Week 24: 01/09/17

Week 24: 01/09/17

Aloha everyone! Well this was the first week of a new transfer and as you all know, I'm spending it in Maypen. Maypen is still the best place I know (given since it's the only place I know) and so I'm always on the search for miracles!! 

Sister Baker and I have been doing crazy work this past week and it's been awesome! We've been able to meet a lot of new people including Michael, our new investigator who told us that he wants to change his life. I have high hopes for him! Our first lesson with him was so strong, the Spirit was truly there! Sis Baker is a hard worker and since she goes home in a few months, we are working so that she can add a few more miracles on her list of missionary experiences :)

We currently have two investigators on date to be baptized soon and we are working on extending two more this upcoming week or the next. Our goal is to see 4 baptisms within this companionship and so we are hoping that we can see it within this transfer! that would be cool. 

Anyways, we also got an announcement that the Area authority will be coming to Jamaica next week and so we are super stoked to see him! He is going to be talking to the missionaries and the church leaders here and so I'm excited to hear his suggestions as to how we can help the work move forward here. 

This week will be an exciting one as well and so stay tuned!!! 

Hope you all have a great week!!!

Aloha wau ia 'oukou a ofa lahi atu,

Sister Meli

ps, I'm sending pics later so stay tuned for that too lolol sorry

Week 23: 01/03/17: Hauʻoli Makahiki Hou!

Week 23: 01/03/17: Hauʻoli Makahiki Hou! Transfers = New companion, Sis. Baker!!!

Sorry for not writing you all last week, things were really crazy since transfers!!

So, a little update on transfers, I'm still in Maypen but I got a new companion and her name is Sister Baker! She is from Orange County, California and she is so awesome! We laugh a lot and she's a hard worker and so we walk everywhere! I've said it many times but Maypen is full of miracles, and I'm excited to see them unfold in this companionship. We've made it a goal to have 4 baptisms together and so we are working hard to see that happen!!

Christmas and New Year's was great, and it was amazing to see my family after what felt like forever. I found out that my brother Saia is taller than my dad....... WHAT! 

It was really nice to talk to everyone even though I called an hour late (I got the time difference wrong lol). But it was still awesome!

I have a lot of high hopes for this upcoming new year, especially since I'll be serving this full year as a missionary. Last week, I finished the Book of Mormon for the first time as a missionary and am truly grateful for it. Whenever you have time, read a couple pages!! I've felt myself grow so much in the gospel while doing so and I know that everyone can do the same :)

I will be sending pics soon from these last couples weeks so stay tuned. 

I also hope everyone had a great holiday season!!!

Thank you for all the support I've received from everyone!

Aloha wau ia 'oukou a ofa lahi atu,

Sister Meli

Week 22: 12/25/16...Merry Christmas!!!

Week 22: 12/25/16

No letter, but these picture say it all!!! Face timing with Sister Meli was the greatest Christmas gift! She originally called while we were in sacrament meeting, so she was able to call us later that evening when we all were home. Only 1 more Christmas to go, then she will be home!

Week 21: 12/19/16...sorry, forgot this message!

Week 21: 12/19/16...sorry, forgot this message!

ALSO HAU'OLI LA HANAU, KE ALI'I PAUAHI!!!!!!

E ola loa noa kau i ka wekiu!!!

Week 21: 12/19/16

Week 21: 12/19/16...less than 1 week until Christmas!!!

Aloha everyone!

This week was pretty awesome. We had zone meeting this last Thursday, where our zone leaders spoke to us about the importance of involving our branch leaders and members in missionary work. In honor of the Christmas initiatory that the church is doing, we also spoke about the importance of the "Light the World" notion. It was a great zone meeting. 

Us missionaries also put together a Maypen branch Christmas party where we played games, made cookies, and watched "Home Alone" together (except the missionaries, of course). It was such a great turn out!! 

To top off the week, Elders Smith and Ludlow's investigator, Cutie, was baptized! She's the cutest woman on the planet.

Well, I'm making this email short again but I will tell you that I am so excited for Christmas. I finally get to see my family after what felt like forever!

As we all prepare for Christmas, I hope everyone remembers to include the Savior in their celebration, for He is the true reason for the holiday!!! I love you all and I hope you all have a great Christmas!!!!

Mele Kalikimaka,

Sister Meli

ps, my pics aren't loading and I'm a little too lazy atm to fix dis problem so I'll send them next week lol...

Week 20: 12/13/16

Week 20: 12/13/16...less than 2 weeks until Christmas!!!

Aloha everyone! This week was pretty cool. Sister Jenkins and I had trade offs with our sister training leaders and so I got to spend the day in Portmore with Sister Clyde. Portmore is close to Kingston and so I finally got to see the ocean!!! The mosquitoes there are CRAZY and so I got bit everywhere! Sister Clyde is so sweet and so I loved going teaching with her. 

Other than that, the week was pretty normal. We've been focusing a lot on reaching our goal to extend 70 baptismal invitations each week and we finally made that goal! I was so happy and in return, I felt the spirit work with Sister Jenkins and I a lot more. 

I have a testimony that exact obedience truly does bring miracles!

Sorry about not emailing yesterday, but the sisters and I spent the day in Kingston trying to find things we needed for the Christmas party that us missionaries are putting together this Friday. Kingston is a cool place, I like it there a lot. Sister Afemata and I heard Backstreet Boys while walking down the street and so I did my best not to sing along.......... I failed lol.

Other than that, I'm very excited for these next couple weeks. I get to call my family that much sooner!!!

I hope everyone has an awesome week, talk to you all soon :)

Aloha wau ia oukou a ofa lahi atu!

Sister Meli

Week 19: 12/05/16: Happy December!!!

Week 19: 12/05/16: Happy December!!!

This week was kinda cool. There wasn't much lol.

But I will say that I am so jealous of all my missionary friends that are serving in places that snow. Jamaica is still hot! So I sweat like crazy everyday! 

As the holidays come around, I've been more homesick than usual. I hope everyone who has the chance, gets to tell their families how much they love them. You never know how good you've got it until you're worlds away from them. But I wouldn't trade being a missionary for anything. 

We got to watch the First Presidency Devotional yesterday and it was beautiful. Our investigators came to watch it too!

Well, that's really all I've got for this week. Sorry it isn't as exciting as last week's but hey, I'm still in Jamaica and I still love the gospel and my Savior more than ever! 

I hope you all have a blessed week :)

Aloha wau ia 'oukou a ofa lahi atu,

Sister Meli