The Hardest Part of a Mission

I protest! This is not good planning. Today was the farewell of 3 - count them....THREE of the sister missionaries that work in my office. A few weeks ago Sister Miller left and now, the other three sisters in my office are leaving me too.

I can't believe they would do this to me, seriously.

Okay, so it's not all about me (except in this blog....where let's be serious, it's TOTALLY about me - oh, and that hero of mine. It's about him too.)

But lets get back to the subject at hand.

My friends are leaving and I am staying - here in....oh yeah......Paradise. Okay, I'll quit whining. But I can't promise to like it. I will REFUSE to like it. I'll wish them well, and smile and even be excited for them. But I ain't gonna like it!

It all started with Monday's Family Home Evening, where Sisters Bisson, Cummings and Edginton gave their farewell talks. It's like this for every returning missionary. They get an opportunity to say a few words, then we sing Aloha Oe (and cry a LOT) and then line up and hug and cry some more. Personally, I spent most of that evening staring at the ceiling - because looking at any of these ladies would start the waterworks.

Sister Bisson

Sister Cummings

Sister Edginton

Singing Aloha Oe

Elder Jones waiting for his turn to hug and sniffle.

Today's Luncheon - Thank yous and praise all around

The good-byes continued throughout this week ending with the big farewell luncheon today. So many people showed up, there was no room left in the Board Room. That's how loved these women are.

with President Grace

So I end this pity party with an explanation of how I really feel - both about the experience of being away from my own family and the special circumstances of these great women I serve with as expressed in a cultural belief I shared in Devotional last week:

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Radiate the Spirit – I live to radiate the spirit of God every day in every way

We refer to this particular Cultural Belief the most often – probably because it is the first one on the list. But I wanted to take a different angle on this subject this morning, if you will indulge me.

There is nothing quite like the look on the face of one of the missionaries, especially the sister missionaries, when they start talking about their families.  This is particularly true when a family member is coming to Hawaii for a visit. We women get downright giddy about it.

Yes, it is difficult for us to leave them and come to this little island in the middle of the sea. But we have been promised that sweet blessings will come from that sacrifice.

I personally received direct instruction from the Lord that if I were to place my trust in Him, exercise faith, and serve with my whole heart, that my family would be blessed abundantly. And so they have. The miracles in their lives have been beyond my wildest dreams. I have been so humbled. I am so blessed.

So we missionaries, on top of all the wonderful blessings that come from serving a mission, also feel great joy in how our missions serve our families.

A missionary never stands alone. Even though our precious family is not physically here beside us, they are truly here in spirit, backing us every day.... praying for us, calling and writing to us, loving us every step of the way.

…and I have discovered – and I say this with great reverence – that this support does not just come from our family members here on Earth.

I can testify that I have felt the presence of our loved ones who have left this Earth also. This is especially true of the beautiful single sisters who serve us. 

My dear friends, I want you to know, first off, that I never think of you as “single”. Your loved one is here too – supporting, loving and blessing you for honoring your eternal union. I see their influence. I feel the united strength you two built and how it has made you the great warrior that you are. I feel them here, right now, working with you, side by side. Their spirit radiates from your heart, and it is magnificent to behold.

How grateful I am for eternal families – for the gift, the promise and the blessings they bring.

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....and just to be clear - how extremely grateful am I for the blessing of these angels in my life. Oh, I really will miss them so. Keep in touch, dear friends. And God's speed!

One Year Later....Our Missionary Report - of sorts

One year ago today we walked into the MTC. We left behind the worldly things like mortgages, jobs, even television. I remember that I was actually shaking, I was so scared. It was like walking into another universe - and as excited as I was, I was also so worried about measuring up.

Elder Jones, on the other hand, was as calm as ever. He just doesn't let things ruffle him.

So here we are, one year later - a year of ups and downs. Days I've been so tired, my legs could hardly carry me. Nights without sleep. Tears on the pillow. Sweat so heavy my skin actually gets crusty. Sundays when I think "I just want one Sacrament Meeting where I can actually hear the speaker over the crying babies." One day at work where I don't say something silly or lose something or greet a colleague by the wrong name. Yep - there are definitely some challenges out there.

