8-27-17 This week was AWESOME, WAY busy!

Kaise hai hamar julum parivaar!

This week was AWESOME, WAY busy!

The highlight was definitely zone conference! Zone conference was a bit different this time, it was a sweet little change from the normal finding-techniques trainings and scripture-study insights. The focus of each training was more on the "gray areas" of missionary work, so to speak, particularly when preparing an investigator to be baptized. Zone conference was basically about investigators who've already agreed to be baptized on a set date, gained a testimony, and received all the lessons. The zone leaders trained us on how/when to set a baptismal interview with an investigator. The AP's taught us how to use every minute of someone's baptismal program as a teaching opportunity to nonmember friends and/or family members in attendance. The STL's taught us how to build a good relationship of love and support with investigators, but ensuring that they're converted to the gospel rather than the missionaries. President Higgins trained us on how to extend invitations, connect the blessings with each invitation, and teach the particular principles in a simple and bold way that they'll understand its significance. All in all, zone conference was AWESOME and way fulfilling! 

We moved Afroz's baptism to this coming Sunday, and it may even be extended yet. He doesn't feel quite ready, so we're working really hard with him to prepare him properly. Shahana continues to be a great support for him, she herself seems to set for herself that she isn't quite ready to follow Afroz into the waters of baptism, but still sees it as a possibility in the future. 

The only issue with Patrick is that we don't get many opportunities to meet during the week. He wants to be baptized as soon as possible, but he may have to wait as well.

My internal struggle is this: Elder Kioa hasn't been able to baptize anyone he's taught yet, so I want him to have that opportunity. This coming Sunday is the last opportunity we'll have to do that, as he's most likely leaving the area next week. On the other hand I don't want to rush any baptisms at all, teach short and simple lessons where we cover more principles than they may be able to remember just to cross them off as 'taught'. It's definitely all about the investigators. 

Elder Kioa and I are seeing a lot of success in the area right now, finding and teaching heaps of people who are interested in hearing the gospel of Jesus Christ and finding out how they could possibly live with their loved ones in a state of never-ending life and happiness. The field truly is white already to harvest.

Glad everything back home is all good! Keep those baby pictures coming, sista! MAN I can't believe Jaden, Makana, and Anjo are already heading out, please give me their report dates and emails! 

Please also give my warmest aloha to the new Pachecos! Beyond happy for them! 

Dad, that sounds WAYYY cool! We're actually planning a cultural fireside for the future, and an idea came up for each missionary to sing a song in their native tongue. If you could send me the lyrics to E Ke Akua Mana E, I think that'd be a perfect song! That's way exciting to expect every living active descendant of Keaka to be in attendance, and I think that'd be an EXCELLENT teaching opportunity for any less-active or non-member descendants as well.

Mom, I haven't received the camera yet, and I don't think I'll see it until late next week or two weeks from now (when transfers are in movement around the mission). Don't worry about anything else, once I get the camera yous won't be without pictures for the next nine months. How crazy is that, just nine months before I get to see you guys again. It was honestly way too fast already. 

Give 'Io a BIG hug for me before he heads out, don't worry man. I'll be there with you in no time!

We have a wayy sick qito planned for today, we're combining holi with a game called tin pani. Don't have time to explain now, but I'll get pictures off someone and send them. It's gonna be awesome. 

Again, glad everyone is all good! I love you guys, know yous continue to be in my prayers every day. Have a blessed week, I LOVE YOUS! 

Khyaal rakna, 
Elder Ishibashi 

PS Elder Kempe is serving in Pahoa ward right now, please give him my aloha! He was assigned to Hawaii speaking Marshallese, I was three weeks into the MTC when his intake joined our zone. He, in all honesty, is the most incredible pianist I've ever witnessed with my own eyes. His cover of Be Still My Soul is impeccable, give him a listen if possible. He's also way cool, tell him I said Aloha and Ij iokwe eok! (ask him how to pronounce it, Marshallese is alien) 

I also met a sister from Waikaloa in church yesterday, she just got back from her mission in New Caledonia (it's evident in her thick-as accent) and married a FSM RM who served with Herb (Elder Heiman). I forget her last name but it sounded familiar, and she said her dad just recently got released as bishop in Waikaloa.

