‘Isi has been coughing for two days. He woke up saying that he felt sick yesterday, so I gave him some Alleve. It made him feel better, but he started coughing and it has gotten worse and worse. I did a COVID test on him which was negative. Liana came after work with a flu test and it was positive– type A. So she gave both of us medicine – mine is preventative. I am feeling quite tired so it may be the start of the flu. Both of us have been staying home for the most part.
For Thanksgiving, we had ‘Isi, Emi, and Ali’i over for turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, rolls, and pumpkin pie. Then Liana, Ileina, and Siope came later as well as Joel, Jojo, Eryn, and Anna. Jacob, Mandy, Jakey, Zion, and Bella also came. We still seemed to have so much food. The grandkids put up our Christmas tree in the front living room and it looks very pretty there.
We had stake conference in the Tongan stake so I had to sit up on the stage (I really don’t like it). but I am trying to support my husband as Patriarch. Since then, he has done four blessings. I get to type up the blessings and they are very inspirational.
It has been so cold lately with some snow. I don’t really want to leave the house right now because I seem to be colder than usual. I keep the temperature in the house at 73 degrees but the sisters downstairs like it cooler than that so I usually wear a jacket or sweater.
A couple of years ago, our family started picking names for Christmas presents. It really has taken a lot of stress out of my Christmas. It is always fun to shop, but I usually feel like I don’t have enough or the right thing for everyone, so we decided to go this way.
I don’t think I wrote about our trip to India so I am going to now.
INDIA
Never did I ever think that I would travel all the way to India. Our son, Robert is a Colonel in the US Air Force and he is currently stationed in New Delhi, India. So, we took the opportunity to go there while he was still there. It took many hours to travel all the way to India, but luckily the flights were uneventful.
In our party, we had Joel and Anna, Aaron and Losa (Anna’s cousin and wife), and ‘Isi and I. We stayed at Robert’s home about three nights and the rest of the nights we were on the road. Our friend from when we were at BYU-Hawaii, Benson Massey, planned the whole trip for us because he owns travel agency. We traveled by local flight and then by bus the rest of the time as we caught some very beautiful landmarks and heard about their history.
The traffic was chaotic. Horns beeped almost constantly as cars, buses, tuktuks, motorcycles, bicycles, and cows maneuvered their way through the narrow roads. Their driving was on the left side of the road. Cows are sacred in India, so everyone would avoid them and let them do whatever they wanted. Robert always has a driver because it is quite dangerous to drive. We had a few different drivers and several tour guides that were so nice and thorough in explaining what we were seeing.
My favorite place was the Taj Mahal and we got up early in the morning to watch the sun come up and shine on it! it was so beautiful and it is the result of a love story. The hotel we stayed at was so amazingly beautiful and the food we ate at the hotel was delectable.
We got to ride on an elephant, see some amazing forts, the Wall of India, palaces, crematorium, elegant buildings and very poor areas of towns. There were such stark contrasts between the castes – very wealthy and then so poor that it pulled at my heart strings. There were many beggars at most places we went and there was one mother that was holding her nearly naked baby who kept begging from me. Rob kept telling me to ignore her, but it was very difficult for me. I think she knew it, so she was relentless in her begging until I finally gave her some money. I felt somewhat better and then she went after the rest of my family.
There are huge malls in Delhi with many familiar stores and fast food places. However, the food was not the same as the familiar ones we had back home. I ordered some KFC and it was very spicy. I ended up with very bad indigestion for about half a day. So, I was much more careful after that.
I loved seeing the beautiful attire of the Indian women. They wore sari of every color and material and they loved to wear amazingly fancy jewelry. The newest style is like a bell earrings. We met the wife of one of Rob’s drivers and she gave me some fancy earrings. We attended church at a small ward with Rob and I was surprised at how many native Indians there were there. The bishop was from Idaho.
The trip to India seems like a dream, but I know it was real. I’m grateful that we got to go on this journey to the other side of the world. It was beautiful, enchanting, mesmerizing, incredible, as well as enlightening, inspirational, and sad. Humanity in India do not enjoy the freedoms we enjoy in America, but it seems they make the best out of what they have.
It made me wonder why some people choose to be born in India knowing the difficulties they would be faced with. It also made me appreciate the wonderful freedoms we enjoy in the United States.
Why does the last month feel more like a sprint than normal?Perhaps because I spilled tea on my keyboard and nothing seems to work properly since then!!
Suddenly all the grandkids are back in school and I am left trying to be an affiliate marketer and mostly I have just gotten myself into debt even more than before.
My husband is trying to help with the marketing but it is so foreign to him to try to make money-he only works because he loves to!
So, then i decided to try to be an affiliate of a grant giving business called BottomLine Concepts and they are offering small businesses an ERC grant to help them recover from the pandemic.
thinkingofcuttingmyhair
When i approach people with the idea, they think i am trying to scam them, but this is legit and can help so many people that were out of work because of the shutdowns and lockouts and changes in the world where people stopped going to work outside their homes.
So, if you want to know more about the grant-here it is:
Hi. I live in Founder’s Park in Daybreak (South Jordan)Utah. Currently, I’m an affiliate for BottomLine Concepts. They are now helping small businesses obtain the ERC (Employee Retention Credit) grant. It is for small businesses affected by the Pandemic to help them get back on their feet, especially those of minority groups.
The process is made simple by BottomLine, and your business could be getting back about $10,000 per W-2 employee. ERC is a refund in the form of a grant and can return up to $26,000/employee ($11,000 is the average) depending on wages, health care, and other personnel expenses business owners have already paid.
A requirement of the grant eligibility is to have 5 or more and less than 500 W-2 employees per Federal Employee Identification Number (FEIN). Even if you received the PPP, you can also receive the ERC.
If you feel your company may qualify for ERC, I would be willing to help you apply for it before it runs out! Also, if you are aware of another small business that would benefit from ERC, share this great news with them.
The link below has much more information including a video, FAQs, and testimonials for BottomLine. Here is the form if you want to see if you qualify. Don’t miss out on this timely grant to help your small business grow!
Please get back to me and tell me what you decided to do.
Seems there have been so many funerals lately so i am just happy to be alive! We are going to India next month while Robert is still stationed there, another place I have never been.
All of our family are relatively healthy-Siope is improving and Ileina is trying to stay well so she can go on her mission to NewZealand.
If you want to check out what I’ve been doing, go to:
https://mcs.samanthasdomain.com/7-figures
Ileina went to the temple for the first time and many of the family showed up to support her.
Rachel Ileina is the one in yellow with two chubby grandmothers on each side.
The first part of our trip was spent in England and the Fakatou family had taken such good care of us. Now we were on our own and it seemed that everything went south!
My mother’s family are from Denmark. Her mother is Ruth Zina Anderson and her father is Harold Christensen.
We landed in Copenhagen, Denmark late in the evening, and by then there were only two rental car offices open. Isi had been trying very hard to get in contact with Alamo because we had made a reservation and paid, but they needed his signature and he had not had success. So, we went to the first car rental office. They said that because
Harold Christensen’s ancestors (familysearch.org)
Our Danish Connection (familysearch.org)
of the Ukraine situation, their computers had been down all day. That was not very encouraging. So, we went to the next one and they said they were fully booked, but had only one BMW available for $300 for the night. We didn’t have much of a choice. The only thing we had going for us is that in Denmark they drive on the same side of the road as we do in America. And, who wouldn’t want to drive a BMW?? Our timeshare was about an hour to the north and I volunteered to drive.
It was a fun drive to our home for the week. So, why did we choose to go to Denmark? It turns out that I am more Danish than any other nationality. My mother’s parents come from Moroni, Utah. Their grandparents on both sides were born in Denmark and followed the saints to Utah and settled in Moroni, Utah. I am named after my maternal grandmother Ruth Zina Christensen. Towns in Denmark like Viborg, Skanderborg, Hjooring, Vejle came up on Family Search familysearch.org on both Grandma and Grandpa Christensen’s side. We had the privilege of taking my father to Scotland where many of his ancestors are from, but I was curious about my mother’s side and where they had come from.
