October 5, 2014

     This semester is not chill as I said before. This is my hardest semester ever, and it was mistake to think that I can blog the world news again. Today is the 13th of October 2014. Cross country is going well. We won our first race. I am dating as much as I usually do. We had general conference and a Power to Become Conference the past two weekends. This seems to be my life summed up for the past few weeks. I got a new client that wants me to design her house.

     Maybe I will start by sharing a bunch of pictures of my Cross Country Team. They had to race without me this weekend because I attended the P2B Conference. I am humbled to say that my team has grown since the first race that we had. Tyre Russell recovered from her injury from running a marathon. Kyle Shaw joined us, and Amanda got another guy to join us. His name is Cody Lamoreau, and he is such a good sport. We were practicing running race pace. Tripping over a curb, he sprained his ankle. I am blessed with flexible ankles, so those incidents usually don't affect me, but he knew how to deal with it, recovering in one day. There is a special team unity and commitment that I am thankful for. I have a team captain for the following three teams: varsity guys, varsity girls, and junior varsity girls, and I am grateful for their commitment for the team. I depended on my team captains to get the team settled and ready for the race, and they were able to figure it out with minimal effort on my part. I was happy that we have such a deep team that we can still have a complete team with the P2B Conference, taking two of our fastest runners.

This is Cody. He looks intense when he runs.

This is Cory Hafen.

This is Conner Isham.

Intense Cody again.

This is Amanda Reaser.

The race is about to start.

This is Kiana Shurts. He is a great sport. Being injured most of the season, she always wants to run.

     I put my team first, training with each team once for every 4 days of the week. Josh Ray is my only junior varsity guys runner, and I am humbled by his commitment, keeping on coming; although, I let him work out on his own, since he can't keep up with the varsity guys. Last Monday was a little traumatic for me. Josh is great, but I had an experience that I never had before in the gym. I asked what he has been up to after the three mile workouts, and he said that he has done stairs once. Last week I showed the junior varsity the cross training exercises that I recommend, but they did not apply it. I am fine with that. They work out their success for the season. The maximum that I recommend new runners to run is three miles, and I don't know how each individual should work out because they are out of shape. They know themselves, so I let them do what they think is best. Since Josh did not have anything to show me, I coached him on his form, and we went into the gym. Josh looks like he is stronger and more solid. I told him that he should land on his feet when runs as if he lands on his feet when he does jump rope, and he said that his calves get really sore, when he does that. I know that happens, so I said that is how it goes. You will only be sore for only about a week.

     The traumatic experience in the gym was this. I have a favorite machine that no one uses that is really good to practice running for and strengthening the hamstring and butt. Josh went first, so I did dips. We switched on, and I did dips in between. I went to get some water after the second set, and my eyes started to black out. This has happened to me before, but all that I would have to do is sit down or just wait for a minute or so. This one would not quit though. I walked back to my favorite machine, and I was not recovering. I went over to Josh, telling him that I feel like I am going to pass out, after I attempted to do my third set. He decided to let me sit, and do another set before he leaves. I sat there for a little bit, and a guy asked me, if I was going to use the machine that I was leaning against. I looked at him, and I wondered how my eyes looked because they are darkened in my sight. I moved out of his way, and after a while I was not feeling well, so I laid on the ground. I felt that I was not going to recover, so I went to get help. I walked over to get help, but I could only make it to a stationary bike. I sat on it, and I was lying my head back. I must have looked really bad. I raised my hand up a few times, trying to get someone's attention, but no one came. When I recovered a little bit, I walked to the reception area, which was only about fifteen feet way. I told a guy that I need help, and I feel like I am going to puke. That came just as I attempted to walk. He sat me down, pulling a trash can up for me to throw up in. He was too slow though, and some got on the ground. He gave me some orange juice and some peanut butter crackers to eat as he asked some questions. I felt better drinking the orange juice, but I felt some nausea as I ate one cracker. I decided not to eat any more of those. After asking a few questions, he left me to rest. I was able to answer him completely, and I recovered somewhat from feeling that I was going to pass out. I sat there, and I was unsure whether I can walk home. I wanted another opinion because this never happened to me, and he was brushing the situation off as if it was common. He said that he puked as he was doing squats last week. I have never puked working out in my entire life, and I felt like I was going to pass out for like thirty minutes. I am surprised that no one helped me.

