"I'm Happy With How Things Are Going"

Aloooooha!!

How are you all doing!! I'm doing pretty good!!


Well, let me start off with a cool story. We were sitting in sacrament meeting, in the very back, when about 5 minutes into it, I see someone walk in the back. I realized he was a freaking tall man. I was like, "fetch...he's tall!" Than he sat by us and I thought, "He looks like Shawn Bradley!"..so I take a closer look, and yup...Shawn Bradley, who is 7'6", who played for the Dallas Mavericks, BYU and is VERY tall, was sitting right next to me and Elder Coffin with his wife. We talked to him for a bit after sacrament, got his picture and his autograph, than he ran off. He is a very very tall man. Taller than Yao Ming. It was wild haha. (Edit by Elder Travis' mom: Travis is 6 foot tall, maybe 6'1", so you can see how much taller Shawn is. Oh, and thanks Chrissy for emailing me these pictures).But anyways, back to the mission stuff!! We had a good week. We saw a few things happen. We have a lot of potential we're finding, just need to get it moving. We found a few unbaptized children who we are trying to work with, a few former investigators who almost got baptized!!!
One of our members are working with the K*** Ohana. They're a family of 6 and we're close to being baptized a few years ago. We're going to meet with them this Thursday, and hopefully that'll be the lesson they need. We'll find out on Thursday if that's what they need.


We taught Melissa G***t again!! That was awesome. She had a complete change since we last met with her, and instead of just reading 3 Nephi 11, she read all of 3 Nephi. She said she just kept reading and didn't realize how far she got into! She's awesome. We will meet with her this week!!! I'm excited to see what can happen!!


Everyone is doing well!! Recent converts are doing well. I'm happy at how things are going!! The Luder's are awesome. One of my favorite families in the ward as well. They are very open about the gospel and willing to share it.


Anyways, good week, we should have a better one this week. We taught 30 lessons, and this week we're trying for our 50. We'll see how it goes!!!


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

The Refiner's Fire

Aloha!!!

Well it's been a very interesting week!! We didn't teach 45 lessons, only 28, but we'll shoot for higher this next week :).The baptism of Hilton was supposed to take place on Saturday. Friday his wife stepped in and said, "If you get baptized, we'll get divorced." She feels it's breaking their Catholic vows of marriage and a violation of them, which obviously, it would do nothing to the vows. It's sad because he really wants to be baptized, but it's hard to go against his wife, and since the church is all about families...it was a difficult situation. He postponed his baptism and we'll try another week and pray for her heart to be softened...until than, he'll keep coming to church and so on.


I mentioned that Chelsea postponed her baptism last week, and now she doesn't want to meet with missionaries anymore. She's really fallen apart and lost site of the greatness of this gospel. We'll have to pray hardcore for her now as well.

The adversary tried awfully hard to get things broken down on us, but with disappointments gives time for revelation and stronger conviction. The shadow proves the sunshine, or it's darkest before the dawn-type of phrase. We know great things are in store for Kaua'i, and Lihu'e. We have a wonderful member in our ward who set up a Family Home Evening with a family of 6 who used to be taught and almost got baptized a few years ago. They are interested in coming back and learning, so we could see a major miracle happen there by the end of tonight. We're excited for that!!

Yesterday was fast Sunday. I took the opportunity to bear my testimony and share the wonderful experience we recently had with Kari!! It was such a wonderful experience to teach her and help her come into the gospel. She's a strong convert and will do much good!!


We have a wonderful family in our ward that Elder Coffin and I have drawn really close to. The Pedro's!! They are just wonderful people and so strong in the gospel. They have become like my family here in Lihu'e ward and it's just been so wonderful to get closer to them. Their son is about ready to get his mission call and will be such a wonderful missionary!! We are very excited for them!! They were less active for a few years, but are now stronger than ever and we love them very much!!


