So, I "stole" a couple of pics from Elder Smith's blog! This is Jordan and Elder Smith (the two in the middle). Not sure of the two bookends! (Elder Smith let me know who is who! So, from left to right--Elders Taylor, Smith, Garritson, Davis!)

Elder S. came home for a "short intermission" to have his tonsils removed. We are praying for his quick return to Hawaii to finish the last year of his mission. They will be great friends forever! The other picture is a great "Hawaii" picture--what I think of when I think of Hawaii! That, and I now ALWAYS think of Jordan, and Elder Smith, and all the great missionaries serving with my son!

ALOOOOOHA!! December 6, 2010

Boy transfers are in and Elder Garritson is serving in LAIE BABY!!!! This place is sick (that means good!), it is so tight (once again this means a good thing!) being around the temple. Man it was a pure blessing to see a temple because I haven't seen one in 6 months (at home, I can look down the street, and there is my temple!). We serve in Hau'ula which is the area right next to Laie. We cover 4 wards so it is pretty crazy. We have a Tongan and Samoan ward, and 2 English-speaking wards. I have no idea what is being said in the Tongan and Samoan sacrament meetings haha. I pay attention once they start talking in English. We are right on campus, I may be heading up to BYU-H after the mission because this is the place to be. The visitors center is solid and the temple is beautiful. There are 4 elders and 20 sisters up here so nothing to complain about! My companion is Elder Tuihalangingie (elder Tui) from Oakland. He is Tongan and he is hilarious. He has only been out for 6 weeks but is a solid cat and works hard. He has a great testimony and is a great teacher, we are already rocking it.

Laie is like Utah! It seems like everyone here is a member of the church. We do a lot of teaching with less active and part member families. We already have a baptism for this Saturday the 11th and then one on the 17th. We should be able to get a family set for the 23rd as well, so we will see. There is a ton of work out here and the members are super solid in helping. I have been blessed to come up to this area, I love this work and all that is coming about. My testimony has shot through the roof these past 6 months!

I want to give a shout out to my boy Elder Smith. He was my second companion and we were together for the past 4 and a half months. Even tho he was a little girl(haha!), we had the time of our lives. We both learned how to work with each other right off the bat and had many wonderful experiences. We saw 3 baptisms in 3 months which was amazing and something a lot of missionaries will never see. He unfortunately goes to Utah State, but thats okay-- everyone has to have their down points in life. He taught me so much about how to be a hard worker and how to become a better teacher. He understood my humor and we just got along perfectly! He is a great elder and will do a lot for the Lord's Kingdom here on Earth! He will be right here with me throughout my mission!

So thats about all I got. Once again I am so happy to be up here in Laie, I don't ever want to leave! My thought for today came from someone, I can't remember who. Let's make this Christmas season a season of giving and FORGIVING, because our Savior, Jesus Christ, taught us this perfectly. Please remember what Christmas is all about ya'll.

Love you all, have a good week!
Elder Garritson

PS we are headed over to the Cannon Center (where BYU-H basketball plays) to play some ball on their court and I am STOKED!

Transfer!

So, just heard from a VERY reliable source, that Jordan has been transferred to Laie!! Where the newly dedicated temple is located! I think he'll be very excited!! He's been excited his whole mission! He loves the work of the Lord! He loves the people he is serving in Hawaii! I wonder if he'll want to come home?????

ALOOOOOOHA!!!! November 29, 2010

Howzit my friends! Hope you all had an awesome Thanksgiving and even a better black friday! (This was the first time I didn't go shopping on black friday in like 5 years, it was kinda depressing!) Things here in Hawaii were solid. We had lunch and dinner for Thanksgiving and just chilled at one of our members houses. We ate so much it was ridiculous! We just cruised and had a good time!

Not too much went down this week. H**** is still coming along, his daughter is trying to put a stop to things but he knows bishop well so I think that will help him to make the right decision! He came to church this week and loved it!

On Wednesday we were walking in a shopping center to go meet the member who was feeding us dinner and guess who we saw!? None other than the REGGIE MILLER! He is one tall dude, but he didn't give me a very good look! I was going to give him a pass along card but I was not in the mood to get rocked that night! It was still awesome to see him.

We go to the care home every Sunday and give sacrament and it is always so special. This week we talked about things we are thankful for and all these old grannies told us they are thankful for us and all we do. It was awesome to hear them say that, it made me feel really good! Than I was wearing an awesome tie, and I looked GOOD (I mean I always look good thats no suprise) and one of the ladies there was like I bet you have an awesome girlfriend back home waiting for you! Haha it was just funny to here a 90 year old lady say that!

Thats about all that went down this week, everyone was gone for Thanksgiving so nothing too special happened this week. Sunday night we got transfer calls and I am leaving Hawaii Kai. It is a bitter sweet feeling. I am happy to get outta Honolulu and see different parts of the island, but I am going to miss a lot of people that I have built awesome relationships with!

This work is so amazing! I have made so many friends from all walks of life that have taught me so much and I will always remember. I am not sure where I will be going but I will be staying on Oahu. Thanks for everything ya'll, stay safe and good luck with finals coming up.

LOVE YOU ALL!
Elder Garritson