ALOOOOHA! February 28, 2011

All I can say is, how about my Cougars and Jimmer!?

Boy starting up on transfer number seven and companion number 5. His name is Elder Porter from Lindon, Utah and he is a stud! He has a solid testimony and knows the gospel like the back of his hand. We are going to go to work this transfer, I am excited!

Saturday was Vaikele's baptism and it was amazing! He was super happy and there was a big change in him from day one! He came up to me and thanked me for everything, it was a special day! Gotta love this work. He has already recieved the Priesthood and we are going to work with him to get to the temple, it's sweet!

Things out here are going well, this week was just kinda of a slower week, trying to get into the swing of things. We did a lot of walking and talking to a lot of people. The people of Hawaii, well at least Laie, are tight! Super nice people so we rarely ever run into anyone rude. Most people will listen so it's pretty nice. Sometimes they are a little too laid back, haha, but its all good.

So President Monson wrote down a list of "worries" he has, and on top of that list is getting the Gospel to the World. If we are not spreading the word, we are adding to the problems and worries of our Prophet. We are all a part of this work. Continue to share the Gospel with everyone, and great shall be your mansion in Heaven. Thank you all for everything,

Love you all!
Elder Garritson

ALOOOHA! February 21, 2011

Boy Elder G stays at least one more in Laie baby! Oh wow I am so stoked. I had no idea if I would stay or leave and am very happy to be staying. Elder Tuih is leaving and I will be training a new Elder again! I am pretty excited for this next transfer we already have 2 baptisms set with V**** this Saturday and M**** in a couple weeks, than we have a lot of potential on the horizon. The work is moving forward!

This week was a pretty crazy week for us, a little different than normal. On Tuesday, Tuih and I got to go to a devotional with Bro. and Sis. Christensen from my home ward. It was a great devotional, not so much for missionaries but it was cool. Then they invited us to a luncheon with him and the school president and a couple other people. The school president said "we better see you two here after the mission, you are always welcome back here" so I am going to hold him up on that offer!

Friday we went to town to here Elder L. Whitney Clayton, Presidency of the Seventy talked to us. It was an amazing talk. He just got up there and said ask me questions and he answered them right on the spot. They taught us well about why its so important to be obedient. One thing I liked in particular that he said is "if you go home with a rock solid testimony, that means you will have been obedient and will have had a successful mission." It was cool to hear him say that, I enjoyed meeting him and his wife. Also on Sunday night they gave another fireside for investigators and recent converts and it was pretty good. All is all it was a great week!

So all is well here in Laie. My boy Elder Street is coming up here as a zone leader next transfer so I am juiced about that. The work is moving forward and no one is stopping it. The adversary is getting stronger and stronger, but the saints are also getting stronger and stronger. As we all know, everyone will know Jesus Christ is our Savior. I am out here doing the most important work there is and I couldn't be happier!

I appreciate all the prayers on my behalf, and ya'll are always in mine! Keep praying for all missionaries, the work needs to continue to move forward!

Love you all! Elder Garritson OUT!

ALOHA! February 21, 2011

Posting a little late (by a week!). This week's post will be on Tuesday!

Boy I don't know if ya'll have been watching my boy Jimmer play ball, but if you haven't you better straighten up and watch him hoop. This kid goes to work! Man he knows how to play, just thought I would throw that out there, look out he is going to come on hot for March Madness!

So I am pretty pumped! Tomorrow I get to go to the devotional and a luncheon with Brother Christensen and his wife! I am super pumped to hear him speak. He is from my home ward back in Utah. He personally invited my companion and me, so I am pretty excited to see someone from home!

This week was a pretty solid week towards the end. Yesterday we had a lesson with a lady and her husband. Her husband is a member but she is not. They aren't married but she wanted to get baptized so we were in a pickle. Well yesterday we asked when they were planning on getting married and they are getting married today!!! So M***** will be baptized on March 5. I hope I will still be up here at that time, if not, thats okay but it would be sweet to see! Transfer calls are on Sunday night so I guess we will see what happens. I would love to stay but I guess its whatever the Lord needs!

We have a lot of potential on the horizion. We have 2 baptismal dates set already, V**** on the 26th and M**** on the 5th, and we have 3 others that are right there. Whoever is up here next transfer is going to see a lot of success. I love this work, I love my calling, I love these people of Hawaii. Thanks for everything you all do, happy valentines day ya'll. Love you guys!

Tell the Young Women and Sis. Thompson a big THANKS from Elder Garritson for the valentines day stuff!

Love to you all!,

Elder Garritson

ALOOOOHA! February 7, 2011

Elder Tuih and Jordan
Elder Smith and Jordan

Once again, I'm a little late posting last week's letter--got busy, what can I say! I'll repent! Thanks Sis S.!!! Love pics! Jordan and his comp went to Kaneohe to get their oil changed and ran into his old comp, Elder S.! Good times!

Ithink the Packers are in the house baby!!! Haha actually I just wanted them to win because all the sudden last week we saw a bunch of Steelers fans (bandwagoners acutally) come out of the wood works from EVERYWHERE! I have never seen so much Steelers stuff in my life it was ridiculous, and people were bearing their testimonies about how the Steelers were going to win and stuff, oh man I was not happy but once the Pack pulled through it was a glorious day! So my thought for this week is this, when you get up to bear your testimony about our Savior, bear your testimony about our Savior! No on cares about how the Steelers are going to do on Sunday or whatever it is. Its okay to crack a few jokes, but don't give a storymony, give a testimony! Thats all I have to say about that.

This week was a pretty solid week! We did some work. The kid in the Tongan ward is still set for the 19th of Feb. and he is solid. He has such a strong testimony and we have really answered all his questions and concerns about the church. Its amazing how the Spirit works to convert people. If they will just seek, the answer will come.

So we have been meeting with another family named the B***** who have been inactive for the past 50 or so years. We have been teaching them the past 4 weeks and they are SOLID! They both have an amazing testimony of the gospel and are working towards getting to the temple. They remind me of the J**** in so many ways, just wanting to change everything now. It is a sure blessing to teach them weekly, and it strengthens my testimony everytime we go over.

We tracted into this guy on Saturday night. Oh man he is a pretty funny but he wants to change and everything so we are going to teach him everyday simple principles about the Gospel. He talks like it's no one's business about the most random things! He's a funny guy tho, at least he is willing to learn. The Spirit is there, though, and Elder Tuih and I are surprised sometimes. Oh the things of the mission!

So thats about all I got! I love you all, hope all is well back home! You are always in my prayers.

Love ya all!
Elder Garritson