April 28, 2015

April 28, 2015

Aloha ohana!

Well, I have been procrastinating writing my group email and now I only have like 10 minutes! But I think the usual list of highlights will suffice. 

-Zone conference this week! It was so good... I always feel like it's exactly what I needed to hear. It was my last zone conference :(:(:( which means I got to bear my testimony. But one of my favorite trainings was on living with the constant companionship of the Spirit. They showed a quote by Elder Enzio Busche that said "How much of a typical day in missionary service are you normally under the vibrating, powerful influence of the Spirit?” That is a great question to reflect on. If you're a normal person (aka not a missionary), just replace "missionary service" with "your life" and evaluate from there. It caused me to ask myself, what am I really doing to consciously invite the Spirit to be powerfully present in every moment of my day? Of course, reading scriptures, praying, serving those around me... but it also takes a mental effort to focus our thoughts on Christ. I have been working on that a lot more this week, trying to think of Christ always. That's what we promise to do when we take the sacrament every week, to always remember Him. Easier said than done, but it makes all the difference in the world! 

-One of my FAVORITE humans from my ward full-field just moved to Laie Zone!!!!! She was a less active older lady, Sister V. We spent a lot of time with her, and I had been thinking about her randomly every day this week... when I get a phone call from some Elders in her ward telling me she just moved here! So I was able to meet with her and have a small lesson, and it was a happy reunion :) 

-The Church is true, and the gospel is true. My friends, I invite you to make a conscious effort this week to always remember Him. It will change the way you see people around you, yourself, and it will help you to keep an eternal perspective. Which is a happy perspective. 

Well I'm out of time my friends! But I hope you have a wonderful week! I love you so much! Aloha nui loa!! 

Pictures:

1- Hale La'a Boulevard (the road leading up to the temple.. means Holy House in Hawaiian) 

2--Laie zone :)

3- Sister Kil and I!  (with sad faces because it was our last Zone Conference)

April 21, 2015 Hold to the Rod!!!

April 21, 2015  Hold to the Rod!!!

Aloha my family!! I hope everyone is having a wonderful week :) 

Alma 31:5-  And now, as the preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead the people to do that which was just—yea, it had had more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else, which had happened unto them—therefore Alma thought it was expedient that they should try the virtue of the word of God.

Amen!! This week we had an experience that definitely shows this scripture's truthfulness. We have been working with a less-active couple for a while, but we haven't had a chance to have a real lesson with them for quite some time. Usually, it goes like this... we knock on the door, Siope is home alone so we can't go inside. So we say a prayer with him, and try to set up a real appointment with him and his girlfriend Jade. This is how it's gone for the past month or so, until this past week! We stopped by and by a stroke of divine interference they were both home and available! So we were finally able to have a real lesson with them. After talking with them for a while as per usual, we shared a scripture with them. The scripture was something along the lines of "trust in God and stay strong." The Spirit was so strong as we read that scripture together. After the verse, we just sat there in silence for a few seconds soaking it in. Then Siope said, "wow... that was the wake up call I needed. I need to start making an effort to come to church every Sunday." It was so cool because the verse we shared had nothing to do with coming to church directly, but the Spirit spoke to him exactly what they needed to hear. His only day off of work is Sunday, and he works in construction so it's really tiring by the end of the week, and all he wants to do is sleep in. But he felt so touched by the Spirit that he decided to make a change. And happily, he came to church last Sunday after months and months of not coming. Aka... the word of god lead him to do that which was just (go to church). :):):)

Dear everyone, try the virtue of the word of God! If you have a question or concern in your soul, I promise you can find an answer in the scriptures. Search them, and it will tell you aaallllll things that you should do (2Ne32:3). I love the scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon! It answers all the questions of my soul, and the people in that book are real, and their stories are true, and it teaches the true principles of God! 

I love you all sooo much! Aloha!!

