Aloha!

Sister Domingo is a great missionary! We have so many similarities and she's willing to work hard to improve her Korean, and other skills. I couldn't have asked for a better trainee! I'm so grateful that we're working as a team and always striving for improvement. We're having so much fun together and sometimes I feel like I need to stop talking so much! Hahahaha. She really is super cute and diligent. Her Korean is fluent, but she's working on teaching the gospel in Korean. 

Sister Lin, Sister Sicotte, and I, gave a short little training to the new Chinese sisters (Sister Lin2 and Sister Lam). But there's really no way of explaining the experience when Chinese tour buses come in. Later that day, we had a group of 30 Chinese guests that swarmed to the front desk for their own copy of the Book of Mormon. It's a rare occasion to see so my face was like this: 😁😯! The two sisters both received guest cards back! So fun. 

VC:

1) Training a new missionary is super fun, and it makes me really appreciate knowing little things. For example, how to call someone on the phone when we confirm their request for a free scripture, or how to continue a conversation from the temple grounds to inside the VC. I've loved sharing with Sister Domingo from my personal experience, but she has a powerful testimony of the Savior that is more important than anything else. 

2) I met a Chinese family from Markham! They came on the tram tour but didn't have any interest going inside the VC. Turns out the girl, about my age, is dating a guy who's an inactive member of the church. Her mom asked me how I joined the church, so I shared my testimony with her, but mostly talked to the girl my age. Hopefully her visit here to the temple will spark an interest both in her and her inactive boyfriend...

3) Elder Zwick and Sister Zwick, a General Authority Seventy, came to speak to our zone yesterday afternoon. "If you stay close to Jesus, He will stay close to you." "A new sense of commitment means more accountability." We can do hard things in life, with Heavenly Father's help, and I truly have a testimony of that! Elder Zwick 

4) We talked to a woman named Helen on chat on morning (evening in the UK though), and she asked us how she could overcome addiction. We taught her about the power of Christ's Atonement, and she knew that she was going on a wrong path. Turns out, some missionaries visited her home, but she wasn't comfortable talking to them because her housemates were there. That's why she came on chat, and we invited her to call those missionaries to learn more. She'll be meeting with them this week!  We're all in this work together, to bring others peace from the Atonement, but really help us change so we can have eternal happiness.

5) We also chatted with a member named Annabelle, who felt like her faith was stuck and she wasn't growing even though she was doing all the right things, like reading scriptures, listening to general conference talks, etc. She felt like she wasn't receiving the promises in her patriarchal blessing. We encouraged her to have faith and to serve others as Christ did, because that will help her find happiness when she doesn't know Heavenly Father's timing yet. This conversation taught me that as a member of the church, we may lose faith sometimes, but talking to good friends who will lift you, or missionaries, or your bishop, can always remind you that God really does have a perfect plan for you. 

4) Sister Domingo and I took a really intense tour with a couple from Vancouver and Australia. It was her first day being on shift at the VC! Sam (the woman) asked for our beliefs on same-sex marriage, church organization, and she had so many doubts about man REALLY knowing the will of God. We believe that the prophet receives direction from God to lead and guide the church, so that we can follow Jesus Christ better in our lives, but Sam popped one question after another! I taught and testified, and the miracle was, she really could believe in Joseph Smith's experience, and loved the symbolism of what we do in temples. I didn't feel overwhelmed at all with her challenging questions, because I knew in my heart and mind that what we believe are truths, given from God to modern prophets. And I knew the Spirit bore testimony of the things we've taught. At the end, they were really appreciative of the time we spent teaching them, and took a few pamphlets. I realized that there was no way I could've handled this situation without the Spirit's guidance!

5) We ate dinner with two married couples recently and they announced that they were both pregnant!!! We were also one of the first people they've revealed the news to. This is kind of irrelevant, but I loved hearing their testimonies of Heavenly Father's perfect timing, and showing their faith in Him. Sister Domingo is loving our area too haha.

6) Timothy, our investigator online, is progressing with the missionary lessons! He's a single dad with two young daughters, and is excited to bring them to church on Sunday. The more I do missionary work, the more I love these people, and know that we really are brothers and sisters in God's great family. It's easy to talk to others when you truly care, and it's easy to have confidence in the guidance of the Spirit when you do your best to live the gospel. I know that we interact with so many people each day, but what increases their desire to learn more is the special spirit they feel from our interactions. And that is from God. Not us!

7) Marshall, the super golden guy I met here at the VC with Sister Lor, has set an appointment with the local missionaries. :)

And other news! I got a haircut! I cut it short! Time for a change-up! (not in pictures) Some of the newer sisters are not used to seeing me leave leadership haha. I learned so much the last few transfers, and I know that it's prepared me to train and love Sister Domingo to the best I can. I think I'm ending my mission on a high, every day is a fresh day, to get down to work, and to love love love! Sister Domingo is a quick learner and I know she will blossom to be a wonderful missionary! :)

Scripture of the week: 1 Peter 1:7

"That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ"

​Sister Domingo and I in front of the temple :)

​A sweet sweet Vietnamese lady from Australia visited on the tram tours. She's been through a lot of trials in her life but had an unshaken faith in Jesus Christ. Always sweet to see that.

