Goodmorning. Sorry this letter is a little late, we had to give our car "fraisa" a little deep clean this morning. We are totally Ammon missionaries hahaha. ANYWAY.
Here we are. We just had a really good week, well it started off a little rocky and we had our ups and downs but it was illuminated by all the amazing things that happened...I don't think Ill be able to describe them all because it was just so awesome. One day you'll hear all about it Im sure.
Oh and first of all thanks for all the emails and pictures. I loved seeing everyone at Thanksgiving. It looked like it was so fun!!!! Im happy. Our thanksgiving was perfect. Just the way I hoped it would be. We started off the morning running around and putting thanksgiving notes on all our investigators doors (well not all but a lot). We had traced our hands and made little turkeys and put them up every where. It was really fun. THen we had a few appointments and then at 2 we went to the house where we live and had thanksgiving dinner with them and their family. It was delicious, we shared a message and went around the table saying all the things we were thankful for, then we headed out and just worked. Thanksgiving is great and the way we show our love and gratitude for God as missionaries is working. So it was awesome.
I know Mom...7 days until my birthday.Please Don't remind me. Ill be 22.. yikes. Not my favorite thing. The only person who knows is my companion, and I made her swear not to tell anyone...but some how my zone leaders know....hmmm. Anyway its a Pday so I will be eating a red velvet cheesecake from cheesecake factory and then just doing normal stuff.
SO this week....
SO miracle number one. We were in this apartment complex visiting a few people and we had a few minutes until our next appointment so we decided to knock a bit. We were in the aisle thing and I pointed down and said farthest ones to the left. We went and knocked....nothing....knocked another....nothing..knocked again and found this Indian woman. We started talking to her and testifying and talking about eternal families. She then said "hold on let me go wake up my husband". So she invited us in and we talked and taught her and her husband. Such a sweet family, we asked if the english elders could come by and she said yes. So we left. Then a couple hours later the zone leaders call us (they are over the YSA ward) and they were like did you talk to someone named Benni in hill crest apartments? And we were like yes.....So the Zone leaders were in the area looking for a member who wasn't home so they started knocking and knocked into Benni and his family. We both talked about how we felt such a sweet spirit there! So cool!
We have this investigator Magdalena who missed an appointment this week because she got called into work. We were on her street 2 days later and our appointment fell through. We decided to go see her. We found her and taught her the Restoration. She got so emotional when we told her about Joseph Smith, the spirit was so strong and she committed to prepare to be baptized. She has work on Sundays so that will be a struggle. BUT all things are possible the with help of Christ...
Speaking of all things are possible. I translated on Sunday because all the spanish people were in the english sacrament so i wore this headphone thing with a microphone and they all had headsets. There were totally people who could have done a better job but Im grateful I had the experience because it was amazing to feel the help of my Heavenly Father. The church is TRUE! Spanish is amazing!
We found a less active the other day who hasn't been to church in a year and she let us in..we taught her and she invited us to come back the next week!!
We had an outpouring of member referrals. One set up an appointment with us immediately over the phone and she is SO excited.
I love this work. I know that when we work hard and do all we are suppose to do, the Lord will bless us...
Like with Sylvia she is another investigator and she is with a member of the church. They can't get married because they were both married in Mexico and couldn't get a divorce, but the divorce should be done ...is done...or something and she wants to be baptized with all her heart. She comes to church and we are teaching her now. Im hoping for a white christmas (white as in white baptismal jumpsuits).
Also..when I get home I am writing "Mission- the musical". Its going to be great and I am already practicing the songs. You can even ask Hermana Clark. Haha.
Thanks so much for all you do for me. You are too good for me. I don't need anything for my birthday or Christmas just love. Maybe christmas you could send something that I can give to my companion. She is just so cool and I am really grateful for her.
We have zone conference this week, I am looking forward to an outpouring of revelation and its always great to see President and Sister Castro!
Love you all, cuidense mucho y nos vemos.
You should tell Veronica and Aunt Patty to write to me in spanish. How were they by the way?
Oh and of course Hno Campos said nice things, he's just a really nice guy. Always helping us out.
OH and its far away but I guess you should start talking with the family when it would be best to get together to call.
LOVE YOU!!!!
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Happy Holidays!!!!!!!
HOLA!!!!
Ok...first...I have to admit....my patience needs work. I got your package and when I first got it I had every intention of waiting until thanksgiving BUT we got home...and no mail (usually a daily occurrence haha) and I was like IM OPENING THIS! Cause I figured there would be a letter inside. So i opened it....and I LOVE IT! Thank you so much for the blanket! Its so crazy and awesome that they can do stuff like that. I LOVE LOVE LOVE IT! THANK YOU SO MUCH! You are the best dad.
Then I got a letter from chelsea the next day, let her know I loved it and will be writing her back soon.
ANYWAY. We are soooo pumped that its the holidays. Me and Hna Clark both have traditions that we love with our families but we are both so pumped to be spending this holiday telling people about Jesus Christ. I am so excited because I feel like everyones hearts will be so much more open to listening. We are planning a special christmas message that includes the BOM because we can't stray away from what OUR IMPORTANT MESSAGE IS!!! We actually didn't have a dinner on thursday but the people we live with invited us to eat with their family which is perfect because they are our family here. I hope you all have a wonderful thanksgiving! Take pictures for me!
