Monday, February 11, 2013

IMUA MAUI

ALOHAAA friends and family!

Yeah, not really sure where to begin!!! SO much has happened and it's been less than a week!! Well, first off, I am in LOVE with MAUI!! IMUA (forward, in Hawaiian) MAUI !!My ward is amazing, my companion is amazing, our area is amazing, our investigators are amazing...everything is just perfect! I have never felt so blessed in my whole entire life. Looking at so many blessings you can't help but be so excited to go tracting and share the message of the gospel.
In the words of my Dad, here is some "House Keeping" business:
  • Guess what? We see whales and dolphins on a daily basis from the ocean. Did I mention this is the most beauitful place I have ever been in in my life...?
  • Our zone covers the islands of Maui, Molokai' i and Lanai, with I think about 20 Elders (four on Molokai'i) and 6 Sisters (two on Lanai). The zone is so awesome, and although there are a lot of Elders in our Zone going home within the next couple of transfers, we're excited to hit our high water mark in getting 23 baptisms.
  • My companion is Sister Barnes! She is from Tennessee, has been out 6 months, was transferred from Hilo on the big Island, is a big ball of energy, and we work SO well together! She's super cute, makes me laugh every day. She always appologizes for how awkward she is, haha. But she is awesome, and her testimony just illuminates a room.
  • Sister Barnes and I are WHITE WASHING!!....uhhh, what? We were both so shocked to find that out, and sometimes we still wonder why "us," but we know that the Lord put us there for a reason.....
HALEKAHALA HIKE, 10,0000 feet up!

  • So in our area, Lahaina, there is a large portion of it that is nick-named as "mini Manilla"...as in a mini Philippines! So yes, pretty much everyone in our area speaks Tagalog. I've started studying up, and am beginning to read the Book of Mormon in Tagalog. We'll see how it goes. When I asked our investigator ( whom speaks hardly any English) if she would teach me, she just laughed! I told her I was serious and wanted to learn. So I pulled out the MTC learning Tagalog book and she helped me pronounce words and begin my training. I'll probably only be here for two transfers, but anything is better than nothing!!

  • The ward is SO missionary minded!!! Our ward mission leader, Uncle Joe, he calls us every single morning to check up on our appoinments to make sure we are able to find a member to go with us or to fellowship. If we don't, he finds someone in about 5 minutes! He pretty much rocks.
Of course I want to share our miracles, because we definitely had choke!
Miracle #1: 
Sister Barnes and I were able to find 3 new investigators!!! CHEE-HOO!! Agh, it made us so happy!! We know that it was all through Heavenly Father's help. One of our ward missionaries told us that he felt very impressed for us to tract a specific street. Sister Barnes and I went to go tract it and we were trying to find where it was...well, we looked down a street and we both looked at each other and said, yup this is it!! Turns out, it was the wrong road, but we found Nelson, a new investigator! THEN the next day, when we were tracting we remembered that we still hadn't gone down the street he intended, so we went down it and found not only a less-active member who agreed to going with us to Tagalog and Ilikano speaking appointments, but another investigator! He is 19, from the Philippines, but speaks really good English, and is living with his grandparents. We used what is called the prayer approach that President has asked us to use (and we are seeing why), and after we prayed with him, we asked how he felt. He said that it was really nice and that he wants to draw closer to God, and really wants to know how he can do that. SO we set up a day and time to begin teaching him!! It was PERFECT! I'm so grateful for Heavenly Father for blessing us with the Holy Ghost that leads us and guides us so that we can be His hands in bringing His children back to Him. There are so many out there ready to hear the gospel, we just have be worthy to have the Spirit guide us, and willing to act upon his guidance.

Miracle #2: 
A couple of days ago we went to go meet our investigators in the ward and we were so happy that one in particular was home! She was really sad when Sister Christensen and Sister Patlingrau left the area (both went back to the VC), and was really worried, and told us she almost didn't want to learn from anyone else because of how awesome they were for her. She has been through a couple of sets, but these two were so patient with her. Well, we knock on her door, she realizes that we're the new missionaries, and lets us sit down. We end up sharing Helaman 5:12 with her, and she said that she loved the scripture because that is exactly what she wants. She wants that foundation, she wants to know for herself, and wants to know that she can be steadfast and immovable when trials come her way. We talked just trying to get to know each other and getting to know her expectations in learning the gospel. It was so good, and by the end we were all laughing together! It was such a blessing. Before we left she made sure that we knew that her son's third birthday party was on Saturday and would love for us to go. We were so grateful that she has opened up to us, and we cannot wait to begin teaching her as well.




Miracle #3: 
Last, but DEFINITELY not least. WE HAVE A DEAF INVESTIGATOR!!!!!!! Ah, I could not be happier! I had needed to call Sister Christensen the day before the transfer, and when we spoke on the phone she mentioned that they had tracted a man and his family, and that he was deaf! She was so nervous because she didn't know if anyone would be able to contact him again after she left if no one in the area spoke sign language. Yesterday Sister Barnes and I had about a half an hour before our dinner appointment and so we decided to go check the family out! We get to the house, unsure which was their's (in Hawaii there are probably 5 doors to a house, each leading to a different family). But we knocked on the right one. A little boy comes to the door and we ask if we can speak with his dad. Jose came outside and we immediately began signing! He is so sweet and just so kind. His sign is different than American Sign Language because he is from the Philippines, but it didn't really become a problem! I introduced myself and Sister Barnes and asked if he belonged to a church. He said no, and I asked that if he had time I would love to teach him more about the gospel of Jesus Christ! He said sure, and led us to some chairs just right outside where we were. We (well, I, but with Sister Barnes amazing spirit there) taught him the restoration of the first vision to introduce the Book of Mormon. After teaching him that it was a testament of Jesus Christ I explained that God loves us. He wants us to be happy, but not just for this life, but for all eternity. I asked if he wanted that...he said yes. I then invited him to follow the example of Jesus Christ by being baptized so that he could enter into the gate of eternal happiness. He said YES!!! We gave him a copy of the Book of Mormon and he committed to reading it. It was SO cool!!! Sister Barnes kept saying how amazing it was that even though she couldn't understand, the spirit was so strong.
I am so grateful to be here. There are so many times we ask Heavenly Father why, or don't understand, or can't see the purpose in our trials or changes, but I can testify that He loves us. He sees who we can become and the trials and circumstances that will help guide our way if we let them. I know that as I have trust Him and put all of my faith in Him, I have seen miracles, I have seen him lead me in every aspect of my life and especially this work! It doesn't matter where we are in this world, or how much money we have, or what positions we have. What matters is that we are willing to be an instrument for God. I know that as we are, he will bless us with more than we have room to receive (Malachi 3:8-10). I love you all, and hope that you know that, and pray that you will always see the hand of God in your life. He loves each and every one of us!! Have another miraculous week, and I'll be back next week =)

Mahal Kita (I love you...tagalog)

 Kasama (Sister) Moyes

No comments:

Post a Comment