Conference Weekend

Sunday April 3, 2022   

Email #27

 

Aloha Family and Friends!

 

I just love conference weekend!  I always have.  I love the spiritual feast and am so sad when the last song is sung and the last prayer has been given.  Thankfully, we are very blessed to be able to re-read, study and listen to the talks over and over again.  The biggest thing that was missing this time was that we weren’t able to see you and enjoy wonderful food, laughter and conversation together.  I have thought about you often this weekend, wondering what traditions you have begun in your families around conference weekend.   I didn’t make cinnamon muffins because I made banana/chocolate chips muffins on Friday to share with my co-workers.  Baking twice in a week is a stretch here because of our small kitchen.  One of the blessings about being in Hawaii during conference time is that it ends really early and there is still time in the day to do other things—4:00 on Saturday and noon on Sunday. 

 

We traveled back to Oahu from Maui on Monday.  The actual flight time was 22 minutes.  It takes a lot longer than that to drive to/from the airport—over an hour.   It was more difficult to switch my mind set back to our mission assignments than I thought it would be. In one sense, it felt good to be back home and get back to our normal, comfortable things and schedule.  In another sense, I longed to be free from the obligation of clocking in on someone else’s time clock.  It was really fun to be free and easy while on vacation and a little hard to turn that off. I don’t think that I want to go “on vacation” again while we are on our mission.  I will just wait until we get home.

 

While working at the luau Tuesday night, I began chatting with one woman (patron) and asked her how her day had been.  Her face lit up and she proceeded to tell me that it had been one of the best days of her life.  She loved her whole experience at the PCC and that it was a very special place.  She was so thrilled to be here.  It reminded me of Eric Workman’s (mission presidency) comment in his talk a few weeks ago--that the PCC is a “soft introduction to the church”.  Many people feel something special here when they attend.  I would be interested to know how many seek out the church after leaving. 

 

I was not happy when I arrived at the warehouse Wednesday morning and found out that our job that day would be cleaning.  What? —It’s a warehouse!  We were asked to clean it because the chairman of the board for the PCC was coming on Friday and everything needed to be in tip top shape.  I think that it bothered me more than normal because I had been told by someone just days earlier that I wasn’t serving a real mission. At that moment—I truly agreed.  
But then I remembered the promise I had made to myself before leaving on the mission that I would help with whatever was needed and I wouldn’t complain.  I have to admit; I was complaining in my head and heart that morning.  It really bothered me (at that moment) that the managers can use us in whatever way they want to.  We are free labor.  But eventually, I began to repent and soften my heart.  I looked over at dear Elder Hansen who is in his mid-70’s and I admired again how he is willing to do anything asked of him.  AND he doesn’t complain.  He does many miscellaneous jobs around the PCC.  He delivers product to the stores, picks up bags of garbage to take to the dumpster, and anything else the managers needs done.  I changed my attitude and my day went well.  BTW—the chairman of the board never visited the warehouse on Friday.  

 

We attended two concerts on campus this week.  The first was a steel drum concert.  I LOVE steel drums and have a fascination with them.  It was very fun.  The second was a piano recital for some students majoring in piano performance.  That recital was Saturday night and I wasn’t sure about sitting for another hour and a half after sitting for five and a half hours of conference, but we went and boy were we glad we did.  Scott and I were simply amazed at the talent of the performers.  It was absolutely unbelievable.  The last two performers were probably the best I have ever heard at a live performance.  Their fingers were flying all over the keyboard and it was just so much fun to be there to watch and listen to the eleven performers.  We continue to be amazed at the talent at BYUH for such a small university.  

 

We love you all.  Have a wonderful week. I know that it is spring break for some of you.  I hope you have a wonderful time and that you travel safely. 

 

Much Love!

 

Sister Bleak, grandma, mom, Gayle

 

How I have seen the hand of the Lord in my life this week:

*”A” wanted to get my phone number to be able to stay in touch with me after she moves over to her new job—that’s a step in the right direction with the genuine gold program.

*I felt through the spirit a need to change my attitude at the warehouse and I did.

*I felt the spirit guiding us as we taught the marriage class (topic—developing a family culture)

*Daniel (our landlord) was home and was able to borrow a ladder to go through the window to unlock the door for me when I got locked out.  It was a tender mercy that I had cracked the window upstairs earlier that morning, and that he was home. 

*I was able to have a conversation with a couple from Canada whose son is interested in architecture.  (I taught them a ukulele lesson) Their son doesn’t know any architects and had lots of questions. Scott connected with him later and had a long conversation with him.  

*I felt the power of the testimony of living prophets and apostles this weekend.