"When confronting the devil, you go in twos!!!"

Hola mi amores,

 

(don't really even know if amores is a word...I'm hoping that translates to Hello my loves? Pahaha.  Oh Spanish.)

 

I had a FANTASTIC WEEK!!  There can't be such a thing as having a bad week.  Or bad day.  I've never had a bad day, it's just not possible.  This week.

 

Had a great week!  Seriously, everyday is so great.  I don't think there is such a thing as having a bad day on my mission.  It can't be possible.  I love being a missionary so much.  I love helping people come unto Christ and being the Lord's instrument in this glorious work.  It's the best. 

 

This week we taught Gilberto and Eva about the Word of Wisdom and Law of Chastity.  They were already following the Law of Chastity and will now start the Word of Wisdom.  We have checked up on how that is going, they are doing so well.  Gilberto knows that it is not good, he is so accepting of the gospel, it is great.  Though he has not been able to attend church the last few weeks because his sister has heart failure.  He visits with her on Sundays because he works during the week.  We have to put his baptismal date back, but I know he will be baptized.  It's so exciting. 

 

We have been teaching Olga in the hospital.  She is so ready to be baptized, but since Hermana Corniea and I are not her missionaries we just had her pray about a baptismal date.  Once she gets out of the hospital the Elders are planning on going and meeting with her.  Olga is so great. 

 

We taught Amador and Junior.  Amador is very very accepting of the gospel, he is really progressing.  We just hope he can make it to church this sunday.  He has health problems and has had problems with his truch getting vandalized.  But now his truck is parked in the garage (finally haha) and he is feeling okay about leaving it there now.  Junior, he is a very awesome man.  He looks a little rough on the outside, but we have found that he is a very loving person, and searching for the truth.  We taught him a little about the Plan of Salvation.  Emphasized that we are able to be with families forever.  He really loved that.  He is praying to know if what we teach is true and if he can have an eternal family.  It was just so cool though, because Junior cusses up a storm.  Until we bring up the gospel.  He loves to talk, but I knew that for some reason I needed to bring up eternal families.  So finally there was a break between topics and such.  So I said, "Hey, Junior we have just been teaching Amador about what happened before we were born, what we need to do on earth now, and what will happen after we die.  And one thing we believe is that we can be with our families forever.  I know that you love your family alot, wouldn't you like to be with your family forever?"  He stopped everything.  His countenance totally changed.  He said yes.  That his family is THE most important thing.  That he has heard that we won't remember each other in heaven, but he would love to remember his kids.  And be with them forever.  It was so neat.  Junior looks a little rough on the outside (covered in tatoos, shaved head, etc.)  But on the inside he is searching.  He wants this gospel.  He has wanted this gospel and didn't even know he wanted this!!  But yeah!  We taught the Plan of Salvation, focusing on eternal families.  During this lesson, I shared my testimony of eternal families.  I also shared why I am here, and that I KNOW I am not wasting my time here.  I told him that I have stuff to do!  I need to go to school!  I don't want to be away from my family for 18 months.  I don't want to be away from music and movies for 18 months.  But all this, my mission is not about me.  It's not about me at all.  I told him my mission is about the people in California, and at that moment him specifically.  I want to help people come unto Christ.  I want everyone to be able to know that we can be with our families forever!  Everyone wants that.  So after that testimony I shared, it was very quiet.  The spirit was there.  I had tears in my eyes.  And Junior finally said, "Now that.  That is from the heart, I know it is."  He felt the spirit.  We all did.  And it was funny, when I first met Junior, he thought we were wasting our time.  But at the end of our lesson, we asked him to pray.  Pray about whether or not we were wasting our time doing the things we do, and he interupted that statement and said, "Oh. No, I know you aren't wasting your time."  We asked him to pray about it anyway and to pray about an eternal family.  We prayed with them, Amador actually said the prayer, and the things he asked for in that prayer was amazing.  It was amazing.  SO COOL.  Ahh, I just love the gospel.  Junior and Amador are just the greatest!  I hope that they can one day partake of the wonderful blessings this gospel has to offer.

