Transfers again????????????????????????????????

December 8, 2014

Well, it's that time again! Transfers has come upon the land of Irvine once again.  The hearts of the missionaries have been touched and the call has been issued.  There have been some that have had weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth.  There has been some that have had much rejoicing.  Where am I in this picture??????  GUESS!!!!!

....

Just kidding!!! I have had much rejoicing! Sister Gillins and I are staying together! The dream team has another 6 weeks to be AWESOME!  This will be my 5th transfer in this area.  I love the South Coast ward.  I love this so much and I am so excited to continue in this ward and to be able to serve during CHRISTMAS!!!!!

This week has been a week full of music and getting in the spirit of Christmas.  We have been able to go to 2 interfaith concerts for the Choir--one in Laguna Beach and one in Aliso Viejo.  We sang so many songs, and in Laguna Beach, I got to be a Wise Man! That was fun!  And I got to sing a solo there, that I wasn't expecting.  That was interesting.  In Aliso Viejo, we sang at the Soka University concert.  That was really fun! I love singing in a concert hall and serving the Lord and testifying of what is right and true!

I love this ward! I love it with all my heart! 

Have a great week everyone!

Love,

Sister Kayla Haws

Turkey!! And Pasole? And a baptism!‏

December 1, 2014

 

Happy December everyone!! Can you believe that it is already the last month of this crazy year?? I can't!

 

Not much exciting happened at the beginning of the week. I took yet another friend/companion to Ikea for her first time. It was awesome! We had a blast!

 

Wednesday, we had a special mission conference.  The chaplain on Camp Pendleton Marine Base, Chaplain Adams, came and talked to us. He is a Seventh Day Adventist, and he had some great insight.  He loves the members of our church, and he loves serving the Lord.  I found a fellow servant in him, and it was really nice to hear his insight.  He knew a lot about our religion.  The elders stationed in Camp Pendleton have helped him out a lot and he has the deepest respect for them.  They are great elders as well.  He talked all about how mission is about sharing; sharing our message, sharing love, and sharing what we have.  He talked about how a mission is not about you, how it is about the people, and how a mission is for the glory of God, not you!  It was really cool! I love hearing what other people have to say. It proves that each church has some truth in it, and that there are true seekers here.  I love this work so much!!

 

Thursday, all the fun happened! We had district meeting where Elder Miller asked Helena to speak to us about her conversion and how we can be more successful with our investigators.  She did so good! I love her with all my heart! Then, since we had to sing with the elders for Manny's baptism (more on that later), we went to the church and practiced. Sister Gillins is the most awesomest person ever!!! She plays the piano like a boss! It was so fun!  Then, we went with the Sisters, the Spanish Elders, and us, to La's house! We had so much fun!  La made turkey, ham, stuffing, potatoe salad, ribs, and stuffing; and Manny's mother made Pasole!! It was so good! Probably the best pasole I have ever had! I loved it a lot.  I love food so much!

 

Friday, we had practice with the Elders again, but before that, we had a blitz in the Mesa View ward.  I got to go on exchanges with Sister Cottle for that and it was so fun! She helped me be ok with going home, and put everything in perspective.  She helped me to feel loved, and it was great!

 

Saturday, we were in charge of the book of Mormon reading that normally happens, but no one showed up, so we practiced a little, before going to get lunch.  After lunch we helped a less active to feel better.  Then we had MANNY'S Baptism!!!!! It was so cool! I love that kid so much! The program ended up awesome! There weren't many people there, because aparently no one knew about it, but it was perfect.  The song we sang was awesome! The elders did amazing, and so did Sister Gillins! I love having a musical companion! it's the best!  La and her son, Jarom gave AWESOME talks, and he was so happy! After his baptism, we went to eat Tamales that his mother made! They were SO GOOD!!!! I love mexican food!! It makes me really happy to serve in such an awesome ward.

 

Sunday morning, we got a call from the Sisters, and they asked us a favor.  Sister Cottle was supposed to give a talk, but she found out she had to go to a meeting in Irvine, so she asked if I could give a talk on Gratitude.  I didn't know that I was speaking, and I had about an hour to prepare it, but it turned out pretty well! I prayed really hard for the spirit to help me know what to say, so that worked really well.  I know that the Spirit is real, and that God does give us strength in the times that we need it.  I love God so much!!

 

I love this work! I love seeing people make covenants and changing their lives! I love seeing people follow their Savior Jesus Christ.  I love seeing families change because one person decides to change.  I love being a missionary!! I love you all so much!!

 

This week, look up the awesome video found on christmas.mormon.org. It will bring you to know just why we celebrate Christmas!

 

I love you all! Have a great week! Remember to remember the reason for this Christmas season! Watch the beautiful Christmas devotional for me, since I can't!

 

Love,

Sister Kayla Haws

 

Helena's mother, Bessie, crocheted me a blanket!! It's my favorite color and it is so flipping beautiful and warm!! I love her so much!!

