My Colors Will Be Clear

I'm allowed a Mission Nostalgic moment right?  Well, here's one!
As I was cleaning my bedroom I stumbled upon my battered and torn up version of, "Preach My Gospel".  Every morning as a missionary I would study from this book seek to become a better teacher.  Any missionary can tell you that this book was undoubtedly brought forth by revelation.  This is not a mere book that was written for missionaries, but a book revealed by the Prophets of God for everyone to become spiritually strenghtened.
Anyways, as I was flipping through it, an old note fell out.  It was a quote that I would read daily to strengthen my resolve to find those in need of the gospel of Christ.  I wanted to share that quote with anyone who may read this.  The author is unknown.

"I am part of the "Fellowship of the Unashamed."

The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line.

The decision has been made. I am a disciple of

Jesus Christ. I won't look back, let up, slow down,

back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present

makes sense, and my future is secure.

I am finished and done with low living, sight walking,

small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams,

chintzy giving, and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position,

promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I now live by

presence, lean by faith, love by patience,

lift by prayer, and labor by power. My pace

is set, my gait is fast, my goal is Heaven, my

road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few,

my Guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought,

compromised, deterred, lured away, turned back,

diluted, or delayed.

I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the

presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy,

ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander

in the maze of mediocrity.

I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I must go until

Heaven returns, give until I drop, preach until all know,

and work until He comes. And when He comes to get

His own, He will have no problem recognizing me.

My colors will be clear."

I Will Not Be Still

*Disclaimer- I am in no way giving reason on behalf of the church.  All statements are the opinions of the writer.
Many of us are aware of the recent "Policy changes" to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  Many nonmembers AND members have had many things to say about this.  I have always worked to meet the middle ground with those who are not in alliance with my beliefs. This will be hard for me to write as I usually like to talk to someone face to face regarding my religious beliefs or political beliefs.  But for this moment, I must speak/write my mind.
I wish during this post to be sensitive to those who may be involved in a similar situation, or who may have concerns regarding this news.  But I also wish to be bold about my beliefs.
To start off, the Church is a large part of my life.  I sacrificed two years of my life teaching people about the Restoration and the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I was affected by their love and devotion to the gospel.  Everything that I believe on this church and the restoration lies on 531 pages.  The Book of Mormon.  I believe the Book of Mormon to be translated by the power of God through the prophet Joseph Smith.  Because I believe this, I believe there are prophets on the earth again.  Because I believe this, I believe in modern day revelation.  Because I believe this, I believe God STILL speaks to prophets.  Because I believe this, I sustain and believe Thomas S. Monson is a prophet of the living God.
Now let me get to the meat of the discussion:
Matthew 19:14 "But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven."
Jesus cares so deeply about children.  I believe the Churches announcement does nothing but prove this to be right.  I can hear some peoples minds as I type this.  "How can you believe that? How can Jesus deny his covenants to his children? Is this love?"  Believe it or not, yes, it certainly is.
A covenant is a two way promise between two people.  In any religion when a converting ordinance is performed, it is taken seriously.  The breaking of such covenants is no small matter either, especially if Deity is involved.  I stress the absolute importance of this.  When someone is baptized, the leaders of the church do not high five each other with excitement over a growing church, but they are generally concerned for the new convert and their new spiritual journey.  They have processes put in place to ensure that the new convert will continue to develop their testimony of Jesus Christ.  To put the pressure on a child from age 8 to independence in a same sex marriage is incredibly complex and difficult.  To go to church and learn the gospel (And it is no secret that Christians believe Same Sex Marriage to be a sin in the eyes of God), and then to go home and wonder why your dads/moms aren't practicing the same teachings and causing that friction is going to complicate their home life and family life. 