Speaking of companions, transfers came up!! Elder Coffin and I will be staying in Lihu'e ward on Kaua'i for the next six weeks together!! Which I'm very happy about!! We are getting an addition though, we'll be in a tripanionship with Elder Tiakia (See uh Key uh). He's 9 months out and is from New Zealand. We'll have an interesting time together!! I'm just happy to stay on Kaua'i and in Lihu'e. I love this ward too much to leave!

Anyway, I love you all and thanks for your support and love!! Today marks my 20 months when I was set apart. It's been fast, and continues to be faster. Before I know it, December will be here, and it will be a new stage in life. Until than, I'll work my hardest!!

Another New Record

ALOOOHA!

Well, now we had just an amazing week!!! Let me tell you all about it!! Ok, so first, last week we taught 41 lessons...this week we taught 45. We really wanted 50 but it just didn't happen. We were busy from Monday night to Sunday night with very little time to breathe, but it was nice. We were definitely busy!! That's how it should be!!
Our baptisms went excellent!! Natalia's baptism was really really strong and powerful. It's been a year in the making and she just needed the right time! This was it, and she was baptized with her daughter on Sunday!!


Nolan's baptism was excellent as well!!! He was really really nervous before, but it went smoothly. He's a really tall fella and so he had to be bending when he got baptized or he would've hit his head. He's hilarious though, and I'm glad I was a part of his baptism!!!


Kari was baptized on Sunday after Natalia!! This was another powerful baptism. I'm so amazed that Kari met with us for about 18 days, and she just embraced the gospel. She amazes me, and will make an excellent impact on many of the members of the church and outside of it.

We were supposed to have a baptism for Chelsea as well. However she was really tried by the adversary and she felt like she wasn't ready. So she backed out a few hours before the service. It was sad, but you can't force or rush anybody. I know she'll be baptized soon anyways!!
So with all that, Kaua'i had 9 baptisms this month, and we were 1 shy of a free dinner from President. But he said he'll buy us ice cream which will work! haha.

We had ZLC yesterday on O'ahu!! That was a crazy time. Elder Coffin left his wallet at the Luder's home, and so he had to be interrogated by the security before he could get on the plane. Than we BARELY made our stand by flight. We thought we would have to fly separately (We missed our original flight) but Elder Coffin got the LAST seat on the plane, so we barely made it!! Than we missed our second flight cuz the meeting went late, so we didn't get home till about 6:30 at night. It was a fun day! I said goodbye to a lot of my friends in the mission. Some are going home next week with the transfer, some in September. It was sad, but I'll see them again. I'll see Elder Jaramillo again with him going to USU.


But regardless, it was a big fruitful weekend, and now we have time to find some more and see what we can do in August. I'm really excited, I love being a missionary and love serving. I'm treasuring all the time I have to serve.

Love ya'll and hope to hear from ya soon!!

The Best Week Of His Mission

Aloooha!!

We had a good P-Day!! We went up Koke'e and played Ultimate Frisbee with Bishop Herr of Kalaheo ward and our zone. It was fun!!! Waimea canyon is like the grand canyon of Kaua'i!! It's amazing, google it if you can!!

Well, let me say this: we had the best week of my MISSION. We taught a whopping 41 LESSONS. The ward noticed that we were BUSY!! We were running everywhere, teaching teaching teaching....and teaching. I have NEVER expected myself to see 40 lessons in one week. But it happened. WOW, and to add to that is 5 baptisms this weekend!!!!!


Let me start with Kari: She's doing amazing. She keeps telling us that the night we met her was very special! I keep telling her, "there's a reason we were there, and I'm glad you see it!" She has exclaimed, "Why didn't I do this before? My whole life would be different!!" She is amazing. She will be baptized on Sunday!! I'm excited!!!

Next: Nolan!!! He's doing swell!! He's still set for Saturday and is excited as well. He seems prepared and ready to go. He's awesome!!!


Chelsea will be baptized on Saturday as well!! Lisa, her mother, was baptized last month, and her daughter wanted to follow!! She's doing awesome and is bringing friends into the gospel as well!!!


