Sunday, June 22, 2014

Kaneohe Hike Pictures

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At the Top

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Elder Kim and I

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Heading back down

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When we got back to the bottom 4 hours later.

Update June 16, 2014

Week 17!

Aloha everyone!
Another week down and another transfer finished! This Wednesday marks the end of the transfer and the fresh batch of rookies fly in today that means ive got three groups younger than me! Which means im no longer a greenie! I will be staying here in the Kaimuki ward with Elder Wilson for at least another transfer. We learned a few weeks ago that President Monson sent a letter to all the mission presidents around the world telling them that he wants missionaries to stay in areas for 6-8 months rather than the usual 3-6 that we are use too. So there is a good possibility that I am but only half way done with Kaimuki ward and could spent up to 1/3 of my mission here!

We are however losing Sister Peterson she finishes he mission this transfer and will be flying home on Thursday. Its so sad to see her go and shes not ready to go home! But I guess all good things must come to an end. Other than transfers coming up nothing really has happened this week. As I said before Elder Jensen, Uaisele, and I all were down and out most of the week with the Stomach flu.

Tuesday was a rough day. After getting only 2 hours of sleep and spending most the night on the floor of the bathroom I was able to pull myself together enough to go to our zone meeting but while I was there I went from bad to worst, I was running a fever, dizzy, dehydrated, hurting, and almost passed out so the zone leaders gave me a blessing and I was able to make it through the meeting and able to be there to sign Aloha OE to Sister Peterson. I then met with our mission nurse and was told to go to be and to not go out for at least 24 hours and to consume nothing except clear liquids for 2 days. So I did as instructed and went home and ended up sleeping all day and then attended correlation meeting before going back to bed.Inline image 1
Sister Peterson and I after we sung Aloha Oe

Wednesday I was down and out again and also learned that Elder Jensen and Uaisele had the same thing. The day consisted of sleeping and reading. I was able to gain enough strength to attend cottage meeting that evening.
Thursday Elder Jensen was feeling a little bit better so elder Wilson and elder Jensen went out to visit a few people while elder Uaisele and I rested. I ate my first meal that night since Monday afternoon. A bowl of cereal. Then I was able to go to our appointment with Fred and set a baptism date with him for the 26th of July!

Friday was alright. I was still pretty weak but was able to go out for a few hours and to our district flood in Hawaii Kai. But still a pretty slow day.

Saturday we did service all morning at the Akaka's and it went really well! He even came to church on Sunday! Then our afternoon was full of setting up for, attending, and cleaning up after a funeral for a member of our ward who pasted away.

Sunday was a great Father’s day! Church went well and we were able to see a few families that don’t usually make it out on Sundays. We then had dinner with the Hardingers again and chilled most the evening.

Overall this week was pretty slow but it gave me a lot of time to think and to do some soul searching. I think one of the things I really realized this week is life is what you make it. You may not be able to control very much around you but you can control your attitude and do all that you can to make the best of a situation. Let us have an attitude of gratitude. I have made it a goal each day to focus on the good around me and to be grateful for those things big and small that people do for me and especially for all that Jesus Christ and Heavenly father do for me each and everyday. And the key to it all is to not put a but at the end or to dwell on those things that didn’t go so well. I have noticed that the days that I am able to do this the day goes by much fast, more enjoyably, and im overall more happy and at peace than those days where I focus on the bad. I’m not perfect and I struggle each day with this but I have a testimony that as we go forth with faith and put those worries and miss deeds behind us we will be happier and see the light of Christ more fully in our lives each and everyday. I love you all and hope you have a wonderful upcoming week! God be with you till we met again.
Elder Shoaf
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The Honolulu Zone after Zone Conference Last Week

Update June 11, 2014

Week 16!

Aloha everyone! Sorry this letter is so late! Yesterday was packed and I didn’t have time and I got a stomach virus last night so ive been down and out all day. This will be a brief update because I still feel really back and cant concentrate very long haha.

Overall we had a fantastic week here in Kaimuki! We did really well on lessons and was able to do quite a bit of service.

Monday was a usual P-day we went as a district to hike Manoa Falls and it was so pretty!

Tuesday our Zone Conference. It went super well and it was good to see the rest of the zone again and be able to listen to President Warner give us instruction on how to be a better missionary.

Wednesday I went on exchanges with Elder Kim and Shalvis. Elder Kim came to Kaimuki and I went with Elder Shalvis in the Tongan ward. We had a great day and the Tongan people are so good to us. It was also really nice to have a car and they have a weight bench at their pad so I was able to lift! The day ended rough I rolled my ankle really bad at their ward night playing basketball.

Thursday we had a pretty slow day. My ankle was not good so we weren’t able to get out too much but we were able to visit a few people. We did however get a chance to help a recent convert in Hawaii KMai clean her house before she moves. Fred canceled so that was disappointing.

Friday was a good day and finished with a great District flood. We are no longer doing basketball night because of the lack interest.