As we drove to a new world, there was a beautiful sunset. We finally made our way to Rageleje Klithttp://www.raageleje-klit.dk (feriecenter). We had called ahead to tell them that we would be arriving late because of our flight and they had literally left our place unlocked with the key in the door for us (very trusting)??
We were glad to have made it to our destination and soon found out that the outlets in our place were not the same as those in England where we had just come from. That meant that one of us would not be able to sleep with the right equipment, so I volunteered. There was only one electrical outlet in each room with no extension cords. So we had to deal with it. The apartment was adequate. No extras. It was what I considered to be minimalistic – absent of any color or style (or is that a style) except for a blue couch? The ocean was literally across the street from us. You could walk 50 steps forward from our glass sliding window and be on the beach. This was definitely not the South Pacific, because it was cold!! But, beautiful nonetheless.
View from our front door — yes that is the ocean!
My longtime girlfriend, Debbie Clawson hooked me up when we went to Idaho and it seems she is my new travel agent since she told me she had a brother who lived in Denmark. We had been in contact with Steve for some time now. We arrived on Saturday evening and had made arrangements to meet him at his ward the next morning at 10:00 in Copenhagen, which I thought was a long shot, but ‘Isi of course was very optimistic. After getting up quite early, then getting lost, we arrived in his area an hour later.
Steve had sent his sweet wife Marion to flag us down on the crisp clear morning. She gladly showed us where to park so we didn’t get a ticket and escorted us into Sunday School class. Isi raised his hand and participated in the lesson just as he did in any other Sunday School class. The Copenhagen Temple President and matron were there and we got to meet them. It was hard to identify the temple because of all the tall buildings in the area. We got to see the temple. We were told that the steeple with Moroni on it could not be any higher than The Church of Our Lady.
S. Eric Ottesen and Elizabeth D. Ottesen Credit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Sain
Steve and Marion took us to their lovely home in the heart of Copenhagen. We had to take a tiny elevator to get there. Marion had prepared a yummy dinner for us which included three kinds of meat, small round potatoes (she said that is the way Danish eat them), vegetables, and delicious homemade gravy. We had earlier suggested that we would take them out for lunch, but they said they didn’t do that on Sunday. They were very gracious. Then Marion sat down with me and my genealogy and looked up all the little towns in a book her father had given her.
Afterward, we went with Steve to take back our expensive BMW and get the car we had reserved. By that time, jet lag hit, and I was ready to go “home” and rest. Steve was just getting started and wanted to show us all of Copenhagen, but my battery had run out.
I attended Rootstech 2022 and met some of my Danish cousins online. I also had been in contact with a few of them that lived in Denmark. They gave me some suggestions of what towns I ought to visit while in Denmark. We tried to map out our journey to hit those places. Monday we tried to just rest and get laundry done from England, which took most of the day since the washer and dryer were half the size of what we were used to.
We had a little downtime so we went to a close fishing village looking for – fish and chips. It did not disappoint.
Tuesday we had planned to go to the city of Viborg where some of our ancestors were from before they migrated to the United States, ending up in Moroni, Utah. Now, the story about our GPS journey – don’t always trust your GPS! We set our GPS for the town of Viborg and started our “road trip” over hills of yellow canola flowers or mustard plants. It was very beautiful mixed in with the greens and occasional chives and wildflowers.
There were some old windmills and some modern metal windmills along the way. The countryside was spacious and went on for miles (or kilometers in this case).
One thing we had failed to take into consideration was that Denmark is made up of many islands. After we had gone a long distance, we came to the end of the land and could only see water with nowhere else to drive. What we did see was a huge ferry with many vehicles lining up to get on it. There were buses, motorbikes, bicycles, cars, trucks, and the like and we looked at each other and decided we better get in line.
We paid the fee which was about 30 USD (not bad) and drove up a ramp at the tail end of the line. We had just made it on time. We finally looked at a map (duh) and could see where we were on it. Imagine yourself somewhere between Copenhagen and the city Aarhus and you will see whole lotta water. Our GPS was just trying to take us the shortest way to where we were headed which was over the water.
We asked the porter if we could stay in our car and sleep and he said that was not allowed. So, Up the stairs, we went with all the rest of the gang. This was a pretty short stretch and once again we were back in our car, but then a few hundred kilometers later we approached a much larger and more expensive ferry (barge).
It was really huge! I was quite alarmed. It was like a whole city up there with restaurants including fast food and fine dining, places to sit and lie down, restrooms, and such. We each took our turn getting some goodies and then I took a bit of a nap until we heard the whistle and disembarked with the population. Gives a whole new meaning to the song, “On the Road Again”.
I am sure we would have spent about as much driving the distance to go down around the bodies of water to get to where we were going. We planned to drive on land all the way back to our place on our return trip.
We finally made it to Viborg which was such a beautiful city. Our destination was the Golf Hotel so (yet again) we trusted our GPS and ended up at a Golf Club. There were several men with their golf paraphernalia looking at us and we decided we were in the wrong place (Déjà vu). I had made the reservation so I felt responsible. We looked around the town and finally found the Golf Hotel.
This place had a bit of style. Too bad we had it for only one night. We decided to make the most of it. After the long drive and two ferry rides, we were tired but ventured around the place. It was well taken care of and immaculate. The trees were all trimmed sharply. There was a cathedral that seemed to be the center of the town and then everything was built around it. Cobblestone roads with no traffic allowed and shops you could only walk to. Where were the people, you might ask? We only saw a few people walking about. Denmark has provided steady figures throughout its history and although the population growth is slow and sometimes negative from year to year, it is normally steady and fairly reliable.
Isi asked where the best restaurant was and he was referred to a place called ROD. Without reservation, we took our chance and were escorted and seated at a table. Tom was our waiter and he was very congenial. We ordered the special and found it to be very much like what we had been served at Steve and Marion’s on Sunday. The dessert was the kicker! It was made of a base of caramel with two small scoops of sorbet with a small carrot, small tomato, and two blueberries on top. I had never had vegetables as part of a dessert before, but it wasn’t bad. Then a trip to the water closet (bathroom) before returning back to our hotel.
The nightmare shower
I longed for a hot bath after a cold day. Unfortunately, I could never really figure out Danish plumbing. The one in this hotel was particularly confusing. It had several faucets, nothing to keep the water in the vicinity, and no directions, so after a very frustrating attempt at getting relief from the chill of the day, I screamed every time the cold water hit me. Look at the picture of the shower area – no bath, and you might understand what I mean (more like a spacecraft)!
If you are still with me, you are either my family, close friend, Danish or a martyr! I plan to finish this today or bust!!
After a good sleep, the next morning we decided to drive to a place called Vejle where some of our ancestors had lived. I often thought about them and what the circumstances were like when they decided to leave their homes to go to Zion with the saints, most of them ending up in the tiny little town of Moroni, Utah. They must have had a very strong testimony of the Gospel to give up their homes and possessions to follow the prophet and apostles. This is just one example of my ancestors who were born in Denmark and ended up in Moroni, Utah.
When we arrived in Vejle, we found a gravesite and I was impressed by how well they took care of the graves. They made hedges around them and even grew bushes and flowers on them. There was a very loud alarm unlike any I had heard before which made me think there was an emergency of some kind. I was scared because of the issue with Ukraine. It would go off for a minute and then back on again. I asked some people in the cemetery if they knew what it was and they said they do it from time to time like our warning system in America – but this one was very loud and eerie.
We made it to a place called Traedballe on May 4th at 12:43 pm. and soon afterward crossed a suspension bridge to get over the great waters of the North Sea. We had been so lucky to have had near-perfect weather during our trip so far. It was not until we got to Chicago on our way home that we had freezing cold rainy weather and I got a bad cold. It seems like a dream, but I know it all happened. I have a greater appreciation for my Danish ancestors and feel a great love for them. The great thing about our church is that you can do the work for your ancestors in the temple where you reside wherever they come from. Farvel (Farewell)!