​Valentine's Day was transfer day, and Sister Domingo's first day! So we cooked kimchi fried rice together. :) So glad we both like Korean food!

Guess what?!

1) Tomorrow marks the first day of my last transfer on my mission, which means I only have 6 weeks left on my mission...

2) I've been released as a STL(sister training leader) and called as a trainer!!! The one and only time I'll train on my mission haha. My new companion will be Sister Domingo! She is Filipino, but called to serve here at the VC Korean speaking. I heard she's a big fan of Korean dramas and apparently fluent in Korean because of that, we'll find out I guess. But it's kind of funny that I like Korean dramas too hahaha. I'm super excited to train! But also be with a companion that is so excited to begin her mission and has no idea what she's getting herself into! Hahaha. I've never had a companion who was so new on her mission. I know I will be exhausted but I will have SO much fun loving and serving her. My last transfer to stretch and grow in the best way possible! 

We are receiving five new sisters tomorrow, and three sisters are departing. I'll see Sister Lee again soon, Sister Yeung was my companion in the beginning of my mission, and Sister Ng and I have served together in leadership for the last three transfers! 

VC(quick updates):

1) On Friday night, my voice was super sore. And on the weekend, it was dying, so with the help of much water, Halls, Nyquil, and medicine, my voice is now 90% full capacity. Yay! Probably many prayers too. Thank goodness. As a missionary, losing your voice is the worst! Nobody can hear you. :( And I can't sing.

2) We had cleaning checks last week and our pad won! We are "star cleaners." Yes!

3) I talked to a girl named Melissa, from Canada, on chat the other day. She asked me two questions. One was , "what is it like to be a Mormon?" and, "what is the Book of Mormon?" I shared with her basically my testimony and how my faith in God and Jesus Christ is the center of my life, affecting all my decisions and perspective. Then I taught her about the restoration of the gospel, and she seemed genuinely curious to know if it was true. She wasn't quite ready to read the Book of Mormon herself, but I still shared my testimony. Then she left the conversation and I had to go to prayer meeting (before our shift). I'll never know what she's going to do, but I'm glad I taught and testified of the truth, and now she can act on her curiosity if she chooses to. I found out later she replied to me 7 minutes after, but I was gone haha.

4) For transfer news (the big reveal if  you will switch companions or switch areas), we created a video of Sister Ng sketching out each new companionship, which was a lot of work! Last minute, they had to make some changes, and on the night of, we had technical difficulties, but it all worked out and it was miracle!

5) Joey is an investigator that we're keeping in touch with online, and he's preparing for baptism next month! He set that goal a few weeks ago, and loves what he's learning from the local missionaries.

6) On Thursday afternoon, Sister Lor and I had an empty tram tour, so we went online for that 20 minutes. Usually this time, it's unlikely we're taking live interactions even if we try to call them, because they may not pick up. But we called Rita, who requested for a Book of Mormon. And she told us her mom actually passed away a few days ago. We testified of God's perfect love for her, His plan of happiness, and she's being taught by the missionaries now. Every minute that we are anxiously engaged in missionary work, Heavenly Father gives us opportunities to bless the lives of others. It is so fun!

I love the First Presidency Message from this month's Ensign. President Uchtdorf says, "If we would keep the commandment to love one another, we must treat each other with compassion and respect, showing our love in day-to-day interactions. Love offers a kind word, a patient response, a selfless act, an understanding ear, a forgiving heart. In all our associations, these and other such acts help make evident the love in our hearts...Love is the very essence of the gospel, the noblest attribute of the human soul. Love is the remedy for ailing families, ill communities, and sick nations. Love is a smile, a wave, a kind comment, and a compliment. Love is sacrifice, service, and selflessness." Charity is the pure love of Christ, and I testify that life is so much more fulfilling and happy when you are developing that attribute. That's why missions are fun - we're putting others first and trying to figure out how we can serve them - by sharing the gospel.

Scripture: 3 Nephi 27:27

" And know ye that ye shall be judges of this people, according to the judgment which I shall give unto you, which shall be just. Therefore, what manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am."

​Neat story here! This couple actually went inside the VC, didn't talk to any sisters, but Sister Chong at the front desk (senior sister) invited them to take the pamphlets and fill out a guest card, which this guy did! And when they walked outside, we took them up to the temple, and taught them the role of the Book of Mormon. When we offered the guest card, he said he already filled it out! And he took a Book of Mormon and everything else!

​This group of YSA are actually from Canada somewhere and met me and my trainer in the beginning of my mission. They came back a few days ago and wanted to say hi! So unexpected that they remembered us. 

