Father

First, I love you all! I thought of you on Saturday and gathering together in Kahuku chapel and it just made my heart feel light. I was definitely there in spirit. And there we have it! We're members of the Church of Jesus Christ! Send my regards also to our ward family. I was thinking this week about how grateful I am for the ward family who helped to raise me- we have marvelous examples of self less service.

Next, I got letters with the news about Bonnie. The whole family is constantly in my prayers. I had to stop a couple of times this week and ask Father, "Why do hard things happen?" and then I basically just heard words that I say daily to everyone. The gospel is true and I'm so grateful. Because it's true and it's hard, and so I can pray for the people I love.

Miracles abound in this wonderful part of the vineyard. 

I don't think I've told you about Eugene. I should! He's an investigator from quite a while ago, and then he disappeared to who knows where and then we were at Sis. Sally's house one day and he walked by and called us and said, Come teach me again. He's one of the most mature 17 year olds I think I've ever met. He has 12 brothers and sisters so he's kind of figured out his own life, and I think he wasn't on a great path before but he's fantastic now. He's actually been coming to church for the past months and this week we finally worked out things for him to be baptized even though he's under age and so we're having a baptism next week! We actually got to teach his older sister as well in their home. First, you walk to the pier, but then you turn and walk along the sea wall with a view that reminds of waimea beach mixed with the light and clouds of the Kahuku Bike path, the kind that makes you hold your breath just a little longer and then let it all out in a sigh of gratitude. And then you walk past piles of dirt and sand and into the squatters area of little bamboo houses and the first house is Eugene's. We taught there on the floor and I remembered that this is now my normal life, but that you all don't see it daily. I wish you were all there- we wouldn't have fit, but it was so amazing. His older sister basically told us how much Eugene has changed and how he reads the Book of Mormon everyday and teaches his nieces to pray. So that's Eugene.

We sometimes also teach him and his friend Mark Christopher, with my favorite 18 year old member LynLyn in this guard house right on the beach and it's exactly what the Philippines should be. We have that view and then wind, and then we're all reading the Book of Mormon and talking about why we love Father. On Sunday, we were there, and the wind started getting really strong and the clouds gathered in and we finished up and then the clouds starting dumping rain. But we still had to run along the sea wall in the mud from the dirt piles, with one umbrella that was doing nothing because the rain was sideways. LynLyn just started running in the rain but we had to be missionaries. We got to their house and dripped for a while, we got dumped on from a whole in their roof and their family duck tried to bite my foot. So much fun. So so happy. That was the Sunday night baguio. The Elders texted to make sure we were safe- definitely safe, just really wet!

We had dinner with the Andersons. I love senior couples. They are probably the coolest people. Their conversion stories are amazing, and I'm so grateful for their love.

Ronneco passed the sacrament this week. His smile would have made prisons beam.

We taught someone who never goes to church even at the Catholic, Sister Ami. She didn't really get it, but then after laughing hysterically, we got her to pray. She started, "Heavenly Father, thanks for the missionaries.. we ask for blessings " and then it got really quiet, until we hear quiet sobbing and her quiet whisper. It's my first time to talk to him.

I can't describe how sweet that is.

We have a loving Heavenly Father. I prayed to him this week. Not that I don't other weeks, or in every single moment ever, but this week, heaven was really really close from the tile floor. He loves every single one of you, no matter what is going on in your life.

And I love you too!

Sister Tueller