ALL DAY, EVERY DAY!!!

Good Morning, and Aloha

I hope everyone was able to have an enjoyable Thanksgiving! A lot is going on right now in the zone and in the mission!! Our new zone theme, “All Day, Er’y Day!” We are seeing miracles, one right after the other, and I know that it has been through fervent fasting and prayer. Our zone is more unified than ever (including zone exchanges and chanting the Haka every morning during exercise :), and together we are being so blessed in finding the elect. A week and a half ago we had 4 with a date, as of today, we now have 16 with a baptismal date. Our zone leaders committed us to having a total of 30 with a date for December by the end of this week! It definitely sounds crazy, but we know that by doing all we can, we can help God keep His promises.

Well, Thanksgiving here was definitely different, being warm and all, but it was perfect. The Bishop of the Laie 1^st ward’s father hosted a giant thanksgiving feast for the public. It was so neat. All the Senior Couple Missionaries, a couple of us from the zone, with a lot of people on vacation or the homeless coming to stop by. It was such a great missionary opportunity; we were even able to get a new investigator! There was a woman from Ukraine, who I noticed was watching Sister Jones, Christiansen, Looney, and I. I turned to her often and smiled, and she smiled back. Later, she was talking to one of the Senior Sisters, and she said that she wanted to talk to us because she felt something very special about us. It was really humbling. She didn’t care about what we were wearing or what we looked like, but she felt something different about us. I know that the spirit was working through her, which allowed Sister Christiansen and Sister Looney to get her contact information to teach her some more. Best Thanksgiving ever.

Oh, and the food was good, haha. 








First Thanksgiving with rice instead of mash potatoes!

Alright, let’s hear some more miracles:

Miracle#2

I mentioned going on Zone Exchanges. Well, every single one of us in the zone exchanged companions last Friday. Just through that we found 3 more with a baptismal date. I know that it was truly inspired. It was so nice being back in an area again. I was able to be with Sister Mark. She just got here 3 weeks ago, is from Micronesia, and is AWESOME. She definitely came pre-trained. Unfortunately, the whole town was at the state football game because the local high school, Kahuhku High School, was playing. Sister Mark and I were going around trying to find people to teach, but nothing. We then stopped and said a prayer, then felt like we should go see some members. On our drive there, we saw someone standing at the corner smoking. We drove up a little bit and parked, got out and went to talk to him. He was an inactive member, but as we continued to talk to him we were able to find out his concern!! So, after teaching him, we invited him to come to church on Sunday, and he said he would. Chee-Hoo!!

Miracle#3

Just last night Sister Jones and I were chatting, and we received a chat from a guy who had a question about a specific scripture in the Book of Mormon about God and Jesus Christ being two separate beings. We answered the question to the best of our ability, but it somehow turned into what we sometimes refer to as “bible bashing.” Not on our end, but we had to simply testify and get out of the chat. Well, the second the chat ended we got a notification for another chat. We accepted, and then a girl comes and asks about the EXACT same scripture. Sister Jones and I just looked at each other and thought it must have been a joke.  We then talk about it (a blessing about being online), and decide that we definitely need to approach it differently. We thought and prayed in our hearts what we could tell this girl that would help her, and she said that our answers made perfect sense.  She is from Canada, had been investigating the church for the past six months, has a baptismal date, but still had a couple of questions. She said that she had moved her baptismal date several times because she got nervous of how her family might react. She explained to us that she knew this was the path she needed to go, but didn’t know how to pursue it. We then said a prayer with her, testified, and let her know how much Heavenly Father loves her. We then concluded the chat with a way to keep in contact. It was such a miracle that Sister Jones and I were able to receive that specific chat before so that we could know how to better respond to the same question in a better way. I am so grateful for the hand that Heavenly Father has in this work.

I am so grateful for this gospel. It is true! It brings so much happiness and peace into our lives if we let it. God is our loving Heavenly Father, who sent His only begotten Son to live and die for us. I know that He still lives, and I know that God lives, and I know that the commandments they give to us will lead us to everlasting joy and eternal life. I invite you all to ask at least one friend if they are interested in receiving the “Joy to the World,” dvd from the missionaries. I can promise you that your efforts will be noticed as you spread the best message we have to share: Jesus Christ. I love you all, and hope you are all enjoying the wonderful season. 