Now we'll move to Natalia!!! She has been taught for a year and called us up on Tuesday and wanted to meet!! So we went to meet with her and she said, "I want to be baptized in September instead of August!" That made my heart drop and I thought there was no way she'd get baptized if that happened. We had an amazingly powerful lesson and somehow...somehow...we were able to touch her and help her feel the need to get baptized soon!! She's ready, she just needs to do it. I don't know what we taught her honestly, it was completely by the spirit. My companion and I kept being pulled in the same direction, and kept opening to same scriptures (We had NO lesson plan) and she told us she wants to get baptized on July 31. We were excited!!! So we have 5 baptisms this weekend in Lihue ward!!!

On top of that, President Dalton told us if we can hit a new record for baptisms in our zone, (Which is 8) than he'll take us out to dinner and an activity of our choosing!! So we are set to hit 10 this month of July. He should be out here next week or the following :).

So yes, everyday was FILLED with miracles. I've never quite had a week like this one. Miracles after miracles after miracles!!!


On top of that, we had Elder Rasband come meet with us!!! It was awesome. I got to shake his hand. He spoke and we had a couple of the people we are teaching there. Elder Rasband is in the presidency of the Seventy. The senior president. So he holds a very high sacred calling in the church. He opened and said, "I want to talk about the thing that is discussed the most at the feet of the apostles and prophets...families!" He gave us four quotes from modern prophets about the importance of families and having the gospel in our life. It was a very powerful fireside, and I'm glad to have met him and shake his hand!!!


Also, when I was in Kalaheo last year, I met a family named Cathy and Charles A***!! They were baptized in November of 2010, and I saw them last night at the fireside. Charles looked at me and said, "Do you remember me?" He looked so different, and I had to think about it, then I realized it was the man I started teaching in February of 2010!!! We talked for a long time, and caught up!! He told me, "You were a stepping stone to our conversion." And now he's very active in the church. It really touched me to think that I was a tool in the Lord's hands to plant a seed and nourish it, and later on they were baptized. They plan on going through the temple sometime soon!!! On that note, I also met a girl named Kapua K*** that I bumped into in Kalaheo that was baptized in November and I had no idea either!!!


The last thing to mention: Hilton came to church!!! They moved his baptism to August 6 though, just so they can make sure I can make it there since we're going to have two baptism services in Lihue on Sunday. So he's pretty set in stone now!! I'm excited to see it happen!!


Well, I love you all!!! It was a blessed week, we'll see what can happen this week!!!
Love ya!

A Record 30 Lessons

Aloha!!!

Oh my, we had a miracle week!! First off, we taught 30 lessons, 11 of those were to investigators. That is a record for me in the mission. I've taught 29 a few times, but never 30. We were BUSY BUSY!! Tonight alone we have 4 lessons set up!! It's so exciting to see how things are going in Lihue ward!!Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Seventy will be here in Kaua'i this weekend to do a fireside. President Dalton will be coming as well. I'm very excited to see what could happen with that. He is the President of the presidency of the Seventy, so he is a step below the Apostles!!


We had a good week with Kari! (Carrie was how I thought you spelled it!) We had 5 lessons with her this week!! That's right!! We taught her Tuesday night, than every day since than. The spirit was strong in a lot of the lessons we had!! Especially the restoration, and when we taught her about God Is Our Loving Heavenly Father. It was a very special experience as Elder Coffin and I helped her realize her true potential, and how much our Heavenly Father truly loves her. She could really feel the spirit and it was noticeable. We set a baptismal date with her for July 31, and it seems pretty solid to me so far. She is a miracle of my mission I'll never forget. The way we met her, the way we've been teaching her has all been perfect!!Hilton won't be baptized this week either. He is pushed to the 31 because he didn't come to church!! So the following week should be his baptism!!!