Matthew 18:3 "And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven."
If you are a practicing member of any Christian religion, it will be no secret that Homosexual marriages are not seen as valid.  Let me emphasize something as strongly as I can: We in no way hate/disown those practicing or struggling with such a thing in their life.  We are loving of these individuals and invite them to learn more and come closer to our Savior.  We cannot be accepting of their life style, but we can certainly be loving and accepting of the individual.  This "new" policy does not strictly point out children in same sex couples, but has for years stated children in Polygamous relationships and other various things.  This should not be new to members.  The church has never pivoted from their position on this issue.
D&C 18:10 "Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God;"
Again, I fully believe this is for the best interest in the child.   I believe this because a Prophet of God has said so.  I believe this because this is also how I feel.  I believe this because I have pondered, prayed, and thought long and hard about this.  Is it wrong to question this stance from the church? Absolutely not, questions are welcome as you should gain a testimony and witness of everything within the church.  But I bring a great word of caution:
"There is one kind of latter-day destruction that has always sounded to me more personal than public, more individual than collective—a warning, perhaps more applicable inside the Church than outside it. The Savior warned that in the last days even those of the covenant, the very elect, could be deceived by the enemy of truth.  If we think of this as a form of spiritual destruction, it may cast light on another latter-day prophecy. Think of the heart as the figurative center of our faith, the poetic location of our loyalties and our values; then consider Jesus’s declaration that in the last days “men’s hearts [shall fail] them.” - Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, October 2009 General Conference

If you have concerns, bring them to the alter of God.  Pray sincerely, be humble, and listen for the Spirit.  Ask Him for a witness.  But also be willing to accept that you may not receive it or the reasons until you are before God accounting for your works.  I have prayed, I have pondered, and I have felt peace regarding this subject.  God's ways are NOT our ways.  They never will be mans ways.  God is bound by eternal law.  I can only imagine our Heavenly Father pained by the harsh responses received from those even within the church.  I can imagine how difficult it was for President Monson to announce these guidelines knowing it may turn away some members of the church.
But let me be absolutely clear.  The last days are upon us.  The enemy of truth will do everything in his power to convince you otherwise.  It is a dangerous path to walk down if you are thinking that the First Presidency is out of touch or "not with the times".  This is precisely what the adversary would have you believe.
Mosiah 8: 20-21 "O how marvelous are the works of the Lord, and how long doth he suffer with his people; yea, and how blind and impenetrable are the understandings of the children of men; for they will not seek wisdom, neither do they desire that she should rule over them! Yea, they are as a wild flock which fleeth from the shepherd, and scattereth, and are driven, and are devoured by the beasts of the forest"

On one last note: Social Media has been incredibly deceptive with this announcement.  The church has NOT stated that children are not eligible for membership, nor have they said that they cannot in any way be baptized.  THEY CAN STILL MAKE THE NECESSARY COVENANTS WITH HEAVENLY FATHER.  The process is outlined below:
"A natural or adopted child of a parent living in a same-gender relationship, whether the couple is married or cohabiting, may be baptized and confirmed, ordained, or recommended for missionary service only as follows:

A mission president or a stake president may request approval from the Office of the First Presidency to baptize and confirm, ordain, or recommend missionary service for a child of a parent who has lived or is living in a same-gender relationship when he is satisfied by personal interviews that both of the following requirements are met:

1. The child accepts and is committed to live the teachings and doctrine of the Church, and specifically disavows the practice of same-gender cohabitation and marriage.
2. The child is of legal age and does not live with a parent who has lived or currently lives in a same-gender cohabitation relationship or marriage."

 I want to be absolutely clear that I believe the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints to be the restored gospel.  I believe that President Monson is the living prophet of God and I sustain him with the entirety of my soul.  I believe in a Savior who loves everyone regardless of what they have done in life.  I believe that you, and those you know, are known by Heavenly Father.  My intent with this is to not put anyone down, but rather my intent is to stand for my religion when so many will tear it apart.

