Life off the mission!

Wow, it has been a while since I have posted anything.  Let me just say, life off of my mission has been great.  I knew when I was leaving my mission to come home that there were great things in store for me.  And I'm already seeing them.  I am thankful for that.  I just love the fact that when our mission comes to an end, it doesn't mean our life is over.  I saw that a lot while I was on my mission, missionaries acted as if they wouldn't have anything to live for once they were finished.  Which is NOT true at all.  Once we have served a mission, we can see and understand that there really is SO much to live for!  More than we even realized before serving.  When our mission ends, life really begins.  And it's exciting!  Although the sun is setting on that part of our life, the sun is rising to a new beginning.  To new things, new adventures, just new everything.  

I miss the people I met and served with during my mission.  But I know it had to come to an end.  And the timing of it all was completely perfect!  I loved my mission and always will.  It shaped me into who I am today.  I know it has prepared me for the rest of my life.  I have already seen that since being home.  I am so grateful for that.  

So I guess what I am saying is that missionaries that come home should not feel depressed and upset about it being over because there are so many great things to come!  Heavenly Father gives us the amazing opportunity to serve.  And that sets us up for the rest of our lives!  It's so awesome!  

Last email from the mission...

I feel like this email will seem very dramatic (yes, I know I am dramatic), but I mean everything I will say. 

My heart is very full.  Full of many, many feelings.  Nothing can really describe what I feel and what I want to express because everything is just to great.  

My heart is sad.  Very, very sad.  Yesterday was a hard day.  I love the Spanish branch here.  I love the people we teach.  I love my companion.  I love the missionaries I work with.  I love President and Sister Felix.  I have loved it all.  That is something I have always loved and not loved at the same time.  I have learned that I love people so quickly.  Which I love.  But when it comes to be time to leave.  It makes it very difficult.  I never realized how much I could love others until I came on my mission.  I always thought it was so cheesy when I would hear people stand up in Sacrament Meeting and say, "I just love you all.  I don't really know you, but I love you."  I didn't get it!!  Then I came on my mission.  I remember my first area, I instantly loved complete strangers, but then they aren't strangers.  They are my brothers and sisters.  Loving others.  I feel that is a gift that I have been given and I am happy to be able to recognize it.  

My heart is nervous.  We all have hopes, goals, and plans.  It's time for me to get going.  I always had something to reach toward and work towards.  First it was what, baptism?  YW's.  Personal Progress.  Going to school.  A mission.  But now what?  We all know exactly what's next in my life.  I actually start REAL life now!!  I need to get an education.  I need to take it seriously.  I have to take dating seriously.  (Eww.  Weird.  And yes, president talked to me about all of this already).  But, I think it is a good nervous.  I'm not nervous about going back to the person I was before., I hear missionaries say that is their fear.  But no, I am changed.  There is no way I can go back to who I was.  I have learned how to become my best self.  Obviously I'm not done changing into my self, I know that!  But hey!  I'm doing a whole lot better than before.  For that I am very grateful!

My heart is excited.  I am excited to see what happens next in my life!  I know I have much to do.  If I am not working towards worthy goals then I am going down.  It's like running up an escalater that is going down.  If I stop then I will stop progressing.  I am excited to be with my family again.  To go to school.  Work.  And go!

My heart is happy!  I am happy.  I could not have done what I have done without Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father.  I couldn't have done this without the mighty prayers of everyone.  Because I have been changing, I have been able to do everything that has been placed before me.  I know that I didn't change myself, it was because of my dear Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.  I have felt Them carry me through many events of my mission.  Not only the fact that I went home during the mission, a whole lot more than that!  It's because of them that I am here today.  I know that they used other people to help me as well.  My companions.  Whether we got along or not, they were put in my life for a reason.  My leaders.  Again, whether or not we got along, they were put in my life for a reason.  The members!  Oh my goodness, I have met so many amazing members here.  The people I have taught!!  They are amazing, I love them!  My heart is happy because I have met so many amazing people.  I have been able to see the ministering of angels during my mission.  I remember that was something I was blessed with, my first setting apart.  I have truly witnessed that multiple times during my mission.  My second setting apart.  I can truly say EVERYTHING that was said in there has happened.  Not that I doubted they would happen, I just feel it interesting that they didn't happen until my last transfer here.  But that just lets me know even better how perfect Heavenly Father's timing is.  I know that there was no way for me to be here NOW if I wouldn't have gone home earlier.  His timing is perfect, His plan is perfect, He is perfect.  I just remember how awful and painful it was to go home.  I just cried and cried.  But now looking back I don't feel the awful pain and sadness.  I am still crying and crying, but they are tears of joy, of gratitude and happiness.  That's what Heavenly Father does!!  Oh Him!! :)

