Week 17-Transfer 1

Brandon and his snowboard with wheels that he is super proud of

me and my pad mates right now. They are probably the best in the whole world

Angie and her fiance Lowell

Me and hermana, Sis Shin (from Korea) and Sis Fong (from Japan

There's one of Pauli:)

Aloha/hola!
Well, lots has been going on here seeing as it's transfer week this week, but first of all, Happy Birthday Tyson!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Once again i'm going to be late getting something to you but it will come:) I love you and hope you have the best birthday ever tomorrow! Mom, please don't edit for me. I want to know what's going on. Really, every time I read your letters it just reminds me I need to keep working harder. I love you guys and want to know EVERYTHING that is going on ok? I'm so thankful you have people like Taya to be there to help you out when I can't. Let me know if you get that recording figured out. I really don't know how to send it as a different format. I may just finish filling it up and then send it to you so you can empty it on something and figure it out some more:) So Happy Birthday to me as well...this week I broke down and bought myself a Ukulele! As you will probably see from my bank account. So I know I said I wanted one for my birthday but then I saw one at the PCC when Hermana went to go buy a tuner, and the lady there taught us a few tricks on how to play and then we were messing around for a bit and finally she said, "that is going to stick to you, do you want to buy it or not?" and hermana convinced me I should so I did and I love it:) I can only play it on Tram days and PDay but I already know how to play I am a Child of God and Over the Rainbow. It is so fun! So yeah, I have my birthday present:)

Well, now into my week. We spent the week focusing on Angie and getting her ready for her baptism. Brandon is just doing amazing! We have been teaching him the after baptism lessons about the priesthood and temple and everything and he is super excited to get more into home teaching, which he thinks is the best thing in the world. He can't believe that they would actually give him 2 callings but he is going to be the best Activities committee member and ward missionary ever! He gets to get the Aaronic Priesthood on Sunday as well as his temple recommend for baptisms. I can't tell you how fun it has been to teach him. He has such a strong testimony and a knowledge of the Atonement and Repentance and what everything is all about. He loves learning more and more and can't seem to get enough. One time I let him borrow my scripture pen that you gave me for Christmas and he was like "What is this pen of curious workmanship?" He says that is the funniest joke ever cause only the Mormons understand it:) He asks pretty much everyone he sees if they are a Mormon and shares his testimony with everyone. Seeing the changes in his life and his testimony as he grows in the gospel really has strengthened mine. He is going to feed Hermana and I homemade pizza tonight for hermana's "going away party":).

Saturday was a super special day since that was the day both Angie and Pauli got baptized. I got to conduct the music for Pauli's baptism. It was so amazing to see her that day. She was absolutely radiant and beautiful in white. She kept laughing and saying "I'm so nervous! I'm going to be a Mormon!" Even though we didn't get to finish teaching her the lessons, I felt so blessed to have had the opportunity to teach her a bit and to get to know her. She really is so amazing! Angie's baptism was right after hers and equally as beautiful. Once again, I gave a talk on Baptism. I think the cool thing about this one was the fact that she is getting married in 2 weeks and then will be working towards getting sealed in the temple a year from now. Angie is really quiet but she has such a strong testimony and it was such a beautiful experience. It really is the most wonderful thing when you understand how important this gospel is and you see others accept it and grow in their testimonies. I love this gospel and I love this work.

Well as I said, this week is transfer week and Monday was the day we found out what next transfer is going to be like. It was fun being in the Visitor Center for it cause instead of just getting a phonecall, the sister trainers make a giant production of it with a powerpoint presentation. Some of the sisters, like Sister Moyes, found out they were going to be sent off the Island and have a lot of packing to do today before the meeting tomorrow. Sis. Moyes gets to go to Maui! As for me, since mi companera is leaving me, I was completely anxious to find out who is going to be my "stepmom" or new trainer:) Low and behold, Sis Patlingrao is coming back from being full pros and gets to be my companion! Sis. Patlingrao is from the Philippines and as people have been telling me, is completely opposite from my crazy Latino companion right now. Also, apparently, she is like half the size of me in height and width. I get to meet her tomorrow. I sure am going to miss hermana though! Hermana tells me that Tagalog uses a lot of Spanish words and so therefore this is going to be an interesting transfer....I may just end up coming home speaking Spangalog! I do get to stay in my area though and at the beach pad! However, because we are adding two more sisters to the Visitor Center, we are adding two to the beach pad as well. This means there will be 6 where there was once 4. Thankfully I adore the sisters who will be there with us. It's going to be a fun transfer!

Well, we Hermana Rodriguez and I have a lot to do on our last PDay together, I'm trying not to think about it too much. I'm gonna miss her so much! Plus I'm slightly overwhelmed at the responsibility of Spanish that is on my shoulders. I just know my faith is going to have to grow in leaps and bounds. I say I know the Lord can do anything, but now I have to believe it. I am excited to see what he has in store for me.

I love you all so much! Thank you for your testimonies and strength. I pray for you daily that you can be given all the strength you need to make it through this and that you can be guided by the spirit to know what to do. I know that the spirit is guiding you. You may not feel that way all the time, but you are trying to do the best you can and that is what the Lord asks of us. That's what the Atonement is for. He is going to guide and help you as he tests and tries you, for that is how we become more like him. I love my Savior and I know he guides each of our lives. I love you so much! I wish I had time to tell you about all of the miracles I see everyday at the Visitor Center and on the Tram. This is definitely Gods work and I'm so thankful to be apart of it.

Les Amo!
Hermana Rowley (Shayla)