 

This week we taught Ana, a woman who has been investigating for over 20 years.  She has a learning disability, so it is very hard for her to grasp the lessons.  Hermana Corniea and I are working hard to help her understand it all.  So we always make sure she is able to understand things before we move on.  I asked her to pray about getting baptized on the 21 of September.  She said she would.  I know that this gospel will make her so happy, I hope that we can be able to teach clearly and with power so that she can come to understand it all.  We pray for that every day.

 

This week I learned that the children in our ward know so much Spanish!  So I have started asking them how to say words in Spanish.  It is actually VERY helpful, and they love doing it, it's like a game for them.  I am working on the articles of faith with a 6 year old in our ward.  Every time we see each other at church or go to her house for dinner we quiz each other.  Haha, she has more Articles of Faith memorized than me!  But I know that the Articles of Faith will be helpful for me, and they are just important to know. 

 

Did I ever mention that I am the piano player in Relief Society??  I don't think anyone in our ward can play except for me and another Elder in our ward.  So he plays in Sacrament meeting and I do Relief Society.  See mom?  It's a good thing I practiced before I left, huh??  Haha.

 

Today my companion reminded me that I have been on a mission for 2 months D:  What the heck?!  Where has time gone??  I just got to the MTC.  I JUST got to California. 

 

Dad, we drive a Ford Fusion...and guess what year it is??  2013!  There's less than 7000 miles on it...We as missionaries are entrusted with a lot...including a brand new car.  Where else can you trust 18 and 19 year olds...and up with a brand new vehicle?!  I don't know where else.  We call our car the spaceship though.  Haha, it feels like we're in one every time we get in it!

 

There is something funny that happens at ward events and stuff.  My companion looks pretty white, now that can be taken as racism, but just ask her!  She'll say the same.  But anyway, people in our ward say I look like I could be hispanic...and it is a custom to kiss on the cheek.  Well, a lot of the time ward members will hug me and kiss me, while just shaking Hermana Corniea's hand!  PAHA.  We always laugh when that happens.

 

Sometimes we'll be walking down the street and I will say hi to people.  Sometimes, well usually just the old ladies, they always respond, "Thank you daughter."  In Espanol of course!

 

There is a family in our ward...they are just THE best.  It's Vero, and her 4 kids.  She tells us that the missionaries are her family.  She takes care of us, we always tell her she is our mom right now since our moms are far away.  I'm just grateful for their family...they help me with Spanish, but they can speak English too!!  I love people that speak english!!!!  SO MUCH!!  Haha. 

 

I still don't know much Spanish.  good thing we are only half way through the transfer because...I'm terrified for the moment it's over.  I am afraid Hermana Corniea is going to leave.  Everyone keeps telling me that she is going to leave and that I will have to train.  Seriously though.  I can't train.  I would be sick if that is the case...good thing it's not for another 3 weeks!!!!!!

 

I have learned a lot about the importance of sharing my testimony throughout lessons, rather than just at the end.  You can tell that the people we are teaching can feel the truthfulness of my words when I share testimony of our message. 

I love Oxnard.  I love Hermana Corniea, she teaches me pretty much 24/7.  Haha, it's so good!  I love our ward, the ward members are so nice, even when I don't understand them or don't know how to respond.  I love the people.  I still am amazed at how quickly I love people.  It's like I already loved these people before I got here.  I know that I am supposed to be here.  I am thankful for the opportunity to be here.  I love being a missionary. 

 

Have a fantastic week!  I know I will have one!! :D  I thought about my last email...I hope it didn't sound too rude, the part about letters instead of emails.  Thank you for all of the prayers.  Don't worry about me!!  The only thing I am really struggling with is Spanish...that's to be expected though!! :)  Esta Bien!!!  Read your scriptures.  Pray.  Keep the commandments.  AND!!  Here's my challenge for EVERYONE.  Pray about someone who could use this gospel.  And tell the missionaries to go by.  WE love referrals!!  AND, feed the missionaries.  Cereal at a members home is SO much better than eating at our apartment.  we don't care about the food.  It's the people we're surrounded by:)

 

Love,

 

Hermana Ah Mu

 

Charlee thank you SO much for the letter.  I will write back as soon as I can, P-days really aren't what you would imagine them to be like.  They are sometimes, most of the time, more stressful than the other days of the week!!  And Sister Bell!!  Tell Kayley Congratulations that I wish I could be there!!  But I am going to be at a baptism for one of our investigators that SAME day!  So that is pretty neat :)

Hermana AhMu with President and Sister Castro July 29, 2013

Hermana AhMu upon arrival in Ventura, California with her mission president and his wife, President and Sister Castro.

