The Last Night.

It has finally arrived.
And I can't even believe it.
I really can't.
I can't believe that a whole month
of living in
AmSam
has already flown by.
I never thought
I would get used to the bugs.
But I did.
I never thought
I would get used to the heat.
But I did.
I never thought
I would get used to the culture.
But I fell in love with it.

It's amazing the things God can do
in a month.
And that's exactly what I was
praying for.
He does answer prayers.
I was praying
that I would fall in love with
the people.
Because that's the only
way I could
give away pieces
of my heart
to the people
I encountered.
I was praying
that the Lord would capture my heart
with another culture.
Because it's about time
I get outside of the
bubble of
American culture.
I was praying
the Lord would change
my heart,
life, and
mindset.
And He did.
In more ways than one.
But that's another story.
One that will come
much later.

This week has been
a little different.
We've been going
to Faleniu
for VBS.
Monday,
Tuesday,
and
today (Wednesday).
I don't think
any of us were expecting
the turnout that we had.
The first day:
around 50 kids showed up.
Tuesday, we had
around 60.
And today,
about 70 came.
The Lord blesses.
This week I was placed
with kindergartners-
second graders.
Um.
It was hard at first.
These kids don't
speak a lick of
English.
And I don't speak a
lick of Samoan.
So.
Communication was a little rough
on the first day.
Day two we learned how to
communicate without words.
And today,
well,
let's just say
the kids and I got along.
One little kid
was practically attached
to me.
And he was precious.
His smile.
I keep seeing his smile
in my mind's eye.
He was no more than
6 years old.
And I will forever
remember this little kid.
We never said anything
to each other.
But there was just
something about him.
I don't know. ...
I don't know what
to even think about today now.

I'm pretty tired.
And my mind is on overload now.
I just don't know
what to think about a lot of things.
Processing mode
will commence when I get
on the plane tomorrow night.

Tonight's my last night in
AmSam....
and I kinda don't want to leave yet.
I'm not ready to go back to the norm.
But it's time.
It's time to see what the Lord has in store.
It's time to see what new adventure
He's going to take me on.
The Lord is good.
He is gracious.
And His name will forever
be praised for
what He's done
in my life on
this trip.

Blessings.

Hitchhiking and Other Such Craziness

So the past week
has been a little
unconventional.

We haven't really
had anything to really do.
Like,
we were able to paint
the weight room
at one of the high schools,
and then we
did some other things around
Samoa Baptist Academy.
But other than that,
we've just been chilling
and getting some other things done.
But in that time
I was still able to see how
the Lord was working
in my own life.
I'm always a busy-body.
I have to have
something to do.
So this whole week
the Lord has been breaking me
of that habit.
He's taught me that
there is a point to resting.
So in my rest,
I've learned how to better rest
in His presence.
Which was such a blessing.
I think this past week
has been one of the best
weeks with the Lord that I've
had in a while.
So, even though we didn't
do a ton here on AmSam,
the Lord did a big work in
my heart.

One of the things we got to do
on Friday though was a lot of fun.
We started out the day
going to a local breakfast joint,
Mom's place.
We had heard that they were really
good.
So we wanted to give it a shot.
(I got pancakes.
They were alright,
but definitely not
Weck's pancakes.
[I can't wait to have a
pancake sandwich from
Weck's when I'm home
next week!!!!!])
Anyway,
we then went and did some
sight seeing.
We hiked down into
an old
volcanic crater.
It honestly looked
like more jungle
because it was so green.
But I guess it was still cool.
Then we went to a lookout spot
on the side of one of the mountains.
But to get there,
we had to take a bus
to the bottom of the mountain.
The plan had been to catch a bus
to the top of the mountain.
But you see,
the problem was
that no buses were coming.
At all.
We waited
and waited
and waited.
So.
We decided to catch a ride
to the top.
We finally flagged down a truck.
And the driver agreed to take us up
halfway.
But he ended up taking us
the whole way.
What a blessing!!
The view was
incredible.
I know, I say that a lot.
But seriously.
The views here are
awesome.
God is so good.
We then went to a
traditional
Samoan umu.
That is their form of
BBQ.
They start early in the morning,
and they heat up rocks.
Then, early afternoon
when the rocks are hot enough,
they place what every they're
cooking on top of the rocks
then they cover it all with
banana leaves.
So, it was pretty legit.

