September 15 - Email

    I am freaking out, for real! I don't think you can understand how nervous I am. Every time I see an airplane I get so much anxiety and just look away. Not good because we live right by an airport... 

Don't get me wrong, I am really excited to see you and everyone, it makes me really happy how close it is to see my family and friends again. 

   It was really cool because we went to a home of a less active/ active family yesterday. Right after we shared our testimonies about Christ and we were finishing the lesson, the husband(active) of the less-active lady turns to us and says "It is really amazing that you came and shared exactly what we needed at the exact time we needed it. This shows me that you truly have the spirit with you." This family has gone through a lot lately and they are really pushing through the best they can.

  This month I have been fasting and praying for it to be the most spiritual month I have ever had. A few days ago, I received some amazing personal revelation that has changed a lot of the way I view the decisions I am making. The future is kind of a scary thing to think about because it is unknown, but I am excited and I need not fear if I have the Lord with me. 

   We have a baptism this next Friday for Pablo, he is 15 years old, and of a part member family. Also, this Saturday Elder D. Todd Christofferson is coming to our mission along with some other general authorities. I have truly been so blessed, I can not believe it. 

My first pedicure in a year and a half.

Notice the missionary tan lines

Having fun in Phoenix

September 8 - Email

   I told my companion that I wish that being a missionary could be a career because that is what I would do!! A lot has been hitting me lately too, just a lot more stress because of all the decisions that are coming up. It is stressing me out, but it is okay because I am working hard and trying not to think of those things. I have been preparing for those hard moments and those tough decisions by making my choices now, of which way I will choose, and who I want to become.

   Haha ,oh man, you will all be probably so sick of me by the first few days. It is just that during this transfer, I have really realized how weird I am, haha.  Seriously, it is because I've noticed in lessons it has become harder for me to relate to people because I have been out of the world for so long. I just always accidentally say random missionary stuff, when I am trying to say normal things. Who knows I am crazy, whatever. I'll just be more awkward, it is fine.

   The last couple days it has rained so so much, it is crazy!! Everywhere is flooded. Kind of cool though, I love the rain here. It is like a record-breaking rain, though! It rained all night and I woke up because I sleep right by the window. It was so loud, the thunder and everything. All the sisters were angry that I didn't wake them up for it, because they slept right through. There are cars that are totally underwater, it is crazy!! But we are safe no worries! Today, we got pedicures, it was so nice. My feet were nasty, though. I felt so bad because I hadn't taken care of them for a year and a half.

   Ciana and Junior were baptized on Saturday!! They are the cutest!! Because they are kids, I thought the water didn't need to be so high and I put it like 6-8 inches lower than it usually is... Well haha, when they got in the water it was like mid-thigh. It was so funny. But all worked well, they were baptized, even though it was three tries for Junior. Elder Norton, the one that was baptizing him had to step on his feet to keep his legs in the water. Also, 20 minutes before the baptism, our ward mission leader calls us and says that he wouldn't be able to make it. He was conducting. He then told us the bishop wouldn't be there either, he was the one that was going to baptize Ciana haha. It was a mess. But it is how Spanish wards are, and they are use to everything being last minute.

   We had a Zone meeting this week and it was weird not being the one training. But, it was really nice. I learned a lot. We talked about how instead of planning what we do, plan who we want to be. We talked about the difference between to do and to be. It really helped me understand how important these choices will be in who I become in my life. Well, that is about it this week I think. Sorry so boring.

September 1 - Email

   I'm not feeling too well, so sorry if this is short again, but everything's okay. I just have had a bad headache. And I was emailing President Toone, and it is Labor Day so we are emailing on our iPads which is more difficult. But anyway,this week was great! We moved into our home, It was the elders' house, so it was gross nasty but whatever, I like to clean :) We were so dead tired from moving and cleaning everything, it was crazy!!

   On Thursday, we had a mission conference thing with Elder and Sister Schwitzer. He is from the quorum of the seventy. It was so amazing!!! I received a lot of personal revelation. Elder Schwitzer also interviewed a few missionaries, I asked President Toone, as I was waiting to be interviewed, how he chose whom he was interviewing. President Toone said that he gave Elder Schwitzer the missionary book full of all the missionaries with their photos. And Elder Schwitzer just pointed to some missionaries and said "I want to meet with them, and them..." And that is how I was chosen.

Kind of amazing because the other missionaries I was standing by were missionaries that I knew have been working hard and are amazing missionaries. I thought the interview would be some hard questions or something, but he asked me questions that were nothing about my mission. He did tell me to make sure I get a calling when I get home. At the end of the interview, I remembered something that Elder Holland said one time. He said that when he shakes our hands, he interviews us. That is all they need to do to understand who we are and to know us. Just from a handshake he can tell who is struggling, or anything, he can tell who we are. So I am sure just from those short interviews that were nothing about the mission, told him everything. I was honored to be there, but I think I blew the interview.

   We went to the visitors center on Saturday, it was with Ciana and Junior and Franke and their grandma. It was really great!! Ciana and Junior are getting baptized this Saturday!!! :) It will be my companions first baptism :) And today we just cleaned all day as well.

August 27 - Email

AAAH I am so so sorry I don't have too much time to talk even though I have like a million and one things to say....This week has seriously been insane!

   Okay I am now starting to get really excited to see everyone, but I have to hide it so other missionaries and members don't know or they will start getting homesick and all. None of the members in this new area know that I am going home soon, which is good because than they start asking a lot of questions that will make me way too trunky. I am not trunky at all, really. I am trying to keep it cool and give it everything I got because I know I still have some refining to do for myself and for the people I serve. 

  It has been raining a lot here, twice this last week :) We played in the rain haha.  We also went to the visitors center this week with some investigators, it was awesome. I love the visitors center. We are going there when I get back. Oh my name tag was eaten by a dog... 

We put a few more people on date for baptism this past week. This ward is seriously so awesome!! So missionary minded, I am sad I only get to be here for a short while. 

I met probably my biggest role models ever, the Wikle (rhymes  with Michael's family). OH GET THIS>>> I ate Menudo for the first time... it didn't taste bad but the texture was nast!! (Menudo is the intestines of a cow) yeah...

Well, sorry for the short and nothing really letter!

August 18 - Email

   HEYY!! I am in Phoenix South now, just the ghetto no big deal ;) haha but you know I am really safe, don't worry. Our area is more safe than where the elders are and I am pretty sure my companion can protect me from anything. My companions name is Hermana Finau. She is from Hawaii, she is Tongan and she is a bunch of fun! This is only her 3rd transfer so she still has that greenie fire, it is really awesome. She is a hard worker! The first day we were together, she went and kind of laid/jumped down on her bed and it broke right in half it was the funniest thing ever!! I laughed and laughed, like the box spring broke. Ever since then she has to be really careful laying down on it. Then the next night we were getting ready to scare the other sisters that we live with, and I was so ready, but than my companion barked and I screamed because she scared me! She thought it was so so funny. Haha. We get along well, still warming up to each other slowly but, it is good. She has a temperament, which is different than what I am used to, but I just laugh at her. She left her Chapstick in the car during church and then opened it right after and it was pure liquid. It spilled all over her skirt! She was really mad and I just laughed at her and it cheers her up. It was so funny. 