Yayyyy!!!!! (August 12, 2013)

This week was fantastic!  I really really enjoyed it.  We have been visiting our investigator, Gilberto a lot.  He has a baptismal date for August 24.  We are so excited for him.  He is golden.  He is very willing to accept the gospel, and he is doing very well at preparing for his baptism, we are hoping he will be ready by the 24.  Eva lives with him, she is a less active but has been attending church and is helping us teach him.  We have one concern as to whether or not the Word of Wisdom and Law of Chastity are being obeyed.  We were going to teach it last week, but they canceled on us.  We have an appointment with them both this week. 

 

Gilberto is very very funny.  He was showing us some pictures of his family.  And a picture of Marilyn Monroe (I don't think I can spell today, so be prepared for typos hahaha.)  any way, Gilberto said I look like Marilyn Monroe!  Pahahaha, He cracks me up.  He's like a grandpa.

We had exchanges!!  It was so so great.  The trianing sisters, Hermana Coleman and Hermana Bartchi, are just amazing.  Hermana Corniea and I went with them on Friday.  I worked with Hermana Coleman, she is just the greatest.  She helped me figure out how to have a more effective language study, it was so helpful.  She really made me feel like I was doing good, even though I have only been here for 2 weeks.  We worked here in Oxnard while the other Hermanas worked in Camerillo.  Hermana Coleman and I had a lot of success!  She taught me how to do DECS (Declarations).  She taught me to always include the Restoration in DECS.  I really liked that, and have been using it since.  I feel more confident in doing DECS.  Hermana Coleman and I discussed the 5 areas of focus.  I really like that "we seek to be trusted more than loved."  I know that Hermana Coleman is the perfect example of that, and after working with her for only a day, I trust her.  The whole day she was very encouraging.  I learned so much from her.  She gave me a lot of chances to speak to people, it was kinda rough sometimes (just the fact that I struggle with grammer), but she always came to the rescue.  Haha.  I really felt like she and I were like best friends from the start.  She and I have a lot in common and have the same way of thinking.  I love the training sisters, there is a special spirit about them, and there's no wonder why they are the training sisters.  We saw miracles while we were with them.

 

Hermana Coleman and I visited one of our investigators that day, his name is Amador.  Amador has a nephew that is usually around when we come.  Amador's nephew's name is Junior.  Junior is usually very hard to have a conversation with, he never really wanted to listen to our messages and boy has he got a potty mouth!!  So we kind of lost hope.  But Friday, when we were visiting them, we taught them the Restoration!  Hermana Coleman taught Junior the Restoration and Amador had me teach him the Restoration.  Hermana Coleman at the end asked Junior if he would be baptized if he came to see that this was true.  Amador and I at the time were talking about the Restoration, but Amador stopped all of us and asked, "Hermana Coleman, what did you just ask him?"  And so we extended the invitation to be baptized to both of them.  They both said yes.  Amador actually has a baptismal date for September 7! 

 

Amador has a special place in my heart.  He is old.  But he has gone through A LOT in his lifetime.  All the things he's gone through are too sad to write, but he has had a hard time seeing why we are handed trials.  He said that he didn't deserve it, that he has always tried as hard as he could.  He has had a lot of hardships since he was 7 years old.  He asked me, "Why would I have to go through these things when I was 7 years old?  I was young.  I was innocent."  I told him our story about losing mom.  That we were innocent children.  We didn't deserve it by any means.  But we got through it, through this gospel.  We made it out, and have seen the MANY blessings that have come from that experience.  I told him that one day he will be able to see the blessings.  He will see that Heavenly Father just loves us enough to bring us down at times.  And that the Atonement makes up for these things.  The Atonement makes up for EVERYTHING.  All that we are ashamed of, all that is out of our control, all that is unfair.  The Atonement makes up for it.  Through the Atonement, we are able to find happiness again.  I love the Atonement, once you get me started on it I won't ever be quiet.  I just feel like the Atonement is something that EVERYONE needs, no matter what is going on.  Every one needs to know that there is one person who knows exactly what we are feeling.  There is one person who has felt what it is like to be in our shoes.  It is Jesus Christ.  He is the person that can provide peace in our lives.  Peace is a gift from him.  OH!  I just love this gospel.  Who doesn't need that message?  I don't know who doesn't. 