But life is about challenges, and fortitude and resolve and faith. Without challenges, life would be very dull indeed.

I saw a quote last night that said "There are two types of tired, I suppose one is a dire need of sleep. The other is a dire need of peace." I've felt both. Yes, a mission - as well as marriage, service, crack-of-dawn exercising, praying, hoping....and now caretaking of a big ol house on the beach....it can all be so very exhausting and overwhelming.

But I wouldn't trade this experience for the world.

I could have been assigned to the deep, dark jungles of Africa, or the cold and barren hills of Siberia, and I still wouldn't trade it for the world.

As Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said, "if for a while the harder you try, the harder it gets, take heart. So it has been with the best people who ever lived."

I think about the people I admire most. Each one of them have been sorely tested, and through this amazing process of life, became mentally stronger while miraculously letting their hearts become softer. 

Yes, I can do this...and I LOVE doing this. 

I love sitting next to my visiting teaching partner - a lovely young mother from Korea as we visit our assigned sisters from the ward. I always give the lesson, and because she feels limited in her language skills, she always shares a simple hymn. Such a pure voice. It's like a sweet moment of quiet joy for me - every month. 

I love shaking hands with the children in our ward. They all seem to get this serious look on their face, like they are performing a sacred duty. Shake the missionary's hand, look down at their toes and say in a low voice "good morning, Sister". So adorable.

I love walking into the temple - one of the only places in the world where my mind actually lets me relax (sometimes too much, as I tend to fall asleep at the most inopportune times). I feel so connected to my loved ones on the other side of mortality - who I miss so very much. I feel so connected to my Lord - and rejoice every time I learn something new about His ministry and His love for me and my family.

I love the Polynesian Cultural Center where I serve. The beauty and the spirit of it humbles me every day. It is an awesome wonder how Heavenly Father has created this great blessing for the world.

I love serving with the other missionaries, young and old. I just love them so much, I can't think of words to describe it.

I love my mission. I begin to dread when it will be over. I hope the next 9 months don't zoom by as quickly as these first 12 have. I want to drink in this great blessing. Soak up this love. Radiate this light that has been given for us to share.

This morning I went for my run on the beach and dip in the ocean. It was a good day to bring my camera. Somehow, I think this picture says it all - this sums up my mission to me:

Sunrise

Ocean waves

Light reflected

Rocky shoreline

Cool water

Stunning colors

A few clouds

Husband waiting patiently for me to come back in...

A moment of peace

Yet still kicking to keep my head above water.....

- all of it equals Paradise to me.

Me - kicking away. LOVE this new FinePix Camera!

Honu Heroes!

We have been having a marvelous, fantastic, lovely and enjoyable time with our son and his wife here in Paradise.  Havilah was able to stay for one week. Mike stayed for another week longer. There has been snorkeling, touring, climbing, eating, eating, eating, work (both at PCC and at our home) and lots and lots of beach time.

Today, as a last hurrah, Mike and Ron thought they would go see if they could make it out to Goat Island, just north of us along the beach. I wimped out.

I got home just in time to hear a fantastic story and thought you all would enjoy it too!

So the guys were heading out to Goat Island, but found that it was just too rough, so they just snorkeled around the coral.  As he was talking, Mike showed me this picture:

Yeah, his finger got in the way - but what he was looking at was some great coral.

He then turned around and saw a.....

SEA TURTLE = or as we call it here on the islands, A HONU! 

And right behind the sea turtle was Dad.

What in the world was Dad doing?  Oh, wait. He was holding on to something.

That something turned out to be fishing line. It was wrapped around the turtle. Not just a little,

mind you. It was wrapped around and around her flippers, her neck, more flippers, back to the neck. She was completely wrapped up in it.

They tried to get it off, but it was impossible. Oh to have that diving knife Elder Jones has been coveting. But even if he did, he could not have done anything with that much string under water. He tried to hold on to the turtle, but she was having none of that, so he took her as gently as he could, rolled her onto her back - placing her head above water and onto his chest and began to swim towards the shore.

