Perfect Love Casteth Out All Fears‏

Aloha everyone! 

This past week has been full of fun, disappointing, and down-right rainy moments! Quite a few of my emails today were concerned people asking if the hurricanes are affecting the Makakilo zone. To answer your questions, yes, they are! It's been pretty crazy. Sister Mitchell and I have gotten 100% soaked twice this week, and we've had to go home and change. Today, our mission president relayed a message through our zone leaders that we are to stay away from the coast lines today, due to the large waves. It's funny because we didn't find out about the 2 hurricanes that will be hitting tomorrow until sacrament meeting yesterday. Yep, that's missionary life for ya! I do know, though, that the Lord protects His missionaries. I already know we'll be fine! Mom, have faith, I promise you personally that we'll be okay and safe (:

On Tuesday, we had district meeting! As usual, it was a very spiritual time! That is when the rains really started. We had to drive the sisters to Honolulu, and we got stuck in that Hi-Hon traffic! 2 1/2 drive. It was great. Why, do you ask? Because I'm a horrible companion and slept the entire time... #oops. 

Wednesday, we were super busy! All of our appointments went really well. Remember me talking about Walking Wednesday? Yeah, we did that... and we got soaked. 100%. We were like "YES maybe people will pity us and listen to our message!". Yeah nobody answered their doors. It's okay though, we had fun! Thursday and Friday weren't very eventful, but had little miracles of course. Friday night we went and met with the Scott family. Only 2 out of the 7 kids were there, it was a great opportunity to talk to the oldest girl about baptism. Recently, as we know, the Dad passed away, and now her Uncle passed away both from Cancer. This Uncle was supposed to be the man to baptize them, since their Dad passed. The oldest Scott girl is feeling guilty, about not being baptized before they passed. That maybe her loved ones will be angry with her for being baptized NOT by those 2. We had a very spiritual discussion about eternal families. I was able to bear testimony that families CAN be together forever. She does believe that, but someone recently told her she wouldn't ever see her Dad again because they weren't all sealed in the temple. That made me ponder about God's plan for us.

Heavenly Father sent us here in families. Why? So we could learn. So we could grow up with a built-in support system that loves us and will teach us. Are any of our families perfect? NO. Life happens. The Adversary is very real in this world, and Satan is trying to tear families apart. That doesn't mean, though, that our Lord isn't understanding and merciful. The Lord loves us, and knows we love our families. I KNOW that even if I am not sealed to my family here, that I will see them again. That hope isn't lost, through the Atonement of Christ. I will be able to see my family again, and be able to be sealed to them. Life is rough, and our relationships with our families will never be perfect. But God loves us, and because of that love we have the Plan of Salvation. We have a way prepared for us to be together forever.

This week has been rough, I won't lie. BUT it was for my better. To learn to rely more on the Lord, and not on my own abilities. I must trust in the Lord, and HIS timing, not my own. To develop a perfect love, a perfect love that will not leave my with the feeling of fear, but of trust and faith. Humbleness is a very important attribute I've recently learned about, along with faith and hope. I love my savior, and I am grateful for His love. This week, I challenge all of you to serve your family. Whether it's a small or large act of love, serve them. Tell them and show them how much you love them. I can promise you as you do this you will feel our Heavenly Father's love and Christ's love for each of us, and you will find yourselves happier than before.

I love you all very much. Stay safe, stay cherry, and ofa atu (:

~Sister Nori