'HOPE' by Sister Koroitamana

Hi!!!!!! This week has been a crazy Fun Week! We got to cover the YSA Branch again for a little bit this weekend and I just love them so much! We had a  miracle happen last week on Monday! While emailing I felt a tap on my shoulder and as I looked back! It was Jarrett!!!! We had previously taught him in the YSA Branch and had such an amazing lesson with him where he accepted to be baptized and was really excited but after that lesson he just disappeared! we tried calling him but his phone didn't work! We tried stopping by his house so many times but we couldn't find him and now almost 2 months later he was standing right in front of  me! Wow I was sll speechless! hahaha! He was soo happy to see us he expressed that he was so sorry his phone had gotten disconnected and he wasn't really home anymore but he still wanted to meet with us. WoW was all I can say to that experience:) 

I think the thing that really helps me the most is my personal Scripture Study. As I read and ponder of the stories in the Book of Mormon and reflect on how faithful Heavenly Father always is to the people that love him and follow him, that really strengthens my testimony that just as God delivered the Nephites countless times regardless of how outnumbered they were I know that he will deliver us and provide for us regardless of how unlikely our circumstances may be as long as we are truly doing all we can to help ourselves and we are being Faithful to his commandments. ( Please read Alma 2:) I came across this scripture a couple of weeks ago after we had just had a lesson with some investigators that weren't really accepting our message. As we came out of that lesson that night this scripture came back so clearly to my mind and I just felt reassured that all things would work out in the Lord's time. I felt that in reminding me of this Heavenly Father was telling me that just as he consecrated the Nephites efforts he would consecrate my efforts and my weaknesses. I am really grateful for Personal Study time. I told Sister Matheson about this and expressed to her how I just wished that every Missionary would cherish their study time because the promises I learn during that time are really what help me to keep going when things seem hopeless. A couple of weeks after that Sister Matheson and I were called and asked to give a training on using our Study time Effectively! :) Wow! I was so grateful! if you haven't already please set a some time aside to just study the scriptures! They are filled with so many great Promises. I know your schedule is kind of hectic but I can honestly say that it really does make a big difference.

The Paguyo Family are doing well.They all came to church yesterday and little Petey was a little shy to go to Primary but once we showed him how it was he went:) Pete Snr's best friend is Member as well and upon hearing of their Baptism he asked Pete if he could Baptize him! He is currently in Columbia and will be back on the weekend of the 30th so they will be Baptized on the 29th of November. They are doing so well! Pete came to the Departing Missionary fireside last night and just loved it! We asked him how he liked it and how he felt in the end and he said that he could just feel so much love there and it felt so overwhelming for him. We asked him how he felt towards Baptism and he said that felt so excited!!! Mama they are a great people I know that God loves them and really has prepared them to receive his Gospel at this time:) I also know and feel that there are many people out there even here in Manhattan Beach that are really prepared just like the Paguyo Family to receive the Gospel as well. It's been really amazing for me to see that almost everyone that we talk to has had some sort of association with members of the Church somewhere along their lives. I can truly feel that the Lord truly is hastening his work and I always love what President Weidman shared that "This work has less to do with us and more to do with how you and I respond to the Promptings of the Holy Ghost" One such experience I had about that this week is when we were trying to contact a potential investigator one night and she wasn't home as we walked out of her apartment complex the thought to try and talk to her neighbors came to my mind but I almost quickly brushed it aside because I rationalized and told myself that it was getting too late and they'd probably not be too keen. The thought came again and I quickly recognized that I had often told myself many times before that if the thought was good it was from God. So I decided to act on it anyway and asked me companion if we could knock on their door. We did and a Man named Preston answered the door. He said that almost all day today he had been seeing missionaries everywhere he went and now there we were at his door again. We told him that God was probably trying to tell him something:) He said he was atheist but we just testified of God's love for him and shared about the Book of Mormon with him. He didn't allow us to share much more with him but as we walked away I felt so good knowing that Heavenly Father had helped me to listen to a prompting and that Preston was now a step Closer to God than he was before we met him. I am so grateful that Heavenly Father is soo merciful and is so aware of us especially me and my weaknesses. 
Lately I've been thinking about a weakness that I have of not being super good at voicing my thoughts. I came home on Saturday night and really reflected on this and How I could try to improve. Then on Sunday a Return Missionary gave a talk at church and shared experiences he'd had and also pointed out the weaknesses he had as well weaknesses even the Prophets in the Bible had, he mentioned Specifically Moses and Enoch who were both slow of Speech. As I listened to this I just felt so reassured in my heart that My Heavenly heard me that night and that he knew and loved me and is aware of every child of his. I loved it! I am learning that going into any meeting with a question can really help us to have great spiritual experiences. Just a tip. 
Also this weekend was a little of a crazy fun weekend for us. We temporarily covered the El Camino Branch again and it was such a Blessing! I loved it! We got to be in a trio with Sister Park (From Korea) and it was soo Fun:) We also received a call last night since it's transfers and So Sister Matheson is leaving to serve in Torrance 1st. I am excited for her to serve there as I've served there before and love the people there and Sister Tanton will be my new companion:) There are so many changes in the Mission it's really exciting! 

I Love you a Tonne!!!!

Sister Koroitamana