"What A Week"

Alooooha!

What a week, what a week. First off, you wouldn't believe this, but Hawaii actually gets cold in the winter time. The temp has dropped to about 70 degrees with a 'lil bit of a windy breeze. I'm actually cold right now. We don't turn on the fans and keep the A/C to a minimum. My feet are cold right now, I'm trying to stay warm. How, oh how will I survive a winter in Utah? Pray for me...haha

We had a pretty good week!! Things with Beverly are still good, she really wants to get baptized. It's just the last obstacle we're trying to work through. She'll make it someday though!!
We found a new lady to teach, Pam! She's a nice lady, she approached us in WalMart and told us to come by, so we did!! We taught her part of the Restoration last night and invited her to church. She said she would come. She lives within walking distance of the church and so she is super close. She's a nice elderly lady.

We also met a girl named Brianne. She was at our dinner appointment last night, and so we sat down and had a good lesson with her!! We taught her the Plan of Salvation, and it answered a lot of questions she had. She's been taught a lot from other churches and was confused on a few concepts, we tried to help her understand. She has great potential to be baptized!! Maybe before I leave? We'll see haha. She's a freshmen in High School and is a nice girl!

We have Zone Conference tomorrow. My last one too, I'll be giving my last testimony too, that's going to be kinda weird but...it's time I guess! We are having Christmas Zone Conference, so it will be kinda...unreal. It is hard to believe I have 2 full weeks left. I'll say the same thing next week too..

Thanksgiving was really good too. We had three dinners, my goodness that stuffed me haha. I gained like 5 lbs, but I worked it off with the good 'ol Turkey Bowl!! (Go Aggies!!!!)

Other than that, that was it!! Time has been crazy fast, and I'm working hard till the end. I love you all and thanks for all your support!!!

Hope to hear from you soon!!!!

Love and Aloha,

"Trunky" Papers

Aloooha!

How are you doing?!
This week has been weird. First off, I received my "trunky" papers which tells you your flight information, as well as your schedule for the last few days as a missionary!! I'll fly to O'ahu on the 14th of December, than hit up PCC (Polynesian Culture Center) and the temple and Swap meet. Thursday, I'll see Pearl Harbor, than head off to the airport on my way home. Very weird to even think about.

Three more weeks remain as a missionary, 3 full weeks at least. It's very sad to see time come so close to an end, but I'll say the same thing next week, than the next, than the next. It is very fast! As always.

We had a wonderful dinner at the Marriott with a family touring from California. We went to Dukes, which was a super, super nice place. I was on exchanges with Elder Turina that night, so we feasted on the food that was there. It was delicious!!!
Beverly is doing good. We had her baptism scheduled for this past week, but it fell through because we're trying to help her live a special commandment which includes not living in the same place as your boyfriend, only if you're married. So we are trying to help her, once she does that she is good to go!! She is a wonderful lady and the ward really loves her!!! She definitely wants to get baptized!!
We have Thanksgiving coming up this week as well. We have dinner with three families, and one of those might include Kendall. Not sure if you'll remember him from a couple months ago. But there is a possibility there could be a baptism this week. He wants to, I know that much, we just need to set it up!!!

Other than that, we have so much potential for baptisms in Lihue these last few weeks, we just need to get it moving. I have faith that there will be at least one before I leave.

Thanks for all your support and I look forward to hearing from you, if anything in 3 weeks.


I also want to issue a challenge: that is to seek for a testimony of our living day prophet, Thomas S. Monson. The best way to develop this testimony is to study his teachings (lds.org) and to sincerely pray and ask if he has been selected as a special witness of Jesus Christ. The reason I issue this is because if we can have a firm testimony that he is a prophet and God speaks to him, than when Thomas S. Monson has some special council to give us we will be ready to listen and heed to the calls or warnings he gives us!!


I love you all and thanks again for all you do!!!

Hope to hear from you soon!

Grateful To Be A Missionary

Aloooha!!!

What a week!!! This was a fun week!! We've been working so hard for a baptism. I hope to have at least one more before the mission is over. It's God's will though and I've been so lucky to see so many already!!!