Alohaaaa!

Sister Moyes

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

ALoha!

Sister Jones and Me

Well, this week has been amazing! This letter is going to be kind of short, but I hope does not take away from how much I still love this work. I am, in missionary terms, a new mom, aka: training a new missionary, and I am absolutely loving it! It's super fun because in the VC, we tend to call our trainers "Mom," forever...and being called mom is definitely a new experience! I love Sister Jones so much, though, and am learning so much from her. I cross my fingers that she is able to learn something from me. Chat has been really good! We have to double time our training/studies because I have to be able to train her in the visitor center, online, and just as a missionary in general, but she is a fast learner. I love her because if she doesn't fully understand something she is never afraid to ask questions, and when we train on something, I always see her apply it when we are proselyting. 

As for the Miracles I am thankful for:

Miracle#1 

There have been so many opportunities for me to sign lately! It has been such a blessing. I was able to give a deaf tour on Friday night, then, because of being online, Sister Jones and I can choose whichever ward we want to go to on Sunday. We were headed to the Laie 4th ward at 8am, but saw Sister Looney and Sister Christiansen (the new sister trainers...kind of like the Zone Leaders for the Sisters) going to their own ward, and thought we would join them. We get to their ward and I completely forgot that there is a deaf group in their ward! So, Sister Jones and I sat in the front row with a friend of ours, who is deaf, and all the other signers to watch the interpreter. It made me fall in love with sign language all over again. The tour I gave on Friday was a member, who actually lives in Provo, and said he would be happy to help with my sign language even more when I get off the mission!! So pumped, and such a miracle!

Miracle#2
On chat,  Sister Jones and I were able to teach someone who is ready to receive the gospel and accepted to have missionaries over! The miracle in that is that they are from England!! Hard mission. So we're definitely praying for them!

Miracle#3

A lady we chatted with, she came on to chat to inform us that she did not want the missionaries over anymore. We were so sad!! She had no way of contacting the missionaries, so was wondering if we could call them and cancel the appointment. We continued to chat with her and try to figure out her situation. She has such a strong faith already for this gospel. The thing is, her husband is not ready to receive the gospel yet, and she, being the amazing woman that she is, wants to always work as one with her husband. We could just feel how much love she has for her family, and how badly she wants the gospel for them as well. We were about to end the chat when we felt inspired to see if we could say a prayer with her. She said yes, and it was amazing! She said it was everything she needed to hear, and hopes that the day to learn more will come soon. We asked if it would be alright if we kept in contact through e-mail so we could still continue to teach her. She of course accepted! I cannot wait for the day that she and her husband are able to learn from missionaries in their home.

Christmas Already!

Fun at PCC

My New Pad

I am so grateful to be a missionary. Every day is a new experience, and every day we are able to be instruments in God's hands. God has provided us with truth on the earth today. That truth allows us everlasting joy! All we have to do is keep the commandments. I can testify that as we live the commandments and strive for exact obedience, we will be able to see miracles in our lives. Pray for missionary opportunities, for miracles, and I can promise that Heavenly Father will use your divine talents and gifts as a child of God. I love you all so much, and during this season of thanksgiving, am especially grateful for my family, my friends, and especially this gospel. Have a great Thanksgiving!!! 

Sister Moyes

HAPPY VETERANS' DAY!

AlooooooooooooHA!

Hi family and friends, it has been the craziest week EVER. Well, we all found out that we were getting six new sisters in Laie, so we knew that five of us would have to go full-proselyting (off-island) so there would still only be 22 sisters in the VC. So there are already four sisters being trained, so that meant either you are going out, or you are training the **new babies (new Sisters coming in) !! Everyone has been going insane trying to figure out what was going to happen! Well, my amazing companion Sister Gamba is going full-pros to Kuai!! I am so happy for her, and so totally jealous, haha, but she'll be amazing. As for me...well, Sister Gulla was the trainer of Sister Jones' first transfer, but Sister Gulla has been assigned to train a new sister from Micronesia. That being said, I have been assigned to be Sister Jones' trainer for her second transfer!  So, I guess you could call me her **step-mom = )  I am so excited, nervous, overwhelmed, and happy. I know that the Lord qualifies whom He calls, I just hope that I can fulfill this calling in the way that He wants me to!   (Note from Editor:  **Sister missionary lingo)

Sister Jones and Me

Also, I just want to say Happy Veterans Day, and thank you to all of my family members and friends who are Veterans. Thank you for all you do, and all that you have done to serve this country! I am forever grateful for all the time and life that you have sacrificed for our sake and for those you have helped. Thank you!