Trouble is, that fishing line was not only tangled on her, it was tangled in the coral. This is where Michael came in. He work hard to hold slack on the line so it wouldn't cut into the turtle as Elder Jones made his way to the beach. After a while, Michael was able to break the line - hurrah!

They saw a family out on the beach and called out "do you have a knife?" They hauled the turtle up onto the beach, still sunny-side up, and soon a razor blade knife appeared.  The grandmother of the family seemed to know exactly where to cut and how. Soon the turtle was free.

But was she okay? Elder Jones inspected and found small abrasions on one flipper, but no deep wounds. She seemed tired and confused - but otherwise - miraculously in good shape. 

 They turned her over and placed her at the water's edge, but the waves were slapping her around. This approach was not working.

So, back onto Elder Jones' chest she went, out into the ocean. He knew if she didn't respond well soon, they would have to call the local conservation volunteers. But as he got past the breakers and turned her over, he said she perked up and BAM - shot out into the ocean like a bullet...full of energy and one purpose of thought - to get away from these crazy creatures and back to the safety of deep water.

It was a perfect end to a great visit. We love our honus! Elder Jones was told a Japanese fable of a turtle once saved by a kindly villager. Later that honu came back to repay the villager for their kindness. "Maybe," she said "this turtle will come back and visit you someday."

How fun that would be! We love our honus!

Note: It is illegal throughout the US to harass, hold on to, ride, climb on, pet or bother sea turtles. It comes with up to a $2,000 fine and up to 30 days in jail. But in this case, the NOAA states: 

Line entanglement around flippers, head or neck is the greatest threat to sea turtles from hook and line fisheries. Fisherman are encouraged – at the moment an accidental interaction occurs – to please help remove and limit the amount of line left on reefs or left trailing an animal after being cut loose. 

So, congratulations, Ron and Michael Jones, for being the heroes of the day and the heroes of my heart. You get the Good Doo-bee Award and I am sure, the gratitude of a happy and healthy honu out there in our bay.

We promised big news - and here it is!

An opportunity has come our way that proves that the hand of the Lord is in control. We stumbled across a house, on the beach here in Laie that was in need of a new caretaker. After much prayer and soul searching, we have decided to take on the care of the house - in addition to our missionary duties, of course.

This 7 bedroom, 5 bath house, is co-owned by 28 families.  It includes a 2 bedroom/1 bath apartment. We will live in that apartment. It's not new, and rust is an ever present problem that will make life interesting, attacking anything metal, including cars, (oh NO, MARVIN! Will he survive???), machinery, computers, tvs, appliances, faucets, doorknobs and hinges. Yep - EVERYTHING. Also, there is a very well used famous beach right next to the house. Earplugs may become a part of the nightly routine. But hey, it's workable.

The caretaker duties are pretty straight forward. Every two weeks a different family comes to stay in the house. They stay for 13 days.  During their stay, the only caretaker requirement is to maintain the landscaping. We have 6 – 7 hours to clean the house top to bottom in between when people go and when the next ones come.  General maintenance of the house is needed on Saturdays, which includes yard work.

The other part of the chores is the occasional need to come pick up or drop off a family at the airport. There is a 14 passenger van provided for that.

The greatest advantage for us is a living rent free in exchange for our services. The apartment comes fully furnished and we are even allowed to use the staples provided, such as detergent, cleaners, tools and equipment.

This is a great, great blessing to Elder Jones and I. Of course, it does not come without sacrifice. We will be working even harder as we are determined not to let any of our missionary duties lag. 

Another blessing, as if all of this wasn't enough. We have one more year for our mission. After that year is over, we can choose to convert to volunteer status at the Polynesian Cultural Center and continue serving here for the time period we choose.  The departments that we work for want us to stay and are very supportive of this opportunity. They are thrilled that we want to stay longer.

It gets better! The current caretakers have family here and have actually asked if they could come take over for a month or so every few months, allowing us to travel. It's like a dream come true for us. A means and a way for us to live on our limited savings, go hiking about in other lands AND live in paradise. 

How long will we stay? Only time will tell, though it appears that two years seem to be the norm.

