CHERYL GOT BAPTIZED! After teaching Cheryl since last November, she finally got dunked! Man I learned so much from teaching her, probably more than she did from us teaching her! Seeing her so happy on her baptism day and all the members around her made everything worth it! We went through a lot with Cheryl especially on her battle to quit smoking! She had been smoking for her whole life since she was 20 and she now is 73, so it wasn't super easy to quit! But with the power of the atonement and a lot of good support from the members she finally broke the chains that Satan tried putting on her and it was honestly the best thing to see! I remember so many lessons of just being so disappointed when she would say... I smoked again elders... but looking back at it, everything worked out just the way it needed to for Cheryl and for us to learn through this journey we took together to get on the right path for Cheryl! PATIENCE was the biggest thing I had to learn during this time but it was just another testimony builder that God knows us so personally and know what's best for us, and he definitely knew that Cheryl needed a little bit more time before she could be baptized! We also sang her a song, I played "When I am Baptized" on the uke and we wrote her a personal verse and sang that! It was sweet! Cheryl will forever be one of my favs in my mission haha! Shes' my adopted grandma! Elder Despain, Woodbrey and I got so close with her over these past couple months and it was so nice to see her smiling in the font! The next step is the temple and hopefully we can get her there ASAP!

So the other week, my district leader Elder Kneeland called me in the morning and said, "Elder Ka'ili I have an idea!" He told me we should hold a 3v3 basketball tournament as a finding idea! It was a crazy idea but for some reason I felt super good about it. The next thing you know we had flyers, shirts, assignments, buildings reserved and a facebook event all done and up within that morning! Shout out to Alvin and the Stake President for helping us out, and all the other missionaries who hung up flyers because the event went awesome! There were about 100 or more people in our church and about half of those were non members! It was awesome, we had a Book of Mormon experiment and a family history booth going too! We had 15 teams sign up and the bracket was awesome! I reffed with my boy Elder Van! It was the funnest finding idea I have ever done and it was super successful! So many were able to read a page in the Book of Mormon and highlight something they liked! Everyone was also able to feel the difference that our church has then others! It was so fun! Cheryl was even there and she was loving it haha!

We also had transfer planning this week which is always crazy! But I will be staying here in the same area which I'm hyped about because we have some people that are progressing good and looking to baptism soon! March is going to be a good month!

The Corona Virus has hit the mission which is sad because we were suppose to have Elder Cook and Bishop Causee come and speak to us this Saturday but due to the virus they aren't coming anymore which is a bummer!

This week was a good one though! I hope you guys had a good week and are looking forward to a good week this week! I love you all and miss you all! Have the best day ever!

Con Amor,
Elder Ka'ili

Book of Mormon experiments, Exchanges, and loving the work! This work is the best thing! And the sun is coming back so it makes it that much better!

Cheryl is doing good! She's looking promising for the 7th! She bought a dress and keeps saying how ready she is for her baptism!

When I think about missionary work there is so many different ways you can do it and this week we did that! We did book of Mormon experiments in Moses lake and Yakima and they were super successful. So the way it works is we street contact people and invite them to read a page of the book of Mormon and highlight what stands out to them. A lot of people have heard about the book of Mormon but not many of them have read it and felt the power it has. It was crazy successful. We had so many people asking more questions after they read or just telling us they are so thankful for the opportunity to read something so special! It was a testimony builder to me of how powerful the book of Mormon is!

This week we also went to a stand up comedy place as a district and our district leader Elder Kneeland killed it up there. Haha everyone was dying laughing and we got a lot of respect earned as missionaries. The guy that ran it was saying he was skeptical when he first saw us but that if he saw us again that he would definitely let us in! Haha so it was all worth it and it was super fun!

Man I love this work so much and have such a big testimony of the power of the Book of Mormon!

I love you all!
Elder Ka'ili

These past two weeks have been full! Sorry I haven't been writing, but Ill cover everything right now haha!

So this past week we had 3 zone leader exchanges and zone conferences, so the week was crazy! Haha but here are some highlights...

Elder Despain and I made a hype video for the mission about raising the bar! Haha it was lit. We got tons of clips of missionaries doing different things of how they were raising the bar. Then we put a little clip of a general conference talk and put it over an instrumental! It was sweet! We showed it at all the zone conferences and everyone went crazy! Haha the mission is at a high point right now!