 

 

 

24's! Baptisms, and Amazing Awesomeness!‏

November 24, 2014

 

YOKWE!!!!

 

So this week was full of amazing awesomeness, as it says in my subject line!

 

Tuesday, we had our district meeting, where Sister Gillins and I had to do a training on the Book of Mormon and how we can better use it in our missionary life.  It was amazing and the spirit was really helping us along in that training! I love her so much! And I love that we were able to work together for that!  I have such a strong testimony of the book of Mormon that it was really cool to share that with the members of my district.  Then we had a missionary conference, and we learned about the Christmas awesomeness that is called "He is the Gift."  It is all about helping us to feel of God's love and remember why really have Christmas.  To learn more, check out christmas.mormon.org.  Super amazing!  That night we also picked up Diana, Manny's sister, as an investigator!

 

Wednesday we had temple tours and got to help Katina, a recent convert from Westpark continue to settle in to her new apartment.

 

Thursday was 24s exchanges.  I have talked about them before because this is the 3rd time we have done them.  This time, as with the other 2, I stayed in my area.  I was with Sister Murphy and Hermana Williams.  It was an amazing experience! I was able to share my time with some amazing sisters.  Hermana Williams has only been out in the field for 10 weeks, and she went to the Mexico MTC, so that was cool.  As we were contacting, I got to introduce myself as Hermana Haws, and it made me think of Ashley!  Shout out to the COOLEST sister in the world!! Hermana in 5 months!!

 

Friday we returned with our companions.  Can I just say how grateful I am for having a companion that I love so much that I miss her! I missed working with her, talking with her, singing with her, praying with her, serving with her, teaching with her.  I love exchanges, and there are a lot of miracles that come from it, but there is power in working with the person that you have been assigned to work with ever day.  There are reasons we are with our companions, and the Spirit testified that to me this week!  That night we taught Diana, and she accepted baptism!!! I am so excited for her and to see her progress!!

 

Saturday we were able to go with Manny to his baptismal interview, and he PASSED!!  He is getting baptized this Saturday!!

 

Sunday was great, full of singing with the Choir, and seeing members of the Dana Point ward that I haven't seen for a year and be able to say hi to them! I love them a lot! they are a good ward!  We also got to sing at an Episcapol church for an interfaith conference.  It is so amazing to be able to share my testimony that "I Believe in Christ" and "How Firm a Foundation", to sing "Amazing Grace" while being accompanied by the bagpipes, to hear other people and the songs that they sing, to hear scriptures that are used in our church as well as theirs.  It was an amazing experience!  I love music!!

 

This week is so amazing! I am so excited for Thanksgiving! Let us all remember why we celebrate Thanksgiving, and show our gratitude to those that matter most to us.  I sure am grateful for every single one of you, and the impact that you have made in my life.  Thank you for all the prayers and love that you show to me every week!

 

Have a great week!! Eat lots of turkey, and watch a football game for me!

 

Love,

Sister Kayla Haws

 

These were taken at the temple tour meeting that all the temple sisters went on last week!

 

 

 

Singing, Mission calls, and awesomeness!‏

November 17, 2014

 

ALOOOOOOOHA!!!!!!

 

This week has been really cool!! I love serving in South Coast!!

On Tuesday we were able to go to the temple again! I love that place so much!! I just love the insights we receive and the spirit that is felt there more than anywhere else!  After that, we had temple tours and we didn't have anyone show up, but we were able to make up a story with the sisters that were there with us! That was fun!

 

Wednesday we had our Zone Training Meeting and it was awesome! We went to choir and started singing Christmas songs!!! The season is upon us!! I am so happy!  We went to temple tours and froze our toes off!! I must really be acclimated to this coastal weather, because it was torture, and it was only 65 with a slight wind chill.  I'm such a wimp!!

 

Thursday, Friday and Saturday were spent most of the day practicing for some songs that Sister Gillins had to play: "I know that my redeemer lives," for me for sacrament meeting, and "Savior, Redeemer of my soul" for another missionary to sing at a baptism.  It was really amazing. She is such a talented missionary!! I can't even handle it how awesome she is!!

 

Friday we were able to have a meeting with all the temple sisters, and it was nice to get insight from them on how to do better with the tours.  I love it so much!!

 

Saturday we had a luau! It was super fun! Really good food!! I love our mission!!

 

Sunday we went to our first Marshallese baptism! That was interesting... I didn't understand most of the words that were said, but the Spirit was still strong!

 

Also, on Friday, I received an unexpected call from Sister Webber, Tommy's mom, and she told me that my little sister had received her mission call!!!!!! I found out that my angel sister will be serving the people of Twin Falls Idaho in Spanish!!! She reports to the MTC on April 1st, 8 days before I return home!!! I was so excited, I cried for joy at the thought of her serving the lord. I love this work so much!!

 

Have a wonderful week! 

I have a quote for you!  "Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ...can also be a source of inner strength through which we find self esteem, peace of mind, contentment, and the courage to cope."  (M. Russell Ballard, Our search for happiness, page 16.)  Hope this helps you!! Be awesome!

