Aloha Oe!!

(The Haines Family: Rachael, Chris, Ben, Sam, Joseph and Jacob)

This past weekend was a tough one for the members of the Halawa Ward! We had to sing Aloha Oe to a very loved family!

Aloha Oe is a very beautiful song written by Queen Lili'uokalani in 1878 and we sing it at the end of sacrament anytime a member is leaving our ward. We have already had to Aloha Oe many great friends. It is a beautiful tradition but it is really sad and it seems to just keep getting more and more sad every time we sing it. I usually cry, even if I don't know the person that we are singing to!
Here are the words that we sing, it is only the chorus:

Aloha `oe, aloha `oe
E ke onaona noho i ka lipo
One fond embrace,
A ho`i a`e au
Until we meet again

And this is the translation:

Chorus:

Farewell to you, farewell to you

The charming one who dwells in the shaded bowers

One fond embrace,

'Ere I depart

Until we meet again

See if you can pronounce it correctly then go and listen to the song here, be sure to wait for the chorus so you can know if you pronounced the words right!

(Chris, Ben and Adrian at the goodbye BBQ, Adrian did a fire show for us)

Jared and I have really been dreading this Aloha Oe for a long time now and are going to miss the Haines family! They have become our family out here and have been there for us if we ever needed anything. We have spent Christmas Eve's and Christmas days, New Years eve and most every weekend playing games with them. Whenever Jared was out of town they would have me over for dinner and it was so nice to just spend time with them.

(Joseph who was always asking to hold Kailie)

They love Kailie and always wanted to hold her and were always willing to watch her for us if we needed. Their kids loved her too, I know that Kailie will miss them too!

(Chris during his last surf session, Jared is really going to miss surfing with them)

Aloha Chris and Rachael we will miss you dearly and hope to see you next summer for sure and maybe someday we will reside near each other again! You guys have touched the lives of alot of people out here, I think your Aloha Oe showed that!

(Our last night of playing games together)