​This is what accounting looks like here at the VC. Every week we add up the stats! Goals vs. actuals. Next transfer, I can just sit back and receive training from the new STLs hehe.

​We had lunch with Elder and Sister Chong today! They share funny travel experiences where they didn't listen to the Spirit, and when Heavenly Father answered their prayers. We love them!

I feel so blessed every week because we meet so many wonderful people here! Some are just curious, and some are super prepared to learn more from the local missionaries. And some experiences aren't very special or grand, but remind me of how much Heavenly Father loves His children. I can't believe this is the last week of the transfer! 

VC (so many miracles, I can't even write them all!):

1) Yesterday morning was super busy for a morning shift! Several Chinese buses came, and we met two walk-in couples who were visiting. Of the four of them, Marshall was the most interested in learning more about the temple and our beliefs. We taught him about the living prophet, revelation, and then I got pulled out front to greet Chinese guests. But I came back to finish our tour and basically taught the whole restoration lesson, and so much more, because he had so many questions! He was raised Catholic but never quite found a church that fit him. Sister Lor and I were so happy to share our testimonies and answer his questions. He was willing to read the Book of Mormon and learn more from missionaries in Ilinois! I was slightly worried when he read from the guest card, "you're sending representatives to my house?" "Yep, they're just like us! Missionaries!

2) Last week, a member, who also works as a tour guide on the side, brought in an Italian family. These women were friends of his, and all of us ended up watching the video, God's Plan, in Italian. One woman's husband passed away recently from cancer, so we testified of eternal families. And because of the member's testimony, they filled out a guest card and was willing to learn more from missionaries in Italy. And we invited them to check out the Rome Italy Temple when it's completed! Since they'll have an open house! It's such a blessing to meet families from all over the world, who can recognize the truths of the gospel because of the Spirit.

3) When I was on exchanges with Sister Furukawa last week (we were companions at the MTC), we took tram tours together. One our last one of the evening, ending at 7:15 pm, I saw a Chinese woman in the front row who just looked so frustrated/sad. I was so worried because we don't want anyone leaving the temple with those kind of feelings! Turns out her 2 year old son threw out her wooden-beaded bracelet out the tram window, and she was so stressed out because the bracelet was a gift from someone very special to her. Our wonderful tram driver, Lance, said she could hop back on the tram, and we'd drive slowly to look for it, on the path of the tour. She got off a little later to just look on her own, in the dark. And not too far after, we saw it! I picked it up and ran back to return it to her. She was so overjoyed and even cried a little. Sister Furukawa and I prayed that morning to give others hope or help them feel happy that day. And this tiny miracle, that this bracelet wasn't crushed by cars, or was found and returned to its owner, was an answer to our prayer and to her's! :)

5) On another evening, I began talking to a couple wearing matching Hawaii print outfits, and began telling them how I was introduced to the gospel, but Sister Lin asked if I could help give a tour to a Chinese man. I felt a a little torn because I couldn't keep talking to the couple, and the Chinese man didn't even want to learn much about anything... I was looking inside the VC to see if any other sisters talked to that couple, and I told Sister Lor what happened. The miracle was, they actually walked up the temple grounds, and down, didn't go inside the VC, Sister Lor took their pictures, and they were willing to meet with missionaries and learn more! Yay for companion unity! Heavenly Father truly knows every person who comes here, and allows us to connect somehow. So they can make a choice to learn more or not!

6) Sister Lor met a really excited woman named Mimo from Thornhill, Ontario. I was speaking to some Chinese guests and later joined her, when they were trying to look for the Toronto Temple on the little touchscreen. The funny thing was, Sister Lor was struggling because she had no idea where Toronto was hahaha. But I pointed it out! Mimo is Christian, and never heard of our religion, and was excited as ever to meet missionaries back home and keep in touch with us! It's so fun to see others so open to learn more! Especially Canadians! At the same time, her daughter Jessie was talking to Sister Sicotte and she wanted to learn more too! The power of working two by two is so real.

7) I met a super sweet couple from Shandong, China last week! She joined the church in 2007 when she visited Hong Kong, near the temple, and met missionaries. She felt a prompting in her head that she should listen to what they had to say. And her husband got baptized in 2015, and this was his first time seeing a temple! And a Visitors Center! I was so happy to show them around, hear their testimonies, and they're preparing to be sealed in the Hong Kong temple too. They asked me to write my testimony in the Simplied Book of Mormon so that was fun!

8) A few days ago, a Chinese tour came in, but they weren't the typical families, but a group of elementary children from Beijing. It is such a rare sight to see! I've only seen smaller groups of kids, staying here with host families, studying English. I had so much fun teaching them about God, Jesus Christ, temples, and learning from our mistakes in life. I don't know how much they'll remember from their short visit here, but I hope they will treasure the temple and Jesus Christ pass-along cards we gave them!

