Update July 7, 2014

Week 20

Aloha everyone!

What a week! We were jam packed all week! But it is defiantly summer here! We hit 100 degrees on Tuesday! I also went to the airport Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. For Elder Uaisele to fly to Kona then pick him then to take Elder Jensen to go to Hilo then pick him up. We are the only mission out of 409 in the world where missionaries have to fly to get to areas of our mission. And we have 6 islands to cover! The perks were that there are only 2 Wendy’s in Hawaii and one of them is right next to the airport so I was able to have Wendy’s and a frosty 4 nights in a row!!

Tuesday we had zone meeting and had a super good training on how we can help our investigators understand the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Tuesday I was also on exchanges with Elder Kim we had a good but VERY hot day until I broke my bike.. Again.... I guess a medium bike isn’t built to carry a 6'6” 265 lb missionary day in and day out. But we were able to have a member in the Tongan ward give us a lift back to our pad and then the mission office came a switched out my bike for another.

Wednesday we had Pearl harbor service. It was really cool this week well besides it being super crowded for Independence day weekend the whole Pacific Fleet was anchored there!!!!!!! the U.S. Navy I currently in the middle of RIMPAC war scenario training with 19 other countries. It was sooo cool I got to see an aircraft carrier for the first time in real life but not only that I saw the USS Ronald Reagan and the USS George Washington!!! 2 of the most well known! I also saw countless Battle ships and Amphibious landing ships! And the whole time we were there there were F22s and F16s flying over coming in on final approach! I was in awe! 

Me next to the Aircraft Carrier USS Ronald Regean

On another note we also got to see the finished Plaque the USS Missouri will be presenting to President Thomas S. Monson for all the service we have been doing on the Missouri for years. That was really cool. 

Our District with the Plaque made from the Original deck of the USS Missouri

 
Thursday Elder Wilson went to Fred's with Brother Gulledge while Elder Jensen and I went to get Elder Uaisele from the Airport. He is so solid! He is ready for baptism and is still set on the 26^th! We are so excited!

Friday was the 4th of July so we had regular missionary stuff until 3 then we went to a BBQ at Kapiolani Beach park next to Waikiki beach with the Kurihara's then at 5 went to the Tabernacle where we met the Zone to play game sand have a water balloon fight. Elder Uaisele and I then tool Elder Jensen to the airport then met the Zone at a member's house up St. Louis Heights where we had dinner and had a great view of Honolulu and a beautiful view of the sunset then the Waikiki Fireworks. 

Waikiki Firworks

Saturday was a day of service. It was so awesome! We spent the morning at the
Kurihara's Wheeling Gravel again and were able to finish. We also had breakfast. We then sent to the Gulledge's after lunch where we dug along a fence where the yard had just been built but against the fence. So we dug it all out 3 feet down below the fence about 30 ft of it then build a Lava rock wall and then back filled and rebuilt the planting bed with new top soil. We were fried, exhausted, and well work. It was a great day! We then went home showered, took Elder Wahlberg to the Airport, picked up Elder Jensen then straight back to the Gulledge's for dinner it just happened that they had signed up for dinner before we had planned the service! I slept well that night!

Sunday we had our usual Sunday routine then last night we threw a Surprise Birthday party for Elder Johnson. Over all a great and very busy week!

I hope everyone has had a wonderful week and had a wonderful Independence day! I know I did! Love you all!

Elder Shoaf

Pictures June 30, 2014

A sample of the Organization on the Transfer Board I had to do. This is Hilo and Kona Zones

Our District

Some how I always end up on bottom....

Update June 30, 2014

Week 18 and 19

Aloha everyone!

Where do I even begin!!! it has been a crazy and super fast 2 weeks! I guess ill start by apologizing for not sending an update last week it was crazy and I just didn’t have time! I am so jumpy and excited and trilled right now! After learning not only did my family get a new puppy (full-blood Irish setter) but im also an uncle again! Adelina Celeste Shoaf born Thursday 6/26/14 6lbs 6 oz 19 1/4^th inches! I am so full with joy right now! But back to Hawaii! Last week was chaos to put it lightly.

The highlights were we had transfers again. I am still in Kaimuki Ward with Elder Wilson. We spent the whole day running around with the assistants getting people assigned with their new companions, taking care of issues, moving all the departing missionaries luggage to the mission home where they will stay until they fly home, the incoming Visitor center sister's luggage up to La'ie to the Visitor center, organizing new districts for each zone, keeping elder Jensen and Uaisele awake, and just making sure everything keeps rolling forward. We started at 5am and got done and back from La'ie about3pm and then crashed.