Again.  My heart is full.  Words really can't express all that I want to say.  But here was my attempt.  Sorry, it could be better!  

I will be home soon.  I am grateful to have closure.  I am grateful to be able to say I did my duty, I served faithfully and I can honestly say that I have no regrets.  That is what I wanted all along.  No regrets.  I love this work.  Hoy es un gran dia para ser una misionera.  I love Heavenly Father.  Just as I said in June 2013.  What greater gift can I give to my Heavenly Father than to serve a mission?  I still feel it isn't enough, and I know it's not.  But, I know that I can keep moving forward and that He is happy with what I have done.  

Finishing my mission is proof that I can do hard things.  I will continue to do hard things.  I love being a missionary.  I wish it wasn't over.  But there is more to come.  

I will see you soon.  Hopefully I don't get stuck in Chicago. ;)

Love,

Hermana AhMu

February 23, 2015

What a bummer!  I'm sorry y'all haven't been feeling well :(  

I'm getting a little concerned.  I am going to miss the Mexican snacks around here.  Do you know of any Mexican markets in KC?  I have things to show you guys and things to make...but if I need to I will bring them home in my luggage.  If not, we can just buy stuff there.  Let me know, please!!  I'm sure Abel would have an idea.

I'm sorry about the weather...it's pretty stinky around here too.  It's been around the 60's and it rained ALL day yesterday.  No one opened their doors yesterday except one family.  They fed us dinner.  They felt bad that we were so wet!  hahaha, we were SOAKED.  And cold!   

Things here are going SOOO WELLLL.  I love it here, we are teaching AMAZING people!  There will be baptisms soon.  I'm just sad that they will happen after I leave.  But it's okay.  It's still very exciting.  I see all the amazing things that are happening around here and I just want to stay another transfer! It's like once everything is perfect, I have to leave.  I know it's for a purpose though.  

Things here are good.  I am continually reminded of the date of my return home.  I am continually reminded of the amount of time I have left.  Everything is counted down for me and everyone around me is counting down for me.  It is sad.  But it is also amazing.  I am just thankful to be here now.  I am constantly reminded that this time is sacred, it was added on.  I don't have to be here, but I am so thankful I am!  Those things that President Cato said in my setting apart are coming to pass.  I almost thought they wouldn't a few weeks ago.  Moorpark is a place of healing for me.  A place of excitement!  A place of joy!  I am just sad I won't be here for much longer.  

I'm sorry if my letters don't seem to have much in them.  I will have many stories to tell when I am home!  But until then, my emails may contain a whole lot of nothing!!  Sorry!!

Well, I hope that you have a great week!!  I love you all.  

Love,

Hermana Ah Mu

February 16, 2015

I heard my flight plans changed, but I was told it was off by like 5 mins.  Maybe I heard wrong hahaha.  Oh well.  I guess more time to reflect.  Hopefully there aren't too many storms up in Chicago.  I don't think I will be in the mood for a delayed or canceled flight. ;)

I am so glad everyone is doing well!  Sounds like y'all are staying busy too.  That is great.  The missionaries in the ward sound like they are on top of it as well.  That is perfect! 

This week was good.  We have a been in contact with on of our investigators, Angelica, quite often lately.  Which is great.  We are really working with her to come to church.  I LOVE her!  She is so funny, and every time we come over she always has a meal for us.  (Seriously, I'm getting so fat!).  She makes goooood food!  We had my favorite, sopes, the other day.  They were perfect!  Hermana Garza was sick on Tuesday.  So we were in pretty much all day.  Saturday evening we had a branch fiesta!!  There was a DJ and a huge group of us there...like 40 people.  Haha, it was fun, it was a little shaky at first, but then things got fun after Hermana Garza and I turned off all the lights.  No one wants to dance in a well lit room, don't ask me why.  I don't know.  There was good food there too.  We had a family that we are working with come.  And they taught everyone how to do some dances, so that was perfect!! 

