections. There is a student photographer in my office named Joseph. Joseph overheard part of a conversation a few days ago in which he thought we were talking about Indonesia, where he is from. We weren't actually, but that led to some questions and answers, which then led to our discovering that he knew our dear friends the Tuckers when they were missionaries in his country several years ago. 

The connections are  pretty amazing sometimes. At the MTC, we learned that the Frys in our district had known our friends Dave and Mary Spear for years. When we arrived in La'ie, we were assigned mentors, the Taylors, who were friends of Julie and Gary Lundstrom. We have also met Gilbert Laulusa's sister; young missionary Sister Turley from Marana Stake (who was in our branch when we arrived, and now we touch base fairly regularly); the Crotts from Marana Stake who just showed up at the Center one night, looking for Sister Turley; Sandy Holmes, our supervisor from our Employment Center mission; Sister Hamblin, serving here in the same department I am, who is a friend of our friend and neighbor Robyn Hunt; and the list goes on.

And people will just stop us on the street to talk to us--usually members but not always, either local or here on vacation who know they can talk to missionaries. One yesterday wondered if we knew some people serving over here, because she taught one of their daughters (and we do know them). Then there are the people who come over in the Center when we are answering questions. Since we stand under a flag that says "Ask Me," they think they'll be clever with their requests. Several times now someone has asked something like, "In 25 words or less, can you tell me the meaning of life?" They are pretty shocked when we can. (My last answer was "service and love." The Spirit joined the conversation, and the man walked away grateful.) We do enjoy that kind of thing.

And then there are the times when we need bolstering. I had had a particularly bad day recently, and we were scheduled for "Ask Me" duty. Then came the rain--like cloudburst rain. I was struggling to be positive. But then, as we sheltered with other people, one couple who is nearing retirement age enthusiastically asked a lot of questions about what it was like to be on a mission, then told us how valuable our service was (several times). About the time they left, another person came up and told us about how his father had struggled at first on his senior mission with situations very similar to what I had just experienced, and how he had called his son for encouragement a few times. The father ended up learning what he needed to, and truly enjoying his mission. Now don't tell me that these people weren't sent to interact with us in that moment. I didn't see any halos, but I'm sure they were there.

I recently completed my 10th painting since we got here. Ridiculously prolific, don't you think?  It's a good unwinding activity, and there is plenty of scenery to paint. 

Some of our district members have talked me into teaching them to paint something for our meeting in June, so now we're scouting out scenes they might like to do.

Dennis is carving some, but he quickly realized he needed to build some tools and jigs to make his process easier. (I love it when that engineering brain kicks in to high gear.) I think he has most of what he needs now, so hopefully this coming Saturday will be a fruitful day for him.

We had a medical emergency back home with my mother last week, but she has come through it all pretty well and things seem to be normalizing (whatever that is with a 92-year-old). Blessings be heaped upon my brother and my mother's caregiver Renee for being the anchors in that storm. Dennis gave me a blessing here, in which Father was very clear about what my role should be. I'm so grateful for that access to direction in our lives. 

I guess the message this month is that we have a pretty defined routine as far as our assignments go, but there are enough variations to make it fun and interesting. And through all the ups and downs we feel the hand of the Lord upon us every day. It's a really special blessing for us, and we are very thankful for the opportunity to experience this.

January 12, 2025

I thought I'd let you see the first painting I did here. I originally titled it "Our Beach #1" knowing that I would probably paint this scene several times. I afterward learned that the strip of beach down the road from us is called Alligator Pond, because the rocks near shore resemble the backs of alligators. 

This one is 5 x 7, but I've done other sizes, too. I'm working on the ninth painting now. I have already bought more canvas. :)

Dennis first found a cool piece of driftwood and worked it until he had created a beautiful walking stick. It's grain and gentle curves are pretty amazing, and he finished it just right to enhance its beauty.

(Kind of hard to get a decent picture of the full length of a walking stick.... )

He's now crafting a relief carving of some hibiscus flowers, which is proving quite taxing as he is using a hardwood that is difficult to carve. It's going to be gorgeous, though. I'm excited about it.

We do this usually on weekends when we have a little down time. It's a great way to relax and reflect--or just to clear our minds. 

