Family! I've been out of the flow for something like a week.

I was assigned to serve on Oahu! Which I thought would be boring, because I've seen Oahu before, but I'm actually on the opposite side of the island from where we visited, so it's all new for me. I'm glad I grabbed my sketchbook, 'cuz some of the stuff over here is pretty sketchy. HEYO! So, I'm serving in the Wahiawa 3rd ward, which is in the Mililani zone! AKA you know that massive yellow area that covers most of Oahu? That's where I am right now. My companion is named Elder Campbell. He's almost exactly the same as I am, personality wise, and we get along great! He looks like a 20 year old version of President Chugg actually. Like, uncannily so.

As for the people here, I love them so much! Every new person I meet is my new favorite person! I even ate mexican food so as not to offend them! Yep! Also, I'm the designated driver, and driving in Honolulu was absolutely terrifying. The only reason I'm driving is because Elder Campbell is just like me and is scared of driving, but unlike me he just decided not to bring his driver's license with him because he doesn't want to drive at all. Smart kid. Most of our area is military, and while we're on base we aren't allowed to proselyte at all, unless someone either asks about it or is already a member. If we try to preach, we will be thrown out of the base and not be allowed to return. EVER. Spooky huh? We do have proselyting areas, but those are the sketchy places, and the houses there have a bad roach problem. And when I say bad, what I really mean is that when you look at the floor for long enough, you realize that it's not carpet, and that it's actually alive and moving. That my friends, is what you call terror. Pure, unedited, terror. God knows I love horror and fear, so I guess I got sent to the right place huh? I hate roaches though. Especially the big ones. But yeah, the roaches are terrible. Not on base, mind you, those houses are nice, but off base? yikes. The biggest one I've ever seen was about the size of my whole entire thumb. AND NO IT WASN'T DEAD. IT LIVES. IT LOOKED AT ME. HEEEEEEELP!!! Also, speaking of creatures, there was a gecko... IN OUR MAILBOX!!! WHAAAAAAT!!!! IT WAS SO COOL! There are lizards everywhere and I love it!

Right now, I'm teaching a family called the Jellins. Brother Jellins grew up in Salt Lake City, and was forced by his parents to go to church when he was little, even though he HATED it. Instead, all he wanted to do was play video games. So, he joined the military, which payed him enough to support his habit. His wife also loves to game, in fact before they got married, they played through Final Fantasy 7 together as a couple! They have a Nintendo WIi, Wii U, and Switch, a Sony PS3, PS4, PSP, and PSVita, a Microsoft XBOX 360, and an XBOX ONE X, and finally, not one but TWO Alienware computers, which all run at max graphical capacity. This is, in a word, perfection. The problem though, is they have three kids who are often neglected because of the gaming. It wouldn't be so bad if they played games together, or if the Jellins kids were allowed to watch their parents play, but they aren't. I feel very strongly that I can help them, because I understand and relate to them, but I also know I can't do it alone. I encourage all of you at home to pray for them, and I've been praying for them too. Sister Jellins is a good mom, and takes time for the kids, but brother Jellins is so scarred by his past church experiences that it's been hard to get through to him, but something in me resonates with him, and I feel very strongly that I can help them, like I said, so keep Brother Jellins in your prayers. I teach a lot of military families, actually.

Three of our investigators came to church this week, and that includes their families as well, so in total around 9 investigators came to church on Sunday.

This week we have 2 brand new investigators too! One of them has a baptismal date. Heck yeah!
Until next week! Jya ne!

Wahiawa

Elder Campbell

Gecko in the mailbox

Pizza and Sour Patch soda

Geckos everywhere!