WELL, here are the Miracles:

Miracle #1 

Being our last week online together, Sister Gamba and I definitely ended it with a bang (btw, I'm still online for next transfer) !! These past couple of days we were chatting, and had two very similar experiences. So the first, we were chatting with a girl who has been meeting with the missionaries but had a couple random questions. After we answered her questions we continued to chat and learn more about her and her interest in the church. She said she didn't really "get" God until she learned more about the restored gospel. After that everything made sense (Amen) ! We bore testimony, and expressed how much Heavenly Father loves her and what a blessing it is that we can be baptized to make that step to be closer to making our eternal goal. We then invited her to prepare herself to baptism! She said YES!! The spirit was so strong during her chat. She said that she would let the missionaries know that she is ready to be baptized!! CHEE-HOOO! Hah, so amazing. THEN, we were chatting with another girl who said she had met with the missionaries once, but didn't really have the time to meet with them again. She had a question about the spirit, and knowing whether or not she has felt it before. After asking her what she thought it would feel like, we explained that it is a feeling of peace, comfort, and a clear understanding of things. She didn't respond for a long time...then she said...that's exactly what I felt. She said she just felt loved, and so warm inside. We taught her that she was feeling the spirit and that if she is baptized, she will have the opportunity to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost; a gift that will be with you as long as you live worthy to have it with you! All she said was, "are you serious?" Haha, she was pretty happy about that. So then we extended the invitation of baptism to her as well. She said yes! She said that she would call the missionaries tomorrow (today), and set up an appointment so she can prepare herself. It was AMAZING! I love this gospel. 

Miracle #2 

Our investigator from New Zealand, we have been teaching her for a while now, has a testimony of the gospel, but still isn't 100% sure about everything. We asked how her scripture reading and prayers were going? She said she definitely prayed every day, but had not been reading from The Book of Mormon for a long time now. We taught her an awesome lesson about faith using the analogy of a seed. We asked her what would happen to a seed of an apple tree that never received water or sunlight...."It would die." So then we of course asked what would happen if she was not continually nourishing her spirit?..."It's gonna die, too." She got it =) We then shared the scripture  2 Nephi 32:3 "Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do." This scripture was perfect for her....for everyone! So many times we get caught up in life that we forget to put God first. But as we do put Him first and nourish our spirits, we will be made strong, and we will have guidance in ALL things. She accepted our invite to read at least one chapter a day! So that was definitely a miracle.

Miracle #3 

Staph infection is almost gone =)

Miracle #4 

We had a tour from Norway in the Visitor center on Sunday, and it was really neat. When it gets too crowded we often times have to split as companions and take tours separately. Well, that happened yesterday, so I took these four, 25 maybe 26-year-olds, on a tour. None of them really grew up with religion, so it was a really neat experience to teach them the Restoration of Christ's church back on to the earth again. They loved that, and loved the temple. I was then prompted to guide them to the Book of Mormon table where we have copies in 83 different languages....including Norwegian. I explained to them that The Book of Mormon was a record testifying of Jesus Christ in the ancient Americas, and they thought that was very interesting. I testified that the truth of God is on the earth today and if you want to learn more about it, we invite you to read this book. Having pre-set the guest cards we have, I handed them each one explaining that if you were interested in having a book for yourself, we would love to send missionaries to come bring you a free copy. Two of them put their numbers, but no requests, and then one of them, a girl, she asked if she could have the missionaries bring her one! It was really neat. I love this mission. It's just so crazy to see that even though we are in Hawaii, we get to teach people all over the world as well. BEST MISSION EVER!

Alright, time is almost up =/ But I have a ton of pictures from this past week. That's what happens when you neglect to take any the whole transfer, hah, whoops! A lot of them are with Sister Yau who is going home to Hong Kong =(  So of course we had to take a bajillion pictures! 