   It was hard saying bye to everyone this week in Chandler, but it went well. Bishop Ferre and his family is so cool, they are such huge examples to me! I didn't get to say bye to Claudia (the one that got married just barely) because she was in Mexico with her daughter, but I said bye to her husband Fernando. And everyone else like Pedro and Ana and the Venezuelan Family. 

   Guess what, on Tuesday, Sister Savage, Sister Rogers, and I got to go to the Indian Reservation with Sister Lewis. It was so cool!! Sister Lewis is the senior couple that is on their mission here. She is so funny!! We were riding with her and there was a little creature in the road, like a little squirrel or rat thing but I think it starts with a 'p', I forgot. Anyway, she totally swerved in the road and then looked back and said "yes! I got it!". It was so so funny, we were all laughing so hard.  We got to try real "Indian fry bread" and the lady that made it, sang to us in some Native American language. It was real pretty. The work on the reservations is so different, kind of like the Spanish work, but still is so different. It was fun to learn from Sister Lewis and from the people there. That evening it rained, I loved it! 

  Hermana Savage got her trainee on Wednesday, she is the girl that commented on my blog that she wants to be companions with me, I don't know if you ever saw that. But I am excited for Sister Savage to be with her, her first name is Alexis, but I forgot her last name. It was weird at transfers because we were like the oldest sisters there, not in age wise but in mission age. I never thought I would get to this point so fast. At the beginning I looked at those old sisters and didn't even understand how they were already so far along. It is crazy to be one of those sisters. I almost got away with my new companion not knowing how long I have been out, but another girl that we live with (Sister Stirm) somehow knew it was my last transfer. Hermana Finau didn't know for about 4 hrs, so that was pretty good. I hope none of the ward finds out though because then they will mention it all the time, and I don't like to think about it. We also live with Sister Dourus, she is so cool! She reminds me a lot of Erin so I feel right at home, I felt like she was already my best friend before I even met her. She is really chill and funny! She is from Utah like West Jordan I think. 

   I got super sick, the beginning of the week my throat was really sore, but I thought it would go away, nope. I also got a super awful cold/sinus infection. I am getting better slowly. My companion made me rest, like all of Friday, which was probably good for me. I just felt bad coming to a new area and being all gross while meeting so many new people. Not a good first impression haha. I just wanted to get out to work in this area and then I got stricken by sickness... sad days but I am getting better! I am ready to work as hard as I can for these last weeks because you know what, I can rest later! 

   On Friday, for weekly planning with the zone, well it is weird because I don't know very many people in the zone. I know the zone leaders and the sister training leaders and that is about it, that I know. But it is really fun to get to know new people!! Well I know my district leader, too. Anyway, on Friday, we were doing introductions and one of the questions we were to answer was an embarrassing moment on our mission. It comes to my turn and Elder Vorkink says "Alright Sister Hansen we have 20 minutes for your embarrassing moments..." haha oh man, my reputation of just being an embarrassing  awkward and clumsy person just never fails hahaha. 

   On Saturday we Skyped into a baptism that my companion taught, he is one of her friends that she taught through Facebook. I thought it was so so cool! My companion is really good at working on Facebook, it is a lot harder for me, I just would rather be in person I guess. 

   The church building here is so different, it has a little outside court yard in the middle and has a downstairs, it is strange but cool! A lot hotter. I think I am really going to like this ward, everyone is super friendly and super missionary minded. It is a pretty big ward and a lot of active members. 

Last night we went to the mission president's fireside and brought some investigators. They are from Guatemala and I seriously want to visit Guatemala now!! haha I had a full on 20 minute conversation with them in total Spanish on the way there and back, 40 minutes!! Can you believe that! It is amazing to notice the growth I have had. And I just realized I dreamt in Spanish last night!! What the! haha that's cool! 

The fields are ready to harvest!

August 11 - Email

  I am going to pack because I am sadly leaving Chandler/Gilbert to another place in the Lord's vineyard. I thought I was going to stay, so I am really sad. For most people, 4 transfers in one area seems like a long time, but I feel like I just got here. I am also stepping down from being a sister training leader to do a "special assignment" to help a companion that is struggling. President Toone said that she has just finished being trained, but wasn't trained very well, and she is really struggling to learn Spanish. When he said this, I honestly don't know how I can help a sister learn Spanish when I don't know it myself. But, I have gone through the same issues as her, but I don't know how much hope she will have from being with me. This week has been kind of really hard, personally. I feel that the adversary has really been playing with my mind and I have been feeling so much doubt in myself, in my teaching skills, in my Spanish, in my personality, in everything. No one knew I was struggling but it was really holding me back. I feel like I don't know any Spanish, so to get this call last night was extremely hard for me. But, I had to hold it together because my companion broke down. We wanted to stay together and she is training and feels inadequate as well, so I had to hold myself together and comfort her. This last transfer is going to be the best transfer of my whole mission. I know it. I am going to work hard! I am going to give it my all and I will not give in or give up. I am strong and I know that this transfer will also be trialing, I know that Satan is going to want to crush me right before I go home and Heavenly Father is going to want to try me and perfect me to be strong enough to be in the world again.

We made a fort last night with the other sisters that live with us.

We changed a woman's day on Thursday and maybe her life. Her name is Terry.

We had hot dogs with our zone on Friday

Gilbert Rocks!!! Our zone... I am the long shaped Tiffany blue and orange necklace one and my companion is the purple one right under.

Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders

Rocks made of President and Sister Toone

August 4 - Email

   So guess what!! Kamiel, a nine year old that we are teaching, is on date for the 30th of August :) yay! They are a less active family, I told you about them a little bit before I think about their other daughter named Kayla and how I wanted to drop by. Well, it has been really hard to contact them since the first time, but this past week we got in with them twice! So, that was really awesome! Kamiel is so cute and so mature. She is really smart. My comp is really excited, it is amazing to see her excitement.

   I went on exchanges this week with Sister Lathrop, we walked so much I was going to die because it was one of the last days of the month and they hardly had any miles. I wasn't wearing the best shoes and that was what killed me. I got sun burnt for the first time on my mission, just on my back/shoulder/neck area, no big deal. But on exchanges it was so funny, oh man, it was fun being in an English area again. These little kids were so funny. We were at a member's house and one little boy was talking about his new teacher this year and how he is a guy and he was really excited about it. The cousin turned to him right away and said "Does he have chest hair?" hahaha He is only 8 or 9. It was so funny. Later on, we were talking about Alaska and how Sister Lathrop eats moose there and that same kid says "ohh, that's racist!" haha! I love little kids!

