I can't believe I'm going to be home next week! So this will be my last email on my mission :(

I'll be back in Toronto on March 30!

Thanks for all your support and love! For you missionaries still serving, keep up the good work, press forward in faith, don't forget to write in your journals, pray fervently, love the people and your companions! You will continue to see miracles, changes, and your love for Christ, God, and others will grow!

Sorry if this email is cheesy. It had to happen.

VC:

1) Chatted with a girl named Naomi from Iceland who was super interested in our faith, but wanted to wait until she moved to learn with missionaries. I have never talked to anyone from Iceland! So crazy. 

2) From the tram tours, we met a old man named Brent, from Alaska. He talked fondly about his own mission experience years ago, but told us in was inactive. Something really tragic happened in his family which scarred him, and led him to have trust issues with people, and because he didn't feel welcomed anymore by members of the church, he just left. In smaller communities, the church is small too, and we were so sad to hear about his experience. But the great thing was, he doesn't have anything against the gospel, but has a hard time forgiving those people who have hurt him. The look in his eyes showed that he really came to the temple for some spiritual strength. Sister Domingo and I testified to him that there is so much more peace that Jesus Christ offers to us when we choose to seek His help - to forgive, to change/repent, and to look beyond the stumbling block. Sometimes we do get hurt, deeply, but there's nothing in the world that can't be lifted from us through our reliance on Jesus Christ, and knowing what He did for each of us. Sister Domingo and I really felt sad because we could see that he yearned for more spirituality in his life, but he just can't let himself go to church or really follow the commandments.

But I know that Heavenly Father led him here to visit the temple grounds. We told him how if we have the faith to press forward, we can come to see Heavenly Father's plan and blessings clearer. But that faith must lead to some sort of action! Honestly, meeting him was an answer to my prayer, because for my last tram shift, I really wanted to have a conversation where I knew for certain we made a difference.

Major lessons I've learned on my mission (just a few):

1) I can become so much more, so much more loving, kinder, compassionate, patient, etc. with Christ's example and help, more than I can muster on my own.

2) Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ live! They are in the details of our lives, He has a plan for each of us, and He will give us what we need, when we need it, according to His will.

3) Sometimes I can be dramatic. But the eternal perspective of the restored gospel helps me to remember, everything will be okay, as long as I'm doing my best to do what's right in the sight of God, and if I'm acting on the faith I have.

4) When we are serving others, we feel a piece of God's love for us and them. When we're being Christ-like, we're happy. Life is so much more meaningful when you're looking beyond yourself, and become an answer to someone else's prayer.

5) The Atonement of Jesus Christ can help our burdens be lifted, can help us be cleansed from sin, pain, sorrow, etc. It's a real power in our lives, a blessing so we can return to live with God again. I've seen others change, and myself too! We are eternal beings who are meant to change, one day at a time, to become more like our Savior, Jesus Christ.

6) Each one of us are children of God, and have so much potential! It doesn't matter who we were or who we are now, what matters is that we can be happier and live more fulfilling lives when we choose to follow Christ.

7) God answers our prayers, always. Not in the ways we expect it, not necessarily the answer we want, but He gives us what we need. Because He loves us :)

8) We will have trials, inevitably. If we seek to understand God's will, through study, prayer, and listening to the Holy Spirit, and seek to be the change, rather than wait for others to change, and we can find a solution. Putting blame on others is immature, negativity can be avoided, and taking personal responsibility to change, by turning outwards, has always been the solution for me. :) And of course, pray about it!

9) It takes effort to be happy and to grow spiritually. Our conversion requires daily effort. “God’s love is infinite and will endure forever, but what it means for each of us depends on how we respond to His love.” Elder Dallin H. Oaks

10) Obedience is the first law of heaven. 

