We enjoyed a family reunion at Beaver Mt. Lodge in September prior to our mission! Missing were Taylor, Kaylin, Joseph, Nathan, Jenna, Landon and Brandon, who is on a mission in Indiana.
This morning we took a quick trip to "Samoa" to pull weeds in the Polynesian Cultural Center. We felt grateful we could, in a small way, be stewards of the legacy that ancestors of this area built through faith in Christ and sacrifice. A short history below explains further. Working hard? or Hardly working? Hey, Keep working over there! Much like other places the Saints settled in the mid-1800s, Laie was a bit of a wasteland, unfertile and undesirable. In 1865 the church purchased 6,000 acres of land for $14,000 for a gathering place of the pacific Saints. They struggled to make it a success and were on the verge of giving up. In a meeting held to discuss the problems, Elder Joseph F Smith (of the first presidency) encouraged them and declared a prophecy. He said, "My brothers and sisters, do not leave this land, for this place has been chosen by the Lord as a gathering place for the saints of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint...
Upon arrival in Laie, we were greeted by other senior missionaries at a simple dinner. Among the group were Paul and Harriett Kirkland, past members of Roger and Penny's ward in Payson UT. It was fun to make that connection.
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