Dec. 29, 2014 - Hauoli Makahiki Hou!!

...And a Happy New Year!! 

Well first of all, it was just a DELIGHT to talk to you on Christmas!!!!! You guys are the best :) 

This week was spectacular!! It was the best Christmas week ever. :)  Here are some daily highlights:

Monday: There's this one ADORABLE family who comes into the Visitors Center every Sunday night, the Macdonalds. So since they're tight with the sisters, they decided to host a Christmas dinner party for all of us! But it wasn't just any Christmas dinner, it was a "Night in Bethlehem" dinner. So we had to enter at the proper east gate, "pay" to enter and to get food (with smarties), and eat our crackers and cheese on the floor. At the end we watched the Nativity bible video. Even though it was the zillionth time I had seen it, it still struck me with such power. I am so grateful that Heavenly Father loves us enough to send His only Begotten Son to us!! He is the only way to true peace and happiness, and only through Him have I felt that. 

Tuesday: Temple trip!! I know I probably say this every month, but I LOVE the temple. I am so grateful to be in a mission where I get to go monthly and be on the temple grounds daily. It truly has a spirit of peace that you cannot find anywhere else on this earth. That's why it's often called a "refuge from the world." And I always feel added strength and insight every time we go. 

Wednesday: Christmas Eve! The Visitors Center was still open until 6, but proselyting ended at 2:30. So we got to spend some time on our online area (emailing and calling people who have come into the VC and left their information). So that was great to catch up on! Then at night all the VC sisters had a Christmas program- dinner together, white elephant, and then we watched some bible video's from Christ's life and shared our testimonies and sang Christmas hymns... it was lovely. It was very spiritual and nice to really focus on Christ. 

Thursday: Christmas! We spent all morning delivering gifts to ward members, then we went to our Christmas lunch at Sister Rodriguez's home (where I skyped you from)! It was DELICIOUS and I love Filipino food. Sister Rodriguez is one of my favorite people in this whole world. She doesn't have any family, and she doesn't have very many things. But despite her very humble circumstances, she is ALWAYS serving others. She is just so willing to GIVE everything she has. She's definitely one of the most Christ-like people I know! Then fast forward... caroling at a care center.... skyping with you!!..... then at night we all got to come to the VC to watch "Forgotten Carols." It is such an inspiring movie! Well it's actually a play that was recorded, but it's so good and you should watch it sometime!!

Okay well I'm running out of time... and this email is massive..... but rest assured Friday through Sunday were great as well!!! I love you so much and I hope you had a wonderful, happy, Christ-centered Christmas, and I hope you have a very happy new year!! I'm thinking of you and praying for you!! This church is TRUE!!! 

With much aloha,

Sister Sabey

1: Christmas Eve with the padmates :)

 2: Lunch @ Sis Rodriguez's

3: Christmas in Bethlehem

Dec. 22, 2014 - Sending you ALL MY LOVE this Christmas!!!!

My wonderful Ohana, I just want you to know I love you SO very much!!!!!! I hope you have the happiest Christmas ever! Thank you for your love, I really have the best family in the whole world. I'm so happy to be serving the Lord at this time of year. Know that my thoughts and prayers are always going to you!!! <3 

MIRACLE of the week: Sister Latu and I were just walkin down the street in our area visiting people, as per usual. When all of a sudden..... we spotted a non-member out checking her mail!!!!!!!! A rare sight to see in Laie!! Okay so we just "happened" to be walking by at the exact moment that she came out from behind the big gate that is never open. (Sister Latu had just been saying that she didn't know who lived behind it, and no one else did either because the gate was usually closed.) But alas, there we were, in the same place at the same time. Coincidence?? I think NOT! So we start talking to her, and she's a really sweet lady named Jenny, probably in her early 30s, and she's from England. She said she's been here "quite a while," but not in Laie specifically. During our conversation her husband came up to us and said "We're Catholic." and left.... haha...but Jenny seemed really open! I was just reflecting on that experience, and I'm just so amazed at how Heavenly Father really answers our prayers. We always pray that we will be in the right place at the right time, and that those who are prepared will be put into our path..... and this was just a very clear and direct answer to that prayer. Even though this is Laie and generally people like to think that there is no one to teach... I know that there is always someone to teach, or else Heavenly Father wouldn't have put us here. So I don't know what will happen with Jenny, but the ward will help us in getting in with her and her husband. I'm really excited! I'll let you know how it goes! 

