Tuesday, August 2, 2016

8-1-16 What a week!

Bula na noqu matavuvale wananavu sara dina!

What a week!

To skip a few days, because they were important and I wanna cover them last, the last couple of days have been amazing. I honestly love covering two wards. Yes it is tough work and it does mess with our schedule a bit, but it's good work and I get to meet a lot of people. We had several wonderful meetings with some investigating and less-active families yesterday. Every single one of them have such incredible spirits about them, I can't wait to progress with them!

 The heat is still waxing strong, but it's nothing I can't handle (of course). I'm actually really not looking forward to going back to humidity haha. To be completely honest, the more time I spend here, the longer I want to be here. I love this place and the people in it. The Lord knew I would. SO NATURALLY he's gonna take me away from it just as it starts to happen. Speaking of the Lord giving us what we need and not what we want, I've been sharing the pre-mission experience I shared in my farewell talk with several families and investigators, and it seems to have a powerful effect on everyone who hears it. A strong testimony of truth can leave a greater impact on people rather than simply sharing the doctrine alone, I can testify to that. 

Every few days since I've been here, we'd visit Bill's apartment. Every few days since I've been here that we'd visit Bill's apartment, the door was never opened. On Friday, we'd just gotten out of a dinner appointment when we thought, heck, let's go try Bill again. We approached his building and sure enough, there he was loading some mattresses into his little car. We met up with him briefly and found out he was moving to a different complex several miles away. He had a fold-in bed/couch thing that he said he'll call a moving company to help him with, because that was really the only thing he couldn't fit in his car and he didn't have any close friends with a truck. We offered to help and he graciously accepted, which was awesome because there was a part-member family that lived nearby who owned a truck. Brother Smith's family is lds and he's taken the lessons before, but he acknowledges that he's not quite ready to commit yet. We thought it a wonderful opportunity for him to help us and some other members move Bill's couch, and he was more than happy to do it. It was awesome being a part of that little service project, I believe that we planted some seeds there.

 I want to share a quick experience that happened earlier this week. I found out on Sunday that a huge storm was hitting Hawaii. In that moment, I though Eh. Hawaii gets hit with storms all the time. I didn't really put much thought into it honestly. Monday night came, and it hit me like a wall. I was absolutely overcome and wrought with worry. It took me a while to get to sleep, and after many, many prayers. I felt sick that I couldn't know how you all were doing for another full week. I prayed and pleaded to Heavenly Father for an answer, for a sureness that my family was okay. The next morning, we had mission president interviews. Sister Mendenhall came in and started talking about the storm (she'd forgotten I was from Hawaii), and she said that everyone was okay. It was a small thing, a simple statement, but it meant the world to me. It was as sure an answer to my prayers as you can receive. I shared this experience immediately after with President Mendenhall in my interview, and he showed me D&C 100:1-2. This is an experience I will never forget, I know that already. I am so incredibly grateful for the Lord and his love for me.

 I'm overjoyed that you all are safe and happy and having fun! Hou Lehia! You have to let me take that thing out for a spin when I get back and will have probably forgotten how to swim. I'm so happy to hear that you're all reading the Book of Mormon again and getting fit together! I'm with you guys on both! I'm eating and working really well, I already see an immense change in my body and it's awesome.

 I'm so happy for Ketter folks!! That's so great! I can't wait to meet the first Latin-blooded Ishibashi (right?) 

Also so glad to hear about Ka'ai, and heck, Chase!! I really hope they think about missions, because I've not been out with three months and I wouldn't give these experiences up for anything on Earth.

 I bet Kala'i, Lehia and Nina are just STOKED to go back to school ay? Me too guys, me too.

 Just a reminder, prioritize important things! And the most important thing is spiritual growth. You don't have to read the things your teachers tell you to read, just read the Book of Mormon and you'll be taken cared of. Jk read both. Knowledge is power, power is the key to unlock ANY door you want.

I like to think of my being here as like a looong hallway with walls covered in beautiful murals and paintings with doors that lead to rooms full of fun things and service opportunities. At the end of the hallway isa door that leadsto another and much MUCH longer hallway. I've been told how beautiful that hallway is and the fun things it contains, so I kind of just walk through the one I'm in with an eye on the door so far ahead. I see nice things here and there on my wall that draws my attention away from the door now and again. Then I start to peek in the doors and observe the walls. I start to enter rooms and appreciate and fully take in the murals and the beauty. I start to develop a love for this hallway and I forget about the door. Before I know it, I'm halfway. I see the door, but now it looks like a vent. What drew me toward it at first now sucks me in and I'm not entirely sure that I'm quite ready to leave.

 I reach my halfway mark of my stay in Denver on Wednesday, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't sad about it. I do have another three weeks here, which overjoys me. I'm sad I'll miss the beauty of the fall and the chill of the winter (people say it'll kill a Hawaiian but whatever) but Proverbs 3:5-6 I suppose. As you may have been able to tell, I've become especially Vavulagi as I've served here, but that's okay. I'll darken up in Fiji. 

Anyways I'll cut off here. I love you guys so much and I'm so glad you folks are okay. I don't know how bad the storm was, but help others! Service has given me such immense joy here, and it's wonderful to know that I'm helping them to have joy as well. Not only that, but serve each other and serve God. Take care
na noqu matavuvale, au na tukuna vei kemudou ni bera macawa!

Au lomani kemudou valevu sara dina,
na luvemu/tuakamu/tacimu,
Elder Ishibashi

P.S. There's another Elder here named Elder Ah nee. I haven't met him, but I think he's from Kapalama. -
















Another Prairie dog

















Eye single to the glory of God


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