A Hui Hou

Brother and sisters aloooha.

Well this is it, my two years as a full time missionary have come to a close. Sometimes it feels like it was an eternity and other times it feels like its only been a few days. I have had plenty of hard days but so so many good days.

Whether it was in the jungles of Kaneohe, the sketchy alleys of Honolulu, the suburbs of Waipio, the beach houses of Kealakekua, the countryside of Ka'u or the desert hill of Makakilo the Lord had lessons for me to learn and lives that he needed me to bless. Despite my mission being to help and serve others I know that the biggest change has been in myself. I am nowhere near perfect and I know that I made mistakes every day, but at the same time I know that I have become more like the man that Heavenly Father expects me to be.

I have made so many lifelong friends in the people I have taught alongside and those I have had the privilege to bare witness to. My companions have each changed my life and taught me valuable lessons. I have been blessed to see miracles and be a part of thus great work.

One such miracle I was able to be a part of this week was one that will have a lasting impact on me. As I mentioned a few weeks ago I recently ran into Leslie Niumata and her family that I taught in Honolulu over a year ago. As it happens my companion at the time (Elder Lewis) had been transferred back into that same area around the same time I saw them again. Leslie told us that she didn't think it was a coincidence that she ran into both of us in such a short amount of time. She started taking the lessons more seriously after that and just this Saturday was baptized. Because of the special circumstance and it being my last week in the field I was given permission to go back to Honolulu and perform the baptism. Her son John and neice Palagi were also baptized. I have felt joy many times on my mission but I can't think of a more perfect way to end my two years on these islands than seeing my good friends follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. It is a moment I will never forget.

To all of you that have seen me through this journey, thank you for your support me and praying for me, it has helped me through so much. I know I still have a long way to go, but I know that the journey is possible through Christ. I love you all and look forward to serving alongside all of you as we keep the missionary work alive, wherever it is that we may be. So for the last time...

Aloha!!

Elder Smith
Hawai'i Honolulu Mission

1. Aloha Oe from the Makakilo and Palehua Wards
2. Me with Leslie, John, and Palagi
3. The baptism 

End of the Beginning

Aloha! This was a week of lasts for me and I'm still not sure how I feel about it. Honestly this was probably the fastest week of my mission so I'm really trying to remember what even happened.

The big things were my last interview with President Bekker and my last zone conference. Interviews were pretty crazy as President Bekker and I went over some of the highlights of my mission and lessons that I learned. He gave me advice about school, work, and dating but more than anything he focused on the basic principles of staying active after the mission: Praying daily, studying the scriptures, serving others, and going to the temple. He also told me that the full time mission isn't even the real mission, it's more like boot camp and setting you on the right path. The real mission is going to be about moving forward in the gospel after real life starts. Should be fun.

Zone Conference was also pretty crazy, the focus was on finding new people and we all threw around different things we could do to help build our teaching pools. Since it was my last ZC I was able to go up in front of everyone and bare my testimony of the gospel. It was pretty surreal but it gave me the spiritual boost I needed to get through this last little bit. After all of us that are going home got up front and everyone else sang us Aloha 'Oe which was rough to be sure haha. I was able to be there with my MTC companion Elder Johnson who I haven't seen in over a year so that was pretty awesome.

Aside from that we were able to use some of the training at zone conference to help find new people, we think we have some real potential with some families we met and hopefully we will see the work in these wards continue to move forward.

I just wanted to say a quick thank you to everyone that has been through this journey with me, I know I have been pretty trash at responding to some of your emails or letters but they really do me the world to me. You guys have been amazing and I can't thank you enough. One week left to go and I'm gonna make it count! Love you all.

Elder Smith
Hawai'i Honolulu Mission

1500 S. Beretania St. ste. 416
Honolulu, HI 96826

3. Me with Elders Cowden, Blackmore, Pututau, Anderson, and Gunderson.
4-6. Some zone conference pics

The updated Wall of Legends now includes Elder Cowden


The birthday boy Elder Cowden


Me with Elders Cowden, Blackmore, Pututau, Anderson, and Gunderson.


Some zone conference pics