The hardest part for me is leaving the family we have grown to love like our own. I don't think I could do it if it wasn't for the fact that we're only going to be about 3 blocks away (well, and because it was clear that we were suppose to do this). The apartment is going to be held by the mission and they have full intentions of placing new missionaries here soon - we have a number of new couples coming in during the next couple of months. They had BETTER be super good ones! The Kalamas deserve no less.

It wasn't our plan, but it appears that it was the Lord's plan. So here we are - for a bit more. We greatly appreciate your prayers and support. We start this Wednesday and oh how I want it to work out beautifully. Like I said, it won't be easy, but it sure will be an experience! Ron has dreamt of living on the beach his whole life. I felt bad trying to keep his expectations for such a thing low. How wonderful that Heavenly Father felt that those dreams had merit.

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In other news, as if this wasn't enough, I just finished getting my diving certification. What an adventure!

But, as much as my beloved would hope otherwise, all I can say is "I'm glad I did it, but I don't think its for me". Mainly because I got so seasick each time I went out. It's not the underwater part. It's bobbing around on the surface strapped to crazy, heavy equipment and a blow up vest that did me in....lol.

A little visit from a local before we jump in the water

Ron - in underwater heaven

Our instructor -with a crabby little friend

Nina trying to decide what she really thinks about all this

Tongan Devotional and Pickled Mangoes

Today was the Tongan Devotional. Each of the 6 villages holds a devotional every year. June is always Tonga.

We missionaries have come to love these events. There are always talks by the students about what they have been learning by going to school and working here in Laie. They are so humble and inspiring. We Americans forget how blessed we are to have the plenty that has been poured upon us. These students speak of living in poverty, many times without electricity or running water. They talk about the opportunity to come here, and how difficult it is at first to live in a completely foreign society, but also how wonderful it is to have a piece of home with them every time they come to work.

Here are a few pictures of today's devotional:

We started with a flag raising ceremony

We sang hymns in Tongan

We listened to speakers.  Siope Tafuna spoke on mamahi'i me'a, or Loyalty. He related how King Taufaʿahau became the first Christian ruler of Tonga and the courage he displayed when he placed his people under one God. The King stated, "God and this kingdom are my heritage."

Siope Lani Tautua'a spoke on loto to, or humility. She joked that she is known as the loudest and most talkative one of the village, but then she spoke about Queen Salote, who humbled herself while attending Queen Elizabeth's coronation, and how that humility and love of country helped others to become interested in her beloved island nation. She stated that she was very grateful for the examples of humility that influences her as she serves at the PCC.

The subject of Faka'apa'apa or respect was handled by Etuate Cocker who conveyed how he learned to recognize through working at the Tongan village how much his father sacrificed to raise him and his siblings. His father's love and care was a true example of respect for his family.

Akanesi Ahonima presented the virtue of tauhi va or maintaining relationships. This could be your relationship with God, with family and friends. It could be everyone around you. How can you accomplish this? By loving one another. There is no other commandment greater than this.

After we were greatly inspired, we were greatly fed. Elder Jones and I are getting used to all of the various Polynesian dishes. Hey, I even ate Tongan raw fish, and LIKED it! There was also this amazing coconut bread in a caramel sauce. Soooooooooo good!

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One other fun activity happened last weekend. I was given the assignment to pick mangoes and make pickle mangoes. Normally this is not a difficult assignment, but I had to take it a step further and try different varieties, menus and methods.  I now have pickle mangoes coming out of my ears....or at least my fridge.

Here's the funny part.  I appears that Elder Jones has a bad reaction to mango sap. This is actually not unheard of....except by us.  The mango plant is from the same family that gives us poison oak. So, for the last week Elder Jones wakes up, takes a shower and (don't ask me why it happens this way), comes out looking like Popeye - one eye squeezed shut, tingly lips, and itching like mad. Benedryl keeps him sane, but let me tell you, we are SURROUNDED by ripening mango, so I am trying to keep things clean, clear and away from him. For those who know him, you will know that the most difficult part is keeping HIM away from the mangoes. He loves em! Swollen lips be danged!

He's so fun.

Anyway, I blogged about my experience making pickle mango, along with providing two recipes for them in our Shop! Polynesia online Food Blog. Take a look if you are interested:

http://shop.polynesia.com/blog/mango

We have a big announcement in a couple of weeks and I will be blogging about my upcoming Scuba Diving certification class (Elder Jones conned me into it....and yes, I am a nervous wreck!!)