     I have two theories. One kind of makes sense, and the other almost makes sense. My first theory is a belief that my blacking out experience happened because I spun on a carousel with Naomi. I was very confident that I was no going to be affected by the spinning motion because I am usually not. I spun on the carousel for a few minutes, and I was so chill on it that I sat on the edge casually, where there is most force. I jumped on with the confidence that I would not be dizzy, and I wasn't; however, when we drove home from the park. Motion sickness hit me hard, and it peaked right when we turn in to park. I felt like I was going to puke when we turned, and I stepped out of the car before we stopped. I have only puked a hand full times in my life, so I had confidence that I would not.

     I am struggling really bad this semester. All four of my classes are heavy reading focused, and I need to understand the text deeply. The text for two of my classes with Brother Harker are professional, meaning that it is not written for students, but it is for construction managers. I don't know how to learn what I need to from the text. I did well on the first couple quizzes because we covered the information in class, but I have not kept up well. This is my first time taking upper level classes, and it is a totally different ball game from what I am use to; at least for the two classes with Brother Harker. I have grown up with learning disabilities, so I have lived with this struggle my entire life, but it is hitting hardest now. I have been triumphant with  classes for my first four semester, but I don't know about this one. Brother Harker, and my accounting teacher spoke to me personally about my struggle. I am seeking to get more accomodations. I requested a radical idea, where I have until next semester to learn the curriculum of the class. I feel like I am learning three professions at the same time from a book, and I am expected to learn it because I am tested on it.

     The Hawks has the two fastest runners, but my team still won the first race. I was so excited to see my five runners come in before anyone else's team, and I knew that my team had a high probability of winning the race. It was actually raining, and I did not do as well as I hoped because I let the mud and a short downhill slow me down. I was in the top pack pushing the limit, but I couldn't catch up after letting up on the downhill. We still won though.

     I don't think that I want to write about my dates yet. I think that this is all. I am not really one to write about conferences. I will say one thing about the P2B conference. One speaker was named Christopher Galbraith, and he found a great passion in banking, the stock market, and all of the money stuff. He asked around, and everyone told him that he was crazy for wanted to do this. I think that his first career pursuit was in banking. The principle that he taught us seem to come naturally to him. It is a form of networking, for he contacted people seeking informational interviews to learn about the industry of his interest. He did his research too. As his knowledge of the industry grew and he was about to graduate, he realized that he needed to go to the East, where the industry is mainly at, so he bought a ticket to meet the network of people that he made. He only knew them by phone, but his questions of inquiry was push his contacts to refer other people to talk to him as he asked questions beyond that individual's knowledge. Chris realized that these interviews are actually akin to a first interview with a company; therefore, an individual can create their own personal first interview. On his second time, coming to visit Wall Street, the people that he visited actually took him around to banks to recommend him for positions in their companies. Chris is an amazing networker. He did not work without failure. He said that, visiting Wall Street on Sunday at church, he ask people for contacts for businessmen in Wall Street, and he spoke to them, asking for informational interviews. He filled his whole week up with appointments; one for every hour. The example that he set for us and these informational interviews had him learn with the most earnest effort, coming up with questions of inquiry continually.

     Today is now the 19th of October. I am still struggling in my classes, and I have asked my mother to send up a copy of my IEP in order to get accommodations. I now have accommodations, and I am going to try to see if I can change my study habits to be successful this semester. I had two appointments on Thursday. My presence is somewhat growing on the internet; insomuch, Buffer, the app, company wanted to interview me for feedback on their application. We have one more week of the cross country season, and this weekend was a lot of work for me because we made shirts yesterday. We had a mile relay yesterday too. I had a lovely date with a sister that I met at P2B.