Zone conference 

-Wailoaloa beach

-Zone dinner

-A quickened spirit exhausts quickly

-Elder Kioa 

-District 

 

-Votualevu gang

8-20-17 I feel so blessed with a companion that likes to work

It makes me SO happy knowing what a light and an example my brothers are being to the world! 

When people see missionaries in their whites doing that kind of thing, people think "Okay, well they have to do that. They're religious people." but when they see normal people showing a spirit of love and kindness that's (sadly) rare in a public setting, it softens hearts and causes curiosity. The best missionary work one can do, in my opinion, is commit random acts of genuine love to those who need it most. When you're in the service of your fellow brothers and sisters, you're in the service of our heavenly father. 

Anyways, pehea 'oukou o ku'u ohana maika'i no??

This last week was awesome, found some more awesome people we really look forward to following-up on and progressing with. One family we followed up on in the last week was the Singh family. We've been visiting families in that area for several weeks, and they've all suggested we go and meet the Singhs because they're strong Christians. We haven't yet been able to meet Stephen (the father and head of the household), but we met with his wife, Shanti, and four daughters. They all agreed to be baptized by the restored authority of the priesthood if they came to know our message was true. We'll try to meet with Stephen today or tomorrow (his only free days from work), which usually happen to be our busy days, but we'll work it out. They're an awesome family with such strong faith in the savior and His atonement. 

We're also working closely with Patrick. Patrick has been going to church for several months because he lives with a high councilman, and he loves it. Before we were even introduced to him, he'd gained a personal witness of the truthfulness of the restored gospel. Every lesson we have with him is awesome, he soaks everything up and asks great questions. He's way excited to be baptized, and we have him scheduled to be baptized on September 3rd. 

Afroz and Shehana came to church again yesterday, where President and Sister Higgins happened to be present! President praised us uncomfortably heavily to the congregation from the podium in his closing remarks, but I'm so grateful for a mission president who obviously cares about us as individuals and the work of the Lord. He made sure to meet all the investigators the missionaries brought to church immediately after sacrament, and Afroz and Shehana seemed way glad to meet him. Afroz again shared how excited he is to be baptized in the coming weekend. Shehana's a bit difficult to read right now. Afroz keeps telling us that Shehana talks to him about them being baptized together quite often, but when we ask her about it, she acts clueless. We'll be seeing them today and we'll set it straight, whether or not she wants to be baptized with Afroz, because it's definitely a possibility. We're playing it by ear haha.

We had an awwesome sports day put together by the missionaries on Saturday and we were able to get some referrals out of it too! Last night we had an incredible and successful Book of Mormon fireside put together by the missionaries as well. Everything went smoothly and everybody seemed to have left edified and with a newfound confidence in sharing the Book of Mormon. 

The work here is going really well right now, I feel so blessed with a companion that likes to work and a ward so supportive of the missionaries. 

It feels like we're sending so many missionaries out at once and all of a sudden, how awesome is that?? SO excited for and HUGE congratulations to Makana, Jaden, and Anjo for receiving their mission calls! PLEASE tell me when they report, so I know when I can write them! 

We'll be heading out soon, so I'll use the remainder of the time I have left to write President and friends and family. Glad everything is going well back home! 

Briefly, haam khali manta raha apaan gawahi hissa kare aaplogke. Ham janta hai ki iis kam Bhagwan ki kam hai, aur ham iis kam bahut achaa lage rojroj ke. Ham janta Mormon ki Pustak ek sachai kitab hai, aur jab hamlog uuske baat pare aur zinda kare, hamlog dher ahivaad dhekega apaan zindagi me. Iis girjaghar Ishu Masih ki sachai susumachaar se, uus Joseph Smith ki dwara

fir se banais raha Bhagwan se. Ham iis susumachaar bahut pyaar karta, ham dhanyavaad de rojroj Bhagwan ke apaan putra aur uuske balidaan ki wastin. Ham aaplogke bahut pyaar karta, aur ham khali iis chiij hissa karta Ishu Masih ki naam se, Amen.

