Monday, July 25, 2016

Crazy HOT -- Kinda Long -- Good Week

This week has been a crazy hot, kinda long, good week.

One day we stopped at the church to sync and make a few calls so we can get out of the sunny 108 weather and just by luck, members showed to help clean the church so they let us in to cool down. And they even gave us this refresher drink thing to help us get better because we were dehydrated.

Another day, I really wanted to go out and do work but sister Baol was sick so I couldn't but we got permission for me to go out with another sister. So I was also able to go on a split with Hermana Scott. She is an amazing missionary! She covers a good bit of area for those who speak Spanish and the leaders let us go together. We have the same birthday and we were born in the same place - Mesa Arizona ...Kind a like a twin. It is always a fun time to go into Spanish work.

All of our appointments were cancelled this week and not going to lie ... it was sad.  BUT we still worked hard to find new people and get things done. 

We have been also releasing people of whom we are trying to teach too. It is always hard to let them go because we have this knowledge of the gospel and want them so badly to have the blessings that we have too. But we know that it is of the better to let them go for a while and let them think.

I know more about bikes than I have ever known. Last week it was my bike then this week it was Sister Baols bike. She was sick for a little so while she was resting, I fixed and readjusted her brakes and pumped tires, etc.. But all is well, all is well. Funny thing about our bikes --  this week... they almost got stollen... But everything is ok! We locked them up good. We just don't have bike lights any more so we are borrowing some till we get our own. I'm just happy that my bike is ok and sister Baols bike too of course!

We had interviews this week with President and Sister Jardine. I love them so much! Sister Jardine always asks us to share a scripture with her so I shared Doctrine and Covenants 128:22. My mom shared me this scripture ( with verses 23 and 24) in a letter she wrote me and I have been studying it. I really love this scripture sooo much because I am really in this great cause. Singing hosanna to his name and trying to share his love to all his children. There is so much more that I learned from that scripture  --  it would come really close to being a New York Times best seller  -- sooooo...after mission maybe.

We taught our recent convert Spencer -- The Gospel of Jesus Christ and after that he taught it to us. He is doing sooo great! Same with the other recent convert that we love too - Sheri, Kevin, Jeff and Lillye.  

Speaking of teaching,  Sister Baol and I really need ideas to teach sharing time in primary about temples this coming Sunday. So if you have any fun ideas please send them this way!!! We need help!

We had district meeting Thursday and we were commitment by our district leader to do this couples daily check- in every night with our companions. Sister Baol and I have fun doing that. Especially when she has been sick this week .... That bad American food... And helping her with the culture. She is amazing teacher and so friendly, I just love her so much! She always makes the things we teach at their level and personal. Right from week one, our teaching styles fit together and just us in general and now I can say that we really have a eternal friendship.  

Now this week is beginning and we have appointments so I am so excited!!  Wish us luck !  Hurrah for Israel!

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

A Little HELP From My Friends

 

Hi everyone!!! 

This week has been a a blast with sister Baol! She is so funny, sweet, witty and amazing!!

I have learned a lot of things these week. First how to keep a good attitude when your bike breaks and members are amazing!! 

Brother Suafoa pulled over and asked if we needed any help. Got his pick up, put the bikes in the back and hauled us over with his wife to our car so we could get home on time. 



I took off my bike chain and put the new one almost by myself -- Our apartment neighbor helped me as well as the zone leaders too.   But in the end it is done and I can ride my bike now and have the wind blow in my hair as I ride into the sunset... Anyone?... Hahaha. 

We had to walk around to our potentials to visit and such since my bike chain broke and I had to wait to get a new one -- anyway walking in the heat makes me sooooo tired so after planning one night I fell asleep on the floor for a little bit. 

We contacted a lot of people because in our area there is this Pokemon hunt, and everyone is out. It's gets kinds frustrating when you talk to 20 people in about 10 minutes and they all turn you down because they need to go battle their Pokemon every five minutes at the park. I just want to tell them, "I AM HERE TO HELP YOU.  TO TELL YOU ABOUT OUR HEAVENLY FATHER'S LOVES YOU AND THAT HE GAVE US A PLAN AND TOOLS TO HELP US COME AND LIVE WITH HIM AGAIN!"  But they were all really nice turning us down.  

