Sister Kayla Bowen: Purple Oras and such

I know most of you probably skip down to the pictures but some of these stories are funny so if you have 5 minutes take a seat and use those reading skills your beloved elementary teachers provided you with.

I meet a lot of new people everyday but this week I met some particularly noteworthy individuals.

1. We had the name of some less actives we could never get a hold of named the Criders and Wednesday night we saw their door open so we went and knocked with our usual "Aloha" when from inside we heard "Ugh it's the Mormons again!" Obviously I was a little concerned but a guy answered the door laughing and turns out Sister Iino knew them. They hardly ever opened the door to the Sister missionaries but lately they have invited us to dinner (Which we eat out on their deck because rules) and breakfast and the guy, a 25 year old named Cody, keep us supplied with cuties from Costco. Cody lives with his dad, who we call Dad. They hate Mormons and people from Utah, but I have definitely won them over. Patiently and slowly we are warming them up to the idea of coming back to church so crossing our fingers.

2. This week we also visited Tom, a funny old man that drives every snail he finds down to the beach and bases his entire schedule around garbage day.

"Hey Tom can we come back tomorrow at 2 and teach you another lesson about the gospel?"

"What's tomorrow?......Wednesday?...Ooo Garbage day..let's see they pick up at 2....sorry girls how about Thursday that's garbage day."

3. We went to Sister Meyers (A cute little Philippine lady) house and she fed us more food than I have ever eaten. I'm literally still recovering. The table was covered and then she brought out a whole sushi tray and 3 bags of Popeyes. She had been cooking all day it was super sweet of her.

4. We also have another investigator on date for baptism named Brandon. Sister Iino and her last comp. had been teaching him for a long time and he was super skeptical, but this last time we went and taught the plan of Salvation and he suddenly said he wanted to be baptized and he even came to church yesterday. It just goes to show that we should never give up on people because they may be 1 lesson away from it clicking.

5. Last, but most certainly not least, on Saturday we were heading to the Criders for dinner and saw one of our less actives doors open so we went and knocked. A short Japanese lady came out and immediately said "Ugh the Mormons." (We get that a lot) She said:

"I use to be one of you but my neighbor is part of your society so I quit."

"Our society...? Relief Society?"

"Yeah that. She was swearing at our other neighbor, I promise I never lie, I don't lie I also see oras around peoples heads and they are purple. You Mormons don't have them."

"Uhh..."

"Come with me you'll see we can talk to the neighbor she was swearing at so you can see I'm not lying, you have to tell you bishop so he can talk to her. I'm glad you guys came, but I knew you would because I've been working on my telepathy and call you two here."

*Proceeds to ponder about purple oras as the two neighbors talk about the Mormons and how they lie.*

"Okay well we gotta go bye now."

I also tried poke (Po-Kay: Raw fish) and I loved it. We also keep getting fresh mango, bananas, and cuties from the members which makes serving a mission all the better. :)

I hope you are all doing good, I apologize for the long email. I'm going to stop sending mass emails, but be sure to check my blogspot for pictures and stories! Thank you to everyone we makes me day by sending letters and pictures over email!

This church is true, I promise!

Aloha,

Sister Bowen