You know how last week Sister O'Connor passed away? We really only talked with her less than a few sentences because by the eWell we were teaching another less active sister named Sister Keama every Tuesday night, and we visited her last Tuesday. But she passed away Thursday evening and we found out from her granddaughter Friday morning. Imagine us, waking up at 6:30, reading this news. I just started crying because I couldn't help it. I've never had to experience grief over the passing of someone I personally knew. She was definitely a character, she was honest, hilarious, and loving. Sister Blackner and I were both in shock, but we feel at peace knowing that she's in a better place. She was just coming to understand the Book of Mormon stories more, and getting ready to come to church this past Sunday. Her husband is even less active than her, and when we visited him on Saturday, he said he wanted us to keep visiting him and to share more with him. Nobody in her family except for her oldest daughter is active in the church, and we know that her example had such a profound influence on her family. We kept tearing up when we heard Brother Keama explain the details of that night.

We will never quite understand Heavenly Father's timing, but it's okay. Just the example she set in having the desire to strengthen her relationship with God and coming back to church has helped Brother Keama. I'm so grateful for the plan of happiness and for the opportunity we had to be Sister Keama's friends. This experience definitely helped us re-define our purpose here. I still have to write in my journal about it... #thestruggleisreal. 

On another note, our investigator Bryan is currently MIA. We had a pretty brief lesson with him this week and did our very best to make sure he was awake to come to church on Sunday, but no show. I've never realized how important church attendance was until I served a mission, but this is one of those times I just want to shake all my understanding into his head. Unlike most people, who have family and friends to support them, he doesn't have any close family around, and we're not sure about friends either... we're trying to help him gain his own testimony, and answers that are deeply rooted. Brother Long, who's a neurologist, came with us to the lesson and said Bryan might have schizoaffective disorder.

Kahea, the other girl we've been teaching a bit, we haven't been able to see this week, but we had a good long talk with her dad. She's a young mother and still trying to figure out who she is and what she wants with her life, and we're helping her understand her potential and identity as a daughter of God. He told us he was really glad we're here for her because we're good influences haha. We love the people in Hawaii, even though he isn't particularly interested in learning about the gospel, he always treats us with such kindness. He invites us for dinner and says we're always welcome to hang out with their family and do paddling or something after our missions haha. 

We had a super awesome Zone Meeting on Friday and it was about handling discouragement and asking inspired questions when we teach. Little did the STLs and ZLs know just how badly Sister Blackner and I needed it. You think you're a good listener, then you come on a mission, then you realize there's so much more to listening than you think haha. Thankful for the guidance of the Holy Spirit to help us know what to ask, and how to help others resolve their concerns. We're trying to do more tracting to find, and it's going not bad so far. :) Sunday was a day of surprise: Brother Crump came(he's only been at church like once since we've been here), Brother Fatiaki and Tasi(daughter) came for the first time we've been here, and a few other sisters that haven't been here in a while. We're trying to help our investigators progress and it's been kind of rough, but just taking one step at a time helps so much.

Easter is coming up and the church came out with a new initiative! You should check it out :)

https://www.mormon.org/easter

There are two videos and they're a little cheesy but I love it. Because Jesus Christ was resurrected, all of us can be resurrected again one day. :) It's also a great time of the year because General Conference is coming up and I can't wait to receive counsel from the prophet and other general authorities.