   Last Monday, we spent pretty much all of pday painting rocks, it was really fun haha. We painted missionary rocks for our zone and for President and Sister Toone. We still have some to finish up today for our meeting tomorrow. We wrote "Gilbert 'Rocks'" on the back. haha. President and Sister Toone thought theirs were really cute. I sent you pictures.

   We received a referral from a member this week. So we decided to try it. We went over and we weren't exactly sure if it was this lady's house. Her name is Ana. But luckily it was!! We talked to her outside for a little bit and set up another appointment to come back and teach her family. She said she loves the patience that her member friend has. We asked if we could give her a movie to watch, we ran out to our car and came back and she let us in to watch it with her right then. We were really surprised, but it was so cool. It was "Finding Faith in Christ" which is 29 minutes. So quite a longer film, but she was so cool and she seems super open, it is awesome!! She has 5 children, 4 of which are over the age 8. Wow what a blessing!! Good thing we didn't have a dinner that day because it went right over dinner.

   On Saturday, we had a member out with us, Maribel, and she like passed out on us. It was really scary! She left on a mission but came back from the MTC because she started getting anxiety attacks real bad. Yeah, so we think that is what it was. But we handled it well. And I felt helpful which was nice.

   We had MLC on Thursday. My comp and I bought reading glasses from the dollar store to wear at MLC so we could match our zone leaders. Everyone loved it, we didn't wear them the whole time, just when we stood up and talked about our zone because the glasses hurt our eyes. MLC was really cool, it could be my last one because I don't know if I will be a Sister Training Leader next transfer... but we will see. I told President Toone to put me somewhere or with someone that may be struggling where I can truly help and put my all into it because it will be my last transfer, so therefore I may probably step down. But my zone leaders put that Sister Savage and I stay together, and I would totally be fine with that! I love this area and I love my comp! At MLC we talked about the role of the Spirit in conversion, how our investigators must feel, how missionaries must feel, and how members must feel. It was really cool, so that is what we will be training our zone on tomorrow. Also, one of President Toone's sons was here with his wife and new baby. He is huge into missionary work in the church. He works at the MTC and will be someone big in the missionary field in awhile. He went to Argentina on his mission and teaches the missionaries and teachers in the MTC Spanish. He would sometimes switch to Spanish when he was speaking to us it was funny because he wasn't meaning to. It was an amazing privilege to be trained by him. He testified so strongly of Christ and missionary work. He taught us how to ask inspired questions which is something I am definitely not the best at. Elder Jeff Toone asked us if we truly know Christ, not just know about Him, but truly know Him. He asked "have you paid the price to come to know God?" So have we? Have we personally, each one of us paid this price? What can we do to pay the price to come to know God? 

We built a fort to sleep in one night.

This is what happens when you leave
scripture crayons in the car.

There are either crazy storms here or weak trees.

Ana's baptism

How we get to one of our investigator's trailer.

Our favorite wall in the city.

July 28 - Email

   I was studying earlier today about obedience. In John 14:15, 21 it talks about how if we love God, we will keep His commandments. That was the driving force for me to go on a mission. I love that scripture! This week, nothing too new happened. We went on exchanges with two of the sisters that are struggling. It was really fun. We just focused on happiness. I really enjoyed it and I think they did, too.

   This was super funny! My companion she never ever gets mad in her life, like really she told me that she has only gotten mad at her brothers and then also when she has road rage. haha So, we were stopped before turning out of an apartment complex and we were having a good conversation. She couldn't turn out yet, because there was a car passing. The guy behind us honked, she was in the middle of a sentence and she just turns around and yells at the guy "I can't freaking go!!!" Oh man, I just started laughing and laughing, it was so so funny because she never yells or gets mad. Then, she starts driving really slow because the guy was tailing us, and after she prayed for the guy to have patience. It was so funny, I was dying of laughter. It was funny because the day before she was telling me how she never gets mad. haha

   In the picture of the baptism, Hermana Segura and I were teaching this family (the Venezualian Family) and they were coming along slowly. But, Ana was the one that was totally crazy and against what we were teaching. When we were teaching her though we saw her heart soften and soften each time. Well, now she was the one that got baptized when the whole time we thought it would be Maili her daughter! When the other sisters moved in to this area, this family was given to them and they were able to continue the lessons and so it was amazing to see her be baptized. When she was bearing her testimony she just looked so humble and like a child, it was amazing to see the change. Sister Segura and her companion Sister Sullivan got to come for the baptism, as well. It was on Friday. It was sad because, I truly have been so blessed through out my mission in seeing so many of the people that I have taught be baptized, but Sister Savage who is seriously an amazing amazing missionary has hardly seen any. She started crying at the baptism because she knows how baptism is a mandatory step for people, and she just was so sad to see that not many of her investigators have taken this step, she said "I want to see them in Heaven." I love her so much, she is so Christ-like.

Email - July 21

   My companion and I  have had calls and crying from almost all the sisters in our zone. It is so hard because we try to help, but really there is nothing we can do. All three of the sister companionships, in our zone, live together and then we are 9 miles away in another house. President has tried not putting six sisters in a house together ,but they had to for this one. He doesn't think it will last long, though. It is just too much drama with even sister missionaries. One companionship has complete different personalities and they don't get along. There are 3 strong personalities in that house. A lot of the sisters in the house are just struggling with the decision to be out on a mission. I wish they could see the whole picture, I would do anything to be only 3 or 4 months out in the mission again, it is amazing and I don't think they understand how much it can bless their lives.  Last Wednesday, we went to the Sisters' home in the morning for studies and we tried to help them gain self confidence and see the good in each other. We felt like it went really well and that we brought the spirit to their home. Then we got a call from Sister Toone on Saturday, she told us to go have a sit  down talk with the companionship that just has completely different personalities on the next day (Sunday). But then, the sisters called us that night at 9 pm (we just got home) and told us to come over. We went over and were over there until 10:45, got home at 11 pm, got ready for bed and prayed. We woke up at 4:45 am for a meeting that we had at the Stake Center at 6:30 am. Remember the Stake Centers here are not as close as the ones in Utah, it is about 20 min from our home. We did a role play in the meeting, in front of all the ward mission leaders. We then had a meeting with our amazing Stake President, President Palmer. The wards are splitting soon so we need to make changes to our missionaries. So you can say that I was so dead yesterday, holy moly! Both Sister Savage and I are so chill, and never stressed, but it frustrates us when we can't help people when we want too, and are trying too.

