Old Prayers Answered!

what a week :)

☆ gave my departing testimony at zone conference & had to say my last goodbyes to some people even though I still have a whole month left :( SAD !!

☆ I got strep throat starting Wednesday. Pretty sure someone switched our water bottles at zone conference lolol :(( but by Friday morning I had my medicine & now I'm feeling a little better woohoo ! we had to take the weekend off so I could sleep...it was BORING but much needed rest ngl !!

☆ I had more time to think than one would like because of ^^ strep ! and I couldn't help but think about how sometimes I am ungrateful to God of the answers He gives me to old prayers.

For an example, I remember praying everyday as I turned in my mission papers (February/March 2020) : "PLEASE let me learn my culture"

Fast forward to April 2021 & I am assigned to serve in the only 2 Polynesian wards in Orange County.

Something small like recognizing that we might be experiencing the answers to old prayers is a blessed and spirit filled moment 🤍 I know I have had many more old prayers answered but I sure am grateful for a God that knows His timing !!

sorry there's not much this week, but stay blessed :) ofa atu !!

sister fin <3

- an apple that grows red on the inside !! cooooollll.

- my first strawberry that I grew ! I have a new love for plants lol.

- me and some friends !

Comments

Absence

The clock strikes 12:47am. My companions rush hurriedly to the door. I make my way down the stairs, trying not to fall asleep. As I felt the cool air brush against my face, I pull my blanket to me, angrily mumbling. I stare at the asphalt covered in droplets of rain but when I eyes revert to whats ahead of me, I deeply longed to go back in time 20 seconds prior. My heart sunk deep in my stomach as if it was the titanic. I look to my phone and the word 'absence' appeared as my daily common word from the Word Web app. I chuckled at how ironic this vocabulary applied to my very situation in the moment. Our car was absent. We won't go into detail but we actually found our car hahah after like 20 mins, we are just dumb ! I actually laughed so hard when I saw the word absence though because I truly felt called out by my own phone haha. But it was a wild adventure... I got to spend the night at some sisters apartment on the hardwood floor. Got 3 hours of sleep with a 6 hour me...

Thanks Pickles!!

Kia ora family&friends !! I have heard rumors that our world is still crap. That has to be rough out there. I feel so protected and safe here. But it was a great week, we were able to invite David to be baptized...if you dont remember, he was* Atheist about 1.5 weeks ago! Except he just barely sent us a YouTube link to why mormonism is false and asked us to give it a thought . . . so keep him in your prayers :)) Another amazing person we have met is already a member, but she got out of a psych ward 3 weeks ago. When I saw her, you could tell she was not in the right mindset and just overall her vibe was depressing. She struggled a lot feeling God's love, but she wanted so desperately to feel it. We taught her about the Atonement of Christ and left her with a few tasks to fulfill. This last Saturday we saw her, and I have never seen the Atonement of Christ comfort, care, and heal someone as much as I did that day. I have such a strong testimony of the reality of Christ's ...

Small things

talofa lava !! it was a special week full of so many blessings from God. it was so special. I felt so many prayers & fasts answered as we went about our week !! ☆ i got to poi ball dancing !! best day of the week. I walked into an activity for our Samoan youth ward & one of the ladies asked if I could perform a number & i totally freaked out lol. She taught me something quick & it was so much fun. I miss it & I love my culture !! ☆ so. many. activities !! youth activities have started back up so we are busyyy with being with them since our leaders want us with them always !! ☆ we visited SO SO SO many families. we want to meet every single member... and they're 493 . . . in just one of our wards. talk about crazy. busy. !! ☆ i am staying in the ward of zion for another 6 weeks <3 I feel SO BLESSED. God is so so good. No other way to describe Him. This week I have learned so much about how the simple things are God. Sometimes we ...

Sister Leilani Kalona Finlayson