Week 48 - 2/22/16

Pics: 

one of our miracles this week was this: as we were walking to our next appointment, I was on the phone, but something told me GET OFF THE PHONE YOU NEED TO TALK TO THAT LADY. so I hung up on the person haha :P and my wonderful comp and I b-lined (is that a thing?) to the lady. her name is Permi (which means ALWAYS in my comp's home language) she is a recent convert in the Micronesian branch, and asked us to go visit her daughter, who is SUPER PREPARED for the gospel. it's a beautiful thing, the Lord's work.

 don't worry I apologized later to the person I was on the phone with

visiting the lighthouse

exchanges with our STL's ... I was able to have sister biggs come with me to our area. she is awesome! she is from Nebraska... yeah, I didn't know where that was on the map, I had to check :P

rainy day in waimanalo <3

she hates on it I love it haha!

Hey peeps!

sorry this is going to be quick, but this week was awesome. even though we were stuck inside all day Saturday cuz my comp was sick :( she is doing better now!

one of our miracles this week was this: as we were walking to our next appointment, I was on the phone, but something told me GET OFF THE PHONE YOU NEED TO TALK TO THAT LADY. so I hung up on the person haha :P and my wonderful comp and I b-lined (is that a thing?) to the lady. her name is Permi (which means ALWAYS in my comp's home language) she is a recent convert in the Micronesian branch, and asked us to go visit her daughter, who is SUPER PREPARED for the gospel. it's a beautiful thing, the Lord's work.

don't worry I apologized later to the person I was on the phone with

One of the schools here have a motto it goes, "High expectations, no excuses"

at first I thought that was really kinda harsh haha I mean c'mon their kids.

but then this week I realized something... we're all kids.

and our Heavenly Father has high expectations.

but this is because he knows our potential,

AND he has given us the tools we need to reach it.

We were blessed to meet many new people this week, and the highlight I think was sitting down with a family for fhe last night. They have kinda fallen away from the church, but they have the desire to make it to the temple!!! We read from the book of Mormon with them and I could see the spark in their eyes start. the book of Mormon is wonderful. it is powerful. I know it is true, and I love sharing it with EVERYONE! I know that this book is one tool of many our Heavenly Father has given us to reach our potential. He is there, He loves you!! trust in him. he will deliver.

love yall have a great week!

ps mom or somebody tell JOANNE JACKSON HAPPY BIRTHDAY TODAY!! I love that woman.

peace n' blessins xoxo aloha,

Sister Judkins

Week 47 - 2/16/16

Sunrise pics by the beach, thank goodness for sidewalks that go close haha

and

this is shai <3 he is one of our smartest peeps I have ever taught... and one day he is going to be famous.

in the last lesson I asked

"Shai do you have anything youd like to teach us today?"

he replied, "I don't think so.."

then like 20 minutes later when we were leaving he ran up to us and said,

"I know what I can teach you! next time I will be teaching you how to do a cartwheel. so wear pants!!"

update will come next Monday. :)

im excited!

saying goodbye to the derla's (this is the family that was sealed in the temple on January 15) they are the most amazing family ever. their love for the temple is contagious, and because of them so many people have made the temple their goal and desire <3

saying goodbye to Aaliyah :( these are her parents, they have worked so hard to get back to church and are looking towards the temple!! such a sweet family. i'll never forget Aaliyah's baptism, where her and her parents sang and played the ukulele!!

saying goodbye to my peeps, elder killpack, sister alldredge, elder Jamison and elder jones. IT WAS SO SAD TO LEAVE KONA :(

OH MY GOODNESS BTW... when I got to Oahu, I was the only sister flying in to Oahu that day, and all the elders got picked up in the first 10 minutes. so I was sitting there waiting for my ride... an hour passed... an hour and a half.... two hours... then I called the mission office (borrowing a nice aunty's phone) and THEY HAD FORGOTTEN ABOUT ME!! :( so funny cuz you know, God is good. & it was definitely for a reason.. I was able to talk to strangers, play my uke while I was waiting, catch up on my book of Mormon reading, and really ponder about my mission. God is good haha :)

Also, everyone please watch this video:

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/hasten-the-work/members-and-missionaries?lang=eng

our new area,

one of our investigators, Leona, asked us to help her with her homework for medschool. this was the box she sent us home with, full of flash cards to cut and organize :)

and doing studies in our cute apartment (we are really spoiled...)

Week 46 - 2/8/16

he pictures are of an 87 year old man named Choo and Brigitte and her companion.  Here is an excerpt from her letter to us :

    

    "even though my companion was not feeling well this week, we still were able to GET 4O LESSONS!! it was really cool, the most I've ever gotten before was like 32 or 34 :P so it was really awesome. the bishop came up to me yesterday and said, "holy cow you just doubled the weekly average, we are so excited to have you serve in our ward!!" haha it made me feel good but afterwards when my comp and i were in the bathroom i told her, "maybe we should've started out with a bad week, then they wouldn't have such high expectations" wakaka hopefully we can keep it up :)"

my new address is :

41-749 Mekia St.

