Aloha 6/19/13

Aloha,

What a special week we have had in our mission.  On the 12th we held a Tri-Zone Conference in the Honolulu tabernacle.  The Zones in attendance were:  Honolulu, Hon-West, Waipahu, and Makakilo.  We took a picture after dinner w/ all in attendance.  Check out that front row with all the Seniors and their companions!!!   We also took a picture of the Daltons, the 2 Elders serving in the Tongan Branch (Elders Green & Gardner) and the M&M Sisters.  Sis. Dalton stated her great-grandfather helped purchase and dedicate the sight where the tabernacle stands today.  What a legacy.

The day was quite emotional knowing it was our last Conference w/ President and Sister Dalton.   Pres. Dalton talked about "Vision 200" and that it was looking good to have 200 converts for the month of June.  The new mission President and his wife will be arriving on June 29th.  It is Pres. Warner and his wife.  It will be exciting to meet them.

President Dalton talked about "The Important Things" w/ #1 being obedience and that it is the first law of heaven.  He said, "If we are obedient that our callings w/ sanctify us and that our personal sanctification is essential to fulfill a righteous mission.   #2 The most important person in your life hereafter will be your spouse, then your family.  The Church exists to exalt the family.  He told the missionaries when they return... "To be on the hunt!" and find your eternal companion.  #3 Education IS NOT an option-in today's world... it is essential.   #4 Can you take your own advice?  When you return, be sure to do all the things that you have been teaching, for they enable your sanctification.  Remember to be a great member missionary you learned here!  #5 Please... you need to maintain your good grooming when you return home.  Do not try to emulate the look of the world.  #6 We need to avoid pornography because it is one of the greatest sins and evils in the world right now.  It is more addictive than heroin. 

Sister Dalton gave ten suggestions for success which are:

1.  Be true to the temple:  hold a current recommend/ attend regularly

2.  Listen to the Holy Ghost for promptings

3.  Lock your heart on your mission for you are Christ's representative

4.  Respect other's belongings

5.  Be Kind

6.  Don't spend your time looking down... control technology

7.  Use a T-Chart.. listing advantages/ disadvantages

8.  Get an education

9.  Build a strong family

10. Budget your money... don't spend more than you make!

They closed with we are all their adopted sons and daughters and love us all "with all the feeling of a tender parent."  1 Nephi 8:37

I am going to add our Hawaii Honolulu Mission Motto:

We are grateful to be in the Hawaii Honolulu Mission... the ALOHA Mission.  The atonement of Jesus Christ is our message, love of God and others is our motivation, and obedience to the commandments and mission rules is our strength.  By sharing the gospel with others, we can give them the "HA"... the breath of life; even eternal life.  ALOHA.

Today was my granddaughter, Avery's birthday.  She turned 10 and wanted a typewriter because of a book she was reading.  How about going back in time!

We had a lovely day at the temple on Thursday.  It is such a picturesque drive seeing all the vegetation and the beautiful ocean and all the people enjoying the sand and sea.

Friday we attended our missionary meeting and of course, the dinners have been suspended so we headed home.

Saturday was another special event.  We (30 Senior Couples) had a dinner w/ the Daltons at Outback in Hawaii Kai.  We all visited and then presented them with a book that had a picture of each companion with a little about ourselves and what our mission meant to us.  We then each gave a moment of gratitude to the Daltons.  One thing I really appreciated from them was the opportunity to come home for my grandson, John's mission farewell to Uganda in December and to my grandson, Boston's baptism in March.  He said, "Family is important AND this is what the church is all about."  They have been a wonderful Mission President and my prayers go with them to their next assignment.  The Smileys and the Daltons are in the picture at Outback.  The Smileys headed home on Monday after serving as office missionaries.  Aloha!

Sunday was "Father's Day" and all the fathers in the Branch were given beautiful homemade leis.  I was able to talk to my sons and sons-in-law to wish them a special day... only I wished Matt a "Happy Mother's Day" in my voice message, so  they got a kick out of that.  Matt sent me a picture of my 4 year old granddaughter, London, holding a snake.  I don't know where she gets her bravery! I can't stand any reptile.  Elder Shepherd can attest to seeing me bounce up and down outside the Relief Society room when I saw geckos above my head by the door entrance.  Thank goodness I have Sis. McGiven to get rid of them in the apartment... I think they know I can't stand them because they head for my room + ugly centipedes.   I have decided these are the things I will NOT miss when I return home... horrible roads, tattoos, and geckos!

On P-day we had our nails and pedicures and got our shopping done.  I still need to go to KoOlina and swim.  My skin will not look like I have spent a year in Hawaii... I am still so white (Haole)!

Tuesday we had our District meeting in Waianae and told the missionaries that the Elams were bringing "biscuits and gravy."  You should have heard the roar!  Many are out of $$$.  We will feed them next Tuesday as we have in the past.  When we separated into our Districts, Elder Bailey instructed us on "believing and acting."  He talked about David and Goliath and the faith he had in the Lord of Israel and how he took out Goliath.  How do we conquer our Goliath's today?  He then showed us a video entitled "Holiness to the Lord" about the life story of John Rowe Moyle.  He was a convert who came from England and crossed the plains w/ his family pulling a handcart.  

When they arrived in the SL valley they decided to build in Alpine UT... 22 miles from SLC.  Brigham Young called him to be a mason on the SL temple.  He walked each Monday morning leaving at 2am to arrive at the temple site by 8am to begin work.  He would then stay w/ his son throughout the week and leave Friday at 5pm for home so he could take care of his homestead. He bought a cow that provided milk to his family.  One day as he milked the cow, the cow kicked his leg and eventually he had to have it amputated.  He later fashioned a wooden leg and learned to walk and then began his trek to the SL temple to finish his work.  He died before he saw the temple dedicated, but his work stands today on the East side of the temple and reads for all to see... "Holiness to the Lord/ The House of the Lord/ built by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints/ Commenced April 6, 1853/ Completed April 6, 1893.  Again I ask... what Goliaths do we need to slay?

Have a great week.

Mahalo,

Sis. Morris