Well this last week seems like forever long, but it flew by at the same time! We did a alot!
On Monday-Tuesday night I went on exchange with Sister Pantelakis in Waimea. We had a miracle happen as well! The zone leaders drove up from kona for us to work on the training for Zone Conference. When we were just about ready to be pau and head to lunch break one of the elders looks outside and there's this guy out there, "That looks like Isaiah.." He goes outside and talks to him. We sisters were like.. Ok food! And headed to the pad (which is on the church property) to go get some lunch. About 45 minutes later the zone leaders knock on the door and say that they have someone for us to teach. It turns out that the elder who recognized this guy served in the Sisters area before, it was his greenie area and now he's back in the zone. Isaiah was the first person he taught on his mission. Isaiah has been humbled by the Lord and has hit rock bottom. His wife left him and he's just been very depressed and binge drinking. He knew he needed God in his life, so he started at the Catholic church and went in there and read from the Bible. After that he said he knew there was another church and he made a u-turn and came to the chapel. That's where he was reintroduced to the Elder. We went and talked to him and taught a little bit about how and why God gives us trials and introduced the Book of Mormon. We then invited him to be baptized on the 28th of December and he said that that is something he'd like to do. It didn't sound like a solid "yes" at the time. But it was definitely a miracle for us! The sisters taught him more that week.. He's read almost the whole 1st book of Nephi and came to church. He's so ready to be baptized now and is so excited. Heavenly Father is preparing people all around us!
The rest of the exchange went really well. I love Sister Pantelakis, we've been here in Kona for almost 4 1/2 months together so we've gotten to be good friends. Her companion and her are really different. And I know that they struggle a little, but neither one of them are willing to show it or admit it. Our evaluation at the end of the exchange was really good. We talked a lot of things out and it was amazing how the spirit was guiding my words of counsel. That's why I love being a Sister Trainer, serving my fellow missionaries is such a blessing for me!
The exchange was Sister Lauhingoa's first time taking over the area and she did such an amazing job! I was so proud of her. They worked hard and she knew her way around the area. It's funny being a trainer.. I literally feel like her mom! And if I mess up her training I would feel so bad. She'd had the 1st transfer to watch everything I do and to follow.. And now it's time for me to let her find her wings and fly! She's doing such a good job. I'm a proud momma trainer. :)
On Friday we had Zone Conference. Ohh I loved it so so much. I love President and Sister Warner, they are so full of the spirit and inspired. You can see how they are giving their missions their all of how to help us missionaries. We are starting a new thing called QGCs.. (Quality Gospel Conversations) Pres Warner went to a seminar with Elder Ballard and he talked about how there are more missionaries than ever but baptisms and s@c attendance has dropped.. He said that us missionaries aren't talking to enough people! And counseled that we need to talk to atleast 10 new people everyday. So we aren't accounting for Blessings anymore and we have to just talk to everyone we cross paths with! There were a lot of trainings on that and it was really good. Since it was my last zone conference I had to stand up and bear my testimony. We missionaries call it a 'dying testimony" when you start your mission you're born.. And then when you go home you die. It was awful! I hated it.. And I told them that too. I was the only one who was going home. All the other missionaries were green and were giving there greenie testimony. I hate that everything little thing or person has to remind you that I'm almost finished. But at least it's done. I cannot believe how fast time is going.
Well update on the work in Kohala. We had 2 with date! Kayalee is suppose to be baptized on Saturday, she's so solid but we still have a lot to teach her so it might get pushed back. Andrew our fire fighter friend we taught him this last week at the church with the senior couple and our ward mission leader in the building.. He wants us to be very cautious. It was good though! Sometimes I wonder if he's understanding everything, but yesterday he mentioned something that he has to go to court today and he doesn't know if he's going to come back. They might lock him up. Apparently he's not taking his medication and they want him too. He too is suppose to be baptized on Saturday. We haven't heard anything from him today.. But we'll see what happens. We're praying that he wont got to jail. Such an interesting situation.
Phew.. Well I love you all so much! I love Hawaii, I love my mission and I promise you all I am not getting trunky. I really don't understand the point. I don't feel as energetic as I did when I first came out, but we're still working and wanting to see miracles. :)
Keep being amazing.
Love,
Sister Nielsen
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