Waimanalo, HI

Aloha All,

This week was definitely a week of miracles! God is seriously so good you guys. we were able to contact some part-member families that are INCREDIBLE!! and we met some really awesome peeps :) it's amazing that when we have the spirit with us, we always end up in the right place at the right time. Like we decided to take a different way to our appointment this week, and because of that we contacted a part member family, the Skagg's, that the ward has been trying to catch for months!!! and then a couple days later we decided to drive by a different part-member family to see if they were home. they weren't. but, on that street we saw the Skagg's out in their front yard spreading their new driveway. so we hopped out of our car and ran on over to help. PERFECT TIMING. That's how good God is, PERFECT.

We were able to start teaching some really awesome new investigators this week, i'm excited to see where it goes :) UNFORTUNATELY THO, THE SUPERBOWL WAS YESTERDAY. yeah, i bet my family never thought i'd say that... everybody was having parties, everyone was drinking and smoking and NOBODY "had the time" to talk with us. it is so sad that we allow worldly things to govern our decisions. i promise people would have seen miracles in their lives if they would've just paused the tv for 5 minutes, or muted the commercial to listen to a scripture. and what makes it even more sad was it was the Sabbath. The Lord's day. And everyone was glued to the tv, yelling and screaming, drinking. bleh!! satan is stupid.

In fast and testimony meeting yesterday a man mentioned how we, as members of the true church of Jesus Christ, NEED TO BE A PECULIAR PEOPLE. we need to STAND OUT. because if we "blend in" it means we are part of the world. he encouraged everyone to keep the Sabbath day a little more holy, to do a little more service, to read the book of Mormon a little more, and to trust a little deeper in the goodness of God.

that's when miracles happen.

love you all so much. remember,

GOD IS GOOD.

Week 45 - 2/1/16

The attached pics are from a trip to the temple and with her new ward mission leader and her new companion

Aloha All,

Happy February! I cannot believe how fast time flies. From Aliamanu, to Aiea, to Waimea, to Honokaa and now to Olomana... from Oahu to the big island and back to Oahu...

MISSIONS ARE THE BEST!!

I feel so very blessed to be out here, to know these peeps and to have the opportunity to teach them and watch them grow and progress in the gospel.

This weekend my comp and I were privileged to meet and hear from Elder Jeffery R. Holland .... TWICE!!! :)

So i'd like you to do yourself a favor and GO GRAB YOUR BOOK OF MORMON.

got it?

..ok.

Now open up to 3 Nephi 17. here, as Elder Holland explained, Jesus has now spent an entire day with the Nephites. In the first 4 verses we learn that Jesus recognizes the people are weak and unable to understand all He has to teach. He explains that he will come again tomorrow and he must go visit the lost tribes of Israel.

now read verse 5.

everyone is in tears and are looking "steadfastly upon him as if they would" like him to stay a little longer.

THE LORD HAS COMPASSION.

In verse 7 and 8, Jesus asks for all those who are sick and afflicted to come and to be healed.

now read verse 9.

notice it says ALL THE MULTITUDE did go forth.

Elder Holland said, "everyone's got problems. They're all hurt. they're all a little lame, a little blind, a little halt, a little maimed."

And Christ healed them ALL.

I know each of you have struggles right now, whether anyone else knows what they are or not.. I know Jesus Christ CAN HEAL YOU. It is only through coming unto him that that is possible.

Elder Holland pointed out the importance of Christ's calling, the importance that He must go and visit the lost tribes, and be with the Father. but he drops it all for a short time in order to administer, bless, heal, just to be with US.

"MERCY TRUMPS JUSTICE EVERYTIME IN THE LORD'S EYES AND IN THE HANDS OF GOD," Elder Holland said.

Look in Psalms chapter 26 where it says 26 times, "GOD'S MERCY ENDURETH FOREVER."

Although I say missions are the best, it doesn't mean it is easy. Although we find much success in the work, we see many discouragements every day. Although we see many people rejoicing in the gospel, we also see those who are burdened with drugs, abuse, divorce, sickness, depression, PRIDE, and so many other things. Although there are people ready and willing to listen, we come across many who's hearts are hardened and who are not willing to listen to and obey God.

how sad is that?

I challenge each of you to read more, repent more, love more, forgive more, DO MORE. I know our Heavenly Father loves you and is aware of you. He knows your goodness and He knows your weaknesses. He knows how to succor you, so trust in Him.

I love this new area. I love this ward. we have an amazing ward mission leader and I have a great companion (sister gamil from the Philippines, she's been out 10 months, same as me!). I am excited to see where obedience and hard work and faith pay off. :) good things are coming!

Stay tuned.

Aloha,

Sister Judkins

OH PS!!!! ELDER HOLLAND QUOTED ME!! He said, "God is good. He is good always. There is not a bad bone in His body."

there you have it folks, GOD IS GOOD.