We are back in school and are returning to the semester routine.  That is the good news...the September heat and humidity is the bad news.  But at least we are better prepared for it and it does not seem as bad as last year. 

This past week started with a Missionary BBQ on the beach.  It was Labor Day so we decided to roast hot dogs over a real fire.  I gathered the wood and built the fire...then we roasted hot dogs and made smores.  It was a BBQ to welcome the Carters and the Christensens to our group of religious education missionaries.  

Here is a photo of us with our friends from Langley BC, the Cardnos.  Never go to the Mexican restaurant in Haleiwa.  Not Cholos, that is great, but the other one by Pizza Bob's.   They are going home next week so we went to dinner with them. They are nice people and we will miss them. We had a nice evenig. It has been good to reconnect with them.

Wrights and Cardno at Sunset Beach

The big event of the week was the Sunset Beach Waiema Bay YSA activity.  It was HUGE!  We had sent invitations all over the island to YSA.  We knew it would be big, but there were almost 500 YSA in attendance.  That is in addition to the members of our branch and 50 non-members who came.  Here are some photos and comment. 

Leveling the Sand for the Slip and Slide

I did not know preparing a beach slip and slide was so much work.  You have to carefully select your sight and then level the sand like you do with cement.  Then you have to have a certain (slippery) kind of plastic, a gas pump and hoses to carry the water to the top of the slide.

It has to be raised a bit for proper drainage and leveled to keep the plastic from tearing.  We had problems with the plastic, the pump, and the hose.  So a 12:00 start became a 2:00 start, right on time for Hawaii.  The kids did not care. 

We had all the YSA come to a sign up tent where they signed an accident waiver.  The non members also indicated if they wanted more information about the Sunset YSA branch.  That gave the missionaries a good start  with some contact information.  We are hoping there are some good referrals.

Kaye and Dennis signing in 500 YSA

Big Kaisa says watch out below as he launches

We were blessed and had no accidents.  I was proud of the kids because there wore more modest bathing suits on the beach than ever before.  The stake president said we set a high water mark for the rest of the stake.  We were at the beach from 9:00 (preparing the slide) to 4:00 when everyone was there.  We met so many people from all over the island and visitors from other places who wanted to try the slide.  It was quite a hit for all ages. 

The Slip and Slide is almost done

The registration tent

The Sunset Beach Primary boys ready to slide

The Sunday after the event we went to the Community Center only to find that the worker assigned to open it for us had not shown up.  We had to make a decision and the President said, "backyard church" at the counselors home.  So off we all went to his backyard and set up church just like in pioneer times.  Here is a photo.

Back Yard church

At this meeting the Stake President was in attendance to change the EQ Presidency and had a great time in this setting.  He returned and challenged all the "normal" wards to step it up and gain the spirit like the Sunset Branch. Our branch is his "baby" and he is so pleased with the progress. 

The new EQP is Chris in the photo below.  The first EQP was Masi, a returned missionary and local parks worker.  He was a great president and helped get the quorum going.  But he is getting married and moving on to a new adventure. 

Masi, Chris and ElderWright

Chris is a wonderful new member of our Branch who became active a couple of months ago.  He is full of faith and is very good with helping others who are less active return to the Church.  Chris is a real Hawaiian cowboy who works for a ranch at Kahuku.  He likes having FHE for the Branch at his huge barn where they can Texas two step and swing dance.  The wonderful blessing of being in the branch is that we have seen so many less active kids return to the church and prepare for the temple.  Chris is now planning a trip to Missouri where his family lives so he can go to the temple with them.  What a great story.  We also have a baptism coming next week of a wonderful waitress that decided that she wanted the Church in her life.  Each Sunday there are less active kids and non-members in Church looking for a better life.  Living the North Shore beach life is great only for awhile.  It becomes old and senseless prompting kids to ask if there is more.  That is where the Branch comes in.  Probably this is the best part of our mission.