The Forest Through the Trees-FAITH

Today we took a hike in the forest.  It was a beautiful, crisp day, so the sun was a warm welcome as it came shinning through the trees.

There were many symbolic messages I noticed as I was hiking.  Faith can be like a tree, tall and sure, strong and steady.  It must be strong from the inside, not just a facade on the outside.

If you just depend on "seeing" with the eyes, you could easily get lost, as you cannot see clearly when in the middle, it looks all so very similar. You could get lost.  You must depend on "seeing" with the eye of faith.

Hebrews 11:1

11 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, 

the evidence of things not seen.

I then saw a tree that was losing its branches, lost limbs laid all around the base and it was starting to crumble under the weight of its stature.  

I wondered why, and as I came around to the side of it I could see it had rotted from the inside.  It had grown strong and tall for many years, but the inside had become weakened by disease. 

 As a result the tree had started to die.

Luke 6:43

43 For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; 

neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

This has many applications.  Faith has to be built up and strengthened from the inside, not just to be on the outside, but internally.  We must take Faith and the principles of Faith, as taught in "Lectures on Faith" and internalize them so we can change and become strong in and through Jesus Christ from the inside out.  

Then at the end as we were coming out this was a solitary tree, different and standing alone, small, branches out wide with a curved trunk, 

 not tall and straight.

It was so unique, it had a plaque at the base of the tree telling of its origin and history as it dared to stand a midst such opposition to it's own nature, but still be vibrant and strong in it's own way.

Faith must be strong enough to stand on it's own and even stand out when opposed to and have a sure foundation.

The following is from: "Lectures on Faith" 

Lecture 1

 18. The Savior says the reason the disciples could 

not cast out the devil was their unbelief: "For verily 

I say unto you," said he, "If ye have faith as a grain 

of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, 

Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; 

and nothing shall be impossible unto you" (Matt 

17:19-20).

24. Faith, then, is the first great governing principle 

which has power, dominion, and authority over all 

things. By it they exist; by it they are upheld; by it 

they are changed; or by it they remain, agreeable 

to the will of God. Without it there is no power, and 

without power there could be no creation nor 

existence!

I thank God for a beautiful day and the lessons I learned from Him today.

The Wonders of Anthony Natividad (1964-2012)

This post is dedicated to the service and healing 

Anthony provided through his music to others.

I remember the first time I met Anthony. 

 I went to listen to a "jam session", which is what you call an eclectic gathering of musicians. 

 It is never rehearsed, just a sharing of music and talent.

Anthony came in a bit later and walked in with a sweet, aloha presence about him.

He then walked around the room and gave a aloha hug and kiss to everyone,

stranger or friend, he loved them all. 

 As he spoke and played, I knew I was witnessing someone who was at one with his instrument and nature.

He had a very calming presence to him, and a unique talent which he called a "gift".

It was a beautiful night.

(Anthony, Abyssinia, Kathleen)

We had him over to our home several times. 

 What a blessed memory and experience.

As he played his music he said notes to play and instructions would come to him.

If he felt to give a certain note to someone, he would play a song for just you.  

Music therapy at it's best!

You could feel the notes at such a deep level inside of you.

It would bring balance and healing.

He would just play and had a wonderful time sharing his talent where ever he went.

Leticia and Samson after a Ulalena show with Anthony.

Anthony, thank you for sharing with us. Your service and example of the true Aloha Spirit and love for everyone is unforgettable. You will be missed!

Here are some excerpts from an article commemorating his life. (in italics)

Nose flute maker, player hailed for unique talents

November 5, 2012

Like the nose flutes he made and created, Anthony Natividad was one of a kind.

In tributes to the man who may have been the premier nose flute performer in Hawaii, family members, friends touched by his music and musicians who played with him described Natividad as a one-of-a-kind performer, instrument maker and human being.

The 48-year-old Natividad died suddenly Oct. 28,  leaving those family members, friends, fellow musicians and performers and all others who have heard his calming and wafting refrains in mourning.

"There is nobody else alive that can play the nose flute and build 'em and play 'em," said Grammy and Na Hoku winning George Kahumoku Jr., who worked with Natividad at the University of Hawaii Maui College Institute of Hawaiian Music.

If a musician needed a nose flute in a certain key, Natividad could make that instrument.

"He could tune it for your guitar . . . whatever you want," Kahumoku said last week. "He was the only one that I know who could do that."

Natividad landed a job in the original cast of the show on the west side that has run for more than a decade. In addition to playing the nose flute, drums and ukulele in the pit above the stage, Natividad was the only musician to go on stage for the "Kumulipo" creation chant and for a rain sequence where he played his nose flute, said Preussler.

Natividad may be irreplaceable.

"Like anything in a show, you have something with an extreme talent and is unique (that) you cannot always re-create," said Preussler.

Jamie and Anthony Natividad knew each other since age 13, so she had a close-up seat to her husband's discovery and evolution of his calling in life.

"He is an innovator and a great problem-solver," she continued. "He would tweak things until it was pretty much perfect."