I've been spending a lot
of time in my friend's
hammock
the past few days.
It's been a great escape.
And it's been a good
time to talk to the Lord
and just tell Him what's
going on in my head.
So I'm pretty sure
when I get back
stateside
that I'll be investing in
one.
For reals.

But anyway,
this is my last "week."
Technically
I only have four days left now.
Crazy!!
But Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
we'll be having our last VBS.
We're going back to the church
we were helping with before.
So I'm excited to see the kids again.
It should be a good few days.
I have no idea what we'll
be doing in the afternoons,
but hopefully we'll go a few
more places to see the beaches and
stuff.
I'm excited
to see what the Lord is
going to do. I think that's what I'm
most excited about.
What will He do in my life
and through my life
over the next four days
to impact the lives of the people
in AmSam?
I'm ready and willing
to do whatever
He wants me to do.

But I do get to go home soon!
And I am so excited about
that as well!
I can't wait to see my family
and friends.
I've missed them so!

But anyway,
be praying that the
Lord would move in great
ways in the hearts and lives of
many.
Pray that we would
be obedient to His voice in doing
what He tells us to do.
Pray that my flights would all be on time.
(I only have a three hour layover in HA,
so if my flight from Pago Pago
leaves late, I'm in trouble.
But if I'm supposed to be late,
then I'll see what the Lord has
for me in that.)
But just pray that I will be
obedient and joyful
in all things.

God's working in great ways.

Blessings.

Flexibility

is key to pretty much any
aspect of life.
But in particular,
it seems to be most needed
on mission trips.
You know,
something that you had originally
planned on doing
gets cancelled,
and then you have to figure
something else out.
It happens all the time.
And I've learned
that it happens
more here
than other places.
Or maybe not.
I could just be making this up.
But I feel like
the Lord has been teaching me
more and more
what it is to be
patient and flexible here.
I'll explain in a few.

So,
last week
ended really well.
We had great turnouts
to our final days of VBS.
The Lord saved a kid
on Thursday night.
(We later found out that
he went home and
started preaching to
his cousins and the rest
of his family
because he was so excited
about what the Lord was
doing in his life.)
And the Lord saved
7 kids on Friday morning,
I think.
(Don't quote me on that.)
Most of them came from a
Mormon background,
and they had never heard
the Gospel before.
So when Brian,
the pastor at Tafuna Baptist,
told them the full message,
they wanted to know more.
So they talked about
the Gospel and
what it meant to be a Christian
for about an hour.
And the outcome was that
the Lord saved some.
God is so good.

The weekend was a blessing.
I tried to get some extra sleep.
But we ended up
going to a waterfall.
Oh.
My.
Goodness.
I wish I could fully describe
the beauty.
We had to take a bus to get to
the trail head.
Then we hiked
10-15 minutes up the mountain.
And when I saw the waterfall,
let me just tell you,
I was speechless.
It was so, so, so beautiful.
Pictures will be posted later.
But, anyway,
I just sat there in awe
of God.
I mean,
only the most creative,
most high God
could have created something
so beautiful.
Anyway,
I don't really remember
what we did the
remainder of Saturday.
But I'm sure it was good.
Because almost anything
we do here is good.
Sunday was another blessing.
We went to church at Tafuna.
And after church,
I GOT TO TALK TO MY DAD!!
It was my Father's Day
present to him.
And I think it was more
of a present to me
than to him.
You see,
I had not spoken to either
of my parents since
Hawaii.
That was a long time ago.
So I got to not only talk to them,
but I got to see them too!
So it was good.
And then,
I just spent the rest of the day
just chilling.
It was so good.
Seriously.