Everything is going so well!  I received my flight plans, the old ones, in the mail.  Along with some other paper work having to do with my departure.  It was weird, that's where things start feeling real.  But it's okay.  It will only get more and more real.  It won't catch me off guard this time. 

Thank you for all that you are doing to help me come back and get going.  I wouldn't be able to figure out school without y'all!  Thank you for the support.  I hope that you have a great week.

Love,

Hermana Ah Mu

February 9, 2015

Thank you so much for the email.  And for sharing that story!!  That is such great missionary work.  I will try to include Glenda and her family in my prayers as well.  

I want to see all the church history sites before I go back to school.  I am looking forward to that.  I am looking forwar to going back to school.  Ashley sent me some schedules to choose from, that was super helpful!!  It makes me so excited to get going.  I trust her and all that she has placed.  I am excited to see them again.

I am well aware of my time I have left...it's crazy.  But I really am looking forward to it.  Don't worry though, I am still her and want to be here.  :)  I love being a missionary.  It is just the greatest.  I am reminded that I go home everyday!  The time is counted down for me.  My planner has the number of weeks, the day reminds me of it.  I can't help it!  But I am glad that I am still here.  I would hate to have ended before.  I need this time.  I want to take full advantage of it.  

We had an awesome week!  We are teaching an amazing lady, Mina.  She is the mother of a recent convert.  Her son (the rc) is about to turn in his mission papers.  So she has obtained an interest in the church.  We explain to her that we would love to teach her about the exact things he will be teaching and knows are true.  And if she has any questions about the mission, or missionaries, or anything we would be here to answer for her.  We met her not this past friday, but the one before that.  And she came to church yesterday!! (she couldn't the sunday before because of the super bowl and they already had a party planned.).  But she will be coming to church on Sunday again!  We love her and can see her white!  She is so special.  

Hermana Garza got her patriarchal blessing yesterday!  She didn't have time to get it before the mission, so she had to get it here.  It was so neat.  It brought back memories of when I got mine.  

A man hugged me the other day.  That was weird and I hope it never happens again.  Atleast as a missionary anyway ;)

I am so grateful for you.  The mission has been so amazing, it is crazy that there is but a few weeks left now.  I am thankful for this experience, this gospel is a gospel of change.  I am living proof of the drastic change it can have on others!!  I am not the person I was over a year and a half ago, for that I am forever thankful!  I will never go back to that.  This is what brings me happiness and helps me to remain motivated until my job here is done.  :)

Have a great week!

Love,

Hermana Ah Mu

February 2, 2015 -- Thousand Oaks!

I LOVE IT HERE.  The area is so great!!  We are #114, we teach our neighbors in 115, so hopefully they will call us if they get the letter.  The branch is great, we are working on making it a ward.  We'll see what happens, hoping to combine it with the Newbury Park Spanish branch.  The only complication is both branches are in different stakes, but the other problem is people outside of our stake come to the branch here in TO.  So who knows.  Hopefully we'll somethings happen soon.  I did speak yesterday!  The branch president is great, he made sure that I told everyone how long I'd been out and that I only have 5 weeks left.  The work is awesome, we do not tract, tracting was cut out just before I got here and we work with members and referrals!  It is so cool!!  We teach lots of people!  I am in the Thousand Oaks 6th Branch.  

Dad has a mission companion that lives somewhere around here, I think Newbury Park which is like maybe 20 mins away.  I guess he has been trying to find me.  Maybe you and Dad could research more into that and let him know all he has to do is come to TO and find me!  Or contact some missionaries to get our number.  Does Dad know which one it is?