The Native Hawaiian ohe hano ihu is "an instrument of sincerity and purity, played with the 'ha,' or sacred breath of the nose," a biography about Anthony said. "It is an expression of the player's heart and intentions. . . .

When looking in the bamboo forest, he would offer a Hawaiian greeting and enter the forest. He would only select fallen bamboo.

"I think the instrument picked him,"said Kahumoku, who went on expeditions with the nose-flute builder to the forest. "He told me that. He was in the forest; the bamboo would pick him."

A few months agao, for the second year in a row, he played at the Sept. 11, 2001, remembrance at the Westin Ka'anapali Ocean Resort Villas. He blew the conch shell and played "Amazing Grace" on his nose flute.

"It was amazing," said Makalapua Kanuha, the resort's cultural specialist, recalling how the crowd began to sing along.

"It was very enchanting, and he enchanted a lot of people," she said. "We are going to miss him."

"When he played the nose flute, he made me feel like he was part of the island, like he was part of the land," said Kahumoku. "He was connected to this earth."

"It was just something special about how he played," she said. "When Anthony would play it was so healing. It was all pretty but Anthony had a different quality to it. Everything he played was so magical.

I would say it was spiritual.  He was not only connected to this earth and nature, but to heaven.

You and your music are loved and will be missed.  Blessings and "Aloha"  

The Turley Family

We love the MISSIONARIES!

After living in Utah for 13 years, you would think we saw a lot of them, but get out in the "mission field" and then you see what missionary life is like.  We had them over weekly.  Isaac really benefited.  He got to see up close and personal what missionary life was like and he loved the missionaries!  He would spend "P" days with them.  They would come and throw in laundry and off they went with Isaac.  He would show them the sites and then get to also go out with them.  It was a great thing for him.  When we came to the islands, he was not sure he wanted to go, now it is all he wants to do.  We really appreciated the lessons they gave on Mondays and the fun conversation over dinners and "P" day breakfasts.  

They brought a wonderful spirit into our home and family.

Elder Grover and Isaac

  They loved going skateboarding.

The family with Elder Grover before he left.

Marisha (Samsons Auntie) Samson, Elder Hatch, Kathy, Rachel and Elder Kim

Just chillin' with the missionaries

Farewell party at the church for the missionaries.

Elder Hatch and Joshua.  

They had the same birthday!

Jared and Elder Kim

Elder Kim was from Korea, so they sang a Christmas 

song in Korean for us.

2012 Christmas with Elder Hatch and Elder Kim 

MARIAH Jan 1, 2012

We celebrated Mariah's Birthday in Hawaii!  She is 21!

She picked out her own presents...You cannot buy 

things for older kids these days!

My Mariah. "They Call the Wind, Mariah".  She blows with the wind. 

 When I was pregnant with her, we were trying to decide on a name.  

Garth and I were driving in the car and he asked me, "so what are we going to name her?"

The name Mariah came right into my mind and out of my mouth, like it was the only option. 

 It stuck.

The name fits her and only God knows all the reasons why and how.

She is a whirlwind when a job is to be done and moves like the wind.

When it is decision time....the wind is still. :)

When she is serious, it is a warm, soft wind, reassuring and confident.

Her smile is like a cool breeze,  refreshing and full of life.

When there is an argument to be won...it gets stormy, she wins hands down!

Bring back that sunny day!

And  the warm, sunny Mariah shows her face again. 

Like a bolstering, windy day, she can change directions in a moment.

I can see in her inner strength, a strong, steady wind waiting to kick in.....

She is the wind that carries me when I need a steady arm,

"the wind beneath my wings".

Mariah and her brothers, Joshua and Jared.

Her favorite sis!  

It is funny how they get along, they are almost opposites.

Put those 2 in a room and watch things happen!

Windy and Steady

Aimee and Mariah. People said they could be sisters.

Mariah and Rachel resting after swimming and shopping!

Mariah and Tiana. 

She is a natural with kids.  

I would have been lost without her help in the middle of 8 kids.

She was #4.

She knew just what to do and was very intuitive with babies. 

She is going to be a Fabulous mom some day and an 

amazing wife to whoever can catch the wind!

I love you girlfriend!  ~mom

FRIENDS

We met so many wonderful friends on Maui.  

I do not have pictures of all of them, but we love them all.

                                          The Dalton girls, Soji and Talia.

                                What great neighbors and examples they were of good christian people.

                                                                           Miss them!

                                                       

                                   Rachel learned to love playing and loved to join in with playing.

                                                         The Alana Lavaka and her 2 adorable girls.

                                            Her daughter was my favorite nursery child! Love them!

                                                             The James girls, Grace & Lila

                                     Thanksgiving with friends at the Weckers.  What memories!

                                                 (Kathleen, Joshua, Garth, Melonie, & Abyssinia)

                                                               Aimee Moore and Melonie

                       What a wonderful companion and friend she is!  Miss the talks and swimming!

                        The missionaries & melona Popsicles!!!  (Jared said these were his favorite in                  Korea too.  He would have a freezer full when they went on sale and stock up.)

                        Charlie Wecker-What a great family.  We really felt like family too!