In other news, a highlight of the week has been meeting with our ward's "Sassy Sisters." It's a group of cute old ladies in our ward (widows) who are besties and call themselves the Sassy Sisters. I love talking to them. They have so many wonderful experiences to share and wisdom to impart. And they are some of the most faithful women I have ever met! Some are converts, and some have been members their whole lives. But they are all so strong in the Church. They love the gospel, and it really shows. 

Well, I'm so excited for Christmas!!! It's already been a great one so far!!! I'll talk to you soon! :) 

<3, Sister Sabey

picture:

Making Lumpia!! (my favorite Filipino dish) :):) 

PS.  WOWMOM...... thank you soooo much!!!!!!! It has seriously been SUCH A DELIGHT to open those 12 days of Christmas packets!!!!!!! Seriously, you put so much work into that scrapbook and I appreciate every last ounce of it!!!! It's the cutest, most heart-warming gift ever!!! It makes me not even feel sad or homesick in the slightest because I feel close to the whole family! And I was literally crying I was laughing so hard when I read Sam's letter. And everyone's letters just make me SO SO happy, and I just can't thank you enough!!!!!!!!!! You always know EXACTLY what I need and want!!! Thank you for being so generous and inspired. 

I just keep feeling so humbled and grateful for how many blessings I receive every day. I really don't deserve all that I receive... it's just because I have such loving people around me who are so kind and selfless and gracious. 

Dec. 15 - Mele Kalikimaka!!

"Mele Kalikimaka is the thing to say on a bright, Hawiian Christmas day! That's the island greeting we send to you from a land where palm trees sway!"

Merry Christmas in Hawaiian! This is from a song that is played everywhere this time of year. I hope everyone is having a happy Christmas time!!! Thank you for all the emails about how much you are serving this season. That really is the best way to have a meaningful and happy Christmas! :) 

So, funny story. Once upon a time I went on exchanges with Sister Chang!! In the morning of our exchange, I woke up not feeling so great, so I asked if I could have an Ibuprofen. So she gave me one and I felt so much better! And then we went to district meeting, and our new DL Elder Young Yen from Samoa made us panikeke... which is like a delicious fried doughnut ball of goodness. It was so good. After I ate it, I started feeling kind of sleepy.... I thought it was probably just all the grease and sugar. So we headed to the VC for morning shift like normal. As we were welcoming people and taking tours I was feeling so dizzy and confused and had a really hard time opening my eyes every time I blinked. I turned to Sister Chang and said "I feel like I took nyquill or something...." Sister Chang just gasped and then started laughing...... apparently she had given me Benadryl... the extra power kind that knocks you out for the night. If you've ever tried to stay awake after taking that stuff.... it does crazy things to your brain. So, that was a memorable VC shift! Or.. maybe not so memorable because I can't remember half of it....... So yeah. Good times. :) Sister Chang felt really bad about if after, but I just teased her that she drugged me because it was her first exchange as sister trainer. 

In other news, there have been MIRACLES!!! On Thursday, the mission bough tickets for all the missionaries and their investigators to go to "Christmas Lagoon." It's like a boat ride around the PCC they do every year that goes through the story of the Nativity and then has Christmas culture celebrations from all around the world. It's a super spiritual and fun event. Anyway, there's this one non-member in our area, Azlina, who Sister Latu had just met a couple of times and was apparently not that interested. But we felt like we should stop by her house one night even though it was already 8:45pm and we probably could have just gone home. But she actually answered the door (which hardly ever happens in Laie once it's that late) and was happy to talk to us! We invited her and her family to come to Christmas Lagoon (her son is actually a recent convert, but he went less active soon after he was baptized). And automatically she said she would love to come! So on Thursday night, all three of them showed up!! We had to stand in line for an hour, which was actually a really good thing because we got to spend that time getting to know them and building a relationship of trust. And then they LOVED the presentations, and I think they could really feel the Spirit. Then afterwards, she invited us to come back to their home!! They were a lot of simple miracles, but miracles nonetheless! 

