Wet and Wild

Hey everyone,

This week brought many new things:

Food: Crockpot banana bread: I made up a recipe for banana bread and threw it in the crockpot and about an hour and a half later, I got the bread out and it was great! It wasn't quite as moist as I am used to, but I think that if I make the loaf smaller, it will make a big difference. The banana could have been heavier and could have added a little more but that's okay. I give it 3.75 bushleague bananas out of 5

 

Shell on shrimp: my companion just chomps the whole shrimp down--head and all, not peeling it at all. I decided that I would try it out and put some down. They were amazingly good. I can't say they were bad at all, just a little more chewing but so much more convenient! 5 crunchy crustaciens out of 5.

 

Spam-shakka (actually called a musubi): this is a slice of spam sandwiched between two slabs of rice with a sesame and seaweed seasoning blend on top all wrapped in seaweed. It's super good. We put a sweet soy sauce based sauce on it and I felt Hawaiian. 4.5 Hecka-good Hawaiians out of 5.

 

Verbatim:

Elder do you wanna eat some of this? It's fuzzy on top!--Elder Kaluhiokalani on his first experience eating fuzzy meat, he wasn't too inclined to do it again.

 

(while I was translating zone conference during the health and nutrition presentation)

Native sister: I have heard that some people have problems drinking milk

Me: (translated that it was lactose intolerance, TAKE THAT MARK!)

Elder Shu who was also with me doing translation (whispering to me): I have that problem

Me (over translation): Elder Shu has this problem

(all the native elders and sisters burst into laughter. The foreign ones look confused.)

 

Also in translation: Elder Kaluhiokalani: I have a problem with eating a lot after I fast, is that bad?

(Over translation) Me: Oh man, yeah, he eats A LOT. (everyone busts up again)

 

If they start laughing, just laugh first and I then wait for my translation.--me to all the native people listening to my translation at zone conference. They all laughed.

 

Elder Sabey: How's you're english?

Me: His english is super good.

Chen Hao: (Shakes head) Super sucks. (while eating dinner with him)

 

Elder Kaluhiokalani: Man, I don't think that I like the various types of tea here. I wouldn't drink it. No problem. Like that flower tea the other day....

Me: I thought that tea was great!

Him: YOU EAT BEANS!

 

It's the horcrux clock--Elder Kaluhiokalani on his clock. That thing makes devil noises when it goes off. I hate it. Scares the crap out of me everyday.

 

When we listen to conference, do we have a similar experience and fall on the ground? I know I do. (acts like he is dozing off)--high counselor.

 

This week we had massive flooding and rode hardcore through a flooded tunnel. So cool. I loved it. We have a little special situation this week because we have three elders and two areas right now.

 

This week we also had a lot of success with getting people to church. I haven't had this many people to church in ages. I think nearly a year. One of the coolest experiences was while we were teaching a Brother Zhang who is a younger guy going to college. We were in Starbucks late at night and shared about the Plan of Salvation. As we were sharing, I could tell that the message wasn't connecting on an inner level. It was a little bit like it was sliding off the top. I was praying so hard for a long time that we would be able to connect with him. I had an impression to tell the member that came to share about his testimony of the atonement--just what we had asked him to share. The testimony was so good and sensitive that I knew Brother Zhang had felt it. I prayed to know what to ask him and the question came, I asked him what that would mean to him, to be clean, to come to know God's love. He responded that he really wants to repent and change. The spirit came so strongly when I asked the question and then I asked him to come to church with us and he accepted. He prayed and said in the prayer how grateful he was that God was going to let him go to church. It was an awesome, awesome experience.

Love,

Elder Siebert