I just want to end with my testimony of how true this gospel is. I will never be able to deny the blessings and the transformations for good that this truth brings into people's lives. This gospel only brings peace and happiness. I know that God is perfect, and I know that we do not understand all of God's mysteries; but we don't need to. All we need is to know that truth has been restored, and that Jesus Christ lived and died so that we can live again with God. As we keep God's commandments, it will set us free and bring everlasting happiness! I am so grateful to be a missionary, especially during this great time where God's army of missionaries are assembling. Thank you for your love, support, and prayers. I am so grateful to be a missionary, and I don't think I ever want to go home. Hope that's alright with you, mom ; ) Keep opening your mouths and sharing the gospel. Share those pass along cards! We get calls all the time from people who found one or received one. You never know who will use their agency to find truth!

Love you all,

Sister Moyes

THIS TOO SHALL PASS

Aloha family and friends!

I hope everyone is safe and sound with Hurricane Sandy. We definitely heard all about it from our guests and from our members. Sounded pretty scary. As my dad told me in his e-mail, "This too shall pass." Know that you have been in our prayers, and will continue to be. On that note, it is still the weirdest feeling seeing pictures from everyone seeing that fall is there, and snow is even falling! Today at the grocery store, they were already set up and ready with all the Christmas candies and decorations. I can't even describe how weird it is. It's like time doesn't really pass by here. Makes you appreciate the seasons a little more.

Well, although the seasons don't change, sicknesses still spread during this time of year. I feel really bad because I don't have too much to report for this week. After much persuasion I was finally convinced to go see the doctor. I was thinking maybe I had another sinus infection, or possibly strep, but turns out I have Staph. Unfortunately, I was forced to seclude myself from anyone for at least 48 hours (except my companion of course), and so we didn't leave the house for about 3 days, one of them just being that I was still feeling a lot of pain in my head, and did not have the energy I needed to do the online work fully focused. I was so grateful for the gospel, even more so, when I knew that I could ask for a blessing, through the many (any) worthy Priesthood holders that we have here in Laie. My recovery has definitely been quicker than expected, and I know that it's time to get back to work!!

With our area, the 19-year-old boy from my last letter, he gave us a scare when he e-mailed saying that he "did not want the Mormon church contacting him anymore. Thank you." Bahhh, we about cried. We e-mailed him and then called him, and he told us that the missionaries came to deliver the Book of Mormon he had ordered online, when he thought it would just come through the mail. The missionaries showed up and his mom FREAKED. So, the mom immediately called the Pastor to come over and lecture him about why he is a catholic and that he was a disgrace for looking at any other church. He then told us he got really scared, and didn't know what else to do. Sister Gamba and I both bore our testimonies of the truthfulness of the gospel. We helped remind him the many different accounts he has been assured that this is truth, and this IS the path that will lead him to feel everlasting happiness. We  taught him that if this was the true church on the earth today, that God would provide a way for him to be taught the gospel. He liked that promise. It was interesting to find out that his brother is actually a member of the church. Guessing maybe that's why the mom wasn't so happy =/ 

Besides that, nothing too much new. Oh, hah, we had a talent show for Halloween! SOOO much fun. The Elders put together a wayyyyy too choreographed song to a backstreet boy song...."Ain't nothing but a heart ache, I never want to hear you say...I want it that way!" Haha, it was pretty hilarious. They started it first with an introduction with one of the Elders getting Dear Johned. As Sisters, we were all pretty impressed, haha. It was fun. 

 Then today, for our P-day, my first day really outside, we decided to go on a hike up a mountain called Crouching Lion! It was incredible.

 

Online these past couple of days has been really interesting with the election going on, that's for sure. But, our mission is trying to reach 1200 baptisms for the year. The mission has never reached past 1101, and we are at about 900 baptisms so far. Meaning= it's time to work and go find 300 more to baptize before the end of the year!!!! We're pumped! Our zone already has 20 set up for this month, and cannot wait to see the miracles that are in store for those we find. There is not better feeling than finding the elect; those who have truly prepared their lives and have continued to search for truth! They are so amazing. Speaking of, I was able to see my recent convert, Mai, at church, and she is stronger than ever! This gospel is true. We invite everyone to taste of this fruit for yourself and tell us if it is not true!! Read the Book of Mormon, study it, ponder it, and pray to know if it is true! I can testify that you will receive an answer, and as we act upon it, our lives will only be blessed! I love being a missionary, but don't forget that you don't have to be wearing a badge to share the gospel! 

