Halloween

Halloween is coming up this weekend. The best part about Halloween for me is dressing up in costumes. This year I suggested I could be a tourist but my roommate pointed out to me that I would just be blending in with the masses. So it's not a tourist, but will be revealed on Saturday. I must say, without the cold and change in the leaves, there are only a few reminders that it is that time of year. One would be the smashed vegetation in the roads. Oh wait. I guess smashed coconuts are year round. Two would be the calendar. Lastly, Three would be the spooky music and screams coming from the PCC at night. Since the economy went down new and creative ideas have been found to raise a few more dollars. One of them is the Haunted Lagoon. During October, four nights a week, they turn the canoe tour through the villages into a theme park like ride of costumes, story, and scariness. I'm not really into the scariness part of Halloween. Its dark and can get ugly. But I did go on the ride and found they do a really high quality job and some excellent elements. Most of people in it are volunteers too but you would never guess because it is so high quality. My ward went for FHE and below is pictorial proof of it. Allow me to introduce a few people. You can guess who's who, after all it is the season of disguise. The obvious one is my wonderful bishop and his wife. He's from Fiji. There's the boy who on first meeting me asked "how many cows are you?" I walked in on a conversation where he was talking about his claim to fame being his great-great-grandmother as the old woman on Johnny Lingo after the line "eight cows for Mahana!" She gapes her mouth open wide. There's my surfer buddy. My roommate. A girl who served in my mission leaving only a few months before my arrival. My Malaysian teacher. My cowboy friend. My car oil changing comrade. My "I carry my Uke with me like a teddy bear" friend. And quite a few others but that's enough introduction for today. Aren't they beautiful?

The PCC

Over the river and through the woods, well actually across a very small road and a few palm trees from my house, is this big compound with occasional loud noises of booming drums, strange shouts, and lively singing emanating from its walls. Last week I made an appearance there to see what all of this excitement was really about. I was told that the Hawaiian Islands are the most isolated land in the world and if I was to go jump in the ocean and start swimming it would be over 2,000 miles before I was to reach another shore outside these few Volcanic bumps in the sea. But, despite what they said, you'd be surprised with what you can find here.

Family...

family...












and more family.


Actually, if you count Hawaii as part of Oceana instead of it's usual place in North America (I know it's not but just say if it was), two of these found people have stood with me on five continents in the last two years. I think I need to plan a trip to South America and see if they end up there too. I also met people from Georgia, Ohio, Tonga, and my Comm 252 class. Who knew? :)

All that delightful noise? yes, it is a party.



The canoe show. You may ask, "Do they ever fall in?" Well, I don't know if the dancers do but the canoe pushers on one vessel were pushed in by the dancers.

Tongan drum show. They always make sure and grab one person from Japan to come up and join in on the festivities.


Hawaiian royalty. I decided to play paparazzi from afar.


The Iospa ship: what they used to get around from here before all those metal boats and planes were available.




Another recipe to add to your collection. This Tahitian Coconut bread is GOOD!















I played Tongan shuffleboard. They use cool looking wild beans and homemade mats. I want to learn how to make the mat.

I visited all seven villages, made a rose and a fish out of Pandalas and Coconut leaves, watched the fire dancers, ate like a queen at the Luau, and enjoyed the people both new and known. It's amazing what you find when you make an effort to meet the neighbors!

General Conference for me

Last week we had General Conference with the rest of thew World Wide Church. I rolled out of bed at 5:30am on Saturday and 5:15am on Sunday to throw on a dress and go out the door and a short distance down the road to the local Stake Center where it was broadcast from 6-8 and 10-12. It was wonderful to watch it at the same time as so many people I know all over the place! I love conference. I love hearing from Prophets and Apostles. This time around I made an effort to write more personalized notes specific to me along with things that were said I want to remember. The last few minutes of the morning sessions we had an interesting phenomenon where the signal is blocked by the sun and so we got black screened. But I was able to catch up online. During the Saturday afternoon session I had to go to Honolulu for a school assignment for Ghandi's birthday and a celebration of non-violence outside the local zoo. I was sad that I didn't get to sustain the prophets with you all but I came back and watched it online and in the privacy of my own room, raised my hand to support them. Some of the messages that I loved included President Eyring's talk on Trusting God and His word through prophets, music and the spirit. That when we do we can be happy despite our trials. I loved President Monson's talk on Gratitude. President Uchdorf's talk on slowing down and refocusing our lives on the basics gave me another reason to be grateful that I have this time in Hawaii where the pace is slower and time to adjust is abundant. He didn't say be lazy, just slow down the crazy pace. I was sad when conference was over, not only because it's another six months before we have it again, but, like one speaker said, when we gather we feel the Holy Ghost and it was abundant as I felt I gathered with my family and friends to enjoy hearing the words of the prophets. It was definitely worth waking up and watching at 6am and despite a few yawns, I was delighted to be there and grateful that I could watch and listen to it live. I'm excited to get my Conference Ensign.