Our mission is a time of learning in many ways. We both have areas where the Lord sees we need to grow personally, and He put us here to give us the opportunity to do that. 

At the MTC in June 2000, and in the October 2001 Liahona, Jeffrey Holland said, 

"I am convinced that missionary work is not easy because salvation is not a cheap experience. Salvation never was easy. We are The Church of Jesus Christ, this is the truth, and He is our Great Eternal Head. How could we believe it would be easy for us when it was never, ever easy for Him? It seems to me that missionaries and mission leaders have to spend at least a few moments in Gethsemane. Missionaries and mission leaders have to take at least a step or two toward the summit of Calvary."  (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/liahona/2001/10/missionary-work-and-the-atonement?lang=eng#p50)

He suffered everything all of us could possibly suffer so that He could help us find our ways. The challenges are what give us the incentive to turn to Him, to learn to trust Him more, and eventually to change our understanding and therefore our actions to be more in harmony with His. Over and over. Line upon line. Tirelessly. Lovingly. Until we figure it out. 

Blessed be His name!

 

MELE KALIKIMAKA! (MERRY CHRISTMAS!)

Time is flying by, faster and faster. Is it that we have more to do, or that we are more used to the routine? We have been in Hawai'i for almost 5 months already. I realized the other day that when next Christmas rolls around we'll be packing to go home!

We had a lovely luncheon provided for us at Thanksgiving by a local family that does it every year for lots of people, away from home or without homes. They told us they cooked 365 turkeys this year!

Since then, there have been lots of activities added to our usual schedules. I guess they're hoping we don't get homesick. Or just that we'll have some fun and some spiritual experiences. Musical performances at the Visitors Center every night--we've been to a few--and other opportunities to get together with other missionaries and with coworkers. 

We have talked to some family and friends, with hopes of talking to more over Christmas break. We have 2 days off and are taking a 3rd to celebrate our anniversary. We may do a little sightseeing, depending what's open, or just stay home and do art.

We hope all of you are well and happy, and that you can enjoy the Spirit of Christmas.

We're Baaaack! 

Shortly after we arrived on O'ahu in August, the La'ie Temple closed for extensive maintenance. Because we were getting settled and figuring out what we were doing in our assignments the first 2 weeks, we got to attend exactly once before the closure began. (We hadn't been able to go while at the MTC, either. Since the Provo Temple right near the MTC has been leveled, people have to find transportation to one of the other nearby temples. We struck out on that count.) Those weeks in which we couldn't be in a temple happened to be filled with changes, adjustments, and uncertainties. We missed the peace that comes with being in the Celestial Room, or from hearing the words of an ordinance.  

The La'ie Temple reopened at the end of October, and we made our first appointment. We feel so blessed to be in a place where we have the opportunity to attend every week. It makes such a difference! We still have challenges, but they are more manageable. We still have questions, but answers come with more clarity. Sometimes we still feel like we're floundering, but inspiration comes more easily. 

For us, attending the temple as frequently as we can does not mean that difficult tasks are removed, but it does give us strength and faith to work through them, and find joy in the process!

October 27, 2024

How has a month gone by? Sorry if anyone was greatly anticipating our next post!

One thing I wanted to be sure to include in the blog history is… 

The Rock 

I’m not talking about Dwayne Johnson (though he has roots at the Polynesian Cultural Center and visited here just before we came—Google it).

 I’m talking about this one. It’s tucked away in the nonpublic area of the Center, and workers visit it frequently.

 When life or work or a calling just seems hard and you don’t feel like you’re getting anywhere, this can be a source of strength. Here’s what the plaque says [editing some for length and for specificity to the Center]:

 

Pushing Against the Rock

There was a man who was asleep one night in his cabin, when suddenly his room filled with light and the Savior appeared. The Lord told the man He had an important work for him to do and showed him a large rock in front of his cabin. The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock with all of his might. This the man did, day after day. For many years he toiled from sun up to sun down, his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, pushing with all his might.  Each night the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain.

