56 day challenge

I'm in the Relief Society presidency in my ward.
We challenged the sisters to read the Book of Mormon in 56 days... to be all finished by Dec. 31 and we started Nov. 6.
So, I took the challenge.
And i'm so glad I did.
I have read the Book of Mormon before, several times in fact, but not in this short of a time frame. It really blessed my life those 56 days!
All I have is 20 more pages to go. No biggie 10 pages today and 10 pages tomorrow!
Reading the Book of Mormon in such a short time frame is seriously what I needed.
And all the sisters talking about it at Church helped me to continue to read.
I loved that we were reading 3 Nephi just as Christmas time came. I truly love my Savior. He has given me everything. He is the light and the truth and my testimony of the restored gospel has been strengthened by the Riverbend Ward Relief Society Book of Mormon Reading Challenge.
Yes, I did read most of the book on trax. But that still counts. And I do have to say how great it is to see other early morning riders reading their own copy of the Book of Mormon. Strength in numbers people.

I also have to say how grateful I am for this time of the year and to spend quality time with family. And I am also soooo ready for a new year. 2011 was a struggle but through it all I have gained a better relationship with my Heavenly Father and his son.

I love this verse and will refer myself back to it through trying times...

3 Nephi 18:20 " And whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is right, believing that ye shall receive, behold it shall be given unto you."
okay one more...
Mormon 9:21 "Behold, I say unto you that whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing, whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him; and this promise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth."

Happy 2012 !!!!

Kaua'i & Oahu 2011

Well we've been back from our Hawaiian adventure for over a month now but I still wanted to throw some pics up on the blog because it really was a fun trip. We had such a great time with John and Abe's parents. Paradise sure is wonderful!!

Here Abe and his Mom are on the train in Seattle. We had a few hours before heading to Honolulu so we decided why not do a little sight seeing. Then it was off to Honolulu with our a final destination being Kauai.

Our hotel was in Princeville but our first day in Kauai was a Saturday and we drove to Kapaa to catch General Conference and then we went to a coconut festival and did some snorkeling that day too. The highlight of that day was snorkeling with a sea turtle!

This pic was taken at Poipu where we went snorkeling.
The sunsets in Hawaii are seriously amazing. We watched all but one sunset on that trip.

Next day we explored Princeville and hung out at Hanalei Bay and Ke'e Beach.

Next up on our list of things we did... hike the Kalalau Trail to check out the Na Pali Coast. This pic above was taken just before my Teva broke at a half a mile into the 8 mile hike. So Abe and I had to play survivor man and somehow fix my sandal (which was being held together by ribbon.. all the rest of the way - 7.5 miles). I made sure that those teva's did not make it home with me!!!

Here's Abe and John on the Kalalau Trail.

Two miles into the hike you get to Hanakapiai Beach and then it was off to hike through the jungle two more miles to Hanakapiai Falls.

Here's Abe at Hanakapiai Beach. It sure was an amazing beach!!

After hanging out at the beach we got back on the trail.. headed for the waterfall.

Hanakapiai Falls. That water was SOOOO frigid but I didn't hike all that way with a broken Teva not to get in.

We ate a whole lot of guava on that hike!

Heading back down the trail Abe and John decided to have their way with the jungle trees. Meanwhile, I was getting eaten alive by mosquitoes. I think I had over 30 bites that trip!

The sunset from the Kalalau Trail.

And the next day it was off to Port Allen to take a zodiac boat ride to see the Na Pali Coast.

We saw the coast...

...dolphins...

and went in sea caves. Inside this sea cave Mary J. Blige filmed her music video "Everything." So crazy! Here's the music video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nZueSZRJrA

The other sea cave we went in was the Waiahuakua Sea Cave. It is the second longest sea cave in the world. It's known as the Sacred Water Cave and as the Double Door cave because it has both an entrance and an exit.

After the zodiac ride we drove up Waimea Canyon. The Grand Canyon of Hawaii. It sure was chilly up there. As you can see we really weren't dressed for the cold!

We also went to Queen's bath while in Princeville.

We did some jumping and snorkeling while at the big tide pool.

While in Kauai we did some surfing in Hanalei Bay.

And took pics at the classic Princeville overlook.

And went to a turtle cave in Princeville near our hotel. We had a great time in Kauai. I want to go back. There is still so much more I want to see, do and eat! We spent 6 days in Kauai and then it was off to Oahu for 3 more days before heading home.

In Oahu we went to the North Shore.. here we are at Turtle Beach. No turtles were there but we did see some surfers catching some waves.

And we went to the Polynesian Culture Center...

..and learned to hula...

... and participated in a New Zealand ceremony...

... and went to the Samoa village and watched this guy again (he was at the Coconut Festival in Kauai too!)...

.. and we partook in a luau..

... and swung by the Leia Temple before heading back to Waikiki.

The next day in Oahu we hung out in Waikiki. Got aboard a catamaran and Abe did some surfing around the swimmers.

Here's the Hawaii group with the Duke Statue in Waikiki.

Our last day in Hawaii was spent at Pearl Harbor.
What a great time we had in paradise!
9 days was just not enough time to see and do everything we wanted to. So, that means we'll just have to go back. AlOhA!

Great Love in September

I used to work with this girl named Jenna Miller.
Well, she moved and now lives in South Carolina.
But we still keep in contact.
And a few months ago she contacted me about writing a little something something about Abe and me so it could appear on her blog Husband and Me.

We are her love story for September. Check it out... And it appeared two days after Abe and I celebrated our third wedding anniversary. I feel so lucky Abe chose me to go through this journey of life and eternity with!!
Here's our story:
http://jamandjklm.blogspot.com/2011/09/great-love-in-september-lisa-abe.html