     My teachers were open for the standard accommodations. I wish that could accomplish as much as a normal person, but I am so much slower. I got my IEP in the mail, and set up an appointment with the disabled services center, facing my fate at 11 AM on Thursday. I had a proposition for the appointment, since I am so use to doing everything myself. It was to extend the classes that I am taking until the spring semester starts, giving me 4 extra months to learn and fulfil curriculum of the classes that I am taking. It is hard to face reality, and I was introduced to the tutoring center to rely on other people to accelerate my learning. When I was setting up an appointment for Monday with a receptionist, I must of look mentally exhausted perhaps a little depressed, receiving the fate and accommodations that I rest my life and hope on. My proposition is possible, but it is a hard pitch to sell.

     As I left in my mentally exhausted state, I was grateful for God, for he comforted me by placing many friends along my path. I met Katherine Zavala, who is in my electrical systems class; Macie-Grace Guthrie, who I met at the P2B conference and expressed interest in my architectural talent development; Cadison Shurtliff with her coworkers at the Crossroads; Macey Dally, a ward sister from last semester; and Alenka Batkova, a sister that I met who worked at the Crossroads. There were probably more people placed in my way, but I don't recall them at this time. I arrived home mentally refreshed.

     My social media presence was felt so much so that I told someone, who is trying to create a LDS Tinder website, that his social media campaign is lousy. His website has more than 2000 users, which is greater than my audiences' engagement; however, the twitter account of his effort has no followers, so if he did say something on Twitter very few people would see it. With that Tweet, the founder of LDSMatchUp sent me an email hoping to talk over lunch, but he is living in Provo, Utah. He said that he would like to pick my brain. I don't think that my brain has much to pick. I think that he hasn't called me because I have not given him my phone number...

    I skyped a guy from Buffer offering my insights. He asked very general questions about how I use the application. I told him some flaws and my application vision for Buffer. I would think that the application should offer logistical advise. For example it will tell you where and who your audience is that the time that you are considering to schedule the post. Just an idea.

     My cross country team and I decided to make shirts on Saturday, so I had to buy all the materials for the production on Friday. I felt like a wonderer, walking all over the town and carrying a bunch of stuff around. I was checking out all the stores that I thought that would have t shirts. I found matching t shirt styles for most of the people on my team that wanted them. I shopped around visiting Porter's, Walgreen's, and Walmart. Walmart had the most variety, but I visited all the stores at least twice. Carrie Jones, a runner on my team, thought that it was funny, seeing the locations pop around the town as I chatted with the team. After I thought that I bought everything, I visited the library to see, if they had equipment to cut stencils like an Exacto knife. Since they didn't have anything that I can borrow accessible, I had to walk back to Walmart and find dinner along the way. I found that what I needed, and, walking home, I walked down an iffy path.

     There is a path that leads to the road that heads straight to my apartment. It's a shortcut somewhat; however, there is no lights on the trail, and it was dark. I could have used my phone as a flash light, but I am a minimalist, not considering it. I was surprised to walk pass a couple. I don't know if the girl was walking with a guy, but that was a little creepy. A couple other girls on bicycles passed me too, and all who passed me were equipped with lights. An observation that I liked was the the girls on the bicycles were relieved of fear before they passed me, exclaiming "Oh, that was so scary." If they said it after they passed me, that would have disappointed me. I am grateful that I look trustworthy even in when I walk without a light.

     The team had a mile relay on Saturday. We were positive that we were going to win. The fastest runner began, and he concluded his leg in the lead. Our first runner was only about 20 yards behind him, and we were able to catch them in the second leg, and we lead it most of the race. Rhett Mullins was passed temporarily, and he passed it to Connor, who barely keep ahead of the Hawks. I took the baton from Connor. Running the anchor leg is pretty intense. I never ran one before, and I did pretty well. The fastest runner of the program felt like he was jogging compared to us. I sped off, and I was able to keep the lead for most of the mile. I did not hear him after a while, which happened the last time that I won this mile race, but he caught me on the downhill. I can be fast, but I don't have much of a kick.