Love you all so much.

Sister Moyes

"SAVE HE SHALL FIND A WAY"

Family and Friends, Aloha =)

Hmm. I don't even know what to say about this past week, and I know that my words will be insufficient in describing our miracles. We saw so many beautiful and miraculous things that every time I even think about it I tear up. I feel bad because my letter last week was super long, so I'll only emphasize stories that really had an impact on us, and hope that as you all read them, will feel the love and influence of the Lord in the work. 

Some quickies:

* The 16- year-old boy from our chat who is now meeting with the missionaries, we called him and he wasn't able to go to church on Sunday BUT, he said that the missionaries invited his whole family to go to church next Sunday, and they all agreed!! We are so happy! All because one boy wanted to find truth, and now His whole family's lives will be changed forever = )

* The ward mission leaders in the YSA  1st stake got together and decided to have a free car wash to allow the missionaries opportunities to give out copies of the Book of Mormon, lesson pamphlets, and Finding Happiness DVD's, etc. It was such a success. Not only did I get some sweet tan-lines, hah, but we received 2 member referrals, and then my awesome companion was able to get one self-referral = ) Definitely a success.

Other Miracles of the week:

Miracle #1:

It has been so crazy hearing all about the huge storm back east! We always pray for those who have been affected by it, and pray that they will feel comfort and peace through the gospel of Jesus Christ. But then we had a Tsunami here in Hawaii on Saturday night. Let me just say, it was a moment that I will never forget in my whole life. Our pads where we stay are up on the hill of the temple. At about 8 pm when Sister Gamba and I headed home from doing online work, we hear the Sirens going off. As we get closer to home, probably every car in Laie was driving up to the Temple Parking lot. Once the lot filled everyone was parking in the field in between the temple and our pads. I cannot even express how overwhelmed I felt at this time as we looked out seeing everyone gather to the temple during a time such as this. It was so beautiful seeing everyone together where we have been promised we will be safe; and I knew that we were. It was as if nothing was wrong. Everyone was with their families and singing hymns. I love this gospel. I know it is true, and I know that no matter what happens in this earthly life, if we always rely upon the Lord for help and strength, we will gain our reward in Heaven.

Miracle #2:

Sister's Conference

A spur of the moment event occurred yesterday! Sister Dalton found out that Sister Barbara Barrington Jones was in Hawaii, and asked if she would come talk to all the Sister Missionaries on the island here at the VC. She gladly said yes, and I am forever grateful. She has written six books about the worth of women, has trained many Miss America winners, goes all over the world as a motivational speaker, and she was AMAZING. It was exactly what every one of us Sisters needed to hear. She really helped us see how much potential we have as daughters of a perfect God. There was SO much more that she taught us, but will have to fill in the gaps in the future.

Miracle #3

We talked with a 19-year-old guy from NY on chat, prayed with him, and he said that he has never felt this kind of happiness in his whole entire life! He said he wanted to go to church and meet with the missionaries on Sunday....then the chat disconnected!! BAHHH, we were so sad, and didn't know what to do. It happens all the time, but just felt so good about this chat with him. The next day we get online to chat, and in our inbox we have a message forwarded from Salt Lake from HIM!...Saying that he was on mormon.org chat the night before with Sister Moyes and Sister Gamba, but he accidentally exited out of the chat, and was trying to find some way to get reconnected with us. We just started crying! Because we now had his e-mail address. We went to e-mail him back, but as we were doing that we got a chat. Out of the 20 other missionaries online that could have received this chat, it was sent to us...Lo and behold, it was him. We could not believe how perfect this was. We were all in amazement, and he told us he knew this was the path that he needed to be on; that this was all too perfect. Well, we had another amazing lesson with him, and then set up an appointment for the following day. When we get on, we were worried because he wasn't on. It was an hour and a half later that we get a notification for his chat!! He apologized a million times because he had fallen asleep right after work. We told him not to worry, and asked him what he did for work. He then. . . hesitant. . . explained that he wasn't sure if his job (a model for Abercrombie & Fitch) was against what the church stood for or not . Well, after teaching him about the standards of the church, we asked him what he felt like he should do. He then types, "well, I love my job! and, I love the people that I get to work with every day." We held our breaths. He then said, "but as for being a model...no. way." BAH, we could not believe our eyes!!! Just like that. Just like that, he said that he was done. He understood the worth of our bodies, and how the Lord wants us to portray the beauty that this divine gift is for us. He understood, and knew what he needed to do. He is truly amazing, and is such an example of what it means to be an example of the believers. He went to church on Sunday to meet with the missionaries; we're still waiting to hear how it went, but cannot wait to see the blessings that are in store for him!