OH ....scary thing...next week the spanish unit will be going into sacrament meeting with the english ward and the man that usually translates will be in utah....so guess who is translating.....ME! AH! I have to wear this headset with microphone and all they spanish people will be wearing headphones. Stressful, but I can do it.
Mom, I have a question, do you remember any of the missionaries who taught you?? I actually had an experience that reminded me of something you wrote me not too long ago. You said that every time you were invited to be baptized you felt the spirit. Well we are teaching Jesus (boyfriend of Ingrid) and the spirit was really strong and I asked him to prepare to be baptized for the first weekend of Jan. and it was quiet and he says Wow.... My heart stopped, the spirit was strong...and then he says..."Ive already been baptized by someone who has authority"....AHHHH. I wanted to cry, for like 2 seconds I swear he was going to say yes...and I think he WAS going to say yes...but he didn't. After the lesson my companion said the same thing...she was like I FELT IT, YOU FELT IT...he HAD TO HAVE FELT IT. Its crazy..but I really have faith that we are suppose to be patient with him. I told him flat out that I would never stop inviting him to be baptized because I love them and I know that is the best thing for them.
Lets see...what else. We got dropped by this wonderful woman Jasmin. It was a bummer BECAUSE she wants to study SO BAD, but she recently got a new job and she is literally working every day from 7 in the morning unit 830 at night...but it was really cool how the spirit totally instructed us on what to do. We taught her effective ways to study the Book of Mormon and made goals with her about studying and praying. We def. will still drop by from time to time. She says in like Feb she will start working like normal again. BUT if you read in the scriptures when Alma goes to preach to the apostate Zoramites and his heart just hearts...BUT it was swallowed up in the joy Christ.
We have a vision for our area and we have goals. We have wonderful leaders that support us and we are just teaching like Crazy! I LOVE LOVE LOVE the mission.
Ok Im going to keep this short because I have a few other people I need to email...like Chrissy.
LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR EMAILS OF SUPPORT!
Ok...first...I have to admit....my patience needs work. I got your package and when I first got it I had every intention of waiting until thanksgiving BUT we got home...and no mail (usually a daily occurrence haha) and I was like IM OPENING THIS! Cause I figured there would be a letter inside. So i opened it....and I LOVE IT! Thank you so much for the blanket! Its so crazy and awesome that they can do stuff like that. I LOVE LOVE LOVE IT! THANK YOU SO MUCH! You are the best dad.
Then I got a letter from chelsea the next day, let her know I loved it and will be writing her back soon.
ANYWAY. We are soooo pumped that its the holidays. Me and Hna Clark both have traditions that we love with our families but we are both so pumped to be spending this holiday telling people about Jesus Christ. I am so excited because I feel like everyones hearts will be so much more open to listening. We are planning a special christmas message that includes the BOM because we can't stray away from what OUR IMPORTANT MESSAGE IS!!! We actually didn't have a dinner on thursday but the people we live with invited us to eat with their family which is perfect because they are our family here. I hope you all have a wonderful thanksgiving! Take pictures for me!
OH ....scary thing...next week the spanish unit will be going into sacrament meeting with the english ward and the man that usually translates will be in utah....so guess who is translating.....ME! AH! I have to wear this headset with microphone and all they spanish people will be wearing headphones. Stressful, but I can do it.
Mom, I have a question, do you remember any of the missionaries who taught you?? I actually had an experience that reminded me of something you wrote me not too long ago. You said that every time you were invited to be baptized you felt the spirit. Well we are teaching Jesus (boyfriend of Ingrid) and the spirit was really strong and I asked him to prepare to be baptized for the first weekend of Jan. and it was quiet and he says Wow.... My heart stopped, the spirit was strong...and then he says..."Ive already been baptized by someone who has authority"....AHHHH. I wanted to cry, for like 2 seconds I swear he was going to say yes...and I think he WAS going to say yes...but he didn't. After the lesson my companion said the same thing...she was like I FELT IT, YOU FELT IT...he HAD TO HAVE FELT IT. Its crazy..but I really have faith that we are suppose to be patient with him. I told him flat out that I would never stop inviting him to be baptized because I love them and I know that is the best thing for them.
Lets see...what else. We got dropped by this wonderful woman Jasmin. It was a bummer BECAUSE she wants to study SO BAD, but she recently got a new job and she is literally working every day from 7 in the morning unit 830 at night...but it was really cool how the spirit totally instructed us on what to do. We taught her effective ways to study the Book of Mormon and made goals with her about studying and praying. We def. will still drop by from time to time. She says in like Feb she will start working like normal again. BUT if you read in the scriptures when Alma goes to preach to the apostate Zoramites and his heart just hearts...BUT it was swallowed up in the joy Christ.
We have a vision for our area and we have goals. We have wonderful leaders that support us and we are just teaching like Crazy! I LOVE LOVE LOVE the mission.
Ok Im going to keep this short because I have a few other people I need to email...like Chrissy.
LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR EMAILS OF SUPPORT!
Monday, November 14, 2011
oh my...
