Arriving At The Honolulu Mission

November 10, 2009

After a smooth flight we arrived in Honolulu to find our Mission President Steve Peterson and his sweet wife Kathy and their 2 assistants waiting for us.  There were 6 Elders on our flight, they helped us collect all our LUGGAGE and loaded it and us into trucks, vans and a car.  The Mission had arranged to pick up our car, which we had shipped two weeks earlier, and when we arrived at the Mission Home it was waiting for us in perfect condition.  I had worried about the car making it there, since it belongs to our daughter Marci.  They had us pose there at the Mission Home for the traditional "I got here safe" picture.

President and Sister Peterson with us at the Mission Home in Honolulu

"We got here safely" Photo that got sent to our children

After loading everything of ours in our car, and that was a TIGHT squeeze,  President and Sister Peterson  took us to dinner.  By the time we returned, it was dark and we were sent on our way to find our apartment.  They told us to stay on the H3 Highway and follow the signs, it was easy to find and  Elder Eubank would be waiting for us at the Temple Visitor's Center until 9:00.  Assuring them that we had a GPS to get us there safely, they led us to the Gas Station and waved goodbye.  Of course we could not find the GPS.  (I thought it had been stolen from our luggage, but found it the next week in the little case with our camera recharging cords.)

After going a distance following the signs, it began to rain and then a downpour was making it hard to even see the road.  We couldn't figure the defrosters out and could hardly see any signs.  Luckily, by that time, there was only one road we could take.  The route we took was on a different side of the Island than when we had been here before.  The Ocean was on my right and I was sure it was supposed to be my LEFT!  I just knew we were lost!

We FINALLY arrived in Leia at about 9:30 p.m. This was 12:30 a.m. Salt Lake time.  It had taken us so long because of the rain, that the Visitor's Center was closed.  We were driving around trying to find our address, when Elder Eubank found us and led us to where we were to live.  All the Senior Missionaries came and helped us unload our LUGGAGE, left a plate of cookies and brownies and said Goodnight.  We were so THANKFUL to just FINALLY be here, we just found our toothbrushes and went to bed.

 

Leaving Home

November 10, 2009

We didn't expect it would be so hard to leave for our mission.  We didn't want anyone to come to the airport with us it would be toooooo hard.  We got together as a family on Sunday evening at our son Steve's house and it was fun, but hard to say goodbye!  We packed each suitcase about four times and kept weighing them until we thought they weighed 50 lbs. each.  There were four big suitcases and two golf bags (I call them body-bags, because they are so big).  Stevie took us to the airport, but when we got there our bags were all over weight.  We spent a lot of time rearranging everything, so that only one was overweight.  We only had to pay $250.00 each for our luggage (they really penalize you for the 3rd bag.)  I had to put other things in our carry-on case, so I put our large Digital Photo Frame in my pillowcase with my pillow, yes I brought my pillow.

Then when we went to check in at security, I couldn't find my Driver's license.  Steve went back to where we checked in but they couldn't find it.  About this time I started to cry, we hadn't brought our Passports, so I figured I would not be able to get on the plane.  Maybe the Missionary badges helped, because a nice man in Security let me through with my "Costco Picture ID" (I should write them and tell them how much their card helped me, but then the Security guy would probably get fired.)

 We arrived at the gate as they were boarding, so we couldn't go to the restrooms or buy anything to eat for the plane flight.  I had only gotten 2 to 3 hours sleep the last two nights and I was tired and nervous, so when I sat down in my seat, I wasn't sure I really wanted to go on this mission, if everything was going to be so hard.  Luckily the plane has "restrooms" and we could BUY Lunch.

The MTC

Eating at the MTC is so interesting!  They feed close to 2000 missionaries 3 times a day.  They have 3 different times for each meal and if you are sitting there when a new bunch comes, they look like starving ants.  The Cafeteria is nice and clean.  The food is definitely geared for younger people, but good.  You have a little card you swipe and you can eat all you want for about $4.00.  After seeing the size of some of the Missionaries I decided that this was a very good plan.   On Wednesdays the new missionaries come and it is very exciting because they have ice cream (all you want with toppings) both for Lunch and Dinner.  They also had Steak for dinner.  I guess they want them to be happy to be there.