One of the best things that happened this week was when we read 2 Nephi 31 with Jobe and Jessie and had a discussion. It went amazing and we invited them to be baptized on August 6th!!!!! Now we need to gain their uncles permission to be baptized!! It is going to happen.  Love those two boys.


We also cooked dinner for one of our investigators. Jamie loves Filipino food so we cooked her some and had a lesson after wards. We showed the video- Voices of the Spirit and in that lesson the spirit was so strong!!! 



She started to cry and said that she feels so different and it is peaceful but she hasn't felt it often in her life and it feels a little uncomfortable like her bosom is burning. I said a prayer in my heart before we started that she can feel the spirit and recognize it.... And she did. The spirit was so strong there. The next day was Sunday  -- we went to put our stuff at our seat in the chapel and Jamie was there waiting for things to begin. She left after sacrament meeting but she said "I feel it again and I really want to go home and just think and relax before I have to go to work."  Her heart is changing into a broken heart and a contrite spirit.

Sister Baol first language is tagolic and it is really close to Spanish. We ran into a lot of Filipinos and she was able to talk to them.  It is really cool.  She started to say the opening prayer in English for sacrament meeting at church but then it slowly turned into
her language. It was funny to see everyone's faces looking so confused after she ended. Love her sooooo much!




I love the lords work and everyday I try to remember 
"And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord: 

it shall rejoice in his salvation."
(Psalms 35)

Hurrah for Isreal!

Monday, July 11, 2016

It's An Art...

Hi everyone! 

Hope you all had a great week. 

Everyone here is either on vacation or in the air conditioned house. 
 It makes contacting hard because no one is out side. 
But we came up with an alternative and now we've got it down to the art -- 
 we go biking around seven at night --- 
usually everyone is outside doing something -- 
so we can go contacting and it can be effective.


We found two new investigators 
in the Anatolia Ward ! 
I am so excited -- because it is 
really hard to find them in that area. 
It happened with the help of the missionaries I served with. 
We all worked in my area for a few hours and it helped us a lot. 
It was also fun! 


Did I mention, Sister Baol 
is an amazing missionary! 
We had to last minute teach in the 
Mather Ward for Sunday School 
about our Heavenly Family. 
She is such a pro! 
We also taught a little bit to the Young Women about ordinances 
and how we explain them to our investigators. 
had to teach on the fourth section in Doctrine and Covenants.  I thought it went well. 
It helped that we recite that section every week.

We met a lady named Rachel this week. 
She was really busy but she accepted our information and set an appointment with her. 
We went back later that week and let's say her kids are crazy! 
So we set another time to meet.  
She felt so bad but she looked so relieved and grateful 
when we said we can come back another time 
and that we understood.  

Jobe and Jesse came to church! 
They looked really nice with their big happy smiles --  in their white shirts and ties.   
Jesse and I even made a handshake. 


One of the greatest things that happened this week 
was when I got to go see Kirk (my former investigator) get baptized!!! 
The look of him after he came out of the water --
 reminded me more of why I am serving a mission 
 When he came out his face showed that he felt happy, and clean! 
It is a great memory!!

 Love you!!

Tuesday, July 5, 2016

Bunkers -- BlueLight -- Trikes and MotorBikes -- (Random Pictures)

Shea? Do you know what that is?  
Some Pday fun -- just putt'n a round

Sister Biker Babe 


"A bit more my speed -- reminds me of Leavitt"

Harvesting, TriPANs and Transfers

This week was so busy and we worked a lot  -- when the day is done we get home quickly plan for the next day --  I wash my face -- say my prayer and 
 I am asleep before I hit the sheets





SOOOO, our group of missionaries who are inthe Sacramento - Ranch Cordova Zone --  made a goal to help 6 people to be baptized in the month of June. 
We fast and prayed for each and every person that we believed were ready for baptism and we prayed that they would have the chance to experience the  miracle of being baptized. 
Ready to HARVEST

.... WE MADE THAT GOAL !!!!!

Six amazing people came to the waters of baptism! 



am so proud and feel blessed to have served 
with those missionaries!  
Our Stake Leader that has the authority to lead over the Rancho Cordova part of Sacramento provided dinner for the zone to show his appreciation. I thought that, that was really nice of him. We were able to also discuss about some of the things that Elder and Sister Lawerence talked to us about last week. 