   Well, I will let you know a funny story :) So we had a different meeting this week with our zone leaders and the stake mission leader. After the meeting we said to Elder Rackham and Anderle that we have brownie cookies for them. They like to speak Spanish even though they aren't Spanish missionaries. Elder Rackham is pretty good, probably better than me in grammar, but I know more words. So Elder Anderle said "Why are you giving us brownies?" and Elder Rackham said "Porque son nice..(because their nice), how do you say nice?" I reply "linda" he says "Porque son lindas" Sister Savage and I just start busting out laughing because "linda" really means cute. I said back to him as we were cracking up laughing "what you said was cute." He was all confused because he thought that I was calling him cute because he said that, when I meant the word he said was cute. It was so funny. Elder Anderle understood what I meant and was laughing. Later on Elder Rackham had to ask Elder Anderle what was going on, he was so confused. I didn't know he thought I was saying "what you said was cute" until he told me the next day. It was really funny.

   Today is the first day of school here, finally everyone in church is back from their vacations, hallelujah!

On Thursday we had interviews with President Toone. It was really awesome. We got to train again, so this time we did a kind of jeopardy game to mix things up. We also made chicken salad sandwiches, fruit and stuff for a lunch for President and Sister Toone because their stomachs are always grumbling. They have to stay so long at interviews with no food. They appreciated it a lot, but another Elder, I served with him in Yuma also, bought a footlong as well because he didn't know we made them lunch. We have had quite a few miscommunications with Elder Hiatt, it has been funny. He also stole our popsicles out of the freezer, but he brought us more on Friday, because we gave him a hard time.

   On Friday, we put a huge Santa in the Elder's car, it was funny. We are always doing random pranks to keep the work fun and enjoyable. Harmless pranks, don't worry.

   Lala and Paco are still so amazing!! We had a lesson with them about the Book of Mormon, I seriously don't know if I have taught anyone that is as interested as they are in the church. They ask so many questions and want to know so much. We hope a miracle can come with this family.

   My companion keeps on hurting herself every Monday... not yet today, but we still have a fresh day ahead of us. A couple weeks ago she slammed her finger in the car door. I help her laugh at her mistakes, haha. Last week it was a pretty cloudy day, so she thought she could walk outside to get the mail without shoes on, ya, she burnt her feet and couldn't walk on them the rest of the day, it was so funny, she was like waddling.

   We are still having some amazing teaching opportunities in this area, it is kind of blowing up with people to teach, it is really a blessing. We even got some members out with us this week to go to lessons, so that was cool. Claudia and Fernando spoke in church yesterday, they did really well for being brand new. Claudia was super nervous. 

   In interviews with President and me, I told him I am scared to go home. He said do everything I can to prepare to go home, so I won't have as much fear. He talked so much about marriage with me, as well, like a lot. I thought maybe it was a main theme in all the interviews, but I asked my companion and she said that he didn't in her interview. He said some very wisdomy stuff, though. I also asked him about how I don't feel my prayers are answered, he said he has struggled with the same question through out his whole life. He doesn't feel his prayers are answered either, but he has realized that the Lord must trust him to make decisions. He said he got powerful answers to the most important things like marriage. President and Sister Toone are so amazing, I love them so much!

Playing in the rain

Email - July 14

   This week, not much went on. We had a crazy rain storm last night (we may have went out and played in the rain :)) When we were driving today, to the library, there were tons of trees, like entire trees, knocked down! We went to a funeral this past Saturday. It was sad of course, but she is in more peace. We saw her two Wednesdays ago and then she passed away last Monday. Her name is Hermana Mejia. She has been sick for awhile, has had really bad chest pains and was on dialysis. I remember whenever we would go over there she would say that she just wants to be well enough again to go to the temple. That is all she wanted to do, to go feel the peace in the temple. I have been visiting her once a week for about 2 months. Her husband confessed to us last week how he has had suicidal issues in the past, so we are really watching and praying for him. He is a sweet guy and at the funeral we talked to him and he said "she left me here alone." It was so sad, I just wanted to give him a hug. This funeral wasn't as Catholic as the last one, it was like Mormon and Catholic mixed. When we went to the grave sight, the family did the Catholic stuff a little.

   Sunday was the World Cup final, so there was maybe 20 people at church and that is it. More showed up for Sacrament because it was after the final ended.

   I said something really funny this week, we try to do two days a week where we only speak Spanish, on Wednesday and Saturday. So to switch to English is kind of hard, when you are speaking in Spanish through out the day. We went to a door to contact a less active. A guy answered the door and was speaking English to us, he told us that Petra wasn't there and so I wanted to say that we will come back later. But I couldn't think of the words "come back" I was only thinking of it in Spanish, and it mixed me up. so I said. "We will... We will return." He was kind of confused but just said okay thanks and closed the door. After my companion and I just started busting up laughing. How creepy does that sound.. "we will return" haha who am I...?

   We had district meeting this Tuesday and some priests from California were on a camping trip or something and came to our district meeting. It was cool. Also, we have a new district leader, Elder Mabey. He is really quiet until you get to know him, then he is pretty cool. He was so nervous to begin with and then he found out that the group of priests were coming. It was his first district meeting ever, but he did really great!

Haboob (sandstorms)

Gilbert Temple

With zone leaders

Companions, me and Sister Savage

Sister Berbert and Sullivan from Alta High School

Good friends, at transfer meeting

Email - July 7

   On Tuesday, we had Zone Meeting, it was really really awesome. When Sister Savage and I were thinking about what our zone needs, we received some amazing revelation. Our zone is kind of struggling, our stats are the worst in the mission, and this area probably has the most members. So we should work with our members more right...? Well, the hope and faith of our zone is struggling, especially in the summer months. So, we pondered and prayed and we compiled our thoughts together with the Zone Leaders (Elder's Rackham (my second district leader in Yuma) and Elder Anderle). They loved our idea, but were kind of doubting it logically, but excitement and faith can convince anyone :) We based our training on what we talked about at MLC last week, but did it in a different way. The Zone Leaders talked about faith/miracles/gratitude, also diligence, and inviting others to come to Christ. We tried to make our's super spiritual. We had everyone follow us into the chapel, quietly and reverently. Before we entered we had them all imagine a specific investigator, that we explained was someone that feels lost and hopeless. We then had them act like this investigator as they enter the chapel. The spirit was so strong, so much peace is in that room. We had one of the sisters, Sister Haar, sing "I Stand All Amazed" as Elder Keene played the piano. We had everyone open up to the hymn and read along, as they continued to act like the investigator. After we asked specific people how they felt and if they truly catch the vision of why it is important to invite others to come to church. The stories and feelings they shared were remarkable, a few shed some tears. 

