As you may know, we just returned from a brief visit to Hawaii and the island of Oahu. It was fun - sort of like going home. We spent most of the time just checking out all our favorite places and spent little time doing the usual tourist things - since we had seen most of those in the two years we lived at Laie. A side note before I get the the Bonus. Two things about Hawaii, 1) it has the best climate in the world - bar none and 2) it has the worst traffic in the world, bar none!
On with the story. We did decide to visit the PCC since we volunteered there for the two mission years, but that was 4.5 years ago so we did not think we would see anyone we knew. First off the Luau tickets we wanted were sold out and we had to purchase the more expensive Ambassador tickets, which included a small group guide that stayed with us throughout the day. We stepped inside and were greeted by a young lady who's first words were, "I know you guys." It turned out she had been serving a mission at the visitors centre while we were there and on occasion we would feed the young missionaries. We'll that was a coincidence. Next we had our picture taken and the photographer stopped in the middle of snapping the photo and said, "I know you Guys" He was the same person who snapped those photos when we volunteered at the PCC. Then the young lady (I can't remember her name) said she would take us to our guide, "You can't miss him - he is a big Samoan." We arrived just a few minutes late and the guide was already talking to the group. As we walked up he stopped talking and screamed, "Elder and Sister Cottle - I know you guys!" He rushed up an gave us a big hug (another thing I forgot - Polynesians love to hug). I'm tying to place this person - he obviously knew us very well - how could a student still be here from five years ago, that's not possible. And then he laughed - and I knew - Mokilita's son! And he is not a Samoan, but a Tongan - but he is big. Let me explain. Mokilita Santini, a teacher in Tonga was our first scholarship student to come to BYUH and complete her degree. We became fast friends (during our mission time I wrote several e-mails about her and her family, including when we took the family to their first restaurant experience during one of our visits to Tonga, also she gave us her most prized family possion - a tapa cloth) and every time we visited Tonga she would come and see us and bring along her family (six kids). She told all her kids we were their Canadian Grandparents. She is a marvelous person and has lived and thrived through some amazing hardships. Just about the time we left to go back home, her oldest son Nesi, received a mission call to Pocatello, ID. We keep in touch with him through the mission home and supported him with warm clothes and other stuff (he went to Idaho in the winter without even an overcoat). Well the big Tongan hugging us at the PCC was none other than Nesi! He had completed his mission and now a Senior at BYUH majoring in accounting. Finding him was the best part of our whole trip. He had a hard time talking to the rest of the group as we spent the afternoon catching up on the family and all. His sister is also attending BYU, and just before the evening show, she arrived (more hugs) and again after the show and we visited some more. Seeing the two Satini kids after all these years was a great big BONUS!
2 comments:
How neat. I hope you guys had fun. I could use some R & R right now.
That is really fun. I'm glad you were able to go and have some fun reunions. Of course these people would remember you. How could they not? You served with much love and generosity. How was the rest of the trip?
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