Part 2 of July 24, 2011 (the email came in 2 parts!)

Taking a ride over on the ferry to Molokai

Well we got to Molokai and it is definitely a different island. An island of about 7000 people and 1200 of them are members. One of my previous companions Elder Taylor is there and has been for 6 months. He is doing solid and is training now so it was cool to be with him. Some of the doors we tracted into he has talked to 3 or 4 times, but he is a trooper and does work.

The whole town shuts down at like 6 o'clock and its just dead. Let's just say Molokai is not Oahu, but it was one of my favorite islands to visit. Not a touristy place at all, there is not one franchise of anything. They do have some phenomenal bread they make every night at 8:30 called Molokai hot bread, its definitely a good thing I don't live there or I would be buying that stuff like hot cakes! I loved every minute of Molokai, it was just a nice island.

 I am beat as heck and now we head off to Big Island for the week, then come back Thursday and prepare for next transfer already, oh, how the time flies. I am loving it, Elder Street is going back into the field for his next transfer and he is super stoked about that. He has taught me so much about how to be a good missionary, how to work hard and how to lead a bunch of missionaries. My time spent with him has been one of the greatest and I am so blessed to have been companions with him. He is definitely a life long friend of mine and has made an impact on me that will last for a long time.

 I thank you all for all you do, sorry if it has been a while since I have written much.   Things out here are just super busy. Just know I love you all and appreciate all that you do and have done for me, each and everyone of you has helped me to become who I am today. God bless, and have a great week! Love Elder G!

A few more pics! July 2011

Me, Sister Brown, Elder Coffins head, Sister De Arton, and the Streeter!

Sister Brown, Elder Smith, Gar bear, and Sister De.













Elder Hatch and my boy Elder Porter! Miss that kid he is doing solid with Elder Hatch!

Do as it says!!!!!!

More pictures July 24, 2011

Elder Allen and Elder Savage. They live in Up country on Maui in Makawao. They live right next to the first chapel ever built on Maui. It was so cold up there! Man I froze! But it was fun these are solid elders.

This is Elder Latu (from Tonga) and Elder Latu (from Utah) haha. They are probably related somehow but they aren't sure. They are actually companions! Haha its pretty funny,

Elder Street, Elder Smith and me. We went over to Kauai last saturday, sunday and monday and had good exchanges and did a solid hike. It was fun to have us 3 back together, we had some good times back in Kahala. I love these kids

After the hike. Me, Sis. De Arton, Sis. Brown and Elder Street. These 2 sisters are the first sisters Kauai has had in a long time so they are very lucky and they are doing very well over there.

July 24, 2011-Kauai Hike

The hike we did on Kauai, I can't even remember what it was called but it was sweet. Super long it was like 8 miles round trip but it was way worth it!

Elder Cart and Elder Bowlby, funny kids I went out with them on Kauai.

Very long beach here in Kauai on the hike! Man it was awesome!

ALOHA! July 24, 2011

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!




Well this week was one of the most fun, tiring weeks I have had in a long time. We were on 3 different islands with a lot of different elders so it was a blast! I am counting my many blessings every single day. I am so grateful for my mission and the things that I have been able to learn while being out here. Each and every person that I have met has made an influence on my life and changed me for the better. My testimony has grown so much and I have never been closer to my Father in Heaven, I love it!

So last week Saturday we took a plane flight over to Kauai and that was just the start of an awesome week. I sat next to this awesome lady from Germany who was so nice. We had a good talk the whole time and than I started to talk about the Gospel and she loved it. She is on Kauai just for an internship and was very interested. It was cool to be able to meet and talk with her, I love meeting new people especially on airplanes. Being on the airplane is one of my favorite things now as a missionary, its the best!

On Sunday I was able to be with Elder Cart and Elder Bowlby for church, and church there is the best. The chapel is super old school and it has like glass doors and its super small. The ward is all local and very nice. There are only 5 wards over on Kauai but they are some of the best. It was probably my favorite sacrament that I have ever been to on my mission. A returned missionary from their ward spoke and he gave the best talk I have ever heard. He did his talk exactly how I feel it should be done, he had the whole congregation listening and he told some amazing stories! Everyone loved it. After that the classes were awesome, I learned about how to be a good husband so I took some notes and stored that away for a while haha! Very enjoyable.

After that on Monday we did the best hike ever over on Kauai! I cant remember what its called but it was a 8 mile round trip hike up to an awesome waterfall. Perfect hike, wasn't too hot and the whole zone went so we had a very good time. We had the cross the river many times and I won't name any names but I accidently let a couple people fall in as they were making their way across the rocks. Lets just say this person was pretty mad at me for a second, but they will live haha! Nah it was pretty funny and it was all good no one was mad, I did feel really bad though. Once we got there the falls were amazing and oh did I want to go swim in the pool. It was a huge one and pictures really don't do it justice. Great P day right there, Kauai is so beautiful, its my favorite island that I have been on. It was a blast being back with my boy Elder Smith, he and Elder Coffin are doing work over there. A lot of baptisms coming up, man I love all the elders and sisters over on that island, they are great!

After that we took a flight over to Maui and I sat next to another awesome lady. She was a religous teacher from another church but we just had the best coversation and she didn't hold anything against me for being a missionary, something that happens a lot. She is in my prayers every night, I know she will see the light sooner or later, she has too!

