Another day another dollar! Whats going on my friends, this has been a crazy week, at times it feels like it has been going on for 9 and a half years and than I look back and can't believe it is already P day again. It was nice today to have some rest from the hectic week, transfer weeks are always nuts, its fun. I am enjoying it out here, things are starting to cool down so we have a nice breeze always coming in and the temperature doesn't get too hot. Everyone is back to school, not as many tourists around and things are back to normal.
So the start of this week was one of the coolest and most spiritual experiences I have ever been a part of. I am not sure if I mentioned about R**** and E**** last week, the 14 & 15 year old girl and boy that we tracted into when I was with Elder Larsen in Kapolei. Well they have always been so close to baptism but never could make that final hurdle. On Saturday night President Dalton went over to their home with their home family and they just could not deny the Spirit that was felt. We talked about it and they both wanted Elder Larsen to be there so they did it on Tuesday night, the last night for Elder Larsen!! What a way to go out from a mission, your investigator gets baptized on your last night! Unreal, it was one of the most spiritual experiences I have ever had. It was so cool to see how excited they both were before, but especially after they got baptized. No one that I have ever seen be baptized has denied the truthfulness of what they are doing! I am so blessed to be able to be a part of something as miraculous as this. I came home and just sat there and thanked my Heavenly Father to be able to be out here serving a mission. To see people change their lives each and everyday to come closer to their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. They put off so much to enter into the waters of baptism because they see how important these things are. Its not always easy, but they never have any regrets. R**** and E**** are two of the greatest people I have ever met in my entire life. They really strengthened my testimony and I am just so thankful that I was able to see such a change in them. These are two people I will never forget for the rest of my life. The coolest part of the whole thing was that on Tuesday, 18 new missionaries came to Hawaii, so instead of taking them to orientation we brought them to the baptism! The chapel was PACKED! There were so many people from the ward and all over the island to support them in this great decision of their life. What a day, I love this Gospel!
Wednesday was the crazy day, transfer day! This is where all the missionaries on Oahu come to get transferred around to their new areas and meet their new companions-they all come at around 1:00. It's a cool morning to see all the missionaries that you haven't seen in ages. I have gained so many friends out here. When would I ever meet people like this from all over the entire world? And not only meet with them but be able to serve with some of them and serve around a lot of them. Its amazing how diverse people are but even more amazing, how much the gospel brings people together. You know this has to be true. We had a good time with transfer day, it was great to see so many missionaries gathered together in one place, it doesn't happen often so I love it when it does.
Thursday of transfer week is one of my most looked forward to, but also most dreaded days. The good part is we get to be with the missionaries that are heading home for basically the whole day. The best part is to be a part of the testimony meeting that is held right before they head off to the airport. There were 18 that went home, so the Spirit was so strong hearing all the missionaries bear their witness of how the mission has changed their life. It really is something that will shape your life forever. They just say things that just bring the Spirit and confirm what is true. The bad part of the night is dropping these wonderful people off at the airport. The hardest part for me is seeing all the leaders that I looked to growing up in the mission step onto the airplane. Some of my best friends, Elder Larsen, Elder Jaramillo, Elder Lunt, Sister De Arton, and Sister Sandoval all went home. There were many other amazing people but these were all people I either served around or was companions with and just watching them leave was hard. Each and everyone of these 18 missionaries served their Father in Heaven faithfully. Its hard to see them leave but the only thing that makes it bearable is knowing seeing them leave is only temporary, I will get to see all of them again.
Other than that, the rest of this week was planning for the upcoming month and getting things organized. I am excited for this upcoming month, the mission is on the rise and all the missionaries are excited. We saw 105 people baptized last month so we keep seeing miracles. We have a lot of good stuff upcoming for these next 5 months.
I love it. I am so blessed to give 2 years of my life to my Father in Heaven, what I give doesn't even come close to what I receive. Thanks for everything!
I love you all.
Elder G OUT!
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