We had interviews with President Dalton this week. I really thought a lot about my mission before I went in. I was the first to go in, and we sat down for a good 30 minutes and just talked. Talked about my leadership calling as a Zone Leader, talked about me personally, talked about my mission. I realized how much I truly love my mission that morning. How much joy and how many good experiences I've had. I asked President what the possibilities of an extension would be. He told me it was such a rare exception. He then told me that it made him happy I asked, but to not worry about it and go home, go to school, and be with the family for Christmas. I knew it was a long shot, but now I know I tried asking and don't need to wonder, "What if I asked?". I truly do love my mission though, with all of my heart. I'm so SO thankful for the opportunity I have to be able to serve him everyday on a consistent basis and to stand as an example of Jesus Christ.

Nolan is doing quite well. He's still set for next week, as well as Chelsea! So the ward will have two baptisms this month, and we're stoked for it. Nolan was another miracle. He will be the first baptism I've seen come from contacting former investigators. I'm excited.


Anyways, I love you all!! Hope to hear from ya soon and thanks so much for what you do for me!!!
Love ya!

The Carrie/Kari Miracle

Aloha!!!

We had an awesome week this week!! We see how much potential that Lihue ward has to grow!! Right now we still are set for the 4 baptisms coming up!! 2 on July 30, and 2 on August 6. Nolan is doing amazingly well!! We had a lesson at a members home and watched a conference talk from President Monson. I think it hit Nolan just how true this church is, and how much it can bless him and make him happy! It was an amazing lesson!!!
We are looking for more potential!! Joey, who was baptized not too long ago, has a niece that has been coming to church and is interested!! We're going to work with her!! We also should be teaching an 11 year old unbaptized kid here!! I'm looking forward to it!!

We have a referral from our ward mission leader that has solid potential!! We had an amazing experience with that. We were going to contact her, and we only had the street name, but no house number. We were driving up and down trying to find which home was hers! As we drove by one home I saw a lady, and something told me that was her! So I pulled over and thought about if that was her. I saw her start walking by our car towards the dark streets and was beginning to disappear. Something told me, "Get out, and go talk to her!!" So I jumped out of the car and asked her if she knew who Carrie was. (EDIT: He found out later that you spell her name Kari). She responded, "That's me." I told her that God had sent us to see her tonight and there's a reason why we are here right now. She started to cry and said she was going through a really tough time. She said, "It's time I do something about that." We set up a lesson with our Ward mission Leader for Tuesday night, and I'm looking forward to teaching her and working with her!! It was a true miracle!!On the other hand, Joey also helped prepare the sacrament on Sunday!! It was awesome to see him start fulfilling his priesthood responsibilities.

I love love being a missionary. I don't want to stop serving the Lord, and I'm happy that I still have 5 months left to serve. I see miracles all the time, and I'm so honored to serve God everyday. I know He lives and He's aware of His children. I won't stop or slow down, and I'm going to keep going!


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

Greenie Day Baptism

Aloooha!!!

We had an awesome week. First off, my new companion is Elder Coffin from Idaho Falls, Idaho. He's a cool kid, reminds me of Elder Infanger a little bit.

We worked hard this week and we were able to see miracles happen. We have been trying hard to find someone who is ready to be baptized in July. We went to visit a family who has an unbaptized keiki (child) and the mom told us she wants us to teach her son and he really needs to be baptized. That was awesome and was a huge miracle. I just hope it all follows through now!!

Hilton, from my greenie days in Kalaheo, is still set to get baptized on the 23rd. He asked me to baptize him, and I was very honored and humbled to be asked. I still remember how we found him!! Missionaries before me tracted into him, and than Elder Major and I went to visit him and he was just ready to be taught!! Now he's set to get baptized!! I'm excited.

Nolan is doing extremely well!! He's set to get baptized the 30! We'll also be having the baptismal service for Chelsea W*** (Lisa's daughter) as well. So Lihue ward will have two baptisms this month. I'm excited, we are seeing miracles on Kaua'i!!
Aside from that, we have a good week coming up, and we should be able to see miracles!! I'm excited to see what can happen in Lihue ward and what we can do!!

I love you and thanks so much for all you do!!! Hope to hear from ya soon!!

Aloha!

Another Six Weeks In Kauai

Aloooha!!!


