Week 6 Report

It's been another good and very busy week in Hawaii. The time is flying by! We are busy getting ready for transfers next week. At last count we have 9 new missionaries coming and 6 going home. That's a low number, but good for me as this is the first transfer I've prepared for. The final number has changed several times as we find out some visas didn't get approved and others we've been waiting on for months were finally approved. Devon is forever busy managing the apartments. There is always a need to find a new one and close an old one - especially as the missionaries come and go. And then there is the issue of maintenance. Some landlords just don't care. But the work gets done and we love it. The best part of the day is when the missionaries drop by. They will use any excuse to come, and it's okay with us!

The play, The Book of Mormon, opened in Honolulu this week. The mission president, a senior missionary, and about 10 young elders have been there to hand out Books of Mormon to the people as they exit the show. In two nights they passed out over 600 copies. What's incredible is how welcoming and excited the people are to see the elders and receive a copy. They ask to take their picture with the elders and one person even asked for an autograph from one of our elders - which he was tickled to give them! A general comment about the play from some people who have seen it is that it's full of profanity, but ends with a really good message. It's all been very positive.

On Monday night we had our senior missionary monthly FHE at President and Sister Warner's home. What fun! We had chicken enchiladas, green salad, fruit, chips and dip, veggie tray, and yummy chocolate cake. After a lovely visit during dinner we played Heads Up and had a good time. I love these evenings with all these special people. Sure hope the new mission president continues this activity. He arrives in July.

I don't want to make this a medical blog, but will mention that I had my labs done last week and everything is great! My cancer antigen test is normal, and my liver function has improved. I am realizing just how devastating chemo is to the body and how long it takes to recover. It's been almost 7 months since my last treatment. I haven't been able to put on any weight, but I am feeling good. I'm having CT scans done today and those results will be back next week.

Last night we decided to go to Waikiki and watch the free Friday night fireworks at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. Tons of people gather on the beach to watch. We enjoyed a little window shopping at the many fun shops, bought a Hawaiian quilted pillow cover, and enjoyed a nice, but very expensive hamburger and gluten free pizza at a restaurant on the beach. It was fun and relaxing.

We ate dinner under the orange umbrellas on the right.

Hawaiian sunset.

Fireworks taken with my camera - much more impressive in person.

Tomorrow we fly to southern California for a reunion with my Onstott cousins - something planned months before we received our mission call. I'm so grateful President Warner approved our trip. We'll be gone 3 nights. It's a quick trip, but it will be so good to spend time together.