So, you remember the
first paragraph I wrote?
About how flexibility is
key to life?
Well, I'm going to circle back
around to it now.
So.
This week,
we were supposed to
have a VBS this week.
But with the cars breaking...
that just wasn't going to work.
So we tried to get one going in
a different location.
But that, too, never worked out.
So.
What are we actually doing this week?
1. We are painting the weight room
at Tafuna High School.
It's been fun. But a lot of work.
2. We are doing random things
around Samoa Baptist Academy.
This will help them get ready for next
school year.
3. Taking it easy.
Yesterday, Ms. Lucy
drove us to the other side of
the island.
Again, it was an
Oh.
My.
Goodness.
moment.
The tide pools out there were
just beautiful.
And it was just so great.
So, our original plans
were taken away.
But the Lord has something
greater planned out for us.
We've been able to help out
one of the public schools.
And it's just been great to
continue to bond
with the other missionaries
that are here serving.

The Lord is gracious
and abounding in love.

But anyway,
I'm so blessed to be here.
Keep praying that we finish
out our time here strong.
We desire to serve the Lord well
and make His name known.
Keep praying for encounters
where we can share the Gospel.
And keep praying for the hearts
of the people here on the Island.
God is working and moving.
And I want that to continue.

Only a week left here in
American Samoa.
I'm sad,
but excited.
Sad to leave.
But excited to see
what else the Lord
has in store for me in the future.
My flexibility in life
doesn't stop here.
Really,
this is just the beginning.

Blessings.

Amerika Samoa

And yes,
that is how they
spell "Amerika"
here.
No joke.

But anyway,
it's been a few days
since I wrote a legit
post.
So.
Imma gonna
do one now.

Well, where to start?
How's about the weather.
It's beautiful!
So beautiful!
The rain has
cleared out,
and the sun
has come out.
And let me just say
that I am
completely
blown away.
It is so much more
beautiful than pictures
could ever capture.
The water is as clear as clear
can be.
And the views are
breathtaking.
I am amazed,
floored,
and
excited that the Lord
gave me this
opportunity
to serve Him in such
a gorgeous location.

Next up:
morning VBS at Falineui.
Monday morning we went
to the church to look around
as well as pass out flyers
about the VBS.
We walked around the village,
carrying rocks and umbrellas
to protect ourselves
against the rogue
mean dogs.
But we didn't have any
attacks.
Which is a blessing.
And we saw so many kids
out and about, so we were hoping for
a lot of them to show up.
Well, Tuesday morning rolled around,
and we ended up with a little
over 50 children!
PTL!
A lot of them don't know
English though.
So,
we've been having to have
everything that we say
translated into
Samoan
for the younger kids.
These past two days have been
much of the same with
these kids.
They are incredible
and sweet.
And even through the
language barrier,
we've seen great
relationships forming
with those kids.
They are all excited
to be there ever day.
And it's just so good.
The Lord is faithful.
With working with these kids,
we have heard a lot of them
respond to questions
with answers referring to the
Mormon religion.
When that comes up
we just have to be careful
not to directly state that
they are wrong,
but instead redirect them
to the right answer.
So, yeah.
That's been interesting.

The evening VBS's are
going well.
We've been splitting the
teaching duties
among 5 of us.
Anne took Monday,
I took Tuesday,
Sarah took yesterday,
Brandon's taking tonight,
and Patrick's taking Friday.
We're weaving together
the back story of why
specifically Jesus had to
be our Savior.
We're hoping to give them
a good strong foundation
so that they can stand under
it.
Things have been going well
with that one though.