Okay well I love you all soooo much!!!!! I think about you and pray about you always!

Much much aloha,

Sister Sabey

pictures:

1: merry Christmas!!!

2: My lovely Sister Chang! <3 

3: Christmas Lagoon!

Dec.11 - Decorating pad for Christmas

 Dear Family,

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for the Christmas decorations package!!!!!!!!! Our pad is just looking delux!!!!!!!!!!!! It makes it feel so christmasy and warm. My padmates love it too. It made us so happy!!! You are so thoughtful!!! And Sister Latu says thank you and that she loves you!!! 

Our missionary pad all decorated with the decorations you sent!

Merry Christmas!

Dec 9 - Ofa Lahi Atu

Aloha my lovelies!!!

Ofa Lahi Atu= I love you very much, in Tongan. Thank you for your emails, I love being connected with you even though we're so far away. :) 

Well this week has just been spectacular. My first week with my new companion Sister Latu and in these wards! Sister Latu is so sweet. She's from Salt Lake City, but she's Tongan and speaks the language, because her parents are from Tonga. And since there are so many Tongans it's really fun being around her! Plus, she's related to everyone. Literally all four Polynesians serving at the VC are related haha. 

It's kind of weird being back in a family ward after being in YSA and Married Student.... it's funny how different they are. (everyone here seems so old, even though I think it's just a normal ward haha). I definitely miss being on campus, but it's been really fun getting to know Laie 2nd and 3rd wards! So far, we've had some really great miracles. We have this one investigator named Ernest Golden. He graduated from BYUH and has lived here in Laie ever since...... and he's 93 years old.  So, as you can imagine, he's already heard a bit about the church. His wife was actually a member, but went super less active for the last part of her life. After she passed away last year, he became very interested in what happens to us after we die. So he's been meeting with the missionaries for about a year now, and to be honest I don't think he's ever been really progressing. But he is so passionate about this spiritual journey that he's on, and I really think he's getting closer.  I think the Lord sends non-members to Laie who He knows will soften their hearts after a lot of persistence. Because we don't have a boatload of non-members to teach, so any non-member who ends up here is very well acquainted with missionaries :) If anyone has the ability to be persistent, the Laie VC sisters do. Even though he's not technically "progressing" (YET!) according to our numbers, I know the Spirit is working on him. He's been slowly softening ever since the 70s, but especially in this past year.  So I'm really excited to continue to work with him! 

So this week was Mission Tour!!!!!!! It was AWESOME. Elder Daniel L. Johnson came to speak to us. All the missionaries on Oahu came together in Milliilani (an hour outside of Laie) for the training, and all the stake presidents and bishops and ward mission leaders were invited too (so I got to see some of my full-field humans!!!!!). In the middle of the training he had us do an activity. He told us to go with any leadership from our ward who had come, and we were to teach them one principle from PMG, and then ask them for referrals. So we went into a room with our two bishops, and we taught about how God is our loving Heavenly Father. We had absolutely no time to prepare, but it was amazing how much the Spirit helped and guided us. When we asked for referrals, and they were actually able to give us a good list of people! One of our Bishops gave us a name of a less-active man that he said he would never have thought to have us visit. It was really an indicator that it was the Spirit who gave him that name, that it wasn't from himself. We really don't know who needs the gospel, and we don't know who is prepared. Only Heavenly Father knows. That's why it's so important to always listen to and follow the Spirit, because He will always guide us to those who are prepared. 