We spent the end of February 2022 in Las Vegas. We own a timeshare week at Tahiti Village which is located on the south end of The Strip near the airport. We usually try to use our week every year. On our way there this time, we stayed in St. George overnight. The drive to Vegas takes about seven hours so it is good to break it up. We met up with Brett and Sunie Thomas and headed to one of our favorite restaurants, The Red Fort. They serve yummy curry and garlic naan bread and my favorite, mango yogurt drink!
We had a great visit and good rest before finishing our trip to Las Vegas. The first night at Tahiti Village was a nightmare. The last time we stayed in Tahiti Village, the fridge would not close. This time, our fridge did not work. Not only that but there was a leak somewhere and the carpet was very wet. We had just gotten everything unpacked and then noticed the leak and very soggy carpet. We called maintenance and when they came, the only resolution they came up with was that we needed to move to another room. By that time, I was totally
exhausted and not ready to move anywhere. Isi talked to the front desk and they said they would move us the next day to a larger room and credit our account $100. That made us feel a bit better for the inconvenience.
We always love being around him and his family. Unfortunately, Sui was not feeling well this time.
Isi had been in touch with LeRoy Wolfgramm who is the oldest member of The Jets prior to our trip. A bit of history: When we were serving our mission in Tonga (1989-1992) and Isi was the mission president, The Jets came to Tonga on a musical tour. They were quite new and since their parents came from Tonga, it was a very big deal! I can still remember how nearly the whole country turned out to attend their concerts. They traveled to different island groups. We had previously met their parents, Maikeli “Mike” and Vaké Wolfgramm in Salt Lake City, and knew their grandparents, Iohani and Salote Wolfgramm.
Isi had contacted LeRoy who was very helpful and kind in getting us tickets for The Jets show in Las Vegas. He and his wife Ana and son also took us out to dinner before the show. He is married to my friend Mary Fa’s sister, Ana who we knew very well when we lived near Mesa, Arizona. We cannot thank them enough for all they did for us while we were in Vegas!
he Jets are a Tongan-American family band from Minneapolis, Minnesota, who originally were composed of brothers and sisters LeRoy, Eddie, Eugene, Haine, Rudy, Kathi, Elizabeth, and Moana Wolfgramm.
They started performing as a family band in 1977. They enjoyed worldwide success from 1985 to 1990, performing three world tours and producing five top-10 hits on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. The family has 17 children: 15 by birth and two Eddie and Eugene, by adoption. They are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The five songs that became Billboard Hot 100 hits included: Crush on You, Cross My Broken Heart, Rocket 2 U, Make It Real, and Sendin’ All My Love.
The current Jets are composed of the three oldest sons, one of the youngest original daughters, a grandson, and a classy recruit who rounds out the group.
The Current Jets playing at Las Vegas
Although the three oldest sons are getting up there in age, I thought perhaps they wouldn’t be able to move around as much or play their guitars as well, but I was wrong. The whole show was high-energy, well-choreographed, and thrilling. The audience was singing along and almost jumping out of their seats including myself. They went through songs from the 80s and 90s and included some from others artists and of course their own. They changed costumes from time to time and even dressed up as different characters. They invited the audience to take pictures as long as there was no flash photography. Here are a few of the pictures I took:
Yet again, when the show was over, we were invited to take pictures with the stars and I have to admit I was a bit “star-struck”. After all, I had been listening to their music on the radio for so many years and knew most of the words to their songs. We were there when they came to Tonga and now we were with them in Vegas!!
So, if you get the chance to go to Las Vegas, make sure you include The Jets on your agenda! They perform in the V-Theater on the Strip.
Most of February was spent getting Dad’s house ready to sell after his passing. I think he kept every single receipt and every family record from the time he moved into the house over 50 years ago. It was a challenge for the siblings to decide what to keep and what to throw away. My big brother, Kirk did a great job of delegating the tasks so no one sibling was overwhelmed. I was given the daunting task of taking care of family historical records including pictures, geneology, historical books from Fairview, Sanpete, and other published books that had to do with our ancestors. Just when I thought I had found all of them, I discovered more. My dad was really into family history! I had been blessed with the spirit of Elijah also and so I was excited and terrified at the same time.
Then came the distribution of Dad’s “things”. Every time we looked at Dad and Mom’s earthly possessions, it tugged at our heart strings. How can you decide what to take and what to give away. Everything meant something at some time to them so you had to think twice before putting it in the D.I. pile. One rule was, “if you gave something to them, it was yours to take”, so everything I had given them over the years, became mine. Much of it was from Tonga when we lived there. Woven articles, tapa cloth, carved tikis, etc. I wondered if they had ever enjoyed them. Dad had taken one of the wooden boxes we had sent the gifts in and made a beautiful clock out of it in a style called “intarsia”. It was beautiful and his skill of woodworking was truly evident.
My first wish was to have Mom’s chandeliers – i had always loved them. So, I asked my brother and two sisters if they wanted them. They said they didn’t, so my husband asked his friend who was an electrician to take them down and brought them to my house. We had to clean them very well and it was quite a daunting task while being very careful not
to break anything. Then my sister’s son, Steve came and put them up in my home. I hope Mom doesn’t mind. They upgraded our home and it did not diminish the value of their home one bit.
Piece by piece, a part of Mom and Dad’s precious valuables were taken and their home started looking bare. It was a sad sight, but we felt that we were doing the best we could. Kirk put some items for sale on KSL and a few sold.
Dad had so many tools in his shop in the basement. I wonder how many pieces of wood he had crafted into amazing useful structures. I ended up with one of his beauties to hold my knickknacks. Mom had painted many ceramic pieces and I think all of us got some of them.
I found some cassette tapes and was delighted to find one with my mother having a voice lesson and with a conversation between her and her teacher. She said that she was taking singing lessons because Dad had missed hearing her sing. So sweet. Another tape had my Grandpa Anderson on it being interviewed by my father. I made a copy of it and gave one to each of my siblings. Precious memories!
Dad’s Mustang was a coveted piece and Kirk was putting it up for sale. It had hardly been used by Dad and had been kept in pristine shape in the garage. All the grandkids wanted it. It ended up being purchased by the Kongaika brothers – to be determined who will end up with it in time…
Once the house was emptied out, professional cleaners were hired so it would be ready for the realtors to take pictures. Dad had hoped that the house would be able to stay in the family. I had wanted the home at one point, but that did not turn out well. The house was getting quite run down and would need quite a bit of upgrading for whomever ended up living there. It had been built by my father with loving care for Mom. It had served its purpose. Noone could love it as much as she did. It sold for a handsome sum and we are all grateful to Dad for his sacrifice. We miss you, Mom and Dad!
Istarted last month with a major fall that ended up with a trip to the Emergency Room. So, I have become much more careful in the way that I get out of bed at night and my husband put up a night light near the bathroom. My head has been quite painful – where I hit it, but I finally picked the medical glue out of my head (along with quite a bit of my hair), and am slowly recovering.
Pacific Tales kept me busy trying to find old friends to share their stories on my podcast on Spotify. It has been interesting. Some people are very eager to be part of it, yet others are very against it. My experience so far is that those that have participated have enjoyed it quite a bit. I enjoy learning more about our friends and they usually give praise to God for all the good they have had in their lives. So, I believe it can inspire others to do good. Here’s my latest podcast: (you will need to open it on Spotify)
Riley, Harvey, Chris, Brent, Maureen, Me, Isi
We just finished General Conference. It was like a marathon. There were five sessions in two days. It was very inspirational and the Holy Ghost spoke to my heart, especially when I knew I needed to improve. I loved President Oaks talk and have had to repent and change my attitude about going to church. Also, our Prophet, President Russell M. Nelson announced 13 new temples and encouraged us to make use of them as often as possible. COVID is still a problem, so we have to make appointments online, but we have an initiatory scheduled for next week. ‘Isi goes to the temple at least twice a week for sealings and still does Patriarchal blessings so he is very busy giving service, but I have been kind of laid back and need to get going again. I used to be a temple worker and really enjoyed it until COVID made everything more difficult.
