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 :)
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