8-24-2025 JESUS CHRIST’S INVITATION

Huuuiii aloha mai nō! Another awesome week as a missionary. I am so grateful to be a missionary. To be a part in such a beautiful work. I am eternally grateful for the people I continue to meet, and for the guidance of the spirit. I am thankful especially for my Savior Jesus Christ, and his life. I am thankful for his gospel, and the happiness that pours into people's lives as they choose to accept it. This past week I pondered a commandment of the Savior, in his renoun sermon on the mount. Following sharing about the blessings that comes to those who accept his gospel, he gave a commandment. With thousands of people in his vicinity, a commandment in Matthew 5:48. 48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Such a commandment is crazy to think of, and almost impossible to imagine. Being perfect. Being whole. It seems a commandment that is impossible to accept, but as we think of our Father in Heaven, and Jesus Christ, and begin to understand how much they love us, we can begin to understand the basis of such a commandment. My opinion on the biggest difference between our religion and others, is our understanding of God's character and eternal love. Commandments are ways that God gives us, to recieve blessings. We constantly are overwhelmed with questions like can we really do this? Can we really hold on with so much pulling me away? Can I really overcome this addiction, situation, or problem? Can I, being so far, truly have the chance to be perfect? Its difficult! And yet I imagine God's confidence in the commandments he gives. They are bold invitations. Confidence comes from our conviction. When we have those questions, we must change them. Better question, do you think a perfect person is happy? Is Jesus Christ happy? Answer that for yourself. Of course! So he desires for us to feel the same! He died for such confidence. He's so confident that its possible, that he told over 5000 people, and it was written for the world to read until today. Jesus Christ did not simply command us to be perfect, but he is giving his invitation to us through bold commandment, to be happy. For those who've experienced trial, and feel inadequate, we can change our questions, to adjust our focus, empowering ourselves from within. Does God really believe I can do this? What is God trying to teach me with this? If I overcome this, who's life would I be able to influence and heal? Be perfected in him, and become happy through him. This past week on exchanges with Elder Cox, we taught an old couple, inactive members who were found again by a miracle, going through many hardships in their life. We shared from the scriptures promising blessings and answers, as they commit to follow the written teachings. They explained their recent prayers to God, to help them to know what to do, in which we could testify, that the reason we were there, is because of that specific prayer. We were there, because she prayed. Commitments were accepted as they felt our love for them, and as we testified of Gods love for them. In tears, tatay and nanay accepted the invitations, as we closed our message with a song. Power is manifest in ones boldness, infused withand overflow of love. The spirit testifies, and pierces hearts, as we invite it, in which I am grateful to simply be a part of such experiences. I love being a missionary. Jahs trahs ELDER ISHIBASHI

8-18-25 MILAGRO SA MGA YAONG NAKAPAGSIMBA

Aloha mai nō iā kākou pākahi āpau! https://photos.app.goo.gl/vV5H2ga7QtRdt7ig6 Another great week as a missionary! The Lord has blessed us so much this past week, and those weve been praying for. From entering into this area, pur change focused to families! We set goals and plans, saying specific prayers, asking for those on the other side, who have recieved the gospel, to help us in finding their posterity. Now let me share the miracle. Elder Dwiggins and I set a few high goals, this past weekly planning, with a pretty strict schedule! We prayerfully discussed those we were teaching and how we could help them come closer to Christ. We had Exchanges, Zone Conference, and a lot to do this past week. We had fasting and prayers answered as we were blessed to have 27 of our friends come to Church this past Sunday. We had a few, meeting each other for the first time in Church, drawing connections of how they are first cousins! As they discussed their family connections, it was then that God reminded us, of those we have asked to help us, find and help their posterity. It became a clear picture, to which families ancestors have already accepted the gospel, yet simply await the ability to accept it. I imagine their urgency, and desire to help, but we must first ask. Talking with my dad earlier today, I always love hearing family stories, and gospel connections, especially from him. He is the best. As we discussed stories, it boiled down to the importance especially of remembrance. Remembrance is the main theme of the Book of Mormon. "O remember, remember that these things are true" "Have ye forgotten?" "That I may remember my covenants" "Ye shall remember your children" "Then I do remember what the Lord has done for me" There are countless examples of remembrance being the main theme of the Book of Mormon. What is the Lord trying to teach us? In hard times, it becomes easy to forget, become critical and doubtful, but it is in these times where the Lord councils us to remember. Look at our blessings, the experiences of our fathers, and you tell me that it's not true. I am grateful for the Book of Mormon, to remind me of the importance and empowerment of remembrance. Covenants manifest Godliness in our lives, when we remember them, miracles happen. I am grateful for my father in heaven, for the experiences given to me and my father's, experiences for generations to remember. I will remember. God lives, I know it. My family has seen and experienced such blessings, in which I am forever indebted. If you're struggling, know that God is real, accept the fact, know he's your father in heaven, and loves you. Remember what he has done so far, and jahs trahs, that bradda man goin guide you. Aloha nō🤟 ELDER ISHIBASHI

