Happy and Sad.

Sunday March 6, 2022   

Email #23

 

Aloha Family and Friends!

 

It has been so much fun this week to have Kristen and Andrew here in Hawaii.  We have been able to do things with them almost every day even though they have been staying in Honolulu. 

We have enjoyed the following activities together: Manoa Falls Hike, time at the PCC, time at Kokololio beach, dinner and shave ice in Haliewa. snorkeling  at Hanauma bay, riding side by sides at Kualoa ranch (getting absolutely filthy), and today we met at Connie and Peter Ululava’s for a wonderful dinner and delightful conversation.  I am thankful that my schedule allowed me a day off this week to be able to spend more time with them.  It has been absolutely delightful.  I get very excited when I know we have family coming.  We love you all so very much!

 

Our mission president and his wife-- Elder and Sister Bassett spoke at the BYUH devotional this past Tuesday.  If you have any interest in getting to know them—go to “You Tube” and type in--- BYUH devotional—Bassetts, and you can view that devotional as well as hear the song they wrote for our missions (The Cause of Christ).  The song is sung much slower by the choir than we sing it at mission meetings. I love this song.  

 

I got one of my best compliments a few days ago—in a roundabout way that is.  I was sitting at the back of the store where we sell art and jewelry.  I don’t work back there very often.  I was playing the ukulele behind a counter.  Really just messing around with a chord progression—doing some picking and different ways to change up the sound.  A man turned around and saw me behind the counter and kind of jumped.  He said---“Oh, I didn’t realize you were there, I thought the music was coming through some speakers overhead.”  Wow—I’ll take that!  It was kind of funny.  He was really surprised. Another “compliment” recently by Elder Arnett who works in our store:  I was playing something on the ukulele and he told me that I had improved since coming on the mission.  I asked—“really?”  (Because you can never tell when he is teasing), and he said “Oh Yeah!” meaning—you were really, really bad when you arrived here.  I am still a beginner but I think I have improved at least a little bit. 

 

The marriage enrichment classes that we are teaching with another senior couple began this week.  We only had three couples show up but I think that will increase as time goes by.  It was on the five love languages and Elder and Sister Skinner taught the lesson.  Those particular three couples are all very newly married—still in the honeymoon stage.  They are excited to soak it all in and learn. I hope that we can help make a difference even in a small way. 

 

When I woke up Thursday morning and read the text from Mark saying that his sweetheart is still with him but is sleeping most of the time, I had the impression that the end was very near.  Then I got the email later that afternoon that she had passed.  Although it was expected, the finality of it was still hard and very emotional.  I spent a lot of time on Friday trying to make it work to be able to go to her funeral, but in the end, decided not to go.  It was a very difficult decision. I am so thankful for the plan of salvation and the knowledge that I will see her again. 

 

There is a lot of sadness and stress in the world right now--war, pandemic, economy tanking, inflation, death.  There are also many good things happening.  People finding the Gospel, people serving others, family members bringing life into the world—CONGRATS BRYAN AND JENNIE!  We are so excited for you and us.  Yours is number 22. Yahoo! I feel somewhat removed and sheltered from all the bad being on a mission.  I’m not sure if that’s good or bad.   But what I do know is that God is in charge.  We already know the final outcome and I am so thankful for not only my testimony, but also my conversion to His Gospel.  We will keep walking the covenant path and trying with all of our might to follow His will for us.  I hope you will too! 

 

Much love,

Sister Bleak, Mom, Grandma 

 

 

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

*We are being led by fantastic mission president and wife.  I’m so grateful for them.

*I was able to forgive someone (fairly quickly) when I got my feelings hurt, and not hang on to the difficult feelings. 

*I found a way to use our voucher to get Kristen and Andrew entrance into the buffet. 

*I felt deep gratitude for the Gospel and the plan of salvation when I received the news of Valerie’s passing. 

*I needed to get into Davis district account (for tax purposes) and didn’t have my old u-name and password written down anymore.  Both pass codes came into my mind—that’s a miracle.

*News of a new grandbaby on the way.