Week 72: November 13, 2017

Elder Whiting, from the Quorum of the Seventy, visited our mission this past week. He gave a lot of very insightful advice and messages to the missionaries as well as at stake conference. One of the really cool analogies that he shared with us was relating the Holy Ghost to salt. If we came across an entire room full of people that had never tasted salt before in their life, it would be extremely difficult to explain to them in full detail through words alone what salt tastes like. We could get creative. We can say things like, "it tastes bitter" or "savory" but in the end, it's very difficult to really visualize what salt is and tastes like. However, if we were to have a bowl of salt, we could very easily have each person partake of the salt and know for themselves what it is. Likewise, when we have a lot of people who have never felt or recognized the spirit in their lives, it can be difficult for us to describe it accurately for them. We can quote scriptures, we can share experiences, but in the end, the best thing that we can do is to bring the spirit to them. When we, especially as missionaries, bring "salt" or the spirit with us to meetings, we are able to have people partake of the spirit and we can help them recognize that the feelings and impressions that they feel is the spirit. Be sure to bring "salt" with you everywhere you go.

As for the work out here, we have a new ward mission leader (newish) who's been really doing well to get the ward involved. We are constantly visiting those that require aid, assistance, and friendship. The Elberts (elbErts, not elbIrts as I've learned this week...hey she never corrected me in any of those texts, how was I supposed to know??) were in Miami this past week so we weren't able to meet with them.

Upcoming events, we've got a musical number this Thursday at zone conference. We are singing "Nearer My God to Thee" the Vocal Point rendition. Next Sunday, Elder Selli and I are doing a musical number "Refiner's Fire" because we done been bamboozled. A few weeks back, we were having dinner with a member of the ward and she innocently asked if we were musically inclined. We both humbly said that we did like to sing to which she exclaimed, "HA! I'm the ward musical coordinator!! MWAHAHAHAHAHA" or something like that. She said she would have to get us to sing in sacrament meeting someday. We thought she had forgotten about it until a few weeks later, she said she signed us up for the 19th.  

We done been punked.

Well, that's all from me today, I am glad I got to email a bit longer this week. Until next week!
-Elder Kaitoku

PS this week, we get to help castrate piglets. Yay. 

Week 71: November 6, 2017

Hey guys this is gonna be a quick email but here goes:

1. We had a great Halloween, we got to stay in and clean the apartment. Yay. We also dressed up but I don't have my camera right now so I'll send those pictures next week.

2. We had another temple day which was great as always.

3. The missionaries in the district/zone have really been shopping all P day these past few weeks hence the limited computer time so I apologize. There is a Nike outlet out here and there were some pretty impressive sales here lately. Plus, there's a member that works there that hooks it up for us.

4. We are working on a musical number as a zone and it is finna be LIT. I will have to send a recording next week!

5. Love you all! Sorry for the short email! B

Byeeeeeeeeeeeee

-Elder Kaitoku

Week 69: October 23, 2017

This past week was pretty great. We had a good meeting with the Elbirt's. We were also able to do service for a non-member lady at her farm. Well, we do it every week but this week, I remembered to bring my camera for once soooooooooo you guys get to see some pictures! She recently purchased a bus with the dream to renovate it into an RV. We have been the labor to help out with that and I got to fulfill a lifelong dream of standing on top of the bus. 

We had a great primary program this week and last week in both wards. The kids are great. As you can imagine, there was a lot of kids really getting into it and of course, dabbing somewhere in the song. There was never a dull moment with these guys.
We had transfers recently and our district is now: Elder Selli, myself, Elder Wilkinson, Elder Suriyachan, Elder Bishop, and Elder Maynes. We all have really great chemistry together and have many opportunities to serve together and get to know one another. I am really looking forward to this transfer!​

Week 68: October 16, 2017

This week was pretty great. We had a big public event for family history that we were able to volunteer at. It was great to see so many people so interested in their roots and we were able to show them a few tips and tricks to get started. We also got to talk to people who, if we were out in public, would definitely not have stopped and talked so that was great. 