Hermana Garza is great, she is 19.  I think she just recently turned 19.  She is so young, I don't know why I feel like that because I am only 21, but there's seems to be a big difference!  She is so strong and works so hard!  Someone I need this transfer that is for sure.  Another one of the many reasons I am here right now, I'm sure of it.  We live with two Sister Missionaries serving in the English ward, Sister Cox and Sister De Vries.  They are fun!  We have a good time at home.  It is just a nice place to be.  

I asked Sister Castro if she remember the Navos, she just responded.  She said they knew them for a short time, but that they were a lovely family.  

Our church building is GIGANTIC.  It is referred to as the Thousand Oaks Temple.  It is so big!  I have taken pictures and will try to send them soon, you'll die it is so big!  

Well, things here are great, I look forward to hearing from Owen.  Hopefully I get the letter!  I love you guys!!  Have a great week!!

Love,

Hermana Ah Mu

January 5, 2015

I'm old, huh? ;)

My birthday this year was so much more fun!!!  We had great food, great company and a great time!  We had lunch with the Hurst's.  Then diinner with the Dawson family!  It was a blast.  :)  Sister Dawson is taking us to the LA temple this Friday, so we look forward to that.  I have missed the temple.  

Some exciting things:

A less active we teach has been struggling a lot with pretty much everything.  We had a lesson with her on Friday evening.  She was so attentive and very engaged in the lesson.  It was the greatest lesson we'e ever had with her.  She is usually with another less active who really overpowers everyone during lessons.  So it was fantastic to be able to meet with her alone!  It obvioiusly helped!  Because yesterday she shared her testimony during sacrament meeting and it is so sweet and powerful.  She talked about prayer and how great of a difference it makes in her life.  It was awesome!

Another one.  Karla.  Her name and address was on a sticky note in our area book.  We didn't know anything else about her.  So about a month and a half ago we went to the address looking for her.  She opened the door and we invited her to church.  She told us she had just recently had the desire to come back to church but didn't know where to go or when.  (She hasn't been to church since she was like 10 and she is about 26 now).  It was amazing!  We were thankful that we were led to her home and found her because ever since that day she has been coming to church every Sunday.  She has so many connections with people in the ward too.  It is awesome!!

Thank you so much for the package!!  Hahaha, loved the empty phone box ;)  I also got the CD, it is a really good CD.  Thank you so much for that.  We always love new music.  

The days here are short.  I wake up and I am dead tired.  I wake up at 6:30 and think, "Oh my gosh.  I have to wait 16 hours until I can go back to sleep."  Sometimes it brings tears to my eyes only because I am so tired.  I get going and then some how it is already 9 pm and we are planning the next day.  I don't know where the day has gone.  I go to bed so tired.  Being spiritually worn out is far greater than being physically worn out.  Outside of the mission I didn't need so much sleep, but I think it's because I wasn't so spiritually drained.  The mission is the greatest spiritual draining I have ever felt in my life.  I can only relate it to the fatigue you feel after a session at the temple.  And even then you may not even be too tired.  

Someone asked me yesterday what the greatest missionary moment was for me.  I didn't feel I could answer it in the way she was expecting.  Only because I feet that for a lot people, they think the greatest missionary moments for missionaries are baptizing people.  That is not the case.  I told her something along the lines of this, "You know, the mission has not so much been about really baptizing many people or even seeing great, miraculous things.  My mission has been about me, converting me.  The greatest convert on my mission has been me, my mission has been about planting seeds.  Finding people and at least beginning the process of their progression in the gospel.  And helping those that have been lost along the way.  I love helping less active members come back.  I've seen a lot of that.  My mission has been a refiners fire.  Most things seem to have gone wrong.  But I have seen things have actually gone right the entire time.  The refiners fire is about enduring.  Not only enduring, but enduring well.  Enduring means happily and joyfully serving until the end.  Learning these things have been the greatest moments in my mission."  And I truly feel that way.  

I know our purpose as missionaries is to invite others to come unto Christ.  I know that is what I am doing.  I know that is what we are all doing!  Inviting others to come until Christ includes myself, my companion, other missionaries I serve with, less active members, members in the wards in which I serve, and all of the investigators.  So everyone!  I am confident that we all play a special part in the Lord's work.  He has called us for our strengths.  He knows my strengths, He knows who needs me and He knows who I need.  

