Moe me ka maluhia lani :)

Aloha nui loa, Family and Friends!

This week was... pretty dang tiring. But also very, very amazing and rewarding. We had a miracle!!

On Thursday, I was on exchanges with Sister M, another sister here at the VC. During our nightly planning, we made the qualitative goal to "shoot for the moon" all day. We wanted to give it our all and beyond, and we KNEW that we would see miracles. Whenever I prayerfully select a goal for the day with my companion, we see the Lord's hand helping us to fulfill that goal. Today was no different.

We had planned for high numbers in the area, but when we went out none of the students were home and we had little success. By the time we got to the VC, we had renewed our goal to shoot high and work hard, talking to everyone. It was a slooooow day. Halfway through the shift, however, a man came in. His name was Karim, and he wasn't a member, but he really wanted a "tour." The second I met him, I had a strong feeling that this man was elect and prepared. I had a strong impression that we needed to invite him to be baptized, which was super strange to me. Shaking the idea, we showed him the Christus statue first, and he LOVED it. We continued to show him around and he kept saying "I feel something different here, please teach me more, I am in your hands." The spirit was so strong as we testified of the Temple, eternal families, God's love, our purpose, the Restoration, our modern-day prophet President Monson, and Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer. He began to open up and talk about his life and challenges. He had "lived the American Dream" by coming to America from Egypt, getting rich, starting a family, and getting divorced.  I received the impression countless times to invite him to be baptized, but  I kept pushing it out of my mind. We took Karim up to the Temple, and felt impressed to take him into the temple lobby. We taught more about the restoration, Book of Mormon and the priesthood while we were inside the walls of the temple. The spirit was so strong... and he finally asked, "what's next?" I told him that someday I wanted him to be able to see and experience the rest of the Temple, and receive those blessings. That is when Sister M invited him to be baptized by someone holding the priesthood authority of God and... he accepted. He accepted missionaries to come visit and teach him more, and was so excited. The spirit was so strong throughout the entire time we spent with Karim, and it strengthened my testimony that when we prepare ourselves, God WILL put people in our path that need us and our specific testimonies. God is loving, merciful and all-knowing. We just need to open our hearts and place our trust in Him.

Miracles happen year round, not just at Christmas. But as we do turn our hearts to Christ and His gift to us, we cannot help but have the burning desire to share it with others! Let's all #sharethegift!

I love you all, and I hope that you all have a very merry Christmas. :)

Sister Willardson

Mele Kalikimaka

Aloha again, my dear family and friends!

And Mele Kalikimaka!

This week was awesome! I got to go on two exchanges with two amazing sisters here, and get to know them better, and visit some family wards again! We also had some success with the nonmembers in our area! This last week we go to meet with J, a nonmember on the Tennis team from Taiwan. She is SO sweet, and accepted to meet with us and learn more! We gave her a tour at the visitors' center. Even though the lesson was all in Chinese (thanks to my awesome companion, sister C), the spirit was strong and it was such a miracle lesson. It was all thanks to one of her friends that brought her to us! Never underestimate the power of member missionary work. We could never have met with her on our own. 

Today we got to do service for some of the other people in our area by helping them move. Finals just finished and everyone is either back home for Christmas or moving to a different Hale! Thank heavens for our car... We actually got to help out! 

On Sunday we had a crazy day, as usual. We visited 4 wards, and for two of the wards the Bishopric asked us right before if we would give talks because they weren't able to find speakers! It was so amazing because we talked about different things for both Sacrament meetings, and the spirit was so strong for both. I want to share one of the things that I spoke about. This last week I read an article that the church released about Plural Marriage in Navoo in the beginnings of the church. A lot of the information startled and surprised me! I didn't know about a lot of that history. After, to be honest, I needed to say a quick prayer to get my mind straight, because there were a lot of things that I didn't understand. Immediately, I received an overwhelming peace, and I knew that everything was going to be okay. I am so grateful that I KNOW that this church is true because I know that the Book of Mormon is true, and it is the word of God. Because I know for myself that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, I know that Joseph Smith is a true prophet, the prophet of the restoration. No matter what, I know that God knows more than we do, and the rest doesn't matter. I trust Him completely. More than anything, I agree with President Uchtdorf when he said "doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith." Although I don't have perfect knowledge about everything, I have Faith in God's Plan of Happiness for us, and I know that everything else will fall into place as we keep our covenants with Him and trust in Him.