I'm sure you'll hear more from me in the near future about my mission and my experiences. I'm so grateful I kept journals, or else I would not remember all the wonderful and unique individuals and families I've met here! Elder David A. Evans, a General Authority Seventy, came to speak to us a few days ago, at the Visitors Center. He was the previous Executive Director of the Missionary Department, and said that at Visitors Centers, we teach and speak with more people than any missionary in the world. So true. On average, the VC has maybe 22, 000 visitors a month, and 400-900 people come in a day depending on the day. 

I love love love my mission experience, and I have learned life lessons that have changed me and will influence my future I'm sure. It's not easy to love everyone, or be patient with myself, but I know that Jesus Christ suffered for our sins so that we can have peace and joy in our lives. I know that the Book of Mormon is another witness of Jesus Christ, a scripture that contains the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Joseph Smith really was a prophet called of God, and God's church is led today by a living prophet, by divine revelation. I know that when we are exactly obedient, and do our best (I mean, that's all we can do), God will bless us and we can recognize His guidance through the Holy Spirit. I know the happiness we feel is greatly correlated with the way we treat others, ourselves, and the love we have for our Heavenly Father. Every day, we make a choice to follow Christ. Families can be together forever through temple ordinances. I am so so happy that I know this is true. And I was able to share the truth with so many great people. 

Scripture: Alma 27:7

"And Ammon said: I will go and inquire of the Lord, and if he say unto us, go down unto our brethren, will ye go?"

Elder Evans said this is the question of our lives. Will we go and do what the Lord asks of us? I hope my answer will always be yes! :)

So international. Chinese/Canadian, German, Filipino/Korean-speaking!

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The birthday surprise last week!

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​At around 7:10 pm, at the PCC, when we're done with tram tours, waiting to go back to the Visitors Center! 

Announcement: My last preparation day on my mission will be this SATURDAY(when I email). Then the next time I talk with you will be either in person or online! Don't forget to write me emails one last time! :)

This week felt exhausting! In the best way though. 

Sister Domingo's birthday was on Saturday! She turned 20 yrs old :) We had a little surprise the evening before because Sister Park's birthday was on Friday. It was the most awkward surprise because some sisters were running late...so Sister Sicotte and I just stalled and pretended like we were discussing something important in Mandarin. It all worked out though! Candles, cheesecake, laughs. Birthdays are different on the mission because we really don't have time to celebrate it, but small moments count. Sister Yun cooked us kimchi fried rice for breakfast too! 

This morning's training focused on the attribute of hope. I love that recently we've been focusing on Christ-like attributes, and how that affects us as disciples and as missionaries. We view hope as a sure understanding that God will bless us when we do our best. We have optimism, patience, and avoid negativity when we have hope in Jesus Christ. It's not always easy, but having hope is doable because we know God has a plan! 

VC:

1) Recently, we haven't been seeing that many Chinese tour buses, but we do meet smaller groups, from tours or from the PCC. Two Chinese sisters took a few families from Vancouver around the Visitors Center, so I just stood around, in case I could help somehow. I started talking with their tour guide, who told me, he actually had a copy of the Book of Mormon from years ago, read it, liked it, but gave it to a friend. So I gave him a new one! And encouraged him to read it again! He asked if I could sign it so I did that too haha. The sweet thing was he would encourage those families to take a copy too! But said no...but at least I could see that the Spirit from reading the Book of Mormon really does invite others to do good, and he knew that.

2) Sister Domingo was having a rough week because although she's assigned here to serve Korean speaking, she felt really like there was so much she needed to work on, to feel confident giving tours. We talked a lot about patience with ourselves, trusting the Lord to help us when we try our best, and discussed how we all feel that way sometimes - I mean, feeling like we can't do this. Training a new missionary is the closest thing I'll feel to being a mother until I give birth haha. My listening skills are probably way better now than before. I see so much potential in my companion and support her in this learning process. I can tell her what I know because of my experiences, but it won't mean much to her until she has knows it for herself through her own experiences. I don't know what it's like to teach the gospel in a second language, because I'm comfortable in Mandarin and English, but I imagine it's really difficult! She's a great learner though!

