Sincerely Sister Soloa'i: So We Uhhhh... Broke Your Swing.

If you don't know what Tiwi is, consider yourself #blessed.

It's this little device that's in our car that tells us when we are speeding and driving aggressively and whatever. It's actually a really great tool that helps us stay obedient, but it talks to you when you're doing something wrong and it can get rather frustrating.

Weeeeell, we were driving a member to a lesson this past week and we kept accidentally going over the speed limit and so Tiwi is all like, "Check your speed" over and over again.

Well, finally after the like fifth "Check your speed" the member just yells from the backseat, "Oh shut up! I know we all hear the Holy Ghost differently, but what is that??!"

Probably one of the funnier things that has happened during my mission.

TIIIIIIMMMMM WENT TO THE TEEEEMMMPPPLEEEE THIS WEEEEEKKK!!!

SO amazing. SO SO amazing.

Ugh. We love that man.

We started teaching this one kid (okay, he's like 27) this week.

His name is Wale and he's from Nigeria and he is soooo solid.

Our first lesson with him went SO well and he asked so many great questions and accepted our baptismal invite and everything was just going GOOD.

But then.

We get this text from him later that night saying he read a bunch of anti-church literature on the internet and wasn't so sure about meeting anymore.

Nooooooooooooo.

Well, we ended up getting to have another lesson with him and teach about the Book of Mormon and answer some of his concerns, but he still felt a little uneasy.

We were practically devastated because Wale is SO cool and he was so excited at first. It was just really sad to see all that excitement and joy just get replaced with fear and uneasiness.

I once heard this quote that said, "If you wanted to get to know Jesus, you wouldn't interview Judas."

Anyway, we decided to fast for him yesterday and let me tell you, fasting is POWERFUL, you guys. Every time I've ever fasted on my mission, answers have come SO clearly.

So there we are, standing outside the chapel, greeting people, when out of the blue, Wale texts us and says: "I would very much like to come to church today."

*Que reverent, missionary version of a freakout*

Wale's living situation isn't ideal and it's a BIG sacrifice for him to come to church and so the fact that he even wanted to, was just incredible.

It was an AMAZING day at church with him. He kept saying how he felt so welcome and at one point he said, "I think I'm going to like it here. Actually, I know I'm going to love it here."

He'll be attending the YSA ward so we sadly have to let those sisters take over his lessons, but we are just SO excited and happy for him!

The gospel brings joy, people!

Quick funny side story:

In the MIDDLE of sacrament (like the middle. like. dead silent, Spirit is strong kind of middle) Wale's phone goes off.

Not just any ringtone either, oh, no.

But this really trashy rap song.

With swear words.

In the middle of sacrament.

And he cannot for the life of him shut it off.

I literally almost busted a gut laughing (quietly, of course) so hard.

After about a good, solid 30 seconds of failed attempts to shut it off, he gets really frustrated and just riiiiiiips out the battery.

HA HA HA HA HA HA.

Okay, last story:

So last night we were over at a member's house having dinner and at one point we were out with their kids and teaching the new member lessons because some of their grandchildren are recently converted.

Aaaaaand we were actually in their neighbor's yard (their yards are so close together that it's practically theirs) and Sister Alexander, me, and these two other kids were sitting on this bench swing.

You know, talking about Jesus.

When all of a sudden, the bar that holds the swing up, the METAL bar that holds it up, just bends and the swing comes crashing down.

Remember when you were like 10 and you accidentally hit a baseball through your neighbor's window?
Yeah that was me.
As a 19 year old missionary.

We decided to go over and knock on the door and explain ourselves.

Oh my gosh.

I've never felt fear and anxiety like that since I hit the neighborhood girl (she had it comin') when I was 8 and had to fess up to her mom when she started crying.

The neighbors were SUPER nice though and we're going back tomorrow to bring them cookies and hey, gospel discussion anyone?

Moral of the story: don't eat that second helping of mac and cheese during dinner.

Love you all! Thank you for all your emails! Have a great Memorial Day weekend!

Sincerely, Sister Soloa'i