thankfully.....a day of rest!

I'm so thankful that within our church, the practice of keeping the Sabbath Day sacred and set apart from other days is a part of what we practice.  Not only is this something that saves my sanity during a regular week of life (how nice to be able to know that there is one day that we don't run around and keep the busy schedule of other days!), but there is a day to refuel my spiritual battery and to learn and grow in wisdom.  I also really look forward to this day, even while on vacation.  I enjoy visiting different wards, also known as our congregations, in different parts of the country....and sometimes around the world (when we are lucky to travel to other countries).  I love to see how people really live, and by visiting a ward you see the ins and outs of an area - more or less.  It's a quick snapshot - and not entirely accurate, but it's something different than people watching at an event.  I also love getting new thoughts on lessons and life - because we are different as people, we have different experiences and upbringings....we view things and have opinions based on the scope of experience that we've been given.  This past year, it's been interesting to see the different lessons in Relief Socity in both our home ward in NYC, our old ward in Florida, and now our ward that we are visiting here in Laie, Hawaii.

{Bryson in the morning ~ thinking about getting ready for church....he's not our morning person!}

I love the differences that make up each group of people.  The gospel is the same in each place - however, it's the culture, the traditions and again the people that make it different.  And I love learning from different people.

This particular Sunday we arrived at church a little bit late - that's something we are used to, but I thought we were doing okay here as the ward is about a 5 minute walk.  However, we realized that every single clock in the townhome we are renting displays a different time --- I have no idea what clock we were going by that morning, but we were about 3-5 minutes behind the schedule I had wanted!  I'm also used to our ward starting a little bit late as they tend to gauge how many people have arrived, and might start a little later based on transportation issues.  If you have 10 families that all travel on a subway line that is having issues, you might begin 2-3 minutes later so that they can come in and get their seats :)   Anyway - because we were late we sat in the back cultural hall.  I think we'll work to get to church on time next Sunday - as we couldn't hear a thing!  By nature the cultural hall isn't the best place for sound to travel....or at least for times when there is a church meeting, the sound seems to travel just perfectly when it's ward basketball!  It was so hard to hear anyone speaking into the microphone.  We have a lot of children in our ward in NYC - but the amount of children here was at least 3 times to what we have, and so the noise level was really loud.  The ironic part of the noise level being so high - is that everyone speaks so quietly in this culture!  I noticed that whomever was at the podium up front giving their testimony (it was Fast Sunday), spoke in a very low and very soft voice.  For some reason I didn't notice how soft they speak last time we were here....perhaps that is because we hadn't moved to NY where it's loud ALL THE TIME!  Probably because our family was still a little younger - with the boys ages now, they are loud.  ALL THE TIME - and it's getting louder each year!  I couldn't believe how quiet everyone was, and yet because there were so many people together that the noise just carried.  It was so strange to have it so loud and quiet at the same time.

{after church we came home & the keiki's (Hawaiian for child) convinced Nana & Papa to play Phase 10....they had a fun time, although I know the adults were wishing it was nap time!  Jacob again came through with some hilarious facial expressions that I was able to capture.  That keiki cracks me up!!!} 

In Primary, the children were welcomed with the traditional 'HELLO' song, but the words were changed to Aloha & Talofa (hello in Samoan) & everyone is Auntie - not Sister ________ as we are used to back home.  I loved Sister Jo that lead the Primary music.  I got some ideas in watching her work with the children, which is another favorite part that I love in going to different wards.  Idea sharing :)

The best part, probably comes with how warm and welcoming the culture is.  The members are getting ready to hold their annual Ward Camp-out - which is another religion in and of itself!  They go to a nearby campground that is by the beach and they camp for 5 days!  We had a few people ask us if we were going to come over for the camp-out, they told us we didn't necessarily need to camp, but we could come and enjoy the activities each day.  And the days have some very fun events!  There is an opening pot-luck and a closing pot-luck, there is Zumba many mornings, and a Children's Carnival one day, tie-dying for the children another day, swimming at the beach every day! (except Sunday - and yes they camp over Sunday!  They said that someone stays back and watches everyone's things, while the members go to church for the 3 hours and then they come back to spend the remainder of Sunday together).  I have the schedule up on the fridge, and I think we are going to wander over for a few events - which we are all excited about!  I am secretly hoping that for the Talent Show the brother in the ward that does Fire Dancing will bring his gear and give a show!  Two years ago the members said that during the program, he came running from the back and jumped onto stage with his fire knives and wowed everyone with a performance that he learned growing up in Samoa.  You don't see that very often in mainland wards! :)
It's great to feel so welcomed even while we are here visiting.  People here just seem to know how to open themselves up - sharing more than a smile and a hello.  It's part of the Polynesian culture and I really love and appreciate how warm these people are!

 After Phase 10, we enjoyed a dinner which was supposed to be steak on the outdoor bar-b-que, however Keith/Papa Lord checked out the grill and realized that the people have changed it over from propane to charcoal, and it hadn't been properly looked after.  So sad - I was really looking forward to grilling!  Thankfully Leslie remembered a recipe to do steaks on the stovetop and then to finish them up in the oven - they were still mouthwatering and we enjoyed mounds of Artichokes as well.  The kids were in heaven!

After dinner we took a walk to the Temple Grounds.  We are so, so lucky to be this close to the Temple when we stay here.  If we look out the back door, we are looking into the Temple Grounds.  The glow of the Temple shines in my bedroom each night, and I fall asleep to the beautiful white glow that shines from this sacred and special building.  There is a very special feel here - and although we felt something special about this location on our previous visit - there is an added measure of peace and tranquility, and I truly believe that it comes from the Temple being renovated and being rededicated once more to the Lord's work.  Temples just bring something extraordinary to every day areas.

I'm not sure on the story behind this statue and piece, however it's at the top of the waterfalls and is part of the sustaining wall that is in front of the Temple.  I love it - but I want to know the background of why it was chosen for here.  

This is the view as I was walking up the steps over to the right side --- the buildlings are 2 church meeting houses.  We meet in the back building - again look how close everything!

Family....isn't it about TIME?!  This was right before we started to feel a pitter-patter of raindrops.  We hurried up to the Temple and watched under the cover while the rain fell steadily for about 5 minutes.

 This is the view from the cover by the front doors to the Temple - looking down the avenue, the beach & water are straight out ahead!

 And again from the cover right by the front doors - this is the walk that goes down to the gate.  Open the gate and you walk down a little path and you are right at the town homes where we are staying.  We are so, so close!

 This is a view from the stairs going up to the temple - the town home on the end of the right side is the one we are staying in....you can see a little bit of the blue/black netting that is up around the trampoline that the family has (and yes the children love having a tramp as well for these few weeks!)

The rain left behind a gorgeous colored sky....

 

                                      

When we got home we had a little talent show, the children played their piano recital pieces for Nana & Papa, and we had a surprise treat of a duet from these two!....

It was a very wonderful, restful and special Sunday that we spent all together.  I'm so thankful for the gift of a Sunday - and I'm thankful that we were blessed to spend it with extra family while we were on our trip.  It was one of those days, that you just want to bottle up and keep right at the front of your memory!