Saturday we met up with John In the morning for breakfast and then spent most of the afternoon doing service at the Kurihara's house before going to a local homeless shelter with our ward to feed them dinner. It was a really neat and humbling experience.

Sunday was our usual Sunday we had a great class discussion at church about baptism and spent the evening at the Hardingers for dinner and such.

Monday was a full day! We started out the day hiking a trail in Kahala that climbs to almost the highest point of O'ahu and we were able to see almost half the Island it was pretty cool! We then went to the Waikiki Aquarium as a zone which was really neat. We then had dinner with Bishop Stanley's family.

Overall a good week. I will write more next week. I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and continue to see the blessings that we have each and everyday. I love you all and miss you dearly
Elder Shoaf

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Punchbowl Pictures Memorial Day 2014

View Coming in
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Admiral Harris, Commander of Pacific Fleet
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Honolulu Zone
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Three-volley salute

Update June 2, 2014

Week 15!
Aloha everyone! I cant believe I’m writing you again already! Where did the week go! And where did May go? I cant believe its already June 2nd! It has been an full, busy week her on O'ahu in the heart of Honolulu.
Tuesday was a pretty average day then about 6pm Elder Uaisele had to got he the airport so the Zone leaders took him and elder Jensen needed a companion till Elder Rigby flew in so Elder Wilson went with him and I went with Bishop Stanley to dinner then to ward correlation then to ward council and by that time Jensen and Wilson had Picked up Rigby so they came a got me after my meeting. Overall a quick and busy day!
Wednesday was busy again, we worked on some fliers and such for our fireside coming up then had lesson after lesson all evening! It was a good day!
Thursday as normal, except at our lesson with Fred he said he is ready to be baptized! Now our focus is to help him quit smoking so he can be and then in late July after his daughter gets back from her trip we will plan the baptism! We are so excited to see him grow and progress in coming closer to our savior Jesus Christ!
Friday we Tracted all morning and actually found a few families interested in hearing more about the gospel! About 1:30 we had to head back tot he pad, I hadnt been feeling well all morning but I couldn’t push through anymore. I was dizzy, dehydrated and sick to my stomach. I made it home then sat in the cold shower from about half an hour then crashed for 2 hours. I woke up feeling a little better and was able to go to our district flood then to dinner then we had to go with Elder Uaisele to drop off Elder Jensen at the airport then go to lesson with Elder Uaisele before returning to the airport to pick up elder Holt.
Saturday was a day of service. We were asked by the Kahala sisters to help them help one of the less-active members of their ward. We helped her clean out her basement and garage. It was so cool to see how grateful she was for our help! We then took a load of donations in the truck to a low income house office then showered and headed to dinner before returning to the airport to drop off elder Holt. We then tried to visit a few of elder Uaisele's investigators before returning to the airport to wait for Elder Jensen to land.
Waiting for at the airport with elder Uaisele for elder Jensen to land!

Sunday was our usually Sunday routine except we were able to go to Brother Kurihara's house so that he could Adjust me. Its so nice having a Chiropractor in the ward that I can just stop by his house and get adjusted!
Overall I had a pretty good week, staying busy helps me from focusing on the hard side of a mission, being away from home, and such. I am really working on how to work best with Elder Wilson, we have two very different personalities and sometime we don’t align. But we are figuring it our as we go.
This week I have thought a lot about the work im doing here and how I strive to do the best I can but I feel as if I am not successful im all things but then I remember that we are not expected to be perfect but only to do our best and to lay it all on the alter and be “willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.”(Mosiah 3:19) and if we have done so then we are where we need to be. Another thing I was thinking about was yesterday in Sunday school we taught repentance and I read a quote from President Spencer W. Kimball, in response to keeping the commandments that said, “First, one repents. Having gained that ground he then must live the commandments of the Lord to retain his vantage point. This is necessary to secure complete forgiveness.” when I read this I thought of when we hiked Koko Head a couple weeks ago and how difficult it was and I related that to the process of repentance and how as we got through the process of repentance we are climbing the mountain to the “vantage point” or eternal life. And I related the commandments to not roadblocks or restrictions but as the railing along the path and the cliff edge at the top and how the commandments are here not to hinder us but to help us maintain this vantage point. They protect us from falling back down to sin and spiritual death. But along with this I said how grateful for Jesus Christ's atonement and how its not a one time admittance but infinite. If we choose to “hop the railing” because it seems more fun or a better view from outside the safety zone and fall off “cliffs” or slide down the mountain that if we go through those simple steps of repentance;
Recognize, Feel sorrow, Stop, Confess, Make Right, forgive others, and keep the Commandments
We can again climb the mountain back to that “vantage point” and learn as we do so. I have fallen many times when I have gone over the “railing” but have never been denied the opportunity to once again to put in the work and climb once again to the top. I know that it is only through the Gospel of Jesus Christ that we can return to live with our heavenly father again.
I love you all so much and hope everything is going well! Congrats to all those who graduated this week and will this coming week! I can't believe its been a year since I graduated! Time flies. I also broke 4 months this week since I left for Hawaii.
With all the love in the world,
Elder Shoaf