Sunday in Hawaii

 Another absolutely gorgeous day for us.  There were two wards that Neal wanted to attend to meet some people.  We were at the first area at 8:15.  We weren't staying for sacrament meeting so Emmi and I waited in the car while Neal ran in the building to see if he could find a couple people.  He did connect with some people from his mission, which made him very happy.  We left there about 8:45 and had until 10:30 for sacrament meeting so Emmi found us a cute little (what I would describe as a "dive") place for breakfast.  Obviously a well known place with the natives and many tourists.  We ordered, found a table just outside the little cafe and had a delicious breakfast.  Emmi and I had rainbow waffles with a scrambled egg and Neal had scrambled eggs, cheese and rice.  

Today is Father's Day so the talks were about Fathers.  It was a good meting but I had a miserable time trying to stay awake.  This 4 hour time change is doing a serious number on me.  I'll probably get caught up the day we are headed back to Salt Lake and then will have to start all over again!

After the meetings we were invited over to Faith's home for a light lunch with some friends she had invited.  We ate and visited out on the patio until it was time for us to leave for the airport.   I have to say that these are wonderful and very loving people.  What I thought would be boring for Emmi and I and terribly slow ended up being a very delightful afternoon.

I would name all these people but I have no idea who they are nor do I think future generations looking at my blog care to know the names.  We will just say that they are old missionary acquaintances of Neals.  I will mention that the sister on the front row with the black shirt is Faith.  To Annie:  Do you remember Brother and Sister Fegarus in our old stake?  Faith is Brother Fegarus's sister.  

We made it to the airport in plenty of time, got the car returned and flew back to Oahu.  Arrived safely.  Unpacked, played a game of Shanghi and then off for a good nights sleep.  Hui Hou (until we gather again)

Hawaii Trip Day 2

 Last night after we got home we played Shanghi and Emmi won.  She posted the score card.  She also sent it to Abby and Abby responded by saying, "Nice of Gam to let you win!"  We had a good laugh over that.

Our fist stop this morning was to the Punaluu Bakery where we treated ourselves to a variety of good bakery products.  Neal and Emmi got smoothies and I got a hot chocolate.  So good!

Our next stop was Black Sand Beach.  It was amazing to be standing on black sand.  It isn't velvety like regular sand but it was beautiful.  

The bonus was when we noticed a bunch of big sea turtles.  The turtles come up on the shore to bask in the sun and to control their body temperature.  

Then we drove to Volcano National park.  The volcano is active sometimes.  This week the volcano wasn't erupting but it did have lots of smoke coming out of it.  We spent most of the afternoon in the park going to all the different sights.

This was an underground lava tube.  The tree roots are coming through the top of the tube and getting moisture for the trees.

You can see the wind was blowing like crazy.

This ended day 2.  It was a long day with lots to see.  Emmi is such an amazing tour guide.  She knows just what places to take us to.  

Hawaii Reunion Trip

Our day started out at 2:30 a.m Friday morning.  Got cleaned up, finished packing and then Tucker came at 4:00 a.m. to pick us up and take us to the airport.  Our connection in San Francisco was a very short one but we were easily able to make the next flight that flew us in to Kona.  Emmi met us there.  Her flight landed just 10 minutes ahead of us.  Lynda Ann is an amazing trip planner.  Emmi got the rental car while Neal and I waited for the luggage to come around.  After that we were were off on our adventures in Kona.  We picked up one of Neal's old friends from his mission.  Her name is Faith.  She and Neal drove in the back seat of the car and chatted the whole day while she guided us around the island to different sights that she knew Neal would remember from his mission and be interested in seeing.  It was a fun day.

Emmi greeted Neal and I with Kukui Nut leis.  

One of the first stops was to see the new rebuilding of the Kona temple.  

Next we picked up Faith (in the blue shirt and white pants) and then stopped to visit some members from Neal's mission.

After a few visits we stopped for lunch.  The quantity of an order was at least three meals!  But very delicious.

This lizard decided to join us for lunch.

This was a fun place to visit and very off most tourist knowledge.  Faith was really good at guiding us to places that tourist don't go or know about.

They were having a fund raiser to refurbish and old Christian church so we bought some ice cream.  Delicious, but it sure melts fast!!!

 The Painted Church.  Really old and very interesting.

This is called a Spider Lily

This was the City of Refuge.  In the olden days criminals were allowed to live in this area if they could get past the lava wall.

Fascinated with this tree.  These blossoms are huge and are called Angels Trumpets!  Absolutely love the name.  They look just like a trumpet.  Faith said they are highly poisonous.  

Today we are off to new adventures.  So thankful that we have Emmi with us to drive us.  She is amazing!

Beautiful Moments

This has been a week of spiritual moments, three of which I want to record.  Two were mine and one was Lynda Ann's.  

Tuesday morning I was at the temple bright and early as usual.  As I was doing my assignments I was think about my children and grandchildren, as usually happens.  My thoughts frequently turn to my posterity while in the temple.  I was doing an assignment in the initiatory when a young girl with young girl with beautiful red hair entered the booth.  She reminded me so much of Tucker and Jamie's girls.  Her age, looks and coloring.  As we finished, I couldn't hold back the tears anymore.  I was so overwhelmed with love for Peyton, Lexi and Jordyn Lyn that I couldn't hold back the tears any longer.  I noticed that the girl was also very teary eyed.  As I walked her out I told her how much she reminded me of my granddaughters and how much I loved and missed them.  She said that she could feel that love.  We gave each other a hug and she left.  Jamie and the girls were on my mind throughout the rest of my temple assignment.  I so felt the saviors love and prayed that the girls would also someday be able to feel that love from their savior.

