Today is Christmas Eve. I am in room 3006 of the Holiday Inn in Honolulu, Hawaii.
We had a beautiful gathering for Thanksgiving with all of our family, Budd & Jolene and most of their children and their children there for the dinner. It was a lot of work, but in the end, I believe we all came away with great memories of time together.
For Christmas, we were not going to get to have our married kids - they are all with their other family, so Brinley came to me some months ago, and said "Mom, for Christmas can I have the budget and I will plan a trip together instead of having Christmas at home without everyone." I talked to Brad, and we decided to make it happen. Here we are. We didn't get to use our Marriott time which we wanted to, but we found a Holiday Inn for not too much, so we are here. One little detail after another kept working out. I was late finding flights, but then I found a website that said to check on Tuesday morning. The week of Thanksgiving, in the midst of all the work for that event, I logged in to see that flights for Christmas were much less expensive than they had been, so Brad and I booked them. He found the hotel room after I had gone round and round with a Marriott off the Market timeshare. Anyway, here we are.
It is strange to be here. In preparation, we all kept saying "We aren't going to a foreign country!" It is different to pack for a flying trip! There is such limited space, and the requirements won't even let you bring a full water bottle into the airport. Brinley had a bottle of sunscreen but they took it at the airport security. Less than 3.4 oz of anything means we are very limited in what we have. We arrived the evening of the 22nd after traveling all day. We spent a few hours in the airport in Seatle, WA on a layover where it was raining and very cold. Then we boarded the second and final plane to Hawaii where we landed to find 79 degrees and clear skies. We rented a car, found a grocery store and some pizza for dinner, and then made our way to the beach for dinner in the dark. Yesterday we spent the day at the beach where we rented surfboards and a couple of chairs and an umbrella and we just sat there all day.
It is a different kind of people here. In the morning, I was working with the concierge to arrange for a dolphin experience and a luau and so the team left before me. I was to find them on the beach. They were on a little patch near a concrete embankment so I walked out on that embankment and found a spot to sit. Before long a young man I learned named Bret came and sat - too close! He started talking while he drank something that looked like liqueur. Great. I learned he is from Mesa AZ, his family is all divided. He doesn't say kind things of his mom -to which I stood up for her. He is gay. He claims to be local - having moved here 3 months ago. He doesn't believe in or celebrate Christmas. Ugh. I was grateful Brad came to save me and we moved to a different beach! That is what I have found. Flying here I looked around. On the flight to Seattle, it felt like many were college kids, excited to come home, but traveling alone for Christmas. The final leg, it was weird people- gay girls in front of me - a single older weird guy watching Stephen Speilburg movies on the plane of destruction. Who are these people? Why and I in the midst of them? Why did Bret find me approachable and come sit so close to talk? Dude - you know you are missing something! It is the Light of the World!
have not seen a single nativity scene in Hawaii. As I watch the sunrise come up, I am grateful for the roundabout we helped to decorate again this year, with 8 new angels added to the 15 or so of past years. The shepherds are a bit fragile, but we all love the sheep. The 4th ward borrowed some for their live nativity one weekend - everyone loves them. The little nativity was forced to make it one more year, but it is beautiful and reminds all of the real meaning of this glorious gathering season! People everywhere have a few days to choose how they will spend their time. Being one in the masses of tourists here in Hawaii, I feel out of my comfort zone. I do have a purpose for this season of rejoicing! I believe in Christ. I believe the words of the Prophets that He will come again! I believe that every move matters and that we need to choose carefully how our time is spent.
I didn't surf yesterday. I didn't put my swimsuit on. I watched as they played in the water, and I watched people. I decided to read the Book of Mormon and I read many chapters yesterday. I wonder if I can read the whole book while here.
I miss my other kids. We talked to Sam last night. He is not in a great place. He is engaged to be married in a month to Mylei Shephard. They spent Thanksgiving with us, so they have promised her family they will spend Christmas with her family. He chose to stay behind to be with her. The other kids are all married, and have other families to be with because we were together for Christmas. Last night we learned that Sam might have CoVid. He has been super tired for a few days and lost his sense of taste yesterday. Sam has been very opinionated about this whole CoVid mess. I have had to be careful to not have Jolene and Sam over together because it doesn't go well. Jolene is very adamant about the shots and how important face masks are, and Sam believes it is all conspiracy. He may be changing his mind as he struggles. I am sorry he is alone. The choices that we make matter!
Today we have tickets to the Polynesian Cultural Center. They have a "Breathe of Life Show" that runs every night. We were lucky to get tickets at all because there are so many thousands of visitors to Hawaii this week.
did our Jerusalem trip five years ago. Brinley and Sara (the girls) think that this trip is similar to that trip. I don't. We were walking the footsteps of our Savior - learning of Him! Instead of here with these people who dress so immodestly and don't believe in anything of Christ. Oh, I am out of place here. I have not had this place on my bucket list - really ever. I hope I can have a good attitude and yet, this is just such an expensive - money hungry, never satisfied pit! Yesterday I read about Lehi's dream and the great and spacious building - those mocking - oh I sat in the midst of them! In my capris and shirt with sleeves - protected by garmets of the Holy Priesthood. Even our own girls were in swimsuits I would never have purchased for them. Brad told Brinley he was disappointed. Not that it did any good. She didn't find a way to change - but wore it all day long. On the way home last night, walking the streets of Hawaii, Brad and I sang Christmas carols. The littles were participating, but the girls were just embarrassed, asking us to stop. No. I get to sing of Christ, I preach of Christ, I speak of Christ. So that my children will know to what source I depend! I really am sad that I helped to make this trip happen. I followed Brinley's request, and now I find myself in the spacious building in fact on the 30th floor in a tiny room far from familiar places.
Merry Christmas. I will remember this year. I hope we can make memories together that are meaningful and good, that somehow we will testify that the Savior is the reason any of this can happen, and that He will allow us to make choices, but that some choices are not as satisfying or rewarding as other choices would be. I know that every move matters!