Week 46 & 47: Helping out the locals

Picture with Mule. Lee not in picture :)

 

Aloha Kakou!

So many amazing things are going on here in the Kekaha area. The work is moving really fast! I'm excited to tell you some of our experiences in the few last weeks.

We have been able to teach so many lessons to some awesome people. One of our investigators' names is Marsha. She has been taught by missionaries, and been closely connected with the church for years! I wondered why past missionaries haven't recently taught her. She goes to church and scripture study class every week! Me and Elder Tipa were asked by her if we could help move some things out of her house with another member named Anthony (He's hilarious by the way. He poked me in my stomach when I met him at church). Then after the service was over, we went to a bench near the ocean (Everyone is so close to the ocean in Kekaha) and she asked what we were going to study today. I felt a strong feeling just to talk about re-introducing the lessons to her again. I said "Marsha. Today we are going to talk about your relationship to God." We asked about her history with being taught by missionaries and she says it's been a long time since she'd been taught. Then we talked about learning the lessons and being baptized. She quickly said that she wanted to know everything beforehand. And we said that we would teach her. We asked what day she thinks she could be baptized. She said August 20th. I replied, " Marsha, that's inspired. You know why? Because that's my BIRTHDAY!" She set her baptismal date for my birthday! So we're going to do everything in our power to get her ready by then. Up till now, we're scheduled to meet at the end of this week.

Another person we are teaching is a man named Tim. He is a newer convert to the church and we are teaching the after-baptism lessons. He already has a really strong testimony and great faith. We had dinner at his house and taught the Plan of Salvation with him and he shared some really hard experiences with us. He told us that he is glad to have something like the gospel to guide him. He really loves missionaries and we could really tell how much he already loves the gospel.

We had a lesson with Dawson! We went to his home and taught him the Restoration. It went really well! The spirit was really strong. His wife, who is a member, was able to sit in on the lesson and the spirit in the room greatly affected her too. He accepted our invitation to read the Book of Mormon and pray to know if it's true. I'm so excited to keep teaching him.

We have made some really good friends with the neighbors as well. Our across-the-street neighbors were in their driveway cutting carpet. We quickly ran over and helped them cut it. They were really grateful. Now we see them all the time and they always wave and talk to us. I love the community where we live. Everyone already knows everyone and talking is really easy.

One fun thing we were able to do is go do volunteer work at a cocoa plantation. We got to open cocoa pods and take the seeds out that they use for chocolate! Maybe one day you could be eating a chocolate kiss that I helped make. You never know.

One of our members, Brother Palacio, had to move and we helped him move for about a total of 4 days. As a token of his gratitude, he let me play his guitar. (My guitar is missing a string ) And it was very pleasing. Trust me.

We had our last zone conference with President and Sister Walker. It was the saddest meeting I ever went to. They just gave us life advice like we were their kids. Then when we did our final interviews, they put our families on video chat to brag about us. My family was in Disneyworld for this so my mom and dad were huddled in a corner while in line for one of the rides. Then I said an emotional goodbye. They profusely said they loved me.

Us Elders performed a farewell Haka dance for the Walkers. It didn't look very authentic with Elders like me performing it   but it was still very fun.

Never miss out on an opportunity to give service to those around you. Everything you do as a disciple of Jesus Christ is service to others. And great is the joy of him\her who serves.

Have a fantastic week! Happy Belated Fathers' Day!

Love, Elder Nielsen

Weekly Planning: Glasses found in church gym. 

Our Neighbor Willie helping us open coconut.

Cacao plant. 

Proof of life with cacao

Comp study BY  the beach.

Elder Tipa appreciating Kauai flowers

Found a bag full of leaves while we were tracting.

Cool hike northern Kauai

Week 44 & 45: Hele on to Kauai!!

Me and my new comp Elder Tipa!

 Aloha Everyone!

The last few weeks have been crazy! So many miracles! There's so much to say and so little time so I'll get right into it.

First things first.

TRANSFER NEWS!!: I am now serving on the island of Kauai in the Kekaha ward with Elder Tipa. More on that later.

Since emailing last, I knew that I was going to receive news that I'd be leaving H-tech. May 20th, Friday was our island zone conference. Me and Elder Chan set up the audio equipment to prepare. Elder Pingree of the quorum of the 70 spoke to us first all about the Atonement of Jesus Christ. It was so amazing to hear his training and hitting the point that all we do is about inviting people to repent and come unto Christ. Then the other half of zone conference was about the Book of Mormon. President Walker went to BYU for law school even though that wasn't how his career ended up. During his portion of the training, he basically testified of the Book of Mormons truthfulness with absolute fact, irrefutable evidence, and testimony that the Book of Mormon was true. The same exact vigor that a lawyer would in a case. I learned so much about the Book of Mormon intellectually, and spiritually that day.

