Hanatea turns 21!

This has been one of the most stressful weeks of my mission - but it included Thanksgiving and a birthday! It's been a while since I've been too stressed to actually sleep. 

We've been working hard in this area in Twin Falls and trying our best to talk to everyone and find new people to teach, and it seems like nothing has been working. We've been struggling to find and to work with members, and I'm thankful for you all that sent me advice and some extra fry sauce on the side love, we'll see what we can do differently and new. "We're not stuck...there is traction."

Anyway I was feelin' pretty down in the snow and not super stoked to be here, but I had some good people around that brought me up again. Me and Hermana Corona went to Sushi-Ya when we didn't have a dinner and had some ono foods. At 8:00 that night, I was wondering "what the frick am I doing in Idaho on my 21st birthday?" and Sister Hansen and Sister Reisinger came and picked us up in their red Toyota Corolla and took us to see the most magical display of Christmas lights I ever did see in Filer, had 2 bottles of gatorade in the car, and played me some Sufjan Christmas jams. Doesn't get better than that, right? This year, I'm grateful for the good people and good friends that I have surrounding me. God works through people. 

Love you fam! The holidays make you sentimental anyway, but the holidays on a MISSION make you like a freaking can of Mexican coke that you shook up, ready to explode with sentimental-ness. 

Lots of Love,

Hermana Hanatea Elkington 

2 much bless 2 b stress

Here's some things that made my week:

- I found a Sammy J song on my companion's usb 

- It rained

- We got to watch a YSA Face-to-Face and feel normal

- We put up Christmas lights

Here's some things that I miss like craaaaazy in my life:

- Onoyo

- Sunsets @ sunset beach

- Thai food from the food trucks ACROSS sunset beach

I've been having a pretty dope time here in Twin Falls. Me and Hermana Corona got rear-ended this week buy someone going 45 mph and had to go to the ER (don't worry Mom!) but are fine and our car is a little beat up. This week we also taught this cool kid named Chris from Costa Rica, he's 16 and gave us some coke and bday cake for his birthday, so you could say he's a homie. 

I had an experience this week that reminded me of of "You've Got Mail" when Tom Hanks is the reason that Meg Ryan's book shop gets shut down and he says, "It's not personal..." and Meg Ryan says, "Why does everyone always say that? What's so wrong with being personal?" At the Face-to-Face, Elder Oaks and Elder Ballard answered some real questions in real ways, and were personal with us. I think the relationships we form here on Earth should always be personal - being on a mission, I've had some pretty sweet opportunities to form some personal, strong, relationships with people I would have never met here in Boise, Idaho if I had not come on a mission. It's a beautiful thing. 

Lastly, I was reading something my Dad wrote me and here's something that he said:

"Success does not often come without struggle and effort, not to mention a fair amount of failure."

It's been tough to work in this area in Twin. Not a lot of progression, not a lot of people that seem to want to learn about the Gospel. But we often don't see success without failure, failure, and more failure. It's always a process and up and down, and that's okay. We can't expect to always be succeeding all the time - I think sometimes failure IS success. It's just hard to see. 

Love you all my primos! Me and Hermana Corona's quote of the week is "SO SAVAAAAAAAAGE!" Hope everyone has a stellar week filled with sweet-bread french toast and smoothies! Email me if you need anything!

Lots of Love,

Hermana Hanatea Elkington