Branch Brotherhood

This was an eventful week for our branch. On Monday, for Family Home Evening, the members went on an 'eggs-treme' egg hunt. Each team was assigned a different color of egg to gather. They ran around outside in the dark. After finding their eggs, they returned to President Lee's house and decoded the special Easter message from the clues written inside the eggs. Then they colored eggs and had treats.

Wednesday evening we had a branch temple session for all those who were endowed. Because this week was our branch conference, there was a member of the Stake Presidency and a High Councilman there as well. What was really wonderful is that we were all there to witness a young man named Kaisa taking out his own endowment. He has an interesting story.
We first met Kaisa in December at our branch Christmas party. We visited with him for a few minutes and when we got ready to leave, he said he had something he wanted to give us. He went to his pickup and returned with a large box of crackers. He said that he had decided to return to the Church and become active again after being away for seven plus years. True to his word, he has not missed one Sunday since he made that pledge. He received his patriarchal blessing, the Melchizedek Priesthood, and he has been taking Dennis' Temple Prep class during Sunday School. When he walked into the chapel of the temple on Wednesday evening, he just stopped, wiped his eyes and said, "Oh, this is sweet." He is a humble man with a heart as big as all outdoors. There were over twenty-five of us there which was the largest turnout the high councilman said he had seen at any of the Branch conferences they were doing. When we were all gathered in the Celestial room and Kaisa came in, there was such a sweet spirit there. I felt how much joy Heavenly Father must feel to see one of His prodigals return. Here is a picture of Kaisa: (A few months ago he didn't own a white shirt or a pair of pants!)

Next up for Kaisa? Now he says it is time to find a wife!!

Yesterday was "Helping Hands" service day and our branch cleaned up around the community center where we meet and then across the street, at the beach. The entire Elder's Quorum that were there then went and helped a man move a giant shed to a new property. The man is a friend of Brother Fullmer (1st Counselor) and is not a member of our church, although he is a minister of a 'surfing' community church of some kind. He is a well-known surf photographer on the North Shore. He was amazed that all these young men would show up to help him out when they didn't even know him and they were so happy doing it! He went to the branch activity afterwards up at Fullmer's house where they were cooking a pig and thanked everyone and offered the blessing on the food.
Here are a couple of pictures of the cleanup and the pig roast:

Marvalyn Santeco, our RS President, Kaye, Lezlie Lee, wife of our Branch President and her son

Cleaning up at the Sunset Beach Community Center

Apparently men's work - no girls allowed!