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/

We arrived at the airport before light finding the security gates closed. It was the Kahului 1st Ward’s Temple day. The Kahului Hawaii Temple was announced in 2023 but as of now has not been built or started. So, with the Kona Temple under renovation on the ‘big’ island to the south, ward members sacrifice and make the trip west every couple months or so by air to the La’ie Temple on the north shore of O’ahu. At the Honolulu airport, we boarded a few rental vehicles and made the beautiful drive to La’ie. In route it was very pleasant to converse with ward members. Behind the driver was smart and humble Canadian Dale T, about age 70 and a long time resident of Maui. Turn’s out we had a connection with an acquaintance at BYU, Professor Robert T. many years before. In the second row behind me was sweet demeanor Betty Dumaran, a few short years behind President Russell. M. Nelson in age, able to walk slowly but made effective use of the wheelchair staff at the airport. I felt like Betty was my own mother, so kind and thoughtful insisting she pay me back for her Egg-McMuffin at the drive through. Joan was seated in the back row of our van with another sister (isn’t that really nice Joan let her husband sit in shotgun to minimize motion sickness in and out of the curves of the winding coastal road?). Our driver, young Brother Kelii C. seems to have lived on every Hawaiian island. He was born on that very Oahu north shore, lived on Molokai, and worked on Maui for a company headquarters on Kauai, if I remember correctly. Along that north shore he told us where his relatives still live and all about his shallow water spearfishing and the reef causing waves out about a half mile from so.

More about the conversation and getting to know these beautiful people later. With no time to spare, we arrived and made our way into the beautiful Hawaii La’ie Temple. It looked like all the pictures I’d seen. Back home in Utah Valley, where there are five temples to choose from within thirty minutes, we were in the habit of weekly worship and service there. The powerful words of the endowment and other ordinances were reassuring each time we went. We have been in Hawaii for just a few weeks and it was a blessing to enter a place again where such eternal promises and blessings could be explained, made and renewed. The spirit of the temple, whether in Utah or Hawaii is the spirit of eternity, and the very horizon enabled by the Atonement of Jesus Christ. “Thank you Heavenly Father for thy plan and these blessings.” Of course, one cannot experience this and only think of themselves. At the temple there is this compelling feeling to share its meaning with all of God’s children. After the endowment and sealing sessions several of us gathered outside for a photo. I felt something different, a mix of joy and splendor and love and an absence of fear. These were no longer strangers, but fellow citizens in the family of God. We made covenants (or by proxy represented others in making covenants) and we had pondered the eternal significance of the covenants while together.

Earlier that week on Maui we had experienced a similar feeling. During some of our discretionary time, Joan and I took a drive ‘up-country,’ a residential area on the foothills of Haleakala at about three-thousand feet in elevation. It is a beautiful area where, this time of year the Jacaranda trees paint the hillside with plenty of purple and with shade, showering the green ground with a lovely hue and aroma. We visited the Surfing Goat Dairy and enjoyed God’s sweet creatures and sweet chocolates made with goat milk. We also visited the Pulehu Chapel in Kula, built by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints near the site of the first convert baptism in 1851. Passing through the chain-link fence one feels like they have entered sacred temple grounds and upon entering the little well restored chapel, one feels like singing a sacred hymn. Or at least Joan does. After checking the guest register for where visitors all over the world came from, she went right to the pulpit, opened the well-worn green hymnbook and began singing, “Come Ye Children of the Lord.” Synchronizing with her soprano, I joined with bass on the second verse. (The words echoed from the painted slats and stucco; the meaning resonated in our hearts.)
“Oh, how joyful it will be, when our Savior we shall see?
When in splendor he’ll descend, then all wickedness will end.
Oh, what songs we then will sing, to our Savior, Lord, and King!
Oh, what love will then bear sway, when our fears shall flee away?

