Aloha! July 14, 2014

Aloha family!!

This week was great!! It started out a little rough, but it was also very strengthening for me. On Tuesday we got to go on exchanges and I got to spend the day with Sister R (from the Ukraine), an amazing missionary. We got to go out in her area, she is serving over the YSA wards here. We got to teach the Plan of Salvation to a wonderful girl. WOW. She is amazing. That was the last lesson she needed before her baptism on Saturday. I got to go to that, and it was such a special experience for me to be a part of that. Serving at the visitors' center is difficult because a lot of times we don't get to see the full conversion process of those we meet. This was the first time that I was able to be a part of someone's conversion -- seeing them before and after their decision to follow Christ and be baptized. While I had the blessing of teaching her, she really taught me. By exercising her faith and being so willing to learn, she had the courage to find out for herself that this is the true, restored gospel, and act upon her answer. No matter where we are in life, we need to continue to act upon those things we know to be right and true. We need to have courage to stand for what we believe, even if we feel alone.
 In other news, I learned how to make a haku, or head lei from real flowers! I felt so hawaiian! Here, if there is any celebration, we pretty much give the person a lei. It is such a fun tradition!

I am grateful for the chance that I have to be here, serving the Lord and being a part of this magnificent wave of missionary work! It is so important to open our mouths and share what we believe. People need it. People need that light in their lives. Life is hard. They need to know that they don't have to push through it alone. Christ suffered so that our burdens can be made lighter. I know that this is true with all of my heart, as I feel the blessings of His atonement in my life each day. 

Well that is all for now! Hope you enjoy the pictures!!

Love sister willardson