I also showed up wear the exact same skirt that two other sisters were wearing too. Funny huh?

I was in a tri- pan this week. Sister Christensen was with us and it was a lot of fun. We we talked to a lot of people. But in lessons it was a little weird to juggle or balance it because we had an extra person to help teach to but by the end we did alright.


We are beginning to teach this wonderful girl,  Lilly, the rest of her new member lessons. She has such a strong testimony of the gospel. She is going to come out with us next week since she is sixteen now and wants to serve a mission. She is a great example to me.


We extended a date for Michael to be baptized on the 30th of July. I
am really excited for him! He has gone through a lot and is making
great progress!

Happy Forth of July!! 
I got to see some fireworks as we were driving home! 
That was nice!


We had Transfers!! My last companion - Sister Cundick got a call to train a new missionary so now she is in ElDorado Hills and I bet is doing a great job there. Now my new companion is Sister Baul!

She is the cutest greatest little thing! She is 21 
and very 
talented. 
She is from the Phillipians and you all should meet her. 



I know that we are going to have tons of fun here serving in the Anatolia and Mather wards. 

A lot of our leadership in both words are gone because it is the forth of July week and vacationing so I feel bad that she hasn't met them yet. They are great people. For the forth of July we had to be in a meeting at seven to nine to make sure we all are safe. And the meeting was amazing ! 

There are a lot of new faces to the zone and new missionaries too. The Lord is preparing more and more amazing missionaries.  


Hope that everyone had a great weekend!

Love you all !

Horrah for Isreal!!!!

Fathers, Headaches and A Beautiful World


Ok everybody --  this week has been soooooo busy. Doesn't even feel like
it has been a full week.  Sister Cundick and I cover two wards and
they are exploding with missionary work we have appt.s  with members
who want to know what they can do to help us in missionary work and
hen tell us that they are going to invite people for us to visit and
meet that maybe perhaps they would hear a message from us that bring
blessings in their lives. I am so blessed right now. It us hard but
good. Sometimes I really want to take some cat naps but I dont have
time for that.

Summer time I feel like it hard for missionaries to teach because
everyone still as lives and want to do everything for vacation all but
listen to us but then that's when families are home and we meet so
many people out side BBQing or walking their dogs etc. It is
definitely pros and cons to this.

Jobe is this 11 year old boy who finally decided that he wants to be
baptized!!! He is amazing, he loves talking about sports so him and I
contented  real quick but I let him down not knowing a lot about
basketball teams. Sad but true. But we were talking about the last two
dates in July but some hills came into the road and now he is thinking
about December. Anyway I am still glad that he is wanting to be
baptized! Then there's Michael, after teaching the Restoration he has
agreed that this is for him and that everything that we taught is
true. He wants to be better and it is truly amazing!!



It was also Father's Day! Love you Dad! We share the video earthly
father Heavenly Father. I know that is how our Heavenly Father feels
and thinks about us and I know my dad does too! 
Love you Dad!


This week I was also privileged to hear from Elder Lawrence and his
wife . He gave the amazing talk What Lack I yet and he is an amazing
speaker. At Stake Conference he talked about Satan in a way that
allowed us to know him better and his role. Since we learned that he
continued speaking how we can not be influenced by him. Sister
Lawrence was an amazing speaker too! She talked about the plan of
Salvation but in a way that everything makes sense especially life
after death and what we need to do to prepare for it.  There is just
sooo much!


 Then Yesterday we heard from them again as a mission well half of the mission. Before sister lawerence got up to start her talk elder Lawrence got up and said that what she is going to say is meaty stuff
and that we should take lots of notes. That is what I did. In the scriptures it talks about how we need to have a spiritual feast, that is what happened. I wanted to know more and more and more and more and
more but because of time at couldn't happen. I really understand now why I am here on a mission, what my purpose is, what I did before earth life to be here at this time at this spot and being me. 
I know what I have to do .... So much stuff! 
After her amazing talk/discussion with us elder Lawrence got up and started to expand on it
but brought in sacrifice. 
He told our mission that we are doing a great job and that is showing. He can tell of what he has seen and
discussed with the he leaders that we have desires to be obedient, to invite others to be baptized to do the lords work to do whatever it takes. He said we have the means for so much. He said ... With that
brings sacrifice . We have sacrifice a lot but are we willing to do more. Personal sacrifice . And really plead with the lord to what we need to give up individualy. He invited President and Sister Jardine to
give a few thoughts and sister Jardine said this ... Sacramento Latin base word and what the Indians called it is sacrifice : the outward and visible sign of spiritual grace. What are we wanting to show to
our Heavenly Father to want spiritual grace ? ...

