Amazing Blessings

We have many varied experiences each week, and from time to time we like to share an example of what we're doing each day and how this mission is blessing our lives and the those we meet. This was one of those kind of weeks. We apologize in advance for how long this is. Even though Monday was a holiday, we still went to the youth correctional facility. We gave them a Valentine's word search at the end of our visit last week, and we promised them a prize if they completed the puzzle and handed it back to us the next time. Each one of them did that, and we used it as an opportunity to talk about keeping our word when we promise to do something, and so we brought them some yummy treats to enjoy because we kept our word to them.

We were faced with a difficult decision to make on Tuesday. The senior couples on Oahu were gathering at the home of the mission president and his wife for a family home evening, but it happened to be the same night the Waimanalo ward meets for a Come Follow Me class. Many of the members we've been loving back into activity there are hesitant to participate in the regular Sunday school classes, and this has been a good way for them to learn more about the Book of Mormon in a more relaxed and comfortable setting among friends, and we enthusiastically support that effort. So we decided to follow Pres Dallin Oaks advice about choosing between "Good Better and Best" by skipping the social activity with the senior couples and focusing on our members. We ended up having 25 people attend the class that evening, more than ever before. There were also eight non-members who showed up for pickle-ball at the Waimanalo building earlier in the day. We know God blessed us as we made the right decision!  

Wednesday was an absolutely awesome spiritual experience for us! We talked about "what the atonement of Jesus Christ means to me" from 2 Nephi chapter 9 in seminary, and it was an emotional time as we bore testimony to the youth about how we know that no matter what we've done and how guilty we may feel, God loves us and we will be forgiven through Christ's death and suffering for us if we repent, and come to Him with a broken heart and contrite spirit. Then we hopped on the bus to go to the temple. After doing initiatory ordinances, we were surprised to see the other senior couples in our stake, the Clarks and the Whitmans, join us to do sealings. It was the Whitman's 40th anniversary, and he wanted to go where his family was sealed together in Laie when he was 12 years old. It was a such a special day for all of us, to seal families together, as a group of friends united in the same purpose. The sealer asked us if we'd like to go to the celestial room after we were done, and we were blessed yet again to share a few precious moments visiting with all of the elders and sisters who were finishing their mission, and on their last day in Hawaii were attending the temple together. It wasn't something we planned, just another in a series of fortunate events that happened to us that day. We saw our dear Elder Mulitalo, Sister Norton and Sister Ko who served with us in Kaneohe. We gave each departing missionary we served with a book called "The Power of Everyday Missionaries" by Clayton Christensen, in the hope they will continue to share the gospel and invite others to come unto Christ in normal and natural ways for the rest of their life. 

We feel so blessed to have these types of miracles and special spiritual experiences happen in our lives each week as we serve the Lord and the good people of Hawaii. 

Elder Tela Mulitalo from Utah

Sister Savana Norton from Arizona