8-10-25 The Little We Know

Huuii aloha mai nō, https://photos.app.goo.gl/vV5H2ga7QtRdt7ig6 Another blessed week as a missionary! The Lord was very much present in our work this past week. I have seen and realized again the importance of praying specifically, and praying with faith. The spirit that guided our work allowed a lot of our friends to come to Church this past week, and miracles in finding. So many special experiences this past week, but the one I feel like I should share happened with a special person who came to Church this Sunday. Her name is nanay Gloria Torres. This special nanay was one I met, when I was pretty new to the area, but what she shared to me that first day, made my purpose there, crystal clear. The first day meeting nanay Gloria, introducing myself to her, and where Im from, happily answered back that the missionary who baptized her, so many years ago, was from Hawaii! She went on to explain for a while, the love that her and her husband had for him at that time. The joy they felt, and their commitment to be baptized because of this missionary and what he helped them understand. She explained how awesome he was at Tagalog, and even remembered the lessons he would teach! Her love for this missionary was obvious, but life became a challenge. Her husband passed away, and at this point, had both of her legs amputed, and hasnt had the opportunity for a while to attend Church. When asking this nanay for this Hawaiian missionaries name, she smiled with her answer, Elder Moeai! Our next visit, she showed us pictures of my stud of an unko Elder Moeai, years ago when he served as a missionary in this ward in San Jose. Our visits consisted of her reminiscing on her Church Attendance before, temple visits, and Book of Mormon stories that means so much to her. Weve been visiting nanay often, and in tears, she will share her testimony of the blessings she has recieved from this gospel. Now this past Sunday was special, as we watched two young men push a wheelchair into the Church parkinglot, with nanay Gloria smiling as she entered into the Lords Church. Thank you unko, for being an awesome missionary, we're now teaching her extended family living around her. Ill put a picture of her at the end. I love being a missionary. It has brought me so much peace and love, and these hand of the Lord moments, opens up our vision to the Lord's perspective on the things we do. Sometimes we find ourself (myself) so critical on the little things happening or not, but the Lords plan is so much wider than we can comprehend. D&C 6:36-37 36 Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not. 37 Behold the wounds which pierced my side, and also the prints of the nails in my hands and feet; be faithful, keep my commandments, and ye shall inherit the kingdom of heaven. What we must do is simple, endure. Hold strong to our faith, doubting nothing, only believing. Jesus Christ did so much for us. His plan will work, I'm sure of it, and so so grateful for it. Jahs trahs errybodeh. Aaaloha🤟 ELDER ISHIBASHI

