conference

Hey I hope you guys were able to watch conference because it was really good. I really enjoyed the priesthood session. I got to go watch it with two of our neighbors who lived in the condo above us, their names were Cortland and Ethan Honn. There are 5 of them and the parents, Cortland and Robbie Honn actually brought the three kids out here because their daughter Cami got accepted to BYUH so they came for the second semester and stayed until just a few days ago. They are such a nice family and it's been really fun to get to know them. Cami  works at PCC in the bracelet engraving place where you can get the Hawaiian version of your name put on a leather bracelet. I have one, by the way, which is awesome. She also use to work in one of the big shops up in the front of PCC. Last week right before her family left, she gave them a really good surprise, she got engaged!

I liked the talk that elder Hales gave about putting the Armor of God to protect you against the" fiery darts of the adversary" I never knew that his dad was an artist and that he drew a picture of the armor of god, for Elder Hales when he was in high school. It reminded me of the painting that a guy did for me a couple summers ago of me standing on the stage of the Ellen Eccles' Theater standing in front of the savior, wearing the Armor of God.

I know that all of the people that spoke in conference were called by God and the messages that they gave were specifically for u

in the name of Jesus Christ Amen

-Elder Ballam

my birthday

hey guys sorry it's been a while but i wanted to tell you the cool stuff they did for me on my birthday back on the 9th. They threw me a party at the mission settlement when I got there that morning and then later that night when I wen to watch them take down the flag and sing, the hula girls did a dance for me to a Hawaiian song called "Beautiful Kawai'i" which I want to learn how to play on the Uke. Later we went to dinner and two of the serenaders sang happy birthday to me in Hawaiian and English. It was funny though because it was a jazzy version of Happy birthday so it was really really really fast. Then another one of my friends sang a Hawaiian song to me, too.   

fireside last sunday/ meeting a lady after the fireside

hey guys sorry it's been a while but I have a cool story I want to share with you. It's short but sweet  i hope you like it:

 So last week, dad and I got to do a fireside for the Relief Society in one of the Laie Wards here and after we were done, this lady came up to me and she said "you probably don't know me but my daughter use to work at PCC and she's talked to you a few times. I just wanted you to know that my daughter went on a mission because of meeting and talking to you.

That really surprised me because I've never had anyone tell me something like that before. i kept thinking "I had that big of an influence on her?!"  I just want you to know that you never know the kind of impact you're going to have on someone. I don't even really know the girl very well. I just met her a little while ago. But the fact that I had that sort of influence on her, makes me feel really good.