Looking at it, it looks like I jammed the keyboard haha I love Hindi.

I love you all, thank you so much for your prayers, know you're all in mine! 

Ham aaplogke bahut pyaar karta hamar julum parivaar, achaa hapta rakho!

Khyaal rakna!

Elder Ishibashi

8-13-17 I feel so unbelievably blessed

Kaise hamaar julum parivaar~!!

For some reason they start qito early in this zone, and I need to look for a new bag in Lautoka town (my shoulder bag zipper broke and I reckon a backpack would be more convenient for travel anyway) so today and probably the next few emails will be a bit short. I wish I had more time because so much is happening! We're getting heaps of work done here and finding heaps of people every day! Lately we've been blessed to be lead to heaps of Christian Indian homes, which is way sick. Wayy stoked to progress with the people we've met! 

Pretty much our whole week was finding new people in this and that area. 

Afrosh and Shahana came to church for the first time yesterday! They seemed to really like it and are keen on coming next week. Yesterday morning was actually pretty tough because were expecting to have about eight investigators in church, but when we called each home, each had a reason not to come. Ragni's was that she was going to her own church instead, which is why we may actually drop her. Church is a HUGE part of conversion, and investigators attending church is a huge indication of their genuine interest in the gospel and dedication to their gaining a testimony. Afrosh said that Shahana was too sick and asked us to come over before church to give her a blessing. When we arrived, Shahana suggested that we take Afrosh and that she'd be fine at home. After a bit of talking between the two, they decided they were well enough to come. We didn't give a blessing, Shehana just got ready and we were all out the door in ten minutes. What a tender mercy that was, and I strongly feel that is was Shehana's faith and knowledge that she had to go to church that healed her so suddenly.

I think I'll use the rest of the time to respond to my siblings, but I'm so glad everything's going well back home! Lately I've been thinking a lot about how much everybody has already grown and accomplished since I've been out. I can't wait to come home and see it all for myself! This morning I woke up to the crushing realization that I really don't have much time left at all. We're nearing the end of the year, and once the end of the year comes, I'll only have five months left. Not that I'm counting. Anyways, in the meantime, I have other families here I need to help before I can see my own again. I've come to love so much the focus of the family in the gospel. Something I always like to share with people when we introduce the concept of eternal families is that death will always be a sad thing. When we lose a loved one, of course it's disheartening  because we can't hear their voice or feel their touch anymore. However, everyone will die one day, and what a blessing it is to know that once we've been sealed on earth and reunited in the kingdom of our father, we will never be separated again. No force can part our families after the point of physical death. On Tuesday we'll be asked to share in district meeting why our particular families are unique and what we love about them. I love that our family has such a distinct sense of humor and an appreciation for art in it's countless forms. Most of all, however, I love that our family is built on a foundation of Christ. I've seen how families fall apart when their foundation is weak, and it's especially sad because they blame the foundation they didn't strengthen when it caves in. I feel so unbelievably blessed to have a strong base in the gospel built by generations of faithful servants of our Father in Heaven. 

I love yous all so much, keep being that shining light in this ever-so darkening world; it needs yous. 

I love you all so much, have a blessed week! 

Khyaal rakna, 

Elder Ishibashi 

8-6-17 I'm loving the area and the work!

