A Bleak Hawaii Mission

Sunday August 7, 2022.    Email #44.   Happy Birthday William!  And a very belated birthday to Katelyn!  And happy  BIRTH DAY to Holland Jane Bleak.    Aloha Everyone!     It dawned on me earlier in the week that I never publicly wished Katelyn a Happy Birthday.  So sorry Boose!  I have likely missed other family members as well in the past.  If so, I do apologize.    We were thrilled to have grandbaby number 22 arrive healthy and well yesterday.  Congrats Bryan and Jennie.  We are so happy for you—she is adorable.  That makes 10 boys and 12 girls for us.  As in the case with Cal being born, we wish we were there to cuddle her and are sad to miss many months of her life.  There are times when it does indeed seem like a sacrifice to be here.  Yesterday was one of those days!  We also missed being with my extended family at the Burton reunion.  But we were...

Sunday July 31, 2022.    Email #43.    Aloha Everyone!     Monday morning, we were able to listen to Janis Monk’s funeral (Stephanie’s grandmother).  What a remarkable woman she was.  When I first met her, I didn’t think that someone could be that happy all the time.  But she really was that way.  I’m so thankful that Stephanie had her as a positive influence in her life.  I’m so thankful for the technology that makes it possible to listen to these things, but sometimes it can be frustrating.  We were able to listen to most of Amanda’s and Stephanie’s talks and the special musical number by the grandchildren, (we loved it) but then the sound began having problems and the last talk was nothing but garbled words.  We couldn’t understand one word of that talk. We felt really blessed that we could listen to as much as we did—especially Stephanie’s talk.  You were amazing Stephanie!   The missionary ukulele ...

Sunday July 24, 2022.    Email #42.    Aloha Everyone!     This week—like all weeks—has had some highs and lows.  The low is that the world lost two amazing, wonderful, Godly women this week. I am sure that they are each rejoicing in Heaven to be free of their physical infirmities and to be back with loved ones on the other side. But we who are left on this side will mourn their passing for a long time. Janis Monk (Stephanie’s grandmother) and Merlene Featherstone had a lot in common.  They each made you feel like you were their best friend and that they loved you more than anyone else.  Janis had an infectious smile and laugh and I will always be grateful to her for her love towards our dear daughter in law Stephanie whom she adored.  I have known and been very close to Merlene for 10 +/- years.  I was assigned as her visiting teacher when they moved into our ward and loved her immediately.  She has been like a secon...

Sunday July 17, 2022.    Email #41   Aloha Everyone!     The highlight of our day today was being able to zoom with all of you, our children.  We love seeing your smiling faces and learning what/how you are doing.  Well—maybe a bigger highlight was seeing the video of Cal giggling.  Oh, how we would love to hold him.  He won’t be a baby any longer by the time we get home.  It’s hard missing out on those types of things.    For the most part, work was very slow most of the time this week.  I continue to be surprised that our store isn’t busier since we are in the middle of summer and it’s supposedly the busiest time of the year (besides Christmas time).  When I walked in to work Monday morning, I felt lonely even though the store had many people working there.  I still miss Candi and Wink and that loss hits me unexpectedly at times. The good thing is—I have become closer to the students working there....

Sunday July 10, 2022.    Email #40.  Aloha Everyone!     Monday, we celebrated the 4 th  of July in the evening by having dinner with some other senior missionary couples.  The PCC had a big celebration with booths and games and food areas set up on the parking lot of the marketplace.  We didn’t attend however because I had to work.   Most senior missionaries had that day off.  At night, we watched the fireworks from the PCC on “the point” –just across the street. We had a great view, but they were far away. The fireworks only lasted 12 minutes but it was a nice show.  It was especially nice being able to watch them with the view of the ocean down below.   And—only taking 60 seconds to walk to our front door when the show was finished.    We attended our monthly devotional on Tuesday evening.  Senior missionaries shared tender mercies that they have experienced here on their mission.  It ...

Sunday July 3, 2022.    Email #39.   HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Cade on Friday and Jennie today and AMERICA tomorrow!   Aloha Everyone!     We had a rare treat in Sacrament meeting today.  We had a special musical number.  That sounds weird to mention, but this is the first time since we have been here—9 ½ months that there has been a special musical number in sacrament meeting.  And it was really beautiful.  A husband and wife from our ward who are moving to Utah this coming week sang together, “I Feel My Savior’s Love.”  They didn’t even harmonize during the song, but their voices were incredible and they truly brought the spirit into the meeting. I didn’t realize until today how much I have missed hearing beautiful music during our meetings.  (I’m so glad that it wasn’t—“You are My Sunshine”!!!!!)  I LOVE good music.     Work has been very different this week.  Since the students are required to wor...