1 year!

I GOT TO RECORD IN A LEGIT STUDIO!!! It was the coolest!!!!!

Aloha Ohana!

WOW what a week!! So much has changed over the past 8 days. Before I get into all of the changes though, I wanted to wish Colby and Bryson a very very HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!! I hope you have great birthdays this coming week! I sure love you two goobers😉

This week I hit my year mark! I have officially been serving as a full-time missionary for a year now. Time flies. It's been fun to reflect upon all I've learned and experienced. I'm sure grateful to be out here serving the Lord! To make it even better, Sister Taufa and I have been put back together as companions again!! Wahoooooo! We had such a grand time being companions in the Missionary Training Center a year ago, and I'm stoked to be serving so closely with her again! Not only will we be companions, but we'll also be serving as two of the four total Sister Training Leaders over the entire visitors' center. The other two are Sister Preslar and Mondejar. I am just jazzed for this opportunity to come to love these sweet sisters more and more.

Back at it again with Sis Taufa!!!!!!!! #MTCcomps...comps4ever

This was just a great day😀 Sis Morse found out she was training, I found out I was STL, a member dropped off Subway... life is good👍

Tuesday was "transfer day," and 7 new sister missionaries arrived at the VC (1 Korean, 1 Taiwanese, 2 New Zealand, 3 from the Mainland USA). The new sisters are so awesome! Two more will potentially be arriving mid-transfer, later in October. I can still clearly remember parts of my first day in Laie a year ago. I remember having lunch at the Swinton's house with the STL's, and being so excited (and also feeling so brand new at it all!!). It's different being on the other side of it all, still at the lunch, but this time as one of the STL's. Another change this transfer is how we organize our districts. Previously, some of the Elders serving in the neighboring towns were called to be district leaders, meaning they are sort of "in charge" of about 8-10 of the Sister missionaries here in Laie. This week we are switching to having SISTER district leaders here at the VC! Exciting, huh?! Instead of Elders preparing trainings at our weekly district councils, the Sister District Leaders will (No boys allowed!!!😉) Additionally, instead of the STL's going on exchanges with every single sister (which would be extremely difficult with 44 total sisters here now) each transfer, the STL's do exchanges with the Sister District Leaders, and the Sister District Leaders do exchanges with the other 6 sisters in their district. I'm excited to see these changes bring improvement and greater unity to the Sisters here at the VC!

District Temple Trip!❤

My District for Transfer #8

Being an STL at a Visitors' center is slightly different than serving as an STL full-proselyting. Here at the VC, the STL's work very closely with the VC director and his wife (the Allens) to lift, inspire, encourage, love, and serve the Sisters here. We are constantly seeking inspiration from the Lord on how to increase effectiveness and be greater instruments in His hands here in Laie. We create the schedule for all of the Sisters' VC, TC, and PCC shifts, as well as the newly implemented "area days" (no assigned shifts at the VC, PCC, or TC, but the sisters are given more time to work in their areas. We especially scheduled these for sisters serving in Family wards in Laie). We need a minimum of 38 sisters to run everything here at the VC, PCC, and the minimum requirements Salt Lake has sent for TC. The reason we will be receiving so many more sisters is for the TC. We want to be able to not just meet the minimum, but to FILL all of the available computers with sisters doing TC work! There is MUCH to be done with our online work😀 The Lord is hastening things! It's been a humbling experience to be given these opportunities to serve all of the Sisters here. I've definitely been reminded that I of myself am weak. I can't do it alone. BUT the wonderful thing is that I'm not supposed to take on any responsibility alone! It's really a daily choice to rely upon the Savior. His grace really can enable us to do more than we could ever do with our own talents/abilities (which, if you think about it, were given to us by Him anyways 😄). I definitely can't do this alone!

Another big change is that I've switched areas. Sister Taufa and I are now assigned to serve in a FAMILY WARD! Yipee!!! We are serving in the Laie 2nd ward. Both Sister Taufa and I are new there (it's called "whitewashing" an area when both are new), so it'll be an adventure figuring everything out in the area. The most exciting news to me??? We have people being taught in our area, and I get to teach them in the flesh!!! That might sound super weird or over-dramatic, but mind you I've been serving in a married student ward for 10 months (which I absolutely LOVED by the way, don't get me wrong!!!) that was 100% members of the Church. Sister Hunkin and Yamaji were in L2 before Sis Taufa and I, and they have several people being taught. We already taught a darling woman yesterday. She is from Chicago, but has lived in Hawaii for several years. Her husband and his brother own a delicious Mexican food truck at PCC. We were able to get to know her, come to understand more about why she wants to study with us, and begin discussing the Plan of Salvation. We'll be continuing that lesson next Tuesday evening. There were 3 wonderful sisters from the L2 ward that were also present at the lesson. My teaching skills definitely need improving, but it was a good reminder to me that I of myself will never convert anyone to Jesus Christ's gospel, but rather the SPIRIT is the true teacher. We'll be teaching a few more lessons on Sunday to different people being taught. I'm PUMPED to get out working in the area more, and to help people come closer to Christ through making covenants with Him! It's not about numbers, it's about covenants.

Sasakis! Dinner with them was yummy japanese dumplings.

Eastwoods from M2

Bye senior sisters!❤

Goodbye Dunns! I'll miss M2, but I'm so excited for L2

One super rad thing that happened this week is the opportunity to record my new song at the BYU-H recording studio on campus! It was SWEET!!! Elder Chandler knew someone who was able to connect us with a guy who studied music in Nashville for 4 months at a trade school. We took an hour and a half to record my new song "Unchanging Truths." We've just got the music done, but Elder Chandler wants to put visuals to it, so that's why we haven't posted it yet. Hopefully I'll have a copy of the audio file soon to send for you all to have a sneak peak. I'm grateful for the unique opportunities I'm getting here to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with others! Music is one of the most powerful ways to help others feel the love the Savior has for them. More to come soon😃

Oh yeah, and Sister Morse went to the optometrist. She got her eyes dilated so she was rockin' some awesome shades at the doc's office haha. Enjoy the pics.

Optometrist #koolkids

Well, please let me know what questions you have about all of the changes!! Hopefully I haven't forgotten anything oober big.
Have a fabulous week, and keep loving the pace of life God's given you! That pace is constantly changing... Enjoy it😊

He > I
Love, Sister Flake

Bye Sis Pressley! Back to Utah.

Bye Sis Leung! Back to Hong Kong

Aloha 'oe!

My food is happy today!😄