MELE KALIKIMAKA

Aloha and Mele Kalikimaka, or Merry Christmas in Hawaiian!

I am so overwhelmed with joy and love at this Christmas season. Not only do I feel the love of my Savior even more so, but the love from all of you. Thank you so much to everyone who has sent me Christmas letters, cards, and presents!!! I love you all so much, and it truly means the world to me. Well, I guess I'll share the cool news:

I'm back to proselyting!! Yay!!! Don't get me wrong, I loved online, but I am so excited to be back in an area =) I will be serving in the Laie 8th Ward, the YSA 8th Ward, and YSA 10th Ward! The area has a couple of investigators and potentials, so I'm excited to get to work! 

Today is transfer day and I am a grandma!! Yay! My baby Sister Jones is going to be training, so I have a grandchild, haha. My new companion is the one and only Sister Tsai!! She is from Taiwan and has been out for 3 months now. She has such an awesome testimony, and I cannot even wait to see the miracles that we will see together. We already saw one yesterday! 

Miracle #1 : 

When Sister Jones and I were on shift, a family from mainland China came in! Only two of them spoke even broken English, but I was able to take one of them (a woman) on tour while the others took pictures. I showed her the temple corner with all the pictures of the temple, and she LOVED it. She felt bad, though, because she could not understand everything I was saying. Well, in the middle of the tour I felt really impressed to show her the Book of Mormon. We walked over to the Book of Mormon display where we have it translated into 83 different languages, and when I did, Sister Tsai came walking through the Visitor Center. She was able to take over and share more! She taught the whole group about the Book of Mormon, and then showed a video in Mandarin of President Monson sharing his Testimony of The Book of Mormon. I felt the spirit so strong, even if I could not understand the language! Sister Jones and I looked at each other and then went and grabbed materials; one of them being a copy of The Book of Mormon in Mandarin. They gladly accepted it, and said they wanted to learn more, then we all got a bunch of pictures together!!! It's so cool to see this work progressing, and I am so excited for the day that the China Mission opens so this family can be taught by the missionaries!

Miracle #2: 
Let's just say, yesterday was a day full of miracles. This one is probably my favorite =) So a member of the Bishopbric in one of my old Wards came in with two non-members. They said hello to us and then walked back to all of our displays. Sister Jones and I went back to meet with them, when the Brother came up to us and explained that he brought this couple, and they were from the Philippines! Hah, being fluent in Tagalog, of course, I let out a nice, "Oh! Kumusta po kayo!!" Haha, it got us all laughing, and really broke the ice! Then the Brother asked if we could show them the Movie presentation, "God's Plan." Being our favorite, we lead them into the room where it is displayed. While we pre-set it, I bore my testimony that I know that God has a plan of happiness for us, and that a part of that plan is being with our families forever! I mentioned that I had lost many loved ones in my life, but I knew I would see them again because of the temple. The husband then says "Yup! Sure hope so," in a very, how would you say...logical tone..?  We pressed play, then I said a prayer asking Heavenly Father to help the husband and wife feel the spirit and truth of this message. No sooner were we 3 minutes into the presentation, and I see tears falling from the wife's eyes. We headed into the last room and invited them to pay attention to their thoughts and feelings, and how they can apply this message into their lives. We pressed play for the last portion. It ends, and the room is quiet. We stand up and reverently ask how they felt. It took about a minute for words to come out of the husband's mouth, but when he did, he said, "This was really hard for us......." Then the Brother from the Bishopbric spoke and said that they had just lost their son. Tears were now streaming from everyone's faces. Sister Jones and I testified that this message was true, and that through the sealing in the temple their family WILL be together again! The Husband looked at us and then said, "I believe it..." It was such a tender moment that I will never forget. 

Miracle #3: Sister Jones and I did not slip and break something playing mud Rugby yesterday!! Haha, during the winter season it is always raining and very windy. So she and I went and played rugby in the mud with the Elders, when it was pouring yesterday! SO much fun, but so muddy and so slippery!! It was awesome, though. I love my mission =)

I am so grateful for this gospel and the true joy that it brings. I love this Christmas season because it is always so happy and filled with the Christmas spirit. There is a reason for that. It is because the greatest gift we have been given was the birth of our dear Savior Jesus Christ. He brings light into this world, along with peace and hope. It is because of Him that all the bad in this world can be made up for if we simply follow Him, learn of Him, and keep His commandments. Those who were affected by the Connecticut shooting are especially in our prayers. Each one of us can know that if we are doing all that we can to follow Christ, we can have eternal happiness; happiness that last forever! This world is not the end, it is only the beginning. I testify as a representative of Jesus Christ that we WILL see our loved ones again if we are willing to do all it takes to act upon faith and endure to the end. I love my Savior so much, and I love my Heavenly Father for allowing His Son to come and suffer all of our afflictions so we will never walk alone. I know these things to be true, and I invite everyone to share this glad message! Christ truly is our "Joy to the world." 

I love you all so much! Mele Kalikimaka, and Aloha!