First of all, soooobo dad no say dat kine! Don't ever worry about being too busy to write, I'm totally aware of everybody's responsibilities at home, especially now! With so much going on, I reckon free time is a tight thing to acquire as everyone's trying to take care of this and that. I learned early on in the mission that when I came out, yous gave me to the Lord for two years AND vice versa. I know the Lord is taking care of yous and blessing my family immensely in my physical absence, and know that he's doing the same for me! Thank yous so much for the check-ups and status reports on blessings obtained over the last week, I can't say how much I appreciate them, but you all have responsibilities in the church to attend to, just like me. PLEASE don't let me get in the way at all of your fulfilling your responsibilities to the best of your ability! Yous making me feel bad! (I mean don't STOP writing me but don't prioritize me)

Anyways, KAISE HAI hamar pyaari parivaar?

This last week was awesome! First full week in Nadi. Nadi actually reminds me heaps of Kona, WAY hot and dry. Almost everything is dead or growing out of cracking ground, but the dry ground does produce what the people here need to get by comfortably, which is great. 

On Tuesday we held the first district meeting of the transfer with the new district, which is a BIG one (I think, 5 companionships)! We had some fire trainings and set a good transfer goal that everyone felt comfortable with after consulting with the Lord about it. After which, we were accompanied by one of the YSA in the ward who came out teaching with us. James should be receiving his mission call soon, and this was the first time he went out proselyting with the elders, so it was good for him. 
I met Shehana and Afrosh for the first time. They're a young, non-practicing Muslim couple and they're waaay cool. We have Afrosh on date to be baptized the first week of September. He has such strong faith in Christ, loves the discussions, and keeps all the commitments we extend to him! He has a smoking problem and has been doing an awesome job at rationing his tobacco since we taught the Word of Wisdom on Tuesday! He'd JUST bought a little pack when we got there and we invited him to ration it until Friday, and on Saturday he'd be able to buy another one (He smoked about 3-4 packs a day, so this would be a big step for him). When we went back on Friday for service, they were both proud to announce that he did it! Shehana is suuuper good for him, way supportive of his efforts to quit and helps him with it heaps. Though she's not quite ready to change right now (though she even shared that it's definitely a possibility that she follow Afrosh into the church), she loves the discussions, asks heaps of good questions and even loves the Book of Mormon and other LDS literature. She believes the things we share, she's just not ready right now to make the change. They're a power couple with a lot of faith and humble hearts. 

When we left their home, and went and met heaps of new people. James was such a big help and I know he'll be an amazing missionary! 

Another family we visit heaps is the Singh family. Elder Kioa and his last companion found 

them last transfer and they're way onst. We usually just meet with Ragni (the mother) and one of her three kids. Ragni previously belonged to the Souls to Jesus church, but as the missionaries have been visiting, she's gained a testimony of the restoration of the fullness of the gospel in these latter-days. She knows the church is true and is on date to be baptized on the same day as Afrosh, but her husband doesn't let her go to church. We're still trying to figure that out, and we will! We're praying that Brother Singh's heart will be softened so that Ragni and her kids can go to church and be baptized.

The next day, we were asked by a less-active member to visit her after a long while of missionaries not coming by. Sherlini introduced us to her partner Amesh and his son, Anish. We learned that Sherlini is a returned missionary, her partner and his son are not members, and that they want to be! They both have a lot of faith in Christ and are really interested in getting baptized, just several things complicate the situation. One of those is that Amesh was never properly educated throughout his life. He can't read, write, or speak much English. Sherlini and Anish, however, are more than willing to help us and Amesh to understand the importance of our message. Another complication is the fact that Amesh and Sherlini are living together despite not being married. Amesh is divorced, but Sherlini's divorce is still pending and the work is being done in Canada, where she was married. Until she goes to Canada and finalizes the divorce in October, they'll either need to separate or Amesh will need to wait for the divorce to be made final AND for them to be legally married before he can be baptized. These things won't affect Anish's eligibility to be baptized, so we may baptize him early just so that the home can have the priesthood in it. We're really looking forward to seeing them again! 

We're way excited to continue to teach these people and help them to come closer to the savior. We met heaps of new people last week, so the next week will be a lot of follow-up appointments.

