Health update: The wound is super small now, and I'm nearly finished with treatment! I am still taking antibiotics (which literally stink so bad oh man), but will be done soon!
This week was actually a really great week. On Tuesday, we went to Laie after our district meeting so Sister Sateki could take a test at BYU-Hawaii. While she was taking the test, we took a trip to the Temple grounds!
SO BEAUTIFUL!
We were able to walk around the Temple, and go into the Visitors Center. It truly is a Temple of God, you can just feel the Spirit of the Lord so strongly. It's indescribable.
Wednesday, Wednesday was pretty amazing.
We have been visiting this former investigator, named Mary. She has been taught the lessons quite a few times, the ward refers to her as a "seasonal investigator". As we were going through the area book last transfer, I remember seeing Mary's name and knowing she was ready. I don't know what it was, but the Spirit just told me it was her time.
As we've been visiting with her, she has told us of the many trials she has faced and continues to face. She has children that are severely addicted to drugs, her house has been broken into multiple times, she has no income. When we visit her, she likes to hear the "good word of the day", and naturally we study from the Book of Mormon (:
At this last lesson, we sat down with her in the yard, and she starts telling us how badly she needs a change. Sister Harris and I went into this lesson knowing we would invite her to be baptized, and when she was telling us about this change, we knew it was our cue!
We asked her how she felt about baptism, and she said she felt good about it. I started sharing my experience, from September 7, 2013, a year and a half ago when I entered the waters of baptism. As I was bearing testimony of how amazing that day was, and how much the Spirit testified that what I was doing was the best choice I could ever make, Mary started to cry. She told me how beautiful my story was, and that she wants that. She wants to be washed clean, and have a second chance. She is set for baptism on March 14th! :D That's our goal, and we will continue to pray that we can help her achieve it.
Later that day, we had our usual 5 o'clock lesson with Reuben. Reuben is SO READY for baptism. He's been working so hard. He is so willing to do whatever the Lord has asked of us, and he's come such a long way. He is seriously the best, I can't begin to describe how much love I have for this man. He works so hard, studying the scriptures and words of the prophets. Honestly, he truly teaches me more about the gospel than I have ever taught him.
We continue to visit Martha Turner, who is now in Aloha Care. She is spiritually and physically growing stronger each day! She is just like a Grandma to me, seeing her always brightens my day. We plan on re-teaching her all the lessons, and hopefully set her with a baptismal date. Her testimony of this gospel is already strong, we just need to help her take that step to baptism! Please pray for her and the Turner family, as they continue to care for her (:
Another big development, Richard Higa, who was baptized last April, went into the Temple for the first time Friday night, and did baptisms for the dead! He was so happy, and I was told he was grinning and just couldn't stop smiling. He LOVED it so much! Katherine stayed with Sister Carlile in the Visitors Center. What an amazing opportunity for this couple. Katherine is what we call reactivated, so we are hoping to help her be worthy of her own Temple recommend soon (:
The rest of the week, we had a steady flow of lessons each day. Friday night though. The wind. The rain. THE MADNESS.
We live above a members home, in a little pad, where the windows don't fully shut. The winds were literally blowing trees apart, debri everywhere, dogs were nearly flying off the leash, it was horrifying. Harris and I didn't sleep, at all. She ended up moving her mattress into our living room, and I stayed in our little room. Somewhere around midnight, I woke up and yelled because I suddenly felt super cold. Turns out our bedroom windows don't close all the way either, cause I totes got rained on in bed. I was angry. My desk got rained on as well, but nothing was ruined thankfully! We couldn't go out and do anything on Saturday though, because how bad the weather was. Today it's as if nothing happened!
I just want to bear my testimony that I know this is the true church of God. That I have come to know for myself, through prayer and studies, that the Book of Mormon is true. My desire is slowly becoming a passion, to serve the Lord and His children in this part of His vineyard. I really do love this gospel, and how it can change lives. I've seen so many miracles in my own life by living the commandments. I invite all of you to look at your day, and right down those daily miracles, no matter how small they may seem. I promise you, in the long run, they will be more meaningful than you originally thought. (:
I love you all so much! Have an amazing week!