The next day, after we got home from Pearl Harbor (we were sooo tired, it's a long drive there and back), we met the ladies in the picture below! They came on the last tram tour, and we just talked with them. One lady asked Sister Domingo if we had church in Minnesota and if she could get that information, so she wrote down her contact information! They all said they could feel so much peace here, and we led them to the Visitors Center to listen to the Christus narration. It was such a beautiful sight to see the four of them, bowing their heads in prayer and reverence, listening to Christ's teachings. At that moment, I could feel the Spirit strongly, and I knew that God knew them one by one, and He led them here, to remind them how much He is aware of their circumstances. We don't know much about them, but we know that they were spiritually fed. We hugged, we took pictures, we gave them the tour back to the PCC. There's not many experiences I have like we've had with them, and I'm just so happy that God gave this tender mercy to Sister Domingo, at a time when she felt super down. They weren't Korean, but it reminded her that we can make a difference, with anyone who God has prepared to come here. 😊

3) I met a Russian couple just a few days ago, who lived by Finch Station back in Toronto! What a small world. They didn't have any religious background, but it was still fun helping them learn the history of the Laie Temple. I told them about the temple in Brampton, and they really appreciated our time. I don't even know how many people I've met here were from Toronto, but most of them were from Richmond Hill, or Markham. 

4) I met a Chinese dad and son, visiting from San Francisco. They've visited the Visitors Center in Salt Lake City, so were familiar with temples. The dad asked me an interesting question, "what's the difference between the happiness you find from religion/faith compared to happiness defined in psychology?" (he's a therapist). I answered saying, "I guess it's the source of our happiness. We believe that God is the source of all our blessings, and we can have the most happiness when we are obedient to His commandments, and are trying to follow Jesus Christ. But that includes working hard, and choosing to find joy in trials. From a psychology view, I guess happiness comes from within yourself and believing that you are in charge of your happiness. Which we believe too." It was a good question and he said he liked my answer. It included more than what I quoted, but I'm glad we meet people who ask us good questions. That doesn't mean they will change or want to learn more about our faith, but more so, they watch the way we live our beliefs. I know I've met probably sooooo many people on my mission, and I haven't always had quality conversations, but I know that I did my best to reflect the joy I have received from knowing and living the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

We had lunch with Elder and Sister Swinton this week, and we talked a lot about families and temple ordinances. We don't have all the answers to what happens to a temple sealing in every situation, but we know that God will take care of it. The Swinton's youngest son was recently ordained as a Bishop in his ward, and she was telling me that it's such a good feeling to see your children "get it right"(center their lives on Christ, willing to serve). I think about many families, and how raising children in the gospel isn't easy, and sometimes members weren't raised in a gospel setting, but we can in the future be an example to our family members. We can teach them to know the importance of Jesus Christ, to know the joys of living in way that's pleasing to God, to love God and their fellow brothers and sisters, and to use the Atonement in their lives. We met a cute family from California, and when the two young girls were hitting each other, the dad took one aside and taught her why that was wrong. It's such a simple act of parenting, but I was so happy to see his example and love. The gospel is a guide to how to live our life and how to face challenges. Our families can be blessed by the gospel of Jesus Christ. I can't say I understand anything about parenthood, but when I try to help Sister Domingo, I see a lot of potential in her that she can't see herself, and I want her to recognize and enjoy the rich experience of her mission. That's probably how Heavenly Father sees us. He can't necessarily hold our hands in life and baby us. But He can send us tools - revelation through the prophet, scriptures, church, local leaders, to help us stay on a path of happiness and peace. Because we are children of God, we have divine potential. And we know that He loves us perfectly.❤ 

Scripture of the week: Hebrews 6:19

"Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil."

​We went to Pearl Harbor, U.S.S. Missouri Ship last Wed to do service! And got a short tour of the significance of the ship. 

