Week 21: Merry Christmas from Honolulu, Hawaii!!! 🎅🎅🎄🎄

 Aloha and Mele Kalikimaka!!

It's Christmas week! Finally!!! We have already seen so many Christmas miracles and honestly there's too many to count. This year the mission is making Christmas a p-day meaning we don't get another p-day until the Monday after the next.

It's honestly a blessing in disguise to not have the biggest teaching pool of investigators because you are able to follow closely to their progress and just give them more love! This last Tuesday we had another lesson with Barry and Randall out of the Book of Mormon. We've had the impression to keep teaching from the Book of Mormon because he's been taught all the lessons he needs to be baptized, but he needs as much support as possible so that he can overcome the smoking and drinking obstacles to get baptized and he's doing way better! The lesson on Tuesday was really good. Randall actually left early because he started falling asleep . We are so proud of him! We told that we were always here to help him if he ever needs to talk or anything.

We also had a dinner lesson with Ben and Michael. Ben was on his phone basically the whole time. We asked Michael about his fiancée currently in China. He is so ready to be baptized. We asked him if there was any chance that he would be baptized while his fiancée was still in China. He unfortunately said that he still wanted to wait, which makes sense. We are just praying a lot that the borders of China and other places around the world start opening up. Your prayers as well would be much appreciated  

I tried Udon noodles for the first time this week! They're just really thick noodles and they're really good. I got spicy ones in a bowl of soup with spicy cabbage called kimchi. I've had before and it's not even THAT spicy and yet for some reason I couldn't stop coughing . I guess no matter how hard I try I'll always be a hau'oli . (That means "not from around here")

We had a baptism in our Honolulu stake this week! Her name was Paulette. She's wanted to get baptized for a long time but apparently had negative feedback from her parents. I was told that I would be the one to confirm her (which I've never done before) and I was really excited to do it. But then in the middle of the meeting the bishop got up and said that she would be confirmed in church next Sunday  thanks bishop that's during my own ward. Oh well. Next time.

This past week we were able to get close to a lot of members in the ward which always makes them feel more like family. This is a really special ward! I feel so at home here and these next 5 weeks are going to go by so fast! I hope I make the most of it.

As you could probably tell a lot of hard things happen in missionary work. Plans get changed, people lose interest, or you get judged for what you believe. But it's honestly moments like those where I see miracles the most. Where there's people who doubt, there will always be people who believe. When there's sadness, there's always the one who can make you happy. And all these things I've recognized more clearly through Jesus Christ.

I can't wait to email again on Christmas! Mele Kalikimaka! Merry Christmas!! Love you all!

Love, Elder Nielsen