   We then had everyone come to the baptismal font that was open. We had everyone shut their eyes, as they imagined one of their investigators enter into the waters of baptism, Sister Savage explained this part so well. We had them do a role play, right then to invite their investigator to be baptized as they are catching the full potential. We really wanted everyone to catch the vision and potential their investigators have and truly have the desire to invite them. It was really spiritual and motivating. The grand finale, our stake center is a mile or less away from the Gilbert Temple and on the same road. Our Mission President gave us permission to go to the grounds at the end for about 20 minutes to catch the full vision of our investigators. He said "absolutely!" The only issue is that the road has been under construction for the past two months and we would have to take about a 3-4 mile detour to get to the temple. The morning when we were driving to the Stake Center, it was still under construction. When we came out with our whole zone and started driving, the road was clear and we could drive straight down the road to the temple. How amazing, what a miracle!! At the temple we sat, pondered, and set goals of how to be more diligent. We asked if seeing this vision of their investigators truly makes them want to be more obedient, more diligent, invite people to church, and to be baptized. Catching this vision was incredible. "It is good to have a meeting that inspires them, but it is better to have one that changes them" -Hermana Savage.

   We also had transfer meeting this week. Of course, we were not transferred but we still got to go because President Toone had to announce a few things to our whole mission. Last transfer we had 116 baptisms, this is almost twice the baptisms we have per transfer. We have 111 companionships in our mission, how amazing is that! This transfer we can not let it go down. President Toone is nothing about numbers, but he does want to show how when we exercise our faith, we can accomplish goals that seem impossible. I love President Toone, he is amazing!! Also, I got to see all my best friends :) haha at transfer meeting, well almost all of them. I still wish Hermana Pinnock was here :( And Jessie Sullivan, I danced with her at Tree House, she is a grade younger than me at Alta. Well, she came into the mission and Hermana Segura is training her, so that is really cool!! 

   The weather here has been kind of insane! We had a haboob (crazy sand storms) and we have had a little bit of rain, especially on 4th of July. I love August and September here, with the monsoons, I can't wait!!!!

We found a few new investigators this week!! Yay!! I have always been dying to go to the Escobar family since I have been here because I saw on the records that one of them is named, Kayla. They are a less active family. We finally were by the area, a couple weeks ago, and stopped by. We knocked, their was rustles in the house. We knocked again, more noise, lights going on and off. We knocked again and they closed the curtain, haha oh man. We are persistent and we tried again this past week :) They answered!! The dad said "come on in" before we even said anything... hardly ever happens. He said that he was just talking with a relative that is a member and they said they are going to give the family's information to the missionaries because they need to come back to church. Well, no one informed us, but the spirit did! He has been talking to his family, how they need to go back to church. He said they initially stopped going because he has a job where he has to work on Sunday, but now he is going to put it where he works every other Sunday. He then told us that his daughter Kamiel is 9 and has not been baptized! What the miracle! Yeah, they will be seeing us a whole lot more! Everything just happens in the correct timing, isn't it amazing!!

Claudia and Fernando, the last couple that were baptized, shared their testimonies in Sacrament, it was so powerful, the spirit was so strong wholly moly!

   On the 4th, we went in at 5:00 pm and I wrote letters to Recent Converts in Yuma. Then we turned out all the lights and played fighting with glow sticks... we are still young, and we were bored from staying in all day!! haha I did a cannonball on my bed and the bed cracked... yep.

Email - June 30

  Transfer news....I am staying here with Hermana Savage again!! Woot woot! I am super happy because Hermana Savage is the coolest! I love her so much and I love this area, I knew I was going to stay! There actually isn't very many changes with our zone this transfer, but we will see at transfers on Wednesday!

   So, this week we decided to drop (stop teaching) Fabiola. The one that talks a lot and doesn't have teeth. We had a lesson with her and invited her to keep learning, reading, praying, going to church. But we can not keep coming back unless she starts to change. It was hard to get in words with her talking so much, and we don't know how much she truly took into her brain, but we said bye to her and stuff. This Sunday (yesterday) we didn't know if any of our investigators would come to church, we hoped that the other Fabiola that is pregnant would come. But all of a sudden Fabiola (no teeth, talks a lot) comes into church and we are just like "WHAT..." haha it was kind of crazy because we just dropped her. But.. her 3 kids were with her and they are seriously crazy! They just have not been raised with much love or anything, it is really sad. But they were spitting and kung-fu fighting in the chapel. It was so bad. Like jumping over the benches ya... just imagine. Luckily, the chapel wasn't very full because everyone is on vacations in Mexico or watching the World Cup. Our ward mission leader doesn't even come to all of church because of the World Cup. And you would think that now that Mexico is out that they wouldn't care as much, but they just love futbol! It is crazy, haha.

     On Wednesday we went to the Mesa Temple with our zone, it was really awesome! I love the peace at the temple. Arizona will always have a special place in my heart. But, at the Temple I got really dizzy in the session, I felt like I was going to pass out. It went away after a little bit. The day went on and then around 3:00 pm, I got really dizzy again and nauseated. We went home and I took a nap. The next few days I was just so dizzy, I drank 112 ounces of water on Friday and I felt better on Saturday. So it was good, I guess. I think because I have been blessed with health this whole time, now everything is hitting me. I have had a sore throat and a sty in my eye recently as well. What the... haha but all is well.

   We had MLC on Thursday, it was cool! I love Sister Toone, she is so amazing and loving. We are planning the best zone meeting ever that will change the lives of our missionaries in Gilbert. It is tomorrow, and it will be amazing!!  

Email - June 23

   This week we had Zone Conference it was really really cool! BUT.... I have never felt so strongly that I never want to go home, I want to stay here on this mission for forever!! President Toone talked about some new things coming to the mission and to missionary work. He said that now they are putting mentors with the new missionaries in our mission, to help them adapt to missionary life, to learn the language and at the end of their mission to adapt to normal life. Then, that missionary will become a mentor for another missionary. It is really cool! It would be awesome if I had the privilege to be a mentor when I get home. Except, I need to know the language better ... You just train them through skype. Also, we talked about the amazing things that are happening this transfer because of the promise that President Toone made of every companionship to have a baptism in their area. The mission is having amazing miracles and amazing things happen. As for my area, I don't think we will have a baptism this transfer, I still have faith but this weekend is the last week of the transfer. But, I have paid a part in two amazing baptisms in the mission, in different areas. I told you about Hawken right? About how he was baptized a couple weeks ago in Yuma. He is a part member family and he is seriously incredible, that family is one of my favorites. He is going to be a Bishop or something one day. 