The closer I am to the end of the mission, the more unreal it feels that I've been here in Hawaii for more than a year even! We had Mission Leadership Council on Monday, and President Bekker trained us on developing/strengthening our own conversion. I loved the reminder that we have to rely on Heavenly Father every single day, and we have to be living in a way every single day, that shows our conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Every day, I'm grateful for Heavenly Father for all the blessings I have, for all the opportunities I have to meet different people and to boldly share the truths I know, and invite them to learn more. I know that President Bekker, our mission president, and Elder Swinton, the Director at the VC, are both inspired and led by God to guide each of us. We cannot have the Spirit without trying to become more Christ-like ourselves. A process that takes our entire lives and more. But I've learned that although the process isn't easy, to chip away our pride, our will and desires, the results are always worth it. Our hearts are so much lighter and happier when we choose Christ, and follow His perfect example.

Scripture of the week: Moroni 7:5-8

" 5 For I remember the word of God which saith by their works ye shall know them; for if their works be good, then they are good also.

 6 For behold, God hath said a man being evil cannot do that which is good; for if he offereth a gift, or prayeth unto God, except he shall do it with real intent it profiteth him nothing.

 7 For behold, it is not counted unto him for righteousness.

 8 For behold, if a man being evil giveth a gift, he doeth it grudgingly; wherefore it is counted unto him the same as if he had retained the gift; wherefore he is counted evil before God."

​Sister Lor took this sneak shot! They were sooo cute! I felt like their teacher haha.

​The family from Italy! And Brother Furukawa on the right.

​This is real life behind doors, in the guide room. In the evening, sisters get drop-off dinners from members, and this is what dinner time looks like! Haha. 

​The sweet member couple from China! Their daughter is studying at BYUH. And she took a ton of material to share with the members in their district in Shandong!

Love,

Sister Wu

Last week was super busy! We had so many trainings going on haha. VCTM (visitors center training meeting with Elder Hafen), Worldwide Missionary Broadcast, and Zone Conference! And can't forget, Chinese New Year! :) 

- Elder Bruce C. Hafen wrote several books on the topic of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and he taught us more about our unique understanding of the Atonement because of the restoration of the gospel. We know that the Atonement helps us overcome bittterness, become perfected like Jesus Christ, and that there are conditional blessings attached to our decisions. I highly recommend reading some of his talks :) "Beauty for Ashes" and "All for All: The Atonement"

- The Worldwide Broadcast was so good! We learned a lot about how to teach repentance and baptize converts :)

- In Zone Conference, we received a few insights from President Bekker's son and daughter-in-law from their mission experiences. Kaitlyn said one of her favorite quotes is from the movie, "Forever Strong," which says, "practice doesn't make perfect, practice makes permanent." Our attitude about obedience and everything we do here in our mission will develop habits for the rest of our lives! :) It we want to do God's will and what He asks, we can! Everything else in life will fall into place.

VC: 

1) Online, I talked to Matt, who actually met with missionaries when he was in college. He remembered how welcomed he felt at church, and now, years later, he's searching for that again. He was raised Catholic but felt that the way they handled the repentance process was overbearing. I invited him to meet with missionaries again so that he can know if what we believe is true, and have those same feelings again, of our Heavenly Father's love for him. It is great to see that those missionaries he met before planted a seed of faith in him. :)

2) I met Liz and her family from one of the tram tours one evening, and she was super open to learning more! They were visiting from San Francisco, and she is starting to learn more about Christianity, and I was able to testify about the importance of a living prophet, and having a strong family foundation. She loved the temple, and wants to learn more from missionaries!

3) So while I was on exchanges with Sister Lundgren, I tried to call Jan, to confirm if she's met with the missionaries yet. The crazy fact is, the first time I called her, she was so desperate and took it as a sign from God that she needed the elders to give her a priesthood blessing. So I'm thinking, "wow this is perfect! She's going to truly see the miracles of the gospel immediately in her life." But when we called, it was so weird! She basically felt that the missionaries she met were the kindest people ever, and took the time to listen to her problems, and helped(as she talks, she's crying). BUT she has no interest in becoming Mormon ever, because she just can't believe in Joseph Smith as a prophet. We shared our testimonies and continued to encourage her to read the Book of Mormon, but it was so sad to see that she felt the Spirit so strongly but chose to reject that path to learn more. She wanted to find her own answers first. The restored gospel directly relates to the way we treat others, especially in our missionary work. I know that everyone has their timing to receive the gospel, and I'm just grateful she was able to see how much Heavenly Father loves her personally.

4) We said goodbye to Elder and Sister Smith this past week and welcomed our new senior couple, Elder and Sister Chong! They are such honest people and are converts to the church too!