Okay sorry this email is so massive. One more thing! So during the mission tour, Elder Johnson asked who knows more than 50 non-members... everyone raised their hand. More than 100 non-members... everyone kept their hands raised. Then he asked how many of us have introduced them to the missionaries...and almost every hand went down. So I didn't really realize HOW many people I know from home who aren't members, and I can't believe I never even tried to share the gospel with them. So, to my folks at home..... start introducing!! You won't lose friends, you'll just give them opportunities to be HAPPY and FREE. Heavenly Father is preparing people to receive the gospel, and YOU could be the one to help them to it. But you never know if you don't ask. THEY'LL never know if you don't ask. So start making your lists of people and start inviting! :) 

Oh, and mom to answer your question... nothing really different happened because of Pearl Harbor Day. At least in Laie... probably they did something big in Pearl Harbor/my old area. I know TONS of high school bands have been coming to the PCC because they're hear to play at the memorial. I actually kind of forgot about it until in Sacrament meeting when a cute old man bore his testimony and said how he was here when it happened. 

Well, anyway! I love you all sooooo much!!! 

Pictures:

1- Me and Elder Abquina (my zone leader for four transfers) (He's the Filipino one) and Elder Ewing from Waipahu Zone at MISSION TOUR! 

2- I think I already sent this picture... but it's the only one I have of me and Sister Latu! She's the beautiful Tongan below me in the purple. :)

3- This place is paradise. 

Dec. 4- Merry Christmas from the Visitor Center

Dec 1 - AloHa

My dearest family!!

Sorry I don't have a ton of time today, but here are my highlights of the week:

-Thanksgiving!!! So since we cover ten wards, we were invited to TEN Thanksgivings, plus some extra random ones. But we didn't go to all of them, even though we tried haha. We first went to Thanksgiving with the Malaysian Chapter, because we've been working with a couple from Malaysia in one of our Married Student wards. There was no turkey, it was all just Malaysian food! And holy cow.... I've never experienced anything more spicy in my entire life. They made some chile, which is normally something you would eat by the spoonful... But I put about four drops of it onto a big scoop of rice... and I was still crying when I ate it. And so was Sister Na who is Korean and loves super spicy foods. It was madness. But super fun!!! Then our other wards had rice (always), turkey, and the usual Thanksgiving foods.

 -One of our Married Student wards did a leftovers lunch and for the activity a color fight!! We couldn't participate, but we got to watch and photograph from afar. 

-So we got transfer news last night!! I was expecting to stay in this area with Sister Na.... but Heavenly Father has different plans for me. So I'm leaving BYUH campus and going to serve in Laie 2nd and 3rd wards. At least I'll still get to go to two wards on Sunday though instead of the usual five. Any less than that would just feel weird at this point haha. But I'm actually going back to my old pad again. It's funny because my whole mission I've gone between the two beach pads, back and forth. There are about 5 pads up by the temple and 2 by the beach... Heavenly Father just knows me so well and that I need that beautiful view every day :) And remember Sister Jenkins my MTC comp? Well we're just switching places and companions and areas! Haha. It will be nice though. I won't be a sister trainer anymore, but I think that's normal since usually we get released after three transfers. I've learned so much though and I'm so grateful for all the experiences I've had!! 

<3<3<3<3<3 you all!!!!!

sister sabey

Pictures- 

1. Malaysian Chapter!

2. Color Fight

3. ILOVETURKEY

(haha sorry my pictures and email was mostly about food... I'll tell you something real next week when I have more time!)

Nov 24 - Happy Aso Fa'afetai

Aso Fa'afetai= Thanksgiving in Samoan :) 

Well this week was simply smashing!! 

-Our zone had our temple trip last week. I am so THANKFUL that we are so close to a temple in our mission and that we're allowed to go every month. It's such a blessing! We have experiences in the temple that we can't have anywhere else on this earth. 

-We got a new investigator this week!!! Remember Nick, the Chinese man who's door we accidentally knocked on who happened to be a non-member who had never met missionaries before who wanted to learn more? Well we couldn't really teach him since he was living alone and we're sisters.... But his wife came from China and is living with him now! We stopped by and got to talk to her and she wants to learn more too!! Her name is Mango. Well her real name is Liu Ching Ching, but Nick named her Mango since it's easier for everyone to say and because she loves mangos haha. So yeah we're super excited to start teaching them together! 