<3, sister sabey

April 14, 2015 Ofa atu (I love you!) :)

Aloha my lovely ohana :)

This week was full of miracles! It has been really refreshing to have time in our area to work now that we don't have two extra hours of study every day (12 weeks for training, and language study). I feel like the pace of everything is really picking up, which of course I love. Sister Buday is awesome! We have a lot of fun together and we both love to work hard. Plus we both have red hair so that's a bonus. :) 

In other news...

-The Bishop in Laie 5th ward was released about three weeks ago... so we've all been waiting to see who our new bishop is going to be. And lo and behold, it is Brother (now Bishop) Johanson, who has been our ward mission leader! He was seriously the best ward mission leader ever, which means he's going to be an awesome bishop too. He served a mission in Honduras like 15 years ago but he still seems like a missionary! 

Well I'm out of time... but one last thought! I have been praying to be more aware of how the Lord's hand is in my life and the lives of others... and let me tell you that prayer has been answered this week on the daily! Heavenly Father is involved in the details. He answers prayers. He cares about us, and so He cares about what we care about no matter how small or insignificant it may be. He loves us perfectly, and He is willing to meet us where we are if we open our hearts to Him! Try it this week, pray to see His hand in your life, and you will notice that it is there even more than you think! 

With much ALOHA,

<3 Sister Sabey

Pictures:

1- Sister Buday and I #gingasforlife

2- Typical Hawaiian name... 

3- Laie zone temple trip this morning!

April 7, 2015 Oa te ke fiu!

Aloha! I am so glad to hear everyone enjoyed their General Conference and Easter weekend. It was such a special week, and a wonderful time to draw closer to Christ :)

Everything is just dandy here! I am a little tired right now... because of the time difference conference in Hawaii is broadcast at 6, so we woke up a bit earlier than usual... I think it's just now catching up with me, so sorry if this doesn't make sense! 

Well first things first... transfer news! I'm staying in Laie 2nd and 5th wards! Once again same area, same pad, same bed... :) But my companera Hermana Castaneda is going full-field to Makakilo! (West side of Oahu). I'm sad we're not going to be companions again, but luckily we have the plan of salvation to tell us we can still be best friends in the after(mission)-life! My new companion will be Sister Buday... she's from Utah and has red hair and blue eyes! We were super surprised because at the Visitors' Center they almost never put two Americans together who speak the same language. That just goes to show that it was inspired by God and not man :) She came out at the same time as Sister Castaneda, so this is her third transfer. She's really sweet and I'm excited for all the miracles we will see together! 

In other news, how great was General Conference!!! Heavenly Father loves us so much to give us the guidance from prophets and apostles. I always feel like everything they are saying is for me. And that's because they prepared and are speaking by the Spirit of God, who always knows exactly what we need to hear. Sometimes you just hear things that pierce you to your center... and then you know it's straight from God to you. Sometimes it comes in the form of correction, sometimes in the form of confirmation. For me one of those times was when I heard this quote from Elder Kevin W. Pearson when he said, "Once we enter into covenants with God, there is no going back. Giving in, giving up, and giving out are not options. In the kingdom of God, there is a standard of excellence for exaltation. It requires valiant discipleship! There is no room for average or complacent disciples. Average is the enemy of excellence, and average commitment will prevent you from enduring to the end."

It made me think of our last district meeting. Our district leader Elder Faitau is finishing his mission this transfer (so tomorrow), and left us with these words: "Oa te ke fiu," which means "never give up" in Tongan. As disciples of Christ, we have promised Him that we will never give up. We are not perfect, but we can be perfect in trying. (s/o to Bishnu!) When we try to give our best, we become true Latter-day Saints. So let us all try our best to be faithful and true disciples of Christ. :)

Anyway, you are all wonderful gems of my life!! Thank you for your love and wonderful examples. Christ LIVES and this is His church and it is TRUE!! 

With all my aloha,

Sister Sabey

Pictures:

1: the gem of Laie

2: last district meeting of the transfer

3: sister Castaneda and I at the post-conference breakfast at the VC  :)