We're looking at a good week and more new water for Nadi's dryness!

In response to the love: LET'S GOOOOO MAKANA!! You seriously have no clue how stoked I am for him! SPANISH!! HOW SICK IS THAT! Oh my goodness, and what a cool thing for him to set that example for Hoku and his friends. Makana is going to looove his mission and the Dominicanos are going to looove him!  MAN so excited for him! 

Glad everything else back home is all good! Everyone looks so good, thanks for all the pictures I received! I'll respond to the individual emails as well, and I'm running out of time, so I'll close this letter now.

Know we're in great health in spirits, Elder Kioa is still the man and pushes me hard!

"It's okay to be weak when you've exhausted all the strength you could possibly muster. Until then, leave nothing in the tank."

I'm loving the area and the work! 

I love you all, thank you all again so much for the love and blessings I receive as I search the Nadi desert for Christ's dwindling sheep! Have a blessed week all of yous! 

Khyaal rakna, 

Elder Ishibashi

P.S. I feel like yous might know Elder Kioa's parents aye? That Fijian guy knew both our parents and Aunty Sia and Brother Maiwiriwiri know Brother and Sister Kioa as well, just wondering.

7-30-17 President Higgins reassigned me

Kaise hai vinaka hamaar pyaari parivaar!

This last week had definitely been a very interesting one! So much to write about!

On Tuesday we held a really nice district meeting which consisted primarily of role plays and sharing OYMing methods. It was pretty fun because we'd planned to have a potluck lunch after district meeting but nobody had time to cook that morning, so we ended up using the chapel's kitchen to cook/prepare our lunch DURING district meeting. Since the people in the house are cooking a lot of the time we approach them, we reenacted several scenarios where a member of the house prepared food for their guests and listened in while the missionaries shared a message with the rest of the family. It was fun, we learned a lot and was able to get a lot done during our district meeting. As we were preparing to leave the chapel, transfer calls were circulating throughout our area, and it was our turn to receive. 

President Higgins reassigned me to serve in the Nadi Hindi area!

That night, I received such a tender mercy from the Lord that I don't reckon I'll forget any time soon, and I'll cherish it for as long as I remember. The Tarbiti family always felt bad that some members of the family would still be out in town whenever we arrived at their house, so we'd have to wait a little for everyone to arrive and settle before we could start the lesson. Because of this, we always ran out of time before our dinner appointment so we'd have to quickly close and rush out the door to make it on time. Last week, Fifin asked us to make sure no dinner appointments are scheduled for Tuesday so that THEY could feed us and we wouldn't have to stress about having to be somewhere else. We made sure the Tarbitis were the last family we had planned for that evening, we held a great lesson with the family about the importance of baptizing the same way Jesus Christ did, and a niiice feast was placed in front of us. Before we ate, Fifin told us how much she appreciated our visits and the spirit we bring into their home. She said it was a custom in Vanuatu to give gifts to people who visit the family often and ultimately become good family friends. She and Betisha (9 year old daughter) went into the back room and brought out two of the most gorgeous Vanuatu lava lavas I've ever seen. Betisha came to me, wrapped hers over my left shoulder and tied the ends together under my right arm (like a kihe), and Fifin did the same for Elder Mo'unga. It was only after this that Elder Mo'unga told them that I'd be transferring on Friday and that we'd be busy Thursday night because of transfers, so that would be the last time I got to see them. Fifin was sure, as am I, that the Lord arranged for that evening to be so special. Tuesday night was especially significant for two reasons:

One, I felt like we definitely could have done more work or found more people. My ultimate goal when I enter an area is to leave it better than I found it, and though I can in all honesty say that for Suva, I felt like I could have done more and I was sad. That night, I really felt like we made an impact on that family's lives. Their love and appreciation for us was so evident, and that night, I felt like I'd been successful in that area. The second reason that evening was so special is because it was easily the most love and appreciation I've ever been shown since I've been here. I've taught people who ended up being baptized and even myself helped several into the waters of baptism. The Tarbiti family had not received an answer yet as to whether or not our teachings were true, but they were humble and so willing to find out. Some had no indication, some had received light promptings, but there was no surety yet. Despite this, they knew we were sent from our Father in Heaven and that the Spirit was evident when we entered their home, and they were grateful for that. Even though they haven't been baptized yet, I'm sure they will be one day. That was an amazing night. 