     After the mile relay, the team gathered at my place, and we made shirts. It was with the same logo as I showed before; however, we had to modify and improvise it to be functional. Erin Enright was the most proficient at making stencils, so she basically made the activity a success. The mistakes that we made at first were funny. I had one sheet of paper, which had all the letters of all the members of the team and wanted a shirt.  At first I thought the letters would have to be cut out at the random locations of the paper, and Rhett did that, cutting out each letter individually; however, we realized that we don't have to cut the letters in the random order on the paper. Cody Lamoreau was put off, when I told him that. He had all his letters in a row, and he was still cutting them to individual letters. Rhett let the individual letters be a way of creativity as everyone else had one stencil for their entire name. Amanda Reaser was a little creative too. Cody made some mistakes painting his name on his shirt. He was hailed for his failures, for he laid his shirt on the ground to paint his name on his sleeves. He did not consider that painting as he laid the shirt on the ground would place his name on the inside of the sleeves. We made our shirts in a reasonable amount of time, and I completed my shirt after everyone else left, and I was happy because everyone left their stencils, letting me put all my team members names on my shirt.

     We wore our shirts at our championship race, which happened yesterday the 25th of October. I got third place, and I don't really have much to say about the race because another team totally dominated the championship races. Caleb coached the Hawks, and he coached with the wisdom beyond his own with a book and the advice of Brother Doug Stutz, an All American Champion coach and one of the last people to be indicted into the Hall of Fame of Rick's College. I was foolish enough to think that my wisdom was good enough. I liked the my team's morale was good the entire season though.

     The teams were much more well organized that last season, and the unity in all the teams are great. After the championship race, my team got together and had a full on good pancake breakfast with sausage, eggs, and chocolate chip pancakes with a caramelized sauce to put on the pancakes. The Viking team came to the meet with face paint, and they made socks. The winning team prayed together before the championship race.

    

    

Because all good things must end...

"Now it's time for so long, but let's [post] just one more song. Cause it's me and you [and the reader too] we can do anything, that we wanna do. So long everybody.
-The ending song from Blue's Clues (Here come the feels)

In the movie world, when all is said and done, when filming has finally concluded and the final scene has been filmed, the director utters the phrase "That's a wrap." It pretty much means what it says. This is all wrapped up and we're done here. It says in Ecclesiastes 3:1-2

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

It's been a wild time bringing you the Awesome!ness of the Gospel in the form of Lights, Camera, Lopez! But like the scripture says, to everything, there is a season, and LCL's has ended. From Rainbow Dash to Inception, I've done my best to make the world a nicer more gospel cultured place and judging from the number of posts I've written, I'd say I've done a good job and have earned a season of rest. Perhaps you haven't heard the last of me, but most likely you have. To all you loyal fans who kept up and suffered my incoherent ramblings, I say, "thanks and good job!" To those who stole my ideas. I say, "I did it first..."

Well my lovely audience and reader, it's been a time. We've had some laughs, some

From us at Light's, Camera, Lopez! Okay... From me...

tears, and a choreographed dance or two. I'm gonna miss bringing you your weekly dose of Awesome!ness but, well... I'm done. "But this was a terrible post that had nothing to do with beginnings, OR ends, and I always thought you would end with a My Little Pony post!" Oh...Well... It happens. As always, if you or a friend need a laugh and a positive message, message me on the Facebooks!