We're still having a GREAT TIME over here. Drop us a line sometime!

Capturing Perfection - Carl and Nalani Fonoimoana

Carl and Nalani Fonoimoana are favorites here at the Polynesian Cultural Center. Carl is of Samoan/Tongan descent. Nalani’s heritage is old town Laie, born and raised. Their love story is inspiring and beautiful, and Carl would be happy to tell you all about it. Nalani, on the other hand, is far too humble for such things. She would rather do what she does best; share the blessings of talented hands and a loving heart.

Carl has been a powerhouse throughout his lifetime. He served his first mission in Samoa, and later served as the Samoan Temple President. He has also worked in administration at the PCC as well as far too many church callings to possibly list here. Much of their lives have been split between their homes in California, Oahu and wherever the Lord has called them to serve. 

Their latest assignment has been to come back and work at the Mission Settlement, an area we consider the heart of PCC. Even with the fact that Carl just recently turned 80, they accepted the call and moved back to the island. 

Every morning they walk through the back gate, hand in hand, past the lagoon and over to their stations in the Settlement. Carl plays the ukulele and tells stories. Nalani sits with her latest piece of handiwork, answering questions and being beautiful – the type of beauty that draws you to her side simply to bask in it.

Just this March, we had a professional photoshoot at PCC. Pictures were taken of our landmarks, buildings and merchandise. It was so much fun, playing dress up with the beautiful models and selecting and arranging our best items from the stores. Our goal was to create pictures that represented our Polynesian paradise with grace, humor and heart - and yes, to sell some products. 

The Mission Statement of the Center begins with the words "The Polynesian Cultural Center is a unique treasure created to share with the world the cultures, diversity and spirit of the nations of Polynesia." 

We who work here know where that treasure lies. It is in the hearts of our staff and volunteers. There are so many of our colleagues that radiate this precious spirit. But, for me, no more so than this humble little couple sitting on the front porch of our chapel inviting guests to rest for a moment while they share a story and a song. "Welcome to paradise," they seem to say. "Welcome home."

Could our photographers capture such a moment? It turns out that the answer is yes. Better than I could even imagine.

Within the next week we will place one of those pictures on our merchandise website, Shop! Polynesia. This particular shot focuses on Nalani hand-stitching a quilt. Towards the left you will catch a glimpse of Carl’s ukulele. If you listen carefully, maybe you will hear him singing a sweet Hawaiian love song to his bride. It seems to have captured that perfect moment we are all seeking. 

But a moment is the most you can ever expect from perfection and now, the Funiomoana's world has tilted.

A few weeks ago it became clear that all was not well with Nalani. Her shoulder began hurting and grew progressively worse. We received word that she has been diagnosed with cancer. It has been difficult to reconcile. It may not be unexpected, but when you love your colleagues as much as we all love the Fonoimoana’s, we cannot help but pray for a miracle. Now, don't get me wrong. If I were a betting gal, my money would definitely be on Nalani, but no one would say life is a bowl of cherries right now.

Nalani has been in and out of the hospital, balancing her medications, getting further tests and obtaining the rest and nourishment she needs. She gets frustrated. She has things to do, people to serve. She wants to shake this off and get back to work.  

Our department had a decision to make. We are sensitive to the needs and feelings of the Funoimoana family. Yet, to not share this beautiful portrait seems like such a waste. How could we not use it? So, out of respect, I went to visit Nalani, show her the artwork and again seek her approval.

When Elder Jones and I entered, she was sitting on the couch, surrounded by family, cared for like the queen she is.  Two granddaughters greeted us at the door, graceful little teen-angels who sat us down and quickly brought out refreshments. Then they quietly stepped back to allow us some time and space - patiently watching for any opportunity to serve. It dawned on me that this is the true definition of ohana - which means far more than the simple translation of family. In absolute terms, ohana is the connecting cord of eternal lineage binding hearts together while honoring and serving one another with respect and love.  