In all things,
though,
I have been seeing the
faithfulness of my Savior.
It's been quite a journey.
For a while I've thought
that I could be a teacher.
You know,
that would always be my
fallback plan
if nothing else worked out.
I just thought I could do it.
Well, here's a story for you:
I was asked to teach on
Tuesday night for the mid schoolers
and Wednesday morning for the VBS.
Well, I've been teaching
these kinds of things for a while,
and I wasn't hesitant
to obey God's call in this.
Well, I prepared and prepared
and prepared.
And I never, ever felt ready.
So I taught on Tuesday night.
And I guess it went well.
I don't remember what I said at all.
But what should have been a 15-20
minute lesson
ended up being a
5-10 minute lesson.
I felt like a failure.
And then on Wednesday morning,
I totally messed up on telling the
Bible story to the 6th-8th grade class.
Totally. 
And then I just felt like I just couldn't
do the 4th-5th grade class,
but I knew I needed to.
So I did.
And it ended up being okay.
But one thing I think I have discovered from this:
I am not meant to be a teacher
in a classroom setting.
I'm just not.
I'm not cut out to
stand in front of a group of kids
and teach lessons.
It's not the way the Lord has
fashioned me.
So.
Anyway.
I won't be a teacher
anytime in the near future.
But I will definitely
be following
the Lord down whatever
path He lays before me.

So.
The Lord is good.
He is powerful.
I trust Him.

Blessings.

Annnnnnd. The ants are EVERYWHERE.

Story time!

So. 

As you all know,

I don't like bugs.

At all.

We don't have a good history.

And because of this 

history,

I do not like bugs.

They're not cool.

Anyway,

some of the bugs I like 

the least

are 

ants. 

Bleh.

They are so gross. 

Like, 

so gross.

Anyway,

there is not a shortage 

of ants here on 

American Samoa. 

They are 

EVERYWHERE.

In my apartment

we have ants 

that crawl all over 

the walls in

every 

room.

Every

room.

So, 

I've kinda gotten used to them.

Kinda. 

And you know, 

they're in the kitchen, 

so we have to keep 

everything we open 

in the fridge so that

they don't spoil the food. 

They crawl all down in the sink

so we have to do our 

dishes right away.

No big deal. 

It's really not too too terrible.

I could get used to it. 

I guess.

I guess, 

in a way, 

I've even gotten used to 

having them crawl on me

when I'm outside 

or whatever. 

Well, maybe not 

completely used to it, 

but starting to. 

It just kinda happens. 

Back to my story. 

I've drifted away into

a tangent of 

explaining the ants. 

So, last night,

we made cookies, 

and made our apartment all 

hot and everything.

(I am NEVER doing that again.

It was wayy too hot.)

But I put my computer on my bed

while we had some

people over to watch a movie.

Well, 

after the movie was over, 

and after everyone left,

after we cleaned up the kitchen,

I went to go get in bed.

I was tired, you see,

and, logically, 

I thought it would be a

good idea 

to go to bed. 

The ants

thought otherwise. 

I walked back into 

my room. 

And 

ALL OVER MY SHEETS

WERE HUNDREDS 

OF ANTS!!!

Are you kidding me?!

I was so, so, so

grossed out!! 

Ew!

So, there I was freaking out. 

Freaking out. 

Sarah,

my friend who's sharing a room with me,

was pretty freaked out as well. 

I have absolutely no 

idea where they all came from. 

It's like they just appeared 

out of thin air!

But anyway,

I pulled the sheets off my bed. 

And got my bug spray

and sprayed down my bed. 

I put some new sheets on.

Then, I sprayed those down

with bug spray, 

just in case.

So, I thought 

that I would be able to fall asleep

then. 

NOPE. 

I couldn't do it.
I could feel them crawling

all over me. 

Even though there weren't 

ANY there. 

It was terrible. 

Ew, ew, ew. 

I don't like bugs. 

I don't think I will ever like bugs. 

Anyway, 

that's my story. 

I hope it made you laugh.

And if it didn't, 

then you just read a 

terribly long 

post about 

insignificant ants. 

Blessings. 

The End of Week One

So trying to write
a journal entry
every night
wasn't really working all that well.
I just get so tired
at night
that I just want to
take it easy afterwards.
So...
what does this mean?
I'll just be summing things up
in a blog post
occasionally.
What does occasionally mean?
Whenever I feel like it,
and whenever I have time.

Anyway.
Today has been good thus far.
It's our day off.
So I've just been chilling.
And doing some random stuff.
(This would be one of those things.)
But yeah.
It's a beautiful day outside.
The sun is shining.
There's a slight breeze.
And the Lord is faithful.