I am still having therapy and learning so many skills in managing stress and depression. Here are a few of the skills I have learned: Find a safe place (somewhere you can go to as a refuge when you are feeling stressed that you feel safe), a container (a place you can put your worries into (written on a paper so you can put them aside until you are in a better place and able to address them better), tapping (where you tap certain pressure points on your head, face, chest, etc. that will give you some relief and take your mind off your problems), and the last one that I am still working on is to prioritize a list of words in categories such as: important, very important, somewhat important, and not important. Then you take only the words in the very important list and prioritize them – which should tell you something about yourself. It is quite a difficult activity and one that takes much effort to recognize what means the most to you. Some of the words that means the most to me are: hope, belonging, inner peace, creativity, and self acceptance.
Classmates from Orem High School Cathy, Denise, Linda, Joann, Me, Jean
My high school buddies got together for a luncheon and we had a fun time. They went up the canyon to stay at a cabin at Sundance but I wasn’t feeling so sure on my feet yet, so they went without me.
Yesterday, I went with Liana, Ileina, and Princess to get our nails done. I asked for a tropical theme:
We hope to be going to Hawaii for our anniversary/birthdays this month so we had the booster shot. I was very sick from it!! We have the reservation, we have the tickets, we have the hotel, just need to pass the COVID requirements………wish us luck!!
WARNING: THIS POST CONTAINS IMAGES THAT MAY BE TRIGGERING TO SOME
I have been busy creating podcasts recently and getting in touch with old friends and family members. It has been a new experience and one which has been a challenge and a joy. Here are some of the people that I have interviewed on my podcasts:
I was gliding along at a rather fast pace until one early morning when I woke up to use the restroom and somehow hit my head on the corner of the door frame resulting in 14 staples and 7 stitches at the emergency room. It was unfortunate that Isi was away with the boys in Vegas for the BYU/Arizona State Football game. After falling and hitting the wall, my hand reached for my head and it met my raw scalp and a torrent of blood which soaked up my clothes, carpet, and any rags I could grab. I called for Isi not remembering he was away. Then I realized what a serious situation I was in and debated whether to call 911 or Liana who lives a couple of blocks away. I chose the later and rang her number and she answered right away – “I gashed in my head,” I said frantically, and she replied she would be right over.
Just the day before, Isi had asked me if I would be alright if he left to be with the boys at the game to which I replied, “of course!” Little did I know that my foot would catch on the rug, my blood pressure would plummet, or whatever else would culminate to put my life in danger – I really didn’t plan it at all! Upon arrival at the Riverton Hospital, there were three people ahead of us, and Liana and I were scheming how we could get closer to the front of the line – head wounds always bleed profusely, and it seemed this one was no different. It was reminiscent of an accident I had experienced when we lived in Hawaii where the claws of a hammer fell from the top of a ladder onto the middle of my head requiring two staples some years earlier. I’m pretty clumsy it seems!
Once I was finally taken into a room, they made some comments about how the gash was pretty deep and long and then for the next two hours they never touched it. They did several tests including blood, urine, CT scan, EKG, etc – never once touching my head. They found out my blood pressure was very low and that my heart rhythm was off a bit. Also, my potassium level was very low which could explain why I fell or it could have been that I had tripped on the rug near the bathroom in the hall. I guess we will never know why I fell so hard (enough to go through the five layers from the outer skin to the inner skull).
Patience is definitely not one of my strongest virtues and Liana was trying to keep me occupied as she has done while taking care of me and others several times in various Emergency rooms. I didn’t want to interrupt Isi’s getaway since he really couldn’t help from where he was so we made the decision not to notify him until after the game was finished.
Finally, after all the paperwork was done, they irrigated the wound with cold water managing to get me and the whole bed wet. I got chilled a bit and asked if they could put new sheets on and change my beautiful gown. They started to numb the edges of my injury and the needle pricks hurt as it was going up and down the layers from dermis to scalp so they could put in the staples and stitches. The injury was a curved shape and they first put seven self disintegrating stitches inside and then 14 staples in between the stitches to make it lay flat against my head. I had thought perhaps they would need to shave my hair off, but was glad they did not need to. There was still quite a bit of blood on my hair and they said I could not shampoo it off for 24 hours. So, I looked a lot like Cruella with half of my hair blond and straight and the other blood red and curly. I was quite a sight!
Finally, everything was finished and we went home to rest. Liana planned for someone to be with me at all times. My grandchildren took turns staying with me and I felt very blessed. Food was provided by my sister, Shauna and my daughter. I am so blessed. It could have been much worse. Isi was a bit upset that he had not been informed earlier and I don’t blame him. We are working things out now. It was not the best start to the month of September. I feel like Humpty Dumpty who took a great fall! Hopefully September will get better going forward!
We were able to spend quality time with some of our grandchildren lately. Robbie was here from Arizona and ended up being traded between Jacob and Joel’s family. It is fun to see how much the kids enjoy each other. We finally got our chance to be with him and took the kids swimming in the Daybreak swimming pool. We had a fine time and even Grandpa and I got in with the rest of the kids. I think it had been more than two years since I had been swimming.
I love how the cousins and siblings help Lily have a good time and they tease each other incessantly. Robbie is hoping to be adopted by someone here in Utah, but he left to go back to Arizona. We will miss him. All the kids have been very busy growing up.
Robbie
In the last post, I mentioned some lessons that grandparents can teach their grandkids that will supplement what their parents are teaching them. Here are a few more:
Work
Grandparents understand the consequences of being lazy. They can motivate grandchildren to be self-reliant and responsible. Learn the job and then do their best. Teach them that actions will speak louder than their words. Go the second mile and make sacrifices to do a good job. In order to take good care of a spouse and children, grandchildren must learn that work is a blessing. They can learn this in their youth by having daily chores and responsibilities.
Knowledge
When children complain about a subject in school they do not enjoy, grandparents can help them see that they are learning how to learn. The subject matter is not as important as developing the skills to keep their mind actively growing. No knowledge is ever wasted since they learn how to reason. By reading they build creativity and expose themselves to new things. They learn how to be independent by picking up all they can. By working their brain muscles every day, they will be better prepared to learn a new skill, adjust to changes and master new languages.
Values
Our world is ever evolving but good values are always cherished. Teach grandchildren to have integrity. Keep promises or don’t make them. Cherish virtue and keep standards high. If they play sports, advise them about good sportsmanship. When they are alone,
Joseph, Robert, and Zion
think good thoughts and read uplifting material. Instill in them reverence for sacred things. Whatever the success a child has achieved, they should always be humble and willing to share what they know with others.
Manners
Through example and experiences, grandparents can teach grandchildren how to get along socially. This includes being gracious and considerate of others. They can imbue benefits of using proper words, including please and thank you. Since the child has inherited the family name, they are expected to conduct themselves properly. It is best to look people in the eyes when communicating. Keep the Golden Rule, which means treating others as you want to be treated. Improve their vocabulary so they will be respected. It is better to use good words than cursing or telling off-colored jokes no matter the situation.
Nature
Parents are often too busy making a living or trying to keep up with a busy family schedule. Grandparents are usually retired and have time to go for a walk with grandchildren, go on a picnic, and spend time outside enjoying the out-of-doors. The time they spend in nature will help them physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
Persons fortunate enough to live long often get the opportunity to know their grandchildren. Blessed is the child who can gather a lifetime of wisdom from their loved ones to help them navigate through the maze. Grandparents can be their mentors. They have time to inspire them. They can live life fully and make the best of every moment together.
I remember spending time up in Fairview Canyon with my paternal grandparents. They had a small trailer that we could rest in and hiked in the beautiful wilderness. It was so beautiful and my memories are very positive. I remember their garden, sheep, chickens, baked goods, and good examples. I hope that our grandchildren will remember some of the things we have done with them in a positive way.
My paternal grandparents and great grandmother in the front
Here we are in the midst of a terrible drought, having just returned from Arizona where Robert was pinned as a Colonel in the United States Air Force, and experiencing a heatwave unlike any we have witnessed before. But, at least we still have our freedom! God Bless America! Fallout from the COVID-19 Pandemic improved for a bit but since has resurfaced due to a different variant and many have gone back to wearing masks. They are mandatory at the airport and other places.
