Aloha from Molokai

We got a letter from Jared a day later than expected. I was bummed because I thought I'd have to wait until next Monday, but Tuesday morning an e-mail came from Jared.

He said: "To all those who asked for my address here on Molokai, I'm sorry but there have been a lot of transfers to and from here in the past month or two so it really would be best if all mail got sent to the mission home. They keep constant track of where I'm living at and at the very most sending mail through the mission home delays it by a day. So sorry but the mission home is the best bet just in case I get transferred out, cause the mail here (in Molokai) is in a P.O. box so they wouldn't know where to reach me if I got transferred outta here. Once again that address is 1500 S. Beretania St. #416 Honolulu HI 96826. "

This is a picture of Jared's companion - Elder Taylor.

This is a picture of Jared on the Boardwalk trail which was a hike he took on his first P-day in Molokai. He said that it was a killer hike that took roughly 3 and a half hours to complete. He said it was up a huge mountain and through some seriously thick jungle. He also said when he got to the top it was the best view he'd even seen in his life. He said it looked like a scene straight out of King Kong. He also said that if he'd taken one wrong step off of where he took this picture he would have died for sure.

Here's a picture of Jared. He said that he and Elder Taylor caught a duck. But this looks like a chicken to me. Maybe they didn't take a picture of the duck.

Jared said: "Well yesterday (P-day the 11th) we hiked down to Kalaupapa, an old leper colony which still has some patients residing there. It's a nationally and state protected place and you have to be sponsored to go down there. The hike down was not too bad at all! There were some amazing sights and it was a beautiful day (as usual muahahahahahahahaha!!!) and the tour when we got down there was fairly interesting."


Jared said that the best part was he got to see the church building down there! He said there used to be one member down there so the church built a building for sacrament meetings. He said the sister has since passed away, but that the building still remains. He said that he got to spend a couple minutes there where people have never really been before. He said it was an amazing experience.

Jared said that the hike back up nearly killed him. He said he felt like he was close to having an aneurysm or a heart attack. And that either would've resulted in him tumbling 1660 feet back down to the bottom of the sea cliff. He also said: "That which doesn't kill you just makes you stronger!"

Jared has ended all his correspondence by saying Mahalo nui loa, which I finally looked up. It means thank you very much. And then he said: "And remember to drive with aloha haha!" When we were in Hawaii in 2003 there were signs everywhere saying "Drive with aloha". We just thought that was so funny, and I guess Jared continues to think it's funny.

As usual, it was great to hear from him.