Primero, puedo decir.....!!!HIJOLE!!!! Haha...yes mom it slipped your mind to tell me that Amber was getting married!?!?!?!?!?! Wow. I was reading Mariah's email and I was like WHHATTT??? Crazy. When I left she was totally planning on serving a mission, but the Lord works in mysterious ways. Good for her. I would love to see a picture. You also forgot to mention that Dustin is GOING TO PERU!!! That is so cool. We will be able to chit chat in the language of the heavens. Also...that uncle gene got a pacemaker???? Well Im glad to hear all is well.
Also I forgot to mention that today is the day before transfers...annnnnd. ME AND HERMANA CLARK ARE STAYING HERE TOGETHER!!!!!!!!! We really figured that but we are so happy to actually know. She's really awesome. I just love her to death and we get to spend Thanksgiving and Christmas together. We are excited. Hopefully we will be making Christmas cards today. YAY
Well the work....its good. We were able to teach a lot today. I love how the mission is organized. Its so inspired be the Lord, all the things that we do. We have a district meeting every week and since we have a celestial district we come away every time ready to take on the world. I love that we get time to study every morning, its our communication with the Lord and our chance to build our strengths and testimony. I suggest adding study time Dad to your new retired routine!
So we have a couple people with baptismal dates right now. 2 we set yesterday. One's name is Carlos. I really like how we met him...it was raining the other night and we were walking and started talked to this guy. He was young, like 20 and we talked to him awhile. We then set up an appointment and came by a couple days later. Then we met his brother carlos and taught him. So then we came back the next day and taught them both. Carlos really took in the Book of Mormon and I think he gets the fact that IF THIS IS TRUE, he needs to do something about it. He accepted to prepare to be baptized the first weekend in January.
Then there is another Carlos we are teaching. We taught him about the Restoration the other day and it was just so powerful. I felt the spirit so strong. Then at the end he said something like "Yeah I believe this is all true but I think Ill be ok in my church still"...I think my jaw almost dropped. We talked to him about it a bit and really invited him to pray and ask God, read the book of mormon, and he invited us back. I have faith that if he really does this he will know the Book of Mormon is true and everything else will follow.
We are teaching this man named Jose who we met knocking and he's SO AWESOME. He's 40 and he knows he needs a purpose in life. He was telling us that this year his new year revolution was to find a church and he felt like when we came over it was a sign from God. We taught him about the Book of Mormon and he was so excited to start reading it. He wanted to know if he should read from the beginning or what.
Jesus and Ingrid. Ingrid is a member and Jesus is her boyfriend (father of her child....) and I just love them so much. I taught Jesus when I was here last time and we dropped him pretty fast. But this time....I just feel like we are suppose to be patient. He's progressing.....VERY SLOWLY....but he is. He just needs to pray about the Book of Mormon, but we'e just been teaching him the basics and he is really soaking it in.
There are more but thats the people that were interesting this week.
I love the mission and I love my family. Its weird not being home for thanksgiving a bit, but its not even an option for me. Im here and this is the best thing I could be doing.
By the way the 30 dollars on the credit card at walgreens....I got sick....and we went to the store and just stocked up so I could get better...and IM BETTER!!! Yay. It worked.
I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH THANKS FOR BEING SO LOVING AND SUPPORTING. TELL EVERYONE I SAID HI AND I LOVE THEM
Also I forgot to mention that today is the day before transfers...annnnnd. ME AND HERMANA CLARK ARE STAYING HERE TOGETHER!!!!!!!!! We really figured that but we are so happy to actually know. She's really awesome. I just love her to death and we get to spend Thanksgiving and Christmas together. We are excited. Hopefully we will be making Christmas cards today. YAY
Well the work....its good. We were able to teach a lot today. I love how the mission is organized. Its so inspired be the Lord, all the things that we do. We have a district meeting every week and since we have a celestial district we come away every time ready to take on the world. I love that we get time to study every morning, its our communication with the Lord and our chance to build our strengths and testimony. I suggest adding study time Dad to your new retired routine!
So we have a couple people with baptismal dates right now. 2 we set yesterday. One's name is Carlos. I really like how we met him...it was raining the other night and we were walking and started talked to this guy. He was young, like 20 and we talked to him awhile. We then set up an appointment and came by a couple days later. Then we met his brother carlos and taught him. So then we came back the next day and taught them both. Carlos really took in the Book of Mormon and I think he gets the fact that IF THIS IS TRUE, he needs to do something about it. He accepted to prepare to be baptized the first weekend in January.
Then there is another Carlos we are teaching. We taught him about the Restoration the other day and it was just so powerful. I felt the spirit so strong. Then at the end he said something like "Yeah I believe this is all true but I think Ill be ok in my church still"...I think my jaw almost dropped. We talked to him about it a bit and really invited him to pray and ask God, read the book of mormon, and he invited us back. I have faith that if he really does this he will know the Book of Mormon is true and everything else will follow.
We are teaching this man named Jose who we met knocking and he's SO AWESOME. He's 40 and he knows he needs a purpose in life. He was telling us that this year his new year revolution was to find a church and he felt like when we came over it was a sign from God. We taught him about the Book of Mormon and he was so excited to start reading it. He wanted to know if he should read from the beginning or what.
Jesus and Ingrid. Ingrid is a member and Jesus is her boyfriend (father of her child....) and I just love them so much. I taught Jesus when I was here last time and we dropped him pretty fast. But this time....I just feel like we are suppose to be patient. He's progressing.....VERY SLOWLY....but he is. He just needs to pray about the Book of Mormon, but we'e just been teaching him the basics and he is really soaking it in.
