Elder Street 2/21/11-2/28/11

2/21/2011

Howdy Fam,
I think I am going to just write you all in one e-mail this time... It sounds like you guys are loving it on your cruise. That would be so much fun, but I am not going to lie, I am really enjoying the mission life and living it up. I am so scared to come home in September and take on life and school and to not be able to share the Gospel with every single person I see like I can out here. It will be so tough to say goodbye to these islands.
Last night and a few nights before that we had Elder Clayton of the Presidency of the Seventy visit all of the Missionaries here on O'ahu. It was really awesome and that man is very knowledgable, spiritual giant and his wife also. When he spoke to just the missionaries he opened most of the time up to a question and answer session. It was so amazing to watch him answer all of the questions we had as missionaries and to see how many stories he could recall and tell and to just watch the Spirit of God work in him as he spoke. His testimony was amazing and he said something of great worth. When he first got up and spoke he started to list off all of the places the missionaries were from. We had all got to go and shake his hand and it was awesom to see him remember where everybody was from. He listed off a couple dozen countries and said something to this effect... "Elders and Sisters, what a beautiful sight. Do you recognize what is happening before your very eyes? Look at how many different countries you all come from and this is from one mission out of over 300 in the world. Look at all of the places you originate from. You are a fulfillment of prophecy. Joseph prophecied that this church would fill the earth and for awhile, nobody thought it could really happen. In time previous, we couldn't really see with our eyes the unfolding of this prophecy, but now we can. And it is only the beginning. In 40 years, Elders and Sisters, you won't be able to believe how big this church will be. You will watch the literal fulfillment of Joseph's prophecy and it is going to be big. This church has spread to the entire world, and it is only the beginning right now."
I thought that was a remarkable statement and how true it is. Look at the fruits of what has happend since April 1830. Clayton said at the end of the special training, "Look at where all of you are from, and look at where you are now. This is a long way from Palmyra."
Elder Clayton also spoke last night at a special fireside for new converts and returning members. He was awesome!!! He started by taking a census he called it. He asked how many present had been members for 50 years or more, 25-50, 15-25, 5-10, and then he asked for 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011 converts to stand separately. He then told them that they were going to be the speakers for all of us tonight and he had some ushers go around and pass out microphones. It was funny to watch the faces of all of those new converts. But it wasn't too bad, he would ask a question and then leave it open for all of the converts to answer it. They were understandably shy at first, but eventually they warmed up and it was way funny. Elder Clayton asked them four questions. The first being, How did you find the Church? There were lots of answers from the various people but one from Dorothy Jones from Waipiolani ward was hilarious. She said,and i am paraphrasing, in her southern states, african american accent, "Well I am happy to be a member and I was baptized this past summer. I guess the missionaries were doing a missionary flood in the area where I live (a missionary flood is where all the missionaries in a zone gather and knock out a specific neighborhood in one of the companionships area.) And i got FLOODED!" It was so funny to hear her say that in her southern accent and the entire congregation roured in laughter. Even Elder Clayton was cracking up and he said, "I am speechless..." Then without skipping a beat he asked, "Well, did you have insurance?" He is a funny guy! But there were tons of answers but i can't write them all down for lack of time.
Second question, "Why did you decide to join the church?" One convert piped in, "To get those dang missionaries to quit knocking on my door!" But most the answers were basically because they knew it was true.
Third question, "How do you feel about your decision in joining the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?" It was amazing to see a lot of these experienced people stand up and say "it is the best thing they have ever done in thier lives" and a lot of them had wished they could've found the church earlier.
Fourth question, "How do you feel about the missionaries?" I was fighting back tears on that one becuase it was beautiful to hear what these wonderful converts were saying about the missionaries. "They are my best friends" "I love them like they were my kids" "They are so inspiring" "They are young, but not in a bad way, they are so charasmatic" and many, many other answers were given and the spirit was so strong. The bonds you make with people when you get to teach them are priceless and I wouldn't trade anything in the world for the relationships i have been able to build here on a mission. It was so moving to see these people express their gratitude for us and it made us feel like we were actually doing something and making a difference.
Elder Clayton then related a little history about Joseph Smith and talked about his first vision and the prophecy of Moroni in stating that his name should be had in all nations kindreds and tongues and that it would be spoken of as both good and evil in all nations. He then expounded how brave such a statement was and he bore a powerful testimony of the divinity of this church and Joseph Smith, and Jesus Christ and God, and the Book of Mormon. The arm of God was revealed through his servant Elder Clayton last night and the Holy Spirit of God descended upon that congregation so strongly that I doubt it was even possible to deny the words that he had spoken and I would be willing to bet that a lot of the investigators who had attended that fireside were touched and will be baptized as a result of what it felt like that night. It was an amazing thing to witness such a spiritual man completely captivate an audience with nothing but his scriptures and his voice box, no notes or papers or anything, relying solely upon the spirit to direct him in his words. It was marvelous to witness.
But my time is running out. We got the transfer call yesterday. I am getting transferred out of Mililani. I really didn't want to leave because the work is picking up and I love my companion, Elder Jaramillo now, and I want to be able to taste of the fruits of my labors but i will just have to hear about them now. Its okay though.
