"The Field is White Already to Harvest"

Malo Soifua!!!

This week was transfers. Elder Checketts, may he RIP in peace, was sent to Connecticut, and I picked up Elder Kelley, who came from the Bronx. He's a really good missionary, and a really cool guy. He got here to Staten, for the past week he's been in awe of just how different it is from his last area. (different in a good way haha). He's got a lot of fire, and he's really good at setting expectations and hard commitments (not hard to keep, but without excuses). He's been almost training me on how to "cut away every excuse" so that it comes down to "are you willing to let God prevail in your life?" We've begun a purge of sorts, making sure all of our friends are actually willing to keep commitments, make plans, and set priorities. It's been a very different experience, but I'm already loving the work we're doing. We've got some high goals for our transfers together, and God willing, we're going to get some work DONE here in Staten (#IslandGrind).

We did end up having a rather frustrating weekend as we committed almost six people to church. By Saturday night we had three confirming for sure, and another three that were maybes. On Sunday morning, however, all of them either never responded or said they actually couldn't come. We were a little frustrated, but we took it in stride, and we're going to fix some problems this next week to help get people to church so that they can begin making covenants with God. Also, Elder Kelley fits right in here in the ward. He was reassigned to NYC from the Philippines, so he spoke Tagalog for a few months. We walk into church, and Bishop's family and three other families all walk over and start chattering away together in Tagalog. Half the ward already loves him because he speaks their native language, so that's good.

President Teuscher recently reached out stake presidents in our area and asked if anyone in our mission boundaries spoke a number of languages so that they could help out reassigned missionaries here in NYC. We ended finding a Samoan sister in Manhattan (I think?) who offered to teach us Samoan!! We've met with her a few times, and it's been a HUGE blessing. My Samoan is starting to improve again, and I'm actually learning stuff haha. Definitely a blessing from God.

I've also been working on my guitar skills, which have been slowly improving. I'm working some hymns that I can eventually use as Facebook content, so hopefully that works out soon. Elder Kelley and I have also begun working on a song for Staten Island, and it's been a lot of fun working on chords and words (in the evenings during personal time haha.)

Mafaufauga Faaleagaga: Elder Kelley once quoted a document called the Riccardi Letter and said: "The field is white already to harvest (quoting D&C 4:4). It doesn't say the field is brown, or the field is green, or the field is sprouting, or the field is planted. It says the field is white. We are here to find the elect, the white in the field. Some people need a little work and a little help, but we are not here to waste the Lord's time by focusing on people who are not yet ready." That really struck me because I'e always wanted to, and thought I could, help everyone and save everyone. What I've realized this past week ,however, is not everyone is ready to hear the gospel yet. Some need a little more time. And for those who aren't ready yet, we need to focus our efforts elsewhere towards the hundreds or thousands who are ready and willing to learn the gospel and make covenants with Heavenly Father.

The work is good, and God is good. 

Alofa tele lava atu ia outou,

Elder Hill

Photos:

• I found a KitKat without any cookie in it, so that was neat.
• A potato as part of our last Zone initiative (loser of our friendly competition had to eat raw potatoes and send in a video to the rest of the Zone).
• Geese
• A hearty, delicious dinner while Elder Kelley and I watched the Brandon Sanderson "Why I Believe" devo on Sunday night.