The other major event last week was we had our missionary fireside that I and a return missionary in our ward have been working on for over a month. It was amazing and last Sunday was crazy getting all the last minute things finished! After church we returned to our pad in the Tongans car to grab everything for the fireside and stored it in the clerks office at the chapel to make sure I had everything and everything was accounted for. We then went to our dinner with the Kurihara's and I was able to make one last change to the program using their computer. After dinner we returned to the chapel at 5:50 to set up and practice the musical number the missionaries were doing with sister Warner. We had gone tot the mission home on Friday to practice but not everyone was able to make it. So with less than an hour till the fireside I had to unlock the chapel; turn on the lights; set up the chapel; print, fold, and stuff over 100 programs with a dysfunctional copier; practice our musical number; greet everyone and prepare my notes and thoughts since I was conducting the fireside.

Lets just say I was a little over whelmed haha. It all worked out though and the Fireside was incredible! Words can not describe it. The testimonies that were borne and the arrangements sung brought tears to the eyes of everyone who was able to attend. The spirit was the strongest I have every felt in my life listening to the testimony of Elder Uaisele tell his conversion story and how he had no support from his family and when he told them he had joined the church his dad hit him and threw him out. His family disowned him and he walked barefoot, no shirt, covered in blood 5 miles to his friends house who gave him some clothes and took him to the airport where he flew back to Hawaii where he had been going to school and joined the church and submitted his mission papers the next day.

After the fireside everyone just sat there and pondered then one by one everyone left. The weight had been lifted from my shoulders and then I had been raised into the clouds by the spirit that resided there.

This past week wasn't nearly as eventful, well at least in Hawaii. On Tuesday this week we got to go to the temple. I was much needed and a good reset to start the transfer off right. It was also crazy because as we were leaving I saw Sister Wilkinson! My MTC teacher! She is her on her Honeymoon and so that was really cool! We then had lunch with Elder Boudousquie at North Shore Tacos. It was really nice to see him and catch up. We then returned to Honolulu and did some shopping then crashed!

Thursday night was really nice too! We Confirmed Fred's baptismal date for the 26^th and talked about what the next couple steps will be and talked about the interview questions.

Friday was another good day we spent most of the day at the Kurihara's doing some service. We wheeled 2 tons of Lava rock from the driveway to the back yard where we dug up the weeds and grass under the mango tree and put down the lava rock. It looks super good! And the mangoes are ripe so we took home 3 dozen!! I love fresh fruit! Especially mangoes!

Overall a solid 2 weeks and I hit another milestone this week. I hit 5 months yesterday since I left! Come the end of the month I will be 1/4^th the way done with my mission! I cant believe how fast its gone! It is really warming up here! In the 90s almost everyday! But soon it will get “cold” again and by that I mean 70s and low 80s haha! Then it will be Christmas and I will feel so weird being warm!

In closing, my thoughts return to the fireside last week and to the Testimony of Elder Uaisele and thinking how great this gospel is and when people come to the realization of its fullness of it and how it truly is Christ’s church that they will stop at nothing to follow it. Even getting disowned, hit and only getting an email from your mom 5 times in 16 months of serving, and he is still the happiest man I know and would do it all again. I love this man to death and would give anything for him. He is my Toko. He is my brother.

I will stand next to him each and every day and rejoice as we go out and serve the lord here in this part of his vineyard through the heat, the exhaustion, the slammed doors, the long hours. Why you ask? Because it is worth it. To see the joy that comes to these people who accept it makes it wort it. To see Elder Uaisele bear his testimony of how this gospel saved him and changed his life and to see the Memea family bear their testimony of being sealed to each other for life and all eternity makes it worth it.

The questions that pop into my mind are am I living up to the standard that our heavenly father has set? Am I living the may I should to be able to maybe have the opportunity of one day changing the life of a young man searching for the truth as Uaisele was? Am I living my life in such a way that I can be welcomed back in to our heavenly father's kingdom at the last day and receive the gift of eternal life?

I know that as we step back and evaluate our priorities and seek to be more in tune with the commandments and guidelines our heavenly father has given us that we can see more joy in our lives. Will it always be easy? No. will it always come naturally? No. will we have the support of our peers? Not always. Will it be worth it? Absolutely yes. Without a shadow of a doubt I know it will be worth it. I love you all and hope you have another fantastic week. I miss you all each and everyday but I know this is where I need to be and im doing the Lord's work.

With Love,

Elder Shoaf

Sister Wilkinson... well... was Wilkinson idk now..

My boys Uaisele, Tesina, and Hill after the temple in a little rain

Kaneohe Hike Pictures

At the Top

Elder Kim and I

Heading back down

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.

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 26^th 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

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

Punchbowl Pictures Memorial Day 2014

View Coming in

Admiral Harris, Commander of Pacific Fleet

Honolulu Zone

Three-volley salute