ALOOOOOOOOHA! Oct. 18, 2010

Well another week down, transfers came and I am outta of Kahala. I have mixed emotions about it, I love the members there and stuff so I will miss that. I got close to a lot of people and love them so much. I will let you know where I am going next week, but I know I will be training a new missionary and become a district leader! Its going to be a big learning experience and I am going to have to trust in the Lord a lot! I am very excited!

So as far as things for this week, nothing too special happened. I had a good day with a new missionary that came in from the Marshall Islands on Friday. President had me take him out on his first day so that was really fun showing him the ropes! I took him to all the funny old people that we teach (my parents in 10 years) that are out of their minds but have amazing testimonies, he loved it! He is going to do so well, I learned a little marshallese myself! Haha missionary work is definitely interesting!

So last week Monday was an interesting P day. We went to a Buddist Temple, that was crazy! I have never been to one before but it was a cool place. Very interesting all the statues of budha they have. Some guy came and talked to us but we had no idea what he was saying, he was a pretty crazy man! I had a good time though.

So we hit the roads pretty hard and this week was more successful than last week. We havent found any new investigators, but it seems like while we tract people are much nicer. I was on exchanges with Elder Street and a dog barked at us and he was ready to jump on a car he was so scared!! I guess he got bit a lot on Big Island and didn't want that to happen again. I saw the dog so it didn't make me jump, but I was laughing so hard at him! I am gonna miss my district leader Elder Street, he is leaving our area. He taught me a lot about trusting in the Lord!

Haha so on Wednesday Brother and Sister Jay talked at a meeting where missionaries bring their investigators. They just talked about their conversion and how it came about. It was a very special day and they touched a lot of people, the spirit was so strong! Man he kept telling president during his talk that after my mission here I need to go on a 2 year mission to Peru (why Peru, I don't remember, but something about how I could make the LDS population from 5% to 15%). It was hilarious and it was very special to hear him talk about me that way. I am going to miss these folks so much, I love them! I can't wait to come back and introduce them to you! On Sunday the youth sang my favorite song, As Sisters in Zion/We'll Bring the World His Truth Medley that was sung at my farewell, it brought back a lot of memories and I was crying by the end. It was a solid day!

Well thats about all I have. My thought for the week comes from Elder Uchtdorf's talk in Priesthood session (I think) when he was talking about the coach Vince Lombardi. He talked about getting back to the basics. We need to master the fundamentals of the Gospel! Get back to the basics of praying, reading and going to the church. If you do all these things, I promise you all you lives with be blessed beyond belief and your testimony in our Savior Jesus Christ will be stregthened daily.

Love you all! Keep writing me!
Ofa atu. Elder Garritson

(I have to add a short email Jordan sent to me--he was made a District Leader and a trainer and is quite excited!)
I am transfering over to Hawaii Kai (the area next to Kahala, they haven't had missionaries for 4 months so we are white washing that area). I will also be training a new missionary, and become a district leader. A lot president threw on me but I am stoked!

Hiking the valleys by Kahala and Kuliouou.

Sister Smith has been keeping me updated with pictures her son (Jordan's companion) has been sending her. Her son loves her more than mine! (haha!) Not really! But there is a very steep mountain they climbed, and she sent me to her site--and I stole them from her (she said I could--haha!!). Looks like a place I will only see through someone else's eyes!!!

ALOOOOHA! Oct. 11, 2010

(Thanks Sis. Smith for the pics!)

Boy another week down and we have some solid things coming up! Not really but we are teeing off in about 2 hours at Waialae Country Club so I am pretty stoked right now! Boy probably can't golf there in that cold weather, too bad! Its cooling down here and its getting really nice, tracting isn't so hot anymore, thank goodness!

So this week was kinda weird. It was super slow in which we have basically lost contact with all of our investigators. C*** is not coming to church, always working, won't answer calls. Its kinda sad but oh well, such is misisonary work! We just continue to pray for her and hope she comes around! Also A**** is gone, we haven't seen her in 3 weeks. Unfortunately thats how things go, but we do all we can and continually pray for strength and pray our investigators will recieve strength.

Saturday was an AMAZING day though! We were able to see K*** be baptized! Man this girl is so awesome! The baptism was so great and she was so excited to be baptized into the church. Her testimony is so strong and all she wants to do is follow Jesus Christ. I have a way cute picture with her after her baptism I will send home. She was so excited to get all her lei's after the baptism. We are hoping and praying this has an influence on her brother who is really having a problem finding God and knowing what is true.

