4-28-14

Hello to all of you!  Another Sunday has passed and we are down to 4 months.  Denis told the senior missionary adviser that we are going home on the 29th of August.  Everything I do I am thinking will this amount of dish soap last, if I clean this will it last till we go?  I keep reminding myself I need to just sit back and relax and enjoy. 

Monday night all we had a meeting with Brother Pollock, who is over the missionary couples and single sisters.  He has been having some troubles with some couples about what they will do and what they won't do while on this mission.  For example, some have gone and signed up to work in the temple which interferes with the missions on PCC.  We agreed to take tickets once, twice and three times a week at the PCC.  It isn't any of our favorite duty.  Anyway, we knew we would all be reprimanded a little.  Elder Pollock has taught church education and been in Stake Pres., Bishop etc.  He is a quiet, gentle man.  He started out by telling us of the parable of the good Samaritan.  He listed all of the people who passed by the injured man on the roadside.  He talked of the good Samaritan that saved him.  He asked where each one of us would fit in to this picture.  He emphasized that missionaries are here to serve no matter what the job or whether it is what we want.  There wasn't much discussion about what we liked or disliked.  I think we all left thinking he was talking to each one individually and feeling a little guilty about telling the Lord where we would serve and how long and how much.  I talked to Elder Pollock a few days later and told him how several of us felt as we left.  He said good, that was his intention.  He didn't want to point fingers, have heated discussions or get people upset.  He wanted us to think and to redirect ourselves on our missions.  I think it worked with most of us!

No rats this week.  We have sewed feathers onto costumes. cut grass and tied it into tiny bundles for the wrist and ankle vessas or bracelets.  We repaired zippers, crotches, mended the silk sail.  It had been torn almost the whole length of it.  I sewed, spreading about 800 ft of it across my lap.  Took about 2 hours.  Next week I hear we are making a whole new sail.  It is almost the length of a football field.

Kathy trying on the dress.  It is bare shouldered and wraps around.  Ties with a belt.  We lined the inside with a cotton material and sewed the red feathers on the bottom.

On Friday we had another party for a single sister, Tessie Crummetts, who went home to Washington.  She sat by me in sewing.  Her husband died of a heart attack about 7 months before she came.  She is a pretty lady, always very positive and willing to do what she is asked to do .  She has helped me a lot in the attitude department as well as the sewing.  It is always sad to see them go because you never know if you will see them again or not.

Tessie giving us her farewell speech.  Her leis were so beautiful and smelled so good.

Saturday Denis and I rode to Honolulu to find a jewelry store to exchange my necklace that he bought for me at the PCC.  We could not find the darned place.  We would get on one way streets, residential streets, etc.  Finally we found it on a half street.  We were 9 minutes late.  They closed at 5 P.M.  Oh well, something to do in the air-conditioning of the car. 

Today at church we had a lot of new students who have come here for school.  Every semester it is like the ward has to reorganize and start over.  Seems like we get to know them and their names and then they go.  I had 29 kids in Sunday School today.  All through the lesson I was panicking because I had taken 24 treats and there were 29 kids.  I just had to have them share.  They are all like baby birds waiting for worms, so hungry.  We just love them!  Time to get ready for bed and another week.  I keep telling Denis it is his turn to write on the blog.

I think we are getting a whole new batch of homeless people.  The 6 we saw yesterday were all shouting into the sky or talking to invisible people.  One was digging in a garbage can.  Found a McDonalds sack, pulled it out and found a hamburger.  I watched him eat it without a second thought.  I feel so sorry for them.  I can't figure out where their families are.  Anyway have a good week and be kind to all.  

Love, Sherleen