8-4- An Answer to Prayers

Aloha mai nō iā 'oukou pākahi āpau! Another great week as a missionary! Alot happened! Lost my awesome companion Elder Palamos to the office, miss you my friend! God took you away too fast, ganun pala ang buhay. But also got a stud of a new companion, Elder Dwiggins! Elder Dwiggins is a stud, works hard and loves it! So stoked to work with him this cycle. I haven't been able to write these past few weeks, been slammed with things especially on PDay, but I got some time to write today. The experience I want to share happened working with Elder Dwiggins yesterday. We ministered in the morning, and were blessed to have a lot of our friends come to Church. One family in particular, the Molina family! They are awesome, but after a few happenings, we weren't able to teach them for the past month or so. Elder Palamos and I prayed, and even fasted for the opportunity again to teach this family. Following Church, we got to talk to the mother, as she explained that she is leaving again to Dagupan tomorrow, in the afternoon, when her kids come home from school, and be back on Saturday. Asking if we could go by in the morning, she agreed and said that she'll keep her kids home from school, to listen to the message. Answer to prayers! Until I realized my issue. Having to tell my companion, that we had to work on Pday, as the only way to teach this family. They lived far, it would take a little time to travel, teach to cover a lot of lessons, then a previously scheduled family home evening at night. For missionaries, PDay means alot, and I would have understood if my companion would feel frustrated and not want to go. Letting my companion know, Elder Dwiggins without a second thought smiled, and agreed to the plan. I am so thankful to the Lord for such a willing and hard working companion. We went this morning to teach the Molina family, Leya (the mother), came out smiling, sat us down in her bahay kubo, and started going house to house, inviting friends and family to join our lesson. It was a beautiful experience, teaching individuals of all ages, of their divine potential in God's great plan of happiness. As a missionary it truly is a different and unique experience, to see the looks on people's faces, when we have the opportunity to let them know, who they really are. It's edifying, and empowering, when the spirit (Romans 8:16) truly does testify to God's children, who they are. Jahs trahs! I love being a missionary. ELDER ISHIBASHI

7-6-25 Lost Tatay

Huuiii aloha nō kākou! Magandang araw sa inyong lahat! Fo da fam: https://photos.app.goo.gl/vV5H2ga7QtRdt7ig6 Another awesome week as a missionary, in which the Lord continues to remind me how little time I have left, and pushing effort and urgency, further than ever before. These past weeks have been filled with the hardest points and the best points of my mission, in which my journal is filled with testimony builders, that I am grateful for to the Lord. The experience that I want to share this past week, happened as Elder Palamos & I did a clean on our teaching pool. Returning to the resources, we counseled on what we'd do strengthen such. Praying in behalf of our goals and plans, we set out to teach a family weve been teaching. As we arrived, she asked us to wait, as she walked down the street to ask her uncle to join the lesson. This man walked in with his cane, and crutch, and took a seat. He explained his story, that hes been bed ridden for almost a year, but only recently began gaining strength to walk. He explained a dream he had, of being lost. While asking people in the dream where he was, they would answer the place he was from, but never recognized any of it. The conversation got back into Church, as he asked what were we as members of the Church, guided not to eat or drink? We asked if we could open with a prayer, and invited the spirit. The lessons started as we explained that if there's one thing first, that we need to agree on before we understand each other, is that God is our loving heavenly father, and because he loves us, he gives us ways to recieve blessings, called commandments. We asked about how God gives his children commandments, as we began to talk about prophets. Tatay's dream fit in perfectly as the spirit guided us to connect this lost feeling, to a life without a prophet. We living in the same world, but finding truth is unrecognizeable. We continued to share our belief of Gods unchanging nature, and his love that gives us living prophets today. We told tatay the 5 things that prophets have guided us to refrain from. For the non-members (Cigarettes, Alcohol, Coffee, Tobacco or drugs, (Green or Black) Tea) but focused on the blessings the Lord gives us according to our faith to this commandment. These are the blessings.. 18 And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones; 19 And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures; 20 And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint. 21 And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them. Amen. We asked tatay, if he felt, that these blessings would help him in this situation, and before he could respond, his niece, the person we were going to teach originially jumped in and the best way I can think of saying what she said in English is, "Let me be the one to tell you that what they say is true" and went on to share her testimony. Tatay committed himself to following the Word of Wisdom, then began sharing with us, about his nephews and nieces, cousins and siblings, who needed to hear that message. Following that lesson, we were taken by them to their neighbors and introduced to them. They were so happy, to wake up their friends, hair auu hamma jang, bebes wit hanabada, ladies feeding their babies but their house being made a highway, by their cousins (the mother and tatay) as it was pretty late, to introduce them all to us, as we set return dates for those extended families. I know these things I have the opportunity to share are true. Not because I have studied these lessons for the past almost two years, but because Ive seen the tested results of its applications. Ive seen lives change as they choose Jesus Christ, in their lives. Ive seen disasters turn into happiness, as people recognize and understand the Atonement of Jesus Christ. The urgency we need to share about this, comes with our own experimenting upon the Words of Christ. Let us not focus on what's not allowed, but on the eternal blessings that we can experience, by following the example and accepting the teachings of Jesus Christ, no sked um, jahs trahs🤟 ELDER ISHIBASHI