And with that,

Cut. That's a wrap. 

there is a way

{originally posted at bewhyyou.blogspot.com}

nov 2012 - apr 2014 i went on a mormon mission

& during that time, i learned a LOT

about myself

about the world

about the gospel

about God

one of the most important things i learned is this:

{talking about Jesus Christ}

meaning

Jesus Christ has been where you are. He has been in your exact situation, with your exact problems & weaknesses & baggage & family situation & quirks & history & joys & disappointments & issues & life.

everything. He's experienced it. personally. specifically. intimately. infinitely.

and

He has provided a way to escape. He has broken the bands that would hold you back from being everything you want to be & more - everything He knows you can be. There is a way provided for you from where you are to more joy than you can even imagine. There is a way.

and

He is willing to come back to where you are, & meet you there, & walk that path with you.

THIS IS SUPER IMPORTANT

there is a way to peace & happiness & joy & everything you're looking for & more

that way is the gospel of Jesus Christ

& no matter who you are or where you've been, there is a way for you.

learn more : mormon.org

"Hello Beautiful!" by Sister Koroitamana

Hi!!!! How are you doing? This whole week has been a roller coaster. This was our first week in Manhattan Beach and to start it of our leaders in the Zone wished us the best of luck knowing fully well the stereotype that Manhattan Beach is a rich place with tonnes of wealthy people. Sister Matheson and I are really learning to exercise our Faith a lot! One Morning we got out the door with 2 hours to spend talking to people and trying to contact people. We set a goal to talk to at least 5 people and then we decided to stretch it and have a goal of 8. We said a prayer and talked to almost everyone we saw even though people were on the go not alot of people were outside, We came back to our apartment having had 10 meaningful Gospel Conversations. It was really a great feeling! To set those goals and exercise Faith and really talk to Everyone and see how the Lord truly does consecrate our efforts and help us accomplish his purposes. 
Something I've been thinking about a lot lately is a quote from Preach My Gospel that says: "Goals reflect the desires of our hearts" it's so true! When we set goals we are telling Heavenly Father that this is what we want to accomplish, this is the desires of our hearts and as we make plans and do all we can to reach those goals we are exercising Faith and we allow the Lord to work miracles through us. I feel like setting goals was never really something I've been really good at as I've always felt like I'll just do my best and whatever happens happens. I feel like learning the importance of setting goals and doing all we can to achieve them and trusting that the Lord will help and provide for us as we act has really helped me to exercise and strengthen my Faith and really come to learn that when we set goals that stretch us we can truly fulfill and become our true potential and not live below that. I love this quote from Elder Ballard and wanted to share it with you:)

“I am so thoroughly convinced

that if we don’t set goals in our

life and learn how to master the

techniques of living to reach our

goals, we can reach a ripe old age

and look back on our life only to

see that we reached but a small

part of our full potential. When

one learns to master the

principles of setting a goal, he

will then be able to make a great difference

in the results he attains in this life"

 I know that God lives. Sometimes I just feel him soo close to me I don't want to lose him near me and I can also clearly recognize those times that I feel so far away from him. It's usually when worldly things start coming to my mind. Today we were at the Laundry Mat and while waiting for our Laundry to be done Sister Matheson and I went to the Clothing Store next door just to window shop and it was all great but the Music was loud and it was one of the songs I would listen to before my Mission. it was soo hard and strikingly lulling. of that makes sense. I could just feel myself drifting away in my thoughts to my old self and the things I used to like and do. Wow! that really was a little scary to think of how much impact music has on me. I told my companion that I didn't really want to be there anymore. She was so great even though she still wanted to look around she helped me and decided to come out as well. Wow I really don't want to go back to the old me. That music just took my mind back to how I used to feel before and it wasn't good because I knew that I couldn't really feel the spirit as clear while I was in there.Wow the struggle is real.