Another week in Kaua'i has come and gone!!! Transfers came and we found out the transfer information. I am staying on Kaua'i and my companion, Elder Watson, is going to Laie to train! My companion is Elder Coffin from Idaho Falls, Idaho. He's 9 months out, so he's super young for a ZL, but it'll be fun! I get to train him as a ZL. So that'll be fun!!
We had an awesome week!!! On Tuesday, we had six lessons scheduled, and we ended up teaching ten!! We were so busy we had to split and go with members of the ward from five to nine. It was wild!! Fun though!!


Let's see. We lost all of our investigators, and than God blessed us to find six more. Four of them are set up to be baptized. Nolan is going to be baptized the 23 of July. He came to church last week, and now really wants to change his life and be baptized. I'm excited for him, he's awesome!!! That's our next baptism!!!


I failed to mention something. Joey C*** who was baptized last week, or two weeks ago, his legal middle name is "The Speedy" because when he was born, he came faster than the doctor did, so they called him the Speedy!! I think that's hilarious!!! I want to name my kid something awesome like that.


Anyways, back on track, we went to Kalaheo to watch the new version of the Joseph Smith movie. It was awesome!!! It's on radio.lds.org or you tube, and it has new material in it!! It's also meant more for people who don't know too much about Joseph Smith, so we took some of our investigators!! I saw the whole Kalaheo ward again!! It was awesome!!! The WML, Dale K***, had me stand up and re-introduced me to the ward. It was cool cuz all the members came up to talk to me again! There are so many good ward members there, I just loved that ward!! They are all incredible. I've been sooo blessed to serve in good wards such as Kalaheo and Kaneohe 3. Those have been my two favorite areas. The members in any area are so devoted to the gospel and so devoted to living it. It's such an awesome example to me of how to be when I am older in life.


Anyways, thanks for all you do!!! Love you all and hope to hear from you soon!!! A new transfer in Kaua'i!!!!

Last Week Of Transfers

Aloooooooha!!!!


Another week has come and gone here in Kaua'i!!! We had the two baptisms of Katherine T*** and Joey C***. They were both very well prepared for the gospel and so ready to be baptized. You can tell there is a different countenance about them when you see them or talk to them. They are just so much happier and know they are taking the right steps to return to live with Heavenly Father again.


I don't know if any of you remember Hilton from when I served in Kalaheo, Kaua'i. But the sisters recently started teaching him again and set a baptism date of July 23 with him. I would be so excited if he got baptized. They said they'll suggest I can do the ordinance as well, which was be awesome to baptize someone from my Greenie days. I sure loved that man and hope he can make it to be baptized. The sisters will do an awesome job with that.


We also had a miracle happen on Sunday. A few weeks ago we called a guy who was taught a long time ago and asked him if he wanted to be taught again, he surprisingly said yes. He said he was going to come to church, but didn't that week. Well, this week, he popped in and stayed all three hours!! We have a lesson set up on Wednesday, and he could be our next baptism!! I'm excited to see how that turns out!!!


Well, this is the last week of the transfer. It's going to be interesting to see how it turns out. Elder Watson could go, I think I'm staying though. I'd be very surprised if I left the island. I'm trying to pull some strings and get Elder Garritson over here. He has been on O'ahu for a year, and should come to Kaua'i with me haha. That would be sickly amazing. We'll hope and see what happens!!


Elder Watson has been sick so I did a massive 8-hour personal study. During that 8 hours I read Leviticus, Numbers, part of Deuteronomy, Mosiah, and finished Jeremiah. I'm almost done with the Old Testament. I just have to read from Ezekial on, but my brain feels like it's going to explode!! Goodness.


Anyways, work is going well, and now it's time to find investigators!!! This week, we'll work hard and see what can happen!! Love you all!!!

Edit: I found out today that Elder Garritson has just been called to be an AP (Assistant to the President) so Elder Travis will probably run into him from time to time but they won't be companions again. I can hardly wait to get his email about it next Monday.

Signs In Kauai

Here are some more silly signs of Kauai.Everyone seems to be warning us of this.This one makes me laugh right out loud!
Definitely a drink I wouldn't want to try!