​A group of ladies who were SO appreciative of the Christus statue and the short narration. They were all praying in front of it! This is the front entrance of the Polynesian Cultural Center.

​A beautiful sunset behind the temple. I'll never get tired of this view!

​Cliche picture of us holding the Book of Mormon in our languages... :)

What happened this week? A brief overview...

- I made it to my 18th months mark (March 7th) as a missionary! 

- After I got my hair cut, there were three other sisters who also decided to cut their hair, we had a good laugh about it!

- We cooked twice! Spaghetti and meatballs, and broccoli chicken fried rice!

- We also did consistent language study this week, so Sister Domingo could work on her Korean :)

- Zone Meeting focused on teaching by the Spirit! We want to be prepared so that the Spirit can draw on our well of knowledge. It's Him who gives us capacity to do so much more than we can by ourselves!

VC:

1) We met a big group of employees on a work trip from California. But we mainly talked to one couple, who was originally from El Salvador. The man was an inactive member of the church while his wife was a Catholic. She believed that it didn't matter which church we belong to because we all believe in the same God, and we shared with her the blessings of the temple. They didn't have any kids, but suddenly I felt impressed to share an experience Sister Castaneda told me when we were companions in my second transfer. Sister Castaneda was my step-trainer, and originally from El Salvador too! This story was a real experience about Sister Castaneda's grandpa, and the blessings that came from temple covenants. 

I've never even shared this story with others before, but I testified that temple covenants bless our families, and are an example of our faith in God and Jesus Christ. I got a little emotional, and I'm not too sure why, probably because the Spirit was working through me, to remind the man that there is power in keeping covenants you make with God. I'll never know the effect of my testimony, but I know that our interaction wasn't a coincidence! Only a few sisters knew Sister Castaneda personally, and it helped me to connect to this couple on a personal level. I knew just enough about El Salvador and hope that they found inspiration here on the temple grounds.

2) Sister Domingo called someone named Daniel for a Bible request from mormon.org. Turns out it was actually his fiancee, Ceballos, who borrowed his phone for a few minutes. We had a great conversation about the importance of scripture study, and introduced the Book of Mormon, meeting with the missionaries, and learning more together. He was a super open guy and asked us if we help with therapy, because his fiancee thinks he needed some for jealousy. We pretty much said "sorry we don't really have the knowledge for therapy...but we know that as you learn more about the gospel of Jesus Christ, and make changes in your lives to live more in harmony with God's teachings, you can overcome all the challenges you face, and your relationship will become better as a result of it." It was kind of a funny question, but hey! The gospel is the answer to anything :) Through Jesus Christ, we can be changed, and we can find strength to overcome, forgive, love, etc.

3) We also met a Chinese couple who were visiting from Boston. The guy actually came here to the Visitors Center, when he was an exchange student in high school(from China)! He was at BYU Hawaii for a few weeks back then, and remembered how beautiful this place was. They were only in Hawaii for a day and the Laie Hawaii Temple was their first destination! I thought that was so cool! He came back to visit so he could have more flexibility to understand more about the temple, our beliefs, and just appreciate the visit. I was so happy that he shared his story with me, because we talk to high school students from Asia often, who study English at BYU Hawaii. And to be honest, I never know how their lives will be affected, because they're only here for such a short period of time. It was such a tender mercy to see him come back to visit! Seeds of faith are planted in high school, and many of these students continue to study in a university in the States!

This morning when we learned about gratitude, I think of how grateful I am for a loving Heavenly Father. I'm grateful to serve as a missionary here in Hawaii, in the Visitors Center. I'm grateful to be a missionary, to share the light of the gospel. I'm grateful for every lesson learned, ever hardship faced, and every person I've encountered. A year and a half is pretty long, but I wouldn't have spent it any other way! I've learned how to look deeper for the good in people, to serve without expecting anything in return, and most importantly of all, to love my Savior more. I've truly gained a testimony that with His help, we can become so much better, and we can gain so much more happiness and peace. 