 I had the biggest spiritual headache ever! Loved it !

There is so much more I want to write but not enough time.
All I want to say is that I know we have a Heavenly Father who loves
and that He has created a perfect plan to allow us to grow and gain
experience and become better and most importantly to come back to him.


Hurrah for Isreal!

2nd Week in June

This week has been super busy, exhausting and fun! We did a lot of finding and talking to people on the streets sharing the hallelujah video and the earthly father Heavenly Father video. I love these two videos so much and it makes them really think about how much our Heavenly Father loves them and how much our Savior Jesus Christ has done for each of them. I love to see the light bulbs turn on and see them start to think of those things. We biked a lot this week and we did get some doors in our face but it was made up for those that wanted to hear our message that we want to share with them.  
Casualties of the Crusades

Sister Cundick and I had exchanges with our sister Training leaders and I left with Sister Thomson back to north sac.  Sister Cundick stayed here in our area with sister Stout. Before I get to the miracles that happened in our area I'll tell you some things that happened in North Sacramento. First I was in Spanish work and boy it is really hard to keep up with them when they speak. Right when I can kinda put together what they are saying they switch the conversation. But sister Thomson and I were able to teach Luara. I helped teach her before on my last exchange and it was really cool to see how much she progressed. And to see the amazing work of the lord and sister Thomson and sister Stout!  Then after that appt. we went to see this other lady. She was just amazed about how tall I was and my blue eyes. It was super funny! She then said that I would marry a little man so I can slap him around when he does something wrong. There I lost it and started to laugh. Shared a message about our Heavenly Father's love for her.  When I got back to my area sister Cundick and I only had a little time to proselyt so we went to an area that we haven't spent some time in a part of our area. So we went prayed about a specific
street to go tract and knock doors ... Three doors later we meet Eric ... He is very interesting but at the end we gave him a Book of Mormon and he committed to read and to pray of the truth of it. We go back this coming week to see if he has done it! Ok so for our area sister Cundick and sister Stout found 5 new investigators! Two of them even said yes to baptism!

I was able to meet one of the two who said yes to be baptized -- Michael,  and he really wants to be baptized
and meet with us! He really has that true desire! I am really excited!! We taught him a little bit more about the Book of Mormon and about baptism. Todd who is a fellow southerner and makes the best bbq!! His wife was a potential investigator and now they all want to know more. I was just amazed that they invented us for dinner.  

Also on Sunday we had to teach Gospel principles in the Anatolia Ward. We a taught about the gift of the Holy Ghost. Sister Cundick and I have been very bold in our teaching so we didn't sugar coat anything. At the end of the lesson I said a quote from one of the 12 apostles about how if we want to live with our Heavenly Father again then we need the gift of the Holy Ghost and strive to have it with us always. I thought the whole class were members but one of them wasn't ---. So at the end of church Enrique was waiting outside the Relief Society room and asked if we could set up a lesson for us to teach him the discussions. He wants to have the gift of the Holy Ghost all the time and inside my head and heart I was jumping and shouting for joy!!!!  

Today for pday we went shopping and this young man comes up to the cash  register and says - sisters I am going to pay for your groceries. ..... What! His name was Eric and he served his mission in Utah two years ago. We got to know him a little bit and then he asked if there was anyone that we were teaching that he could pray for. I love it when members are so nice to us and are awesome at missionary work. We have great Ward missionaries who do the same thing and even members who pray for those we teach and come I contact with.  

We also have old Sacramento town in our area so we went. It was so much fun.  Cute little stores and such. I love it. It is really cool when people look at us and say hi missionaries ! Now is the time for sports!!!

Horrah for Isreal!