Greetings my Ohana, From the island where the sun always shines (and right now it shines a bit too much, it's darn hot hot here). First of all I guess you are wondering if I got transferred. Well I did. I got sent to the makakilo zone, the wards I was assigned to serve in are the kalailoa ward (which is a white ward) and the Mali Kai Samoan ward. So I got to attempt to learn Samoan real quick!!!
Coming here has been a long needed change of scenery. I loved my old area and the people in it, but I was getting pretty sick of tracting the only 4 neighborhoods in the area everyday. But here it will be a bit different. I have two wards and my area covers a huge chunk of the Southwest..? Part of the island, from the outskirts of Ewa (Eh-vah) beach to waianie (why-ah-nie). It is absolutely huge. We have more members than we could ever possibly visit! On the downside this area is hot. Which combined with the high humidity it is a formula for sweating like there is no tommorow!!!
Now time for an experience I had this week: one of the investigators I have met got baptized last Sunday. Her name is Kenzie. For the last 3 years Kenzie has been living with her boyfriend and his family. His parents are active in the ward. But her boyfriend (named Buba) and his siblings are not. Just a month and a half ago Kenzie or Buba had no interest attending church. They would go when asked, but they had no desire to be a part of the gospel or even get married. Then one day Buba's father felt prompted to invite them to a temple prep class. They went and when they came back home she asked to speak with the father in private. She told him she wanted to be with Buba and their daughter forever. Since then they have both been working to get their lives on track with the gospel. So this Saturday they were married, and Sunday she was baptized. It was a very cool experience watching Buba baptize his newly married wife. Now their goal is to be sealed in the temple as a family.
This was probably the biggest highlight of my week, I thought it was cool that all of took was an one hour lesson to totally change her families life. When Kenzie heard the message, she desired that for herself, and she accepted it! People like Kenzie and her family are the kinds of people that we as missionaries are here to find. They are out there. All our job is, is to make this message known to those that are around us. Then the spirit does the rest. It will speak to their hearts. Then if they will listen, they will unite themselves with this cause of truth. I can testify that this work is for more then set apart missionaries. It is for all of us that are members of the church of Jesus Christ. Is it not? I have seem so many mericles brought about through member missionary work. Just like Buba's dad we can be the conduit which God can use to bring another one of our spiritual brothers or sisters unto salvation.
This is my rant for the week. I unfortunately used up all of my email time writing this, my goal is to try to include a little more meat from the week in my letters home as well as a spiritual interpretation where applicable. Sorry this is the only thing I have to write home this week. I have read everyone's letters I just don't have time to reply. Love you mi Ohana!
From the Hawaii Honolulu Mission
Elder
Jared Packer Esplin
Coming here has been a long needed change of scenery. I loved my old area and the people in it, but I was getting pretty sick of tracting the only 4 neighborhoods in the area everyday. But here it will be a bit different. I have two wards and my area covers a huge chunk of the Southwest..? Part of the island, from the outskirts of Ewa (Eh-vah) beach to waianie (why-ah-nie). It is absolutely huge. We have more members than we could ever possibly visit! On the downside this area is hot. Which combined with the high humidity it is a formula for sweating like there is no tommorow!!!
Now time for an experience I had this week: one of the investigators I have met got baptized last Sunday. Her name is Kenzie. For the last 3 years Kenzie has been living with her boyfriend and his family. His parents are active in the ward. But her boyfriend (named Buba) and his siblings are not. Just a month and a half ago Kenzie or Buba had no interest attending church. They would go when asked, but they had no desire to be a part of the gospel or even get married. Then one day Buba's father felt prompted to invite them to a temple prep class. They went and when they came back home she asked to speak with the father in private. She told him she wanted to be with Buba and their daughter forever. Since then they have both been working to get their lives on track with the gospel. So this Saturday they were married, and Sunday she was baptized. It was a very cool experience watching Buba baptize his newly married wife. Now their goal is to be sealed in the temple as a family.
This was probably the biggest highlight of my week, I thought it was cool that all of took was an one hour lesson to totally change her families life. When Kenzie heard the message, she desired that for herself, and she accepted it! People like Kenzie and her family are the kinds of people that we as missionaries are here to find. They are out there. All our job is, is to make this message known to those that are around us. Then the spirit does the rest. It will speak to their hearts. Then if they will listen, they will unite themselves with this cause of truth. I can testify that this work is for more then set apart missionaries. It is for all of us that are members of the church of Jesus Christ. Is it not? I have seem so many mericles brought about through member missionary work. Just like Buba's dad we can be the conduit which God can use to bring another one of our spiritual brothers or sisters unto salvation.
This is my rant for the week. I unfortunately used up all of my email time writing this, my goal is to try to include a little more meat from the week in my letters home as well as a spiritual interpretation where applicable. Sorry this is the only thing I have to write home this week. I have read everyone's letters I just don't have time to reply. Love you mi Ohana!
From the Hawaii Honolulu Mission
Elder
Jared Packer Esplin
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