On Wednesday we were joined by Elder Fonua, the Hindi elder from Lautoka who was called to train a new Hindi missionary. That night, he taught me heaps of Hindi words that I didn't know that don't even have real English definitions, and I realized how much serving in the city limited my Hindi haha. The next day we were joined again by him and his trainee and we were able to see a good lot of people and teach the yougin his first Hindi words. 

Friday rolled around and by 9am, I and 8 other missionaries were on a bus to Nadi. After a nice and beautifully scenic four hour drive, I met my new companion at the Nadi airport. 

Elder Kioa was raised in San Mateo, California, but has been living in Utah for the last few years. He is SOOO chill, so humble and suuper funny. I'm super excited for the next transfer, I feel like we're going to have a lot of fun and get a LOT of work done together. This particular area is notoriously dry (in the air and in the work), so I'm really looking forward to getting some good new water flowing these old dusty pipes. It's a bit difficult adjusting to being a senior companion because I feel sometimes that I lack confidence and sufficient enough Hindi to teach someone (even though his Hindi is WAYY good, way better than mine was at his stage), but in time my leadership skills will kick in and I'll be able to preside over this area effectively. But yeah since I'm Elder Kioa's first companion out of training, I am, in missionary terms, his mother! Anyways, Elder Kioa and I are ready for work and we're about to SMASH it here!

I really enjoyed church yesterday as well, Nadi ward is awesome! The members are so loving and inviting. I was actually blessed to give a talk in sacrament yesterday, and I don't know why but I almost threw up on the podium because of how nervous I was. The members seemed to enjoy my nervous twitches, stutters, and facial expressions, so I know they also have a sense of humor. Speaking of which, I was oddly insulted when my new ward mission leader called me haole during our brief Missionary Coordination Meeting, MCM after church. He also needs some time to learn how to pronounce my name, so until then my name is either Elder Islamabad or Elder Istanbul. I'm excited to see what world capital city he can come up with next... he really is a funny guy though. 

I learned this morning that my new companion is an excellent disciplinarian (and thus will make an excellent senior companion himself one day). I've come to Nadi for three reasons: To preach repentance and baptize converts, to follow-up train Elder Kioa, and to get black and skinny. Nadi is also notorious for doing that to people, so I'm excited. This morning, we went running. I haven't gone running since that one time in Nasinu, so my legs still feel like they're full of lead. I'm pretty disappointed at this moment because I thought that I had to have run like four miles this morning, but I just checked the distance on google maps and it's just barely two miles there and back. It's okay, a hard run is a good run. Elder Kioa noticed I struggled the first time to our destination, so he was right behind me the whole way back egging me on and pushing me to keep going despite my pleads to let me stop. THAT's a good companion, those kinds of people in paddling and judo always got me through the season. 

MAN but yeah, everything is way good! I'm happy and healthy and glad to be in the West zone.

Thank yous so much for your prayers, I know I wouldn't be receiving all these blessings without them. I love you guys so much, hope all is well at home!

Sorry for the lack of pictures, now that I don't have Elder Mo'unga or the other missionaries to leach pictures off of, I may need that camera a little sooner than initially anticipated. Don't worry about it though!

Please give grandma as big a hug and kiss as you all can without hurting her for me, and massage her feet for two hours each (one for every year). Hau'oli lā hanau e ku'u tūtū! Aloha nui wau iā 'oe, e ho'omaika'i a me mālama pono! 

Again, love you guys so much! Have a great and blessed week!

Khyaal rakna, 

Elder Ishibashi

Elder Kioa