There are more but thats the people that were interesting this week.
I love the mission and I love my family. Its weird not being home for thanksgiving a bit, but its not even an option for me. Im here and this is the best thing I could be doing.
By the way the 30 dollars on the credit card at walgreens....I got sick....and we went to the store and just stocked up so I could get better...and IM BETTER!!! Yay. It worked.
I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH THANKS FOR BEING SO LOVING AND SUPPORTING. TELL EVERYONE I SAID HI AND I LOVE THEM
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Teaching in Spanish is so much better
BUENASSSSS! Thanks for all the emails! Well first off I guess the picture is on my new hair cut....I got it last monday and the lady that cut our hair is a straight up professional. Like her clients in New York City fly her out there to cut her hair. Super awesome. ANYWAY...
OH Mother.....I got a phone call from a lady in our area who said she talked to you. I will call her today but goodness mom, haha my companion told me to be grateful my mom loves me (and I am..), but Im a serious missionary and stuff :). Bro. Campos is the person you talked to...hes a good guy. He is in the leadership in our spanish unit. He was just being nice about me. I promise haha.
Also don't be silly about me helping Hna Clark, she helps me. She's wonderful.
This week has been good. I mean...we had to drop like 5 of our investigators this week but thats ok, you just have to have faith that because they aren't ready right now, they will be in the area book and someone will come a long and find them when they are ready. I know thats true.
HOWEVER we have a quite a few investigators who are hanging strong and really growing their testimonies. One of our investigators Jesus (who has had missionaries in his house since 2005) bought us jerseys from a Mexican team called "America"...he found out that I have a chivas jersey and was super disappointed ha. So he's getting our name put on the back of it and everything. Super legit. It warms my heart. I love them all so much. I feel like he's progressing. I feel like he's so much more open to the gospel right now and I pray every day that right now is his time. He needs the gospel so bad.
We also are still teaching Luis and his family. They are wonderful and read the Book of Mormon every day together as a family and have started saying prayers like we taught them. The wife still has the attitude that "all of the religions are the same, just pick one you like"...ah. But Luis is really really accepting. The only hard thing is that their son is getting ready for communion so he has his classes at the same time as church. They have come once though. I have a lot of faith in them.
Leydey...shes really confused but I can see her faith growing little by little.
We had a really spiritual testimony meeting this week, and me and hna clark taught the relief society lesson in the spanish relief society. It was great. We just talked about the Book of Mormon, its amazing because it is something so basic in our church but its so true and so powerful.
If I every become queen of spanish land I am banning the phrase "Si Dios quiere" ....anyone who served spanish would understand....it just means "if God wants" and they say it a lot when you ask them to church...ext. SI DIOS QUIERE! ha...its interesting.
I LOVE SPANISH.
Thank you again for the package I have been putting the jacket to use the last couple of days.
Oh and tell blake that he should totally go to BYU I. i think thats a very good idea, we can hang out and speak spanish :) yay yay yay. I can't believe all these people are coming back. I hate time. Every week goes by way too fast. Every day. we always get mid day and Im like HOW???? WHERE DID THIS DAY GO? I love being a missionary. Oh and speaking of BYU I you can just go online and look, you could probably ask Vanessa to help you.
Thanks for the tape! I will definitely start making one. It was so weird listening to Millie, I can't believe she can speak full sentences!!!!
How is thanksgiving planning go? I love thanksgiving so much....BUT I have my whole life to go to the tippetts thanksgiving so Im not even worried about it...I GET TO BE A MISSIONARY FOR THANKSGIVING!!!
give my love to everyone!!!! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH FAMILY!!! THE GOSPEL IS TRUE! TELLbishop thanks for the email and I will write the ward soon. Hopefully today
OH Mother.....I got a phone call from a lady in our area who said she talked to you. I will call her today but goodness mom, haha my companion told me to be grateful my mom loves me (and I am..), but Im a serious missionary and stuff :). Bro. Campos is the person you talked to...hes a good guy. He is in the leadership in our spanish unit. He was just being nice about me. I promise haha.
Also don't be silly about me helping Hna Clark, she helps me. She's wonderful.
This week has been good. I mean...we had to drop like 5 of our investigators this week but thats ok, you just have to have faith that because they aren't ready right now, they will be in the area book and someone will come a long and find them when they are ready. I know thats true.
HOWEVER we have a quite a few investigators who are hanging strong and really growing their testimonies. One of our investigators Jesus (who has had missionaries in his house since 2005) bought us jerseys from a Mexican team called "America"...he found out that I have a chivas jersey and was super disappointed ha. So he's getting our name put on the back of it and everything. Super legit. It warms my heart. I love them all so much. I feel like he's progressing. I feel like he's so much more open to the gospel right now and I pray every day that right now is his time. He needs the gospel so bad.
We also are still teaching Luis and his family. They are wonderful and read the Book of Mormon every day together as a family and have started saying prayers like we taught them. The wife still has the attitude that "all of the religions are the same, just pick one you like"...ah. But Luis is really really accepting. The only hard thing is that their son is getting ready for communion so he has his classes at the same time as church. They have come once though. I have a lot of faith in them.