It was sad the last filming day we had for the How To Gain a Testimony video we made. (Thanks to everyone who liked it (:   ) But it was really fun to make a final big video for h-tech. While we were filming,  our zone leaders came by and made us coconut bread. AMAZING! Me and Elder Chan got pizza as a celebratory dinner and did laundry at some missionaries house.

Saturday May 28th was a crazy day! In the morning we helped set up for a dinner being set up by some members for the Honolulu missionaries and President and Sister Walker before they leave. HOWEVER. Later, as me and Elder Chan were walking to the mission office, President Walker stopped to talk to us! He said that Elder Chan was going to be a district leader and I was going to train a missionary! The member who made all the food's name is Sister Richter. She served a mission in Tonga and had some truly inspiring stories. After she spoke, both President and Sister Walker spoke to everyone. President Walker shared some really tender stories about his encounters with prophets like Spencer W. Kimball, Gordon B Hinkley, and of course his grandpa Ezra Taft Benson.

Then later that evening, we got transfer news. The news that I was being sent to Kauai sent me in a spiral. I had a feeling for so long that I was going to Kauai and I got called to serve there! Everyone in htech was mad at me because they didn't think I was sad to leave even though I was. Htech has been so good for me, and I'm excited to start a new chapter in Kauai in the Kekaha wards!

At church we said goodbye to some members in Kahala. Not a ton of people were in church that day, but I did receive a lei! I got to say goodbye to Barry! He said I'd better come visit next time.

Another cool experience I had was I, unexpectedly, got to go to the temple. I got a call on pday saying that on Tuesday I'd be going to the temple with Elder Tipa, my new companion! The rest of the day on p day we got to take some really nice hand-me-down clothes  and had dinner with the Kasamoto family. I miss them so much! Sister Kasamoto (ward mission leader's wife) crocheted me a tie!

On Tuesday May 31st, I met my new companion Elder Tipa. He's from American Samoa and he's been serving a total of 7 months so far! So I'm not sure why I was called to be his trainer. Oh well. He's so funny! We're already getting along really well. We drove up to Laie for the temple session and while we were waiting we got to go through the visitors center. I felt really comforted going through the temple. I hadn't gone in over 6 months and it was such a relief to go back. We got back home at around 11 pm at night.

KAUAI TRAVEL DAY!!! If I'm being honest I'm gonna really miss Elder Chan, H-tech, Kahala ward, and just the experiences I've had in Honolulu. But man was I so excited to get to Kauai. We flew in around 10 in the morning and Kauai greeted me and Elder Tipa with fresh, tropical rain. It gave it a more Hawaiian feel I think . We drove to  our area and got a little unpacked. Then we got right to work.

This area is a little different than some of my last areas. There's a lot of people already on record that have seen missionaries before, but haven't been seen in a while. So me and Elder Tipa contacted everyone that had a number listed if we could introduce ourselves sometime. A lot of them have answered yes! Since it was Thursday we made a weekly plan and talked about our plans for the next week. Then later we had dinner with a part member family. The father of the house is the non-member and had been taught by missionaries before. We asked him if he'd like to be taught the missionary lessons and he said yes! HALLELUJAH!!

We also made new friend! I think the most ironic thing about the Kekaha area is how physically slow it is. It's the west, dry side of the island of very local people and very stretched out. But the work is progressing so much! We've contacted so many people and there's so many people just around our pad who talk to us! I'm seeing so many miracles working around here and I'm excited to see how this pans out. Elder Tipa and I like to work hard.

One last thing. On Saturday I was sick all day with a cold. That almost never happens. I took a Corona test and it was negative but we stayed in that day.

So many other amazing things have happened, but that's enough for now.

Just remember that the Lord's work continues to progress even in the most unlikely of areas. I'm working harder now than I ever have...and boy is it nice to be out of the office!!!!

Have a great week my bruddahs!

(I'm working on my Pidgin)

Love, Elder Nielsen.

Last day in htech celebrated with confetti cannons

Sister Richter from Kahala

Kurihara Family from Kahala (Bishops family)

Brother Lloyd Nakamura (new member we held Book of Mormon class with)

My good friend Barry

Good bye Honolulu

Me sporting my new (to me)  BYU shirt

The Kasumoto's

Kermit no!

Long expsosure camera work. Palm tree :)

Elder Tipas palm tree