Our grandchildren are each struggling in different ways, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. We pray that they will be able to get through these difficult times and find happiness. I recently started a blog called “Pacific Tales” which is on Spotify and Anchor. I have shared some of our experiences when we lived in the South Pacific. There are about 28 episodes. Then I decided to start another podcast entitled “Enabling the Neurodiverse” with the hope it will help someone out there suffering from the stigma and prejudice from living in a neurotypical world. I have been going through my own dilemma as of late trying to come to grips with my own neurodiverse diagnosis. I am so grateful for a Savior who conquered all.
I love my grandchildren so much and yet they have wonderful parents who have been given the important task of raising them. They are all working together to fulfil this great assignment the Lord has bestowed upon them. As grandparents, there are a few lessons we can teach our grandchildren that will supplement what their parents are teaching them.
Ancestors
Ella Isadora Bushman Barker
I can teach them about their ancestors, about their heritage, family traditions, and characteristics of their forefathers. I can assure them that family is important and they they will always have a support system including siblings, cousins, aunts, and uncles. This will help them build bonds and engender unconditional love. I can share pictures and journals of ancestors and encourages my grandchildren to keep their own journal for posterity. I can help to arrange family reunions where families share traditions, recipes and important facts which will help children feel connected to something much bigger than themselves. We can reminisce about the past and impart stories that will be shared for generations. Grandchildren learn endurance, patience, courage, and sacrifice in ways that are truly personal when shared by their grandparents.
Life
I can help grandchildren see that life isn’t always easy and fairness is relative. I can advise them to appreciate all they have been given and to take care of it. Preparing them to see other people’s perspective and try to help them when able not to be wasteful but to be resourceful. Also, I can teach them to be self-reliant to help them throughout their lives. My personal examples of times of struggles will help them overcome their own. Coaching them in good sportsmanship will help them see that they do not always need to win and that they can turn unfair situations into opportunities for growth.
Sorrow
Grandchildren can learn about death, sickness, and loss from grandparents. They can learn to be good listeners and learn what not to say to someone who is mourning or dealing with terminal illness. Crying is okay, but it is not good to wallow in sorrow. Learning to forgive others is hard, but it is necessary and also important is to not judge others. Be kind to those with disabilities and have empathy for those who are depressed and be aware of the less fortunate and build them up.
Happiness
Happiness is a choice. Attitude is very important. Do not take themselves too seriously. Worrying steals precious time. Cultivate true friendship with those that influence for good. Set realistic goals and do their best, but do not compete with anyone but themselves. Being perfect is overrated. Relationships are more important than possessions.
Respect
Respect your parents and any older people including teachers. Honor those who fight for their freedom and safety, including military personnel and police. Show admiration for those who have achieved instead of being envious. Be courteous to nurses, store clerks, janitors, or other service people. Teach them about chivalry and how to offer their seat or let someone go before them. Respect another person’s property. Esteem those of other races, cultures, traditions and religions. Share warmth with others and they will return it. Have respect for rules to stay safe and be good examples to others. Have tolerance for those who have differing opinions.
That is enough for now. In the next post I will list more lessons that we as grandparents can teach our grandchildren. I hope that I will be able to be a good example of these attributes so I can teach by action rather than words.
My favorite season of the year! COVID-19 almost contained! Fully immunized and ready to get my gardening on. Spent the weekend filling my flower pots with soil and fertilizer. Dug up any weeds left in the yard and confiscated some great wood trunks from the neighbors to spruce up the garden areas. I’m stoked! Positive Easter vibes and loving it up with the grandchildren lately. Have also been doing some redecorating in the house (or at least, telling ‘Isi what to do to change it!
Two of our grandchildren will graduate from high school this spring. James Ali’i wants to be an engineer and has chosen to go to Arizona State University where his sister, Princess attends. Ali’i has excelled in basketball, and is amazing to watch. We are hoping to travel to Ali’i’s graduation next month.
Jacob Tupou will graduate from Lehi High School and is still deciding what to do going forward. He is very artistic and would like to pursue a writing career. He was one of the unfortunates to get a bad case of Corona. It put him behind a bit in school, so he has been playing catch up! We love him so much and are glad he is doing better.
Our oldest three grandchildren are doing fine and keeping very busy. Israel works as a graphic designer near us and he and his girlfriend, Emi like playing house together. They met in Okinawa, attended BYUH together, and we have them over every month for dinner. I miss Isiboy so much!
Princess is studying Marketing and taking 19 credits (just because she can), and she is very good at making videos. She has a cute kitten (cat) named Lucy who keeps her company in lieu of fickle males. I miss Esa so much, too!
Anna Luiza, a.k.a. Sister Kongaika is serving a mission in Las Vegas West Mission, Nevada. She shares her amazing experiences and we can’t get enough. Both her sister and mother got Corona not long after she went on her mission. That left Lily Ruth with a bout of separation anxiety from her mother who has been homeschooling her. Joel has become an expert in multi-tasking.
I could go through each of the grandchildren, but you get the idea that they are the center of my world, and since they are all so busy with school and friends, I have to find other things to occupy my time. I am still a thrifter and shop several times a week to find bargains to turn around for a profit at https://poshmark.com/closet/elayne001. So far this year, I have been doing fairly well. I also write blog posts for Joel’s company, rseventytwo.com
Oh, yeah, I nearly forgot to tell about my partner, ‘Isileli. Besides his working in the temple as a sealer, patriarch, and my errand boy, he has recently been doing some yard work with a friend. He still loves cooking, sewing, and baking. Oftentimes, I question his gender. His sister, Simulata will be turning 80 this week and we are looking forward to celebrating with her.
I will be having a stress test this week, so if things don’t go as planned, this may be my last post. My heart seems to be weakening. My sleeping patterns are upside down, and Dr. Kinikini has nearly given up trying to diagnose and help me, so I try to keep a low profile. I am currently seeing three different physicians and will report as soon as I know what malady they have come up with…
Meantime, I am actively oil painting, making jewelry, and attempting acrylic pouring. I have enjoyed decorating nearly every wall in the house. I recently had ‘Isi paint my bathroom purple and it is my sanctuary. Honestly, who needs a day spa when you can enjoy your own candle-lit, lavendar-fragranced, color-coordinated
My 12-generation chart from Puzilla.org
Colonel Kong – newly assigned to New Delphi, India (India, here we come)!
We already made reservations to stay near Copenhagen, Denmark next spring. So, if you have any travel advice, email me at rkongaika@gmail.com. So excited for that trip! We hope to swing by England on the way.
My father requires quite a bit of help because he is getting physically and mentally weaker. I am trying harder to fill in some of the needs and give my brother and sister a break.
I still have a testimony of the Gospel, even if I have not returned to in-person church worship. I quite enjoy the Zoom church and FHE arrangements. God is good! Lots of aloha!!
When Covid-19 manifested itself, I felt there was little to be thankful for. I cried nearly every day worrying about my grandchildre and I thought we were all doomed. The pandemic definitely has been an eye opener! I quickly learned to keep my distance from everyone (although I doubt that the virus knows about the six-foot rule). Masks were donned before entering public establishments, for rare visits to church
meetings, and other gatherings. I became more familiar with Zoom and realized it was invaluable for Family Home Evenings, art lessons, and conferences. I adjusted to seeing choirs harmonizing together with each individual in their own little window. Hand sanitizer now decks every room in the house. Even with all of that, people still get sick, end up in the hospital, and some sadly die from it.
So, what am I grateful for Thanksgiving of 2020? It took me a while to think about these, but here we go (not in any particular order)!
Plants, comic relief, food storage, Wifi, night and day, family, government, health/medicine, music, jobs, forgiveness, hot water, shopping, food, family history, seasons, friendship, a home, a sense of safety, and The Gospel.
Some are self explanatory, but I will attempt to clarify why I chose each topic.
Plants: Even though the world seemed to be failing, my plants didn’t seem to notice. We had a bountiful harvest from our garden and our flowers kept on blooming.
He seems normal here! smarterparenting.com
Comic
Relief: Politics of recent days have been very entertaining and often hilarious.
