Last week was a great week at the VC because we beat our record of the number of people that came to visit the temple! Even more people are able to feel the sweet Spirit here on the grounds and have a chance to learn more about the gospel :) 

In our area:

1) Ar Lon is starting to realize what we all have to do in order to gain answers to our prayers. Our fellowshipper Jared is doing great at helping him understand the true meaning of certain scriptures we share. We're meeting them again today and it's really fun to help Lon recognize that we don't get results or answers from God if we just half-heartedly pray or read the scriptures. Our desire has to be fully there, our intent, shown through our actions and willingness to experiment upon those promises.

2) We had a super great meeting with one of our ward mission leaders, Stetson, last Saturday. There's a few new girls that we want to meet, and even before he was called to be ward mission leader, somehow he already met them and got to know them! Haha. Sister Leng and I will try to get to know more of the girls in our wards, so we can help them prepare for missions, or help them learn the gospel if they're not members of the church. Two are twins from Denmark! So cool! We are still figuring out how to be effective missionaries in YSA wards... it's so hard to know who to get to know, and who we can help out. But we're getting there!

3) We had ward council yesterday morning, and found out a few girls want to prepare for their missions! So we might start doing a once a week or twice a month mission prep session for them :) So fun.

VC:

1) I received a referral from a man named James, who served a mission years ago, and now inactive, and he wanted to receive a priesthood blessing from the missionaries. He told me that they are visiting him and helping him stop his addiction (not sure from what) by using the 12 steps recovery program, and that he's even coming to church every Sunday now. He shared his testimony about how he can feel the Spirit more in his life, and how grateful he is for the missionaries. I felt so grateful to be an instrument to help Heavenly Father reach out to all His children, especially those who have left the gospel but want to come back. 

2) Willy, the man from New Zealand, has met with the elders and will continue to learn from them! Bethany, our recent convert, is preparing to receive her temple recommend, and continues to share her testimony with her friends. I think our greatest joy is to see others find happiness in this gospel. And everyone can, if we allow our faith to overcome our doubts, and seek answers from God, rather than from man.

3) I met a family from France and used the little French I knew to communicate with them haha. I mostly spoke in English though, but I wish I knew more French...the dad took a Book of Mormon in French and we told him to go to the open house for the Paris France Temple when it is done! (hopefully this year or 2017)

4) Lately I haven't talked to many people prepared to learn about the gospel, but I've just been so happy to share my testimony with them and help them feel the Spirit on these temple grounds. I still have a lot to work on, but Sister Leng is such a good example of being bold in sharing her testimony and experiences. The work that we do isn't to convert people, but to plant seeds in sharing and inviting them to find out for themselves. I met a less-active sister from Waipahu (on this island), and as I was getting to know her, she expressed that she wanted her children to know of the gospel, and her husband as well. I invited her to have the missionaries visit so she could feel the Spirit she feels every time she comes here (they come once a month or something) in her home. I don't meet many less-active members who are open, but I know that the Spirit touched her heart and she knows what the blessings of the gospel can do for her family. 

Other:

Sister Leng and I prepared training this morning for the VC, and it was all about remembering our purpose, as missionaries, and as disciples of Jesus Christ. We can recite our purpose so many times, but we have to act in a way so others can easily recognize us as representatives of Jesus Christ. Being a sober missionary means we can still have fun, and be reverent, and focused on the work, and find true joy. There's things I need to improve on as well, but I'm grateful for all that I learn here, especially from the sisters we serve with. :) 

Scripture of the week: Alma 5:14

"And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?"

​Crouching Lion hike last week! Short hike and soooo beautiful.

​Sister Leng and I!

​Our little group :) It was 2 pm, so so hot, but so so rewarding with the huge breeze at the top!

​Yesterday, we unintentionally matched, so we took a picture. We had dinner with the Usuis (Japanese couple) and they invited the Li couple (in the picture), and we love serving among the married students! They are so funny, but we also learn from their experiences haha.

​This is a picture from last transfer, but you can see our mission president and his wife in the middle. President and Sister Bekker :)