A Bleak Hawaii Mission

Sunday June 5, 2022    Email #36   Aloha Everyone,   We were blessed to spend more time with Nathan and Stephanie and family this week.  They spent Monday at the PCC and we joined them in the evening after work and at the night show.  We got to spend Wednesday with them in Honolulu area visiting Pearl harbor and also the weekend in Ko’Olina at the Disney resort. I struggle to know how much to say about “vacationing” while on our mission because I don’t want you to get the impression that we play all the time here—we actually work really hard.  However—this week was especially fun spending time with them, and it truly felt like a vacation for a few days.  I won’t lie--It was great to have AC, a garbage disposal, a dishwasher and comfortable beds for three nights. But the best part was being with family and spending time together talking, laughing, playing games, eating, snorkeling, swimming, sharing spiritual experiences, talking about the Gos...

Sunday May 29, 2022    Email #35   Aloha Everyone,   The big news of the week and that we get to enjoy family again!  Nathan and Steph and family arrived Friday night.  We have had such a great time together so far and will continue to enjoy another week with them.  It has been especially special to have grandchildren visit this time—a first since we have been here.  They have all grown up in the past eight months especially William who is now almost as tall as Scott.  We spent some time at the visitor’s center today and during the vignette showing of “God’s Plan”, I became very emotional and felt the spirit so strongly.  I am so grateful for God’s plan and that we can be together as a family after this life.  We love each of you so much and can’t think of anyone we would rather be with. God’s plan of Happiness is a perfect plan and I’m thankful for it.     There is not a lot to say about work this week.  Th...

Sunday May 22, 2022    Email #34   Aloha Everyone!   Work was much better this week with getting the registers up and running.  The extra step I was taught to do by the other store manager last week really helped a lot and saved me tons of time this week.  I’m so grateful to have received that extra help.     Once a month we have a group senior missionary FHE.  This past Monday, it was a musical evening with a few performances and people talking about their favorite hymns and then we all sang that hymn together.  I had previously been asked to accompany to hymns.  I had fun playing but missed being able to sing with everyone.  It was a special evening and at times it sounded so great in the room—like we had angels with us.  My favorite part was when Elder Redder talked about the hymn “Praise to the Man” and what that hymn means to him.  We then sang it, and everyone stood up to honor Joseph Smith. It was an ...

Sunday May 15, 2022    Email #33 May 9-May 15, 2022   We have enjoyed another visit from family this week.  Bryan and Jennie have been with us since Wednesday. We have had a wonderful time together.  We are blessed to be serving in a place that is a destination for family coming.  Would you still come if we were serving in Arkansas?  I know Stephanie would!    We have enjoyed sitting at the beach, the PCC, playing games, yummy food, lots of talking and driving around.  We got to attend the night show at the PCC and that particular night they included the finals for the fire knife competition—which is a big deal here.  It was awesome to watch.  Bryan and Jennie also did some excursions without us while we worked at our jobs.  We have absolutely loved having them here.    I have missed the Scovilles this week.  I am the “more seasoned” employee at times which makes me realize how much I don’t know but als...

Sunday May 8, 2022    Email #32  Happy belated Birthday Jane! AND—Happy Anniversary Bryan and Jennie, AND—Happy BIRTHday baby Cal.  We are so happy that you are here.   Aloha All and HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!!!!   I hope that each of you mothers had a wonderful day and was honored and loved as you deserve.  I am so very thankful for all the wonderful examples of mothers in my life.  I cannot put into words the love, respect and admiration I have for my own dear mother and mother-in-law.  I am a very blessed woman to be raised by a righteous mother.   The biggest and best news of the week is the birth of our 21 st  grandchild—Cal Kenneth Bleak.  Faith was certainly a trooper as she labored all day and night to bring Cal into this world.  It has been difficult being here and not being able to hold him or to help Faith.  My heart has ached many times during the week.  But I know that she is in good hands with help fr...

Sunday May 1, 2022    Email #31 Aloha my dear, dear family and friends!   I hope that you aren’t tired of me using that as my greeting each week.  The longer I am here, the more I love the word--Aloha.  It is more than just a word of greeting.  When people use it they are expressing great love for the person they are greeting.  And I do send my great love to you!   We had our first day of serving at the visitor’s center today.  We had about five minutes of instruction and then were asked to show a group of people the movie: “Welcome to Laie”.  I gave a quick introduction to the movie before it began, and then we bore brief testimonies at the end.  We are really excited to be able to have this opportunity.  We will be able to express our feelings and bare our testimonies on a regular basis even if it is mostly to members of the church.  One experience I had was special to me.  I showed the film to a family group a...