The Journey to the MTC

Aloha 'Ohana!

Sister Kamalani Kawa'a was officially set apart as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on Friday 12/11/15 by Stake President Reinhardt.  I am happy to announce that Sister Kawa'a arrived safely at the Provo, Utah Missionary Training Center yesterday, 12/16/15.  Before I tell you about our journey, here is how you can contact her.

dearelder.com - you can write to her through this website while she is in the MTC.  You will need to open an account, but it's free and she gets a print out of what you typed everyday that she is there!  You will need to know the following information:

Sister Kamalani Kawaa
Unit 40
Estimated Date of Departure January 05, 2016
select Provo MTC

You can also send handwritten letters to the following address:

Sister Kamalani Kawaa

Jan-05 TX-FTW

2005 North 900 east unit 40

Provo, UT  84602

Lastly, you can email her directly at kamalani.kawaa@myldsmail.net.

Once she leaves the MTC, her mailing address will change and I will post it her and on Facebook.

Now, the journey!  After a long, long (too long) trek with multiple flights we finally made it to Utah on Saturday 12/12.  Sister Kawa'a and her family stayed with the Mortensen 'Ohana.  She was able to attend Michael McLean's Christmas production of "Forgotten Carols".  It was a beautiful and spiritual event.  While in Kaysville she was able to reunite with (Elder) Cody Mortnesen and his wife, Shelby, (Elder) Alex La and his girlfriend Alyssa and the wonderful Mortensen 'Ohana - Boyd, Kim and Courtney.  She also met the rest of the 'ohana during Sunday dinner.  That evening she was able to witness the beautiful lights at Temple Square and reunite with (Elder) Toki Lelii.  

So many people opened their homes and hearts to Sister Kawa'a and her family!  Monday evening we had dinner at the Duffy's, a family that we knew when Lew and I were first baptized and lived in Pahoa Ward.  They were a second family to us and the first to find out we were pregnant with Kamalani.  

On Tuesday 12/15 we headed to Provo, Utah where we met Lew's Hanamaika'i family for the first time.  They kindly hosted Sister Kawa'a and her 'ohana.  (Elder) Corbin Critchfield and his mother, Natalie met up with us in Provo and took Sister Kawa'a shopping for last minute missionary clothing.  The Hanamaika'is made us Lau Lau, Curry and Teri Chicken for dinner and even opened their home for many friends to come and see Sister Kawa'a one last time before her mission.  Sala and Keone Kapisi, Oren Maneha, (Elder) Aaron Ormiston and his wife, Sophia and Jacob Clark all stopped by to see her.

Wednesday 12/16/15 was one of the hardest days of our lives!  Saying goodbye is never easy, so we choose to say a hui hou as our ancestors did, until we meet again, Sister Kawa'a, in just 18 months!  Until then, we'll keep everyone updated through this blog.  

  

Sister Kawa'a will be able to email and write letters weekly beginning next week.  We're not sure if  it will be Wed, Thur or Fri, but as soon as we get her first email we will share it on this blog.  Thank you for all of your love, prayer and support!  Please continue to pray for our beautiful missionary, Sister Kawa'a!

me ke aloha nui,
Ka 'Ohana Kawa'a