I am gettting transferred to Laie. Which is AMAZING!!!!!! It is just like Utah over there because there are so many members and they treat you like kings! I will most likely cover like 5-6 wards (probably a couple tongan wards) because of all the members that do live over there. I am way lucky to go there because they only have 4 elders over there, the rest are sisters that serve in the visiters Center at the temple most of the time. That is going to be interesting dealing with all of the sisters crap, there is so much drama over there and the sisters are constantly calling and nagging and crying to the Zone leaders over there about non-important things such as having their companion steal thier hairbrush or running out of makeup or something of that sort. Ha ha so i am going to be a counselor and a negotiator and a peace maker and a make up finder and hairbrush mediator for basically 30 sisters and dealing with all the crap they can dish out, so we will see how much i can stand. Ha ha, we will see, we will see. Other than that, i can't think of much else, i gotta go anyway, have fun, we will talk to ya later,
Love, Elder Street
2/28/2011
Hey guys sounds like ya'll had fun over there in Mexico land. I am doing good over here in Laie. It is on the other side of the island right near the Laie temple and BYU Hawaii.... THIS place is SICK!!!!! I am right now just kicking it with all of the college students here in the library emailing. Every single person says hi to the elders and tries to get to know you when you walk past. The town is basically Mormonville.... Like seriously... You can count on your hands how many non members live on any given street, so tracting is very hard to do over here. And most people know about the church already so it is almost as difficult getting into doors here as it was over in Mililani.
I haven't had to buy a single meal since I have been here. I went to Subway once and the lady working told me she was treating the Elders today. I went there a different day and some other girl was working so she didn't pay for our meal but the lady in front of us in line wanted to paid for everything. I went to Dominos for pizza and the managers there are members and they let missionaries pick anything they want off of the menu and then they tell us to leave and that dinner is always on them. Every store you stop by will either give whatever you are buying for free or for a huge discount. This place is SICK!!!!!
The Tongans always see us and they throw out twenties to us like it is toilet paper, I really have never seen anything like this in my life.... The place is really beautiful and it isn't very big at all. It really reminds me a lot of home in Mona and Utah. Everybody knows everybody, 90% of the people are members and they LOVE the elders. We are at the visitors center nearly every day and we get to be at or near the temple all of the time. We can't go inside for a session, only during General Conference time, but it is awesome over here. I could honestly see myself going to school over here, HA HA...... We cover four wards. Kahuku 1st, Kahuku 3rd (Tongan Ward), Hauula 2nd, and BYU 4th Ward( yes sir Derrick Jacobson, that is a singles ward, HA HA!!!) I really, really love it over here already and it has only been like four days.
The sister missionaries are pretty cool. There are like twenty or thirty over here and they are super chill for the most part. There are a few different ones, but its all good. There are only 4 Elders over here. Elder Garritson (I served with him in Honolulu), his greenie, Elder Porter, my companion, Elder Major, and myself. It is a whole lot more work to cover here in Laie. I really thought it was rough in Mililani to cover 3 wards and acount with one stake president for the missionaries in the stake, but now we cover 4 wards and we have to account and cover ground for 5-6 STAKES!!!! I guess that is why we don't complain huh??? lol
My companion is cool. He is from Orem, UT. He is going to finish his mission in like May. He is like the complete opposite of me, but he is fun and he is a good missionary. I really don't know how I lucked out to come over here. I am so blessed to come to this part of Hawaii, I almost got shot by all of the other elders when they heard that I was going here in transfer meeting, but I made it out alive.... And i get to eat some more Tongan Food!!!!! Oh baby!!!!! I really don't know what I am going to do about my weight thing though, I am back up to like 214. We can't really work out very hard because we have to do work out every morning with the sisters and whatever we do with them is not really that grueling. I tried to talk them into every other day, but they sister trainers say if we don't work out together the sisters will take adavantage and sleep in every morning we don't have a zone activity. So we will see what happens. I don't know how I am going to get back in shape and lose this spare tire, but somehow. Where there's a will, there's a way!!!!
But Catmull became a Zone Leader in Kona on Big Island. YOu should send me some pics of the cruise though if you get time.... Well i Love you guys gotta go..... This is place is what I really pictured Hawaii to be like.. It is almost making me want to come back on live here, ha ha!!! Well partners, gotta go, OFA ATU, Elda Hala
This part is too funny....I think I am going to kill him. LOL
Hey madre, i was just thinking............. We never applied to come here to BYU Hawaii.... LOL............. I hear they really have a lot of scholarships for polynesians..... I was just wondering what the heck if we just went out on a limb and could see if i could get any scholarships or grants or something to come here..... I honestly don't think i could be 10,000 like at SUU, but just a thought. If you could maybe do a little research or even apply for me for the spring of 2012???? Lol, thank you mother.... I am 95% sure i would never live here and it wouldn't work out, but just in case....... THANKS MOTHER!!!! LOVE YOU< ELDER HALA.... MAybe even if you could apply to UVU and other schools too, just to see if I can get any bettter scholarships or anything..... LOVE YA CHAN ofa atu