Pray for an increased faith!

Sister Willardson

Getting Chilly!

What a great week. And it is starting to get chilly! It is like a whopping 75 degrees here! Haha I had to wear socks and a sweater for my studies all week!
In other more important news, I just know that these transfers were divinely directed. With Sister C, we were able to meet 2 non-members FINALLY that we had been searching for the past 7 weeks. For both, we just kind of ran into them! God's hand is in everything. I can feel the miracles coming! Faith faith faith!

On the first day of transfers, Sister C and I were working the morning shift at the Visitors' Center. A man came in with his mom, and we found them looking at the Romanian Book of Mormon at the display that we have. I asked him if he was familiar with the Book, and he said that he was. He was familiar with the church, and had been studying it a little. He asked, "can I buy this book from you?" Sister C and I both smiled and we said we would love to give him a copy for free. We gave them a copy in Romanian, and explained to them more about the Temple and Joseph Smith. We explained the restoration of the Gospel, and he was very open to listening. Before they left, we showed him and his mom the Christmas video, He is The Gift, and he said he knew that God brought him to us that day, and that there was no such thing as coincidences. He left his contact information, and I am excited to continue to teach him about the church.

I also finally found out about the results of a miracle tour we gave a few weeks ago. I saw some elders from the island in Mililani (we were at a mission tour on Sunday) and they came up and thanked me for giving the tour and told me that the man was gettting baptized this week! It was such amazing news to hear, because that man came from a part member family, and now in 1 year he can be sealed in the temple with his wife :) And that just makes me happier than anything. I wish I could attend his baptism.

I am so grateful to be here at the Hawaii Temple Visitors' Center, serving the Lord, and serving on campus at BYUH. Every day I meet someone that amazes me, and teaches me by their example and life. Be that light. Smile and share your love with strangers. We all need a little scattered sunshine in our lives.

Sister Willardson

Turkey on turkey on turkey (gobble gobble)

Well, Aloha family and friends!

I hope you all were able to have an amazing Thanksgiving filled with gratitude and food! I SURE did. I'm mostly grateful that my stomach didn't explode, that would have been messy. Sister De Leon and I ate a total of 5 Thanksgiving meals filled with imu turkey, bread, stuffing, potatoes, shrimp, potatoes, ham, and potatoes! hahaha The good news is, we made it through the day thanks to lots of prayers and positivity :) 

This week was just absolutely amazing. We got to finally tract down some students off-campus that we have been looking for, we had some amazing appointments with members/non-members both in the VC and in our area. Last night we were going to an appointment at a member home in one of our Married student wards -- they asked us to come teach an FHE lesson about the Restoration. While we were walking to their apartment, we received a text from the wife that they had brought their non-member friend from town to join us! I had a little panic attack because we weren't prepared at all for the lesson. And this was my first with member lesson! We said a quick prayer on the sidewalk, then continued on to the house. Then I realized -- I shouldn't be nervous because I teach lessons like this every day at the Visitors' Center. It isn't much different when we are in a home! I thought it was kind of funny. Anyways, the lesson went very well. We began showing them the new He is the Gift Christmas video, which really set the tone as we continued to teach about Jesus Christ and the Book of Mormon. She was really receptive to the message, accepted a copy of the Book of Mormon and said she wanted to meet with us again! The spirit was so strong during the lesson, and I was so grateful for the couple and their powerful testimonies as well. Member missionary work is REAL! Ahhh it was such a great night. 

Also, we received Transfer news once again! Beginning tomorrow, my dear sister De Leon is completing her mission and returning to the Philippines. I will still be Sister Training Leader, with my new companion..... *drumroll* Sister Chang from Taiwan/China! Ahhh we are such good friends and I am excited to serve with her the next 6 weeks. I know that miracles are coming, and she is NEEDED in this area. We have so many chinese non-members that we haven't been able to have success with yet. Stay tuned for more miracles!! haha

I know that this gospel is true because I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I know that Christ is at the head of this His church. I love to see His hand leading and guiding those that are searching to find the truth. I am grateful to be a missionary.

Sister Willardson