Also, my son-in-law seems to have no social inhibitions. He has used his license as a mental health counselor in very productive ways on social media to keep us all in stitches.
But, then there is this!!
Food storage: While many people were rushing to find any evidence of cleaning supplies, we were prepared and were able to stay at home because somehow we had enough.
Wifi: We had a minimum amount of downtime in our ability to connect with family and friends. Technology truly is useful and necessary these days to relief anxiety and worry.
Night and Day: We were able to wake up each morning and rest each night. My Dad who is 94 said the secret to long life is to “wake up every morning!” Duh!
Family: We are fortunate to have loving children and grandchildren. They all get along and love each other. If anyone is in need, the others rally around to help.
Government: Although there were moments of panic and uncertainty this year, I am glad we have a somewhat stable government to control chaos and establish laws. Anarchy does not seem to be an attractive alternative.
Health/Medicine: So far, we have been able to avoid the virus (knock on wood)! We were able to continue getting our prescriptions to keep us physically and mentally stable. I am especially grateful to my daughter who has seen to it that I get my medication and she has checked on me nearly every day to see how I am doing!
Music: I can escape the troubles of the day usually by listening to my favorite music. It is soothing and inspiring. I couldn’t live without music. Luckily, several of our children and grandchildren love music too and share their talents with us.
Jobs: Unfortunately, many people became suddenly unemployed due to the pandemic. Although we are retired, we both had small jobs that brought in a bit of income so we were
not destitute. My little job on Poshmark, teaching online, and writing, together with my husband’s job as a driver, kept us busy and provided extra income.
Forgiveness: A few times the pressure got too much for me and I usually took out my frustration on those closest to me. Staying with the same person 24/7 when you are used to having some alone time does cause friction. We had to learn a new way of surviving “together”. Since my husband and I are both stubborn individuals, it took extra effort to forgive.
Hot water: I cannot remember a time this year when we did not have hot water. I love long hot baths. I do remember when we lived in the South Pacific, often the electricity would go off and cold showers are not my favorite.
Shopping: After some stores reopened, I made an escape with my mask and braved the local Goodwill, Ross, Savers, etc. It was not only my therapy, but also provided me with exercise (walking) which I might otherwise not have gotten. The only problem with that is I have become a bit of a hoarder.
Food: Although I am a few pounds heavier than I was at the beginning of this year, I have never starved or even come close to it. My husband loves to cook and he usually fixes enough to feed a family of ten in the process. Luckily I eat leftovers!
Family history: Both my husband and I have spent some of our time doing family history. We published a book that is on Amazon about our experiences when we were on a mission in Tonga. It is named “The Tender Mercies of the Lord in the Tonga Nuku’alofa
Mission 1989-1992”. That was quite a project. Also, we have spent some time searching out our ancestors. Although the temples were temporarily, we could still do research online. My husband was still able to do sealings in the temple, although it was limited.
The Seasons: Winter, spring, summer, and fall come whether or not the world is shaken up a bit. i love the beauty of the earth and particularly enjoy the change of seasons in Utah. I prefer spring and summer when the temperatures are not extreme. It has been a particularly dry year so I hope we get some needed moisture soon.
Friendship: I have been able to reconnect with old friends and receive inspirational messages from them when things are going south. It seemed everyone was trying to uplift each other due to the negativity. Some classmates became ill or had accidents and it was a hard to deal with at times. It is good to know that you have friends you can turn to for comfort.
A home: We have lived near our grandchildren now since 2013. We have enjoyed being able to see them (even from a distance) much more than when we lived in Hawaii. We love being a bigger part of their lives and feel content to call this home. We are able to have missionaries living with us which also gives us comfort.
A Sense of Safety: Even with the earthquake we experienced about the beginning of the pandemic, we were able to receive updates and also were able to get insurance for the next time (hopefully it won’t happen again)! Also, my children gifted me with “Ring” so I felt much safer when crime increased due to the failing economy. Also, we live in a neighborhood that informs others of crimes or suspicious activity.
Christus Replica
The Gospel: It has also given me a feeling of safety. Knowing that we have a living prophet who guides us is very consoling. We can receive personal inspiration through our knowledge of Jesus Christ and His love for all of His children. Having and reading the scriptures and singing hymns has been a blessing, even when we could not physically attend church.
Well, there you have it! I could go on and on, but these are the things that stood out in my mind from this year I am grateful for. A pandemic puts a bit of a twist on things and there is a heightened level of appreciation for simple things. It has definitely been a challenging year, but we are happy that we are still enjoying this life and have faith in a new tomorrow.
his year, for the first time that I can remember, it was questionable whether the grandchildren would return to school in the fall as usual. Most parents are excited for the time when they can get back into a normal routine again after summer ends. This year, it was difficult to know if and when there would be any sense of normalcy again. Luckly, noone in our family got Covid (that we know of) and we were able to meet as a family for one last Family Home Evening as well as have all of our family together for pictures (Jacob has them)
Some of the grandchildren had online school, some opted to go to their schools with protective gear on, and some are being homeschooled. The ones that are homeschooled miss their friends, the ones in school say it is weird, and the ones that do it online think it is pretty hysterical. Everyone is having quite the adjustment to new ways of doing things. I have to hand it to the parents for being so flexible and helping their kids succeed.
We got to meet with our Arizona family a couple of times this summer which was glorious. Our oldest grandchild, Israel, graduated from university and is now holding down a job near to where we live. Princess is still attending ASU and when she visits, she always has homework but seems to have a bit of fun with her cousins. Anna is attending BYU Provo and living in the dorms. She also got a job in the tv studio. JT Fisher (Jake) is attending PG High and finishing up his senior year. He is looking forward to being a professional writer. Ali’i is also a senior and back at volleyball and working towards university. He says that although the players can keep their distance of six feet, they still handle the same ball. Ileina got a cute bug and loves to take her friends and cousins for rides. She has had her first paid working experience taking temps and now working in retail.
Eryn has decided she wants to be a nurse. Her horse, Flash is getting older and she will soon have a new colt. Zion and Bella got parts in a play at school. Zion lifts weights along with his dad. Robbie and Joseph keep their computers connected much of the time, but now that summer is over, hopefully they can get more sleep. Robbie is back into basketball and Joseph is trying weight lifting. Bella has grown a foot this year and loves taking care of her new little cousin, Liam. Lily has had many fun adventures during the summer. She especially likes bird watching in the state parks and reserves. She knows most of the types of birds she sees. I’m so glad that this Pandemic has not hindered the grandkids from learning new things and enjoying one another’s company.
We were supposed to go to Hawaii for our grandson’s graduation, but Covid ruined that. So, we took a road trip to Twin Falls, Idaho. We saw the Snake River and Shoshone Falls. What a beautiful country we live in. We ended up at Bear Lake and met Siope, Liana, and Ileina there.
Whenever we all get together, there is plenty of music, food, and fun. We have all eaten too much and hopefully we can get back on track this fall. We have missed going to church and the temple, but we are trying to follow the church curriculum of “Come Follow Me”. Is it a coincidence that what we are reading about in the scriptures coincides closely with what is happening in the world? It is a reminder of who is in charge and what we need to be doing.
We had a great harvest from our garden this year. We had huge cucumbers and made pickles. Also, we had plenty of squash, beans, peas, tomatoes, and beetroot. It has been a very dry summer, so I was surprised with our bounty.
When I was not entertained by my children and grandchildren, I spent time painting, selling on Poshmark https://poshmark.com/closet/elayne001 Currently having a BOGO sale.
I am working on a commission for a friend. If you want me to paint a person or place, let me know (I am an impressionist, not a realist in case you wondered).
For some reason, the boys decided it was a good time to teach the grandsons how to shoot guns. Joel and his friend arranged for each child to have a turn at several different calibers. They went up high in the mountains to shoot. Here’s proof of their adventure.
So glad we had time together as a family and looking forward to more good times.
Last, but not least, we completed a project we have had for four years. We published a book entitled “Tender Mercies of the Lord in the Tonga Nuku’alofa Mission”. It is now on Amazon and it shares faith-promoting experiences of the missionaries and ourselves while we served in Tonga from 1989-1992. Copy and paste this link to find it: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08H9R63V9?ref_=pe_3052080_397514860
Have a safe fall and winter season. Stay well and stay safe!