Leydey...shes really confused but I can see her faith growing little by little.
We had a really spiritual testimony meeting this week, and me and hna clark taught the relief society lesson in the spanish relief society. It was great. We just talked about the Book of Mormon, its amazing because it is something so basic in our church but its so true and so powerful.
If I every become queen of spanish land I am banning the phrase "Si Dios quiere" ....anyone who served spanish would understand....it just means "if God wants" and they say it a lot when you ask them to church...ext. SI DIOS QUIERE! ha...its interesting.
I LOVE SPANISH.
Thank you again for the package I have been putting the jacket to use the last couple of days.
Oh and tell blake that he should totally go to BYU I. i think thats a very good idea, we can hang out and speak spanish :) yay yay yay. I can't believe all these people are coming back. I hate time. Every week goes by way too fast. Every day. we always get mid day and Im like HOW???? WHERE DID THIS DAY GO? I love being a missionary. Oh and speaking of BYU I you can just go online and look, you could probably ask Vanessa to help you.
Thanks for the tape! I will definitely start making one. It was so weird listening to Millie, I can't believe she can speak full sentences!!!!
How is thanksgiving planning go? I love thanksgiving so much....BUT I have my whole life to go to the tippetts thanksgiving so Im not even worried about it...I GET TO BE A MISSIONARY FOR THANKSGIVING!!!
give my love to everyone!!!! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH FAMILY!!! THE GOSPEL IS TRUE! TELLbishop thanks for the email and I will write the ward soon. Hopefully today
Monday, October 31, 2011
HAPPY HALLOWEEN ...... or even better NEVADA DAY
Hola family. How is it going? Thanks for the emails. I love the pictures of the pumpkins. My companion and i have really wanted to carve pumpkins but of course there is not time for that (but we have the rest of our lives to carve pumpkins), but needless to say we enjoyed the pictures. This morning between personal and companion study Hna Clark was like HAPPY HALLOWEEN....and I was like don't you mean happy nevada day??? And she started cracking up....and I told her that we get the day off of school and she thought was the most ridiculous thing ever...and I was super serious and was just like Hna.....you get a week off of school to help pick "spuds"....now tell me who is ridiculous. She then reminded me that they get two weeks off.....hahaha. I just love her.
Stuff here in Newbury is great. I could say the same thing every week. Its great, we are working hard, finding people, teaching ext. But I guess Ill give you some examples of the stuff that has been going on.
So funny things:
We went by some former investigators and there father answered the door and he was of a different religion and was getting kinda upset with us being there so I just asked him if we could sing him a song and get on our way....he told me to sing to "her" (hna clark) and shut the door. It was....interesting...funny...and mostly sad. I sang to Hna Clark, no worries.
So one of the semi less active members is pregnant and going to have her baby this next week and we were knocking in the area and saw people carrying big boxes into her house...well one little woman was doing it so we went over to help. We then realized that they were giant boxes of hamburgers....so we carried them in. They were planning a baby shower for her and invited us to come back. We told them we'd try but we weren't really planning on it. So fast forward later that night we are walking by and they were doing something at her party so we kinda stopped and looked for a second and this lady we didn't know came out and invited us in (this is why I love spanish people, they will invite anyone into their party). We looked in and noticed that one of our investigators wife was there (who isn't the most fond of us) so we decided to go in. We went and sat by her and had some conversation and told her how we were coming over the next day. We were there for like 10 min and it was so funny. Right before we left they made us play this game. They blindfolded us and told us to put lipstick on her...totally got all over her face haha...
Cool stuff:
So there is this investigator Jesus who I taught before too...hes been taught by soooo many different missionaries. He is with one of our members and is kinda on the stubborn side. But we taught him the Restoration and it was a really spiritual lesson and I really feel like he got it this time. I think he understands how its the church of Christ. We also got the most committed response from him that Ive ever heard about reading the Book of Mormon and praying. Im really excited about it. Its amazing what the spirit can do.
Another day we parked in Las Casitas (pretty much where we spend most of our time) and we were kinda loud because Hna Clark was teasing me for parking on the other side of las casitas then where we were going, and out of the house comes one of our investigators and she was like "you are so loud". Haha then she started talking to us and we had a lesson with her...and she just really really really needed us in that moment and it was super spiritual. She could just feel Gods love for her and I can just see her testimony growing. She's amazing...this is Ashley by the way.
NEW PERSON! His name is Fili and he is SO awesome. So...we were looking for a former investigator and he didn't live there any more, so we talked to the woman that lived there and taught her a bit about the Book of Mormon and got a return appointment with her. So we went back and taught her fully about the Book of Mormon and right as we were about to sing a hymn this man walked in and we invited him to listen to the hymn. He listened and was really emotional so we invited him to make an appointment with him. So we went by this saturday and taught him about the Book of Mormon. His first question was "What is the purpose of this life"...my eyes got kinda big and I looked at my companion. PURE JOY. We taught him about the Book of Mormon and the spirit was sooo strong from start to finish of the lesson. It was seriously amazing. We both walked away speechless.........
and to illustrate the ups and downs of missionary work....
Our next appointment was just throwing anti stuff at us the whole time...wasnt listening or anything. It was crazy.
Anyway, I love this work and it just keeps moving on and on...I love my companion....my leaders...and the ward we serve.