Cheryl who we have been teaching for a long time now, that I seriously love so much, is on date for March 7th. We are so pumped for her! This past Saturday,  Elder Nissinen and I were on exchanges, and had a heart to heart with her.  She realized that she does have the power to shake off the chains that Satan put on her, and it's been so nice to finally have her realize that! She struggles with so many things in her life and has been through a lot. It's  awesome to see the joy of the gospel enter into her life! 

During my studies of the Book of Mormon this past week, I have learned so much about the importance of obedience! It has never really dawned on me how many times it talks about obedience! Going on all these exchanges with all these different missionaries, there is one thing that I see all the time. The most obedient ones are the most happy. Yeah the other ones that aren't so obedient look "happy" and look like they're having "fun". But they all have a little bit of guilt and sorrow in their mind and body when I talk to them about it because they know they could be better! I feel like that is the same way in life. We know so many people in our lives that look "happy" but aren't keeping the commandments . A simple example, they aren't reading everyday or praying or maybe not going to church every weekend. I have come to realize that those people aren't really happy because they know they are not living up to their potential! They aren't living the way that they KNOW they should be living. So that's where we come in and we help them get back to the path that they actually want to be on. Talking to somebody about it is the first step, but helping them see the blessing of obedience is the next. And there are so many different ways to go about it, especially with loved ones, but during my studies it hit me that I need to be doing more to help bring the joy of the gospel to everyone that I know. Not letting people that I love just live in "fake" happiness. I need to share with them of what can actually bring them true happiness! It's definitely hard to do, but I invite everyone that reads this to think about someone that might be in that "fake" happiness, maybe not living to their full potential ( and maybe it's you) and to plan this week to help them get into true happiness! Like I said, there are many different ways to go about this and everyone is different, but find the needs of that person and help them! A quote that comes to mind all the time is "NO EMPTY SEATS." We should strive to have everyone we know be with us in the next life! I promise you as you do this, you will recognize things in yourself that you can do better and also help those around you! Think about it!

Another highlight starts with Jesse and ends with King! Haha Last Sunday we received a referral from the Temple Square sisters for Jesse King! He is GOLDEN! It's so crazy. He is on date for March 7th and literally just wants to learn so much so quickly! He came to a baptism this past week and to church and loved it! On his facebook he talks about his baptism all the time and honestly just has a good heart! Biggest miracle/ blessing ever!

There are probably a ton of other things that happened but I can't remember haha! But these past 2 weeks have flown by! I just can't put into words the joy that comes from living the gospel! I hope everyone is preparing for the special general conference! its going to be big and we have to be PREPARED! Read the Book of Mormon and review the 1st vision! I love you all and hope you have the best week ever!

Con amor,
Elder Ka'ili

This week was filled with miracles and exchanges!

So I'll start with the craziest miracle from this week! We have been teaching this older lady named Cheryl. She is so funny, she LOVES rock music and Nascar! We call her Grandma Cheryl! I have the funniest memories with her, but anyways, she has been struggling with smoking for her whole life and we have been working with her over these past couple weeks to help her quit. That is the only thing holding her back from being baptized! This whole week Elder Woodbrey, Despain and I have been praying so hard and sacrificing things and going the extra mile to be able to see a miracle with Cheryl because we honestly were losing hope if she would ever quit smoking... We had a lesson with her on Weds and told her if you want to be baptized on Feb 1st, you have to quit smoking by this Saturday. We promised her blessings and talked about how she could overcome it through the atonement. We knew that we had to take her cigarettes that day as well to be able to help her quit. So we went back and forth on that and then she finally looked at us and said, "Ok I'll give them to you but we have to eat some root beer floats right now..." .  Haha, she gave us her cigarettes and then she asked us as we were eating, What was that one thing that you guys did to me a long time ago with the oil and the hands?" We were like a blessing???? and she said yeah and that she wanted one! So we gave her one and Elder Woodbrey gave an amazing blessing to help her quit! We left after that... It was so crazy we went in to the car and we all looked at each other and said that was it, she's done! Let me tell you we have done this many times before, where we take her cigarettes, but this time it was just different. We prayed and thanked Heavenly Father with all of our hearts.... I haven't thanked Heavenly Father like that in a while.... but fast forward to the next morning... We had a lesson with her at a members house and we ask her if she smoked. She told us,"No it was weird.. I woke up this morning and I didn't have the desire to smoke and I still don't. I'm done!" At that moment I seriously wanted to go crazy and start running and jumping off the walls because of how happy I was! But I had to keep my cool until after the lesson. Then when we all got in to the truck we went crazy! And to this day Cheryl is still not smoking and doesn't have 1 drop of desire to pick a cigarette up again. She is now looking forward to her baptism date confidently on Feb 1st! Ah man it was the best day ever. I have so much love for Cheryl it's crazy!

