Counting Down

Today when we tore off another link on our paper chain, we realized that we are down to three Sundays and four weeks until this adventure draws to a close. While it has been a wonderful opportunity and blessing in our lives, we are ready to come home. As we prepare to return to Utah we will carry with us some remarkable experiences and memories of many new friends. Hopefully, this blog journal will be a useful reminder of what the past sixteen months have meant to us.

As things are drawing to a close, there isn't too much that is new to write about. We are simply trying to do our best to finish the race with all the loose ends wrapped up. So to summarize the past couple of weeks. . . November 2 was Stake Conference. Our Branch President, Ethan Lee, and his wife, Lezlie, spoke and did a great job. We also heard from our Mission President, Steven Warner and his wife. My mother's cousin, Keith Pierce, a counselor in the temple presidency, and his wife spoke. It was a good conference. Once again, President Hannemann singled out the Sunset Beach Branch and had us all stand up. We are his special project and he is always bragging about the branch. I think the other student wards must be getting tired of hearing how great we are. They are equally great, just not as unique. 

After the conference we attended the Senior Missionary "Break the Fast" over at the PCC. Each month we are assigned to bring either a main dish, salad, or dessert. This month I took a chicken, black bean Mexican soup. I thought it was good. Dennis didn't have any. haha.

Tuesday we worked at the PCC. We were assigned to take tickets at the Kauai luau for a special function. The whole luau had been rented out by an insurance company from Malaysia. They rewarded all their salespeople with a trip to Hawaii. Some things are the same in any culture.

Wednesday was our regular temple day. We usually attend the four o'clock session since it is for handicapped patrons and they always seem to need help there. This week the session was full. A group from the Marshall Islands were here to do temple work for a couple of weeks. They all had on headsets for translation. I admire their faithfulness in serving here when I know it must have been a very expensive trip to make with a lot of sacrifice involved. 

Friday and Saturday all the power to our building was turned off from 8:30 in the morning until 4:00 in the afternoon. It was rainy and dreary so we went to 'town' and ran a couple of errands and basically hung out.  We went to see "Interstellar" on Friday night. I liked it, but it was different. I had to stay awake and I'm still not sure I get it.

Monday, the 10th, the branch had a bake-off for Family Home Evening. We had a bunch of cakes and the kids divided into groups of three and decorated their cakes using a beach theme. Some were pretty good; others looked like a hurricane had hit their island. Here are a couple of pictures.

 OK, so you can't see any of the finished product, but they all had a good time and we had a great turn-out which was nice. Here is a picture of our two missionary elders, Elder Moffit and Elder Doxey, with a recent convert, Blaine. It was nice to see him there as well.

Tuesday our PCC assignment was cancelled. They occasionally do that when the crowds are small for the luaus. It worked out well because we were then able to attend the Religious Ed dinner and lecture by a visitor, Grant Hardy.
Wednesday Dad's computer died and so we had to take it down to the Apple hospital at the Kahala Mall.
Thursday I went to my last BYUH Womens' Organization luncheon. They have these once a month for anyone who works on campus. We pay ten dollars for a little lunch and a talk by a guest speaker. This month our speaker was Blanche Linton, one of the senior missonaries who has an educational software company in Utah. She spoke on the importance of education and what it means to be a teacher. 
Friday we started the super cleaning of the apt. We washed all the louvered windows, the screens, and the curtains. We also packed a box and put it on the slow boat home. 
Saturday the weather was beautiful and so we spent the morning at the beach. We tried going in the water but the waves were too strong and kept knocking us down so I gave up. It was 84 degrees which was weird when we heard on the news that it was 30 degrees in Utah. A cold night for a football game in Provo. Saturday night was the first basketball game of the season and so we went over to watch that with the Rowells. They recruited three seniors from the Mainland and they are super tall - 6'10". One of them is in our branch. He is from Medford, Oregon.

The 'Big Wave" season is upon us once again and while they are spectacular to watch, I am not too sure about those who love to surf them. They may have too much water sloshing around in their brains. We went over and watched a bit of the surf competition at Haleiwa. 

At Haleiwa Beach Park

Waves crashing at the 'Point' in Laie

Finally, one of the things I will miss is our "Branch in a Box" where we all pitch in and help set up chairs, podium, Sacrament table, etc. each week. Here is a picture of Lezlie with our "box."

Finally, one more picture of Elder and Sister Wright in front of the Sunset Beach Rec Center.