Joan and I have been deeply touched preparing to host addiction recovery meetings on Maui. Provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it is called, “Healing through the Savior – The Addiction Recovery Program.” In our role we will plan, conduct, and set the tone for meetings where recovering addicts can come to a safe and caring environment to anonymously share successes, encourage each other, and learn how to draw on the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. The sharing portion is conducted by a recovered addict, one who has successfully applied the recovery steps and principles and can provide hope, a living example to others of success, that the Savior can help them.

To prepare ourselves, we study the guide books, the recovery steps, and listen to publicly available audio recordings of recovery meetings approved by the participants to help others who may not be able to come to an in-person meeting. We read associated scriptures and words of latter-day prophets in the guide. While listening, we’ve wept for those who have been in bondage to heartbreaking addictions. We’ve rejoiced with their testimonies and stories of gratitude and success. We’re anxious to play a role for future participants as they travel this challenging journey of recovery. We pray that people across the islands who are in such bondage, will have the desire to seek help, including help that can be found in this recovery program. As stated in the leaders guide, we work for and pray for their success so that they can make and keep sacred covenants with God for even greater blessings. It is the Atonement of Jesus Christ in action. (Ref. https://addictionrecovery.churchofjesuschrist.org)

We have also been touched by the support and love we receive by tourists, church members and non-members, for our willingness to come here to serve. Almost every day we meet someone who knows someone who could benefit by this program. This week we stopped along a trail to visit with another hiker, a resident. As we parted this kind stranger said, “Thanks for coming here and doing God’s work.” We ask for your prayers, and pray that we may be humble and do God’s work in his time, and in his way.

We take time every day for our own physical and emotional health. Adjacent to our apartment in Wailuku is a residential area called Wailuku Heights. I often make the 600-foot elevation gain hike to get my cardio exercise, then lift weights at home for resistance training. We occasionally use the apartment clubhouse gym and pool for exercise. This week Joan and I went on two significant hikes. I’ll speak of one of them now, and reserve the other for a future story. On the far east side of Maui is the small town of Hana which is reached after forty miles or so of winding road from Kahului, many narrow bridges, fresh banana bread shops, and ‘locals’ anxious to drive faster than the tourists (who are enjoying the many views, waterfalls, and seascapes). We pulled into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chapel to eat the lunch we packed. Another ten miles past Hana along the coast is the lower part of the Haleakala National Park, Ohe’o Gulch, and the Seven Sacred Pools. The primary hike, the Pipiwai Trail, is two miles each way with a vertical rise of 650 feet, a large bamboo forest on the way, terminating at the base of Waimoku Falls which drops 400 feet down a sheer cliff. Looking up at this water fall is one of God’s many spectacular creations here on Maui.

To nurture our spirits and love of music we occasionally stop by the Pulehu Chapel in Kula (up-country). As mentioned earlier, this was the first chapel built by The Church on the island in the 1850s (more on this story later). This week we took our instruments with us, found the chapel open, entered and started to play. With its white painted wood paneled walls, floors, and ceiling, it has an amazing resonant sound and Joan’s violin reverbed with amazing beauty, seriously (I think Joan plays violin well. But in this chapel, it is heavenly). We also sang a few hymns harmonizing our voices and feeling the spirit of the music and the place. We also did some video work in the beautiful yard for my next song, “Feel God’s Love Again.”

As we finished, the full-time missionaries arrived and we had a wonderful visit (We keep running into missionaries). We asked if we could play a few songs for them, to which they agreed. And there in that historic chapel we shared some guitar, violin, and singing. We were grateful to add music to their lunch-time break. That evening we attended our ward Mother’s Day dinner where we again were blessed by the spontaneous love ward members gave to us, and the natural kind conversation we wanted to give to them (The spaghetti and salad and desserts were also wonderful).

We are always open to additional ways to serve. One sister in the ward was widowed a couple years ago and had been feeling promptings that her husband’s family history and ancestral temple work needed to be done. We met Sister Rosalind C. a few weeks ago on our first day back in Maui. She was at the breakfast we attended that General Conference weekend at the MacDonald home. During our visit this week, she explained her promptings and feelings that she didn’t know how to proceed with the Chinese research for her husband. The spirit was clear to us; offer to help. I’ve never done Chinese family history research before but I knew the general process and how to find help, so we offered to look into it and ask the opinion of our professional genealogist daughter, Jana, who texted some suggestions (from Fiji where she happened to be at the moment). We followed those suggestions and have given Sister Rosalind a path forward. We look forward to following up with her soon.

Our week wrapped up running in to more missionaries while having Saturday evening dinner at the local Taco Bell. On Sunday we enjoyed worship service and Sunday School in our home ward. We spent part of the evening reading the journal of George Q. Cannon (we’ll work his applicable adventure into our story soon). And on Monday we had a planning session with President K., counselor in our stake presidency who is over the Addiction Recovery Program. He is a mature saint with the best of demeanor. And then we joined part of a Zone Conference being held in the Maui Lani chapel by the full-time missionaries.

Pictures: Waimoku Falls, Kihei Sunset, Pulehu Chapel Singing

Other Maui Service Stories: https://ancestorclips.com/category/maui-service-stories/