"Make no mistake about it, brothers and sisters, in the months and years ahead, events are likely to require each member to decide whether or not he will follow the First Presidency. Members will find it more difficult to halt longer between two opinions. (See 1 Kgs. 18:21.) President Marion G. Romney said, many years ago, that he had ‘never hesitated to follow the counsel of the Authorities of the Church even though it crossed my social, professional or political life’ (in Conference Report, Apr. 1941, p. 123). This is a hard doctrine, but it is a particularly vital doctrine in a society which is becoming more wicked. In short, brothers and sisters, not being ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ includes not being ashamed of the prophets of Jesus Christ! We are now entering a time of incredible ironies. Let us cite but one of these ironies which is yet in its subtle stages: We will see a maximum, if indirect, effort made to establish irreligion as the state religion. It is actually a new form of paganism which uses the carefully preserved and cultivated freedoms of western civilization to shrink freedom, even as it rejects the value essence of our rich Judeo-Christian heritage.”
“Your discipleship may see the time when such religious convictions are discounted. M. J. Sobran also said, ‘A religious conviction is now a second-class conviction, expected to step deferentially to the back of the secular bus, and not to get uppity about it’ (Human Life Review, Summer 1978, pp. 58–59). This new irreligious imperialism seeks to disallow certain opinions simply because those opinions grow out of religious convictions. Resistance to abortion will be seen as primitive. Concern over the institution of the family will be viewed as untrendy and unenlightened.”
“Before the ultimate victory of the forces of righteousness, some skirmishes will be lost. Even in these, however, let us leave a record so that the choices are clear, letting others do as they will in the face of prophetic counsel. There will also be times, happily, when a minor defeat seems probable, but others will step forward, having been rallied to rightness by what we do. We will know the joy, on occasion, of having awakened a slumbering majority of the decent people of all races and creeds which was, till then, unconscious of itself. Jesus said that when the fig trees put forth their leaves, ‘summer is nigh’ (Matt. 24:32). Thus warned that summer is upon us, let us not then complain of the heat!”
Neal A. Maxwell Oct 10, 1978
Meeting the Challenges of Today - BYU Speeches

I would also advise watching this interview:
http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/handbook-changes-same-sex-marriages-elder-christofferson

The Effects of Service

Alooooha!
As I was working on a project for a family foundations class I attend from Brigham Young University-Idaho, I began thinking the effects my mission will have on my future family.  As I thought about my mission, I thought of my blog which I haven't updated for a while.  I strolled down memory lane and realized I have over 25,000 views on my blog! (WOW!).  To anyone reading this, I hope I can make an impression on you to reach out to your fellow brethren.  Whether through religious activities or other activities you see fit.

Let me pour some of my thoughts on this page:
My Mission Set the Mark
Elder Holland gave a fantastic talk about serving missions in October of 2011.  It was the latter part of my mission and I thought my service would end in 2 months.  Elder Holland pursued the idea of serving missions at a senior age.  This was an idea that crossed my mind, but I never thought too hard about.  This past Sunday, a wonderful couple had just returned from their mission in Singapore and Malyasia.  They were preparing to go on a second mission.  As my wife sat at my side I couldn't help but think of what our future holds in the term of missionary service.  Senior missionaries make no small amount of sacrifice.  They must find a way to have their belongings taken care of, provide full support of their mission without receiving payment from the Church for their service.  An impression came upon my mind to begin preparing for this next stage in my life, even if it's 30-40 years down the road.  I do not know when that time will come, except that it is quite a few years down the road.  But I want my household to say "In this home, we serve missions" as Elder Holland proclaimed.  I want my mission to be the starting mark for my children to serve, for my wife and I to serve, and to put our hands in the service of the Lord.

Undying Influences
My mission brought opportunities to meet people that I would never forget.  I met people who have made impressions on my mind for the rest of eternity.  For example, a wonderful member in a military ward I served in, Brother Johnson(Name was changed for confidentiality).  Brother Johnson served in the high rankings of the army and had little to no time for himself.  He was called as an Elders Quorum president in the midst of a busy time in his military career.  This was no excuse for him.  He gave 100% of his heart to his calling and the church.  One bishop I served under was such a tremendous influence on the members of the ward that I believe he sets the bar for other bishops in the church.  All bishops I have met are inspired men, and this Bishop was a tremendous man.  He made a great effort to visit many members in the ward regardless of his busy schedule with work and family.  He truly cared about the well being of everyone he came in contact with.
Some converts I taught instantly gave up some lifestyles because of their belief in God.  Alcohol was thrown out, tea was dropped, cigarettes were smashed as they strove to live by Gospel ordinances.  I am so truly grateful for each individual I met on the islands of O'ahu and Kaua'i.  I will never, ever forget these great saints and those I taught.

The Most Important:  My Savior
Of all the sacred and important things I learned, the most important came over the course of my two years.  My Savior was real, and His atonement is eternal.  I had a testimony of Him before my mission, but as you spend time in His service (For two years or even a few hours) you truly begin to understand the love that He felt for those who didn't love him.  I consider this knowledge so fragile because if I do not exercise it often, I will lose it.  The influences of the world want to take this knowledge away from me no matter how much I want to hold on.  My Savior is real.  He lives.  All of us can come to know Him by seeking Him and living the life He wants us to.

