4/01/13

Sunday March 31st.  

Easter Sunday ---No Easter baskets, no dyed eggs, no little children.  Just the thoughts of Easter Sunday and what Jesus did for us. 

This is the view from the church we would go to, but we were assigned to a student ward instead.

We went to church and my heart just aches for those little foreign kids that leave their families without being able to go home for maybe 2-3 years.  Some don't go home at all until they graduate from school.  Some only have what they earn here at the PCC.  They have to work 19 hours a week in order to keep their scholarships.  Today was testimony bearing and they are so humble and grateful for everything they have.  Most of them that go to our ward have been on missions or are already preparing to go.  Some look like they are 14-15 years of age.  Many are the only ones in their families who are members.  I really respect them for all they have accomplished and for their discipline to make something of themselves.   After church they had a linger longer and served cocoa rice and big slices of bread.  The cocoa rice was not good.  It  was cooked rice with kind of a sweet cocoa water over it.  It tasted like the cocoa was scorched but that is what real cocoa from  Samoa tastes like.  The kids acted like they were starved.  I wondered how many really were.

On Tuesday we had a day off because it was King Poopapoop (or something like that) day.  About 6 couples went down to some mountain by Honolulu and went for a hike to see a light house and to watch the whales blow.  It was a steep hike.  Another lady and I stopped about half way up and sat on rocks and watched the whales.  First you would see them blow the water, then their heads would bob, and then you would see their tails come up.  Quite a sight.  As you looked down over the mountain you could see a little village and a mountain behind them.  It had been a volcano and half of the mountain was gone but green foliage has grown in.  Very beautiful.  We then went to Spaghetti Factory and ate.  I was tired and sunburned when we got home.  

This is the view from our hike.

This is a volcano we could see hiking.

This week we have been cleaning out the worst of the worst clothes at Give and  Take because it is the end of the semester and the kids are leaving.  Kathy says we get all kinds of things because they only take what will fit in their suitcases.  The other day I was carrying some things to another building to put away and I felt something on my arm .  I looked down and it was a gecko spread out resting on my arm.  First time I have sworn since I have been out here.  Scared me to death.  I screamed bloody murder.  

In sewing we have been sewing costumes for the king and his counts.  The PCC was having a grand opening for the new Hawaiian village.  People from all over the island came to it.  

Every evening we go for a ride or search out new areas.  There is a place called the north point.  It is very rocky and stands up above the ocean.  The day we went out there it was very cloudy and rainy.  It always seems very dismal and spooky to me on these days.  Denis is trying to find him a fishing hole but it's been rainy all week so he hasn't gone.  

These pictures are all of the North Point here in Hauula.

Yesterday we went with another couple to Costco and bought a memory foam mattress topper.   Last night was the first good night's sleep we have had. Denis is so tickled with his new mattress top.  He could bend any direction today.  He had thought he was just developing another old person hitch.  Kelly is sending over his mug from home so with his fishing pole, his mug and a better bed he should be a happy camper- because he sure hasn't been.  

As for me and my hair, we are still around.  Everyone has given me the same advice.  "It will grow!"  But in the meantime I look like a geek with fat cheeks.  It has grown a titch.