 

Seeing that the man was showing signs of discouragement, Satan decided to enter the picture, place negative thoughts into the man’s mind. “You have been pushing against that rock for a long time and it hasn’t budged! Why kill yourself over this? You are never going to move it!” … Satan discouraged and disheartened the man until he began to think, “Why kill myself over this? I’ll just put in my time, giving just the minimum effort and that will be good enough.” This he planned to do until he decided to … take his troubled thoughts to the Lord. “Lord,” he said, “I have labored long and hard in your service, putting all my strength into doing that which you have asked of me. Yet even after all this time, I have not even budged that rock half a millimeter. What am I doing wrong? Why am I failing?”

 

To this the Lord responded compassionately. “My friend, when long ago I asked you to serve and you accepted, I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all your strength, which you have done. Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your task was to push…. But now you come to me …, thinking that you have failed. But it that really so? Look at yourself. Your arms are thick and muscled, your back powerful, your hands are strong and calloused from constant pressure, and your legs have become massive and hard. Through opposition you have grown much and your abilities now far surpass that which you used to have…..

 

“Your calling was to be obedient, to push, to exercise your faith and trust in my wisdom. This you have done…and now, my friend, I will move the rock.”

 

It is not always given to us to know what kind of difference we can make in people’s lives while we are here. Ours is simply to be obedient and push, doing we very best we can in every task, no matter how unimportant it may seem or how difficult the task might appear.

 

…we are not here by chance. Our loving Heavenly Father has led and guided you to be here… at this particular time. Then He inspires His children from all over the world to come to this… small island…to be with YOU…to learn from YOU… to be touched by YOU… and to feel of YOUR spirit….

 

“Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for His arm to be revealed.”

(D&C 123: 17)

 

We push against the rock to show dedication.

We push against the rock to exhibit obedience.

We push against the rock to prove that we are willing.

We push against the rock to demonstrate our love for the Lord and His children.

 

I don’t get over to the rock very often, but I and some of my coworkers keep smaller rocks on our desks as reminders. We often don’t know why the Lord asks us to do things. Faith is doing them anyway, and knowing that the time will come when we will understand why.

 September 22. 2024

Lots of Work, and Lots of Blessings

                All of the senior missionaries after a devotional with Elder Peter M. Johnson and Sister Johnson 

                (sitting, center of front row, wearing leis). We are 3 rows back, right behind them, also wearing leis.

Life is busy here. I know some people think we're just hanging out in paradise, but there's much more to it than that. Both of us have responsibilities that take up a minimum of 30 hours per week. We also serve 3 evenings per month helping guests find their way around for an hour or two. Then there are district meetings and devotionals. We're pretty much back to a 40-hour week.

Shopping for basics is an all-day thing most of the time, since there are very limited stores where we live. We have to drive an hour each way (in good traffic) and hit as many stores as we can while we're in that area. Last week it was a ten-hour trip. We've got that down to once a month, I think, as we now have our "pad" pretty functional and have laid in some supplies.

Here, car washing is a necessity if you want your car to have any chance of surviving the constant salt spray. And we are adapting to other ways the salt air and humidity affect life. Those things take up a lot of the time we have left.

After our Saturday to-do list was finished yesterday, we did make it down to the beach for a while--maybe the 4th time we've been down since we arrived. That is a wonderful reminder of where we are. We are hoping that we will have a little more down time now that we are "settled," and we are consciously making plans to include a few "just for fun" things when we can.

BUT, lest you think this is completely grueling, let me mention the differences between this and what we did when we were working. (For me, this applies more to the time I worked for companies, not to my time in the temple.) Here, we work for The Boss--our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He guides us through our assignments. We feel His Spirit and receive inspiration regularly. This place in which we work is a vehicle He has designed to bring people together, to let them be uplifted and feel included. He knows what must happen to support that objective, and we feel Him leading to do our parts in that work. And as I used to say when I did work at the temple, the benefits are out of this world!!

We get to work with hundreds of people who have consecrated their time and talents to this work. Think about the spirit that surrounds those people! We get to hear some pretty amazing talks, in person. The one shown above was Elder Johnson's visit when he spoke at our devotional. This past week, Elder John H. Groberg--SOOOO beloved here, even to this day--was the speaker at the BYU-H devotional, and we were all invited. His talk is already on YouTube. It's called "Heartfelt Helping" and it's amazing. What you won't see on the video is what happened after the closing prayer. The students stood and started singing "God Be with You" in Tongan. Then we all sang it in English, then they finished with a reprise in Tongan. There wasn't a dry eye. Oh--and be sure to check out the AMAZING handmade lei he is wearing. Only the very elect are presented with such things.