I testify that no matter how hard times get, the Lord knows what you are going through.  Whether you are losing a family member to an illness, the pains of death, the pains of an emotional loss, physical suffering, or anything you may feel, Jesus Christ knows what you are going through.  Reach out to Him and get to know Him.  He is Jesus Christ, He is your Lord.  I am grateful for the love that He has for all of us.

To all those reading this, I strongly encourage you to look for opportunities to serve your fellow brethren.  In any way possible, reach out to them.  Simple acts of kindness make an everlasting impression.

There Is Someone For Everyone

I Liked It So I Put A Ring On It

The Lord has a funny way of showing us His plan.  Sometimes we make plans and tell God, "This is what I'm going to do."  I'm sure he gets a big laugh when we tell him things that He knows aren't going to happen. 
Well I had that situation.  Beginning of August 2012, I told the Lord that my plan was to attend Utah State and graduate in Aviation Technology.  It took only 4 months for me to see that's not where He wanted me to be and I transferred to BYU-Idaho majoring in Business Management. 
This isn't the only interesting part to His plan for me.  My original plans were to eventually find someone, fall in love, get married, the rest is history.  But it wasn't in my book of plans for a while.  My best friend in the world and I are set to be married in the temple on August 17 in the Logan Temple.  We met when I first returned from my mission and became close friends quickly.  Eventually over time, our friendship turned into something more.  That something more turned into something much deeper.  It became inevitable to the both of us that this is what we both wanted and we knew that we had something special.  We plan to take that something special and turn it into an eternal relationship that is meant to last beyond this life.
Being on a mission and meeting couples who needed the blessings of the temple, and the sealing power (Being able to have these relationships beyond death) it was always common knowledge to myself that these blessings are so significant that I didn't want to miss out on them for myself.  I knew that the most important thing I wanted in my future spouse was to be able to be sealed to her for time and all eternity.   
We will have that very same privilege in August, and we are both extremely excited!!
With that being said, we are both attending BYU-Idaho with plans of graduating and (if the Lord isn't laughing right now) to move back to Logan, Utah and continue our Aggie pride in graduate school at Utah State.  We are both extremely excited for the future ahead of us and to see where life will take us in 5 to 10 years from now!  For me personally I feel so blessed and grateful to have a woman in my life who is so patient with me.  I'm a five year old at heart and Kindsey is the only girl I know that could handle that and love me for that.  

Returning to the Mission

First off, I'm so sorry it's been 7 months since I've posted.  I will use the common excuse of "I've been busy" because..it's true.  I started school at Utah State University (GO AGGIES) in August, and have been working in the process.  So, as a college student, yes.. I've been busy :)
Anyways, I was so blessed and fortunate to be able to return back to the Hawaiian Island at the end of August and stay for a few days.  I was on O'ahu from August 31 to September 1, and was on the beautiful island of Kaua'i until my return flight home on September 3.  It was a very brief trip, but it was worth every second to be back "home".  I wanted to give a little report of what I was able to experience while I was back in the islands.
If you remember in Kaneohe, I became very close to an amazing family, the Jackola's.  My old companion Barraza and I were able to visit them and catch up.  It felt JUST like we were still missionaries and visiting them, it was wonderful!!!! They are still hilarious and amazing people!!
I was able to visit with one of my favorite converts, Auntie and Uncle Jay.  They were sealed nearly a year after their baptism date, and they are absolutely fantastic and strong!! They still have such a love and connection to the gospel!! They amaze me!! They have a fire that very few members have, even life long members.  For that, they are examples to me, and I love them dearly!
Also on O'ahu, I was able to attend the Laie temple with the Keeler family from Lihu'e.  President Dalton, the mission President, attended as well and I learned so much from him! We sat next to each other during the session and he taught me so much, he truly was called of God to be over the Hawaiian islands.

What I did to Bro. Keeler's car!