Back to our temple trip. Before leaving La’ie, Brother Kelii C. asked if we had any preferences for lunch then quickly made a recommendation, Ken’s Fresh Fish. We all agreed and soon we were sinking our teeth into the most delicious Ahi I have ever tasted. During the one hour drive back to Honolulu we experienced sunshine, heavy rain, great Hawaiian vistas, and amazing tunnels through the steep, green, volcanic mountains dividing the windward and the leeward sides of the island. My conversation with Brother Kelii turned out to be very helpful and encouraging for our upcoming assignments as service missionaries. It certainly was not coincidence that he was our temple trip coordinator and our driver that day. The Lord brought us together to move His work forward. We visited and got to know our new friends even more while waiting for our flight at the airport. When we landed back on Maui, we felt the promised love of God which we felt from our experiences of the week, of that day, and in the temple.

Ken and Joan Hardman

Picture 1 – Hawaii La’ie Temple Trip

Picture 2 – Pulehu Chapel, Kula, Maui

Picture 3 – Surfing Goat Dairy

Amidst days of joy, twice this week we had unexplainable episodes of darkness. Whether caused by personal weaknesses or external factors, we needed to be mindful and spiritually cognizant. Regardless, our new stake president felt inspired to counsel us mid week, “As you prepare for this assignment, I invite you to study the Sermon on the Mount and Mark chapter 9, especially the exchange between the Lord and a pleading father, “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.” In tears the father pleaded, “Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.” (Mark 9:23-25) We are realizing that even with much preparation and faithful efforts, there is yet more to do to be pure and ready to be on the Lord’s errand.

In 2014, eleven years earlier, It was a typical winter day for me at Boeing, while performing analyses on critical propulsion systems my cell phone rang. The gentleman introduced himself as the engineering manager at the Boeing office in Maui. I stepped into the hallway for privacy. As I recall he said something like they were in need of an engineer to analyze their space surveillance system and that I was recommended as someone who was good at analysis and wasn’t afraid to do technical writing. The task was part time and included writing diagnostic procedures for some of their equipment. He was right, unlike most engineers, I enjoyed the challenge of technical composition, and my reputation as the founder and chair of the Boeing Technical Journal gave them confidence I could do the job. Before accepting the work I called Joan and when she heard it was part-time on Maui and would require occasional trips, she gave the ‘yes’ answer I expected and we made plans for our first trip.

Over the next several years we made many trips to Maui. I worked during the week, sometimes at the sea-level office in Kihei, and sometimes at the 10,000 foot elevation observatory among the technicians and telescopes. Joan would scout out things we needed to see on the island and make plans to be my guide on weekends. Over the years we attended church in Kihei and sometimes in Kahului. It was satisfying work learning about large, highly technical space imaging systems and how to diagnose root causes when the system malfunctioned. I would search technical repositories and learn all I could while on-island, then back home in Utah I would compile technical data and develop manuals. Other work included managing a project to refurbish a car-size mirror on the primary telescope. The people I worked with were wonderful including the fore mentioned Ernest A. (Issue 1).

Over the years we also made a number of vacation trips to Maui with various family members. We felt like we were getting to know the island and eventually we felt a desire to live with and serve the people. During the trip to Maui in January of 2025, we asked the before mentioned Sheldon C. (See Issue 1) for the name of a member of the stake presidency that we might visit about a local service mission call. In the interim we read about senior service missions in the General Handbook and in church magazine articles. One was titled, “What you Need to Know about Serving a Senior Service Mission.” The subtitle read, “Choose a senior service mission or design your own.” That sub-title caught our attention. “If you have health challenges, family needs, or other concerns, a service mission might be the right path for you. If you have special skills to offer, the best option might be working with your area coordinator to create a mission just for you.” The stake president responded and a week or so after our return to Utah we got a call from the executive secretary and were soon on a Zoom call with stake president Benjamin H. After prayer, he asked questions to get to know us and what types of service we were looking for. He responded with several highly needed options. We discussed each in some detail.

We read, pondered, and prayed then met again by Zoom a few weeks later and by then all felt comfortable moving forward. The stake president expressed his keys of inspiration and added another possible service opportunity to the evolving list which we also felt good about. “Anything where we could help others come unto Christ” was our reply. We notified our family, friends, Utah bishop and stake president that we were moving our records to Maui for 18-24 months to be service missionaries. All wished us well.

