Montana Grandma

Tuesday morning we docked at Hilo. We had a shore excursion this day. Lynn's mom wanted to go to the Botanical gardens so we booked it and off we went. It didn't take too long to get there. The gardens were amazing, especially when we got down deep into the garden and it was right on the ocean. It was unbelievable. Lynn and I just stood there and listened to the water splashing against the rocks and looked out over the ocean. There is just something about the ocean that makes me feel closer to my Heavenly Father. I am constantly amazed when I see the ocean at how it knows to stop on the shore. Just one more evidence to me that there is a God!

We left Hilo at 6:00 pm that night and sailed around the island to Kona. We arrived at Kona on Wednesday morning. This was one of my favorite days. We were able to go with our group to the Kona temple. The neat thing about it is that the temple isn't open on Wednesday's but they eagerly opened for our group! They are amazing people. They were so grateful that we were there that day - they thanks us for coming almost before we could thank them for opening special for us.

My man looking mighty fine :)

6:00 pm that night we left for Kauai. This night was kinda cool. We sailed by a volcano. The captain took the ship as close to the volcano as possible and then slowed way down. It was awesome watching it way out in the dark. We could see where it began and then it went dark as the lava flow went through a lava tube and then came out and emptied into the ocean. It's hard to describe - I wish I'd had my camera with me.

That evening standing at the rail of this great big ship I took the time to comtemplate and pray a little bit. It was so quiet sailing along in the dark but the neatest part about it was how the moon was shining on the water. It was only a half moon but out in front of the ship the moon shone and as I stood there watching it I had to offer a prayer of gratitude for yet another evidence in my life of Heavenly Father's love for me - the moon lighting the way on this huge expansive ocean. Always somewhere in the darkness is light! Oh how grateful I am for those moments of moonlight. As I stood there I thought about a Seminary lesson we had recently about the Apostle Peter walking on the water out to meet the Savior as He was walking across the water to the ship where His apostles were. I thought that maybe it was water much like I was experiencing that night and I wondered to myself as I was safely on a ship if I would have the faith to leave my ship and walk across this incredible deep body of water out towards the Savior. I am deathly afraid of deep water and so as I thought about that I prayed that I would have the faith to do it. And the faith to NOT look down but to keep my eyes focused on the Savior. I prayed that I would have the faith to walk on whatever water the Lord requires me to.