 And we are meeting other amazing people. We both work with students from many places. And as part of my work, I go out interview some of them. They represent different cultures from around the Pacific, but all are based on the concept of 'Ohana (family). They are genuinely loving and giving to the core. That's pretty nice to be around, too. 

So all in all, there ARE aspects of paradise (and Paradise) that peek through the work each day. It is so far an amazing, growing experience. 

Recent Events

 This is Iosepa (E-o-sep-ah), a massive, hand-carved outrigger canoe that has made several long Pacific voyages. We had a district activity in which we got to hear a lot about it from one of its captains. We've also had the privilege to meet one of the master carvers who contributed greatly to its creation. (Dennis plans to spend more time with him soon, along with another carver who came out with us. He lives near us.)

Iosepa Captain Mark Ellis, in red, Dennis in the middle on the right. 

There were about 20 of us up on the deck.

They have regular activities planned for us here, which is good, because we don't see a lot of the other missionaries as we go about our daily routines.--just a handful. That seems to be widening as time goes on.

We are also getting to know our coworkers. One Debbi works with enjoys the 2 "aunties" she works with so much that she invited us over for dinner so we could meet her husband. We went, and "Sister A" brought her roommate. We had a great time. And her husband is quite a chef, so the food was amazing.

Meanwhile, Hurricane Hone (Ho-nay) breezed by. We got some decent wind and rain, but nothing scary. The southern tip of Hawaii took the brunt of the storm, but we are far from them.

This week we are scheduled to start helping out with guests. At opening and around luau/night show times we take turns helping them find their way around. That's when we get to wear the lovely costumes. Husbands and wives have to match. I was told that the "traditional" muumuu was created by early missionaries who had no patterns from which to sew Western dresses for the natives, so they used a book illustration of Old Mother Hubbard. I CAN believe it, but I think I'll research it before I really DO believe it. These are our "loaners." We have custom-made duds that are blue. Don't know which we'll wear first. 

                       

August 18, 2024

Two weeks on the island. We’re still getting our apartment (called here, a “pad”) set up to be our home for the next 18 months. It’s coming along. We still need to get some things for storage and computer function, as well as art stations. Dennis is working on the front porch at this point. Debbi has done very little painting, but used the table provided for office function for that bit, so it’s limited. We can’t have both set up at the same time.

 We’re also learning our “jobs.” In MIS, Dennis has a current project of helping other missionaries get their specified Cultural Center email accounts functioning on their phones. (We all now have our Church emails, our mission emails, and our PCC emails—on top of our personal accounts.) He’s also finding that the young guys in his office need help doing some of the standard stuff (like decommissioning computers) that he’s done for years. On the other side, he’s learning some of the more recent developments from them.

 Debbi is assigned to the Marketing Department, with the current assignment to take over the employee/volunteer newsletter and help with other copy as requested. The newsletter is basically a resurrection of an old format, so there is a lot of work to do.

We’re finding our departments consist of cores of FT employees who are leading tons of PT student employees and a few missionaries. That’s how it works here. As amazing a venue as the Polynesian Cultural Center is, it exists to support the students (who are mostly from these island nations) to work to pay for their educations at BYU Hawaii. They work, and we work to enhance what they can earn in their limited hours. We also try to help them feel a sense of family that they may be missing, as many of them can’t afford to go home for visits. Consequently, while they can talk to their families, they may not see them for 4 to 6 years!

 Fortunately, the entire spirit of the islands is “Ohana.” Everyone is family. They treat everyone with respect and kindness. We’re loving that aspect of this adventure and hoping that it becomes second nature to us, too. 

How Can I Find Peace?

 Our MTC group

It has definitely been a busy week! We arrived in Provo Saturday and took up residence at the Missionary Training Center. The week was full of instruction, discussion, and practice of the principles that will help us relate to the people we will be serving. We met people from all over the world who are going to places new to them. We’re all excited about our assignments and grateful for new friendships.