The past three days have been
so good.
The Lord,
like I said,
has been extremely faithful.
I had been feeling
very low because I felt like the
language barrier and my own personality
were a hindrance to
telling the message of the Gospel
to the girls in my 5th and 6th grade class.
I thought that because I was so shy
and the girls didn't understand me
that the girls just wouldn't
get what I was saying in Bible Study time.
But they were.
As the week progressed,
I got to see some
relationships with the girls form.
They started to answer my questions
that I asked about the story.
It took them a lot longer
because of the language barrier.
BUT they could still understand
what I was saying,
they just couldn't respond very well.
No matter what,
I told them the Gospel several times,
and I know the Lord will be
faithful
when His Word is preached.
I pray that He will do
great and mighty
things in the lives of these girls.
I pray that He
touches their hearts
and
saves them from this life of death
to an abundant life with Him.
Each of the girls are so precious.
And they were a joy to teach
and be around this week.
I was able to say their names
by the end of the week.
(Which was an incredible thing.
I couldn't even understand
them when they first introduced
themselves on Monday. And I was
able to carry on a conversation
with each of them by the end of the week.)
I think the Lord really opened up my ears
to be able to understand them.
He is so gracious to me.

The rain has started to clear out here.
Which is a blessing and a curse all at once.
haha.
A blessing because we can
now be outside more often
and see more of the island.
A curse because now it will be
extremely hot outside.
Honestly,
I'm kinda happy that
the rain has cleared out.
It will be good to have
some sunshine.

Anyway.
This week I have just been
dwelling
on the Lord.
Who He is,
How great He is,
His provision,
and His power.
It's been an incredible week
of just more of Jesus.
An incredible time of
reflection and refreshment.
I am amazed at all He's
been doing in my life.
And I pray He keeps working.
I desperately need Him to keep working
in my life,
in my heart,
and in my mind.
I need Him to continue to
knit my heart to His.
I need Him to draw me closer to
Himself.
I just crave more of Jesus.
More of His love.
More of His power.
More of His joy.
More of His peace.
More of Him.
All of my doubts,
fears,
worries,
and anxieties
pale in the splendor of
His great and majestic presence.

And I just desire to share this,
not only with the Samoan people,
but with everyone.
I love being here,
but I can't wait to get back home
and find the apartment complex
the Lord wants me to live in
so that I can start building relationships with
my neighbors and sharing
the Gospel with them.

So.
That's what's up in
my life,
my mind,
and my heart.

Keep praying for what is going to happen
next week.
We have two VBS's:
one in the morning at a church,
and
one in the evening with the mid schoolers
here on campus.
Pray that the Lord works in hearts,
changes lives,
and saves many.
Pray that we can be clear
with the words we say.
Pray for understanding.
Pray that the Lord changes
our hearts and lives as well.

Blessings!

VBS - days 1 & 2

6/4/12

8:08pm

So.

Today was the first night of VBS.

And there was a lot going on.

I feel exhausted.

Seriously.

I woke up this morning around 7,

And I’ve just been going ever since.

We were supposed to go out and hand out flyers to the village around 9 this morning,

But what do ya know,

It was raining.

Yet again.

Haha.

Anyway, we ended up getting more of the decorations for VBS painted and ready.

Then we went to lunch with Pastor Eilse and Mrs. Lucy at The Deluxe.

It was pretty good.

Afterwards, we got some more things ready for VBS.

And some more stuff ready.

And some more.

It was a never-ending preparation for it.

But,

Finally,

Kids started showing up.

And it was crazy.

It was still pouring outside,

But we ended up having 70 kids show up!

It’s crazy!

I had around eight 5^th and 6^th grade girls with me.

It was a lot harder than I thought it was going to be.

The girls didn’t know how to respond to a lot of the questions I was asking.

They knew how to respond in Samoan, but not in English.

So, I was really thankful for Sonya, a Samoan native who is fluent in both Samoan and English.

She was able to ask them questions in Samoan and get them to answer her.