On the PCC campus, one of our luaus is called Hale Ohana, which roughly translates into The House of Family. It is a place our guests come to have a great meal and wonderful entertainment. 

But now I had the opportunity to experience true Ohana inside a sweet little home where love transcends mortal limitations. The miracle of it all filled my heart to overflowing.

She took some time to study the photo, I think, perhaps reliving that perfect moment once more. "Yes," she replied. "You have our permission to use the picture." 

A photographer's skill is not in creating perfection, but in capturing it. Nalani and Carl are the true artists here. They took the cord given to them from faithful parents and wove a net that they cast out across the seas, binding thousands of hearts to them through love, service and example. How truly humbling it is to have this opportunity to share them with you.

........love and marriage under the revealed plan of the Lord are not like the rose that withers with the passing of summer. Rather, they are eternal, as surely as the God of heaven is eternal.                                                                                         Gordon B Hinckley

Because I Have Been Given Much - Samoa and Me

For those of you who friend us on Facebook, it will come as no surprise that I, Sister Jones, jumped on an airplane and vacated, just for a few days, the mission I love so well. No, I didn't go AWOL. I went to be with my baby, who was having a baby. I was extremely blessed because the circumstances warranted it and my mission president whole-heartedly agreed.

I spent 10 days cleaning, sewing, cooking and playing with one of the cutest little granddaughters ever!

McKinnley Rene Marrott

Equally wonderful, I got to see Mike, Havilah and the Jones kids AND Veronica flew out all the way from the East Coast for 48 hours just to see me. It was just the balm I needed. I love my family so very much. They are and will always be the reason for my existence and the lights of my life. So proud with how well they are doing and how wonderful they've all turned out - I have the greatest family!

Ronan, Gareth and Ruth Ellen dancing Tahitian for me!

Veronica and I

So, with that, let me introduce you to our newest family member:

Rayland Michael Marrott

Born 23 hours AFTER I had to leave....it's true. But I was able to fulfill exactly what was needed and Rayland's daddy was able to be home for the birth, so all is quite well and I am happy.

Upon my return, I was able to jump right back into Island life. So much to do! So much fun doing it!


This Saturday was the Samoan Devotional at PCC. Each of the represented islands holds a yearly devotional. It always entails breakfast, singing, and the students representing the village sharing their faith and experience.








 


Our first speaker shared an amazing story of his family's conversion in Samoa.  His father was actually told that he must deny this new faith or be killed. He refused. So the village came and took him away. The young man then simply said that he was miraculously spared and that his father's experience has been a source of great faith building on the island. It was later in the presentation, when the elders from the island spoke, that we learned how he was spared. The religious leaders built a fire and told him again, to deny his faith or be killed. Again, he refused and bore his testimony that this was the true church and that he could not and would not deny his faith. The fire was built and started. As they prepared to burn him alive, a rainstorm came out long enough to put out the fire. He was spared because they could see that God did not want him killed. What an inspiration!

A beautiful young lady spoke next. She came to BYU-H when she was 26. She had a career as a teacher back in Samoa. But her mother told her of this wonderful place to come and get an education. She is about to graduate, and she feels that these last 3 years have been one of her greatest blessings. The Island Manager had expressed such love for her and her gentle spirit. You could see it as she spoke. And then she sang the sweetest, purest version of "Nearer My God To Thee". It was just amazing.





The final student, who we actually know from our ward, is majoring in math. He is a great and confident speaker. He talked about the amount of faith and humility it took to get to this point especially because he had previously been expelled from BYUH for making a very poor error in judgment. He recognized that he had to decide whether he was going to be immovable or repentant. He is a man of great intelligence and he knew that he had to improve his own circumstances if he was ever to be a success in the world. This young man grew up in the humblest of circumstances in his aunts and uncle's home. They had no electricity or running water. He worked hard before and after school. He did his homework by the very dim light of a kerosene lantern. Yet still he graduated at the top of his class. But the thing that makes this man's future so bright is not his great intelligence. It is his amazing humility and desire for improvement. Ultimately, he wisely learned that it's not perfection, but the desire to leave behind imperfection that brings about the security and joy he seeks for him and his family.


We are so richly blessed to be here. We are learning so much and are being so humbled by these great examples.