May 2, 2012

 Aloha

I love P-day. It's so nice to write to you and let you know what’s going on here in the middle of the Ocean.

I would like to tell you a little more about the VC because that is basically my whole life. We don't have as many sisters here right now so our shifts are eternal. We are at the visitors' center for about 6 to 8 hrs. a day! I love it here though, so that’s not a problem, the only thing that is hard about that is it leaves no time to work in our area. Because basically we just do our studies in the morning then we are here all day, get off sometime between 6 and 8, have dinner, maybe have an hour or two in our area, then we have to go home and plan for the next day. So I am definitely a visitors' center sister. I thought that maybe I would be here for only a couple of transfers or something, but I guess how it works is we are here mostly the whole time and then we get to go out full pros. once for 2 or 3 transfers. Usually you don't go out until the end of the mission but who knows except the Lord right. But speaking of the VC did you know that after Temple Square this is the most visited VC in the world? How cool is that! And let me just say-man oh man-do we meet people from EVERYWHERE! It's so cool! I will probably talk to more people from different places in this year and a half than I will the rest of my whole life combined. Like this week we took a tram tour with people from so many different countries like India, Australia, and even Iraq!

Our Bishop pulled out of the temple, saw us, pulled up and told us about a girl who just moved into the BYU 1st ward. She came with her RM roommate to church last Sunday, and she has taken the missionary discussions before! Sometimes it's just timing right? Maybe she is finally ready. I sure hope so.

Also just a side note-Julia is doing awesome and has been going to church! Man do I love her so much! And S. Yau finally found a minnie missionary to be her comp out full pros. so it’s just me and S. Looney again.

 And one other random thought, so last Sunday the ward mission leader, S. Looney, and I had our BYU married student ward come to the VC for their third hour meeting and we talked to them about missionary work and shared a sweet Mormon message and it was so great! But the coolest part was when this guy stood up (small world he was my TA from BYUI) and shared his conversion story. He was Southern Baptist and one day a guy came up to him and asked him if he would like a Book of Mormon and he said no. Well guess who that man was? President Faust! But later when he was in school he had a friend ask him to come to church and seminary and stuff and because she was his friend he said yes! He said “see your friend may be invited by the Prophet and say no, but they will say yes to you because they know you.” It was a really powerful story and it's so true! If any missionary work is going to happen it has to start with the members”. In our mission 60% of member referrals get baptized so please please please be inviting your friends and make a goal to always have a referral for the Sister missionaries before you visit a Visitors' Center. It's so cool because most of the time the referrals we call accept to at least have a free DVD and the missionaries in their area are the ones that bring that so it gets the missionaries in the door you know.

I posted some pics of the hike S. Looney and I went on today so I hope you enjoy them! Man is Hawaii not the most beautiful place you have ever seen! I love it! President always says that on the 8th day the Relief Society created Hawaii haha. Well that’s all for today folks, but know that I love you more and more every day and I love my mission so much and I love the people of Hawaii so so so much! And I am so glad I am here. I just thank Heavenly Father every day for having bigger plans for me then I did for myself. He really does know what will be best for our lives and bring us the most happiness! I love Him so much!

Please write me - I love getting letters! ps thank you so much for your email Holli! I will write you back today

Sister Christiansen : )