This week in our third (and first in-person) interview with President H. He thoroughly interviewed both of us, then with revelation in his eyes solidified our initial assignments, Addiction Recovery Program (ARP) Group Leaders for his stake. We talked much about it and he confirmed that this program was very needed and would bless many. He directed us to the area (Oahu Hawaii) Service Missionary Coordinators, and the ARP Coordinators who were thrilled with our desire to serve. They provided instructions and “Opportunity” numbers that we would use on seniormissionary.churchofjesuschrist.org to formally apply as service missionaries. We initiated the application and met with our new bishop, Bishop T on Sunday for his interview and to move our application forward.

In the meantime, we enjoyed a wonderful Easter Sunday spirit. “He Lives!” “He is risen!” These words echoed in my mind as I woke up. I opened my eyes and saw Joan’s smiling eyes greeting me and I said, “He is alive!” She smiled and repeated, “He is alive!” I then said, “If you resurrect before me, then when I rise and see your empty grave, I will with excitement look around for you and when I see you, it will be great!” In the sacrament meeting we heard special messages and testimonies from two youth, and two adults. Brother D. spoke of Easter as a source of joy. “All have experienced loss,” he said. “My wife died early in our golden years.” Then he found the restored gospel and learned about the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and sealing ordinances and felt joy and peace. After church we visited Sheldon C (Issue 1) and Lynne C. in their home to learn more about their history in Maui and Utah and to share some music with them. We concluded the evening at an Easter feast with three other senior missionary couples whom we instantly enjoyed. They gave us encouragement and advice. We loved our time with them and shared music and songs.

Yes, there were a couple dark moments this week, but inviting the Lord’s help to, “help thou mine unbelief…” darkness is dispelled, fowl spirits are rebuked, the work goes forward and “all things are possible.” It’s going to be a great week.

What keeps drawing us to Maui? Most would say it’s the tropical breeze, brilliant rainbows and waterfalls, foot-massaging sandy beaches, or God’s hand in the compelling everchanging sunsets. For us, we wondered, what would it be like to serve the people here? Even more, there was a recurring prompting, some unfinished business, an obligation yet unfulfilled.

On our last visit, January 2025, we attended church as usual. Worshiping with the locals was special because of their love of God and each other, and their Aloha spirit. After partaking of the Sacrament, Brother Sheldon Chinen gave the talk, and spoke about growing up on the island, his conversion to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, those who nurtured his testimony, his career at Hill Air Force Base (AFB) in Utah, and his retirement and return to his home, Maui.

As church concluded we stepped to the end of the pew to intercept Brother Chinen coming down the aisle. We talked about our families, and mentioned that I coincidentally had been working at Hill AFB during the same years he was there. I told him I had also worked part time for Boeing on Maui. “Then you must know Ernest Agcaoili?” he said. That name instantly retrieved good feelings. My eyes widened, “Yes, I sure do know Ernest. He was the lead technician, a smart, wonderful, and kind man.” As I spoke Ernest’s name, I felt I needed to reconnect with him. I sensed that there was some emotion, some experience we had in common beyond just working together. “I’ve lost track of him,” I said. “I know he lived ‘up-country’ in Makawao but I think he’s retired. Do you know how to…” Just then Sheldon pulled out his phone, tapped and swiped, and there on his screen was his friend and youth schoolmate, Ernest Agcaoili. More memories emerged. Thrilled, I captured the contact information, then Joan and I made plans to go visit Ernest and his wife Roxane. As we left the chapel, I recalled the very experience we had had in common. Joan and I decided to go visit them immediately, even that very hour.

In the fall of 2020, four years earlier, Joan and I had a major tragedy in our family. Our son-in-law was serving a neighbor (as he often did) and was working in the metal basket of an elevated lift boom (i.e. cherry-picker) when the support failed and he fell to the ground in the basket. He was severely injured and two weeks later passed away. We lost a son, our daughter lost her beloved husband, and our other children lost their dear brother-in-law. It was a painful time and the hurt continued for a long time.

That next winter, six months later, I was working on the summit of Haleakala helping the team refurbish a massive telescope. Prior to leaving the summit I had a personal visit with Ernest. Outside the building, the cold wet wind blew hard. On the inside Ernest’s warm care calmed the storm, at least for a time, that I felt inside. Ernest turned to me and asked, “How are you doing?” At first I wondered if he was asking about my physical stamina at high altitude, or if he was asking whether I had any COVID-19 symptoms. I then realized that he had heard that I had lost a son-in-law a few months earlier. I replied with equal honesty and respect, “It has been hard. Thank you for asking.” As I expressed myself I soon saw in his eyes that he too was suffering from a major loss.

