Baptism on 9/24 Saturday

Aloha Ye Elders of Israel:

There is a baptism scheduled for Lona and Rysen Baso (cousin and brother, respectively, of Rocky Baso) this Saturday 9/24 @ 6:30 p.m. at the Stake Center. 

Let's all attend in support of the Baso ohana.

Elders Quorum today -- 9/18/11

Announcements

• Endowments: Two members of the quorum, Gene Tamashiro and John Teves (with his wife Melinda) received their  endowments this week at the Laie Temple.  Congratulations to them.
• Activities:  Upcoming activities: Filipino Food Fest @ Thelma's Restaurant in Waipahu on October 8 Saturday.  We will meet at 10:15 a.m. on Mokulele Drive by the Parkway Rec Center and then carpool from there. Makapu'u Lighthouse See-the-Sun-Rise Family Hike on October 29 Saturday.  Meeting time is 5:15 a.m. at the Makapu'u Lighthouse parking area along Kalanianaole Hwy.  We will eat breakfast at the top and watch the sun rise.
• Service projects:  We are applying have applied and been accepted to the Adopt-a-Highway program (trash pick-up) for the section of Kahekili Highway from Haiku Road to Kaneohe Bay Drive. We have committed to four trash-pick-up outings per year for the next two years. The date of our first service outing is TBA.  Other projects we may do include Kawa'ewa'e Heiau (brush clean-up), Ho'omaluhia Gardens (adopt-a-park). and help-our-neighbors yard cleanup.
• Home visits via Splits with Missionaries (Wednesday evenings, ongoing).  Next split date will be 9/21 Wed.  (Kanoa Kanahele and Jershon Laimana).
• Home Teaching:  New assignments announced.  See updated Home Teaching Assignment List. Remember to complete your HT assignment and report to your district leader by the end of the month.  Mahalo!

Lesson today:
Today's lesson was based on Chapter 41: The Postmortal Spirit World.  Questions that were addressed and answered in the lesson included:

• What happens to us after we die? [Alma 41:11]   
• Where is the postmortal spirit world? ["...not far away."] 
• What is the nature of our Spirits?  [Ether 3:16 and Alma 34:34] 
• What are the conditions in the Spirit World? [1 Nephi 15: 28-30] 
• What happens in Paradise? [D&C 138:30]   
• What happens in Spirit Prison? [1 Peter 3:18-20]

Endowments for Gene

This evening at the 7pm session at the Laie Hawaii Temple, Brother Gene Tamashiro received his endowment which is "a series of covenants we make with the Father to live a life of chastity and virtue, to sacrifice our selfish desires in his service to our fellowmen to build up his kingdom; and he, in turn, promises us protection and blessings in this life and greater blessings and glory in eternity." [source]. Congrats to Gene.

Gene and his sister from Las Vegas.







Gene and Roy Hirokawa (middle photo)

Potluck afterward in the Fale

Elders Quorum Today -- 9/11/11

Announcements

• Endowments: Two members of the quorum will be receiving their  endowments this week at the Laie Temple:  Gene Tamashiro on 9/14 Wed 7pm session  and John Teves (with his wife Melinda) on 9/15 Thurs 2pm session.   All who can are encouraged to attend.
• Activities:  Flag football activity, organized by Ka'anoi Walk,  on 9/5 Monday was well attended and a success.  Upcoming activities will be the Filipino Food Fest @ Thelma's Restaurant in Waipahu on 10/8 Saturday (time TBA) and Makapu'u Lighthouse Family Hike in late October/early November (exact date and time TBA).
• Service projects:  We still are in the planning stages but potential projects include Adopt-a-Highway (trash pick-up) , Kawa'ewa'e Heiau (brush clean-up), Ho'omaluhia Gardens (adopt-a-park). and help-our-neighbors yard cleanup.
• Home visits via Splits with Missionaries (Wednesday evenings, ongoing).  Next split date will be 9/21 Wed.  Assignments TBA.
• Home Teaching:  New assignments announced.  See updated Home Teaching Assignment List.

Lesson today:

•  Kanoa Kanahele taught the lesson today, sharing with us his very interesting family history (his ancestors include Sir Isaac Newton and a 4th great grandfather from Molokai who was shown great respect by Kamehameha 1, the unifier of the Hawaiian islands).  He also read to us the story of the first ancestor from his family to join the Church.  We all were encouraged to do family history work, which includes recording our own personal history via journal writing. 

