Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you had a wonderful day! Fills with thanks and givings. :) We had a wonderful day. I really loved thanksgiving. It's probably one of my favorite Holidays.
We started with going on a hike for morning exercise. We hiked down Pololu Valley and while we were going down we ran into these two hauli men, we wished them a Happy Thanksgiving and asked where they were from. One was from Michigan and I can't remember the other. We explained to them that were Mormon missionaries as they were surprised that an Tongan and hauli girl would be hanging out together. The one man from Michigan then continued on his hike down the mountain to the ocean. I don't think he really wanted to talk to those Mormons. We got down the mountain and then sat on the rocks, starring at the ocean. It was so beautiful! How lucky I am to be a missionary in Hawaii! We'd throw rocks in and every time saying something that we were thankful for. It was really fun! We'd say serious things and also the small little things that nobody really thinks about. While we were sitting there this same Michigan man came over to us and said "I don't know why the spirit told me to come over here. But I've learned to just obey it." I thought at first that we were going to have a full Restoration lesson right then and there! Then he continued and said that he used to be Mormon, but that he's learned that all you need is Jesus to be saved. Jesus is love and He will save us all. He then mentioned something about Joseph Smith and the gold plates and how all you need is the Bible. He was only talking to us for about 3 minutes, then he said, "Well the spirit is gone, I need to shut up" He encouraged us reevaluate what we believe and then he walked away. Put on his flippers and swam into the ocean. I was really upset that he didn't even give us a chance to say anything back to him. But it also, it really had no effect on me. I am so grateful for my knowledge and testimony of the Restoration! The priesthood has been restored back onto the earth, what a blessing for all of us! I felt so sorry for this poor man who has fallen away into the tempters snares. I feel like I understand now what President Uchtdorf means when he says "Doubt your doubts, before you doubt your faith." I can see how Satan tries to use that as a tool to deceive us away from the truth. It was an interesting experience all together, but we still had a blast!
We then headed over to our members home, the Nui's for dinner. Sister Nui had to work at 1 so they started there Thanksgiving dinner at 10am. It was so much fun! We started with a little devotion and shared a scripture of graditute. Then we ate! We had a typical thanksgiving dinner with turkey and mashed potatoes, (with rice on the side. :) ) It was so delicious! Afterward Bro. Nui was teaching us all to play some songs on the ukulele. He taught us Mele Kalikimaka and a few others. I've gotten pretty ok since I've been in Hawaii actually! Sister Lauhingoa turned to me during our little jam session and said, "Do you know who Sister Elam is talking to?" ..-"no, who?" --"She's talking to your mom" What!? Yep that was a surprised for me too! I had no idea! I looked at Sister Elam and she had this big grin on her face. She's so cute. It was so weird to think that you were so close! Yet so far. She told me to come over and that she was going to just put in on speaker that way I could hear your voices.. But I said no thank you. I'll be talking to you soon enough. No need getting trunky now. :) After our dinner we headed over to Waimea and hung out with the other missionaries. We had a turkey bowl and played sports. It was just a good day!
As for our missionary efforts.. We had kind of a slow week. Everyone was preparing for Thanksgiving. A lot of our appts fell through we were still able to see some miracles! Arianna was confirmed yesterday in church. She is such a cute cute girl. I love her so much! And we still have 3 with date! 2 of those 6 that we had a few weeks ago dropped. We haven't seen or heard from Ainsley in a while. I don't know what's happen, he was so into everything! But we're hoping to contact his this week and figure out what's going on. Also Brianna, our 9 year old dropped too, her Dad is suppose to be coming home in December and so we're going to wait for him to get home before she's baptized. So we just have to reschedule. But our 3 with dates is.. Kayalee. She's like 100% solid. 11 year old who's been coming to church for about 3 months and attended the primary program. Alexis, a woman the Rapiers were teaching before. Her date we still need to make more solid. And Andrew.. He's new! So apparently he was "infatuated" with Sister Weaver when she was here that's how he first came in contact with the missionaries. But he's been coming to church 3 or 4 weeks in a row! He looks a bit rough on the edges. Skinny, and dirty. And our ward mission leader Bro. Kupuka'a said that he has a history and isn't safe. I guess he stabbed a fireman or something. So we were told to keep our distance. He's very protective of his sister missionaries. But this last Sunday I just keep feeling bad, our dinner appts keep asking about him and if we're teaching him. I really don't think anyone should be kept from the gospel. He actually called us yesterday evening randomly and we asked him why he keeps coming to church, he said because people talk to him and he's mostly alone a lot. That he like the church and is learning more things. We committed him to be baptized and he said he would like that! So we set him with a date and that set up an appt to teach him the lessons at the church. We also invited the Elams and Bro. Kupuka'a just to make him feel better. Soo.. all of our baptisms are scheduled for December 14th! Heavenly Father loves us and is pouring his blessings!
Well.. I think that's about about our week. Zone Conference is this Friday and it's my last.. Meaning that I have to give my dying testimony as a missionary. Waaaa waaa waaa..:( I really don't want to.. I still have 2 solid months to be a missionary! To find, teach, and baptize. I kind of feel like the mission wants to kick me out early. And I don't like it! I love being a missionary. December is going to be full of WHITE!
I love you all! Have a fabulous week. Work hard, be good, have fun, don't fight!
Love,
Sister Nielsen
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