Thank you so much for the package, Im hoping Ill be able to wear the jacket, the weather has just been so pleasant here. I love the tape and have listened to all of it. Both me and my companion was cracking up at the kids, so funny. YOU ARE THE BEST FAMILY EVER! Also the book of mormon in spanish cds rock. Me and my companion have been listening to them in the car and they make me sooo happy. SPANISH IS MY FAVORITE!
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING! I LOVE YOU!
THE CHURCH IS TRUE, AND THE BOOK OF MORMON IS THE WORD OF GOD!
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Screaming Testimony
Well Hello family. Estoy aqui nada mas. This week went by sooooooo fast. Way to fast. I feel like Pday was yesterday! I think I had like two freak outs this week because I feel like time is going by wayyy too fast. I mean I didn't way freak out. Just a little haha. Crazy. What are the fam plans for halloween? What are the kids dressing up like? I know that Jaden is going to be Harry Potter but thats it. haha. Trunk o treat? We have to go in early on halloween but at 8 o clock. So not super early. We are going to be missionaries for halloween, just in case you were wondering. I wonder if people will still give us candy when we knock on their door...haha probably not.
So events of this week.
LUIS and VIKI and family came to church this week. They are sooo amazing. we just randomly met them knocking and he asked us to come back another day. We came back and he just wanted to know all about prophets and they are really just searching for the truth. So the next appointment we read the BOM with them because they didn't totally understand it. In the middle of it we invited them to church and they accepted with no hesitations. Then they CAME! Ah. THen after sacrament they said they had to leave but one of the members talked to them and invited them to sunday school and they stayed!!! I was so happy and proud of that member. I know it was so important for them to stay!
I FOUND RENE!!!!!!!!!! I know this isn't so exciting to everyone else but I taught him like twice last time I was here and I couldn't get him out of my mind once I got back. I wanted to find him. So i went to his address and they said no one by that name lived there. So i knocked around there...and we looked every where. SO today we decided to target before going and doing email. We were walking to go check out and there was RENE I was so happy/freaked out. We talked and he told me where he lives and he showed me how he has our number in the phone and bla bla bla. IT was so cool. It just gives me a huge testimony that we just need to "be good girls and good boys and we will be guided" (Elder Bednar's talk given at the MTC) People sometimes stress out sooo much about following the spirit and knowing if they are or not. But I know we were guided by the spirit to be there, but I sure didn't think that when we decided to do it that way. SO COOL.
Lets see...oh so last night we were knocking kind of late and night and I was bearing my testimony to this guy and all of a sudden I hear this barking getting really close to me and my companion grabbing my arm and squealing...I screamed of course. I didn't know what was coming my way...hahahaha. But I was alright and I went back on..the guy forgave me i guess because he still made an appointment with us and said a prayer. Hahaha..oh man.
I just asked my companion what else we did that just made us laugh...there is a lot but we can't remember. She's really wonderful. I love being her companion.
Oh I was wondering if you could look at how much BOM in spanish CDs would cost..they should be like 3 bucks. I would think...I don't know. But a lot of people can't read here.
I read these scriptures this week and loved them. Exodus 3:11-12. I feel like this is me. I am nothing on my own...but I love how he tells Moses "Certaintly I will be with thee". I really feel like that is true. Also Because of conference I have been trying to memorize a scripture every week. THis week I'm on Mosiah 28:3. I have a testimony that memorizing scripture is something that Heavenly Father wants us to do. I know it will give us strength comfort or whatever we need when we need it.
Oh,...my companion just reminded me of something "rapid bowels"...I have a problem. Like we will be out and I will HAVE to go to the bathroom. There is no in between. I either don't have to go or I REALLY have to go. But we have also found that in almost ALL of our bathroom runs we have found someone or ran into someone we needed to talk to. Inspired bathroom runs....the Lord is that precise in his work. Really though....
The family we live with is so wonderful. Its so peaceful coming home every night. Im super grateful for it.
We are teaching some really cool people right now and we are just trying to find the people who are ready. Javier is reading and is already in 1 Nefi 3. He hasn't come to church yet but he's been out of town. He accepted to be baptized the first weekend in December. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!
I LOVE THIS WORK! I LOVE THE BOOK OF MORMON! It is soooo true. The gospel is true and every single person can know it!
HAVE A GOOD WEEK!
So events of this week.
LUIS and VIKI and family came to church this week. They are sooo amazing. we just randomly met them knocking and he asked us to come back another day. We came back and he just wanted to know all about prophets and they are really just searching for the truth. So the next appointment we read the BOM with them because they didn't totally understand it. In the middle of it we invited them to church and they accepted with no hesitations. Then they CAME! Ah. THen after sacrament they said they had to leave but one of the members talked to them and invited them to sunday school and they stayed!!! I was so happy and proud of that member. I know it was so important for them to stay!
I FOUND RENE!!!!!!!!!! I know this isn't so exciting to everyone else but I taught him like twice last time I was here and I couldn't get him out of my mind once I got back. I wanted to find him. So i went to his address and they said no one by that name lived there. So i knocked around there...and we looked every where. SO today we decided to target before going and doing email. We were walking to go check out and there was RENE I was so happy/freaked out. We talked and he told me where he lives and he showed me how he has our number in the phone and bla bla bla. IT was so cool. It just gives me a huge testimony that we just need to "be good girls and good boys and we will be guided" (Elder Bednar's talk given at the MTC) People sometimes stress out sooo much about following the spirit and knowing if they are or not. But I know we were guided by the spirit to be there, but I sure didn't think that when we decided to do it that way. SO COOL.