-This week we met famous people! David Archuleta (<3) and Stuart Edge (Mom and Dad you probably don't know who he is but look him up on YouTube.. he does all the funny BYU pranks:) They came here to judge a video project for BYUH students, but they also did a fireside that we got to go to. We got to meet David afterwards, and we took Stuart on a tour of the VC. It was awesome!! 

-The church is putting out a Christmas video this week called "He is the Gift." It's going to be awesome!!! Since last time they put out a huge video for Easter (Because of Him) they had a HUGE increase of people coming to chat on mormon.org. SO! This week all the VC sisters here get to be "online sisters" and take chats!! So that's coming out in a couple of days, go to christmas.mormon.org to watch it! And share it with everyone! 

-Fun fact: I LOVE being a missionary. Seriously, I want to be like this my whole life! I feel like this is the perfect time in my mission... I'm not so new that I'm confused all the time, but I'm still new enough that I don't feel like it's coming to a close any time soon. We were asked spontaneously to bear our testimony three times this Sunday in three different wards... and the weird thing is that I love it! That can only be because this gospel is TRUE. We are happy when we are sharing it with others, because we're giving them the opportunity to experience lasting happiness. 

Well, thank you for all being wonderful and kind and inspirational. I love reading your emails and I'm so grateful to have such loving family and friends. 

Have a happy thanksgiving!!

<3, Sister Sabey

Pictures: 

1. "If the Savior Stood Beside Me"

2. Self-explanitory

3. Sis Na & I matching (and the beginning of Christmas decorating!)

Nov 17 - Aloha :)

Hi my lovely family!!!

Well this week was just splendid!! 

HIGHLIGHTS:

-So remember Daniela? :) Well we've been teaching her after baptismal lessons which has been a delight. Actually I should say she has been teaching us the lessons haha because she's AMAZING. She already knows everything and she has such a strong testimony. She has so much love for this gospel. This Sunday she gave her first talk in church! It was sooo good. It was so powerful and touching.The topic was on conversion, and she did a spectacular job. She told her conversion story and bore such a strong testimony.  I really can feel that she's truly converted to this gospel! Also, she's super jealous of all the girls who grew up in the church... She wants to do Personal Progress, but she's not in YWs, so and Sister Na and I are going to do it with her! :)

-Zone conference this week! It was so good! We learned about how to become a "Preach My Gospel Missionary." It doesn't sound that exciting now that I'm writing it, but it was super exciting! I love hearing the inspired training, I feel like it's always exactly what I needed. 

-In other news, it's getting pretty frigged here. Like... 70 degrees and cloudy. I have to wear a sweater or I feel like I"m going to get hypothermia. Okay it's not that bad but WOW I have really acclimated!! I kind of love that it never gets genuinely cold (even though it feels cold to me). {**Sorry Kami and friends in colder places than me...... I'll pray for your warmth.}

THE CHURCH IS TRUE! God lives, and He sent Jesus Christ so that we can live with Him again someday. This is a perfect gospel, and it will always lead us to happiness. Read the Book of Mormon every day. It has a special power that NO other book on earth has!! It is the word of God, that he wrote for us, today, right now. It will teach us how to change and be happy. I know that is true!! Really, read the Book of Mormon every day! And I promise that if you do you will have a desire to change and become more like Christ. 

<3<3<3,

Sister Sabey 

Picture: 

So last Monday we found out that one of the Elders in our mission, Elder Petter (he was my last district leader here in Laie) had to go home because they found out he had Leukemia. :( But they're starting treatments soon enough and hopefully it will get rid of the cancer completely! Anyway, we made him this giant card to send him our love. 

Nov. 10- 기적 = miracles (in Korean)

Aloah my lovely humans!!

Thank you for always sending wonderful emails, I'm so grateful to hear about your lives. :) I hope everyone is doing well and had a happy week!