Well, I'll end with my testimony. I know this gospel is the truth of God restored upon the earth today. I know that if we truly have the desire to find the truth, and to do what is right, then just as with the 19-year-old, God will provide a way. We have agency to choose and to act, and I know that if we choose to follow God and do His will, He will provide the way (1 Nephi 3:7 :  ". . . I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them."). I love this gospel, and I love seeing our prayers answered every single day. This gospel has only brought me happiness and strength. "I know it, I love it, and I live it." Love you all so much, and I am praying every day for my friends and family back east. Don't forget that God is always there.

Love Always,

Sister Moyes

ALL IN THE LORD'S TIMING

Kumusta Po Kayo, or Hello Everyone!! 

(In my new language of Tagalog, learned from my lovely companion)

This has been an AMAZING week full of miracles!!! Both online and in the Visitors' Center.

How easy we are to forget sometimes how perfect the Lord's timing is =) That is something I have definitely been able to learn this week. Things started a little slow, and that can sometimes be discouraging, but as Sister Gamba and I truly put all of our heart, might, mind, and strength into the work and our studies, Heavenly Father provided people for us to teach in the end....and just some cool experiences in general! So, we have a lot of miracles this week. Here they go:

Miracle#1 

We had some AMAZING chats this week! THREE of those we chatted with this week accepted our invitation to meet with missionaries in their area :) This is a miracle because Sister Gamba said that last transfer, there was only a total of three who accepted that invitation through out the whole transfer! We now so far have sent the missionaries to 5 people in the past three weeks! It is definitely all in the Lord's timing.They each have incredible stories. It is truly amazing to experience being online. We get to talk to people from all over the world, many who are just trying to "prove us wrong," or argue, or tell us that we have not received a witness for ourselves that these things are true. It is heartbreaking every time, because we know how much this gospel can bless their lives, and how much happier they can be by simply keeping the commandments of God. But then, Heavenly Father makes it so worth it when you have those who are the elect, coming on to find truth; to find peace and happiness in this life that only through the gospel can bring us. This gospel is true; and nothing can change that. "The Standard of Truth has been erected, no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, til the purpose of God shall be accomplished and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done," I absolutely love this quote. I know it is true, and I know that this gospel can and will change us if we do everything we can to live by its precepts.

P.S. The one 16-year-old is still being taught by the missionaries, so that is awesome as well! 

Miracle#2

For whatever reason, we have been getting a lot of people on chat asking us to show them "proof" that what we teach is in the Bible as well. What is incredible is, when I was determining what I wanted to focus my Personal Study on this week, I felt very inspired to study Preach My Gospel more heavily. So I decided that I would start with the second chapter, where it teaches about having an effective study. There are different "activities" that it provides. One of them was to go through the book of The Acts, read every chapter summary, pick out main points or doctrine that it talks about. As I did this, I saw so many doctrines that are very simple and clear in their! Some of them I understand may be hard to follow, but if they want biblical proof there it was! We then get on chat, and we were just in awe, as every single person who came online asked about those doctrines that I had just studied in my Personal Study, that of course I shared with my companion previously. We were able to give them references, as well as our testimonies of how living by these principles will bless our lives. I know that the Lord leads and guides even our studies so that we will not feel like we are going to war without sword and shield, but He truly does provide the whole Armor of God, so that we can accomplish the work He has set out for us to do.

Miracle #3

So the Sisters who were online in February, one of them remembered that there was an investigator that they dropped because she felt like she was being pressured in being baptism. SO, she, Sister Bowser, transferred her to our contacts, we e-mailed her, asked if she was interested in learning more about the gospel again, and she said YES! She said that she has realized how much happier and better her life is when she is living by the teachings of Jesus Christ. She said that she wants to get back into taking the lessons from us! (She can't meet the missionaries because of family). So we are so excited to be teaching her again!

