29 June 2008

Aloha Oe Wailuku Ward!


Today was our last Sunday with our Wailuku Ward, and there aren't words to describe how much we will miss our ward family of the last three years. Each of the members will always hold a special place in our hearts. As a tradition here, when anyone is moving away, after the closing prayer in sacrament meeting, the ward sings Aloha Oe to them and present them with many lei, as kind of a final goodbye. The first time we experienced this tradition, I didn't know the person that was leaving, but the song and the love expressed through the giving of the lei, made tears come to my eyes. We have sung Aloha Oe to many family, friends, and missionaries going to their missions and going home from their missions. I cry each time. Today was our turn, and I could barely get through the first line. The people of our Wailuku Ward are the most loving group of people I have ever experienced. We will truely miss all of them. Instead of having our regular third hour meetings, the bishop took pictures of the entire congregation, and then we had a potluck dinner, so we could say our goodbyes. I hope that we will be able to keep the spirit of aloha that we have been surrounded with for the past three years with us, and that we will be able to share it with others. We received so many lei, we could barely see over the top of them. We told people that we wouldn't need scarves when we got up to Alaska, because we had enough to keep us really warm.

Good bye Wailuku Ward! We will miss you all greatly! Thank you for loving us. We have loved every minute of our time here, and are grateful that you could share it with us. You have taught us so many wonderful things. If you ever want to come and visit us up in Alaska, our door will always be open to you!

A Hui Hou!
Na Ohana Jensen


Ha`aheo ka ua i nâ pali
Proudly by the rain in the cliff
Ke nihi a`e la i kanahele
The creeping silently and softly up the forest
E uhai ana paha i ka liko
Seeking perhaps the bud
Pua `âhihi lehua a o uka,
Flower âhihi lehua of inland.

Hui:
Chorus:

Aloha `oe, aloha `oe
Farewell (to) Thee, farewell (to) Thee
E ke onaona noho i ka lipo
Sweet fragrance dwelling in the dark forest
"One fond embrace", a ho`i a`e au
One fond embrace, before I now leave

"Until we meet again."

5 comments:

Meleana said...

What a wonderful tribute to Hawaii, via the Wailuku Ward! We are no longer in the ward, but wish you the very best...Until we meet again! A---LO--------HA!

wyomingerica said...

That is so sweet, I'm so sad we never made it over there. Maybe we can shoot for Alaska. Hope your move goes well. the Jensen

Jen said...

I can't believe you're leaving so soon! I watched the video of the house packed up and I was so sad to think that you guys won't be there anymore. Did you manage to get everything moved out and the place all cleaned up before the inspection today? What are you doing for the next few days until you leave? I'm sure you must be excited to be undertaking a new adventure, but it must be bittersweet to leave behind such good friends and such a wonderful church family. In case you don't blog again before you leave, take care, have a safe and fun vacation, and I can't wait to see all the pictures when you get back to your computer. It'll be a long summer if you don't manage to get that blogging without your computer trick from up your sleeve to work! :-)

Graham Crackerz said...

This was so touching. I almost cried just reading it. Can't wait to see you all.

Angeline and Matt said...

When we went to hawaii 2 years ago we were at a ward where they were saying goodbye to a family, and my WORD I cried like a baby, it is so moving to see them say fairwell down there. You guys will be missed.