Lets see...oh so last night we were knocking kind of late and night and I was bearing my testimony to this guy and all of a sudden I hear this barking getting really close to me and my companion grabbing my arm and squealing...I screamed of course. I didn't know what was coming my way...hahahaha. But I was alright and I went back on..the guy forgave me i guess because he still made an appointment with us and said a prayer. Hahaha..oh man.
I just asked my companion what else we did that just made us laugh...there is a lot but we can't remember. She's really wonderful. I love being her companion.
Oh I was wondering if you could look at how much BOM in spanish CDs would cost..they should be like 3 bucks. I would think...I don't know. But a lot of people can't read here.
I read these scriptures this week and loved them. Exodus 3:11-12. I feel like this is me. I am nothing on my own...but I love how he tells Moses "Certaintly I will be with thee". I really feel like that is true. Also Because of conference I have been trying to memorize a scripture every week. THis week I'm on Mosiah 28:3. I have a testimony that memorizing scripture is something that Heavenly Father wants us to do. I know it will give us strength comfort or whatever we need when we need it.
Oh,...my companion just reminded me of something "rapid bowels"...I have a problem. Like we will be out and I will HAVE to go to the bathroom. There is no in between. I either don't have to go or I REALLY have to go. But we have also found that in almost ALL of our bathroom runs we have found someone or ran into someone we needed to talk to. Inspired bathroom runs....the Lord is that precise in his work. Really though....
The family we live with is so wonderful. Its so peaceful coming home every night. Im super grateful for it.
We are teaching some really cool people right now and we are just trying to find the people who are ready. Javier is reading and is already in 1 Nefi 3. He hasn't come to church yet but he's been out of town. He accepted to be baptized the first weekend in December. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!
I LOVE THIS WORK! I LOVE THE BOOK OF MORMON! It is soooo true. The gospel is true and every single person can know it!
HAVE A GOOD WEEK!
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Newbury park....Lets slay this week
Hello Family! So one of the Elders was super bummed that his family didnt write him so he decided he wasnt going to write them back and I gave him a really hard time about it and said thats silly just write them back. Well....I have to take my own advice today. Haha :)
How is everyone? How is your October? Whats the weather like there?
Newbury Park is great. Its still pretty warm but Im not complaining. Every day I re-love it here more and more. I was nervous when I first got the call that I would be coming back so soon but I dont know why, I almost feel like I love it here more than I did the time before. I also really love being companions with Hermana Clark. We are a lot a like and she is just so sweet and easy going. I love it.
Lets see...this week has seriously been so crazy. I think we laughed so hard so many times saying "did that really just happen?"
I think it started last tuesday when we parked our car and started walking and saw this CSI van with this guy walking around with rubber gloves and plastic evidence bags. Hijole! Then that very day we were about to take lunch when we noticed we had a missedcall and a voicemail from the mission office. We were like ummmm.....so we listened to the voicemail and it was one of the missionary couples informing us that they had a new car waiting for us in Ventura and they wanted to know if we could come and pick it up today. We had like an hour and half until our next appointment (including lunch) so we decided it was the best time. So we hurried and left Newbury park and got to Ventura. We got a brand new toyota carolla that smells oh so good. But we are always so nervous because we dont want to hurt her. Her name is fraisa. That literally means strawberry but if you call a girl a fraisa it pretty much means valley girl. Oh and our brakes on our other car had a little issue on the way there and we had to stop to let them cool down so we were so worried we werent going to get back to our appointment in time but we made it back with5 minutes to spare. It was awesome!!!! Miracles.
THe Newbury Park missionaries are going to be the most in shape missionaries. Every other week we have a kick boxing work out class and it is intense. I was sore all this last week. One of my favorite part is I got to beat up some Elders. You never get to do that. Ha so the guy had like two giant pads that you hold and the Elders were chasing me like they were attacking me and I was suppose to hit and kick them. It waspretty awesome.
Ha one of my favorite things that happened this week...So one morning I was NOT feeling up to getting up and working out. So I started tellig my companion that I just wanted to walk...as we were laying in bed and I couldnt say it in English for the life of me. I kept starting over trying to say it in english but it would come out in spanish. Finally I just grew up and we went to the work out class. Later that day I was like p.s. I wasnt trying to speak to you in spanish this morning and my companion started cracking up. She was like I was wondering why you were speaking spanish to me.
So cool miracle. When I was here last time we started teaching this lady Lorena. Well as soon as I got back here i asked about her but hna clark said she moved and they dont know where. Well we had found this lady Carina the other day and we came back for our appointment and she wasnt there....BUT.....LORENA ANSWERED THE DOOR. How crazy is that. Its totally on the opposite side of town from where she lived before...crazy. SO now we are teaching Lorena again.
