Monday, September 11, 2017

{ Savior, Redeemer of my soul }

The last time I got to Skype with my family, I was talking to Dad about how I didn't understand why I was serving for 18 months AND an extra 2 weeks. I think I may have even said something bratty like, "Uhhh, I didn't sign up for that!"
(it was during a rough time)
But he promised me something that I've held onto ever since:
"The Lord has great plans for you, I know that you'll experience some of your greatest miracles the last few weeks of your mission."
Then I got transferred for my last 6 weeks.
And again, I was a brat and wondered whhhyyyyyy.
But let me tell you how the Lord fulfilled my Dad's promise:
If I had never been transferred to Mishawaka these last 6 weeks and if I had never served these extra 2 weeks,
I never would have taught and witnessed the most beautiful conversion of my sweet Stith family.


To say that I love this family is such a freaking understatement.
I have never taught anyone who was more prepared for the gospel, who loved it more, or who truly lived it and hungered after truth.

A couple of months ago, Janet prayed that God would show her a sign...
and the next day the missionaries knocked on their door. lol.
Words will never express the experience it was to teach this family and witness the way the Lord used them to teach me.
Especially, in helping me to remember the pure, sweet truths of the gospel that make it so beautiful.

Dad, you were right. It was one of the greatest miracles of my mission.

When I was in training, fresh out on da mish, I served with a senior couple, the Winings. Elder Winings was basically my BFF and one day while I was about 3 weeks out, he said to me, "We aren't teaching these people anything new, we're helping them to remember things they once knew."
I have learned that there is power in remembrance.
There is a reason why one of the greatest covenants we will ever make with God is to always remember His Son.
Rewind 18 months (and two weeks) to the night that my Stake President set me apart as a missionary... He gave me a promise in my blessing that I have held onto my entire mission: "In the pre-mortal life, you walked and talked with the Prophets of old. On your mission, you will remember those teachings."
I know that that promise isn't just for me, but it is for all those that embark in the service of God.
It is no small thing to say everyday, "I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of Him to declare His word among His people that they might have everlasting life."
That call was given to us even before the foundations of the world so, of course, we would be prepared during that same time -- even before time began.
I know that promise is true. I have felt it.
As I have helped my investigators remember, I have become the Lord's investigator and He has helped me to remember.
Guys, the church is true.
The gospel, the plan, everything. IT'S TRUE. I will never be able to deny that.
But honestly, who cares?
There are a lot of things that are true.
The sky is blue.
That's a true fact.
I can testify that truth is powerless if faith is not added to it, if action isn't taken.
Before my mission I could say, yes, the church was true.
But now I can testify to you that this is the way to eternal life, to joy never-ending, this is the pathway home.
I have applied that faith. I have taken that action.
I know The Book of Mormon is true because I have read it and have felt the power of it in my life.
I know that Joseph Smith was a Prophet because I have asked the Father, as he did, and received the confirming answer. I have seen the power of that answer in my life.
And greatest of all, I know that Jesus Christ lives, that He is the Savior of the world.
Because He is my best friend.
I testify that He is the way. He is the truth. He is the light.
Truly, what more is there to say than that?

For the last time,
Sincerely, Sister Soloa'i

Tuesday, September 5, 2017

{ H e L i v e s }

We went on about 500 exchanges this week.
But because of those exchanges, my mission is now complete.
Why?
I'll tell you.
Before I left on my mission, The Bachelor was going on. It was about half-way through Ben Higgins' season.
Sweet, sweet Ben.
I was sad to leave.
UNTIL.
I found out that our mission covered the cutest town of WARSAW.


Finally, after e i g h t e e n months of living in Indiana I went to the hometown of Ben. 
:')
I think I happy-danced like 50 times that day.
One of the investigators that the Warsaw sisters are working with went to school with him.
Did we ask her if she knew where he lived?
Did we tract all over that neighborhood that she told us?
Did we find and baptize Ben's family???
Yes, yes, 
...no.
But I still have faith. 
It'll happen one day.

Lake Michigan is in our stake so we got to to goooo with my homegirl aaaaaaaashleeeeyy




While in Warsaw, I was with Sister Boren and she kept asking me all these questions like, "What was the greatest thing you learned from your mission?" and "What helped you the most?" and whatever.
Gurl, I'm not dead yet.
Well at one point, she asked me, "What will you miss the most?"
Ugh. My heart.
I didn't really respond.
Weeeeeeeell. Later, we went tracting and the sweetest little experience happened:
The very first house we walked up to, a man was sitting outside with his dog so we did the usual, "Heyyyy whadduuuup! We're sharing a message about Christ blah blah."
He invited us to sit on his porch with him, but he promptly let us know that he had "no faith. absolutely none. zilch. nada."
Well. Alrighty.
We continued to talk with him, found out his name was Larry, that he was a retired US marshal, and that his wife had recently passed away.
He went on to say how hard it's been without her and how he's lost all faith he ever had. 
I instantly started thinking about a million different things we could share with him about the Plan of Salvation, or opposition in all things, or eternal families...etc. 
But for whatever reason, I had the quietest prompting to just sit. And listen. 
He said some of the most heart-wrenching things about how they were supposed to grow old together, how it wasn't fair, and how could God take her from him. 
Pretty soon, this rough-looking grown man, began to cry.
Right in front of these two random, little girls.
Ohhhh, my heeearrrtt.
And still we just sat and listened.
Until finally he said, "Why would God let her die?"
And with that question, I got to respond with my simple testimony of the Savior. 
I said: "Well, why would He let his most Beloved Son die?" 
I was then able to bear my testimony of hope. That He died, so that we could live. Sometimes faith can't be found. But there will ALWAYS be hope left behind, even the smallest bit. 
And that's enough to hold onto. 
I told that complete stranger, Larry, that I loved him. And I meant that because I knew that He loved him. 
When we first met Larry, he wouldn't even accept our card, but by the end he not only accepted it, but told us to come back and shared with us how grateful he was that we stopped by.
As we walked away, I finally answered Sister Boren's question about what I would miss most: "That. I'll miss that the most. To literally act in place of the Savior."

I can never express the beauty of being a disciple of Jesus Christ, but how eternally grateful I am that I've been able to be one for the past 18 months. 

Last week, here we go!

Sincerely, Sister Soloa'i 



P.S. even the fresh prince needs the prince of peace.



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