    Picture- exchanges with Sister Kil (also Korean<3) 

Oh, and the word of the day today is in Korean, because my companion is Korean and I love Koreans. <3 It means "miracles."   기적 = miracles

-MIRACLE: So remember way back to my first transfer, I told you about a girl named Jess?? If not, here;s the story. Sister Kim and I met her my very first transfer, out by the temple. She was just sitting on a bench pondering and writing goals, so Sister Kim and I stopped to talk with her. We realized that she was really struggling and searching for direction in her life, so we shared a scripture with her. We also felt prompted to ask about if she'd thought about serving a mission. She was kind of less-active at the time and had a lot of crazy things going on in her life, so she didn't want to seriously consider it. But she couldn't stop thinking about it, so she asked for a blessing, prayed a LOT, and then we didn't see her until a couple of days later. Then she came back into the VC and said "Sisters, I got an answer! I'm going on a mission!!!" So that night she started working on her papers, it's been a crazy process for her. I've been able to keep in contact with her through the phone and emails, which has been a delight. Anyway, long story short, she's finally leaving for her mission this week!!! She's going to the Minnesota Minneapolis Mission, she reports to the MTC on Wednesday!! I'm sooo happy for her. It's crazy to picture her sitting outside the temple feeling so lost, and to see where she is now. She has so much faith! 

Oh and ps if you want to stalk her blog it's sisterjessicalarson.blogspot.com :) 

Well that's all I have time for today, but I love you all sooo much!!!!

Aloha Nui Loa!!!!!!

<3, sister sabey

Pictures

I LOVE everything you sent me for my Birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And I've been using it so much this week!!! 

Thank youuuuu again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I feel so blessed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3

                                       

1. I LOVE MY SCARF HAIR BOW THING

2. I LOVE MY SOCK BUN 

3. I LOVE EVERYTHING!!!!!!

Nov. 3, 2014- YOU ARE ALL WONDERFUL!

First things first......... THANK YOU so very much for the happy birthdays!!!!! FACT: I have the best family and friends in the entire world. Thanks for always making me feel loved! <3

Today Sister Na and I were in charge of presenting the training in our weekly VC training meeting. Last year on my birthday I taught the lesson in Relief Society, haha. I think Heavenly Father knows that we're happiest when we're sharing our testimonies with others. So there's really nothing else I'd rather be doing. :) On Sunday Sister Na and I bore our testimony in every Sacrament meeting we went to. Okay so we only went to two Sacrament meetings, but it just feels so good to bear your testimony!! I know that sometimes it is scary and seems hard, but I know that as we open our mouth, Heavenly Father puts in the words you need to say. I still get nervous about going up in front of our wards... but it's crazy how as soon as I open my mouth I'm not nervous anymore. I just feel like the Spirit is so unrestrained.. I don't think I feel like that any time other than when bearing testimony. Having that opportunity several times a day is one of the many wonderful blessings of being a missionary. :)

In other news, this week has been super fun! On Saturday BYUH had their annual "Food Fest," where people from all the different cultures set up a tent and sell it around the flag circle in the front of campus. And considering that people come to this school from over 70 different nations, there was a delightful variety of fanciful food to partake of!!! That's one of my favorite parts about serving on campus, there's SO much diversity. 

Sorry I don't have a lot of time today! I'll write more next week. :) Thank you for being so supportive and kind! I hope you have a wonderful week! Aloha nui loa!!!

<3, Sister Sabey

Pictures: 

1: Laie Zone on Halloween (I dressed up as Sister Chang, one of the lovely Chinese sisters here (by wearing her name tag) :)

2: Sister Na and I after our temple trip :)

3: At the Taiwan tent at Food Fest :)

Oct 27- Holoha!! (Hola + Aloha)

Hi family!! I hope everyone is having a wonderful week! Thank you for your emails, they make me so happy :)

Highlights of this week!