5) On Saturday evening, we had a little celebration to celebrate Chinese New Year! Just at the VC. Sister Lee and a few other sisters prepared a dragon dance for us, and a fan dance. It was too funny! We are so blessed here to learn about different cultures. Then we had a little dinner with fried rice and other goodies. I love my culture! And it is so fun to see many Chinese families on vacation here during this break. Sister Ng and I took a cute family from Beijing to watch God's Plan (video walkthrough presentation) and they were so touched by the Spirit they felt. The mom was reminded about the blessings of spending quality time with her kids. I love opportunities like this, because we rarely have a family who has enough time to watch God's Plan (12 minutes).

Happy belated Chinese New Year everyone! Year of the rooster 🤗🐓. 

Scripture of the week: 3 Nephi 13:19-20

"For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

​Group picture with Elder Hafen and Sister Hafen(right under the Christus with the yellow tie).

​Dinner with a cute family in our married student ward, Sister Kaopua and her cute baby Leila! We are sad we can't hold babies...

​This is one of our lovely tram drivers for our tram tours from the PCC! William

​Elder and Sister Chong! They are from Utah, but they were both born and raised here in Hawaii. We love them already.

I wrote in my journal 6/7 days in the last week. It felt really rewarding because I can always reflect on how Heavenly Father's hand has been in my day, and remember how much He loves me and the people that we meet. This week I've learned that a part of being a good leader is being a good friend and being a good listener. It's a humbling experience to have sisters turn to us with concerns and struggles that they're going through, and I'm grateful to tell them that "it will all work out, if you seek for Heavenly Father's guidance". There's really no place like the VC with 32 sisters with different backgrounds and personalities! Differences help us learn and challenges help us draw closer to the Savior. The antidote to most problems is charity, the pure love of Christ.

VC:

1) Zachary got baptized on Saturday and it was so fun to hear his testimony! One of his good friends from high school baptized him. When he prayed to God to know if the Book of Mormon was true, he received his answer the next day. And he's already visited the temple in several times and loves the peace there. I'm so happy we were able to hear his testimony, that really is one of my favorite parts of serving here!

2) Micah (from Florida) requested for a Book of Mormon, and it's kind of funny how he became interested. His dad is a Southern Baptist pastor and made some pretty bold statements about our church. Micah wanted to find out if the Book of Mormon is true or not, kind of like Joseph Smith's willingness to seek the truth. And now he's being taught by the missionaries. :)

3) I was texting a girl named Jessica from Beijing, and she's a homestay student in Vancouver right now! She's just the sweetest, and was moved by the kindness of members she's met. She's so excited to learn more about the Book of Mormon, and to keep in touch. The gospel is spreading in so many different ways!

4) Sister Lor and I met a senior couple from California who are serving as service missionaries in a women's prison and also helping with addiction recovery meetings for the church. I just thought that is so cool because they're sharing the gospel with people who are really looking to change their lives!

5) While on exchanges, we picked up a inbound call and talked to Jan, and she was really struggling. Her sister is a recent convert to the church and recommended her to get a priesthood blessing from the missionaries. She's recovering from some addictions, and is a Christian herself. She felt like this was a sign for her to fill the hole in her life, even though in the past, she's been skeptical about our church. Phone calls are some of my favorite interactions online because you can learn a lot from someone's voice and the way they talk. She was crying a lot, and we shared with her how she is a precious child of God, and the message we share really can bless her life. We ended the call with a prayer I said, then she wanted to pray for us, and in her prayer, she was thanking God for us, and felt that we were really able to feel her pains too. I know I don't really receive any credit for the hearts that are touched through the Spirit, but it's just a confirmation to me that we're learning to mourn with those who mourn, and serve as Christ did. 

6) Sister Lor and I have been seeing so many miracles from teaching together at the VC. In one day, we met two couples, one from California, and one from Toronto, who were both really prepared to learn more about the gospel! 

7) Also on exchanges, we talked to a very argumentative girl on chat. She kept accusing us that we were being deceived into our church, along with other not-so-respectful statements, but I just thought of how important it is to respect other people's beliefs. We politely shared our testimonies and ended the conversation... We don't all have to agree, but there is nothing Christ-like about putting down other faiths or accusing them when you haven't even truly tried to understand them.

Chinese New Year is coming up! Last year, I ate Panda Express. This year, we're going to be a little more authentic than that...haha. I hear it's still pretty cold in Toronto, so stay warm and enjoy the hot chocolate! It's been a little chilly the last few days with major winds. 🤗

Scripture of the week: 1 Nephi 9:6

"But the Lord knoweth all things from the beginning; wherefore, he prepareth a way to accomplish all his works among the children of men; for behold, he hath all power unto the fulfilling of all his words. And thus it is. Amen."

After we end exchanges, we take fun pictures like this one. Memories for days!

​

We went to the temple last Friday! The temple is the best place on earth!

​We went on a short hike this morning, and took cute pictures of course. I love Sister Lor!