 The second moment came about just yesterday.  Jeff, Lynda Ann, Mallory, Greg, Neal and I had an opportunity to go to the Taylorsville Temple and so some sealings.  Lynda Ann had some family names from her biological ancestors and I had some from mine.  It was a very touching moment when Lynda Ann was able to be a part of having her biological grandmother sealed to her parents.  It was very obvious that this final step to have her grandmother's work done was accepted.  I'm so proud of Lynda Ann for researching the genealogy on her family and being worthy to attend the temple and complete the work from baptism to sealing.  It was also a highlight to have Greg with us and have him participate as proxy for these people who were waiting to have their work done.  It was an amazing, rewarding and very fun day.  We all LOVED having Greg with us!

The last experience wasn't mine but after hearing it, I certainly felt lifted and my testimony of my Savior strengthened.  Lynda Ann has been dealing with some really hard and pressing issues right now in her life.  I worry about her and put her name on the prayer rolls of the temple every week, besides being a part of my daily prayers.  She shared this story with me and I feel that it should be recorded.  Like I said, I wasn't there or a part of it so I hope that I remember correctly what she shared with me.

She said she was coming back from Wyoming after having a hard two days with her dad.  She felt the need to pull over into a quiet part of the forrest off the main road.  She just needed some quiet reflecting and praying time.  She found a quiet place where no one was around, got out of her car and just stood among the beautiful trees loving God's creation.  I will add here that Annie's 'temple' is in the woods.  She said that she said a prayer asking for courage and strength to deal with all of the matters in her life.  It was then that she felt hands being placed on her head and the words in her mind telling her that she was being watched over and helped and surrounded with love.  I heard it said that when we go into the temple we leave our problems and burdens at the door and when we come out, we gather them up again but we are more able to handle them and they are made lighter.  I think this is exactly what happened to Annie.  While standing in her beloved trees, she laid all of her burdens at the Saviors feet and he lifted them up for her.  

Lindon Temple Adventures

 Mallory made reservations for she and I to attend the newly dedicated Lindon Temple.  I think she said it was dedicated last month.  We had a 10:30 session appointment which means we should be there by 10:00.  I left the house this morning at 9:00.  It was raining hard and I don't love driving through the rain much more than the snow so I wanted to take my time and make sure I got there safely and on time.  I would have never ever found that temple if it had not been for Siri giving me directions.  The temple is nestled in a nice little community and you can't see it until you are just about in front of it.  I almost had tears in my eyes when I finally saw the spires pointing up to the Heavens.  As I drove around the temple looking for a parking place I noticed that people were going in both ends of the temple.  Didn't know there were two entrances and Mallory and I had not talked about which entrance we would be at.  I parked my car and went in.  I waited until about 10 after 10 and when Mallory had not appeared I figured she just might be at the other entrance waiting for me.  So I showed my recommend and went through to the other side.  No Mallory.  I waited there a little bit longer and then showed my recommend again and back to the other entrance.  By 10:20 I was getting worried (because Mallory is always on time) so I told the sister at the recommend desk that if a gorgeous 6 foot blond came in the door that she was my granddaughter and to tell her that I was at the other entrance.  That worked and Mallory found me.  She said that Brinkley had been sick and she was trying to clean him up and leave.  But, we made it by minutes and experienced a beautiful session.  I love being with her in the temple.  After the session and we came out, the sun was trying to shine and the rain had stopped.  We asked a patron to take a picture of us.

This is where the fun began.  Remember I mentioned that there are two entrances to the temple.  Well when one is dealing with my 81 year old brain - enough said!  I had no idea which entrance I had come in.  So I suggested to Mallory that we go to her car and she could drive me to the other side of the temple where I thought I had parked.  We got in her car and began our tour (literally) of the temple parking lot.  We drove to the other side up and down all the rows and couldn't find my car.  Thank goodness Mallory can laugh at and with her Gam.  Adventures with me can either be irritating or funny.  My granddaughters and their mother always make it fun experience with lots of laughs.  We soon realized my car was not on that side of the temple and must be back on the side where Mallory's car had been.  We drive back to the other side of the temple and begin our tour of the rows of cars.  We are driving down the back row of the parking lot and Mallory spots my car on the row above.  It was then that she burst out laughing because she realized my car was parked not more than 5 cars away from hers the whole time!!!  Yup, we had circled the temple and ended up right back where we had started.  She created this picture:

Needless to say we laughed and giggled and laughed some more.  Things like this can only happen with Gam, so it seems.  

After we "found" my car I followed her to the Cheesecake Factory where we had a delicious lunch and a good talk and lots of laughs.  We also laughed that the waiter taking our picture was in the mirror so I edited him out!

What a fun day!  I just have to say that I love going to the temple with Mallory.  Could there be anything more cherished and spiritual than sharing the temple with one of my granddaughters.  I love it when Lynda Ann, Emmi and Abby are a part of those experiences.  I am certainly a blessed and loved grandmother and knowing that touches my heart deeply.  As always, thanks Mallory for keeping me on the straight and narrow!  Love you so much.

Neal's Surgery

 Three months ago when Neal visited his dermatologist, she found a mole that didn't look right.  She cut a little off and sent it for a biopsy and it came back positive for cancer.  She said it was too deep for her to take care of in the office so she referred him to the Huntsman Cancer Clinic.  This morning at 8:00 a.m. he had surgery on his arm to remove the cancer.  We had to wait almost 3 hours before the biopsy came back clean.  Then another hour to get it all stitched and bandaged up.  

Before surgery

Getting ready

Ready for the procedure

Finished and now have to wait for the biopsy to make sure all the cancer is removed.

Biopsy came back clear.  Getting ready for stitches

All done!

The only sad part for Neal is that he can't play golf for two whole weeks!!!