-So once upon a time, Sister Na and I were at the VC, we decided that since we both took four years of spanish in high school we would practice speaking spanish to each other. It was super random, and we are both really horrible at it. But it was kind of fun to practice. And then!!! Like 15 minutes after practicing how we would hypothetically give a spanish tour, a couple from Spain came in! Jose and Alicia. They were exceedingly delightful. They're from the Canary Islands, and speak english way better than we speak spanish. Haha so we took them on a spanglish tour, and they were super interested. We were able to explain all about the temple and the Book of Mormon, and they loved learning. Also, fun fact, Jose is an Iron Man athlete, and Alicia is an Olympic sailor, so look out for her in the next Olympics!!! Also, they offered for us to stay with them if we ever visited Spain... so that will probably happen at some point. :) And then!!! After we said goodbye to them, we were just laughing at our spanish-speaking skills (or lack thereof), when a couple from Colombia came in! But this time they only knew like two words of english, so it was a little different. But I explained all the rooms in the temple to them, and the Book of Mormon, and translated what the tram tour had said to them. And somehow they understood! Probably just the Spirit translated for me because I'm pretty sure I was speaking lococrazy. But they both took Books of Mormon and are super excited to read them! 

-Sister Na and I have been trying to perfect our tactics of "Hale Tracting." (Hales are what you call the housing BYUH on campus, Hale means "house" in Hawaiian.) So this week we decided to make our own mormon meme! Here it is :) I love this quote, because we can really know that we are never alone, no matter what we are going through. Christ has walked our path, and because of that He can help us through anything. 

Yes, I absolutely LOVE my companion. She reminds me of Kami a lot. So naturally we have so much fun together. 

Okay well there are more than two highlights but I'm short on time today! But I love you all tonnnnns! Keep praying. Keep reading your scriptures. Keep serving and loving those around you. 

<3, Sister Sabey

Oct 20- Kamaaina

Aloha my lovely ohana!!!

The Hawaiian word of the day is Kamaaina. It means "old timer." Five sisters finished their missions this last transfer (rest in peace), it was sad to see them go! With them gone now, it makes me one of the old timers. Even though I haven't been out that long, there are tons of Malihinis, "newcomers", which makes me one of the old sisters. Weird, right?

Well this week has been spectacular!!! 

-I looooove my new companion Sister Na. I'm pretty sure that we would be best friends if we knew each other before... I don't know why they put us together because we have way too much fun haha :) 

-On Sunday we gave a tour to a guy from Morocco Africa.. it was so cool. I love it when people come in so ready to learn more and soak it all in. We showed him almost every display at the VC, and he had so many questions about everything. He was super interested in the Word of Wisdom, because he's a rock climber and super into health stuff. He just moved to Hawaii, so we can definitely keep teaching him! 

-So this transfer I moved back into the other beach pad, the one I lived in for my first three transfers. Our first night in the pad, we found three huuuge cockroaches. Ewwwwwwwwwwww. It was so gross. But luckily with lots of verbal support from Sister Na, I killed all of them! 

-Earlier this week we had dinner with a cute couple from mainland China. They fed us some delish chinese food, and then when we finished they brought out this dish that they called "the special soup." It looked kind of scary. But, we decided to try it! After we dished up they told us it was pig stomach soup. It was actually really good though! 

-On Saturday Sister Na and I were dropping off something at one of our members house, and the guy told us that a new couple had moved in next door. So we knocked on what we thought was the right door just to meet them and say hi, but apparently it wasn't the right house. Instead a guy named Nick answered, and he was a non-member!!!!! That pretty much never happens in Laie.... an unknown non-member. MIRACLE. And he had never seen missionaries before!! He's from mainland China, and he's here as the assistant basketball coach at BYUH. And he was actually going to church on Sunday for the first time ever!!! It was quite a miracle... Heavenly Father definitely sent us to knock on the wrong door for a reason! 

Well my friends, I love you so much!!! I hope you have a splendid week! 

<3, 

Sister Sabey

Thank you sooo omuch for the package!!!!I It made my week. I'm eating the chocolate covered almonds even as we speak. You are sooooooooo sweet!!!

Oct 14 - Rejoice in every good thing...

Hi family!

