Time Is Precious

Elder Shirley, Elder Manakofua and Elder Ahokovi

Missionaries hanging out on P-day

Elder Shirley's companion, Elder Manakofua

Some food Elder Shirley made for the apartment

Elder Shirley's apartment

Another view of the apartment

Street in front of the apartment

January 13, 2020 

This week was a pretty good week! Honestly not anything too new has happened this week just kind of same thing. 

Tuesday was just a normal proselyting day where we went out and were able to see some people as well as some of our recent converts to strengthen them. 

Our best day this week was definitely on Friday when we had our exchange. I got to go with Elder Bahr from Colorado and we had some great success. He is a great missionary who had a lot of passion for the work that he is doing and so we worked really hard that day. We actually found 4 new friends that we taught and we were also able to help progress a couple other people in their teaching. Overall the experience was great. 

Sunday we had church where we were able to confirm our wonderful sister Queen and also for the member that we reactivated, Bro. John to receive the Aaronic priesthood which was super cool!! It really is cool to see all the tender mercies that go throughout each day as you come into the apartment at the end of a day’s work and look back at the Lord’s hand in all of our work it truly is amazing. 

This week I was just thinking about how important time is and how important it is to use it in the way that God would want us to use it. Are we using our time wisely every day or are we wasting our days away in the bed or on the couch instead of either progressing our lives or helping someone else? The scriptures teach us, "cease to be idle" and that to be idle is of the devil because nothing good can happen while we choose to be lazy!! So I would encourage everyone to use their time the way that God would want them to and go out and do some good!! 

I love you and have a great week!! 

-Elder Shirley 

Questions & Answers 

Q. Theo (Dan’s nephew that was born just before he left for Ghana) is obsessed with cars of any kind. What kind of cars do you see over there? 

A. The cars here are honestly so much worse than back home. They are all small taxi cars that are not correct haha! They just do it “redneck style” and throw things together to get the car to run no joke!! Haha. 

Q. Tell us about a person or situation that happened this week that made a lasting impression on you. 

A. This week we were just walking by someone that I first taught about 20 weeks ago and he got busy and we did not see him very often on Tuesday when we were walking by his book shop he was there so we just went to greet him and see how he was doing. I did not see that he was very busy so I asked him if he had some time for us to share a message and he said sure. As we sat down he said, “Wow! It has been a long time since we last met.” He said "Actually I was thinking about you today and I asked myself, I wonder when I will meet the missionaries again?" It just happened to be that same day we met with him and taught him the restoration again and then 3 days later he told us that he had seen and felt God in his life and that he will be a member of the church. That was a really cool experience of God's timing and his power. 

Q. Can you share with us something funny that happened this week? It's always fun to hear your fun personality. In fact, I have played your New Year's video over so many times because of your laughter and strong accent! It makes me smile every time! 

A. Haha mom you are funny!! I am happy that the video made you happy and that you have been able to enjoy it. I can’t think of anything funny now but ask me again next week and I'll think of something.