Kaneohe Hawaii Stake General Priesthood Meeting - 9/4/11

According to the current handbook of instructions, Stake general priesthood meetings are held once a year with the meeting's purpose being to "instruct and inspire priesthood holders and conduct stake priesthood business."

Yes, we were instructed and inspired and business was conducted.  I so testify.

Here's a recap:

Presiding was Stake President George Kaluhiokalani.  Conducting was President Bud Gibson.

Stake priesthood business:  a number of men, (mostly young men) were ratified as recently ordained recipients of the Melchizedek Priesthood, including a couple of young men from our ward:  James Ahuna and Braeden Santiago.

Singing for us was an Aaronic Priesthood choir, conducted by Micah Hirokawa, formerly of our ward and now Stake Music Director.  It was wonderful listening to the young men sing hymn #60: Battle Hymn of the Republic and ""Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing."

The opening speakers were two current full-time missionaries, now serving as APs (aka Assistants to the Mission President), one being Elder Preston Stelter (at left), who served in our ward a few months back.  Remarks from the Elders that I noted:

• "Teaching cannot be done without the spirit."
• "I would not take $1 million to forgo my mission."
• "Nothing offends God more than laziness, disobedience, and ingratitude."
• "I've learned to hate the things of the world."
• While we remember to clean our houses, cars, etc, we sometimes to clean ourselves (via repentance)."

Hawaii Mission President John Dalton (pictured at left) then spoke to us.  Remarks, which were mostly directed to the young men but which we could learn from, that I noted:

• Obedience brings blessings; exact obedience brings miracles.
• Counsel to young men preparing for missions:  "Put love on hold" (i.e. don't fall in love prior to serving a mission).
• Weak discipline = weak missionaries
• Discipline is closely related to being a disciple (of Christ).
• Cut down/cut out watching television.

President Bud Gibson addressed us and he told us a story about a young man he hired to work for him at his ranch in Waimanalo.  After a long day of work on the first Saturday of his employ, the young man went out with friends.  "I guess he didn't work hard enough," said President Gibson.  The following Saturday, after another long day of work on the ranch, the young man was asked what he would be doing that night.  "I'm going home to sleep because I'm exhausted," a remark which brought a broad smile to President's face, for he's well known for his put-your-shoulder-to-the-wheel,  work-hard philosophy.  He also remarked that young men should work and save to pay (or help pay) for their mission expenses.

Next up was President Carl Kawakami, who told us a story of a young man who worked and saved to pay for his mission and now is putting himself through aviation school on the mainland by working, saving, and walking to and from school, work, and his living quarters.   Referring to Elder Stelter's comments, President Kawakami said that in his work as a counselor, he has seen how laziness, disobedience, and ingratitude by husbands have led to marital problems.  The message for us:  work hard, be obedient, be grateful.  An interesting comment by President:  "If you want a release (from a calling in the church), do it like the Prophet does it."

Finally, President Kaluhiokalani (at left) addressed us, relating a story about a recent business trip to Guam which led to a visit to Yokoi Cave, named after Shoichi Yokoi, a soldier in the Japanese army in WWII.  In 1944, when the American military regained control of Guam, Yokoi went into hiding in a self-fashioned "cave" in the jungles of the island.  He remained in hiding for 28 years until 1972, an example of steadfast dedication and loyalty to his country and a cause he believed in.

The example of Yokoi's dedication to a cause was not lost on us.  We, too, should be dedicated to the great cause and work of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
 President K also told us that

• Many young men in the stake are struggling (with a variety of issues) and we need to help them instead of continuing to allow them to struggle.
• We need to help the young men establish and develop a testimony.
• We need to help them establish goals.

All in all, a good meeting.

Elders Quorum Today -- 9/4/11 Sunday

Announcements

• Stake General Priesthood Meeting.  Tonight 6:30 to 8:00 @ Kaneohe Stake Center.  For all priesthood in the stake.
• EQ activity -- Flag football Labor Day Bowl.  Monday 9/5, 3:30pm to 5:30pm @ Kaneohe Elementary lower field.
• Home visits with missionaries -- 9/7 Wed 7pm.  (Turner and Kau this week)

Quorum business meeting agenda

• September 1st Presidency message.  General Conference: No Ordinary Blessing
• Home teaching assignments.  See current assignments.
• Committees:  Proclaim the Gospel, Redeem the Dead, Perfect the Saints, Rescue the Lost.

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