So, even though I had no idea what they were saying,

I at least knew that they were understanding the material.

I can only hope and pray that the Lord continues to work in the hearts of these girls and that hopefully they will open up and speak to me some before the week is out.

But other than that,

Tonight was a great night!

I pray that God captures the hearts of many while I’m here.

Anyway,

I think that’s really all.

I’m thinking that I’ll go to bed sooner rather than later.

I didn’t sleep well last night.

And for some reason I’m extremely exhausted.

Anyway,

My thoughts end here. 

6/5/12
So.
Today was pretty great.
This morning we went out shopping.
And I got lava lavas!!
Finally. 
(Lava lavas are a wrap-around skirt
that the women on the island wear
to be modest.)
I've been wanting to get some
ever since I got here,
but today was the first time that I've gotten it!
I'm so excited to wear them!
Ah!
Anyway, after we went shopping,
we got back and started getting
things ready for VBS.
We didn't have as much to do today,
it was mainly just getting snacks ready to go.
(Also, in my down time I got to chat with
my parents and a good friend.
It was great.)
But we got everything ready to go.
And then, basically it was time to start.
(It's really amazing how
fast time flies by here!)
But anyway, tonight was a little better
than last night.
I got two new girls in my class tonight.
During class tonight,
the girls really didn't speak that much either.
And I didn't have Sonya here with me either.
So it was interesting.
But I think the Lord still made sure that the
girls understood.
Or at least I hope so.
I don't know.
I have so many doubts about being
here and that I'm not really
helping.
But I know that the Lord has great things in store.
So,
putting my doubts and fears aside,
the Lord can do great things.
I am teaching them Scripture.
I am teaching them Bible truths that they can cling to.
It's all in the Lord's hands.
So,
I think tonight was good.
I am extremely tired.
Yet again.
I just can't get over it.
I think it's the heat....
I kinda really do.
Maybe the heat is just getting to me
and making me sleepy all the time.
But at least every night I get some sleep!
haha.
Anyway,
not much else is new...
we are continuing our VBS tomorrow night.
So I'm looking forward to it!
Blessings.

The past couple of days

have been interesting to say the least.
Friday was a great day.
If I do say so myself.
We just did some summer orientation stuff
in the early morning,
and then we just chilled out the rest of the day.
(I ended up taking a nap for like three hours
in the afternoon; it was great.)
Then that night we went to First Friday at the Market.
And let me tell you, it was definitely an experience.
And a good one at that.
We got there and walked around.
There were a lot of people selling food,
both to eat immediately and fresh fruits.
And there were a lot of vendors out selling
lava lavas and other kinds of local clothing.
We ended up eating Filipino food,
and it was soooo good!
Then we came back to the apartments,
and a few of us girls played a couple
of rounds of hand and foot before we went to bed.

Saturday we had to wake up slightly early.
We went to watch the mid school girls
play their last game of softball.
It was a lot of fun to get to know
some of the parents there.
I got to just sit and chat.
Once the game was over,
we came back to the apartments,
and we helped get ready for a ceremony.
Two of the missionaries
help a lot of the boys on the island
get football scholarships so that they can go to college.
Well, yesterday, the ceremony was
their "signing" ceremony,
so we helped decorate and get everything set up for that.
It was a really cool cultural experience.
After we finished cleaning up everything,
we were going out to eat,
but I wasn't feeling so great.
We were at the Chinese restaurant,
and my stomach started rolling.
I ended up getting sick at the restaurant.
And then when we got back to the apartments,
I got sick again.
After I got sick the second time,
I just laid down in bed, and went to sleep.
That was around 4.
I woke up around 8
and ate some crackers and
drank some sprite,
then I went back to bed.
I woke up again around 11
to find out when church was,
then I fell back asleep.
I slept all the way through the night.
And I woke up at 7.
I still have no idea what made me sick.
But I'm pretty sure it's all out of my system.
So, anyway,
not a whole lot happened yesterday,
with me getting sick and all.