Quote of the week:

President Joseph F. Smith, “The grateful man sees so much in the world to be thankful for, and with him the good outweighs the evil. Love overpowers jealousy, and light drives darkness out of his life.” He continued: “Pride destroys our gratitude and sets up selfishness in its place. How much happier we are in the presence of a grateful and loving soul, and how careful we should be to cultivate, through the medium of a prayerful life, a thankful attitude toward God and man!”

​Charity is a student at BYU Hawaii, and she was so sweet to have us over for dinner this week! Fun fact! She served as a missionary in Sister Domingo's home stake back in California and now we're serving in her YSA Ward!

​We went on a short hike this morning! Sunset Pillbox. Sister Domingo has slight asthma and hasn't hiked in years, so we didn't make it to the very top, but this was pretty good for me :)

​The best homemade pizza I've ever had, the four of us (including Bailey and Tim, from our married student ward) just devoured it!

​At the end of a busy evening, we sometimes take silly pictures haha.
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​We also went to "The Banyan Tree," where a few major movies filmed. Like Hunger Games, Pirates of the Caribbean. Nature is so cool.

Love,

Sister Wu

On Friday, I attended my last Zone Conference! So strange. The training from President Bekker was pretty much the same material he trained us at MLC last month. We focused on strengthening self-conversion, and if I could sum everything I learned in one sentence, it would be that conversion requires daily effort, just as we rely on Heavenly Father for guidance one day at a time. Just like the rising of the sun, personal revelation is revealed usually a bit at a time. The new missionaries shared their testimonies and the departing missionaries did too. It was an emotional experience, but I'm happy that I could look back with no regrets! 

Area:

1) People here in this community love and support missionary work so much! We had one married couple who literally fed us dinner one week ago, but signed up again because they didn't want us to starve(there weren't a ton of people in church because of the changing semester and move-outs). I felt so much gratitude for them because they didn't have that much food, but were willing to serve us because wanted to take care of us. Living here in this community really taught me the importance of ministering to our fellow brothers and sisters and serving each other. Because they demonstrate this SO well here!

2) New semester begins tomorrow, and yesterday we heard many testimonies of freshmen/returned missionaries! Testimonies are so sweet.

3) We ate dinner with two senior couple missionaries in our wards, and I love hearing their testimony. Elder Smith shared how some of his life experiences were so excruciating, that Christ literally carried him. I don't think I've had any experiences to that extent, but I'm sure I will in the future. I love this little equation " Me + Christ = more " Jesus Christ can carry our burdens, strengthen us, and help us overcome anything. :) Looking back, the scriptures or messages we shared, were exactly what they needed to hear too. The Spirit truly guides us so our messages are perfect for the listeners.

VC:

1) We've shown the new video called "Welcome to Laie" in Mandarin to a few Chinese tour groups and they really like it! It's fun hearing the newer Chinese speaking sisters bear their testimony.

2) Sister Domingo and I have been working on bearing our testimonies of Jesus Christ when we teach others here in the Visitors Center! She's doing so great, and she's beginning to feel more comfortable talking with the guests and continuing conversation! 

3) We met a couple named Rona and Daniel from Sacramento, California, and Rona was super interested in everything we shared with her and said she was going to learn more online! We meet so many people that we share the gospel with, but they're not always sincerely interested to learn more, whether with us, or on their own. But she was intently listening to us, especially when we talked about the living prophet! :)

4) Yesterday, we had a really good chat with a guy named Ryan. He asked us what we thought about Jesus Christ, so we began talking about the Atonement and what it means for each of us. He believed that we're all saved by grace, and that Jesus Christ is God, and didn't understand how Jesus Christ could take away our sins. These kind of conversations would take a while because there we would have to teach the trinity vs. Godhead, and more. We actually wanted to keep in touch with us to keep discussing this topic, and we invited him to meet with local missionaries, and he was completely open! What's interesting is that, when we asked him why he came on mormon.org, he said he felt prompted by the Spirit to talk with Mormons! Nothing is a coincidence. :)