I love being here!  Yes, I am still bugged by those thoughts of, "Dang, I could be home right now."  "I could be sleeping still if I was at home."  And all that goes along with that, but I know where those thoughts come from.  I know those tricks.  Those thoughts and wants are what will give me temporary gratification.  My desire to be here and serve are what give me the everlasting and eternal blessings.  And I know being here helps me become my best self.  

Thank you for all of the happy birthday wishes.  I can't believe I am 21!!  I am excited to see what this next year brings.  I hope you have a great week!  

Love,

Hermana Ah Mu

December 15, 2014

This is us last night at a stake activity.  With the Hurst family, Sister Beliel, and A couple of investigators.  And Hermana Cuevas...

Things here are fine.  I am staying here in the good ole 5 cities area.  Same companion. 

This week was fine.  We are so struggling with finding new people.  But it is okay.  We know Heavenly Father is preparing people.  I feel like my entire mission my job has just been to plant seeds.  

The ward I am in is just great!!  I love it soooo much.  A lot of them thought I was leaving this transfer, but we were all happy to know I'm not.  I am excited to see what this next transfer brings.  :)  

I got permission to have a conference call so that I can talk to Ollie, Ashley and Katie along with you all.  Please email me a time that is best to call on Christmas day.  We have a lunch and dinner that day, but those are flexible and will cater to your availability.  I'm sure you are free all day, if it's anything like last year.  But yes, let me know and we will make ourselves free to do that for you.  :)  I am excited to talk to you on the phone.  Think of questions to ask!  

I got your package!  Thank you SO much.  I love it all!  Our apartment looks more Christmas-y.  :)  

My feelings are mixed today.  It hurts a little to know that I could be home on Wednesday...but I am also thankful for the opportunity to be here for longer.  

Anyway!  Thank you for the email.  I hope that you have a great week.  I love this work I am a part of.  I love being a missionary.  I love Jesus Christ and our dear Heavenly Father.  He has a plan for me, submitting our will to his is the challenge, but I am trying to do that. 

December 8, 2014

SOOOO cool about Mr. Li!!!  I will be praying for him and his family.  That is a huge miracle.  I know why he did that, it's because all he has seen from you and the rest of the church is good.  He is a good man, they are a good family.  He needs the gospel.  I would pray for him everyday in all prayers, as a family and ward council, so that he may obtain the desire to come to church and learn.  But who am I?  Just a missionary that doesn't even work there right now haha.

Which reminds me, does the ward council include the missionaries?  Please tell me yes?  That is one of the SMARTEST things you could possibly do.  You know why?  Then we know all that is going on in the ward.  All of the needs, we get to know all of the leadership in the ward.  We are able to know all the resources abailable.  We are able to obtain trust from the members of the ward.  And we are able to know the needs of the ward.  I hope that if that isn't something BS2nd ward does that you may consider it because we are totally and completely lost without it.  I don't even know many of the ward members or ward leadership.  STILL.  I know that if we could go to ward council or to a meeting that could in a way substitute it we would be able to see more progress in the ward.  We are here for the ward.  I know you know this.  The ward isn't there for the missionaries.  We are there for the ward.  We are there to help the ward with missionary work.  Too often members confuse it and think that they need to be helping us.  No!  We are here to help you!!!  We can do missionary work alone if we have to, and we will if that's how it is going to be.  But we need you.  I know that BS2nd ward does amazing with missionary work.  Keep helping the missionaries.  They will always remember the BS2nd ward as a solid, hard-working, helpful ward as you keep doing what you're doing.  

Please.  Invite non-members over when you have the missionaries over.  That is always a pleasant surprise to us!!  We love it!!  Invite Mr. Li and his family over for dinner and bring the missionaries over!!  Watch Finding Faith in Christ with them.  Or some Mormon Messages?  Or videos from mormon.org.  That will go a long way and could possibly open the door to taking lessons from the missionaries.  Just an idea ;)

Share He is the Gift with all those you come in contact with.  The missionaries should has pass along cards you can give away.  If not use all the ones you received in the Dec. Ensign.  This is a great tool we have as members.  It is the most NON threatening thing you can share!!  This is the easiest and best time to be sharing the gospel, most people cannot turn down a Christmas message.  Help others discover the gift.  And re-discover.  Embrace it or re-embrace it.  Apply it in your lives.  And SHARE it.  Not sure if you know this, the church has taken over youtube's home page.  Millions of people will see the ads.  Ask people, "Hey, have you been on youtube lately?"  People use youtube everyday.  Tell them to look into He is the Gift.  :)

Wow, I am talking way too much about missionary work, huh?  But seriously!!  It is exciting.  This is an exciting time.  :)  We are a part of a glorious work.  I love it.  I love being a full time missionary.  