This morning I woke up feeling
a lot better.
I decided to still take things easy on my stomach
and just eat crackers and drink sprite.
But other than that, I'm doing 100% better.
We went to church this morning,
and it was good,
not IDC, but it was still good.
And this afternoon,
we've just been chilling out,
taking it easy.
I think that sometime today
I'll finally get to the grocery store
to buy some food.
And then we're also going to go
to the airport to pick up two more
summer missionaries.
So I'm excited!
The rest of today should be pretty great.

But anyway,
I have great hopes and expectations
for these upcoming weeks.
I know the Lord has great things in store.
And I'm excited to follow Him down this path.

Please keep praying for the people that we're going to encounter. And please, please, please be praying for the VBS that starts tomorrow! We haven't gotten to go around the village because it's been raining a lot. But we're still hoping for a good turn-out. So please be praying that we will be intentional in the relationships with the kids we meet in and be intentional in sharing the Gospel as often as we can.
We want to make sure that we're meeting all the needs that we can of these kids--most importantly sharing the Gospel.
Also just be praying that we would take advantage of every opportunity that we have to share the Gospel with villagers.

Anyway,
that's all my news.
I'm excited to see what the Lord is going to do next.
Much love and Blessings.

The Beginnings

So, I've decided to try and write at least once a day, maybe more depending on time. But I just want to record everything that happens. And especially how I'm feeling and what I see the Lord doing. I won't necessarily post every single day, but I'll be posting often. 
Anyway, the following is a few updates from the past couple days and earlier this morning. 


Blessings 

5/31/12

8:00am-California time

So, yesterday was my first day of this adventure, I guess. I started my travelling toward American Samoa, so I guess you could call it the technical first day.

Everything went really well. The flights were all uneventful. I was a little crowded on one because the guy I was sitting next to was invading my personal space. But, no big deal. I survived.

I also had to wait a good 30 minutes for a shuttle back to my hotel, which was not very fun. But I eventually made it, and I soon passed out on the bed because I was so tired.

But through it all, it’s been good.

I’ve gotten to spend some extra time with the Lord. Amazing. J

And, I started a Bible study the other day. And yesterday I read about King Saul and his disobedience of the Lord’s command to destroy Amalek in 1 Samuel 15. One thing I was reminded of was that sometimes the Lord may tell us to do something, even though we think we could be wiser to do it a different way. When we choose to go against the Lord’s commands, we are being prideful and arrogant and saying to the Lord that we are wiser than the God of the universe. I know I do this often. And this story of Saul is a sad reminder that if I allow my pride to take root in my heart, my heart will harden towards the Lord, and I will not be used by the Lord to do great things. The Lord no longer is able to use Saul, but He turns to a new king, David, to lead Israel into battle.

Anyway, I want the Lord to use me in great ways. I want Him to change my heart, to mold me more into His image, to see Him move in great ways. I want Him to be glorified in me. And most of all, I want my life to make much of Him. He is the reason I am living today. He is the reason I can move. He is Lord of all, including my life. And it is a privilege to serve Him. I am so unworthy to be sitting in the LA airport waiting for my flight to HA so I can then go to Pago Pago and serve Him. But He has bestowed much grace upon me in allowing me to be a part of His great plan of the nations hearing the Gospel.

I am humbled.

I am thankful.

And I am waiting expectantly for Him to move.

Blessings.

12:00pm-Hawaii time

So, I am now in Hawaii. And it’s pretty nice. I’m not going to lie. It was perhaps one of the most beautiful landings I have ever had the privilege of seeing. The water was such an amazing shade of blue. And, yeah, it was just wonderful.

THERE ARE BIRDS IN THIS AIRPORT. Let me correct that statement.

There are PIGEONS in this airport. They are just wandering around this gate with absolutely nothing to do. They’re coming so close to me, and it’s kinda freaking me out.

Anyway, the flight was wonderful. I actually got some sleep…which basically never happens when I fly. But I slept for like an hour, and it was good. I got a lot of reading and other things done as well. So, yet another good thing.

And now I’m just here in the airport. For another 5 hours.

Yay.