I love hearing about everyone's adventures!!! Thanks for the emails! It's been quite a lovely week here in Laie. :) 

On Saturday Tia got baptized! She is such a gem. Even though her family doesn't necessarily want to be taught yet, they are soo supportive. They prepared enough food to feed an army for her baptism, it was so sweet. :) It's the best feeling in the whole world seeing someone be baptized and confirmed, especially when it's someone you know will never fall away. I feel so blessed that Heavenly Father lead us to Daniela and Tia this transfer! It really was a miracle to witness their conversion. Alma 23:6-8. :) 

We found out transfer news on Sunday.. and I'm staying on BYU-H campus! But Sister Gementiza is getting transferred to a family ward in Laie. We already knew she was going to leave the area, so no surprises. And my new companion will be Sister Na!! She's Korean, but from Chicago. She's the sweetest!! Now this thing was pleasing unto me... for I had requested it of my Father who was in heaven, for He had heard my cry and answered my prayer. (Jacob 7:22 :) It's another seven week transfer, and I'm so excited for it! 

Well, my friends! I hope everyone is doing well and happy. :) We are so blessed to have this gospel, it is the true source of peace and happiness. We have so many reasons to be grateful! My favorite scripture this week is Deureronomy 26:11..."rejoice in every good thing which the Lord thy God hath given unto thee." :) I hope your week is full of good things and rejoicing! 

I love you all!!! 

<3, Sister Sabey

Picture:

Tia’s baptism!

Oct 7, 2014 Pau Hana

The Hawaiian word of the week is Pau Hana. Pau means "done" and Hana means "work." The words together mean "the work is done." But there is no such thing as pau hana in missionary work!!

This week has been lovely!!! Here are some highlights... 

-GENERAL CONFERENCE. Who loved conference last weekend?! Wasn't it so good?! Definitely an answer to prayers. All of our investigators (all two of them) watched it! Alexandra, the one I told you about last week from France, was able to watch the session where Elder Bednar spoke directly to non-members. So that was definitely not mere serendipity. And Tia of course watched all of conference and loved it. My favorite talks were by Elder Holland and Elder Jorg Klebingat. And everyone else too... they were all my favorite. 

-Tia.... she's always a highlight. So we had a lesson with her scheduled for Thursday. We have been trying sooo hard to get members to come to her lessons, and seriously every time it falls through. Either the member shows up and Tia doesn't, or Tia shows up or the member doesn't. Every time. So! On Thursday morning we got a text from the AP's saying we are having a contest to see who could get the most member present lessons that day. Of course we didn't really have high chances of winning that one with being in the Visitors Center and all... but we really wanted to at least get one! So we tried calling members, but no one was able to come. So we just went to the VC to meet her, and when she got there, she said "Hey, is it okay if someone joins us for our lesson today?" And of course it was her boyfriend's mom (who's a member) who lives on the other side of the island who just happened to be getting out of the temple at the exact time of our appointment. Coincidence? I think NOT! :) So she was able to join us as we talked about The Gospel of Jesus Christ. Her testimony was so powerful, and I know she was meant to be there in that lesson! 

-So the VC is starting this cute little thing called Story Time. It's where every Friday morning, we get to have a little lesson with kids ages 2-5. It's just 30 minutes long, but it's soo fun :) We had our first one this past Friday. About 4 companionships get to help out with either reading, or singing a song, or teaching them something new, etc.  I got to play the Ukulele and Sister Gementiza and I taught them a little song and then we all sang I'm a Child of God. It's fun because a ton of kids show up, and all there parents are there for it too. A lot of them are less active... which is cool because we are teaching the kids and their parents. Even if the message is something as simple as "I am a Child of God"... the message is for everyone. 

-All of our mission has a goal to read Jesus the Christ before the next general conference! Someone made a bookmark that spaces it out so that we read about 4 pages a day. It started yesterday, and it has already been a delight! I know that normal non-missionary humans don't have all the time in the world to just read a 793 page book... but spacing it out over 6 months reading four pages a day isn't that bad right? :) 

Well, my friends! There were many more highlights... but that's all the time I have for today! I hope all of you are doing well and also had a lovely week! Let me know how you enjoyed conference... remember the greatest blessings of conference come after it's over, as we study the talks! I love you all an exceeding amount!! 

<3loha,

Sister Sabey

Pictures:

1- what I get to see when I wake up and look out the window every morning..

2- story time

3-post-conference breakfast