My Blog is Back here from Papahashi.com

Someone hacked into my blog at papahashi.com.   Fortunately they didn't do anything malicious but they did take my blog down.   I got the blog back up there are still some issues.  Until I get the issues fixed I'll post my updates here.

My Blog has moved

Check out my new location at papahashi.com.  

All of these posts have been transferred to the new site but there is some touch up formatting that still has to bee done.  Its still a work in progress but let me know what you think.

A New Purchase

A GPS (Global Positioning System)

Judy and I were at Costco on the weekend and I picked up a Garmin 1490LMT GPS unit.

I have the GPS functionality on my blackberry and it works well but its not that safe to use when driving.  Its too small and you have to focus on it to see where you need to go.
I've been thinking about getting a GPS since I have to go to places like Toronto and Vancouver for work.  I have to drive around and felt that a proper GPS unit would be useful.  

They were $30 off at Costco this week and after checking around the regular Costco price is close to $100 less than most other places - like Best Buy and Future Shop.  So I figured its a good deal..... and I'm all about good deals.

Well I'm in Toronto and I love this thing.   Tonight it was really foggy and you can't see more than a hundred yards (metres).  The GPS got me right to the hotel even though I couldn't see the landmarks along the way.

I pulled over to take this picture.   Its not very clear but hopefully you get the point - Its foggy and hard to see anything.    T

I also like that the GPS tells me what lane to be in when I was on the 401.   When I got close it to the exits changed to a picture of the freeway signs above the lanes.  They were the same as the real signs.  I don't know how they do that but it was great.

Hopefully I can find my way around tomorrow.

Hawaii 2011 - Part VI

My Mission President

When I was 19 years old I served as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.   I served in the Japan Tokyo North Mission for 2 years.   In the second half of my mission it was my pleasure to serve under President Michael A. Roberts.   The amazing thing about him is that he was 28 years old at the time.  Unheard of.  People still don't believe me when I tell them.  President and Sister Roberts came to Japan with 3 young children, the youngest being just a few months old.

President and Sister Roberts are among the people that I admire most.  They were great examples to me as a young missionary.

Here's the picture and article about them that appeared in The LDS Church News in March 1979.

Michael Alexander Roberts, 28, is Young Men's president in the Auckland 17th Ward, Auckland New Zealand Harbour Stake. He was born in Auckland, a son of William and Norma Johnston Roberts. He married Christine Ann Dil Aug. 14, 1971, in the New Zealand Temple. They are parents of two children. Pres. Roberts received his bachelor's degree and his master's degree from the University of Auckland. He is a teacher at Auckland Grammar School. He served in the Japan East Mission, 1969-71, and was also a ward executive secretary, bishop's counselor and high councilor as well as Young Men's president.
Sister Roberts was born in Auckland, a daughter of Wilfred T. and Gloria Burnett Dil. Her past positions include seminary teacher, Primary teacher, adult home study teacher, Relief Society president's counselor, Relief Society homemaking leader, Primary president and stake Primary board member. 

LDS Church NewsWeek Ending March 10, 1979

Fast Forward 30+ years.

President and Sister Roberts were passing through Hawaii to visit their daughter and her family on his way home to New Zealand from Salt Lake City Utah.   He now serves as an Area Authority Seventy in our church and he was in SLC for our Semi-Annual General Conference.  His son-in-law teaches at BYU-Hawaii and I knew that he often stops in Hawaii on this way to SLC or on this way home from SLC.   In my first visit to Hawaii with my son-in-law Mike, the Roberts where there too but we didn't find out until after the fact.  This time I sent an email to them before we left and they replied saying they would be there.

We were able to meet up with them at their daughter's place which was only a couple minutes from where we were staying.

 

Sister and President Roberts. Papahashi and Judy

I wanted to introduce my family to them.   I've always told them about my 28 year old mission president.  Now they know he's real.   I was glad we could meet.  

Candi and Sister Roberts hit it off because they are both ICU nurses.

(Mike and Angie and the kids had met them before.   They went to represent me at a mission reunion a couple years ago in Hawaii,   They were the only ones that showed up with the Roberts so they got to know them)

   

Unfortunately Alana and Luke had gone back to the mainland the night before.

President Roberts talked about how its nice that he is going through the same stages of life as his missionaries.  For example my grandkids were playing with his grandkids while we visited.  He is only 8 years older than me.

I've seen the Roberts twice before at Mission Reunions.   One last year and one 3 years ago.  We hope to meet up again at a missionary reunion next April.