This is the Cafeteria Empty and locked

This is one end

And this is the other end

It was fun seeing all the young missionaries.  They really looked sooooo young!  And they were so nice to us, opening doors and letting us in line.  We had a Fireside and Elder L. Tom Perry spoke, we were seated early, down in the front of this big Auditorium, when they opened the doors in the back upper floor, it sounded like a Stampede, not because the missionaries were running, but because there were so many of them, 1950.  The music was beautiful and to hear 2000 missionaries sing Called To Serve, gave me goose bumps.

The whole experience at the MTC was very SPIRITUAL.  The lessons and lecturers were wonderful and helped us learn what we needed to do.  We had volunteers come for us to practice teaching the discussions to and that was scary and amazing.  I learned that I already knew what I needed to know, and our young missionary trainers, taught us how to present what we knew.  We also practiced the information for the visitor's Center we were going to and that helped me know what to do when I got to Hawaii.

                          

This is an original copy of the first publishing of the Book of Mormon

The Traditional Missionary Picture showing the location of our call

These are the Teels who are going to the PCC in Hawaii

This is the whole group of Senior Couples that we were with in the MTC, they were going all over the world and we enjoyed getting to know them.  We felt so blessed that we were going to our Hawaii assignment.  Maybe a little guilty even, until one of  the Leadership Sisters told us that we should not feel that way.  Many that were there also had either requested or been invited to serve in their areas and that was the way the Lord arranges things.  We were going where we were called because that was where the Lord wanted us to serve.

 

These are our the Young training Missionaries who work at the MTC

The Missionary Training Center

On October 26, 2009, we entered the MTC.  Senior couples are allowed to stay at home if they want to and commute each day from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.  We were excited, nervous and a little scared (Me).
They no longer allow friends and families to go in with the missionaries.  We drove our little white Jag there because it was our only car, we received all kinds of joking comments from the older Elders volunteering there, about what a tough mission Hawaii would be and how they would be happy to take care of our car for us.  It was a little embarrassing!  It is a beautiful facility and you fill the Spirit so STRONG as you enter.  They took our picture as we came in and then we went through an orientation.

Farewell Party - October 22, 2009

Sarah and Steve organized a wonderful Farewell Party at the Office on October 22, 2009.  They invited over a hundred co-workers and business associates.  Nicki and her friend JoAnn even made ribbon leis as well as real flower ones flown over from Hawaii.

There was a beautiful buffet filled with all kinds of goodies and Bird of Paradise flower arrangements.  Everyone went all out to make it really nice.  We sure appreciate all they have done for us.  It is hard to leave such a wonderful family.  I'm so grateful that we can talk and e-mail as much as we want to.

We spoke in Church that next Sunday October 25, 2009.  It was so nice to see our own family there, along with our brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews and many friends and neighbors.  Boy am I glad that is over, I was really nervous.  We had a nice luncheon at our house after and got  to visit with everyone.  Kenny and Carol Robertson even came and spent the afternoon with us.

Opening Our Mission Call

On August 22, 2009 we opened our mission call while vacationing with our entire family (yes all 45 of us) at a lodge in Bear Lake, Utah.  We had been waiting for 4 weeks for our call to arrive and when our son Mike had to come later in the week, he brought it with him.  We were really worried about where we would go.

When we opened the letter and read the "Hawaiian Temple Visitor's Center" a cheer erupted from everyone and of course I cried.  We are a little nervous, but soooo excited.  Our children and grandchildren have been  GREAT, encouraging us to go and assuring us that all will be well at home.  We know this is the right thing to do, we are very grateful to have the opportunity to show the Lord how much we love Him and how much we appreciate all His many blessings.  This will be a challenge for our family, but we know they will be there for each other and hope it will bring them closer together.  We are honored to represent the Church as missonaries.