Gratitude

Aloha, and Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

The season of family and celebrations is beginning, and I am so grateful to see it from a different perspective this year! Boy, is it hard to be away from home amidst the Christmas trees, carols and family gatherings, but I am ever grateful for the warmth of the people here in Hawaii. There really is a special spirit amidst the people here, in this cute little town of Laie. I love this place. 

Every week I struggle to know what to share, and what stories to tell.This week I think I'll go through a day in the life of Sister Willardson, directly from my journal :)
11/20/14

Today was such a great day! We had morning shift at the Visitors' Center, and we got to decorate some of the Christmas trees! We didn't have many visitors' because the front of the grounds is under major construction, and the main pathway to the VC was being ripped out. It was so loud! After shift we met with a girl named Sarah to do studies with her. She is preparing to serve a mission, and she is in one of the wards that we are covering. We meet with pre-missionaries a lot to try to help them to prepare to serve. Today, studying with Sarah made me think back to 6 months ago when I was preparing myself to serve! I thank my Heavenly Father for helping me get here. Then we went home and finished our studies. Then we had dinner over at the Black's house, a young couple in one of our married student wards. It was such a spiritual dinner, they are such a solid couple. We shared a message about the Book of Mormon and missionary work. The spirit was so strong. My testimony is always strengthened from visits like this. I love missionary work! At the end of dinner, brother Black gave us a referral for one of his friends from high school, so I will contact her tomorrow. After dinner, we made our visits to the Hale's on campus. We finally met a girl named M that we have been searching for. We saw C, our new investigator, but she was running down the hall because she was late for basketball practice. After a few more visits we were on our way out when we ran into another non-member, E, who we have been trying to meet with. Our last visit with her was pretty bleak because she was kind of upset that we had come to visit her. But this time she was super happy to see us! (probably because we opened the big heavy door for her and she had a big heavy bike so she couldn't get in alone). We talked for a few minutes and she said that she wanted to meet with us after all, and was super nice. It was a miracle! Then we had to rush home to be back in time and do our planning. And now I am writing in my journal! And I am super tired so I am going to bed now."

Well, I recognize that that was probably the most boring thing that you've read in a long time, but I thought it was necessary so you could experience the busy day in the life of Sister Willardson. Next week's episode: the day in the life of Sister Willardson, Sunday version! hahaha just kidding. But I just want you all to know that I am so grateful to be here serving the Lord, and every day is a blessing. That is something that I have been thinking a lot about lately -- How truly blessed we are to wake up each day and have another 24 hours to work hard and enjoy life! Let's make it all count!

Sister Willardson