 

 

Hermana Corniea and I ran into an inactive member.  He hasn't been to church for over 10 years.  He told us he missed the church.  I told him he could come back, he didn't know he could come back to church!!   He was so surprised!  We invited him to come.  He said, "Okay, I'll come.  But there's no promises, but it's my word."  Whatever that means haha.  I told him there was going to be a seat saved just for him.  We didn't know if he was going to come...but HE DID.  And he was crying during the sacrament.  It was so special.  He needs the gospel back in his life, and he knows it. 

 

This week we picked lemons at the bishops house.  (We are ALWAYS given lemons, limes, and avacados). 

 

I've learned something, and don't take this as me being racist...but Mexicans are so much more open to listening to our message than white people.  Haha

 

I have never been kissed so much.  All the ladies here kiss me on the cheek haha. 

 

Did I ever tell you we have THREE sets of missionaries in our ward?  There is so much work to be done.  The sisters we live with are in a different ward, but they had 8 investigators come to church!!  We laughed, because Hermana Linderman said, "Hermanas.  Seriously, this kind of thing only happens in South America."  Hahaha, she really likes it here.  She and Hermana Bollwinkle (the ones we live with)  have pink washed into this area.  They've had some struggles with that, it's stressful!  But they are having SO much success!!!

 

The bishop in our ward is 28!  His little brother gave his farewell yesterday!  So crazy!  Haha. 

 

Mail.  Does anyone love me any more?  I love letters....cough cough...nudge nudge....wink wink....Is that subtle enough?  I honestly spend most of my time writing this email because I am only allowed 30 mins to email family and 30 mins for the letter to President.  I don't have much time to email.  So letters.  Please....I know snail mail stinks, and it's such a pain to get an envelope and write my address one there...stick a stamp on...it's hard.  I know.  Only until I got on my mission did I really get good at it.  Haha, so what I'm saying is, please!  No emails.  Just letters.  I only want emails from The Ah Mu family.  I want to be able to really read what people have to say.  And I want to be able to write back something worth reading.   

 

Packages.  Only send it through US Postal Service (First Class/Priority).  Then it can be re-directed to where I live, I am not allowed to give out my personal address.  So just send it to the mission office.  If it isn't through US postal first class or priority then I won't get it until next transfer. 

 

Well.  Anyway.  Have a FANTASTIC WEEK..  I know I will!!!   I love California!!!  I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY.  I have NEVER been sooo tired for sooo long in my entire life.  but somehow I am still happy and functioning...must be the Lord helping me out, huh?  Haha, it doesn't make sense though, because I get 8 hours of sleep every night!!  Haha...did I ever tell y'all, we don't have air conditioning??!  But guess what? :)  The weather here is so perfect we don't need it!!! :D  Come to California.  Everyone, just come and enjoy it.  Hahaha.  I love you.  Have a good week. 

 

Con Amor,

 

Hermana Ah Mu

August 5, 2013

HELLO!!!

 

This was the craziest week.  Okay, so I was SO happy to talk to mi familia on the phone!! It was great.  It was like a boost of energy, it got me feeling good and ready to venture out to California, and I tried to call Ollie, but it said his phone was disconnected...? Maybe I wrote down his number wrong.  I'm not sure, but I wish I could have talked to him. 

