Karen's Dangling Conversation

 Today we spoke in the Makawao Ward.  I gave basically my farewell talk for the third time, different wards of course.  Jeff gave a great talk from the heart.  He basically spills our whole life in his talks but people just love it and think he is the best.  He is the BEST!  Our talks were met by a very warm reception from the members and they were all so kind.  We had a really enjoyable Sunday meeting with both the Pukaloni and the Makawao Wards today.  We just love these wards.  We didn't think we could love a ward more after our service in Kihei but I have to say we really really love these wards.  There is so much good missionary work going on here too.  It is so wonderful to be serving at this time when Heavenly Father is hastening the work of  Gathering Israel on the earth.   In Pukaloni ward the Stake Patriarch President Wunder gave a wonderful talk and really shared with us so much about what exactly is happen...

  Today we attended the Makawao and Pukalani wards upcountry.  We love these two wards and are getting to know so many people there. Today Bishop Upfold called us in to talk about how we can best help in his ward.  We asked him to give us 5 names a month from the ward list of people to visit and get to know.  This is the kind of work we love doing.  It is so rewarding helping to bring families back to church and to help and love and serve where ever we can.  He also invited us to speak in church next Sunday.  That is a fun opportunity that we have from time to time.  After church we were invited to a lesson for a young man we will call Brother T.  He grew up in a part member family but was never baptized as a child.  He really hasn't had any association with the church but I believe his Dad became active again after many years.  He is from Northern California but came to Hawaii with his sister when they were asked to work on a farm ...

 Our friends Jon and Marti Lelengren came over to Maui.  She is the office secretary in Honolulu and he is going to take over the travel job that Jeff and I have been doing for 5 months now.  We got to go to the beach on Saturday afternoon and go to dinner at Maui Gardens food trucks too.  It was fun showing them around to some of our favorite places.  It was a business trip and so we spent some time training Elder Lelengren for the travel.  Jeff did a really good job creating a document that had most all the information on it for him.  Jeff is really good at that and he spent a few hours training him which was great.  Marti and I have so much in common and are becoming fast friends.  She is a yoga instructor and so we had fun talking yoga and some of our favorite places to do yoga back in Utah.   Tonight (Sunday) we got together with all the missionary couples here on Maui plus the Lelengrens who are visiting.  We now have 4 S...

 Day 8 was the saddest day because that is the day we had to say goodbye to Brenda  I cannot express what a boost it was to have my dear friend come to this beautiful island and enjoy some time together.  I miss home so much and all my family and friends so it was a big deal to have her come and visit.  Our fun memories will linger with all the photos we took and they will continue to make me happy in days to come.  Aloha Brenda!  Aloha nui oe......until we meet again my friend!

We hiked to the Makamakaole Stream Hike which is fondly nicknamed 13 Crossings.  While we cannot confirm that there are only 13 crossings of the river on this hike we can confirm that it is a hike that is worth the hype!  So gorgeous!  It is a relatively easy hike but there is a lot of bouldering.  It takes you through a lovely Bamboo Forest, past a lovely Banyan tree and ends at a beautiful hidden grotto with a spectacular waterfall.  The pool is deep enough to swim in.  If you dare!  We did dare!  So fun!  On the way back with hiked to the other falls which is an even bigger falls and water hole for swimming.  We didn't get into this one and kinda glad because on the way down we saw some giant crawdads in the river ......I guess they were probably in the other one too but we did not see them. So that was good.  My favorite hiking buddy!  He is so good and helps me down all the hard parts and holds my hand. Love rocks!  E...

 Monday we went out to Black Rock which is by the Sheraton Hotel in Kanapali, out past Lahaina.  This is one of our favorite snorkeling spots.  We have seen such wonderful things here and it is easy to get to.  You don't have to swim a long way.  It's a short swim out to the point and then you can cut over and you are in a magical reef with lots of fish.  You can swim to the edge of that reef and there the ocean drops off a long way.  It is so fun to see.  We have seen large groups of fish out there, eagle rays, monk seal and many colorful reef fish.  Oh and lots and lots of turtles.  I mean this is the place to swim with the turtles.  They are so plentiful and fun to watch here.  We had a great day! This is black rock, see the big rock out there that people are jumping off of?  That's what people love to do here.  In the evening they have runner that takes a lighted torch up to rock and lights all the tiki torches....