Other miracles, I went on exchanges with Elder Barlow, who's currently a zone leader in Moses Lake (where the temple is getting built) and it was crazy packed with miracles! It all started that morning in planning when we set the goal to find 8 new people! To start the morning off, we dry scooped some pre workout... hahah so we were hyped to go find that day! We prayed to know where to go and who to talk too.  I can't describe in words the way the Lord was putting us in the places that we needed to be in at the right time! We found 4 new people that day and invited 2 of them to be baptized and they accepted! It was one of my favorite exchanges because we were being led by the spirit the whole day. I could literally feel my mouth being filled with the words that I needed to say during the lessons! It was amazing!

I made panikeke this week too for the boys when we went on exchanges with Elder Hagues and Elder Keller! Some of my favorite Elders in the mish! Other than that this week was packed and I honestly can't remember a ton of what happened because of how fast this week went by! But I do know that I love the way my mission is going right now ! I feel so good and it's because I can feel the changes happening to me as a missionary and as a person! I know this church is true with all of my heart! I know that the Book of Mormon is true and can bring daily comfort to you! I hope you all are preparing for General Conference this April! Its going to be the best!

I love you all! Les amo mucho!

Elder Ka'ili

Dang what a week!

This week was packed. We had 4 Zone Conferences, so we were running up and down the mission! It was nice though, being able to see all the missionaries in the mission. That is probably the best perk about this assignment is being able to see everyone and to see how they are doing! My companion Elder Woodbrey got surgery on his chest because the doctors said he had a lipoma but something weird happened! When they opened his chest up there was nothing there... It was a miracle and I truly believe it was because of the blessing that President Jackman gave him the night before! But it was funny during all of the zone conferences he was slumped in the chapel haha. But it was all good cause me and Elder Despain held it down. Zone Conference was so good though! President and Sister Jackman gave amazing talks about what it means to be a Disciple of Jesus Christ. Sister Jackman talked about being all in and trying the best we can and then doing a little more. Man when she was talking it really hit me that I can be doing a lot more than what I am doing right now. I can be sacrificing more, I can be serving more, doing more for the missionaries that I see everyday. It was amazing to think about what I can do and make the goals and plans to be a better Disciple of Jesus Christ and I can literally see the change in me, in the way that I think, the way that I act and the way that I serve others! After Sister Jackman talked, president Jackman talked to us about the new Missionary Standards book that the 1st presidency brought out! It is very principal based! Which I love because it allows more of the missionaries and myself included to be able to make choices for ourselves and honestly it's going to show a lot of missionaries that following the rules and understanding the principles makes the mission a lot more easier and fun because you can see the blessings from your decisions and work! I think it's going to be amazing and really help us missionaries understand that it's not about what we can do and can't do but its about "is this decision going to help me get closer to jesus christ or farther away from him?" and that's what it all comes down too... even off the mission! Overall Zone Conferences were awesome and I was able to have a lot of spiritual experiences... BEST WAY TO START THE NEW YEAR! The funny part of Zone Conference was the theme. It was "Mission Possible" copying Mission Impossible. It was so sweet haha So me and Elder Despain and then some of the STL's acted like spies and the objective was to get to this box at the front of the room, which had a phone that played President Jackman's voice talking about how on this mission we are trying to emulate a guy named Jesus Christ. it was so fun and probz the best intro to a zone conference ever! haha!

