I'm turning orange???

Look at my new and improved veggie straws... they're MICKEY SHAPED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's the little things...

Aloha ohana!

Can you believe I hit 11 months out yesterday?? Time flies when you're having fun... and missionary work is fun when you let the Spirit guide you! I've been particularly drawn to developing humility lately for some reason, and it's been neat to have some humbling experiences while down on my knees in prayer. When you humble yourself before God, He really is able to shape and mold you into the best YOU you can be!

Well, we're supposed to get hit with hurricane Lane tomorrow. We've heard it'll hit Big Island the worst (they seem to get the brunt of bad natural disasters), but we'll get it too. We're prepared though, and we'll be protected.)☔

-On Sunday we had a fireside where President and Sister Bekker spoke. The VC sisters provided the musical numbers. We sang two group numbers, Sister Preslar did a beautiful piano solo, and Sister Morse and I sang a duet! We did "Where Can I Turn For Peace." It's the same song we posted on Facebook, but we've been practicing it, so we've worked through some kinks! Sister Morse has a great alto voice, and I feel like our voices blend well together. She felt happy that at least one person in the audience had tears in their eyes haha😊 I love getting to share my testimony of Jesus Christ through song. I hope to continue to be able to do so. Elder Chandler has been working with someone who has studio recording equipment to record "Come Thou Fount" together. I can't remember if I told you about that already, but I'm excited! ♫

Here's a pic a member took while Sis Morse and I were performing at the musical fireside... we were coming up with funny memes for Sis Morse. What a good deer-in-the-headlights face 😂😂

-Well, I told you a little bit about our job as Teaching Center Trainers (TCT) last week, but it's been neat to learn and grow through working with Sisters one on one this week. We have two days each week where we do not have an assigned shift at the VC, on TC, or at PCC, but we are able to do one on one trainings with the sisters. It's been really eye-opening to me to see how much room there is for improvement, but also to see the Sisters' diligence and love for the people we serve. I've been exposed to a lot of the struggles and challenges the sisters have with TC. Each sister's concerns are different. My natural instinct is to try to fix all of the problems, but I'm realizing that it's not my job to fix everything for all of the sisters. It's my responsibility to lift, encourage, inspire, bless, and learn with the sisters, and to pray earnestly to know what I can do to help, and for them to be strengthened in their efforts. The Holy Ghost is the teacher. I'm grateful for the opportunity to get to know each sister better. Each one is so different and so special. Having a call like this really puts you in a position to forget about yourself, and get to work. I'm grateful for this opportunity.

-Sister Morse and I have been selected to be part of an online coaching program that the Church Missionary Dept is tinkering with. Our online coach is Ben Maughan, he works at the MTC, and he is so awesome! The purpose of online coaching is to refine our TC skills, and to have one on one help in implementing the principles we learned from Ben Metcalf when he visited a few weeks ago. I've been reminded again that I need to do better at simplifying the messages I share with people, and always referring quickly to the Restoration, because that's our unique message. It takes effort and practice!

-Comic relief: We were at PCC inviting people to take the tram tours on Thursday, and I gave someone a tram invite card and said it was a free tram tour they can take. They turned to their friend and I thought I heard them say "it's $free.99", which I thought was super funny (not sure if they actually said that or if I misheard). Regardless, I used that later in the evening to Sister Morse, and she got a kick out of it haha:) "Do you want to take a free tram tour? It's $free.99!!" Anyways, enjoy the little things like that😉

Also, I'm pretty sure I'm eating so many carrots that I'm turning orange. A few sisters had commented to me that I was looking kind of yellow-ish. I wasn't sure why, and I was trying to think of some potential causes of yellow-ish color. Mom sent me some info on it, and one reason people sometimes turn yellow/orange is because they eat too many carrots. Carrots are definitely the culprit for my yellow/orange tint (it's especially on my hands and the bottoms of my feet). I'm changing color ahh! I guess you can eat too much of something good haha.🥕

-I got a kick out of something a darling Filipina grandmother said to me this week. She was traveling with her daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter. At one point in our conversation she leaned in and whispered to me "I really really want my granddaughter to be baptized a Mormon." I asked if she was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and she said "No, I'm catholic, but the Catholic church seems to be getting a little 'off'. All the people I've met from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints are so good." I found that so interesting. Now I'm not trying to show any disrespect whatsoever for the Catholic church--there are really great Catholics out there, and this is this woman's opinion. Her brother was super interested to learn more about the Book of Mormon--this book that talks more about the Savior. It is an incredible book, and I'm really growing to love it more and more every day! It blesses our lives for good when we study it daily.

-I had a neat experience with a woman named Tanya on Saturday. I felt the Spirit present in our interaction. She came to the VC from a tram tour from PCC. Her husband didn't say much, and they wanted to just sit outside on the benches during their time, so Sister Morse stayed by them and talked. They were not familiar with our church, and practice their own Christian faith, but we shared with them how special the Book of Mormon is in deepening our personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It blows my mind how much me being excited/energetic changes their response/attitude about what I share. The neatest part was when I knelt down on the concrete beside her bench, and I opened the Book of Mormon to the Intro, and had her read the 2nd to last paragraph. As she read it, I could tell it really struck her. The Holy Ghost made those words in the Intro powerful to her. I could tell she was really reading and trying to understand the message, and as a result, the Spirit bore witness to her heart that this invitation in the Intro is to her! I shared my testimony, invited her to take this invitation for herself, and asked her if she'd like to know more. She said yes😊 I know she felt a special feeling from the Holy Ghost as I got down on her level (literally), and sincerely tried to help her see the personal application of the Book of Mormon in her own life--that it should matter to her! I felt a sincere desire to help her, and I felt love for her. Being a missionary is the best!! It's important to be willing to meet people where they are at. That's what the Savior did. Strive to be like Him.

-I love Pres Nelson's statement this week about the name of the Lord's church being "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints," and that is how we should refer to it. It will be an adjustment to not refer to myself as "Mormon" or "LDS," especially for church websites and such, but I know we'll be blessed for following the prophet's council! This really is the restored church of Jesus Christ! Anyone can know this for themselves if they are willing to act in faith. The Savior is coming again... soon!

-I've really come to love serving with Sister Morse. She's becoming a good friend. We can all use more good friends in life to help us on our journey home to our Heavenly Father😀

Keep smiling! Love the pace of life God has given you this week😊
Love, Sister Flake

Can I just say, the sunsets in Hawaii are SO BEAUTIFUL!!! I am so lucky to be serving here.❤

Sis Staheli (aka Paige haha) visited!!! Here's a posterity pic (minus Sis Wu).