 Besides all that this week we had a great Miracle happen. Our first night here in Manhattan Beach we received a referral from the Korean Elders for a woman named Reshmi. They had just been knocking on doors and came across her and she lives in our area! They set a return appointment for Sunday but the next day (Wednesday) we felt prompted to contact her anyway so we went to her home. We got to meet her and guess what?!?! she's Indian and is from Fiji!!! Wow! that was such a miracle. She's Christian and it turns out that last year when I was here in Manhattan Beach we had had Family Home Evening with one of our Members the Clark Family and they had invited their neighbor over we got to meet them and found out that their neighbor's wife was from Fiji as well:) This neighbor was actually Reshmi's daughter they live right down the block. It was so great to see the Lord's hand in all things. I pondered alot about all of this as we came back and I was just amazed at how the Lord works truly through small and simple things and even small and simple invitations. On Saturday night my companion and I again felt prompted to go by Reshmi's home and invite them to church. We went by and her husband was home. His name was Deo and he was reading the Bible and had already marked up the pamphlet we had left with his wife. We talked a little with him and he speaks Fluent Fijian so that was pretty cool:) We had great laughs with them all and invited them to church. Sunday came and as we waited no one came as church was starting but as we looked out the door we just from the corner of my eye this Indian man walking in! It was Deo! He came to church!!! and he stayed for all 3 hours! WOW!!!! We were SUPER Happy! he was happy to be there as well. He slowly took everything in and during Sunday School he gave really good insights. He sounds like a born again Christian and is very passionate about it especially with the fact that Bible is the only word of God. That night at 7pm we went by his home with one of our Members Brother George and that lesson was a little crazy as Deo just knew alot! about the Bible and wasn't really accepting the fact the god calls Prophets today. My Companion and I did a lot! of praying during that lesson and tonight we will be seeing them again for dinner. Please Pray for Deo and his family that their hearts will be softened. 

This week another Miracle we had was that on Saturday night while my companion and I were out trying to visit people, we didn't really have much time and weren't really sure who else we could visit as it was getting late and the people we had planned for weren't really there. We said a prayer in the car and as we prayed the name Brian came to my mind. I tried to ignore it because I didn't know who Brian was but it kept coming to my mind so I told my Sister Matheson about it and we looked in our area Book to see if there was a Brian that lived nearby. We looked and the only Brian we saw was Brain George a member who's super active and lives with his wife and kids just a couple of blocks away. Sister Matheson and I were both a little scared to go by and see them at that time of the night knowing that they had little kids and that it was getting late. I prayed really hard to know if this was what Heavenly Father wanted us to do and I just felt so comforted knowing that if  it's good it's from God and I really just wanted to follow every prompting the Lord would trust me with. So we went by anyways and as we knocked no one came. Sister Matheson and I stood out there waiting patiently and still a little scared. On the 3rd knock the door opened and it was their Babysitter at the door! her name was Chelsea and I had recognized her because I got to meet her last year when I was here. She explained that she was home with the kids and that their Parents were out. We talked with her about why we were there and that we felt prompted to come. We shared our role as Missionaries and she expressed how she's been super busy lately with work and school and especially that her Mom was sick and had been in the hospital for almost a week now, We shared God's love for her and her family and how he had a plan for her. We prayed with her at the door and she expressed how grateful she was that we come by and how she just felt so much better now. As we said our goodbyes and walked away I just felt so much love and Gratitude for a loving Heavenly Father who truly does care about us. I was so grateful that he not only gave me that prompting through the Holy Ghost but also that he helped me to have the courage to follow that prompting as scary as it was, I am grateful for Sister Matheson and her willingness to help me with that! 
 I am so grateful to be back here in Manhattan Beach! I know it's not as easy as other areas I've been in but I also know and feel that there are truly people here who are ready to receive the Restored Gospel with Joy. I know that God lives. I am so grateful for the Holy Ghost. I know that truly this is the Lord's work and I am truly nothing without his spirit. I can truly testify that with the Holy Ghost leading us and magnifying our calling the Lord can do miracles through us to bless his children. I love this quote from President Weidman: "This work has little to do with us and more to do with how you and I respond to the promptings of the Holy Ghost" I know this is soo true! 