So I realized it's only been 5 days since my last email, but then again, I feel like so many things happened since then! Haha

I went on exchanges with Sister Yeung, which was super fun, because we were companions very early on in our missions, and haven't served together since then. We've both grown so much as missionaries, and I can't believe that it's her last transfer here! We both are making specific goals to help us be effective every day we serve here before we have to go home. Also went on exchanges with Sister Staheli, who is from Provo, Utah. She is so sweet and loves to teach and testify to others! This week, I've had one or two days where I felt SO ready to sleep after we came home. We slept at 10 pm. It was heavenly!

I was studying this week in Helaman, and how the concept of remembrance is constant throughout the scriptures. When we remember how blessed we are, we can be humble, and happy. When we forget God, it's easier to become consumed in our own ambitions or pride, and forget to be Christ-like. 

The queue online was SO slow this week, but the miracle was, we still were able to contact some quality and prepared people who want to meet with missionaries! 

Area miracle:

1) So we haven't really been in our area for a while, because they're all students, and we're more effective here at the VC...but yesterday we got a call from a student named Hailey, and she invited us to have dinner with her and her tennis teammates! Three Chinese girls, one Korean girl, one Malaysian girl, and two Americans. Most of them not members, and have met sister missionaries before, but it was a miracle because it was my first time meeting all of them. We were able to just be their friends, and share a short scripture with them! Such a tender mercy, and we don't know what will result from it, but at least they can have a good impression of missionaries before they graduate! Member missionary work is WAY more helpful than any other method. 

VC:

1) Ranielle got baptized last week! Her journey is really sweet. I wasn't expecting the baptism, and was worried her contact got deleted off our system! But good thing it wasn't! I just want to share a short part of her testimony with you, 

"Heavenly Father has always been by my side, even when I thought he was gone. Heavenly Father has given me more than I ever deserved. Not seeking Heavenly Father first will cause me to live and act in ways that are not truth. When I am rebellious and do not focus on Heavenly Father my actions will not be true to the kind and generous heart I have been gifted with. My anger is an enemy to the good and gentle spirit that has been lost but not forgotten inside of me. If I honor Heavenly Father he will place me where I can be used to help heal others of what has so graciously been healed inside of me." I get a little emotional whenever I read it, it was actually longer, but this was just an idea of the blessings she's received from learning this wonderful gospel. 🤗

2) Sister Lor and I also met a man named Jonathan, who grew up Catholic. It was a very easy conversation as we talked more about the temple and its significance, and shared our simple testimonies about the temple, and family history work too. We invited him to keep in touch/learn more from missionaries, and surprisingly, he did! Just reminds me that there's nothing to lose when we just invite everyone to learn more. He was a really open person though, so I'm not sure why I was surprised haha.

3) I've been in touch with a guy named Nick, who actually became introduced to the Book of Mormon because of the Marriott hotel he was staying in. He was surprised to see the scripture in his room and really wanted to learn more about our faith. He had his first lesson with the missionaries today :)

4) We also called Cody, and he's read the Bible on and off and but really wanted to be closer with God. His stepdad is an inactive member of the church, but since he's experiencing some tough trials in his life, he wanted to learn more from missionaries. 

5) Can't forget meeting Tidisha's family! They were from the tram tour, and she had a cute little two year old son, and three week old baby. Her cousin was visiting too to help her out. Her husband is in deployed in the military, and she loved eternal families. Little Alex held my hand and walked with me, so cute! She filled out her info so we can keep in touch and have the missionaries meet with her family in Waianae(Hawaii). 

6) Zachary(online) has been meeting with missionaries and preparing for baptism on the 21st! So fun. He loves the lifestyle we live, and that it brings more purpose into his life.

I love serving here, and we meet so many great people every single day. People who are either looking for something more, or maybe not looking for anything at all. But no matter who we talk to, with love and boldness, we can help them know that they have a Heavenly Father too, and the peace they feel here, doesn't have to be just temporary.

Scripture of the week: 1 Nephi 11:17

"And I said unto him: I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things."

Dinner with Hailey and her teammates! 

​Tidisha and her cousin after we finished the tram tour that evening. Such a cute family!

​Some of our favorite members from the Kaneohe 4th Ward came to the temple and visited us.

​We also had a taco salad party on Friday to celebrate beating all of our goals the week before! Sister Lee loves selfies haha.

​Just a peek of our beautiful mornings here! :)

Last week was packed with events! Sister Yun from Korea came, and Sister Belmonte arrived just two days ago (waited for her visa)! We had Missionary Leadership Council on Monday, Interviews with President Bekker yesterday, and Zone Meeting this morning. My new companion is Sister Lor, and we have so much fun together! She is such a loving person and always serving me and others. :) 

At MLC on Monday, the APs announced that the missionary schedule worldwide will have some changes. Instead of the rigid study schedule in the morning, we can have companion study at a later time, so that we can be out proselyting by 10 am. And daily planning in the morning instead of at 9 pm, so more time to sleep! Or write in our journals. This is super exciting because the First Presidency is preparing us to be "an agent unto ourselves," so after our missions, we can be flexible but still make time for the Lord. 

