Sister Flake's Mission Blog: Eggs galore, spiders, and loads of personal learning!!!

Yep! We're missionaries!

Aloha my ohana!

-Saturday I had exchanges with Sister Edington from Vegas. We met several really awesome people, one of whom was Kelly. Kelly came to Hawaii on her own for a weekend trip. She was driving around the island, saw the temple, and decided to pull over and explore (she sounds pretty typical tourist, right?! We get this sort of thing a lot). Her faith/belief in God is wishy washy and kind of comes and goes. She couldn't really articulate why though. We were really able to get to know her and some of her concerns though, and by the end we were all so much more comfortable with each other! Sister Edington is really good at being "real" with people, and being very personable/on their 'level'/straight up. After watching "Because He Lives" (SUCH a good video... https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2015-04-1010-he-lives-celebrate-easter-because-jesus-christ-lives?lang=eng), the Spirit was super duper present! I asked about her "strength" tattoo, and she said she got it after she was hit by a car and only had a sprained ankle from it. We pointed out to her that her survival/minimal injuries are a MIRACLE, and that God was protecting her! Deep down I feel like she knows there really is a God, there's just some other concerns that cloud her vision sometimes. I know she felt something today, whether she decides to act on the experience or not. I learned some important things from Sister Edington about really teaching to people's needs (not being on my own agenda), and fully trusting your companion. I knew I could always count on her to have something to say, and she is good at yielding to the Spirit!

Exchanges w/ Eister Edington! She got a kick out of our little farmhouse🐣

-Official Egg Count as of 2/15/18??? NINE!!!!!!!! There are 9 eggs sitting just outside our front door as we speak 😂... I'm not sure what we're supposed to do with them 🐣! We did find and name our culprit though. We named her Hayhay, after the chicken in Moana. We can count on a new egg every other day! By Easter we'll have plenty of free eggs to color;)

-Food highlight: I gave Sister Goodman money to buy Peanut butter pretzels for me from Costco, and she got me some this week WOOHOO. I think I'm addicted to them... they're not as good as Seven Brother's french fries, but they're still a Sister Flake favorite😉 AND they make me think of my travels in Paris and London with mom last year around this time when we ate PB pretzels on the daily!

"I'm in love I'm in love and I don't care who knows it!!!" -Elf 😂💕

-SO, a super neat update on Clement and Chandra (Sister Hunkin picked up their request for a free Bible her first week here). It's conversations for Bible requests like theirs that help me understand why they have missionaries contacting these requests. When we called to confirm information with them for their free Bible, before Sister Hunkin hung up I felt prompted to ask Clement a few questions. We came to find out that he recently moved and has been trying to find a church! We invited Clement to attend church with the local missionaries and he agreed to do so! It was neat to see God's hand in the situation. Clement submitted a simple request for a free Bible from mormon.org, but God helped us to know his needs--he needed to attend church at this time and learn more about Jesus Christ's restored gospel! The Holy Ghost really does guide our conversations and helps us discern people's needs. It's SO cool! ANYWAYS, so we've been in touch with Clement and his wife, Chandra, and GUESS WHAT??!! They've gone to church the past few weeks, and Chandra even bore her testimony on Fast Sunday! We got to talk to them on the phone, and they both have such great faith. Chandra said she feels God has a calling for her in this church. We promised her He DOES! God has a calling for ALL of His children in this, His church! They are planning on being baptized the second week in March. Sister Hunkin and I are soooo excited for them!

Clement's wife Chandra and their son and granddaughters. Chandra is DARLING.
She tells us she loves us and sends us uplifting messages💕

-SCARY HIGHLIGHT: On Sunday night we came home from online teaching, and I leaned onto my bed to grab something, and when I did so, I startled a HUGE SPIDER that was chilling right by my headboard on my bed. IT WAS GIGANTOR. I'm not exaggerating when I say it was nearly the size of my palm with it's legs spread out normal. I think it was a cane spider?? Look it up... nasty creature ewwww. Normally spiders don't freak me out, but this one got to me! The picture I took doesn't really do it justice. Sister Tu'avao came to the rescue with her broom to kill it. It took me forever to fall asleep though because my heart got going so fast from the initial scare. I'm grateful that we don't see those things very often! I'm also grateful I'm serving my mission in a place that doesn't have many creepy-crawlies!

SCARIEST MOMENT OF THE ENTIRE WEEK OMGOSH--it took my heart a long time to start beating normally again after a run in with this fellow. Yikes!