Maui was awesome, we had some definate miracles happen. When I was with Elder Savage and Elder Allen the Lord was just throwing them at us like it was no big deal. First off while we were tracting we found a new investigator and a less active girl who wants to start coming back to church. The less active girl was an awesome story because we knocked on her door and the boyfriend was totally not interested and she was like, wait Mormons! So she came to the door and told us she had some problems but that she wanted to change and get back to the church. She remembers a lot and has only been away from church for 5 years or so. Well we started talking about the love Heavenly Father still has for her and it was so spiritual. She started crying and was so close to letting come back to teach but she was like I will call you, the answer you NEVER want to hear. We walked away and I was like dangit, she will never call, I am still waiting for the first person that said that to call me. But as we all know the Lord is a pretty comical guy , so later that night as we were at McDonalds eating Elder Allen gets a call and what do you know, its her! She wanted to know when church was and she told us she would be there! Oh man I was just laughing, it was so cool. I hope she comes to church today.

After that the very next house had a SUPER long driveway and I really didn't want to walk up it. We got to the top and there was a no trespassing sign, and I never knock on those doors. I was the only one that saw it but for some reason I didn't say anything. I was thinking it in my mind to say something but I never said it. Well we knocked on his door and he was probably the nicest guy I have ever met. He has read the Book of Mormon before, was talking to us about the Pearl of Great Price and asked us about the Urim and Thummim. It was wild, he knew more than I did and he hasn't studied about us in over 20 years! Phenomenal memory and he was loving it, asked us to come back! It was so cool, definitely one of the best tracting sessions I have ever had. I love when stuff like that happens, it really strengthened my testimony.

Then it didn't even end at that, after we went to McDonalds for dinner and this lady walks up to Elder Savage and was like I know a couple Mormons and their families are awesome. I want that for my family, how can I join your church?! Hahaha they set an appointment and I haven't heard how it went but with a question like that I am sure she will be baptized very shortly! Oh the blessings of hard work, if you work hard and do exactly what the Lord asks, he will throw miracles at you that you would never expect!
 
Love you guys!

July 11, 2011-Baptism

So here's a few pictures from the baptism this weekend, Elizabeth Cole.


So this is Elizabeth with Elder Larsen on left, Elder Woodfield, then Elizabeth, me and Elder Copier (he is from Bingham, we played a little ball together. Very cool kid)

Before the baptism......

After the baptism, yes this is the only true church on the earth today and being baptized is the best decision someone will ever make up to that point in their life. Elizabeth is such a wonderful woman and I am so humbled at the opportunity I had to be a part of this baptism. Once again my testimony has been strengthened.

ALOHA! July 11, 2011

Me with Elder Biggs

Boy what a week! Probably one of the best weeks out here for me in a while. Its been a real hard working week and we saw a lot of miracles happen.

Starting off with Tuesday I stayed around here in Honolulu and went out with a couple elders. Funny kids man, we walked a lot! I am grateful I have never been in a walking area, I would die. It was fun though, and a good experience.

(the Kona Temple)

Wednesday I finally made it off the rock of Oahu! Haha! We flew to Kona on Big Island and it was a blast. Its crazy how big it really is over there, way bigger than you would expect. The island of Oahu can fit inside the big island like 6 times or something. It's super country and people are way laid back over there. The weather was nice and cool so that was a real plus. We had some super spiritual lessons, there are some solid elders out here. I am really enjoying going around to meet with different elders, I learn more than I could even imagine, so I couldn't ask for anything better.

Saturday was the best day ever! A lady we were teaching back when I was serving in Kapolei got baptized. The ward was super supportive and there were choke people there to witness it. She was super happy to be baptized and has a super strong testimony. Everything in missionary work is worth it when you have a baptism. All the hard times don't even phase you once you see someone enter into the Kingdom of God. What a blessing to be serving over here on the islands of Hawaii, I couldn't be in a better place.

Hope all is well, love you guys!
Love, Elder G.

ALOHA and HAPPY 4th!!!!!!!!!!!!

Boy what a wild week for us over here in Hawaii! Its been a good one though, and it's nice to have the 4th of July to have a little break. How truly blessed we are to be living here in such a wonderful country where we have the freedom to choose what we want to do and believe.

Well Tuesday started by heading over to the airport to pick up 21 new missionaries! Solid ones came in. It was fun to go there, really brought back memories of the first day here in the field. It will be fun to see these missionaries grow and progress. Then, Wednesday was probably the craziest day of my whole life. Starting with the transfer meeting and then ending off with taking 7 of the new elders to the airport to fly to different islands, while only having 2 cars. We made it in 2 trips luckily but bags were on laps and stuff! It was nuts but definitely a relief to get that out of the way.

Thursday was not the best day only for one reason, saying goodbye to all the missionaries going home. We dropped them off at the airport and watched them say goodbye to members and then walk thru the security line. 2 missionaries I really looked up to just headed home, Elder Condiff whom I served with and then Elder Biggs who was the AP right before me. It was hard but they served solid missions, so it was just bitter sweet. Crazy stuff.

This whole week Elder Street and I have been driving all over Oahu buying and delivering bikes and beds for missionaries. I have never driven this much in my life, its fun though. Definitely not what I expected but we got it all done by Saturday and now we are ready to rock!

I am super pumped for this week, I cannot wait. We start off by heading to Honolulu tomorrow to go out with some missionaries, and then Wednesday morning we will be flying over to the Big Island to go out with the missionaries over there in Kona. I haven't been off this rock yet so it will be cool! We will be there until Saturday and we will fly back to here Saturday.

On Saturday night a woman, Elizabeth ***** that Elder Larsen and I were teaching over in Kapolei ward is getting baptized and so we are going to be able to head out to that! What a blessing to see more people enter into the waters of baptism!!

I love this work, it's amazing. Hope all is well back home, sounds like things are solid.
Love you all, Happy 4th!
Elder G