VC (so many wonderful experiences!):

1) My last day with Sister Allen, we met two men from Thailand, who came on the tram tour from the PCC. We were able to introduce the Book of Mormon to them, showed it in their own language (Thai), and gave them each a copy to take home. Their English was enough to get by, and we invited them to learn more from missionaries in Thailand and they eagerly filled out the Thai guest card! So cool! 

2) I talked to a mother and daughter named Marguerite and Alisha, from the tram tours, and Marguerite was so touched by the beautiful Christus, that she started crying! She was raised Baptist but is going through some hard times in life, so her daughter treated her a trip to Hawaii. She said hearing the Christus narration (90 seconds audio of Christ's teachings from the scriptures) was just what she needed. She actually listened to it twice! I don't meet people like her often, who are really appreciative of Jesus Christ, especially the role He is in their lives. I loved testifying of Jesus Christ as our Savior, and how it wasn't coincidence she was able to come and feel the Spirit here! Both her and her daughter were interested in learning more about the restored gospel. It was just 10-15 minutes of my day, but experiences like these make missionary work so so rewarding. To see her prayer being answered by Heavenly Father, through us. I don't know anything about her life's details, but Heavenly Father knows everyone perfectly, and our needs, and because of that, we were able to draw closer to Christ together. 

3) We also met a really sweet family visiting from Finland! The dad was really drawn towards the family history corner (probably the least popular area in the Visitors Center), and looked up some family names. Before we hopped back on the tram, he wanted to ask me why our church is interested in genealogy, so I taught him about eternal families and temple work. He was so attentive and felt really impressed! Not enough to leave info to keep in touch with us, but still learned a lot. :)

4) Maday, our online investigator from Florida, got baptized a week ago! She was raised in Cuba without much religious freedom, and was really prepared when the local missionaries started teaching her. I have such a testimony that Heavenly Father is preparing His children to receive the gospel everywhere!

5) I took my first Chinese chat on mormon.org. It was transferred to the Chinese queue... and Google Translate helped me for the first part. One cool feature is you can speak Chinese and it will type it out in characters for you (SO useful! and quick! And usually I can read it to make sure it's accurate). I eventually just told Jeff to call me so I can talk on the phone instead. He's from Las Vegas and recently divorced, but still lives with his ex-wife, been investigating the church for the last 6 months or so, and wanted some clarification about the commandments. Heavenly Father is always helping me to know how to teach in Chinese, because I have much to improve on, but I am so happy I was able to help teach him and promise Him blessings from following the commandments. He really desired to have a firm foundation for his testimony before he gets baptized.

6) I took a referral confirmation online for a woman named Dillie, from Japan. She is an English teacher in Kyoto, and wanted to learn more about the Book of Mormon from the missionaries. The miracle here was her reasoning, "I appreciated the principled stand that many Utah

Mormons took in the last US election. I'm very politically oriented and I was concerned by how many religious people in America were able to vote for a president whose actions and beliefs were so contrary to their faiths. From what I've heard, it seems like a belief system that encourages education, critical thinking, and charity which are all things I value highly." So many members and their voting decision/process left an impact on Dillie! How cool is that? I'm so excited for the missionaries in Japan to teach her, because I know it is so rare for people to have an interest over there.

First week of the new year started off so strong! 263 New Investigators from the Visitors Center just last week. When President Bekker trained on "teach repentance, baptize converts," I was reminded that in order for us to teach with power, we need to have been personally converted to the restored gospel. In order to teach the Atonement, we need to have applied it in our lives consistently. In order to find joy in our missionary efforts, we have to serve others and serve God with all of our energy. I testify that these things are true, and as I've served the other sisters, seen their struggles and trials, I've come to know that any problem we face can be solved through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, by turning outwards instead of focusing on ourselves, and by seeking Heavenly Father's guidance. All the miracles and successes we witness are gifts from our Heavenly Father. 

Friends and family, please pray for my good friends Daniel and Dante from back home. They were recently in a serious car accident and are slowly recovering/going through major surgeries. I'm so grateful for the knowledge of this gospel, and I know God has a plan for them.

Scripture of the week: Alma 27:17-18

"17 Now the joy of Ammon was so great even that he was full; yea, he was swallowed up in the joy of his God, even to the exhausting of his strength; and he fell again to the earth.

 18 Now was not this exceeding joy? Behold, this is joy which none receiveth save it be the truly penitent and humble seeker of happiness."

After MLC at the tabernacle :) Sister Training Leaders of the VC

​After dinner with Isaac and Jessica, one of the married couples in our married student ward! 

​For interviews with President Bekker, we evaluate everyone's planners. 7 am makes me laugh. Exercise is rough as a missionary...

​​Elder Andrus and the Finnish family! The son on the left has a friend serving as a missionary in Greece, so cool. This is the entrance to the Polynesian Cultural Center.