During my stay on Kaua'i I was FINALLY able to step foot on the beach!! Oh how amazing that was!!! I was able to get in the water, play on the sand, and not worry about being "disobedient" haha.  Kaua'i is still my favorite island (I LOVE O'ahu, but my heart was always on Kaua'i!)
I decided to attend the Lihu'e ward for that fast Sunday.  I had a lot of Aggie Pride as Bishop Young conducted the meeting and said "Our Aggie Warrior is in attendance today."  A lot of the ward members were surprised to see me there, seeing as I gave them very little notice.  But it was worth the look on their faces as I saw them and they saw me unexpectedly. 
The last convert I was able to baptize before I left the mission stood up to bear her testimony very first in the meeting.  Beverly did a beautiful job and brought tears to my eyes to hear her bear a powerful testimony.  If you read the previous posts you'll know it took a lot of faith and prayers to see her baptism happen, but it was very spiritual.  I stood up after her and bore my testimony of the restoration, and it was SO AMAZING being able to look out to that congregation and remember how each individual touched my life by their strong examples.
I saw other converts there such as Joey, Lisa, George, and others.  Being able to see them still strong brought me SO much gratification in the hard work I gave into my mission. 
One particular experience I wanted to share was with George and Pua.  This was one family that had fallen inactive, George was a non member, and they had no interest in the church.  Shortly before I arrived the missionaries invited them to church and they began to attend.  I was blessed to be a part of the conversion process for George and see the family re-activated.  When I was with Elder Coffin, we invited George and Pua to read the Book of Mormon from front to back.  I even challenged Pua to a reading contest (She is a fast reader).  Needless to say she read it twice by the time I finished once.  I took the time to sit down with their family while I was back and catch up with them.  They are still doing so well!!! Pua is a Primary teacher and George has received the Melchizedek priesthood (The higher priesthood).  I loved being able to see the FULL circle of my work and see what was accomplished by their faith!
When I returned home, my Utah State tie was left behind in Hawai'i.  Bro. Keeler thought it would be funny to skype him "Burning" my tie.  I was horrified as I watched my tie catch fire.  Later on I received it in the mail and he burned a tie that looked very similar to it.  Well, he let me borrow his car on Kaua'i, so I decided to put USU stickers on his car :).
The Hawaii Honolulu Mission is still doing AMAZING, President Dalton informed me they had about 140 baptisms in July and were on track for over 100 in August.  The Lord is working WONDERS in those islands.
Anyways, this is my report, and I apologize again for the lack of posting.  I promise to do better :) I'll keep up with it!! Thanks so much for all the Love and Aloha I felt being back in the islands and I CAN NOT wait till I return.

I am so sorry for the lack of posting!! As you know the regular life after a mission gets pretty busy!! Work, friends, getting ready for school, and everything else!!
Well on that note, my dear sweet sister made a video for me from my mission!! I hope you enjoy it!!!
I promise to do a longer post this week!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQF-FLlpF94&feature=share

A Two Year Dream

Thus has ended my two year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. These past two years has felt simply like a dream. It slipped right by and before I knew it, here I am at home typing my "concluding" mission entry. It feels like yesterday, December 9, 2009 that I typed my first entry as a full time missionary, and within that span of time, I have seen many miracles and amazing things happen. I served my last year in two areas, and they became my two favorite areas. Kaneohe 3/6, and Lihue Kaua'i. The Kaneohe 3/6 area was such a terrific area and I truly learned how to love others, and how to develop charity towards my fellow brethren. I served 7 months in the Lihue ward, where I found many people who became like my family.
My whole mission was filled with people who would change my life, and I hope that I have changed theirs. When I first began, the hardest thing I did was to say goodbye to my family and leave 19 years of my life behind. Now after two years, the hardest thing I had to do was say goodbye to my other family in Hawai'i. To put the official stamp on my last entry I would like to post lyrics to a song titled "The Hardest Thing I've Ever Loved To Do"