Miracle #4 

Sister Gamba and I had the most amazing tours during our shift yesterday! It was slow all morning, as it usually is on Mondays, but somehow we managed to find THREE self-referrals! I guess it's the lucky number this week, haha. But I think our favorite tour was this husband and wife, he being from Germany, and she from Chile (I have no idea how they met), but they came in, here on vacation, and wondered what the big white building outside was! We explained to them that it was a temple for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! Hah, the husband, in his awesome German accent, "AHHH I think I have heard of before!" We told them that the temple is a blessing to have and we would love to share more about why that is! While in temple corner, we come to find that they really don't practice a religion. At first it seemed as if the husband wasn't interested, and was ready to go, but then we showed the the Sealing room. We explained that everything we do in the temple is to draw ourselves closer to God. As we make promises to Him, we are able to have wonderful blessings in return. Then explaining that one of those blessings is that we can be bound, or sealed to our families forever! The wife hit her husband in the stomach, and said, "Hey, are you listening?" Haha. The husband then asked how we felt about divorce. Then without hesitation we replied that if both husband and wife are willing to do everything it takes to accept the teachings of Jesus Christ into our lives, that He will strengthen our family relationships and that nothing is unfixable. The wife hit her husband again saying, "Did you hear that?!" We then asked if they wanted to learn more about how Jesus Christ can bless their lives. They immediately answered yes and filled out the card with their information! They were so sweet. They insisted we take pictures with them, and then we said our goodbyes! Everything happens in the Lord's timing; even on a slow Monday!

Miracle #5

I promise this is the last one! But it is super cool!! So the BYU acapella singing group, "Vocal Point," was here at BYU-H for a concert, and we were all super bummed that we wouldn't be able to go see them. Well, Sunday morning, during my shift, they walked right into the VC! It was so fun getting to talk to them, finding out that one of them is married to a good friend of mine from the EL ED program at BYU. Soon after I asked them how much convincing it would take for them to sing a couple songs for us =) They said they would love to, especially with the Christus in the room. It was SO incredible. I cannot describe the spirit that was there that morning! It was so beautiful to hear them sing "Come Thou Fount," and "I Need Thee Every Hour." Then, they offered if the 6 sisters that were on shift, if we wanted to sing a song with them! So of course we did, and sang "I am a child of God." One of the coolest experiences of my life.

Alright, I think I've said way too much. I'm sorry it's so long, but this week has just been so full of miracles and blessings! I know that none of it would be possible without all of your prayers, the help of the Lord, and the knowledge I have of this true and everlasting Gospel of Jesus Christ. This message is true, and I love waking up every morning know that I get to share a message of happiness, peace, comfort, guidance, and purpose! Keep sharing the gospel with everyone you know. You will never regret it! I love you all so much, and am so grateful to be here at this very time to be a missionary for my Lord and Savior, to say and do what He himself would say and do. Don't ever be afraid to be bold. Remember who you are =)

Love Always,

Sister Annie Moyes

YOU KNOW YOU'RE AN ONLINE SISTER WHEN. . .

You know you're an online Sister when.....

* You know the name of every person who has a "I'm a Mormon" video on mormon.org
* You freak out after pressing Enter for another paragraph, thinking it is going to send your  e-mail when you weren't ready to send it yet!
* Because of being in Visitors Center all day, you go home and are trying to wash your hands wondering why the sink isn't automatically turning on.
* You get on the computer to call referrals and you find your fingers already signing you into chat.
* The Joseph Smith movie is playing over and over in your mind because guests are always watching it in the room next door.

Haha!!!   ALOoooooo-HA family and friends : )

I cannot even wait to tell you about this week! First of all, I absolutely love the new sisters who just came in a couple weeks ago!! They are such hard workers and I love the enthusiasm and fire they have in them. We always joke around because it seems like the VC
 is turning into the Blondes and the Asians. We all have a blast together though. AND, Sister Ogawa and Sister Chen think it is the coolest thing that I love Asian food, so they make me sushi and curry on a weekly basis. I love it :) As for the work, the Visitor's Center has been full of girls coming in to share their news with us, the Sisters, that they are almost 19 and getting their mission papers ready! It is so fun. We're always so excited and happy for them! 