Many people ask me why we left Hawaii. Our main reason was to be closer to our grandchildren. Attending some of their activities and celebrations has brought so much joy to my life. I don’t know how much more time I have on earth, but I am thankful for the time I have had to spend with my grandchildren. Birthdays, sports activities, plays, musicals, performances, and so much more that my grandchildren have participated in stand out in my memory. Today I am grateful to be able to be with my grandchildren at many of their important milestones.
Recently, we had two graduations to be involved with- one from university and one from high school. Sweet 16 birthdays, first cars, and other firsts have kept me going. We also had a family reunion, albiet my son who is in the military was absent and we sure missed him, but all of my grandchildren were here. I was in heaven!!
They adore me! Or at least are forced to act like it!!
Each grandchild brings a new flavor to our family. Some are more serious, some hilarious, some studious, and some not so much. They have different challenges and make the most of them, but the best thing is that each one is cherished and they love to be with each other.
Crazy grandchildren – love it! Missing in this picture are Ali’i and Robbie (where were they?)
A challenge for me is trying to give the grandchildren plenty to do when they visit. I try to give them used clothes, but most of them are not into that. Some love board games, others card games, sports like basketball, volleyball or badminton, nerf guns, riding horses, acting, blowing bubbles, reading books, writing, making crafts, walks, road trips, swimming, shopping, and movies, etc. Most of them love to be on their phones or computers playing video games. Never a dull moment with these characters!
Now that all of my grandchildren are taller than me, I feel that I am amongst giants. One thing for sure, they all like eating! We must have plenty of good things for them to eat when they visit! Grandpa is very good at meeting that need!
When I think about my childhood, I was hardly able to be with my grandparents and don’t remember them coming to any of my activities. I want to be a bigger
Lily loves crafts like painting and making things.
part of my grandchildren’s lives. Their parents usually invite us to their various performances and we go if at all possible. Most of the grandkids play a musical instrument including the ukulele, guitar, cello, piano, and using their voices. We rarely get together without some type of music being shared.
Something that has been fun to see is that a few of my grandchildren have chosen to study art
which was my major in college. To me “Art is Life”! Others like writing which I have done as a job and still do.
I may be to blame for the reason several of my grandchildren love the computer so much. When they were very young, I would sit them on my lap and show them video games. Some of them are addicted to them. I spent some time reading to them, but probably not enough.
What a marvelous treasure grandchildren are. They were each sent to our family for us to learn from and hopefully they learn something from us. It is difficult always trying to be a good example and attempt to be the type of person they want to emulate. I would not want to lead them astray in any way. They were sent to us to help them along their journey of life.
I hope we never take for granted what precious gems our grandchildren are. I don’t know how much more time I will have to be with my grandchildren, but I just want them to know how much I love them and their parents who sacrifice much for them. Love, Grandma
For several generations, our family has devoted many years to missionary service in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In our own family, we have enjoyed being around missionaries almost our entire married life. From 1989 to 1992 we had the great blessing to serve as Mission President and family in the Tonga Nuku’alofa Mission. It was wonderful to be surrounded by stalwart missionaries every day and it certainly influenced our children in their decision to go on a mission. I wanted to write this post so our grandchildren will know more about their extended family and the great opportunities they have had.
Our family newly called to serve in the Tonga Nuku’alofa Mission
Our daughter, Liana, was called to serve in the Salt Lake Temple Mission. She met people from all over the world who visited Temple Square. We got to have her take us for a tour while visiting there. Part of her mission was spent in Virginia. Her husband, Siope Kinikini, served his mission in Argentina and he taught in Spanish. His mother, Teina, has served several missions since her husband, Pita Kinikini passed away. He was Stake President of the Tongan Stake in Salt Lake City. Liana and Siope have a beautiful daughter, Rachel Ileina.
Sister Liana Kongaika
Elkder Kinikini and friends in Argentina.
Liana later chose to become a nurse and continue to serve others. She went on to become a Nurse Practitioner and she helps so many people every day. Siope counsels others on smarterparenting.com and he is a member of the Tabernacle Choir.
Our eldest son, Robert, served a mini-mission when we were living in Tonga before he was 18. He was assigned to a small island in Ha’apai and loved his time there. Later he was called to serve in the Cabanatuan Mission in the Philippines. He taught the Gospel in Tagalog and loved the people he served. He later met and married a Filipina, Abigail Amistad at Brigham Young University – Hawaii.
Abi is the daughter of Modesto and Elaura Amistad. They served as Mission President and family in the Philippines and also as Temple President. They share four of our grandchildren (Israel Modesto, Prinsesa Elaura, James Ali’i, and Robert Matealona), and they are so much fun as you can see!
Modesto Amistad Family
Robert chose to serve in the U.S. Air Force. His family have lived in many countries throughout the world. He served as Branch President and other ecl
Robert and Abi get married in Hawaiian Temple
Joel ‘Aholelei was called to serve in the Japan Fukuoka Mission. He taught in Japanese
and loved serving in Okinawa. Joel married Meilani Smith after she served her mission in Guatemala around the same time as Joel. They waited for each other.
Sister Meilani Smith in Guatemala
Together, Joel and Meilani have created a beautiful family who share their love for the Gospel through music. They have four amazing children, Anna Luiza, Eryn Moana, Joseph James, and Lily Ruth.
Since Jacob and Joel were still younger when we served in Tonga, they loved following our Tongan missionaries around and when the time came, they were so excited to serve a mission. Jacob was called to serve in the Las Vegas West Mission. His girlfriend, Mandy, waited for him while he was on his mission. She is now his wife and they have three wonderful children, Jacob Tupou, Zion Viliami, and Izabella Liana. Jacob (otherwise known as Cubworld) learned to play the guitar on his mission and went on to record several songs he wrote. Our family recently visited the area where Jacob served which included Lake Tahoe.
Our family has been blessed immensely from the many experiences we have all had while on missions for the Church. Serving other from various countries and learning about their cultures has helped us accept and befriend others. I am so glad that all of our grandchildren get along and are close.
Elder Robert and Sister Carol Anderson
Of course, we had observed great examples from our own parents. My parents served in the Wisconsin Milwaukee Mission and ‘Isi’s parents served several missions in Tonga. As I look back further into our family history, there are many stories of sacrifices made by individuals who left family to share the Gospel in other parts of the world.
May Day 2020! I didn’t know if I would still be here now. It seems like the last two months have aged me ten years! I am grateful that all of my family and I did not fall victim to COVID 19. It is still around, so we still need to be super careful.
Life has changed in many ways I never could have imagined. My grandchildren’s schools were closed. Our churches are closed. Many of my favorite stores are closed. I haven’t been able to hug my grandchildren since the lockdown. We visit each other by driving by in our car. We don’t visit with friends or relatives without being six feet apart. As if the lockdown was not enough of a trauma, we had several earthquakes, one of which woke me up and rolled beneath me. It seems I felt every aftershock. It is focused in Magna, Utah.
Corona virus is no respecter of persons. Some of the well-known people including Pink, Tom and Rita Hanks, Daniel Dae Kim, Prince Charles, Rand Paul, Prince Albert II, Ben McAdams, and several others contracted the virus and luckily survived. https://www.vulture.com/article/famous-people-celebrities-with-coronavirus.html
Others were not so lucky. Here is a list of some of the celebrities that were not so lucky and died from the virus.
Thankfully, I do not personally know anyone that has been sick or died from Corona.
Being an introvert, staying at home did not affect me too much. Whenever I did go out I felt like I was in the Twilight Zone with everyone donning masks. You can not tell what they are thinking but most of them hurried about and only got what they needed. I missed sauntering up and down the aisles as a form of exercise.
Without other demands, I noticed many of us put more attention on comfort food. Here I am 5-10 pounds or more heavier. At least I can blame that on corona, right??