The hardest thing I ever loved to do
was letting go of everything I ever knew
nineteen years of dreams left in my room
as I buttoned up the jacket of my suit
The hardest word I’ve ever loved to say
was goodbye to my mom and walk away
choking on my tie and on my tears
as I walked down the hall into those years
the sweetest song I’ve ever loved to sing
filled the MTC on angel’s wings
the chorus filled my soul 5000 strong
and I wished it would just go on and on
the firmest hand I’ve ever loved to shake
was my trainer’s with that big grin on his face
he grabbed my bag and put his arm ‘round me
and whispered
"I’m gonna work those Mr. Macs right off your feet"
The hardest words I’ve ever anguished for
came just before some lady slammed her door
my trainer left me hanging out to dry
ans a minute of painful silence rolled right by
but the hardest tears I ever loved to cry
fell as I opened up my mouth and testified
between the tiny walls of a stranger’s living room
the Spirit told their hearts my words were true
the most wonderful sound I’ve ever heard
is the sound of water running in the church
as someone I’d come to love got dressed in white
my eyes saw their first glimpse of Heaven’s light
the hardest thing I’ve ever come to see
is a man down on his knees in agony
a drop of blood falls down on olive leaves
and for a moment he suffers there for me
the hardest thing I’ve ever loved to do
was getting on this plane and coming home to you
in a million ways completely torn apart
as a land so far away still owns my heart
in the most sincere prayer I’ve ever prayed
I thank my God for each and every day
for the blessing of the man I’ve come to be
as I walk up and kiss my mama’s cheek.

I am so grateful for the time I had to serve, and I know that God lives and He sent His son Jesus Christ to prepare a way for us to return to live with Him. I promise all of you if you follow His teachings and His commandments, you truly will be taken care of. I know this for a fact!!! I love this gospel and Jesus Christ. Mele Kalikimaka!!

P.S. Don't worry, I'll still be doing a blog :)

Final Week As A Full-Time Missionary

ALOHA!!
What a week what a week!! It was my final full week as a missionary. I gave up, I didn't work much this week. What's the point? Going home in a week, it was tough, so I just kinda..slept a lot!! Just Kidding!!WE HAD A BAPTISM!!! I was hoping so hard I would have a baptism before I left, and I did!! It was for Beverly L***!! She was baptized on Saturday and it was a very special experience!! We fasted with her last Sunday to help things get moving, and she told us on Tuesday she'd do everything it takes to get baptized on Saturday! She asked me to perform the ordinance, and so it was a deep honor for me to be able to do that for her. It was an awesome, awesome week!! So
Beverly was baptized :)
Rest assured, I worked hard don't worry haha. We were able to get things done, and in the process I was able to get ready for my flight next week. Sunday was a rather special day too. We had the confirmation of Beverly, and then I was able to say goodbye to a lot of members. Kalaheo ward held a farewell party for me and Sister Kamada (she's leaving the area) too. I was able to see a lot of the members from my greenie area!! Not a lot of missionaries get to do that haha. On top of that, I got to call a bunch of members to invite them to the airport on Thurday evening. It was good to talk to members again such as the Pasikala's, Jackola's, Barkdull's, and Jay's. Many more too, I made a lot of phone calls!! Well, for this upcoming final week, I will spend tomorrow in the field, but than will fly to O'ahu on Wednesday. From there we'll go to the Temple, Polynesian Culture Center, and the Swap Meet. Thursday, we'll get to go to Pearl Harbor and see the USS Missouri, Arizona, and Bowfin Submarine! Than I'll fly out at 10 pm to land in Salt Lake City in the morning. What a ride it has been these past 2 years, from Kaua'i to O'ahu to Utah, to O'ahu, and back to Kaua'i. I can't believe 2 years have passed. I thank ALL of you for your support and encouragement the past 24 months, and am eternally grateful for this opportunity I have had to serve on a mission. I'm grateful for all the members, investigators, miracles, and the hand of God that has been involved in this work so many times!! I know without a doubt this church is true, and that Jesus is our Savior. I love Him and am grateful for His love.
I'll see you all this week.

Much love and Aloha

This is the last post by Elder Travis' mom. From this point on he will be posting after he gets home and is released from being a full-time missionary. We're so pleased that he will be returning with honor soon.
Elder Travis' Mom

"My Heart Is In Kauai And I Love It Here"

Alooooha

How are ya'll doing this week?

We had quite a week!! We had my final zone conference. It was a good Christmas Zone Conference. We watched "17 Miracles", and it was quite a movie. It made me cry, it was very powerful and I truly am proud of my ancestors who crossed the plains in the snow. What courage that took. We are soo so lucky to not have to suffer with any of this. We are SO blessed these days to have a better sense of "Freedom of Religion" than the poor saints in the 1800's.