Transfer calls came in and sadly, we are losing Elder Scott. He finally got his VISA and will be finishing out the rest of his mission in Samoa. I will be staying with my companion, Elder Selli for another transfer. We are looking forward to working hard with these members and investigators.
Today we had a zone talent show. The zone leaders asked me to MC and also to fireknife. I found me a stick and went to work. GG. Anyways, we have two sisters from Samoa and one of them was actually there when I was there and she saw the Living Legends show! Small world.

I really don't know what else to talk about here. Uhhh I'm good, the work's going well, my companion is great, and the mission is going too fast. I love you all and I'll talk to ya later!

-Elder Kaitoku

Week 66: October 2, 2017

Not much to write about this week. I will spare you the copy and paste of my favorite conference talks and quotes as I'm sure you've all watched it or read up on it, etc. 

It was a pretty average week out here in good ole Danville as far as average weeks go. No car break-ins, no burglaries, no assault, etc.
Okay fine, I'll share my favorite point made at conference. Know that God loves each and every one of you regardless. Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can all come closer to Him. That's one of my favorite points made but very summarized.
Thank you all so much for your love and support and concern about our car. I stayed safe this time hahaha nothing broken, nothing lost. Love you all!

-Elder Kaitoku

Week 65: September 25, 2017

Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh. Well, Elder Kaitoku can't seem to catch a break, ladies and gentlemen. Someone broke into his car. Again. 3rd times a charm. 3 different assigned areas. 3 separate car break-ins. One in each area. Awesome. The car was parked in our gated community. In a rather wealthy area. FORTUNATELY, I have apparently learned my lesson because this time, I had absolutely nothing in that car! Whoop. Nothing broken nothing lost. They DID take our gas card (each mission vehicle has a fleet account debit card to pay for gas) and the perpetrator tried to withdraw $600. No worries, it all got denied and the card's been deactivated. Other than that, they took my THIRD FAVORITE PEN. What a monster. My companion and I were ready to go Sherlock Holmes on this person but our vehicle account coordinator wouldn't give us the exact time or place the withdrawals were attempted so we couldn't go track him or her down and pull the video feed. 

Anyways, we went to a farmer's market this past week to street contact and talk to people walking along the trail. I was on exchanges with a missionary from Thailand, Elder Suriyachan. He LOVES spicy food. We were walking around the farmer's market when I saw them. Ghost Peppers. Now, I've seen a lot of youtube videos in my days and I know what those bad boys can do. My companion for the day was always complaining about food around here never being spicy enough. I convinced him to buy a few ghost peppers to eat at home for lunch. I excitedly got my camera ready only to be extremely disappointed. I wasn't the only one. The ghost pepper STILL WASN'T HOT ENOUGH FOR THIS GUY. Well, at least initially. He bit into it once, twice, thrice and shook his head in disapproval. I sadly put my camera down. Moments later, he broke into a sweat and started drinking from the gravy cup (we were eating lunch). But within moments, he was fine. What a champ.

The work is going great! I had to go to a meeting with the Stake Missionary Council which was intimidating but fun nonetheless. We've got a lot going on in this Stake as a whole and things are really looking up! It has been a great week and we are looking forward to another great week here in jolly ole Danville.

-Elder Kaitoku

Week 63: September 11, 2017

This past week was a great week. I have a new companion, Elder Selli. He is from Fredericksburg, Virginia. We have been getting along very very well. The Elbirt family is still doing great. We are hoping to meet with them again this week. We spent most of the week helping Elder Selli get to know both wards, the leadership, the members, and the general area. 

When we did service at the farm this past week, we were instructed to help spread the food around the field rather than just dump it in one pile. Being the young men that we are, we built two forts from the cardboard boxes and proceeded to have a massive food fight from across the field. Casualties were limited. Injuries were nursed. Clothes were dirtied. It was a really great time. Unfortunately a lot of the food is donated food that is very expired. That made it all the more fun. I can now check "participating in a food fight" off of my bucket list.

We continue to push and work hard in this area. The amount of miracles and blessings and success that we've seen in this area is nearly unheard of. I am really excited. My district is full of good, hard-working missionaries who have helped to turn this place around greatly. I look forward to next week! Sorry for the short email! Love you all!

-Elder Kaitoku