Week 71 - Another One on the way!

Family and friends,

Mele Kalikimaka and Aloooooha!

Had another great week here in Kona. We had another lesson with Tema this past week. She's one of our investigators that we've been working with for a while. She's been investigating the church for several years, but hasn't been baptized yet because she is waiting for her husband to be baptized. We had a lesson with her about following the commandments of the Lord, baptism being the main focus. She said she wanted to be baptized, but was scared that her husband might be angry with her. We committed her to talk to her husband about baptism before the next time we met with her and she did! When we met with her she said that when she asked her husband if she could be baptized, at first he told her all of the problems he had and things that he didn't like about the church, but then told her that he would support her in whatever decision she made! She was so excited that she set her own date on January 17th and called her son, who said he is going to fly his whole family up from Provo so he can be at her baptism and baptize her! Him and another one of her kids, who is also a member, told us that they were so grateful for what we were doing because they had been waiting for this for a long time. I guess her son went on a mission, and the day before he left the dad just cried asking what he had done wrong for his son to be doing this. It used to be so bad that her husband would tell the missionaries they were a catholic family and they were wasting their time, so he's come a long way to let us into his house, and even more so to allow his wife to be baptized!

We also had our ward Christmas party this past week. Elder Langi and I were the shepherds. We acted out the whole nativity, even had a live baby! One of the families in our ward brought this guy, Earl, and his family. They're non-members and he's a super cool guy. He even said that the missionaries could stop by his house whenever he was home! So there's lots of exciting things happening here and hopefully more on the way! I'm just so grateful this Christmas season for the opportunity I have to share the message and gift of Jesus Christ with the great people of Hawaii. He is the gift and I hope you can all remember that and remain focused on Him this Christmas season. Love you guys!

-Elder Merrill