Yesterday was my final fast and testimony meeting with the ward. I got up and thanked the ward for all the support they've given me. They have grown to become my family, and I love them so much for all they've done for me. Next week will be a very emotional goodbye as I officially say goodbye on Sunday.
(Pictured above: Elder Travis with the Stake Presidency in Kauai)

We have been working with Beverly, and she just wants to get baptized so bad, but she has those small things to work out. So we decided to fast with her on Sunday for a hope that a miracle could happen!! We fasted together and now we are full or prayers that she may be baptized sometime soon. I'm hoping for one final miracle to end my mission. But if not, it's in the Lord's hands and I continually see miracles every day!!
It is very weird to think that my mission will be ending next week and I'll be back in Utah. This is my last week before I fly to O'ahu and get ready for my flight home. I have very mixed emotions, even as I write this, to those thoughts. Only missionaries leaving the mission can understand, I want to stay, my heart is in Kaua'i, and I love it here, but on the same end, it's time to go home and get to a normal life and begin a new journey. But on the same end, I love this gospel so much I want to dedicate every day to living it like I have as a missionary. It's just weird, but it will be good to be with family once again, especially for Christmas.Aside from that, things are going good, and this week will be filled with goodbyes and farewells. I am excited for Sunday when Kalaheo ward (my first area) will hold a farewell party for me, and I'll get a chance to say goodbye to them. That same day I get to call members from my old areas on O'ahu (Kailua, Kahala, and Kaneohe) to invite them to see me off at the airport!

Well, I love you all and thanks for all you've done for me. I love this gospel and know it's true!! Hope to see you at my homecoming in two weeks and to talk to you soon!!

"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!!!!

Final Transfer

Aloha!!!!

Well....A big big BIG weight is off my shoulders. I now know where and who I will finish my mission with. I no longer have to worry about walking areas, new areas, or crazy people!! We had transfer news come in last night, and I'm the happiest cat around. I will be finishing my mission in the Lihue, Kaua'i area. I was born in Kalaheo Kaua'i, and will finish in Lihue Kaua'i!!! I'm so excited to die where I was born! (Mission lingo). I've spent a wonderful 9 months on this island, and will spend 6 more weeks here!!!!

Unfortunately, I wont' finish with Elder Coffin. It will be with an Elder named Elder Entz (spelling?). He is about 9 months out, and I will train him as a Zone Leader. He will be my 3rd zone leader I've trained. So, I'm excited for a new transfer!! I am sad Elder Coffin is going. I spent 18 weeks with him. He's a funny kid and cracks me up. I've enjoyed being with him a lot, ad we've really learned how to get along!! It will be sad leaving him. He's taking off to Waipahu O'ahu, which is west side.

As far as our week. I have never ever had a week as a missionary that was so stressful, so crazy, so wild, but so rewarding, and so blessed. We had the last week of October and the transfers, and 4 baptisms scheduled. To start the week off, we were scared that Sheri was going to drop! We went through A LOT to finally feel comfortable that she would actually get baptized. It's hard to explain, but we had a lot of opposition that we had no control over. But we overcame it, and Sheri and Elijah were baptized on Saturday!! Their son, Brayden, dropped out last minute because he is very shy and very quiet. He was nervous to come. So we talked to him yesterday and we're going to try to do a service for him today at 4. We'll pray that it will happen!!!

Here is the awesome miracle of the week however. I mentioned last week, Tim ***. We had a lesson with him Monday night, and it was such an awesome lesson. The spirit was so strong and we could feel it, he could too!!! We told him about how we prayed for him to get baptized that weekend, and Natalia called us 30 seconds later telling us he wanted to get baptized. We told him that we took that as a sign and Heavenly Father would like to see him get baptized on Saturday. He looked kind of puzzled and said, "I was thinking of next week Saturday, but this week will be ok too!" Tears filled his new wife's eyes as he said these words, and we testified to the importance of him taking this step, and the blessings that will be coming into his life because of it. So we had his baptism on Saturday, and it was awesome!!!! I'm so, so, SO blessed and humbled to have been a part of this, because now he is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ, along with his wife Natalia and their daughter Jaeisha. Elder Coffin and I were able to play a part in their conversion, and saw this wonderful family baptized.