I had time to pursue my artistic endeavors. I enjoyed watercoloring, oil painting, alcohol ink painting, and acrylic pouring (porn). I used some apps to alter pictures. I continued my writing for smarterparenting.com as well as attempted to keep my Poshmark closet active.
Dr. Faucci seems to be the expert, but in my opinion, there are really no experts regarding the Corona virus. I have seen way to much of our president, gotten acquainted with Cuomo, and other world leaders.
No more nights out at the movies, dates at our favorite restaurants, or dinner with friends. Some days I cry when I hear the word “corona” which is often. Fortunately, I have still been able to read my scriptures every day which helped my focus on people who had it even worse than I did. Our prophet had prepared us for home isolation way before it was even though of. He spoke to us in Conference along with apostles and other church leaders. We have church every Sunday in our home. We still hold Family Home Evening with our family online.
As a way to cope with the pandemic, several creative people have made up memes, jokes, and art. Comedians broadcast their shows at homes including their kids, dogs, etc. I enjoyed that and saw several people in a new light.
My husband has turned into Santa Claus since he cannot work at the temple and he got laid off from his job after he fell asleep driving. He has been putting together a book which includes stories from our missionaries. I edit out all of the wrong tenses, spelling errors, and punctuation blunders. It should be ready soon, but here is one in case you haven’t seen it yet. There are more stories to come before it is finalized.
Until we meet again, I will pray for all of you that this virus will go away and that we will enjoy the rest of Spring and Summer. Should we die, all is well, all is well!
Ihave written about each of our grandchildren and their parents, but I realized that I haven’t made a post about our incredible Great Grandpa Anderson (my dad). He is 93 going on 70, and other than sore legs and behind, he is doing well. His memory is amazing and he can still surprise you with his humor.
Although Great Grandpa eats whatever he wants (dessert and all), he defies the dieting gurus and exercise buffs! He said if you see him out jogging or running, he has gone crazy. He does lift weights (10 lbs) each morning and stretches his back out on a home-made stretcher.
Robert Hugh Anderson (Dad) served in the Air Corps where he flew during the World War, and since then he has jumped out of airplanes, and has made his own remote controlled airplanes. He is a self-taught woodworker, jeweler, and gardener. He built a beautiful house for Mom, brick by brick. He is the man the neighbors call when something goes wrong with their house.
Mom and Dad served a mission in Wisconsin and he has served in bishoprics and always as a remarkable home teacher.
Dad has worked as a mechanic, a jeweler, an accountant, a printer, and created the prototype for Bonham Tote Gote. He is an avid reader and is very knowledgeable. Dad made a kit car and has used it in several parades. His love of cars never decreased since his first job in Provo at Lincoln Mercury, but he has a special liking for Mustangs.
Dad has been a constant in my life. Although mother passed away in 2007, he has continued to attend events with our grandchildren.
We went with Dad to Scotland (the land of his ancestors) and Egypt when our son was stationed there. He visited us in Tonga and Hawaii during our sojourn in the South Pacific. Dad has been a great influence for our grandchildren as you can see in many of the pictures.
Dad nurtured my love of music by playing reel-to-reel tapes when I was younger of Andy Williams, Nat King Cole, Johnny Mathis, Frank Sinatra, and many others. Dad is always quick to sing in family events and always does great!
Dad has been a great support since I married the Prince of Tonga. Thanks, Dad!
New Missionaries
50th Anniversary
Dad took a break from home to stay in an assisted living dwelling. He missed his home so much that he got better and now lives it up in the home he built! His constant companion is his oxygen bottle, but he doesn’t let that deter him from being the best great grandpa around!
One of the main reasons we moved to Utah after we retired was to be closer to our grandchildren. We wanted to attend their concerts, plays, recitals, musicals, etc. It has been a delight to watch them participate in their activities.
Here are a few of our favorite pictures and videos from performances or activities our grandchildren have been involved in.
Isi sang in the BYU-Hawaii Concert Choir. It was thrilling to watch and hear him sing.
Princess has also sung in school choirs and has a beautiful voice. Ali’i .has an amazing voice also!
Most of our grandchildren play the ukulele, piano, guitar, or other instrument.
Jacob Tupou is into writing and loves books. He has sung in some performances at school and keeps a website going
Ileina has lived closest to us since we have lived in Utah so we have attended several of her performances. She was in a Polynesian dancing group together with her cousins, Anna and Eryn.
Ali’i and Robbie are very skillful in sports. Ali’i has excelled in volleyball and Robbie in basketball. Check out their dancing skills here, especially Robbie!
Eryn has been learning the guitar and she loves riding her horse, Flash. She participated in a horse competition.
Zion is a good speller and has participated in spelling bees at school. He was recently in a musical and always fun to watch.
Joseph played baseball when he was younger and he has earned his black belt in karate. We were able to be there when he received it.
Izabella is so full of fun and participated in plays at school. She loves to dance and is a very sweet happy girl.
Lily has shared her singing talent in Friends to Friends and on numerous occasions. Her parents have let her experienced wheelchair dancing, sports, and being in plays at school.
We feel so blessed to be with our grandchildren during these important times in their lives. I remember my grandparents and they lived an hour away, so they didn;’t attend any of our activities.
We recently returned from our family reunion in Arizona. My favorite part of the reunion was being with most of my grandchildren. We missed having our oldest grandson who is studying at BYU-Hawaii.
We ate, danced, ate, talked, ate, visited, ate, played fun games, ate, sang karaoke, ate, played sports, ate, etc. representatives from each family shared their talents at a talent night. It was an awesome reunion.
Traditional puaka tunu.
Yummy lumpia made by Abi
Kareoke Kids
We are so grateful to those that were in charge of this year’s reunion. The Theme was “Our Roots Run Deep”. A t-shirt was designed by our son, Jacob. Scriptural references: Colossians 2:6-7: “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving” and Jacob 5: 46-47: Allegory of the tame and wild olive trees.
Our grandchildren that were at the reunion.
Robbie showing his bad skillz!
Rob had prepared some fun games that the children, youth, and a few adults enjoyed. Then came one game that brought out the beast in a few of our otherwise sane family members.
The game that makes sane people crazy!
Near the end of the reunion, we took photos. I hope someone will post the whole family picture. I only have a picture of our own family.
Isileli Tupou Kongaika family (missing Israel Kongaika)
This role is inherited by the eldest male line. In our case, our oldest son is Robert (Lopeti). It just so happens to be his birthday this month. He has shown his ability to be a leader in his family, while serving in the Air Force, and in his ecclesiastical responsibilities.
His role (as far as his siblings are concerned) is to officiate at family activities, funerals, weddings, and special events. The ‘Ulumotu’a has the final say on these events when it comes to the family.
According to this custom, the Ulumotu’a in my husband’s family is his older brother, Sioeli. He helped to bring most of his siblings to the United States and has supported several of them while they made the transition. We appreciate all he has done for his brother while at school and for our family.
Robert James Kongaika was born October 2, 1974 in Tonga and he eventually became fluent in the Tongan language. When the family left Tonga to move to Hawaii in 1992, Robert stayed behind and lived with his grandmother, Lu’isa so he could graduate from Liahona High School.
Similar to John Groberg’s son in the movie, The Other Side of Heaven 2, Fire of Faith (2019), Robert nearly died at one point in Tonga. He had a very high fever and lost consciousness when he was less than a year old. We tried to wake him up, but nothing worked. We were frantic and the doctor (Salesi Havili) met us at the hospital. Baby Robert received a shot and he finally started crying. I was so relieved to hear his cry. Since then, he has been strong in body and strong in will.
Robert was named after his grandfather, Robert H. Anderson. My Dad taught him all about airplanes, having been a pilot in World War II. Robert soaked it all in and it stoked his desire to serve in the Air Force.
Robert met his eternal companion, Abi, at BYU-Hawaii. They had four children, Israel, Princess, James, and Robbie. They have all supported and followed him throughout his career in the military. We are all thankful for the time and effort he and the family have put into helping to keep America free and safe.
Robert and Abi get married in Hawaiian Temple
We are grateful Robert came to our family and appreciate his great example of service! We wish our family ‘Ulumotu’a a very Happy Birthday, !
