Sunday, January 8, 2017

{...I think you mean, Happy Birthday Month}

H A P P Y  N E W  Y E A R ! !

                 just remember, behind every great picture is an even greater mess. confetti = regret.


 But let's be real, people...

H A P P Y  B I R T H D A Y  M O N T H ! !


word of advice: don't try to Sasha Fierce on your mission. the Lord will just make it so you look high instead. #wordofwisdom


The great thing about this birthday month is that Sister Rowley will be joining it toooooo!
That's right.
January babies.
We gonna be t w e n t y.


This week.
Oh, this blessed week.
We spent the majority of it puking. If not puking, then straight dying.
Warning: Don't come to Indiana because you WILL get sick.
A ton of us are sick throughout the mission.


accurate representation of our current state of mind...
Sis. Rowley: chill about being sick and basically life. she's my rock.
me: *constant weeping*


BUT.
The Lord's work will go forth!



we take "talk to everyone" very seriously.


And in an amazing way! We saw toooooonnss of miracles this week and had a lot of amazing lessons with new investigators. This area has been kind of "dead" for awhile and it's been amazing to see and witness the Lord prepare His children to receive the gospel and for us to play a part in that great work has been so amazing!


post-amazing-lesson pic.


There are some powerful stories I could share from this week, but the greatest thing I learned and loved this week was just how amazing the gospel is.
We had the blessing of teaching several lessons about the restoration of the gospel to people who had never heard it before.
Can I tell you how wonderful it is to have a front row seat of watching the Spirit witness truth to those that God has prepared?
Can I tell you how just warm and happy it is to watch their eyes light up in recognition as they remember truths that the Father had once told them even before this life?
Can I tell you how beautiful it is to be a missionary and how b e a u t i f u l the gospel of Jesus Christ is?
An investigator described this feeling as, "Being touched by an angel." :') aka THE HOLY GHOST.


So. 
I have a story.
Would I even be Sister Soloa'i without one?
Yesterday, at church, a member who we absolutely ADORE comes in and we hug her and say how wonderful it is to see her and blah blah usual talk.
But then.
She looks at us and goes, "Hey I'm giving the opening prayer, could you guys do something for me?"
Us: "Oh yeah! Sure! Absolutely! Super!"
Her: *hands over purse* "Could you watch Willow for me while I'm up there?"
Us: "Wait. What."
LEGIT HAS HER DOG IN HER BAG AND STRAIGHT BROUGHT IT TO CHURCH.
Us: "Oh yeah! Sure! Absolutely! Super!"
Guys.
I've never liked dogs.
But as a missionary, I hate them. Loathe. I don't see the point in their existence.
So we take dear, sweet Willow with us to go sit down and she's moving around and I'm thinking, "Ew. Ew ew ew what are we even doing right now?" then Willow starts BARKING.
In sacrament meeting.
The missionaries have a barking, moving bag.
In sacrament meeting.
nbd.
The members: *whispering* *giving weird looks*
Us: *smiling* *kicking the purse when needed* jk lol I don't do that.
Random member: "Uh. Sisters, do you have a dog in your bag? Maybe you shouldn't...?"
Us: "Yes. Yes we do. It's cool though, don't worry about it. We're just holding it for a friend."

Have a wonderful first week of 2017 everyone!


Sincerely, Sister Soloa'i

P.S. Enjoy these pics of muh frieenndzz


 the Westfield missionaries (before they split our ward).




the Fishers district (before they split up all the surrounding stakes lol life).


{ the reason for the season }

Christmas was definitely different this year, but it was honestly one of the best Christmases I've ever had.
And that was probably because this year I truly remembered the reason for the season...


C H H H R R R I I I I I S S S T T T.


And also, I just felt really grateful this week to be a messenger of Him. Especially, during this sacred time of year.
Something that touched me in my scripture studies recently was found in Luke 2:17 when the angel appeared to the shepherds to tell them that Christ had been born:
"And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child."
I sat and pondered that for a while and thought to myself, "If I saw an angel, OF COURSE I would tell people what I had seen and felt and OF COURSE I would share the message that was given just as the shepherds did."
Then I realized that the spiritual experiences we have are absolutely the equivalent to seeing angels.


How wonderful is that??


The Spirit is the Spirit. The message is the same: He lives. He is the only way.
How grateful I am to be able to make it know abroad the glad tidings of great joy. How grateful we should be that angels can minister to us everyday, just as the shepherds, when we truly go seeking our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Why wouldn't we want to share that?
So do it.
Share it.


Have a beautiful week everyone! Enjoy the following pics of my life.

P.S. To those that are sad about the end of the Christmas season, don't worry! The party has only just begun!
Why?
I'll tell you.
THIS SUNDAY IS THE BEGINNING OF BIRTHDAY MONTH THAT'S WHY!!!!
Lauren, you get me.

Sincerely, Sister Soloa'i


HAPPY 10 MONTHS TO MEEEEEE. double digits baybayyyy.

The love for Sis. Rowley goes on. 







a member took us to the zoooooooo for Christmas. no complaints. even when it started raining.
   
look closely and you'll see said member. el oh el.
am I pumped that it's Winter? yeah. yeah I am.









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