I Love you so much  Sister Matheson loves corned beef! I think I got her converted to Corned Beef :) 

I Love you!!!!!

come as you are

{from bewhyyou.blogspot.com}

context ~ 2 years ago I left on mormon mission to wisconsin, & in January met an individual who really caused me to think & feel a lot of things. This is an excerpt from my journal the week that we met her.

-----

first of all, there is room for EVERYONE in Christ's gospel. "He layeth down His own life that He may draw ALL men unto Him. wherefore, He commandeth NONE that they shall not partake of His salvation." (2 ne 26:24) Jesus stands with open arms to receive ALL those who will come unto Him and be saved. that's a fact. there is room for EVERYBODY in God's family.

Second... God allows us to be born into a fallen world because He knows that only through our struggles can we learn and become like Him. The "natural man" is an enemy to God. "for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God." none of us can just "be ourselves" and return to live with God again...

We are imperfect beings in an imperfect world, but we serve a perfect God whose perfect Son wrought a perfect Atonement so that we could be changed and return to live with Them :)

the whole idea of life is choosing God's will above our own and becoming TRANSFORMED through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. "Bringing our lives in line with God's will through repentance is a central purpose of our lives." (PMG).

the fact is, God accepts us and loves us just the way we are, but He refuses to leave us this way. none of us are perfect, but through the grace of God we ALL can become perfected. He will make us into MORE than we are - if we'll let him!

So come. Come to church in your pants. Come as you are, but please don't leave as you were. Come unto Christ, & be perfected in Him. deny yourselves of all ungodliness.

"Will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you? Verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive, and blessed are those who come unto me." 

"Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love, therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee." 

"Yea, I say unto you come and fear not, and lay aside every sin which doth easily beset you... come, and go forth, and show unto God that we are willing to repent." 

"Remember that the Lord surely should come to redeem His people, but that He should not come to redeem them IN their sins, but to redeem them FROM their sins. & He hath power to redeem them from their sins because of REPENTANCE."

THAT is why repentance is a central purpose of our lives. God loves you just the way you are, but He refuses to leave you that way. THANK GOD. and thankfully His ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts."

"as we change, we recognize that we are children of God and that we need not continue making the same mistakes over and over." as elder kanahele (from new zealand) would say, "so true. so true." :)

full text

you are more than what you have become

I Love you to the Sun and Back:)

Wow! this week has been such a crazy week for us.I really don't even know where to begin. I wish you could just feel all that I feel sometimes and just know. We found some great new investigators this week who really are so great and ready to learn and receive the Gospel. Their names are Mia and Thomas. Mia is sooo cute and Bubbly she kind of reminds me of me with all her facial expressions. She lives with her Aunt and Uncle, her Aunt and the kids were just baptized a couple of months ago and they all have such a great desire for Mia to feel the joy that they feel. In our first lesson with Mia her little cousin who's about 9 said the closing prayer and in it she said "Thank you Heavenly Father that Mia can be learning this" that was so tender, What a blessing! Mia's mom died and just recently she feels the need to really have a relationship with God. I love her so much! Her Birthday is tomorrow so we are planning to Bake for her!!! :D Also this week we received a referral named Thomas. The Sisters in the other area talked to him on the streets and he is such a miracle! He had just moved from Connecticut 2 months ago and had been taking Missionary lessons there and was preparing to be baptized but had to move. Now he's here and is willing and eager to learn. He is Awesome! We had our first lesson with him and we really just want to help him come closer to Christ.

On Saturday Morning our leaders has asked us about our goals and actuals for our areas as far as Baptism goes and all that and I was really sad to report to that we weren't doing very well in our areas because 2 of the people that we had set Baptismal Dates for just disappeared. One of them had called us to tell he didn't want to learn anymore and the other one, we can't get a hold of him. So I was a little sad about reporting on that.I feel like I honestly didn't know what else we could do to help this people. I feel like I am really trying to give this work and the Lord and this people my all and it really breaks my heart sometimes when people don't keep their commitments.That Saturday Morning my companion and I talked alot about Faith and how the Lord works and is able to show his power according to our Faith in him. We began that day with the hope that we were going to try and set 2 more Baptismal Dates and find new people to teach. That day was a great Miracle for us because we got to finally get in touch with Johnathan (an investigator we hadn't seen in almost 2 weeks) and we got to meet Thomas! We were able to have great lessons with the both of them and we were able to set new Baptismal Dates with the both of them. I have truly to come to feel my testimony grow in having Faith in the Lord and acting on the Faith that as we do all our best he will bless us and make miracles happen according to our Faith in him. I am truly coming to learn the truth in this scripture: Moroni 7: 33