So this transfer has ended, and a new year has begun! 2016 was a big year for this Visitors Center, and for many of us serving here. But those changes have made it possible to share the gospel with many more people! 

I don't even remember this time last year very well, but I will be staying in the same area with my new companion, Sister Lor! We will still be sister training leaders together. I've been serving on campus and with the married students for over 8 months now! And I think I'll likely stay here until I'm done with my mission... haha (end of March). And tomorrow, we're receiving one new sister originally from Korea! Sister Yun.

I've been thinking about this past year and how serving a mission has changed me. I've gained such a stronger testimony of Jesus Christ and His Atonement, how Heavenly Father really does love us so perfectly, and is so merciful, and how our discipleship really does begin with our faith in Jesus Christ. The restored gospel is simple and beautiful, and changes our whole lives, but God won't force our agency to accept and live by its principles. Agency is a wonderful gift He's given us so we can learn and grow and experience opposition. We can be happy when we are living the gospel. We can learn wisdom from prophets of old and present. The gospel will always provide an answer to our problems, if not direct us to an answer. I know that this is true. I know that I've changed and t

This week has been pretty hectic because we discuss closely with Elder Swinton to make companionship recommendations for President Bekker, our mission president. Making the master schedule for the transfer, making sure there's language speakers on shifts, and preparing transfer news! We've spent a lot of time doing administrative/preparation this week, so I don't feel like I met a ton of people at the center...but there were still a few miracles! I realized they're pretty much all of Chinese tours haha.

VC:

1) Yesterday, on Sunday, the pace was pretty slow, and a lot of member families, but so many Chinese tour buses came! Sister Sicotte(still learning Chinese) and I were the only Chinese speakers on shift, so we we tried our best to help the guests. It was kind of rough because Sister Allen and I were fasting yesterday (meaning I didn't eat or drink water), so I was so thirsty from talking so much hahaha. But! I met a really awesome young woman about our age, who was intently flipping through the Book of Mormon. I said she could take it home with her, and taught the whole restoration to her! She was a Christian herself and understood how we need someone with proper authority, the prophet to help us understand God's will. I gave her the guest card and she was a little worried because she didn't live in China right now, but lived in Indianna! (who would've thought?). And was willing to learn more from local missionaries 😄 

2) Also yesterday, a Chinese young man came in, and actually lives in Honolulu. I introduced more about the temple and some of our basic beliefs, but he was pretty Athiest, and had some questions I couldn't answer (because I couldn't really understand what he meant, the struggle of hearing new Chinese vocabulary). He was doubtful that God can answer us or speak to man, and asked if I experienced God answering my prayers, and I confidently testified that He did! I think he found that amusing, but I felt completely happy about the truths I knew, and said he would never know God's reality if he didn't even try to know. This isn't really a miracle or anything, but talking to him reminded me of how the gospel is the best gift I could've ever received in my life, and I know without a doubt that God and Jesus Christ are real, and they love us so perfectly. 

3) So this whole transfer, Sister Allen and I have been pretty consistent at doing language study. And I can testify how much it's helped me to communicate better in Chinese haha. I explained to an old man how the gospel has blessed me in my life, and why it is so relevant to everyone today. And I don't remember all the things I've said to him, but I know it was through the Spirit I was able to share what he needed to know, and my testimony. He kindly said, "those are wise words." Yay! Reading the Book of Mormon in Chinese is so fun! (very very slowly)

4) I took a tour with Sister Au, from Hong Kong, and the family we talked to was friendly, but we could tell the parents didn't have an interest besides getting information about the temple. We were able to teach about the restoration and the Book of Mormon, and as a result of that, the son, who was 19 years old, took a Book of Mormon with him! I wish we were able to talk longer but they were short on time, but that seed is planted! 

Other interesting things:

1) President Uchtdorf visited the temple grounds and also the Polynesian Cultural Center with his family! He is just the best. And loves people.

2) Last week, there were so so many visitors at the PCC, so we helped lining people up for our tram tours. And I think my ability to multi-task and control a crowd has increased hahaha. So many happy people came to see the temple and visitors center :)

Setting goals for 2017 is a little weird because I'm thinking about on my mission and after my mission. But I've learned that it's important to not stress unnecessarily about things I can't control, and to enjoy the little moments that make my mission amazing. I love sharing my testimony with others, and I love introducing God to Chinese people. I know that people are being drawn here to the temple because this is sacred ground. 

Talk of the week: The Virtue of Kindness (so so good!)

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2005/04/the-virtue-of-kindness?lang=eng

​We had dinner with two couples from our Married Student Ward! (from left to right: their friend, Sister Watanabe, Sister Allen, me, Brother Watanabe, Brother Kishi, Sister Kishi) I love serving in their ward!

​All the sisters on the evening shift one day :) With Sister Andrus on the left!

​We have blankets because it's cold...only to be used when we're not in the front haha.