Sister Moyes

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

Aloha, and Happy Holidays!!!

The only word that can describe this week is MIRACULOUS! Not only in my area, or the zone, but even in the mission! Heavenly Father is truly preparing the 1200 for Hawaii. Usually the majority of guests that come into the VC are from  ALL over the world. Not this week. Heavenly Father has been sending His wonderful Hawaiian children our way. Many coming to the Visitor Center, not knowing what lead them there, but each leaving the VC having given us their contact information to meet with the missionaries!! For the past month we have truly been putting everything we have into finding those who are ready, and we are feeling Heavenly Father right by our side in every aspect of the work.  

The Miracles are endless....

Having said that, I'm keeping this e-mail short so that I can still have stories to share with my family when I call for Christmas. But know that online is going SO well, Sister Jones is almost all grown up, haha (never mind that she is six inches taller than me), and I have never been happier in my life. I know that when "ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God." Mosiah 2:17. I can testify that this is true, and I know that Christ is the prime example of service. He spent His life serving others, and I know that it is by serving that we can build up God's kingdom and find true and everlasting happiness in this life. I invite you all find an opportunity to serve  someone this Christmas season. There is always someone who needs our help, and I can promise you that not only will it mean the world to them, but you will feel closer to Christ.

I love you all so much, and appreciate your e-mails and letters! I love being a missionary, and hope yall are having a wonderful Christmas Holiday!!

Love,

Sister Moyes

IT'S THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT!!!

Happy Holidays, and ALOHAAAA!

For all those who watched the First Presidency Christmas Devotional, you better believe that after President Monson said, "Brothers and Sisters," all of us missionaries accidentally said, "Aloha!"...so, please don't make fun of me when I get home and say that after every speaker intros themselves. Oi.

I am loving this Christmas Holiday, and all that it entails. We as missionaries are so grateful for the spirit of Christ that truly fills the air during this time. I can't exactly say the same for our chats, haha, but you can definitely feel it in the Visitors' Center. This is a time that we can especially show to the world that Christ is the center of who we are. He is the greatest gift that God has given us, and we can show our gratitude in sharing that gift with others!

Our Zone is still on fire, and the blessings of hard work and diligence are becoming endless. We cannot deny that God's hand is showing us the way to find those who are searching for this true and everlasting gospel. To start the Christmas season out, President and Sister Dalton and the AP's came to have our President's interviews as well as a fun Christmas devotional of our own. It was so neat, and I absolutely love our Mission President!! He is truly an inspired man, and I feel so blessed to have him as our example and leader of this work in the Hawaii Honolulu Mission!

So, I don't have too much time to e-mail this week, but I want to make sure to get in some "Christmas" miracles =)

Christmas Miracle #1:

Our zone went and flooded the Sunset Beach area (not the actual beach, don't worry) on Saturday, using what we call the "Prayer Approach." As companionships we divided into areas and went tracting for just an hour. It was awesome! We were able to leave four blessings (Prayer Approach), find one new investigator, and commit one to baptism! Couldn't have asked for more in just the space of one hour. Also, on our trams and in the VC we have been getting a lot of people from around the island who are not members coming in, and able to get them to self-refer! Vision 1200!!!! It's going to happen!

Christmas Miracle #2

While we were all watching the Christmas devotional at the stake center, Sister Looney (Sister Trainer) passes a note up to where Sister Jones and I were sitting. She said she had no idea why, but really felt like we needed to go to their dinner appointment. The appointment was with a family from Papua New Guinea that I absolutely LOVE. Every time I am on exchanges with the sister trainers we are able to see them, and it is always such a spiritual experience. Well, needless to say, I gladly said yes, and so Sister Jones and I were planning a short lesson before we got up to leave the devotional. We found a scripture, and then felt like we should sing a Christmas song with them that pertained to the scripture we had chosen (3 Nephi 28:10). We both look at each other and say "Joy to the World!" It was perfect. We get to the home, and we forget our hymn books, go figure. We ask the family what Christmas song they knew the best, and sure enough they said "Joy to the World." It was so perfect, and really invited the spirit for our message. The lesson was awesome, dinner was perfect, and we left. We meet up with the sister trainers and they told us that it truly was inspired that we go to that dinner appointment. Instead of going to the dinner, they were able to go visit a less-active who has a non-member husband. After teaching a lesson, they knelt down to pray with her when in walks the husband. He joined them for prayer, they invited him to baptism, he said we wasn't sure when, but that he would meet with the Sisters again!! 

Training is still going well. Sometimes I feel totally inadequate, but I know that I always have a great example to look up to; Jesus Christ. I am truly grateful for Him, and the love that He has for each and every one of us. I know that He came to this earth to atone for our sins so that we can have eternal life to live with God again. I am so grateful for this season, but also know that as we continue to pray, read our scriptures, and go to church we can have the light and spirit of Christ with us every day of the year. Love you all so much, and am so grateful for your constant support, prayers, and letters! Happy Holidays!!

Aloha,

Sister Moyes