 

Love,

 

The other Sister Haws

 

 

We got Chocolate Turkeys from our favorite mission mom! (Thanks Sister Webber!)

 

 

 

The sky is almost as pretty as in New Mexico:)

 

 

 

 

Short week.....‏

November 10, 2014

 

So, it feels like I have just sent you an email.... and I did! I had only sent it just Wednesday!   Super short week.  Not a ton has happened.  We were able to go do temple tours on Friday, and we met this awesome man named Chris.  He has been searching for the truth, and he thinks he found it in Utah! He is still on a spiritual journey, and waiting for a sign, but he was awesome! He had read like the Doctrine and Covenants, and some of the Book of Mormon.  It was a very powerful lesson! I was in awe at how the Lord truly does prepare people to be ready.  He is moving to Louisiana, but we will keep praying for him!

 

Ermalinda and krystalee are still doing awesome! They are so cute! I got to help Ermalinda start Personal Progress! It was really cool to see and to help her with that!

 

Manny wasn't able to make it to church, but he's still doing great!

 

This week was the primary program! That is always so fun! I love the little kids and how much purity and power in their little bodies.  They have such pure testimonies! The theme was "Families are Forever."  How very true that is! I love my family so much, and there is nothing I would do that would make it so that I would not be able to be with them forever!

 

Have a great week! So sorry that I don't have more to report, but I love you all so much!!

 

Love,

Sister Kayla Haws

 

Baptism pictures: 

 

 

the girls

  

 

Helena

 

 

Sister Gillins!! The one and only!  :)

 

 

Singing Companion.... Wait, isn't that my job???‏

November 5, 2014

 

I have a new companion!! Her name is Sister Megan Gillins! She is from Las Vegas, Nevada.  She is 20, has been out on her mission for 5 months, has so much insight, and as you can see from the headline, she sings too!! She is in choir, and she sings almost as much as I do!! It's awesome! I love her a lot!!

Our baptism went amazing this week!! The girls were so happy, it went smoothly, Sister Putnam made it there, and Sister Gillins was able to play the piano for my musical number that I did.  They were confirmed on Sunday, and it was amazing! What a great way to start a transfer.

So, the reason I am emailing on Wednesday, is that we had a mission conference on Monday.  It was really cool.  Elder Wilford W. Andersen from the Second Quorum of the Seventy came and talked with us! He had a lot of great insight.  President and Sister Orgill also addressed us, and it is always good to hear from them!  I love them a lot!

I hope you all have a great week!! Hope you remember to be amazing and to look to your Heavenly Father.  And "with a passion, enjoy the journey!"

I love you all!!

Love,
Sister Kayla Haws

 

I forgot to mention..... WE HAD RAIN THIS WEEK!!!!!  It was really cool, it was the Saturday of the baptism, and when I walked outside, I saw a rainbow, and it was really neat because I was singing "When I am Baptized" at the girls' baptism!

It was a really neat experience that helped me to remember that God Loves all of us.  ALL of us!!

Transfers..... DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUUNNN!!!‏

October 27, 2014

 

Well, this week is transfers............  And I am staying!!!!!! I get to be in this area for at least 6 months!! This is officially the longest area I have served in.  I love this ward with all my heart!! I am so glad I get to stay.  Unfortunately, we did get some sad news.  Sister Putnam is being transferred.  But we had a great week to end the transfer!

 

We were able to go to the temple with one of our recent converts, Noe, who went and did baptisms for the dead. It was an awesome experience. I know that he really felt the spirit. He seemed so at peace with everything and it was awesome:)  I just love how much the temple is there for us.  There is so much peace in that sacred building. Satan cannot enter it's doors, and so there is extra peace that cannot be found in the world.  It's just like John 16:33, where Christ says that "in the world, you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." 

We had temple tours, which were awesome. We love temple tours. I was able to help give a tour to some people from Texas (Dallas.  Sorry mom), and it was amazing some of the questions that they had. They were not members, but they had seen our temple on a website, and said that they had to go see it. It was amazing to see their enthusiasm and love and respect for that sacred building.  I love doing tours!! They are the best ever!!!

We have a baptism coming up this weekend!! It is Saturday at 1. It is so amazing to see. Ermalinda and Krystalee are both amazing little girls that we have had the privilege of teaching. Ermalinda is 12 and Krystalee is 8. Sometimes it is hard to teach them because they don't always retain it, but as we keep teaching them after baptism, I know that they will understand. It is amazing.

 

Helena is still doing good. She finally has a stable job that gives her weekends off and a steady income.  It is so good to see that the Lord really does supply when we are trying to do all we can!!

 

This weekend was our ward Trunk or Treat!! It was really fun.  Sister Putnam dressed up as a pirate.  I dressed up as a valley girl/80s girl.  Corina told me I was Cyndi Lauper:)

 

Have a great week!!

 

Love,

Sister Kayla Haws