But it shouldn’t be that bad, I don’t think. I have a book to finish, some studying to do, I can always text people, and talk to them on the phone, I can maybe sleep a little bit…maybe.

And I can also wait for the people who I’ll be working with. Maybe I’ll have the courage to talk to them…maybe not. Haha. I’m so lame and shy. This is the time when I need a super outgoing person around, like Rachel or Colby. They talk, I listen and get to know outsiders through that. It’s perfect.

Anyway, as I did my Bible study this morning, the Lord offered me another reminder that I most definitely needed. He reminded me that it’s not about the way I look or what others think of me. He sees my heart. And as long as my heart is soft and ready to serve Him in whatever way He chooses, then that’s all that matters. I was reading through 1 Samuel 16, when Samuel anoints David—such a great passage. It was just so wonderful to be reminded that I have the Holy Spirit of power living in me. And it is only through the Spirit that I am able to do anything worthwhile. He is worthy. He is powerful. And if the Lord chooses to do great things in me and through me, then I will be humbled and thankful.

So, I think that’s it right now. My need for talking is coming out through this…because I really haven’t talked to anyone since I left the Ballews yesterday afternoon. So I feel like I’m just rambling on and on—which I totally am.

God is good.

I’m almost to American Samoa.

And there’s a Starbucks about 50 feet away.

I’m pretty sure I can make it.

Haha.

Blessings.

6/1/12

8:21am-American Samoa time

So.

I’m here in American Samoa.

It still feels surreal. It really does. I’m still trying to figure out which way is up at this point. Lol. I’m still super tired. I’m sore from having sat in the same position for so long. My back hurts. My shoulders hurt.

But the Lord got me here in one piece, my luggage got here in one piece, we landed here pretty much on time, and I didn’t have any problems going through customs. So I would definitely say that prayers were answered for safe and smooth travels. Thank you all so much for praying.

On a lighter note, I met someone on my final flight to American Samoa. She’s a local girl who just graduated from college in the States. She went to Samoa Baptist Academy—which is where I’m staying—when she was in high school. This is the first time that she’s been home in two years. Anyway, she’s coming back home to teach in a school on the island. She’s a Christian. And she wants to hang out with me sometime. So, I’m going to try try try to meet up with her a least once before I leave. I had no idea I would be meeting Charity on my flight here and end up talking for hours with her about her family, her schooling, the culture on American Samoa, and the Lord. It was a true blessing that came straight from the Lord. He is so good!!

Anyway.

I’m sitting in the living room of the apartment I’ll be living in for the month. And it’s so cute. It’s nothing fancy by far, but when have I ever needed something fancy? I’m sharing a room with my friend Sarah, and there’s three of us girls sharing a bathroom. It’s pretty cozy.

There are some rules about American Samoa and our apartment that I’ve learned over the past half day that I’ve been here:

1. Don’t try to pet the dogs. They are generally not friendly. They are NOT pets. What do you do instead? you might ask. You throw rocks at them. Or you kick them. They will bite.

2. Leave the bathroom light on in the apartment. (It won’t turn back on.)

3. Don’t close the front door to the apartment all the way. (I’m not exactly sure why, but I don’t really want to find out.)

4. Don’t drink the tap water.

5. Don’t ride the bus system by yourself. (Especially if you’re a tourist and a girl.)

So, I think that those are all the rules I’ve learned….there are probably more, but I just can’t seem to think of them right now. Haha. My brain does not want to wake up.

There are so many chickens here…and the roosters have all been crowing since about 6am. I now have something to look forward to every morning. Haha. But I really don’t mind it. It reminds me of living out in the country. And I guess I technically am doing just that…I’m living out on an island…so it would be kinda like living in the country, I guess.

But anyway.

In a little while I’ll be going to breakfast with Pastor Elise—the pastor of the Samoan speaking church, Happy Valley Baptist Church—his wife, Mrs. Lucy, and the other missionaries who are here. So should probably go get ready to do that and face the day.

I will have internet access more often than I originally thought, so that will be very helpful. J

Anyway, time to get ready!

Blessings.