Three years before this visit on the mountain with Ernest, after receiving his education to work at the same facility we were in, Ernest’s stepson was hit and killed by a car while riding his motorcycle up the mountain to work. Ernest and his wife were devastated. “I’m not the boy’s blood father,” he said, “but it hurts, it still hurts.”. And his wife especially was still in pain. He said that the loss had caused his wife to question her faith. She would ask, “Why did God allow this to happen?”

He explained to her that their son had finished his work and that God had other work for him to do in Heaven. The Spirit filled my heart with love and we talked about ‘The Lord’ as we walked very slowly down the hall. I told him that I receive comfort knowing that when my life is finished I will greet my loved ones in heaven. Then, I told him that I strongly believe that his stepson was greeted by and is with his ancestors. I told him that I believe Ernest’s wife is being prayed for by her ancestors. His eyes expressed appreciation. I thanked him for his care for me and for letting me express care for him. Then spontaneously we said to each other, “I love ya’, brother!”

I never got to meet Ernest’s wife. But as we approached their home this past January, I felt I knew why I needed to see him again, why Joan and I were in that church meeting that day, and why we needed to meet Brother Chinen. We needed to reconnect and express our love and compassion to both Ernest and Roxane.

We’ve driven up the Haleakala Highway from Kahului many times. For some reason we had never turned into the not-so-small community of Makawao, hidden in the hills and medicinal eucalyptus trees on the northern side of the mountain. With some nervousness we found our way to the Agcaoili home. Upon recognizing me, Ernest greeted us warmly, we introduced our wives, and began to visit. We reminisced a little about work, but then he proudly showed his restored antique vehicles in the driveway and garage. Ernest was a skilled mechanic and craftsman at work and at home. The spirit then prompted and I said something like, “Ernest, I have often thought about your kindness when Joan and I lost our son-in-law and I have wanted ever since to express to you, Roxane, our love and compassion for the loss of your son. We hope that you are feeling some comfort in God and that He is helping you.” All eyes teared and the remainder of our visit was filled with love for each other and for The Lord. It was clear that Roxane and Ernest believe in God and have felt his comfort but continue, as all of us do in our losses, to feel the pain while reaching out in faith that all will be well someday. We were all blessed by that tender reunion and knew in our hearts that it was the spirit of God.

We left our new forever friends and descended the mountain with peace and gratitude that we will see our departed loved-ones again. The missionary spirit which filled our hearts made it clear that we indeed wanted to serve the people of Maui, in any capacity, church or community. We later sent a message to Brother Chinon reporting on our wonderful reunion with the Agcaoili’s and the sensitive loving spirit we felt. In the same message we asked Sheldon for contact information on those in the ward or stake to whom we would request the opportunity to serve.

Later, in Utah, Joan revealed one day. “I had an overwhelming feeling of comfort that it was the right thing to do. I wasn’t asking, it just came, a spirit washed over me with love and peace.” And just recently I found my journal entry from that night four years ago on the mountain with Ernest. At the end of our visit I had offered to help him and his wife learn more about their ancestors. To which he nodded favorably. “Ah,” I thought. “Perhaps that is some of the unfinished business we needed to do, to help them learn of their ancestors.” And so we go forward having worked here and having played here. Now with spiritual confirmation, we go forth to serve here.

While serving our two-year mission helping youth appreciate their ancestors, I reflected much on the faith and determination of my own ancestors and those who came with the Willie and Martin handcart companies in 1856. This song reflects some of my reflection. Please enjoy, be inspired, and share. Sincerely, Ken

Happy Easter. I wrote this song and recorded it with my daughters. Click on the link below to hear the song while watching a music video. I hope you feel the love of Jesus Christ. Sincerely, Ken Hardman.

http://sacredsheetmusic.org/song/For_the_Joy_Set_Before_Me_SB_by_Kenneth_R_Hardman