5) We talked to another member named Bryan, who doesn't believe He has a testimony of God anymore. He said he had struggles when the church made its stand on same-sex marriage, and other issues related to that topic. We tried to explain to him that this isn't a new doctrine at all, and that the family, is center to God's plan. Eventually we had to transfer him because we had an appointment, but talking to him reminded me of how important it is for us to have a testimony of revelation from God to the prophet. I know that God's way will lead to more happiness than whatever I think is best, and His plan is founded upon a family between a man and a woman. Nothing can replace that social unit! Sometimes I'm frustrated because others may think we're being "judgmental," but if we are truly following Jesus Christ, we will continue to show love towards anyone, no matter what struggles they face. For more info, go to https://mormonandgay.lds.org/

6) Earlier this week, I've been praying that either Sister Domingo or I would meet really prepared people, who would like to learn more from missionaries. Unfortunately, I had to split up from her when it got busy, but I met a sweet family (the first picture, they're cousins), from Illinois, and I was able to testify of Joseph Smith's experience, gave them their own Book of Mormon, and they were excited to keep in touch with me and meet the missionaries! I played the Christus narration to them and I asked them, "How has Jesus Christ blessed you in your life?" and the little girl said, "Man, He helps me through EVERYTHING, through the good and bad!" That was so cute! Haha. Although Sister Domingo wasn't with me, I was so happy to have my prayers answered, because I wanted her to either have an experience, or hear one of my recent experiences of helping someone learn the gospel. 

7) So last experience is totally Sister Domingo's contact online. This phone call made me want to ry, because I was happy, but also sad because I love missionary work so much, and I can't experience these specific moments after a few weeks. :( 

Jeff and Caralee are a couple who have two daughters and another baby on the way. They originally requested for a Bible, and as we talked, he revealed to us that he was actually homeless up until recently, but during those times, two elders would talk with him, share messages, and help him rely on Jesus Christ. Now they have a small apartment as a family, but he'll never forget those elders and their service, which gave him hope and helped him to feel special. He's worked really hard to get a job and a home now, and is really excited to meet the missionaries again and learn the gospel. The Spirit testified to me that missionaries are changing hearts everywhere! Bless their hearts. :) I tried not to cry too much after this call, because all of a sudden, I felt really emotional. It's such a great privilege to serve as a missionary, and I love witnessing these converting experiences.

Scripture of the week: Ether 4:11-12

 "11 But he that believeth these things which I have spoken, him will I visit with the manifestations of my Spirit, and he shall know and bear record. For because of my Spirit he shall know that these things are true; for it persuadeth men to do good.

 12 And whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do good is of me; for good cometh of none save it be of me. I am the same that leadeth men to all good; he that will not believe my words will not believe me—that I am; and he that will not believe me will not believe the Father who sent me. For behold, I am the Father, I am the light, and the life, and the truth of the world."

Kristale and Catrina, who I met a few days ago, super sweet family, and wanted to learn more! :)

​Back in the TC room (where we do online missionary work)!

​We watched the sunrise this morning at Laie Point. Nature is so perfect!

​Went to the temple last Tuesday! It rained a bit.

Aloha!

Elder Dallin H. Oaks, an apostle, came to visit BYU Hawaii to speak for commencement on Saturday! And Elder Swinton asked if he would visit us sisters at the VC for a little. So we were privileged to meet him in person and listen to his words. Sister Andrus is helping us prepare a few songs for the upcoming missionary musical fireside, and I've been playing accompaniment on the piano, so we sang for him as he walked in. 🤗 The Spirit just filled the room whenever we meet an apostle of the Lord! He shared a few experiences with us, and I learned from him that the Spirit is what makes our words perfect for the people we talk to. When we are led by the Spirit, it's not the words we say, but how the Spirit helps others to interpret those words to exactly what they need. God knows everyone perfectly, especially their needs, and desires. I know that Elder Oaks is a chosen apostle of the Lord, and he's expressed such great love for missionaries all over the world, as head of the missionary executive committee.

