Week Five: I LOVE HAWAII

How's it from Maui!!!

Good news. I'm happier than ever! This place is AWESOME. I'm learning to love the people here with all fiber of my being. I work with a lot of Micronesians and Asian people and let me tell you, I love them. The area I'm serving in is on the poorer side. Since Hawaii is such an expensive place to live, people are often time struggling financially. I always pictured my mission as something where I struggle in an impoverished community high in the andes, so I guess I got what I wanted just on an island! I love poor people. They are so friendly, and what they dont have in material, they make up in spirit. If America is a giant melting pot, Hawaii must be the very center. It's funny because in my patriatical blessing, it says that I will be teaching people of many different cultures and nations, and so I thought I would be called to somewhere foreign. But its funny how the Lord works, because now I'm in hawaii teaching more cultures than I ever could have imagined!! Its funny, they all have their unique cultures, but they also have an underlying Hawaiian pride!

Things are moving along here in Kahului! We have more and more appointments, but the only problem is that no one is ever home. But I feel inspired to tell you about a certain person that we found:

So on Wednesday me and my campanion were struggling. We rode around our WHOLE area, had a plan to visit all these people, and no one was home. It was hot, and humid, and I was frustrated. And then I remembered about a talk I read about the enabling power of the Atonement. I remember that with Christ's true and everlasting sacrifice, we were given the ability to endure. The Atonement not only cleansed us of our sins, but allowed us to be able to endure any trials that are placed before us. So we went to our 4 o'clock appt, and the family wasnt really ready to hear our message. They were swimming, and Im not sure how much they got out of our short lesson. So afterward I was just frustrated beyond belief, and so while we were riding our bikes I prayed to our heavenly father asking him to not changed my situation, but give me the strength to be able to endure the trial presented before me. And what happened next was a true testament and answer to my prayers. We then visited a less active member, one who was recently baptized, and guess what, he was home! He seemed to really enjoy the message that we shared with him, and desired to come back to church. Then we found someone on our former investigator list, so we went to go visit him. We knocked on his door, and asked are you so and so? And he said no, Im Idle (sounds like El Dee). And usually in this situation we asked them if theyve ever talked to missionaries before, and they say no but we are busy right now. So usually its a failure. So we did the same thing, and asked if we could say a prayer with him. He's Filipino, and he BARELY spoke English, so we could barely communicate with him. We had to talk really slow, and use sign language, but he seemed interested in what we had to say. So we figured out, with some time, that he speaks Tagalog, and that we would return tomorrow to teach him. So one of the missionaries that lives with me is Filipino, and he is fluent in Tagolic, so I went on exchanges with him the next day. We showed up, and knocked on the door...no answer...the door was open, and the screen door was shut, so we said "Aloha!"...no answer...knock plus "Aloha!"...no answer. And I felt inspired to just yell his name, which I never do, So I yelled "Ilde!" And we heard in the back, "Yes?" "It's the missionaries!!" "Okay one second..." and so in a few minutes he came outside and we sat down. I said "Hi Ilde, we brought a Tagolic missionary along" and that was the only thing I said for two hours. Elder Basag taught him for two strait hours in Tagolic. It was amazing to see! He taught him about the Restoration, and it was amazing to see his demeanor go from skeptical, to interested, to hungry for more. It was a little awkward though because they would both look at me, talk in Tagalog, and then laugh. Im pretty sure they were making fun of me! hahaha thats okay though. Its interesting, because Elder Basag got transferred out of his last area really early, and we didnt know why, but now we have two Tagalog investigators, and now I know that he is meant to come here to teach these people. The Lord needs this valuable message to be shared, and he will do it according to his will. I know that these people were prepared for Basags message, and he will be heard. 

So we totally hiked into the creator of Haleakala! Our ward was going, so we decided that we needed to build ward trust and get to know the members. If you are friendly to the members, and they know you and trust you, they wont be afraid to give you a referral. So we woke up at 4 in the morning on Saturday and met at the church. We planned to make it to the sunrise, but we didnt get there in time! We didnt go all the way to the top, but we went to about 8000 feet up. It was like 50 degrees outside, and all the Hawaiians were freaking out. They were like THIS IS THE COLDEST IVE EVER BEEN. hahaha I was just sitting there in my shorts laughing. We started up, and hiked switch backs down into the creator and ate lunch there. It felt like we were hiking on some ancient Mayan trail, but jk we are just in a volcano. When we got to the bottom, we ate some spam, fed some nenes, and explored in a lava tube. I talked to some people from Germeny, and then talked to one of the youth about serving a mission so it wasnt all in vain! Plus it was super fun and pretty! I feel asleep at the top because we got to the top a hour and a half before everyone else. So now Im sitting here with pink legs and aloe smeared all over them haha. We watched the broadcast yesterday, and I know that it was the right idea to go on that hike and be with the members. Missionary work is mostly through members, and we are here to help guide and hasten that processes, and so its important to get this ward missionary minded. From what I've been told, this ward is not totally focused on missionary work, so its important that we get them there. As it was said in the broadcast, every member is a missionary, and it was important that we gain this wards trust so we could remind them of that without being offensive. I know this is a place where missionary work could florish, but we need the help of the members. They are amazing people I know that they can bring the work of salvation to many.

I know that the Lord has sent me to this specific place, and that he has sent me here for a reason. Each struggle is a lesson. Each success is a blessing. I know that if I continue to work hard, the Lord wont let me fail. One thing that is really amazing to me is how much Ive grown spiritually here! I love my Savior, and all he's done for me. I cant process the events that transpired in Jerusalem, but I know how they continually bless my life. Christ lives.

Good days come, bad days come, but overally the worst days are starting to be better than my old best, because I am doing for and with the Lord. It sounds like the fires are picking up at home, I hope everyone is okay! Its weird being so distant from news and sports. Its like Im the person who is a week late on watching the lastest eppisode of Gossip Girl and everyones talking about it and wont tell me anything about it. But thats missionary work. I might be having too much fun here. I LOVE HAWAII. OH BRAH YOU WANT TO GET BATIZED YEAH?

Keep me in the loop people. I love hearing about you. Tell me about your life. Anyway, long story short, the church is true. 

BYEEEEEEE

Elder Gleave