 And Christ hath said: If ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me.

 I know that this is so true. Also another big news!!!! Last night we recieved our transfer calls and Guess what?!?! Sister Matheson and I are now only going to be serving in Manhattan Beach no longer covering El Camino. Wow is all I can say. I am grateful to still be with Sister Matheson she really has helped me alot! I love her and I am grateful to be serving fully in Manhattan Beach again.Woop! Woop!

How have you seen the Lord's hands in your lives lately? I would love to hear your experiences!

I Love you so much!!!!

Sister Koroitamana

"HOPE" by Sister Koroitamana

Heya Love!  

This week my companion and I have had lots of miracles happen as well as some heartaches. We've been receiving so many referrals of which we are so grateful for. This week we tried to contact most of them and we just had such great amazing, spirit filled lessons with them, We had a great member with us who shared a powerful testimony and we invited them to be baptized. 3 of our investigators accepted Baptismal Dates and we just felt soo good knowing that we really relied on the spirit and followed our promptings.I love my companion Sister Matheson. She and I really work well together and she always makes me laugh and she's really great at helping me to follow the spirit. I feel that in these lessons that we've had this week more than ever have I really learnt to trust and listen to and follow the spirit not only as we teach together but also as we go through out the day! I have really come to learn to trust and follow even the most subtle promptings. However small they maybe I have come to learn that the more we recognize and act on it the clearer it is and the more confident we will be in following those promptings. Sister Matheson is such a great example to me of that and she really helps me to follow my promptings. As we witnessed all these miracles happen in the beginning of the week we did our best to help these people get to church, although we tried to do all that we could none of them were able to make it and I just felt so sad and honestly a little discouraged. Sister Matheson talked about what else we could'v done to help them and it felt like there was really nothing else we could'v done on our part to help these people. I came home last night a little discouraged and honestly tired! not really knowing what else we could'v done to help these people. Then this morning during my personal Study I learnt about Hope in Preach My Gospel and it defined hope as a firm assurance in the Lord's promises that as we do our part he will do his. I was then led this this scripture in Moroni 7:41 that says:

And what is it that ye shall hope‍ for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope‍ through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise.

I thought alot about what it means to have hope in Christ and as I reflected I came to realize that it is in Christ and his Atonement that we should center our hopes in. I came to learn that Christ did what we couldn't do for ourselves or what seemed impossible to be done by man, He not only died for us but he also did rise again from the Dead making what was once impossible now  possible through Christ. I thought about that alot and came to the conclusion that we can center our hopes in Christ because only he can make all things possible if we just trust in him. I am grateful for this lesson and I am grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who allowed us have a Savior to help us. I am grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ who makes it possible for us to find hope and light even when things are hard. I am grateful for him. 

I love you!!!

Sister Koroitamana

"It is easy to stray" by Isidro Zapata

It is easy to stray
From
Gods Grace
God leaves it up to you
To let him in or keep
Gods grace out and live a empty life
The choice is all up to you
What side you will bow down to
Gods love and grace or live
Without peace I know you can
Tale what side you have choosen
It shows in how you treat others
And be able to forgive I know some walk
In between I just don't get it why you
Would live that way. Acting one way then
In a minute you are acting in a whole new way
Living in between never gives you rest
So cast that act down and walk
24/7
In Gods way
It is truly the
Only way to have true
Peace in your heart
And never be apart
From
Gods Love