In one of the seminars, we discussed the challenges of being away from home for an extended period of time. The presenters were a husband and wife who are both counselors. They have worked with many missionaries, young and older, so they knew their stuff. One thing the woman said really hit home with me:

When peace is gone, something in your head is inaccurate.

As we’ve talked about it, we agree that this could also be worded, “If you are unsettled, your head and your heart are not in harmony.”

For me, the heart is the true me, seeking to be heard, and influenced only by the Spirit of Truth. The head is what the world tells me I ought to be or do. It can be confusing, to say the least.

I have been reflecting on times when I have felt anxious, and this concept certainly seems to have been true in many instances. To spare you a novel, I’m going to oversimplify application of this principle to my experience. It has been true that only when I could bring myself around (read as “allowed the Spirit’s voice to be heard, trusted, and acted upon”) that I felt a return of wholeness, stability, and peace. Of course sometimes that took a long time to accomplish—growth is not on a timetable, and some situations are irritants for the long term. But ultimately, the disharmony within has been overcome.

Isn’t that part of being mortal? We are here to learn. To become the best we can become. But when we allow ourselves to be persuaded away from the truth we feel in our hearts, we can lose our ways for a time. That is when anxiety, depression, and their negative companions creep in.

So, since the heart is where my inner truth lies, it follows that any uneasiness would be caused by something in my head that is not accurate. Whether that is a lie I’ve been persuaded to believe about who I am or what I can accomplish, or about the people and communities that surround me, the problem lies in my head, not in reality. Moral of the story: I need to be very careful about making sure my head doesn’t lose sight of who I am in my heart.

Have you experienced this in your life? We'd love to hear about it. You can leave a message here or send an email.

Now we're preparing to leave the MTC. Next stop, Oahu!

 Refining....

A few people have let us know that they are having trouble signing into the blog. We had this set as a private/closed group, and apparently that's an issue for people with certain types of email addresses. For that reason--and the fact that more have requested access than we can cover with a closed group, this is now TECHNICALLY public. We'd still like to keep this as private as we can, so please don't share it on FB or anything like that. But now hopefully everyone can get in. If you know of someone close who isn't in yet and wants to follow along, you many invite that person. On "public" setting, we can't invite any more. Send them to debbithewriter.blogspot.com. 

Also, please understand that since this is a google application, the only people who can leave comments are those who are signed in with gmail accounts. That doesn't mean you have to open a gmail account if you don't want to. You could still contact us through regular email. (I won't publish those addresses here, just in case "public" grows into more than we would like. They are available through various means to the people we know.) 

We're down to our final week of preparation--we leave Saturday for the MTC in Provo. 

Ward Luau Activity for Youth, May 2024

The Countdown Continues....

We are T-minus 11 days until this adventure really...oh, it's too obvious...blasts off. A few of you received the first post. Many more are now being invited to join. If you are able to access this, please comment so we will know. If you do not want to continue receiving it (no hurt feelings, I promise), please also let us know that.

Note: If there are multiple people in your household who want to read this, you may have to share. Apparently there is a limit on how many people I can include and keep this a closed group. I'll work on that.

Off now to practice throwing a shaka.

(Shaka: A hand sign that originated in Hawaii and is often associated with surf culture. It's made by extending the thumb and little finger while curling the three middle fingers. For emphasis, the hand can be quickly turned back and forth with the knuckles facing out. The shaka can be presented with the front or back of the hand, and the wrist can be rotated back and forth. While it can mean "hang loose," it can also mean "hello," "goodbye," "thank you," "things are great," "take it easy," and "aloha." "Aloha" has its own set of meanings, encompassing the essence of peace, love, compassion, and respect.)

Statue of Hamana Kalili, the father of the shaka. By Leroy Transfield. It stands at the Polynesian Cultural Center, Laie, Hawaii.

 Hey, friends and family!

As we get ready to depart for our mission in Hawaii, we're trying to figure out the best way to keep in touch with everyone. Cousin John suggested a blog, so I'm trying this out--resurrecting my old writing blog to see if people can get to it and view pics and all that. I'll throw a few pics up here to see how that works. 

If you can find and read this and see the images, please comment so I'll know it's working. 

(This is a closed group. Only those invited will be able to access it.)

A Kauai chicken I painted last year.

Before the mission call.