Online has been INCREDIBLE! We had three HUGE miracles!

Miracle #1
It was about 7:30 at night (Hawaii time), and we get a chat from a 16-year-old boy who mentions that he feels really lost right now, and really just wants to give his life more purpose. After asking some inspired questions, we come to understand how badly He wants to know God loves him, but says it is hard sometimes. We promised him that God DOES love him, and he has a plan of happiness for each and every one of us! We were able to teach him a part of the plan of Salvation (what we felt were important points for now), and testified that we knew this was true, and how having this knowledge has not only blessed our lives, but will bless his. He said that was something he wanted for himself, "for sure!" We invited him to meet with the missionaries and said that would be really cool. We explained to him that because he is 16 we needed consent from a parent, so he gave us his phone number and his dad's so we could call up his Dad! The next day we call his dad, but he didn't answer, so we were kind of bummed. So we decided to call the boy and see if he had talked to his Dad about it yet? He said he had, and that his dad was actually just right down stairs! He handed the phone off to him, and that's when my heart started pounding, praying that I would know what to say. Well the more we got talking, we actually found out he grew up in the town right next door to where I lived in NJ!! Making that connection I know was a miracle. It helped break the ice in the conversation that allowed us to flow into asking the Dad if it was okay if the missionaries came over to teach his son about the gospel of Jesus Christ. He said he didn't see why not!!!!! WHOOOOOOOO!!!! THENNNN, we asked if he was interested in learning more as well. He told us that if they were over and he was home that he would definitely sit in on the lessons!!!!! BAh, soooo amazing! I love being online :) We'll call them tomorrow and see if the missionaries have stopped by yet!

Miracle #2
We were chatting with another 16-year-old, a girl this time. She said she is investigating the church, and her teacher made a comment against Mormons in class, that she knew just couldn't be true. So, she did the right thing going to the source and asking :) We talked to her, and explained the situation, and was so excited to tell her teacher the truth! We asked her about how long she has been investigating, and we then that really opened the conversation. She had a friend who was LDS who had taught her a lot about the gospel, and she felt like it was the right thing. She prayed about it, she goes to church every Sunday, goes to all the activities, and is even working on her Personal Progress (a program that is for young women to help them develop attributes such as Faith, Divine Nature, Individual Worth, Knowledge, Choice and Accountability, Good Works, Integrity, and Virtue). We asked if she was going to be getting baptized any time soon, and said unfortunately her parents won't allow her to until she is 18. But it was just a testament to us of the truthfulness of this gospel. This girl knew/knows these things are true! She knows it, loves it, and is definitely living it! The coolest part is, she is from a town just a half an hour away from where mom and dad live!!! So, I will definitely be home before she is 18, and if the parents are still living there, she asked if we could be at her baptism! I told her I would try my best :) 

Miracle#3
This miracle happened last night! Sister Gamba and I were of course chatting, and we got a chat from someone from New Zealand who had been given a pass-along card from the missionaries and thought he would check out the website! He brought up a topic that definitely could have caused the conversation to be argumentative, but it turned out to be such a spiritual lesson. His questions were so sincere, and really was just searching for the truth. After reading to him various church materials as well as other scriptures and talks, we concluded with our testimonies. Then we got this response, "You two are angels." Hah, we weren't really expecting that kind of reaction, based on his views he shared with us at the beginning, but he said that everything we explained made sense, and that he believed it!! It was AMAZING! Sister Gamba and I were literally jumping out of our seats we were so happy! We asked if we wanted to meet with those missionaries that gave him the pass along card. He said yes, and so we will be calling up those missionaries tomorrow and sending them his way! 

I definitely miss my Samoan Ward like crazy, but I LOVE being online as well. It has taught me so much, and has really helped increase my testimony of this gospel! I invite you all to use those mormon.org pass-along cards that just came in the Ensign, and tell your friends about the online chat! I can promise you that you will never regret sharing the greatest joy you have with someone else! I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ has once again been restored upon the earth. I know that as we keep the commandments God has given us, he will pour His blessings out on us! As always, thank you for your constant prayers. We can feel them every day :) Love you all so much!

Mahalo,
Sister Moyes