Aside from that, that's really all that happened!! We are finding great potential for November baptisms to finish my mission off!! I'm excited for these last 6 weeks, and will work harder than ever to see great things happen!! I want my last transfer to be like Elder Barraza's, baptism after baptism!! If it's the Lord's will and I am obedient and diligent, it'll happen!! I love this work and am so grateful to be a part of it!!!

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

Jumping Out Of Our Seats With Excitement

Aloha!!

How are ya'll doing!!

We had such a great week. Kinda trying though. We were going to have a baptism last weekend, but we pushed it back a week to help them prepare!! It'll be a big crunch time this week because it's the last week of the month and our mission really would love to see 115 baptisms this month. (That'd be a record in the mission) but, we also have to make sure they are worthy strong converts to the church!!! We starting teaching Allisah, she is 11 years old and is so smart!!! She wants to get baptized this weekend, we just need her mothers approval. That might be tricky, but we'll see. Just pray for her :) haha. She really wants to and is super super smart!!!!

We started teaching a recent convert's new husband. At the end of July, Natalia was baptized with Jaeisha. She married Tim, and now we are teaching him. He is a super super humble guy, and is a wonderful guy!! He's been coming to church and we've really seen the spirit emulate in him. He's ready to go!! He just needs a date!! It was awesome, because we prayed this morning and asked Heavenly Father to help him be ready to be baptized this week if it's His will. Literally 30 seconds later, we received a phone call from Natalia and she said, "Tim wants to be baptized, it could happen in the next two weeks!" Elder Coffin and I jumped out of our seat and we were so excited!! We are pushing for 10 baptisms in Kauai, and we are ALMOST there, it'll take a miracle, but it can happen. Kauai hast had ten baptisms in a month for YEARS!! The mission is doing extremely well!!! We've had 66 baptisms so far, and we have 61 scheduled this weekend. We are really trying to hit 115 this month!! We're trying. But we are super super excited about Tim!! That is a super true miracle!!!

Otherwise, this is the last week of the transfer!! My last transfer starts next week. I am really praying to finish here on Kaua'i. That'd be cool to be "born" on this island and "die" here too. We'll find out on Sunday, and I'll find out who I finish my mission with!! It'd be cool to finish it with Elder Coffin, I'll just have to wait and see!!

I love you all and hope to hear from you soon!!!

For Time And All Eternity - The Jays

Aloooha!!

How are you all doing? I'm swell!! I must say, I love love this beautiful island of Kaua'i. This morning we did a hike, Powerline, and we had such a beautiful view from Ana Hoala to Poi Pu. This is the most beautiful spot on earth. I'm so thankful to be here, I hope I finish my mission here!!
Anyways, onto the missionary work!! Kaua'i is doing wonderful!! We have seen so many miracles this week. It's looking like this family is going to get baptized on Saturday, and we are so excited for that to happen!!! She reads and prays everyday with her kids now!! We'll see how this new week goes huh??

We also found some good potential for a baptism next week. We've had this little girl come to church the past few months, and we finally FINALLY was able to meet with her. We asked her if she wants to get baptized and she said yes!! So we set it for the 29th. That just might happen too!! We'll see how it goes :) Fingers crossed!!!

The mission is really pushing for 115 baptisms in October. We've had 45 so far in the month, and have 99 scheduled to finish off October. The Hawaii Honolulu mission record is 108 set in May 2010. So with the fall out rate, we could see 115 reached with these others. We need 70 wonderful converts to stay strong. We are so excited, but it's definitely crunch time in the mission!!!

Otherwise, things in Lihue are going very well. We are looking at maybe 5 baptisms over the next two weeks!!! We have a transfer coming up in 2 weeks, so I hope and pray to finish my mission here!!!!!

Also, about a year ago, was the baptism of Brother and Sister Jay. They just passed through the Laie Temple on Saturday (The 15th) and were sealed for time and all eternity. This is very special and important to me, because this is the ultimate goal for all our wonderful recent converts...is entering the temple. I wish so bad I could have been there, but I was on a different island. But nevertheless, it was special to hear from, and I know that generations will be blessed because of these two wonderful people who I consider my Ohana.

Well, I love you all, hope all is well and hope to hear from some of you soon!!!