   Also, a miracle happened one day awhile back. In my first transfer with Sister Segura, we went out of our zone boundaries to go to dinner with a member. A lot of our members live out of our zone and ward boundaries. It is sometimes an issue for us because we can't go out of our mission without 1st presidencies acceptance. But we couldn't get a hold of this member all day. We were trying to call her for dinner and it became close to dinner time, so we decided to just go to her house anyway. We go and it is in an apartment complex. We knock on the door three times and no one answers. So, we start walking back to our car and we see a lady outside talking to her birds. I was scared to talk to her, just because sometimes it is scary talking to random people on the street, but I start thinking about our purpose and I decided to talk to her. She was so friendly and said that she actually went to the Gilbert Temple open house with her friend, who is a member. We talked to her for about 5 minutes outside, then she wondered why we were over here and we told her how we were going to dinner, but the member wasn't there. She invited us in right away for some of her home-made chicken noodle soup. This is when I kind of had a cold, but when we walked into her house Sister Segura and I just started crying and had runny noses because our allergies were so so bad. She talked and talked to us. She was truly amazing, she was willing to give us so much, even though she had so little. We shared a little message, then asked her if she wants missionaries to continue coming over. She was really excited about that. We handed her off to the English missionaries. Her name is Yevonne. Since then, I kind of forgot about her. A week ago or so I got a call on the phone from one of our mission staff. He wanted my story of meeting Yevonne, I was trying to think who Yevonne was, thinking he got the wrong number, but then remembered her. I told him my story and apparently she got baptized just this past Saturday the 21st. It was crazy because the member we were going to eat with, had food already for us. She said she didn't receive our calls, and she was at her house. It was just because she moved not too long ago to a different apartment, in the same building, but it wasn't changed on the ward list, yet. She was kind of mad that we didn't show up, but it is amazing what miracles God has planned even though at first it doesn't seem that way. I feel so blessed to be a part of this promise for other missionaries and other areas, that's what it is all about.

   This cute girl, Maribel, she's a member and 21. Missionaries have always took her out on lessons. Well, we had her with us one day and after a lesson she said "I love when you can tell the missionaries have the spirit with them." I thought this was really cool, because it is something that we cannot tell because we are surrounded with the spirit a lot, so we don't realize anything different.

Funny---

The other week we were in a trailer park and we look over to 2 little boys in undies and super hero masks. Their mom was sitting and squirting them with the hose as they just stood there. It was so funny!! Haha oh man I wanted to take a picture, but that could have been creepy

   Anyway. I love you so very much!! Even though I don't want to go home, I want to stay here forever, I still love you forever!!

I went to Sunshine Valley the first day I got to Arizona to street contact people. It is a really nice trailer complex. It is really cool because it is in our ward now. 

A little boy in a trailer park, his name is Jonathan. He is a grandson to a member. He is a wild one.

Trailer parks... MY AREA :)

My favorite food, Estrella's mom is the best cook!! Hermana Cuevas. These are like chicken taquitos but they are called flautas. It has mexican sour cream, lettuce, mexican cheese, and some green salsa. Seriously the BEST!!

Last p-day we went to the cutest little strip mall in downtown Chandler. It was the funnest p-day I have ever had! We just window shopped don't worry! I didn't buy anything, even though I really wanted to!

These are called paletas, they are mexican popsicles. They are delicious. I got one that is like the Abuelita(hot chocolate) that I sent home and my companion got a banana froster one.

Email - June 16

Sorry I don't have much time, but here is a short miracle and story :)
   Last Monday we had a really really cool lesson, a miracle. We wanted to watch the Restoration, 20 min video with our investigator but the DVD player wasn't working and we tried so hard to get it going. We had her fellowship with us at her house, it took quite awhile to try to get it set up and we had another appointment soon. We decided to go and try it at her fellowship's trailer. It took awhile again, but we got it all set up and ready to go. We started with a prayer and explained the background of the video and about Joseph Smith. It is usually really hard to teach her because she talks so much, but she was quiet. Her fellowship's wife is sick and has cancer and has grown blind. She is a great fellowship, also. We just can't bring her out to lessons. Anyway, the member (fellowship's wife) starts to bare her testimony of everything, about Joseph Smith, and explaining the whole story. It was everything that we wanted to share, but couldn't done it as well. The spirit was so strong. We committed our investigator to pray with this family after the video to know the truth of Joseph Smith. We then started the video and left right away to get to our other appointment. It was amazing, it was the future of missionary work. Starting lessons with members and investigators and leaving for them to finish it. It was really powerful and amazing! We came the next day to see how it went, and she loved the video, she tried watching it again and showed it to her children. She felt the spirit very strongly.

Email - June 9

   So this week it has been hot so we decided to try to bake cookies in the back of our car... they were half-baked but hey by the middle of the summer, it will work!! This week was hard, I don't know why, we just were working so hard and no doors were opening. The new investigators we found are not as interested as we thought and it just was hard... so we decided to sleep outside one night. We have to bring as much fun to the work as we can. My comp and I brought our mattresses out back on our little patio and the weather was perfect. We actually got kind of cold during the night. We hung up blankets and made a little fort. It was pretty great to just sleep under the stars. We also went on exchanges this week and I learned all about Alaska... I don't think it is in my future to move there, but it was fun to learn about. Sister Lathrop is from Alaska. Also, remember my companion I had for 10 days in the trio, Sister Ward. Yeah, she went home a couple months ago, it was just getting too bad and apparently right after skype calls home a lot of missionaries give up and go home. Kind of sad! We had lunch at the senior couples home with our whole zone. It was really fun! I don't know if I told you but the first time we had lunch there, Sister Lewis (the senior missionary) brought out this huge squirt gun in the house and started squirting all the Elders. She said "If you want to get on my good side, let's have a water fight. I live for water fights." or something of the sort. haha. So ever since then, I remembered that and this time my comp and I bought little squirt guns from the dollar store and brought them to the lunch and squirted her. She had a blast, haha! I was kind of scared at first, but then she was just laughing and she stole the gun of my companion and squirted all the Elders, and her husband, and then us. It was so funny. The Elders were hiding all scared. Remember this is all in the house. Haha. It isn't even hers, it is her daughters home. Oh man, now I think she likes me more so that is cool!

   Then, on Friday we all, as a zone, go out to lunch. We were planning to go to Moreno's, a Mexican food place. But this member (actually a Bishop) stops us and says come on, I will buy you all food here at Fire House Subs. He bought all 22 of us food!! That place is not cheap!! In combo meals too! It was insane, he was so cool! I don't think he knew how many missionaries were actually coming haha, oh man. We are so blessed it is incredible!

   That is about it. The work is going on slowly but surely. We will baptize this transfer! I have faith and I am hoping for some miracles!!