-One of my absolute FAVORITE people we met this week was Kyle. She was SO AWESOME. It was a cool experience for me that helped me see how inspired our approach to missionary work is here at the Visitors' Center and the PCC. We were at the PCC inviting people to take the tram tour, and it had started raining pretty hard a few minutes prior. Kyle walked by and stopped for a second under the big ticket-taker umbrella. I'm not sure where she was headed, but I invited her to take the tram tour, and because it was raining, she said she might as well! Both Sister Hunkin and I felt drawn to speak with her as we disembarked at the VC. She was sort of shy, especially at first, but really warmed up to us. When we headed back after our tram tour time with Kyle, it was essentially done raining. I know that one reason God sent the pouring rain was so that Kyle would come on the tram tour and feel the Spirit at the temple here! I'm sooo glad God made it rain;) On our way back to the tram, we asked her what her favorite part about the VC was, and she sincerely responded, "you two!!" We felt so much of God's love for her, and I know she felt something special here. We tried our best to really teach to her needs, and it made ALL the difference. She's got faith in Jesus Christ, but I would say she's still working on "spiritual confidence." I could sense her soul is searching for truth and guidance. She's got some distractions, as do we all, but one reason I love weekly church attendance and regular temple attendance is that they refocus us on the eternal, and clear the fog of distractions. (see Elder Bednar's talk from oct 2017. https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2017/10/exceeding-great-and-precious-promises?lang=eng). We were able to testify of God's love for her and give her the opportunity to feel the Spirit testify to her heart. She'll be reading Alma 32, and we will be following up with her to send local missionaries!

Our new friend Kyle! We built a great connection with her, and are trying to help her find even more purpose! She was darling💕

-Speaking of which...Alma 32 is amazing. I use it a lot in my missionary work, so I decided to study it more this week. I LOVE the entire chapter, but I want to point out something from verse 6. "And now when Alma heard this, he turned him about, his face immediately towards him, and he beheld with great joy; for he beheld that their afflictions had truly humbled them, and that they were in a preparation to hear the word."
I can testify that God IS preparing people to hear His word--the message of His restored gospel. I try to cherish every opportunity I get to "behold with great joy" the people I meet who our Heavenly Father has prepared to receive His word! I love this concept and I know it still applies today, because God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. God is preparing people NOW, and it's our job to follow the Spirit to find them. You can ALL do this too! It's not just full time missionaries. God is preparing people that YOU interact with on a day-to-day basis. They are noticing your example. Follow the gentle promptings of the Spirit and you will see miracles happen! I promise;)

-This week I saw lots of progress with following promptings and teaching to other's needs by the Spirit. We followed lots of promptings! I had many prayers answered💕 It's a neat experience to be prompted to say something (especially when I was planning to say something else), and it turns out to be just what the person needed to hear/understand/be reminded of to take a step closer to Christ.

-I've been studying this talk a lot lately... in both district meeting and relief society! It must be something God needs me to focus on;) It's a great talk!! I know God DOES have a special and specific work for EACH of us to do. click here for the talk

-I LOVE 1 Nephi 13:20-29, 40-41, Isaiah 29:4, 11-18, Ezekiel 37:15-17... The Bible and the Book of Mormon support and enhance one another! The Book of Mormon is the second witness that the Bible talks about. The Book of Mormon gives us those plain and precious truths that were taught by Christ, but had since been changed or lost. Also, in D&C 87 Joseph Smith predicted the Civil war so that's kinda cool.

-Mosiah 18:30 "And now it came to pass that all this was done in Mormon, yea, by the waters of Mormon, in the forest that was near the waters of Mormon; yea, the place of Mormon, the waters of Mormon, the forest of Mormon, how beautiful are they to the eyes of them who there came to the knowledge of their Redeemer; yea, and how blessed are they, for they shall sing to his praise forever."
Hawaii is becoming the "waters of Mormon" for me! Hawaii is sooo beautiful to me, not just because it really is a naturally beautiful place, but because so many people have come to a better knowledge of our Redeemer here, including myself!
I love serving as an instrument in God's hands. Keep up the great work this week everyone! God has a specific work for YOU to do, and I encourage you to pray and ask Him what it is if you feel you do not already know. He will answer your prayers in His time and His way!

Much love,
Sister Flake

Hahaha I got to drive the scooter to the front for a tram guest who took one of the last trams. (They get dropped off at front by the night show).
It was sorta freaky how fun it was hahaha!!!😂😂

We got heart attacked by the Laie 1st ward laurels! How sweet❤ It made us smile😊 I was trying to blow a kiss but felt too awkward and so I started laughing...