We had ZLC on O'ahu yesterday. I saw a lot of good friends like Elder Garritson, Elder Coffin, Elder Taylor, Elder Edwards, and others. I had to give my dying testimony in ZLC and that was a very awkward feeling. Getting ready to leave is VERY bittersweet. I've worked hard my last 2 years in the mission, and I have grown to love it here SO much. But I can feel that it's time to go back and get to normal life too. As much as I want to stay and work here, I can tell it's time for me to be back in Utah. I hope that makes sense.By the way family, thanks so much for taking the family pictures. That means a lot to me!! I've done something with them and will show you when I get home.

We are still working with Beverly. She really wants to get baptized, she just needs to do something about her family situation!! She's super solid though and really amazing. We're working on a few others as well, we have potential for baptisms, we just have to get them moving. We're going to work hard for it in November, and hopefully December!!!

Thanksgiving is coming up next week!! I'm excited because I will be able to spend time with families that mean a lot to me!! It will be a fun day!!

Aside from those things, that is really it. Not too much to really report, I'm just working hard to trying my best to see many great things happen.


We also saw Elder Dalit off on his mission to New Zealand. He's going to be such a a great missionary and is going to do so much good for the people there. I'm so excited for him and whoever his companions are going to be are very, very lucky!! He's going to be the BEST missionary because he's humble, and has the spirit!!! I love the kid!!I'm so grateful to be a missionary and to have served here in the mission of Hawaii for the past 24 months. I love this gospel and know with ALL of my heart it is TRUE. Voices have proclaimed to me otherwise and tried to distract and tear me down!! But I know, because God has told me, that the Book of Mormon is true. I will never deny it! I promise the world if they read it sincerely and pray about it, they WILL come closer to Christ in ways they never have before. I love our Savior Jesus Christ and my Heavenly Father. They will always be my first priority in life, and I will always be grateful for their unconditional love.

Love you all and hope all is well!

"It's Completely Worth Every Minute"

Aloooooha!!!

How are ya'll doing??Man, Hawaii is amazing, that's all I'll say!! First off, I can't believe that my 23-month mark is coming on Wednesday. That means I have 1 more month to serve as hard as I can!! It's kinda interesting how some people say, "That's a long time to just go teach people!" But I always tell them, it's completely worth every minute and day. When we see people change their life completely for God, it's worth it. To see that person become happier, and more peaceful, I know I'm doing my job as a missionary.
In my email last week I mentioned Brayden and his baptism. It didn't go through because his mother was in the hospital the whole day. So we tried to reschedule, and so the day of his baptism (Saturday) it STORMED!!! Stormed like I've never seen here on Kaua'i!! Rain like crazy, flash floods, THUNDER as loud as heaven, it was wild. So it was canceled. We'll work with him, and hopefully soon he'll agree. We're praying for him!!
We've begun teaching this wonderful lady named Beverly. Our first lesson with her was on Tuesday and she said that for years she's been searching for a church that offers peace and happiness. She's been baptized many times, but can't seem to find the church she believes Jesus Christ established 2000 years ago. She came to the "Mormon" church with her member boyfriend and she says her search has ended. We've scheduled a baptism for her this month and she is so excited for that day. She's wonderful and is such a nice lady. She's older, but is like a grandma to us!! Her boyfriend's ex-wife was the one that passed away from a bad accident last month where our former Bishop was involved. If I mentioned it, after priesthood session we gave a blessing to our former Bishop because he got in a bad car wreck where a lady was killed. That was his ex-wife. So that's drawn him back to the church which is another cool story to see. They are happy and excited about "Eternal Families" and how they can live together as a family forever.
Aside from those, we are working to have a good month here in November. We're praying for some miracles to happen because I'd love to finish my mission on a strong note. And if we don't have too many than that's ok!! I've been so blessed to see so many people come closer to Christ here in Lihue. I am so grateful for this gospel and I KNOW it is true. I know Joseph Smith saw God our Heavenly Father again, and His son Jesus Christ. He was led by direct communication on how to restore Christ's church YEARS after it was lost. I'm grateful we have the Book of Mormon to provide a solid evidence of this truth. Anyone who reads it sincerely will come to know these same things by themselves.

Love you all and hope to hear from you soon!!!!