Calmness of the week all made up for on Sunday

November 28, 2017

Last week for p-day we went with the Elders to a part of town where they have some really cool graffiti and took pictures. It was actually really fun!

We also were able to visit the Mission President's wife from when Sister Ogawa's parent's served in Japan, Sister Shimabakuro. She was really sweet and very well put together and had a really good memory of Sister Ogawa's parents.

Later in the day we found a really cool place to eat. It's called the Hawaiian Sweet Potato Factory. We had sandwiches with bread made out of sweet potato and a spread made from sweet potato. It was our favorite thing!

The most memorable thing that happened this week was with a family we have planned to get baptized next week. We went to go teach them and have a lesson and found out they moved and they didn't know where. So as we were about to leave the dad came running down to the car out of nowhere and the rest of the family came later. Luckily there was a friend there that spoke good english that could translate and tells us kind of where they live but they didn't know the address. So we rescheduled. It was a miracle because they were coming to their family's house for Thanksgiving and must have seen us. Also they don't really answer their phone and they can't call us. So we left to try and find whereabouts they lived with their limited directions. We drove around for at least an hour trying to find it so we wouldn't have to worry about it the next day. But decided to stop looking.The next day we were trying to find a translator and the person we usually ask was not feeling very good but she came to help because she is awesome..her name is Geraldine ! We gave her the same directions that we got and we were able to find where they lived right away. And we were able to have a lesson at their new home! We had another lesson with them the next day put Geraldine couldn't come and we couldn't find anyone. So we stopped by a recent convert's house and she said she could come but had her 2 boys. So we were trying to get permission to drive them too but they are too little. Then her husband comes home and we were able to go! Her name is Linsel and she is actually cousins with the Mom, Lackrisia that we are teaching, they grew up together but haven't seen each other since. We taught about the Word of Wisdom to find out that they are drinking coffee which is so sad because the first time we met them we reviewed the Word of Wisdom and they said they didn't have any problems :(So we were like now they have to wait 3 weeks to get baptized because that is the mission rule. Well the next day at church President and Sister Bekker were there and we were telling them about what happened and how we were okay with it because we didn't want to rush the baptism because they still need to be taught a lot. Then President made the comment that an investigator has to wait 3 weeks unless the Mission President says otherwise...I was like are you implying something President? (But I was already okay with the fact that they weren't going to be baptized) So he ended up saying it is fine if they said they are willing to commit to give it up which they were.

We also had a hectic morning trying to get them rides to church but it worked out. Then we had a hectic rest of the day finding a translator to help us teach and do the baptism interview but it all worked out with the amazing hand of God! I know this is supposed to happen because although it wasn't easy trying to get everything figured out..everything worked out! So we are having a baptism of a family of 4 next Sunday!!!!

We also had a really cool experience when we had the Elders give Geraldine a blessing because she isn't feeling very well and is going through a lot of hard things. It was really special and powerful when the Elders walked in with their white shirts and ties. You could feel the spirit immediately. After they gave her a blessing we all knelt down for a blessing on the house and you could feel the spirit so strong! I definitely felt the power of the priesthood it was amazing to feel any bad spirit that was there leave. I was reminded of the power of the priesthood.

I am so grateful to be surround by worthy and righteous priesthood holders!

We had Thanksgiving with the Bishop and his wife cooked all the food. She literally made enough for an army and we had dinner at the church. She had her grandnephew from the BYU football team come with 15 other players. We also had good friends of hers there that 1 is a less active member and the rest aren't. It was a cool experience. It was definitely not your classic thanksgiving either but it was still enjoyable.

We were able to have a classic and may I say fancy Thanksgiving with a member from Kahala, Sister Powell and 2 of her friends on Saturday...it is a tradition for them. So that was wonderful!

I am so grateful to be here and for the wonderful people that surround me!

Much love and aloha,

Sister Heath

Pictures:

Sister Ogawa and I warming our hands by the fire (Graffiti wall), Another, With the Elders from Makiki and McCully, Photoshoot?, Rose, Fish, 

Sister Ogawa and I warming our hands by the fire (Graffiti wall)

Rose

Fish

With the Elders from Makiki and McCully,

Not A Dull Moment part 2

Novewmber 20, 2017

Sorry I wasn't able to send out my email last week. We emailed for 30 minutes and had to leave to drop our car off for maintenance and planned on coming back and it didn't happen.

Last week was crazy to say the least.

We had the Book of Mormon experiment on Monday so our p-day was switched to Tuesday. It was such a great experience talking to people and sharing with them my knowledge when they wanted to know more.

We got a call Monday night saying that we needed to be packed up and ready to move the next day. So most of our p-day was spent packing up. And the man who was interested in buying the apartment wanted everything out. We didn't have the key for the new apartment so we just started moving everything while we were waiting to get the key. We luckily had a ton of help from the Bendixens. We had to wait a while for the key and then we were able to move everything up. Then we tried to get everything else done that we needed and ran out of time to come back and email because the library and mission office close at 5. We also kind of got stuck in traffic so we headed to dinner with a family from the Kahala Ward. The Burtins and they treated us to a nice Italian restaurant. I had ravioli and pumpkin cheescake for dessert. It was great. It all ended up being okay.