So Saturday night was a very cool experience for me. So I don't know if ya'll know, but Kahala ward is the deaf ward for the entire island of Oahu. So we have all the deaf members and investigators. Usually we go to the lessons with an interpreter but sometimes it's a long ways away. Well, we have this one investigator that fell off the map and NO ONE had heard from her in about 2 months, everyone thought she had moved. So we were in her area to see someone else so I told Elder Smith that we would go see her but she probably wouldn't be home. Well it turns out she was and we had NO INTERPRETER! I was super nervous when she came to the door because she invited us right in. But this is where my testimony on the gift of tongues came in (yes it works for signing too!!!) I just started having a conversation with her in sign, a slower one where I had to ask her how to sign some words, but it was super cool! Man I owe all the credit to the Holy Ghost on that one, I have never had a 20 minute conversation with a deaf person before. Gotta love being a missionary!

So that is all for this week, I forgot to get a quote for this week so here is what is on my mind right now: "Come what may, & Love It" a solid talk by Elder Wirthlin! He tells us to do our best, put our trust in the Lord, and then come what may and love it. Learn to laugh, it helps us get thru the hard times. I testify to you all that this is true, we get thru the hard times to learn, grow, and enjoy the good ones!

Keep the letters coming! Love you all!
Elder Garritson

Alooooooooooooooha!-Sept. 4, 2010

Word up ya'll! Boy another week down and this one was a solid one! Hope all is well back in the 801. I bet its starting to get cold there. Same as here, we are staying in the 70's now so its pretty brutal haha! The trade winds are blowing hard, the sun is not beating so hard, its much more enjoyable especially when we are out walking!

So this week as far as work was pretty slow, however K*** is getting baptized this Saturday! She is 8 years old, so technically its not our baptism but I still count it as ours because if we didn't start teaching her she would not have come to church and would not be getting baptized! She is an amazing girl that just wants to be like Jesus! Its really special. Her brother D**** is coming along, we had a super spiritual lesson with him last week Tuesday and helped him to figure out how he could get answers he wanted. I pray for him each night. A**** did watch conference on Sunday so I hope she could feel the Spirit the brethren brought. We should see her next Sunday. C*** is coming along, slowly. She needs to read and pray about the book of mormon and then all will be well. As far as that goes, that is all that is going on with investigators.

This Friday we had Zone Conference and it was super solid! It was focused solely on the Book of Mormon and how getting an answer the Book of Mormon is true means the rest of the church is true. The Book of Mormon is the "universal concern resolver" according to President Dalton (and Preach My Gospel) and its true. BOM is true, our church is true. I love the Book of Mormon!

So I want to share a couple things with you from conference this weekend, some of my favorite points and things that were talked about. It was an amazing conference, especially priesthood session! Anyone that wasn't able to watch priesthood, WATCH IT! It was simply amazing. One of the favorite talks was by Patrick Kearon of the Seventy! He gave an amazing talk, my favorite part was when he said "bury you weapons of rebellion like the Antinephilehis did in Alma 22." The day before, President Dalton gave us the exact same advice! Its true, we need to bury our weapons of rebellion and become saints thru the Atonement of Jesus Christ! This is amazing doctrine my friends, do it!

"If you serve, life is good" -President Dalton

"We become what we want by consistently being what we want to become" -Elder Scott. This is one of my favorite quotes of all of conference. This is a deep quote but its so true. Be an example to everyone and we will become a hand in the Lords work.
"You get what you pay for" -Elder Scott. Here he was talking about keeping the commandments, doing what God wants, etc.

"Do missionary work" -Me Russell M. Nelson gave a talk in Priesthood session about being member missionaries and it was SOLID! Everyone needs to be a missionary in some way or another. If you aren't, I will hunt you down! "You could be the only one to open the door to their salvation" -Elder Nelson

"Not one person has thrown away their last chance" -Patrick Kearon. I LOVE this one!

Priesthood line and personal line by Elder Oaks was an amazing talk. We can't function without BOTH of them. Go listen to it!

And finally, I have to throw in some politics. This was a talk by President Packer. "There is no reason to vote against Gods law. It would be silly to vote on gravity." This goes hand in hand with his other laws, such as legalizing drugs and legalizing abortions. I HOPE HARRY REED WAS WATCHING THIS SESSION!!!!!


Love you all, keep the letters coming!
Elder Garritson