Honolulu

Sunday February 12, 2023.   

Email #71    HAPPY BIRTHDAY YESTERDAY LUCY!

 

Aloha Everyone!

 

The shift has begun.  I am shifting mentally and emotionally to get ready to come home.  My thoughts are now centered around things we need to give away and/or sell. What do we mail home vs. throw away etc.   I have been making all kinds of necessary medical appointments—dentist, doctor, chiropractor, mammogram etc. to have upon returning home.   (I am holding off on the colonoscopy appointment a little longer 😊) My heartstrings are being tugged at.  I am certain it will get much harder and sadder as time goes on.  I know that this is all a part of the process, it just came faster than expected.  We have a serious buyer for our car.  They will let us know for sure by tomorrow.  The good thing is that they will put a substantial portion down now but let us continue using it right up until we fly home.  If this works out—it will be a HUGE tender mercy.  We didn’t know how we would sell it and be car-less for days or weeks. 

 

Yesterday we and the Bartons went to Honolulu to see some things there that we have never seen or done since being on the Island.  We have spent very little time in Honolulu.  We went to Waikiki beach to see the statue of Duke Kahanamoku who is a Hawaiian legendary hero.  There is a documentary about his life if anyone is interested in watching a great movie—it is excellent.  We saw the movie about a year ago and then again on Friday night.  The PCC had a special showing of it in the big theater at the center. Duke was a legendary swimmer, trailblazer, and the father of modern-day surfing.  He was discriminated against, didn’t have a high school degree, was very humble and successfully competed in several Olympic games earning gold and silver metals.

 

Saturday, we also toured the Queen’s palace and other prominent buildings downtown.  We walked to Chinatown and ate at a wonderful Chinese restaurant.  We ended our day with driving to Pu’u ‘Ualak’a State Park.  At the highest point is a lookout that looks over the greater part of Honolulu.  You can see Diamondhead, the punch bowl, Waikiki, University of Hawaii, Pearl Harbor and the ocean.  It was a beautiful sight.  Unfortunately, my phone dropped off my lap when I got out of the car and my screen broke.  The camera no longer works, and I have to peek through the cracks to read texts.  BOO! I need to decide if I live with it this way until I get home or buy a new phone here. 

 

Thursday I was behind the register in our store and in walked Stuart Eyring. Soon Carol also walked in, and we had a small but very fun reunion.  It has been so great to see so many people on our mission that we know and love. That is definitely a bonus of serving here. 

 

We have had a great desire to do an endowment session in the temple sooner than later.  It is difficult to get appointments here.  Because of the small size of the rooms, the sessions are booked out weeks in advance.  We had a sealing appointment for this Friday but couldn’t get an endowment session until March 2nd.  But after sacrament meeting today, Jennifer (a student from Zimbabwe) hugged me and invited us to come to the temple with her this Saturday as it is her first time going through.  We are thrilled to be able to attend. 

 

My dear sweet Ebby—the student from Indonesia who calls me Mom, has had a really rough week.  Her husband had surgery earlier in the week.  The hospital is an hour away and they don’t have a car. She stayed at the hospital with him for two days and nights.  She has had to miss class and work to care for his wounds. They are worried about the cost of the surgery and her upcoming baby delivery.  Then this morning she found out that her father passed away in his sleep.  He was 62 years old.  She can’t go home to Indonesia for the funeral.  Life is just hard right now.  She called me on the phone tonight and in her broken English bore a sweet testimony that she knows God is real and is taking care of them.  She is so thankful that he died now and not a year ago because he has tried hard to turn his life around this past year and repent and go back to church and become a better person.  It was such a heartfelt testimony of God’s love for us and being thankful for all that He gives us and does for us.  And also, a testimony of repenting each and every day and being ready to go whenever we are called to leave this life. 

 

I too am thankful for a loving God that blesses us even in our darkest times and sends others to help us.  I am thankful for President Nelson’s admonition to repent daily. 

 

Have a wonderful, happy week!

Much love,

Sister Bleak, Mom, Grandma

 

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

*An idea came to me about what to do for the last ukulele class.

*I was out of produce and didn’t want to get it at Foodland.  Su asked me if I wanted a ride home and we stopped at Costco.

*Someone is very interested in buying our car.

*We get to go to the temple this week to do an endowment session! 

*I felt the spirit in our district meeting Sunday night. 

*I felt the spirit witness to me through Ebby’s sweet testimony. 







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