Week 72-Transfer 11

Aloooooha!

2/24/14

Hey family! 

Another great week here in Hawaii:) Actually it's been an interesting one. Satan really is working hard on me trying to make me discouraged and all when really things are going great! Jenny (one of our investigators with a baptism date) is really progressing so much. She is a Korean student and she had taken the lessons for a while now and just barely agreed to be baptized right before I got put in the area. Satan is working on her as well and she seems to be riding an emotional roller coaster. She ended up moving her date for the 8th instead of the 1st with no real good excuse. We warned her that it would just get harder and advised her to keep it on the first but she moved it anyways and later felt bad when she read in the scriptures about not procrastinating the day of your repentance (Alma 34:33). She is doing well now and reading and praying daily. She has a strong testimony that we can see growing the more we meet with her.

We also got a new investigator this week. Her name is Tiffany and she is from Lehi, Utah. She has two brothers who have joined the church. One of them is about to finish his mission in Texas and the other is about to be married in the Temple. Tiffany has never met with missionaries because of an interesting background but she really is searching for truth right now. She is so sweet and wants to do what is right. She has been praying a lot about it but as we talked with her we thought maybe she should make her prayers a little more specific. So she should be trying that in the next few days and said she wants to be baptized if she gets her answer. It really is a blessing to be able to teach her! 

The other investigators we have are so close to progressing but not quite because it is just so hard to find a time to visit with them! Students have such busy schedules! Jordan and Maria are the closest though. Maria wants to be baptized and had a date set but seems to be too busy to meet with in the past few weeks and Jordan was progressing and he goes to church and is dating a member preparing for her mission, but once again, he is too busy to meet with. Mom, you asked why I have so many Sunday meetings to go to compared to before. Well, this new area I'm in covers all the on-campus student wards and we need to go to as many as we can plus all the ward correlations (we don't usually get to these as much) and a stake correlation each Sunday. Not to mention the fact that Sunday's are when most Students have time to meet with us! Needless to say, Sundays can be quite taxing. It's all good though. I love being able to see so many people all day long! 

I am so grateful for my Heavenly Father. I am learning more and more each day that this is really His work. I thought I knew that already but somehow I guess not:). I'm not sure how I expected to feel at this point of my mission. I guess I figured from what others have told me, that it would be easier or something. I figured I would be better at it all and just reap the rewards. I do for sure feel sooo many blessings, but I feel just as inadequate as ever. My Spanish is certainly not where I had hoped, and I am continually being humbled, in every aspect it seems. Even though it is not expected, I can truly say that I am sooo grateful. When I was in Kahala ward in Honolulu with Sister Gleason, we went through so much together and as we were talking I mentioned, "I don't ever want an "easy" transfer, because when it's hard, that's when you change the most and get to know the Savior more then ever." I think I cursed and blessed myself at the same time:) It's so true though. I am so grateful for these times as hard as it may feel, these are the times when prayer becomes real and the Savior is the one I rely on. I am so grateful for prayer, the scriptures, the Atonement, family, and tender mercies of the Lord. I am so grateful for being able to serve and to lose myself in the service of others like never before. I am so grateful for the Savior! This gospel is so true! There is NO possible way any of us missionaries could do the things we are doing if it wasn't the Lords work! His hand is lifting us up and we feel the prayers of our families and there are angels all around us! 

I love you all so much! I can not believe you already have my room ready! I really don't feel like I am going home that soon! Thank you so much Chelsea for praying for me not to be weary or weird:) I need that a lot! haha, I'm excited to take care of all of you when I get home mom! I don't think I have mentioned this before, but my entire mission I have never been to the doctor for myself, but I have for almost every one of my companions! Yes, I have had to help take care of some medical issue with almost every companion:) For example, Sister Yoo has back problems and so we get to go to the Chiropractor once a week. I just tell people that I was being prepared for when I got home and could take care of all the sickies at home:) haha. I do hope you all feel better though! Remember that I love you and pray for you ALWAYS! 

Les Quiero Muchisimo!

Hermana Rowley (Shayla)

PS. I still haven't finished applying for EFY counselor...I think my Essay writing skills have decreased like 99% on my mission so it is taking me a while, but I was wondering if you happen to know more, the dates that we will be busy over the summer so I make sure to get those ones off.