Sister Noriega
We have been visiting this former investigator, named Mary. She has been taught the lessons quite a few times, the ward refers to her as a "seasonal investigator". As we were going through the area book last transfer, I remember seeing Mary's name and knowing she was ready. I don't know what it was, but the Spirit just told me it was her time.
As we've been visiting with her, she has told us of the many trials she has faced and continues to face. She has children that are severely addicted to drugs, her house has been broken into multiple times, she has no income. When we visit her, she likes to hear the "good word of the day", and naturally we study from the Book of Mormon (:
At this last lesson, we sat down with her in the yard, and she starts telling us how badly she needs a change. Sister Harris and I went into this lesson knowing we would invite her to be baptized, and when she was telling us about this change, we knew it was our cue!
We asked her how she felt about baptism, and she said she felt good about it. I started sharing my experience, from September 7, 2013, a year and a half ago when I entered the waters of baptism. As I was bearing testimony of how amazing that day was, and how much the Spirit testified that what I was doing was the best choice I could ever make, Mary started to cry. She told me how beautiful my story was, and that she wants that. She wants to be washed clean, and have a second chance. She is set for baptism on March 14th! :D That's our goal, and we will continue to pray that we can help her achieve it.
Later that day, we had our usual 5 o'clock lesson with Reuben. Reuben is SO READY for baptism. He's been working so hard. He is so willing to do whatever the Lord has asked of us, and he's come such a long way. He is seriously the best, I can't begin to describe how much love I have for this man. He works so hard, studying the scriptures and words of the prophets. Honestly, he truly teaches me more about the gospel than I have ever taught him.
We continue to visit Martha Turner, who is now in Aloha Care. She is spiritually and physically growing stronger each day! She is just like a Grandma to me, seeing her always brightens my day. We plan on re-teaching her all the lessons, and hopefully set her with a baptismal date. Her testimony of this gospel is already strong, we just need to help her take that step to baptism! Please pray for her and the Turner family, as they continue to care for her (:
Another big development, Richard Higa, who was baptized last April, went into the Temple for the first time Friday night, and did baptisms for the dead! He was so happy, and I was told he was grinning and just couldn't stop smiling. He LOVED it so much! Katherine stayed with Sister Carlile in the Visitors Center. What an amazing opportunity for this couple. Katherine is what we call reactivated, so we are hoping to help her be worthy of her own Temple recommend soon (:
The rest of the week, we had a steady flow of lessons each day. Friday night though. The wind. The rain. THE MADNESS.
We live above a members home, in a little pad, where the windows don't fully shut. The winds were literally blowing trees apart, debri everywhere, dogs were nearly flying off the leash, it was horrifying. Harris and I didn't sleep, at all. She ended up moving her mattress into our living room, and I stayed in our little room. Somewhere around midnight, I woke up and yelled because I suddenly felt super cold. Turns out our bedroom windows don't close all the way either, cause I totes got rained on in bed. I was angry. My desk got rained on as well, but nothing was ruined thankfully! We couldn't go out and do anything on Saturday though, because how bad the weather was. Today it's as if nothing happened!
I just want to bear my testimony that I know this is the true church of God. That I have come to know for myself, through prayer and studies, that the Book of Mormon is true. My desire is slowly becoming a passion, to serve the Lord and His children in this part of His vineyard. I really do love this gospel, and how it can change lives. I've seen so many miracles in my own life by living the commandments. I invite all of you to look at your day, and right down those daily miracles, no matter how small they may seem. I promise you, in the long run, they will be more meaningful than you originally thought. (:
I love you all so much! Have an amazing week!
Sister Noriega
 |
| Kaneohe Kankstaz |
 |
| Love and miss my ohana <3 |
 |
| The things we do to visit our investigators |
Getting rained on in the middle of the night sounds like a scary experience. I'm pretty lucky I've never had that kind of thing happen to me. Hang in there, Alexis!
ReplyDelete