Email - June 2

   This week was awesome!! Well it was super di duper hottttt AND we were on bikes for 3 days, but it was awesome!! We found 5 new investigators this week, wahoo! Miracles are happening! We had quite a few lessons, too. We just need to have some help from the members. We also had one of our investigators at church!! Her name is Fabiola, I think I told you about her, she talks a ton!! She never ever stops and we try to cut in and she won't let us!! But,she has good fellowship in the ward,so that is good. We also had MLC this week, it was awesome. Our mission made an outline document of a family mission plan that will help us when working with members. A lot of missionaries try to make their own, but this one will be for the whole mission, so no one needs to worry about making their own. It is really awesome and I hope it works well in the Spanish Ward. Also, President Toone talked about instead of finding ways to get out of the work (baptisms of other missionaries, temple trips, the list goes on...), find ways to get more into the work. And to spend our time wisely and fully. These summer months are going to be hot and missionaries will want to take breaks from the work, but we need to push ourselves and not put up excuses. It was really cool!!

   Also, I am super excited because one of the part-member families that I taught in Yuma, I love them so much, oh man, well, the husband isn't a member and Sister Pinnock and I started teaching him... Well, he is going to be baptized this month!!!!!! YA! I AM SO EXCITEDDDDD!! It is super cool! I am super excited for the sealing in a year as well, I will definitely go to that! I think I might have to move to Arizona because I will want to come and visit people so much... 

  I forgot to tell you. So I got a letter from the court in Yuma about a hearing for the car crash. Honestly I didn't understand any of the big words in that letter, but Sister Toone told me to call the number and say that I won't be able to go to court. So I called and the lady cut me off and said, "Actually, (name) was found dead in his garage last week so no charges can be held against him..." It was so crazy!! I don't even know. So I guess I don't have to deal with that stuff anymore though... sad world. 

Email - May 26

   Mi companera es Hermana Savage!!!!!! Do you remember her from my MTC district?? She is the one that got really sick, like her mouth had blisters and she had to go home for a couple weeks in the MTC. She is from Cedar City. She is really sweet and patient, and quiet, unless you break her shell open. She is really fun to be around, very pleasant. So we were super excited to be together!! She was in Phoenix for 9 months, almost as long as I was in Yuma. So she is a little sad from leaving there, and it is just so weird for her to be somewhere else. Her Spanish has became real good, better than mine. The part of Phoenix she was in, is pretty dangerous and full of Latino people. She liked it a lot, spoke a lot of Spanish there. My last companion, Hermana Segura is from Colombia originally, she moved to Arizona when she was 6 and lived here, ever since. Her home is right outside the mission boundaries in Mesa. Haha, she would always say how she can't believe she got sent here, but then we would see miracles everyday of why she needed to be in this mission. She needed to be here to be my companion and bless my life the way she did, seriously.

   This week was kind of crazy and probably the worst stat week I have ever had, besides when I white-washed into Yuma, our first week or two. But we are having a blast! I love my companion because she has so much faith and hope for this area. Our area got split because 2 more sisters came into our ward so now there is 3 companionships in our ward. Pretty sweet!! But... they took our only investigators :( They now are teaching the Venezuelan family. I am super excited for them, but also super sad because I love them so much. Hopefully, they will come to church so that I can see them. We only have 2 investigators right now. There names are both Fabiola, haha. But they aren't super solid. President Toone has set a goal for every companionship to get at least one baptism this transfer. That would be 130 baptisms, or more, in our mission!! That would be doubling what we usually get. Our mission is really pumped up right now :) We have a lot of faith and hope and prayers towards this. And helping the other missionaries in our zone meet it, as well.

   Sister Savage and I had a funny encounter the other day. We were going to contact this potential investigator named David. We knocked on the apartment door and this African lady answered. She hardly spoke English, they just moved there 3 days ago. She had 3 kids and they were climbing all over us and the little boy looks up at us with huge darting eyes and a missing tooth and says "what are YOU doing here???" haha, it was so funny. He was climbing and hanging on my purse. And the other one was pulling on my companions skirt and pulling off her watch. The other one went and grabbed the TV and brought it to the door and invited us to watch TV with her on the ground. And we are just acting normal and trying to have a conversation with the lady. We tell her that we are from a church and suddenly she goes and pulls out her bible in some African language and starts reading it. No wonder so many are being baptized in Africa!! She said we can come back, who knows if she understood, but we are going to send the English elders... ha good luck!!

   That is about it this week, we are just trying to find new investigators. Life is great, it was sad saying bye to Sister Segura. Now, she is in Maricopa in an English area... but she will do well!

   I forgot to tell you from the baptism/wedding last week, so you know how the ex-sister missionaries came, well, Sister Escobar(ex-sister missionary) turns to us during the baptism, grabs our hands, and says "You two are so great. Do you know why you are so great? Because you are missionaries." She said this as she started to tear up. I am scared to leave here, I know I am going to miss this time of my life so much. I think these last few months I have really been learning what it means to be a missionary and how powerful it is to be a representative of Christ. I know that my whole life has changed drastically from being here for just a year and a half. I will never again get the chance to put on my name tag proudly and fully experience this life as a missionary. This is a once and a life time chance. This is truly incredible. I love it here, I love experiencing these hard times and these BEAUTIFUL times. I am amazed at where I am and amazed at the people God has given me to meet and bless their lives, even though they have blessed mine more than I could ever give to them. I never want to not be a missionary. I know that all through out my life, I will look back to my mission with gratitude of the choice that I made and the promptings that I received to go on a mission, and to stay on a mission. It is not just a one time choice that I made when I was twelve, I had to make that choice to serve every moment from 12 years old -19 years old. And then once I started my papers, every interview, every question on the mission papers, and even once I  received my call to Arizona, I had to choose again to serve. Once I was ready and left and arrived at the MTC, I chose to serve, when I couldn't learn the language anymore, I chose to serve. Once I got here and realized what a mission really is, I chose to serve. When I was out in the burning sun, sweating like a lobster in a pot, I chose to serve. When I couldn't find anyone to teach, I chose to serve. When I had Satan against me in all that I did, I chose to serve. When I was having the hardest time of my life and I felt alone and hopeless, when I hated myself and when I saw others give up. I CHOSE TO SERVE. And today, I choose to serve because I love my Savior, I love my Heavenly Father, I love the people here, I love my family, my friends, I love the life God has given me. I love being a missionary, and I would not trade it for the world. I love it.

Claudia and Fernando are married!

Claudia and Fernando's baptism

Claudia in her wedding dress

Fruit tray at the wedding, YUMMY and beautiful!

