August 16, 2010

Howzit yall!

Boy time really flies especially when you are working hard! Suprsingly though, this week has been really slow. Our investigator pool right now is very slim so we don't get too much teaching to new investigators. I am going to ask to give a talk in Sacrament, teach classes, and some other stuff to get missionary work back on the rise. I have really come to realize how much members mean to missionary work. Missionary work does not exist without members (you all remember that!!!!) Without a couple members in our ward, work would be dead, so I am going to give everyone a little awakening.

This Saturday Brother and Sister J. are getting baptized! Really looking forward to it! I have been waiting for this day since the day I first taught them back in the beginning of July. From that day I just knew they would be baptized! They have such amazing spirits, especially Uncle B****! We taught him on Tuesday and he bore his testimony and was just crying the whole time. It really is such a testament to me of how true this gospel is. He knows without a doubt that it is true. Haha we taught them about tithing and that one is always scary to go into because you don't know what people will think, and come to find out they are already paying tithing!!!! Ha it was funny to hear that from them. I love hearing his testimony. I can't wait to tell you all about the baptism next week.

So we ran into a couple while tracting and taught them the first lesson. It was cool becuase that was my first experience being able to teach someone from tracting. I don't know how well they accepted the message but we have been praying for them and they are allowing us to come back next Saturday. We also taught a lady from Hawaii Kai. It was really good, she has been taught before by sisters but nothing happened. We talked about prayer the whole time and finally she told us about a dream she had and it just clicked. We got her to realize that was an answer to her prayers and she just changed! She really felt the Spirit! I am excited to keep teaching her.

So thats about all thats happened this week. Here is my thought to you all this week: This comes from Mosiah 3:19. I love King Benjamin. But in it talks about putting off the natural man and becoming a saint. I want you all to read "In the Strength of the Lord" by Elder Bednar. (here is the link to the talk)

http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=e64e8fbe352fe010VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=f318118dd536c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD

He talks about the atonement and different aspects of it, specifically how we can get strength thru the atonement. It is so amazing and this talk hit me so hard. It has really changed my life, so please take the time to do this. Love you all, can't wait to here from you guys!

Ofa Atu! Elder Garritson

More pics from Honolulu

Aloha!-August 9, 2010

Howzit yall another week down and it went by pretty quick! We saw miracles happen this week so stuff like that just makes you look back and say, where did the time go!

First off Brother and Sister J*** have committed to baptism!!!!!! Oh man so here is the story. We had a lesson with them on Tuesday night and that went really well. We taught the last 3 principles of the Plan of Salvation (Spirit World, resurrection, 3 kingdoms) and they loved it and absolutely agree. They love the resurection part in where their bodies will become perfect haha! Its kinda scary going into teaching those because a lot of people don't accept that. So they loved it, we invited them to set a date and they said they still had to work out when they would be able to get the people in from Utah and stuff. That was kinda discouraging because they were kinda putting it off. We have been praying so hard they would be able to work things out. I told them that there is no need to wait, Satan is going to work so hard on you now that you have started on the right path, so I told them to hurry up! (in a nice way haha)

So Wednesday it was so slow, we were tracting, this lady on the street really was just rude and wanted to bash but we didn't, and then we got a call. They are getting baptized on the 21st of August!!!!! Man I was like running up and down the street and my companion was like what the heck are you doing! I was so stoked I couldn't contain it! I have seen these two progress from day one, and to now see them commit to baptism is such a blessing. The Gospel is so true and we are so blessed to have it. When you see someone change and come into the light, its an unexplainable experience. Heavenly Father really blesses you as you keep the commandments. Its hard, but the blessings make it worth it (trust me, these mission rules were very hard to keep, but keeping them blesses you and I have a firm testimony on that). So continue to pray for them and that they will be protected from any temptation Satan throws their way.

Other than that this week has been pretty slow. We are really struggling to get referals from our members now so we taught Gospel Doctrine on Sunday and gave them a lesson on our unique message to the world (the restoration), brought the Spirit in really strong and then taught them a method on sharing the Gospel with friends that aren't a part of the Gospel. I am hoping people will man up and share the Gospel, the worst thing that can happen is they say no.

Thats about all I have for you folks. I pray for you all each night, I hope all is well. Here is my thought for the day, and it comes from one of my favorite scriptures Mosiah 2:41. Go and read it and really ponder on that becuase it is so true. As you keep the commandments as King Benjamin taught, the Lord will bless you, you will be much happier, and you will recieve eternal life.

Until next time, Ofa Atu!
Elder Garritson

Email Monday July 26, 2010

Thought we'd go surfin' for the 4th of July! haha!



Aloha!

Mon, Jul 26, 2010 at 3:14 PM
Howzit all my loved ones from the mainland? Hope all is well with you all! Things here are as good as ever in Hawaii, its blazing hot everyday so I am dying for winter to come so the temperature goes down to the 70's. That will be a pure blessing!

So this week was pretty sweet! I saw a lot of miracles happen, not all were big but the Lord really had his hand in our work this week. The beginning of the week was really slow, we weren't finding anyone and it was really hard to stay positive and focused. But towards the end of the week we started having success and seeing miracles happen through the faith we had!

Friday night we taught Brother and Sister Jay who are the older couple we have taught a couple times. They have been coming to church every week, and they absolutely love it and everything about our church. They are very wise and retain everything we say, so we really have to watch what we say and make sure it isn't wrong haha! But on Friday night we invited them to baptism and they are going to get baptized!! It’s super cool! We just have to get her to stop drinking her coffee but she really understands why and I think she will be able to do it. We will get her on hot chocolate haha! I don't know how anyone can drink coffee here though anyway, it’s so hot!!! But anyway, they have thanked us numerous times for bringing them "into the light". The lessons we have with them are so spiritual and I learn so much about relying on the Lord in teaching. There are people flying in from Utah and maybe a couple other places for their baptism so it is going to be a really special and spiritual experience! I really love these people! The date has not been set yet but I think it will be pretty soon!

We are also teaching a deaf girl name Deborah who loves our church and the Gospel. Her parents are Marshallese and are ministers at that church. They really don't like us at all but Deborah is standing her ground and doing what she wants and coming to church. It’s really special because our ward has people that can sign so she can talk, it’s so good! We teach her tomorrow before Elder Walker leaves and I think we will be able to get a baptismal date set for her, I am really excited for her lesson!

On Saturday I went on an exchange with Elder Eteaki! He is a Tongan from Cali who has an amazing and interesting background. He was a gang member his whole life, watched people be killed, did a lot of bad things and hung out with a lot of bad people. He looked at the path he was going and looked down the road and decided that’s not what he wanted so he moved to Utah and changed his entire life and came back into the Gospel. He is like the best missionary in Hawaii, his spirit is so strong and he relays every message perfectly. I learned so much on my exchange with him. We found 2 new investigators while tracting, got one of our investigators in the ward to church, and taught 6 lessons all on Saturday! It was so amazing! Many miracles happened this week and it all came about by our faith in the Lord.

It was a really exciting week! I love hearing from you all, hope all is well back home! Tomorrow is my last day with Elder Walker and then he goes home. So Wednesday I will get a new companion. I will be here in Kahala for at least 6 more weeks so I am really pumped about that, the members are so awesome and things are really picking up! Love you all, keep writing me and I promise to write back. Until next time,

Ofa Atu!
Elder Garritson