Yesterday the hermanas that came in with me finished their missions and went home... It was insane to see them go home and realize how fast it's all going! Me and Elder Woodbrey were like dang we only have 6 months left on our missions... we have to go all out! And that's the plan. I want to finish these last 6 months with no regrets!

We have been preparing together as a mission for the special general conference and its been so good! We are reading the saints and the book of mormon all the way through before April and it's been so good! Being able to read the Saints and focusing on the life of Joseph Smith has grown my testimony of his prophetic call so much! He was truly called to be a prophet of this last dispensation! Being able to read the Book of Mormon has been so good as well. We are studying it together with the 3 questions that President Nelson invited us to think about when we read about 3 years ago! and it has been so good! I invite you all to prepare for the Special General Conference... Prepare, Prepare, Prepare and you will get the most out of General Conference this April! #RushOFRevelation

I love you all and hope you guys have a great week!

Con Amor,
Elder Ka'ili

HAPPY NEW YEARS!

Ahh what a year 2019 was! I have officially finished my 1 year in my whole life where I will be a missionary everyday! Its lowkey sad and I can't believe that my sister is home now from her mission! I'm going to miss her example serving the lord so bad! But I am so excited to start this new year! 2020 is going to be so good! I have learned SO MUCH in the year 2019. Some of the things I have learned is..... I have learned to love more, learned to be more patient and I have gained such a strong testimony of this gospel and the love that Heavenly Father has for each and everyone of us! The Plan is perfect... We just have to accept it and accept the timing of our father! I have learned how to follow the promptings of the spirit and to humble myself when he needs me to do something! I have learned how to conquer fear with faith. I have learned that the Book of Mormon is true and that God really does answer prayers! There's too many things to list but I will forever be grateful for 2019! It was such a good year!

This week was busy! We had Trainer/Trainee and Doctrine of Christ meetings and then Super MLC too! So a lot of training with the younger missionaries and then the Leaders of the mission! My favorite part is just seeing all the fire that the younger missionaries have to be out here and do the work! They are all going to be great!

Amaya got baptized this week! It was such a good baptism! So many members came out to support her from the ward! Elder Woodbrey, Depsain and I sang for her as well. I played the uke to When I am Baptized and we even wrote her a little verse at the end! It was seriously one of the best baptisms that I have been apart of! The next day I had the opportunity to confirm her a member during sacrament meeting! Amaya has changed my life so much... being able so see her sweet spirit even though things dont always work out for her and her family has been such a testimony of how the gospel brings happiness to us in times of trial! She's seriously the best! and I am so grateful that I was able to be a part of her conversion!

I hope everyone has a good week and has made them new year's resolutions haha! Get to the gym! Love you all!

Con Amor,
Elder Ka'ili

Hello Everyone!

Merry Christmas to everyone! This past week was awesome! We had transfers, christmas, and we ate tons of food!

Transfers have come and gone again! But this time it was a little different! Elder Woodbrey have received another companion! We are now in a trio! Elder Despain has joined the crew! It's the first time that there has been a trio AP companionship, but it's so nice! We now get everything done faster haha! I got to drive the 12 seater "RUSTY BUCKETS" around on transfer day and it was so fun! I got to take my son Elder Barnes up to his new area and got to bring down one of my boys from the North, Elder Keller.

This past week we have been working out! There is a member in the ward that goes to the same building as us that is loaded named the Tree's. They have a way nice gym in their house and they let us come and workout in the morning. So we be up at 5:45am to go grind. Haha it's about that time for me to workout and lose this mission fat that I have gained haha!

On Christmas night we made my aunt's famous musubi! It was bomb! Actually for the past week we have had Elder Numbers and Elder Hagues(who I was living with before I got transferred) living with us due to late transfers. So we were all in the kitchen making a ton of spam musubi! We also

breakfast cooked up a huge french toast breakfast Christmas Eve. It was super nice!

Highlight of the week: Amaya Contreras will be getting baptized this upcoming Saturday! January 4th and we are so excited! We have seen so many miracles with Amaya and gone through a lot with her but to see her about to get baptized this week is going to be awesome! I will send pictures next week but pray for her to get through this week successfully!

I love you all! Happy New Years and Holidays!

Thank you to all those that sent me packages and gifts for christmas! I love you all and grateful for you all!

Con Amor,
Elder Ka'ili