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.