Oh another amazing thing. SO we were knocking at like 8 and this guy opened the door and was just like its late can you come back another day. SO we set up an appointment. We came back but he wasnt there but his wife let us in and he walks in 5 min later and was like "HERMANAS I THOUGHT YOUD NEVER COME!!!" then he went and sat all of his kids down to listen to us. We were teaching the restoration and as we were talking about prophets him and his wife asked us "why arent there prophets any more???" ....GOOD QUESTION. It was amazing. The spirit was really strong and we were able to say a kneeling prayer with them and one of the kids said the prayer.
Oh then one day we had to go to the bathroom and decided to walk from las casitas to ralphs hoping we could talk to people on the way. Well we get to ralphs and we run into one of my old investgatores and were able to talk to him. It was perfect timing. I LOVE SEEING THE LORDS HAND IN HIS WORK!
Ah there is just so much...but I dont have time. One day Ill be able to tell it all. But I love this work. We are teaching so much and no we have 2 people with baptismal dates and when we first started we had 0. I love this work. I love this area! Being a missionary rocks!
OH one more funny thing that can help you all understand what im like right now (an elder explained this to me). When you come out on a mission you have this bucket full of awkwardness. The faster you dump it out the easier missionary work is..because your not worried about being awkward. Can I just tell you I dont feel awkward about anything any more. Ive realized this is why RMs are so ...awkward haha. OK
LOVE YOU CUIDENSE MUCHO! LES QUIERO
How is everyone? How is your October? Whats the weather like there?
Newbury Park is great. Its still pretty warm but Im not complaining. Every day I re-love it here more and more. I was nervous when I first got the call that I would be coming back so soon but I dont know why, I almost feel like I love it here more than I did the time before. I also really love being companions with Hermana Clark. We are a lot a like and she is just so sweet and easy going. I love it.
Lets see...this week has seriously been so crazy. I think we laughed so hard so many times saying "did that really just happen?"
I think it started last tuesday when we parked our car and started walking and saw this CSI van with this guy walking around with rubber gloves and plastic evidence bags. Hijole! Then that very day we were about to take lunch when we noticed we had a missedcall and a voicemail from the mission office. We were like ummmm.....so we listened to the voicemail and it was one of the missionary couples informing us that they had a new car waiting for us in Ventura and they wanted to know if we could come and pick it up today. We had like an hour and half until our next appointment (including lunch) so we decided it was the best time. So we hurried and left Newbury park and got to Ventura. We got a brand new toyota carolla that smells oh so good. But we are always so nervous because we dont want to hurt her. Her name is fraisa. That literally means strawberry but if you call a girl a fraisa it pretty much means valley girl. Oh and our brakes on our other car had a little issue on the way there and we had to stop to let them cool down so we were so worried we werent going to get back to our appointment in time but we made it back with5 minutes to spare. It was awesome!!!! Miracles.
THe Newbury Park missionaries are going to be the most in shape missionaries. Every other week we have a kick boxing work out class and it is intense. I was sore all this last week. One of my favorite part is I got to beat up some Elders. You never get to do that. Ha so the guy had like two giant pads that you hold and the Elders were chasing me like they were attacking me and I was suppose to hit and kick them. It waspretty awesome.
Ha one of my favorite things that happened this week...So one morning I was NOT feeling up to getting up and working out. So I started tellig my companion that I just wanted to walk...as we were laying in bed and I couldnt say it in English for the life of me. I kept starting over trying to say it in english but it would come out in spanish. Finally I just grew up and we went to the work out class. Later that day I was like p.s. I wasnt trying to speak to you in spanish this morning and my companion started cracking up. She was like I was wondering why you were speaking spanish to me.
So cool miracle. When I was here last time we started teaching this lady Lorena. Well as soon as I got back here i asked about her but hna clark said she moved and they dont know where. Well we had found this lady Carina the other day and we came back for our appointment and she wasnt there....BUT.....LORENA ANSWERED THE DOOR. How crazy is that. Its totally on the opposite side of town from where she lived before...crazy. SO now we are teaching Lorena again.
Oh another amazing thing. SO we were knocking at like 8 and this guy opened the door and was just like its late can you come back another day. SO we set up an appointment. We came back but he wasnt there but his wife let us in and he walks in 5 min later and was like "HERMANAS I THOUGHT YOUD NEVER COME!!!" then he went and sat all of his kids down to listen to us. We were teaching the restoration and as we were talking about prophets him and his wife asked us "why arent there prophets any more???" ....GOOD QUESTION. It was amazing. The spirit was really strong and we were able to say a kneeling prayer with them and one of the kids said the prayer.
Oh then one day we had to go to the bathroom and decided to walk from las casitas to ralphs hoping we could talk to people on the way. Well we get to ralphs and we run into one of my old investgatores and were able to talk to him. It was perfect timing. I LOVE SEEING THE LORDS HAND IN HIS WORK!
Ah there is just so much...but I dont have time. One day Ill be able to tell it all. But I love this work. We are teaching so much and no we have 2 people with baptismal dates and when we first started we had 0. I love this work. I love this area! Being a missionary rocks!
OH one more funny thing that can help you all understand what im like right now (an elder explained this to me). When you come out on a mission you have this bucket full of awkwardness. The faster you dump it out the easier missionary work is..because your not worried about being awkward. Can I just tell you I dont feel awkward about anything any more. Ive realized this is why RMs are so ...awkward haha. OK
LOVE YOU CUIDENSE MUCHO! LES QUIERO
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