 

The Santa Barbara airport = BEAUTIFUL.  It is the cutest little airport you will ever be in, I heard they just built it within the last year or something.  It didn't even feel like an airport.  President Castro and his assistants were right there to greet ALL 42 of us!!!  42 new missionaries in our mission!!  That is amazing.  Just amazing.  We rode a bus, and there were two vans and President Castro's car full of missionaries.  We got to Ventura after about an hour drive (Lots of traffic).  Sister Castro and their son, Samuel, was at the church building to greet us with El Pollo Loco ( THE BEST RESTERAUNT EVER).  While we were eating President Castro did interviews.  Lots and lots of interviews.  He didn't finish them until Teusday morning.  We also had some training that evening. Uhm...So The Castros have 4 kids, 1 is married, 1 is on a mission, and then the other two live with them.  A 13 year-old and 10 year-old.  So young!!  Monday night I slept at a members home.  The next morning there was more training and I had my interview with Pres. Castro.  He is seriously the greatest.  I am so thankful he is my mission president.  I in no way felt like he was going through the motions with me (considering he had to interview 42 of us).  He was so genuine.  He told me some amazing, fantastic things.  He showed such great confidence in ME.  He told me he sensed that I was very obedient, that I have been very prepared.  He told me that he can tell I will do many terrific things out here,  and that I will see miracles.  He told me I have a great attitude about Spanish.  "I am nervous about Spanish, but I will get over it."  That's the only concern I have!!  Haha.

 

I got my new companion!!  Hermana Corniea  "Corn-eee-aye"  French Canadian name.  We are serving in the Oxnard 5th ward, we are over a teeny part of Oxnard and over all of Camerillo (about 30 min drive away).  We don't even live in our boundaries haha.  We got a new apartment.  It had no water for the first 2 days and it was DIRTY.  We spent those few days cleaning.  DEEP cleaning, we felt that having a clean home was important so that we can prepare with the spirit.  It is however, the nicest apartment in the mission.  There's 4 hermanas living here, we have 3 bathrooms, and a washer and dryer...YAY!! :)

 

We are teaching many people.  an investigator and less active came to church yesterday!! Yeahh!!!  The less active, Eva, she asked me to teach her piano!  So we have a piano lesson at the end of church every sunday.  (This ensures that they will come to church!!).  We also  have gotten a NEW investigator this week through "Faith Knocking."  Yayyy!!  Sorry, but we only get 30 mins to write.  My emails will jump around, and sadly be missing many many things.  But I will do my best to type quickly, no promises that there will be no typos.  Uhm...So We saw a miracle this week, no time to write all about it, I will try to write a letter home about it. 

 

Dad, are there any Ah Mu's that you know living in the Chicago area right now?  An hermana I live with, Hermana Linderman, is from there and she has Ah Mu's in her stake!! 

 

Mom, is there any way you can have Kristen come over and make me a few church CD's from my itunes?  I need Mercy River back in my life!!  I need good music in general back in my life!! 

 

The areas we serve in are kinda scary at night, so President castro has asked that we do Language Study at night.  We are very grateful for that.  The other night we were in a neighborhood, the only neighborhood we are over in Oxnard, a little after 6.  Two men asked us if we were cold, sister corniea replied "no we are fine" and they replied "because we can help you with that."  EWW.  It was all in Spanish I am glad Sister Corniea knows espanol!!!  She has only been out for 12 weeks.  There are a lot of trianers that have only been out for 6 weeks.  I'm praying that that won't be me....

 

The 12 week program has now changed to 6 weeks.  CRAZY.  I love it here.  I knew this is where I am supposed to be the second I landed.  The weather is PERFECTO.  AMAZING.  I am definitely coming BACK.  I love the people.  I never knew I could love these people so quickly.  Spanish is difficult, but that's why I have a companion.  I know I will get over it, I will learn it.  It's okay. 

 

church yesterday was hard.  Everything was jibberish.  And it was hard to be in a real ward again...when it wasn't my own.  I missed our ward alot yesterday.  I'm sure it didn't help that I didn't understand what was going on so I was left to my thoughts.  But it's okay, the people in the ward are SO great.  They are hilarious, even thought I don't know what they're saying! HAHA, their laughs are so contagious.  You know me, I love to laugh.  Well, half hour is up.

 

I love you all.  I feel the prayers working.  I have seen SO many miracles.  Have a fantastic week, until next week!!!

 

Love,

 

Hermana Ah Mu

 

 

P.S.  I meant to tell you, there was this old lady that let us in (it was kinda weird, since I gues she's never let people in before) we read the intro to the BOM.  Then, when we were leaving, she told me I have fat legs, then bent down and slapped my calf.  (It was all in Spanish, which made it even funnier!!  Hahaha).  I always knew I had fat legs, pahahaha it's about time someone admitted it!! :)  People are so great.