Email - May 19

   SO------------------------------------------------------------------------------------> I am staying, haha I knew it even though we recommended that we both be taken out of the area. But I am just like that, I need to stay in areas for long periods of time. I am excited and nervous. My dear lovely companion is leaving me and she is stepping down from being a Sister Training Leader and has another new assignment that President Toone didn't say anything about. He said that he has a special assignment for her that will be talked more about at transfers... this mission never stops changing, new things come every transfer!! Seriously it is crazy! I am sad that she is leaving, and I am nervous to take over this area because really it is so hard to fill our time. We have like hardly any investigators right now, and the Spanish... well my companion will probably be pretty good because I will have another STL with me, so she should be more experienced with the language. I think I was getting too comfortable, so this change will be good! I am ready to do all I can do to prepare for the time I come home, my conversion and testimony need to be strong as ever. The real world is hard, and I don't want to lose this conversion I have.

   This week has been absolutely insane!! I don't know where to start. So stressful, and so great, a little contention, but that sometimes comes with stress. We got permission to go to Brian's funeral this past week, it was out of our mission boundaries. It was on Thursday, in Florence... Arizona, not Italy. Super small town. It was so so sad. It was awful. His family is Catholic, he was the only member in his family and so it was a Catholic Funeral. They did this rosary thing where they say memorized prayers to the Virgin Mary over and over again, that lasted for at least an hour. Then Brian's dad actually invited all the people from Brian's church (us) to say something or share a song. We sang "God be with You till We Meet Again" It was probably the only time the spirit was there at the funeral. To remind you this is all in Spanish. Then they had this Hispanic guy on the guitar and singing (sounded kind of like Nacho-Libre, ya know that video?) and it was just depressing songs, good thing I couldn't understand them... But then he sang in English, oh man... He sang this song about Guacamole, it was weird. So that was another 2 hours or something. To let you know, this is all outside in the burning heat, and we, as sisters always wear cardigans at nice events, and the Elders are in suits... yeah. Then we all drive to the place of the grave yard and spend another hour there as we all stand around and watch the family say bye and that guy is still singing depressing songs, the mother is yelling and crying, the worst I have seen and the brothers of Brian were so cute, they all looked like him and they all huddled together and hugged each other. And this Catholic minister sprinkled water and other stuff. Then okay apparently, usually the people don't lower the casket until everyone is gone but they lowered it and it was awful to see. The family was horrendous, it was so depressing, and everyone in black too with sunglasses on. Then Claudia (the girl-friend/fiance and way cute member and one of our best friends here) runs over to her dad and is so frustrated and crying and stomping and stuff like that, she kept saying (IT"S ALL MY FAULT!!) it was so sad, because it really wasn't her fault but she feels that guilt on her. sad sad, we just keep praying. We know that Heavenly Father needed Brian and his sweet and strong testimony and spirit to preach to the spirits in the spirit world. He really is such an amazing guy.

   I saw a scorpion on our garage door... I was so scared. My companion killed it with my shoe haha. 

Friday was the wedding and baptism!! Oh so we had some ex-sister missionaries come back for the wedding and baptism of Claudia (different Claudia) and Fernando. It was fun to see them again, it was Sister Mugar (I have never known her but she taught C and F) and Sister Escobar who was a STL and I really liked her and also Sister Drake (who taught Brian and was there for his baptism, also) I really liked her, too. She was in Yuma for her last transfer. Anyway, they were there for the funeral, wedding, and baptism. They were so so so much help. Because they actually know what it is like being missionaries and they knew how to help. You honestly never know what a mission is like until you serve one. We were at the church building all Friday setting up for the wedding/baptism. It was truly amazing though!! Other than a stress about the table cloths and starting an hour late(not unusual for the Latin culture) it was great!! Claudia and Fernando were so happy, they lit up the room. Heavenly Father put everything into place, it truly was incredible. They were married first, oh and during their marriage ceremony stuff, as they are standing up there with the bishop, Fernando's phone goes off haha, it was so funny. And then they hurried and changed into their baptism suit and were baptized. Then the reception, food, and dance was after that. We had to leave because we were past curfew. But we heard it was so great and they didn't get home until 1:00 am. WOW! I am so blessed. I can't even believe it. I love being a missionary, I love the people I serve I love it I love it I love it! C and F are so very strong and are going to be a huge change for the ward. They are already missionaries. 

Email - May 12

   We have had a few miracles this week. It still has been super hard because we have no investigators, but the Lord is blessing us as we work for it. We were getting pretty downhearted because all we want to do is teach people! And we haven't had many opportunities to do so recently. We decided to go visit this older lady in the ward that has been severely sick and going through treatments, she just got out of the hospital last week. We prayed right before we walked to her house and said to Heavenly Father that it has been really hard, lately, and we really are trying to find more people. We asked Him to bless us with opportunities to find new investigators through members. We went to the house (Lopez family) and the husband answers the door, he lets us in and goes and tells his wife to come out because we are at the house, visiting her. He comes back out and is talking to us, he gives us a referral without us even having to ask him! He said that there is a lady in their trailer park named Fabiola and she seems prepared to hear the gospel. She is the mom of one of their grandchildren's friends. Well, we got her trailer number and were planning to stop by her house after we were done visiting with them. We then started talking to Sister Lopez, just seeing how she is doing and ten minutes later, the referral (Fabiola) walks in the door. We meet her casually and start getting to know her. We started talking about the gospel and Brother and Sister Lopez are amazing and share their conversion experience. They shared all the blessings they have received from the Gospel. Fabiola is an amazing hard-working mom that has had a lot of things go wrong in her life, but we know that she is prepared to hear the gospel now and we know how much it will bless her life. We came out of that house with a referral received, a member present lesson, and a new investigator all because we set up a time on Wednesday to come by her house. It was incredible! We knew that Heavenly Father was answering our prayers.

Estrella's Baptism

Email - May 5

   So remember how last week how I said it was a pretty ehhh.. week, well, this week has maybe been worse in the work. We still are working hard but can't find any new investigators, it is so hard. I just want to teach!! 

   I sent a picture of my companion and I had had a really hard day, so we decided to go and get some strawberries with cream, well that was the worst decision I have almost ever made. It was the biggest cup in the world of pure cream (fat). It was delicious to the taste but it hurt our stomachs so bad. I just wanted to throw up! I think it was a one time only kind of thing...

   Claudia and Fernando are the eternal investigators and guess what!! They are going to get married and baptized on MAY 16th :) :) It was hard work to help them have enough faith to do this, but they are doing it!! We are wedding planners again :)

   We had interviews this week with President Toone, it was the coolest thing! It actually wasn't interviews because he had a previous meeting with Elder Bednar and so he just got our zone and Chandler zone together and told us what Elder Bednar wanted us to hear. I remember before my mission I was scared to come home all weird and like "Molly Mormon", but I had a dream a couple weeks ago and I was home from my mission and I was the exact same person as I was before! And it made me so frustrated that I had a year and a half to change and I didn't. This is what President Toone talked about, that we NEED to be weird, not only just when we get home but for the rest of our lives!! There is so much more I could write to you right now, but I will have to save it for another time. 

P.S. I love the Book of Jacob!!