Mission Address

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Luke A. Powell
Hawaii Honolulu Mission
1500 South Beretania St. Suite #416
Honolulu, Hawaii 96826

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Exhausted beyond belief, Juicing the Scriptures, PROFOUND blessings

10/12/15


I'm sure what you really want to hear is all about what is happening for the saints out here in Kekaha and how we are holding up as well. Well, I'll start by assuring you that just the fact that I am here today and capable of e-mailing you is a sign of a good week! There are some days where I'm not sure I could ever get out of my bed again. I've been just about exhausted beyond belief but all in all I am alive and doing well! :)

Some of the major events this week that have contributed to our overall exhaustion include first, a very fun and spiritual Zone Conference (a perfect follow up to a marvelous General Conference only a few days prior). Also preparing for and giving a fun lesson/activity at our Thursday Night Book of Mormon Class/Ward Family Home Evening. As well, this week we had an increased number of service hours. I was also able to conduct a baptismal interview for a really amazing individual that our Zone Leaders have been teaching up in Lihue. And finally, just yesterday got to witness the unending blessings that come from Fasting and Prayer.

 So yeah, zone conference was great! It is always a blessing to hear from President Warner and his assistants. Not surprisingly they talked a LOT about the Sabbath-day. I guess I never realized just how important and symbolic the Sabbath-day really is but also how incredibly disregarded it is by society in this day and age. It is a little disheartening, but hey, that's what we're here to do I guess! :) haha! Anyway, yeah, it was really a fun conference! It was especially fun to be told 30 minutes before the meeting started that they needed a special musical number and that I was being "volun-told" to do it! Haha! So another missionary and I put together a little Duet of "Lead Kindly Light" with my vocals and his violin. It actually turned out pretty good. I wish I had a copy of it to send you, but I'll just have to sing for you when I get home! :)

Class this Thursday was fun too! I lead a little activity/lesson on "Juicing the Scriptures". Where we first had people come up and with their bare hands try and squeeze as much juice out of an orange as possible into a bowl, (an activity/object lesson I actually picked up from Bro. Eaves one year in seminary! Thank you Bro. Eaves!) :) and then we talked about how to get the most out of your scripture study. A little anagram I used was "S.Q.U.I.R.T" because that's what oranges do when you juice them! :) haha! S for Story, what is the context of the scripture. Q for Questions, learning to asking and find answers to specific and inspired questions you might have. U for Underline, or any other form of marking and saving important scriptures so you can find them for later use and reference. I for LIken (I know I cheated a bit on that one), being able to apply the scriptures into your own life. R for Resources, using all of your resources including the foot notes, topical guide, bible dictionary, conference talks, maps, missionaries, manuals and everything else we have been given for just that purpose! And finally T for Teach/testify, truly the greatest way of learning and getting and anything from your scriptures is to teach others and testify, and as we do so the spirit is able to teach and testify to our own soul and our own understanding things that we never would have known otherwise. Anyway, yeah there's a little family night lesson if anyone wants to steal it! ;) haha! The most important thing though is just CONSISTENCY!!! Reading at least a little bit from the Book of Mormon, "every day, every day, every day!" :)

 We also had a chance to do a little more service this week than average. First at the flower garden we help with every week out in Kalaheo (I think she took a picture and was going to send it to you, did you happen to get that?) and then also just weed whacking and raking up some VERY overgrown grass at one of our members houses here in Kekaha. It's always a blessing to be able to just get out of our proselyting cloths and get our hands dirty, our necks a little burnt and our hearts and souls revitalized through service! :)

And lastly and really quick, I just wanted to bear testimony of the strength that comes from Fasting and praying when done together! It is such a small and simple thing and yet it brings PROFOUND blessings to both the one fasting, and the ones being fasted for! I hope you all know that I am praying for you as well and I wish you the best in the coming week! Again, I cannot even begin to express my deepest love for you Mom. Likewise I love each and every one of you back home and look forward to the day we will be together again, but until that day, there is work to be done here and we've been called to do it!! Hope you all have a FANTASTIC week! Stay strong, carry on, and don't forget to be awesome!!!!!

Ofa lahi atu!
-Elder Powell

p.s. Our island really is beautiful and I feel so blessed to be here! :)









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