We were able to do the BOM experiment 1 last time before everyone went back to Utah and it was great. I really enjoyed sharing the BOM with others.

We also had quite a few lessons this week that were in Japanese because Sister Ogawa is Japanese. A family in the Kahala ward has two Japanese high school exchange students for 2 weeks and a young woman for 2 months studying Lomilomi massage. So we had a lesson with them. We also had two other lessons and it was pretty cool and Sister Ogawa loved it and seeing how prepared they are because most people she said at home are pretty closed off.

We also had a week full of miracles but one of them was in the Kahala Ward. We decided to visit someone that used to investigate and her husband. We met the Husand Raven and found out that he isn't a member but he went to church straight for 5 years after meeting the Elders. Then he stopped because his family was too supportive and he kind of lost his testimony. He hadn't been contacted for 5 years until we met him! And he said he was thinking about coming back to church! We had a great visit and he was able to make it to church on Sunday! We are excited to see what will happen in the near future! We have an appointment with him this Wednesday.

We were excited to have 9 investigators at church. Especially the family that we had a hassle with getting to church last week. We felt bad that we couldn't find them a ride. But we walked in to sacrament to find the whole family there! Such a miracle!

We are truly blessed in this area.

I love being with Sister Ogawa she has taught me alot especially about patience and forgiveness. She is the sweetest!

I know the Book of Mormon has power and when we strive to read it everyday it can help out lives improve. I also know that everything happens in the Lord's timing but if we are faithful everything will work out. This week was a true testament of that!

Love you all!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! I'm thankful for all of your love and support!

Sister Heath

Pictures: Sister Ogawa and I with our beautiful fresh leis we got from a member in Kahala Ward, Sister Ogawa and I during the Book of Mormon experiment

 Sister Ogawa and I with our beautiful fresh leis we got from a member in Kahala Ward

Sister Ogawa and I during the Book of Mormon experiment

Not A Dull Moment (The letter from last week that I didn't get to finish)

Started November 14, 2017
Sent November 20, 2017

This week was busy as normal but it was really great because we were able to find a lot of new investigators! 16 to be exact and they seem pretty solid...most Chuukese aren't super solid... We also set 13 people with baptism dates which was super exciting. We even had 7 people at Stake Conference that we know of which is great because it's usualy hard to get people to come to Stake Conference. We are truly blessed with the work!

We had exchanges this week which was fun. I went to the Honolulu west area with Sister Topp to Aiea. They have a nice sofa that I enjoyed at night and in the morning when we were getting ready :) haha It was pretty hot when we were walking around but it was fun. We were able to find 1 new investigator which was great. Sister Topp is from England too which was cool.

We had an amazing fireside on Friday night about something called the Book of Mormon experiment. I got to see Sister Tailleur from the other zone. So a team from Utah presented this experiment that they have done all over the world. Giving people one page of the Book of Mormon and highlighting references to God or Christ and there were some amazing experiences that people of other religions had. Over the next few days we were trained and able to help with the experiment ourselves. We went to UH yesterday and it was fun. Some people I talked to wanted to learn more so I was able to give out 3 Books of Mormon!

Sister Heath

            Not shave ice it's snow!

A Week Full of Adventure!

November 6, 2017

Last week we went on a 4 mile hike and it was pretty intense we climbed some good elevation. It took us about 4 hours. It was good exercise but not what we expected. One of the elders' members took a group of us.

We had a Halloween party at the Tabernacle with our zone which was really fun. We couldn't be out after 6 pm  so we had dinner and played games until it was time to go home. I'm grateful to be in this area to be a part of these fun activities. President and Sister Bekker were here for dinner which was great. We played some minute to win it games and one of them is stacking nuts with a skewer and I did pretty well. I got 8.

We also were able to do service at Pearl Harbor and it was fun because we were able to do something different. We went outside the entrance of the U.S.S Missouri and helped clean the walkway. It was great but super hot we were all dripping sweat. It was cool to see all the military personnel walk by though. We also were able to ride with the Senior couple in our area, the Bendixens which was really fun! They took us to lunch afterward and we had a good time talking on the way home. They are so fun!

This week was crazy busy running around to different appointments in the area so we didn't have much time to find new investigators. But we were able to have some really good lessons with solid investigators. We set another person for baptism in the Micronesian branch and she had already been to church. 

We also attended the elders baptism and did the missionary moment. We teamed up with another companionship to do a musical number. Elder Hulme played the ukulele and Elder Hoke (from Richland) sang with us! It was great!

We also had 5 investigators at church which was awesome. We had quite a few non-members come to church as well in the Micronesian branch!

Sister Heath

At the top of the hike..we were way up in the clouds

Sister Ogawa and I made it to the top

Multicolored dirt..only in Hawaii!

Sister Ogawa and I after service at the U.S.S Missouri

Always look for the rainbows :)

After the baptism