Update May 19, 2014

Week 13!

Aloooha! I hope everyone has had a wonderful week on the mainland. It’s starting to really heat up out here in the middle of the ocean ha-ha but the winds have picked back up so that takes the edge off!

This week has been a full week of adjusting and gearing up to keep moving. Tuesday we had our district meeting, went to lunch, then went to the library to updated and revise some things to help us be more effective.

Wednesday we spent the morning at the chapel copying and creating new area maps since the ones we have been using are out dated and in bad shape we then spent the afternoon teaching a few lessons and trying to visit a few families.

Thursday was week plan and a few more families visited.

Friday was a full day. We started out the morning by helping a family in our ward care to their very overgrown yard. We cut down overgrown grass, trimmed the mango tree and shrubs and tended to some other things. The member that organized the service then took us out to lunch. After lunch we did our studies then our whole district went to the Hawaii Kai area to “flood” the area where we all spread out over the area seeing if we can help anyone in the area and then refer them to the missionaries in Hawaii Kai. We then had dinner then had our weekly basketball night and this week the air-conditioning didn’t work! It was hot in the gym but we still had a great time!

Saturday we spent almost the entire day out working the area attempting to find people that we could help come closer to Jesus Christ.

Sunday we went to church then were grounded the rest of the day due to a downpour!!!! It poured for almost 6 hours!  But we were able to get some R&R and prepare for this week.

Today has already been a full day! We woke up at 4:45am and went as a district to Makapuu Point Lighthouse which is most eastern tip of O’ahu for the sunrise. It was so pretty! We then did some service at a farm for an investigator then returned home to shower and now to email! Now I need a nap!

Sunrise at Makapuu Lighthouse

Kaneohe Bay

The cliff edge
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Overall a good week. I am really starting to figure out some things about myself and about how to handle trials in my life.  I think that comes to mind this week is persistence. We are not expected to be perfect or get everything right the first time but we are expected to endure, to push through hard times by looking for the good and just focusing on putting your head down and working. I have seen the benefits of rather than sitting around in anguish but turning outward and seeing how I can help someone else. Seeing where I can make a difference, even just a little one. And by helping others then your burdens are lightened.

In Mosiah 24 verse 14 it says; “

And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.”

I have come to learn this week that burdens are for our benefit just as a truck needs weight in the bed to have traction in the snow, we need burdens in our lives to progress. Without burdens we could not learn or grow. But even so Heavenly Father promises us that as we push forward that he will lighten our burdens. I know this to be true. I see it in my life every day. I hope that as we all go about each day we can have that mind set and see trials as opportunities to grow and to learn.

I hope that everyone has a wonderful week and you see the joy in your life. I love and miss you all!

Ofa tu!

Elder Shoaf