Elder Oaks also came with Elder Kim B. Clark, the commissioner of the Church Educational System, and previous Dean of the Harvard Business School. He happened to preside over our YSA Sacrament meeting yesterday morning too! And shared two experiences that his oldest daughter had. He talked about how God has been preparing people their whole lives to be answers to another person's prayer. It is no coincidence how people are placed in our lives, or how miracles are brought to pass. When we keep the commandments and place our trust in the Lord, He will always provide a way! Heavenly Father is in the details of our lives. 

VC:

1) Went on my last exchange ever with Sister De Leon last Tuesday! But this time I'm not the STL! Haha. It was a fun day and we met a really sweet Vietnamese couple from Australia who had many questions about the temple and our beliefs. They filled out a guest card and were really open to meeting missionaries!

2) On Saturday morning, we had five Chinese buses arrive at approximately the same time, so the VC was full of Chinese guests, probably about 70 people in total! It's a little rough when there's only 3 sisters who can speak to them, but at least they felt the peaceful spirit here. I talked to a few women who were really respectful of the Christus statue. We played the short narration and I shared my testimony of how Jesus Christ's Atonement is for every one of us! They took a Book of Mormon and took pictures with me :)

3) There's a girl named Naomi from Scotland who requested for missionaries on Feb 11, but due to the time difference between Hawaii and the UK, I never got ahold of her! But this week we did! We had a great conversation. When she was in high school, she went on an exchange program and lived with a host family(members of the church) in Utah, where she attended church and seminary and loved it! She's now a teacher for special needs children in Scotland, and her mom was recently diagnosed with terminal cancer, and she wanted to feel peace and talk about God's plan again with someone. So we sent her the missionaries and they're teaching her now! Seeds of faith are planted and they sprout when life circumstances change. We testified to her that everything will be OK, because God has a plan so she can be with her family forever. And that she can experience peace through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I love that the gospel reaches people all over the world!

4) We gave a tour at the Visitors Center to some elders and their investigator they brought in. Andrea and James are both in the military and have a cute 6-month old girl named Teagan. Sister Domingo and I played the narration for them, watched God's Plan video walk-through, and "The Horseman" video segment. It was just such a joy to see how James (preparing for baptism) has gained a testimony of the power of the Atonement, since it's helped him to overcome Word of Wisdom problems, and how they want to strengthen their family and prepare for temple sealing. Andrea was inactive for a few years, but now, they both have a vision to raise their family in the gospel!!! 

5) I shook Elder Oak's hands. TWICE. Once at the Visitors Center, and yesterday morning before he attended the sacrament meeting right beside our's ! 😎 He said, "Good morning sisters!"

6) Sister Domingo is such a fast learner! She has 3/4 of the tram tour script memorized! And we're working on continuing conversations on tours and being bold!

I know my mom's probably counting down days, but for reference, I have 4 weeks left on my mission. So unreal!

Scripture of the week: 1 Nephi 17:13

"And I will also be your light in the wilderness; and I will prepare the way before you, if it so be that ye shall keep my commandments; wherefore, inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall be led towards the promised land; and ye shall know that it is by me that ye are led."

Just a cute picture of our name tags haha.

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The Moss's fed us lamb chops for dinner! We felt like we were at a restaurant! 👌

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​Our supply closet with the materials in different languages organized! Book of Mormon, pamphlets, etc.

​Sitting at the back of the tram after we've invited people to take the tram tour, pass out reminders for two hours! Called "tram scouts." Sister Domingo on the front right with Sister Allen (exchanges).

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