I am having a wonderful mission!
Date
March 30, 2014
Area
Laie, Hawaii
Companion
Sister Pat Bisson
I am having a wonderful mission!
I am having a wonderful mission, and I can't believe that I only have 4 months left. Serving at the Polynesian Cultural center has been such an awesome experience. The Polynesians are wonderful people, and it has been fun to get to know them, and to learn about their culture. For those who have never been here, it is a great place. It is beautiful and green, and they have designed it very well. There are 6 islands, Hawaii, Aoeteara (New Zealand), Samoa, Fiji, Tahiti, and Tonga. We also have the Mission Settlement which includes a school house, chapel and the mission home. In the mission home, they sell quilts, quilt patterns, table runners, aprons, purses, and a variety of other handmade things. There is also a Lagoon that runs through the whole PCC, and you are able to have a canoe ride if you so desire.
Because I work in the Island office I have become acquainted with all of the managers of the various islands. I have also become acquainted with a lot of the students who work at the PCC to help pay for their schooling. The PCC was built to provide jobs for the students and to keep the culture of the Polynesians alive.
It is a little hard to explain what I do, the Island Office, takes care of all the needs that the islands have. Each island has their own unique demonstration and show. We order coconuts for Samoa, Fiji and Tahiti, we get flour and sugar and deliver to Tahiti to make their coconut bread, we deliver Taro to Hawaii, and they make Poi out of it for people to taste . We are delivering paperwork a lot of the time. I drive around in a golf cart. I do some office work, and I also help make the crafts that go to the mission settlement to sell. Right now I am sewing turtles that we stuff, and are going to start selling there. I collect the money out of the fish food machines, and keep them filled with fish food. The ducks and birds like it too. It is a fun thing to feed them, The missionaries here are required to take tickets at night at the Island Buffet, Prime Dining, and the Luau's. So about 6 times a month I am taking tickets there. My job is never repetitious, there is always something different to do. Each island puts on a devotional once a year, and that is something that I also help out with. Coming up in May is World Fire Knife competition that is held at the PCC every year. It is part of a program called We are Samoa. It requires a lot of preparation, and I will also be involved with that. The missionaries I work with are wonderful, and I love the manager of our office. She is a beautiful person with a wonderful spirit. She is a Hawaiian.
Since this is a service mission, I do not do any proselyting or teaching lessons, so I do not have any conversion stories to tell. In fact, we do not wear our missionary tags at the PCC. We have a PCC badge that has our first name on it, and Volunteer at the bottom.
On Sunday's I attend a married student ward that I have been assigned to. There are two single stakes at BYU, and one married stake. The missionaries are spread around in all those different stakes and wards. I am enjoying getting to know the students, and they have the most beautiful little babies. It is kind of different being in a ward where there are no YM and YW, and only a handful of primary kids.
There are 70 different countries represented here, and over 35 languages. I have had the privilege of working in the office with a cute little girl from the Philippines, and also one from Mongolia. They are so easy to love, and help take the place of me missing my grandchildren. I get hugs from them everyday.
I live in an apartment with 3 other single sisters, and there are 5 more single sisters who live in a apartment upstairs from ours. Then there are 8 other sisters in two other apartments. There are about 25 missionary couples are here. Some work at the PCC and others at BUYH. I live right in Laie, and it is a small town, you can walk to wherever you want to go. I walk to the PCC every morning, it is a little over a mile. So far I have only been rained on once. The temple is about 2 blocks away. One of my favorite things to do is to walk up the hill behind the temple and look out over the city and see the Ocean. I love the beautiful ocean that surrounds the island, I can walk to two different beaches. Another favorite is the mountains they have here, lush and green, and unlike any mountains I have ever seen. I will definitely miss them when I come home. I also have many chickens and roosters running around everywhere, and they let you know when it is morning.
I know that The Lord blesses us in our lives, and I feel so blessed to be able to serve here. I almost feel like I am on a year long vacation, There is a wonderful spirit that I feel here, and I know The Lord has his hand in the work that goes on here. I am so thankful for the many blessings that I am blessed with, and that I have the knowledge of the gospel to guide my life. I am grateful that I am able to serve a mission. Thanks to all of you for your love and support and the e-mails and letters. I appreciate all that you do.
Sister Johnson
Because I work in the Island office I have become acquainted with all of the managers of the various islands. I have also become acquainted with a lot of the students who work at the PCC to help pay for their schooling. The PCC was built to provide jobs for the students and to keep the culture of the Polynesians alive.
It is a little hard to explain what I do, the Island Office, takes care of all the needs that the islands have. Each island has their own unique demonstration and show. We order coconuts for Samoa, Fiji and Tahiti, we get flour and sugar and deliver to Tahiti to make their coconut bread, we deliver Taro to Hawaii, and they make Poi out of it for people to taste . We are delivering paperwork a lot of the time. I drive around in a golf cart. I do some office work, and I also help make the crafts that go to the mission settlement to sell. Right now I am sewing turtles that we stuff, and are going to start selling there. I collect the money out of the fish food machines, and keep them filled with fish food. The ducks and birds like it too. It is a fun thing to feed them, The missionaries here are required to take tickets at night at the Island Buffet, Prime Dining, and the Luau's. So about 6 times a month I am taking tickets there. My job is never repetitious, there is always something different to do. Each island puts on a devotional once a year, and that is something that I also help out with. Coming up in May is World Fire Knife competition that is held at the PCC every year. It is part of a program called We are Samoa. It requires a lot of preparation, and I will also be involved with that. The missionaries I work with are wonderful, and I love the manager of our office. She is a beautiful person with a wonderful spirit. She is a Hawaiian.
Since this is a service mission, I do not do any proselyting or teaching lessons, so I do not have any conversion stories to tell. In fact, we do not wear our missionary tags at the PCC. We have a PCC badge that has our first name on it, and Volunteer at the bottom.
On Sunday's I attend a married student ward that I have been assigned to. There are two single stakes at BYU, and one married stake. The missionaries are spread around in all those different stakes and wards. I am enjoying getting to know the students, and they have the most beautiful little babies. It is kind of different being in a ward where there are no YM and YW, and only a handful of primary kids.
There are 70 different countries represented here, and over 35 languages. I have had the privilege of working in the office with a cute little girl from the Philippines, and also one from Mongolia. They are so easy to love, and help take the place of me missing my grandchildren. I get hugs from them everyday.
I live in an apartment with 3 other single sisters, and there are 5 more single sisters who live in a apartment upstairs from ours. Then there are 8 other sisters in two other apartments. There are about 25 missionary couples are here. Some work at the PCC and others at BUYH. I live right in Laie, and it is a small town, you can walk to wherever you want to go. I walk to the PCC every morning, it is a little over a mile. So far I have only been rained on once. The temple is about 2 blocks away. One of my favorite things to do is to walk up the hill behind the temple and look out over the city and see the Ocean. I love the beautiful ocean that surrounds the island, I can walk to two different beaches. Another favorite is the mountains they have here, lush and green, and unlike any mountains I have ever seen. I will definitely miss them when I come home. I also have many chickens and roosters running around everywhere, and they let you know when it is morning.
I know that The Lord blesses us in our lives, and I feel so blessed to be able to serve here. I almost feel like I am on a year long vacation, There is a wonderful spirit that I feel here, and I know The Lord has his hand in the work that goes on here. I am so thankful for the many blessings that I am blessed with, and that I have the knowledge of the gospel to guide my life. I am grateful that I am able to serve a mission. Thanks to all of you for your love and support and the e-mails and letters. I appreciate all that you do.
Sister Johnson
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