I would be going home next week.  I love that I get to stay.  I will miss home.  I will miss being with my family.  I will miss it all.  But it doesn't matter, because I love doing what I do more than those things I miss.  I am sharing "the gift" with everyone everyday.  Do it with me.  Don't be afraid.  Just do it!!  Go nike.  ;)  Share it on my fb account will you?  I have non member friends that I want to see it. 

I hope you have a great week.

Love,

Hermana Ah Mu 

December 1, 2014

If you are going to send a package send it now to my direct address...or if it can make it before December 15.  Tuesday, Dec 16 is transfers.  So yes, I am feeling that I will probably be transferred a week before Christmas.  Lots of families have already signed up for Christmas.  They all tell me I can't get transferred....Psh.  Like I don't know that :)

I lost my planner this week.  It has been so difficult, I never wanna lose a planner again!! :(  

Went to Santa Barbara on Tuesday, that was GREAT.  That is an amazing area, so many people.  You could street contact all day and forever and always have people to talk to.  It's the exact opposite around here.  Not sure why!  

I am doing well.  I have already told my mission president this, but I am so grateful for prayer.  I receive so much comfort from it.  Without prayer I wouldn't be here any more.  But I don't quit.  :)  Never.  

I apologize for not putting so many words into this email.  But there's just not much to say this week.  

I love you all!!   Thank you for the support.  

Love,

Hermana Ah Mu

November 23, 2014

Things are okay here!  The work is great.  We are finding and teaching as much as we can.  

Zone conference was great.  It was a lot about having an eternal perspective and being consecrated servants.  I loved it.  It is always good to be around other missionaries.  We are finally allowed to go to lds.org!!  WE are very happy about that.

We are excited for Thanksgiving.  We have a lunch appointment and a dinner appointment.  In between those we are planning on delivering the talk, "The Divine Gift of Gratitude" by Thomas S. Monson to less actives and other people we are teaching.  We have been writing cards to go along with the talks.  I feel this is a great thing to do on Thanksgiving, I just remember last year it was a hard day to proselyte on.  Lots of drunks and busy people who didn't care to talk with us.  I am excited about the cards and the talks.  

About iPads....still not sure.  And I have decided that I really don't want anything for Christmas.  Please don't feel like you need to send me anything.  Save any gifts for when I get home, things that I can use in college.  If anyone wants to send me anything, send me a talk.  Or post it notes.  Stamps are a great gift.  A couple bucks to spend, the thrift stores here are the bomb and I find great things for less than 5 bucks!  So nothing big, please.  And we never know when the iPads will be released.  Our new orientation booklets talk about iPads so we know they are coming soon.  Is that enough info to go off of?  Seriously though, I don't have much time left and I will need many things when I get home, but not now.  

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!  

I have emailed Ollie and Ashley, are they busy?  They haven't responded.  So please tell Ollie I say Happy Birthday!!  Can't believe he is so OLD.  

Have a fantastic week!

Love,

Hermana Ah Mu

November 17, 2014

Sounds like everything at home is going GREAT.  I'm so glad!  

The ward member that sent them to you was Juanita Montano.  SHe is one of my favorites!  She is trying to go to the temple.  So we are really working with her to get it all figured out.  We would love to have the opportunity to go with her :D  We do lots of service for her because she has some back issues.  (That's why we were wearing witch hats).  

Sister Castro told me today that just 3 weeks after they were home she and President Castro got called to be in the nursery!!  How sweet is that??  She loves it.  So you talking about nursery reminded me of that.  

We have zone conference tomorrow.  I am pretty excited.  We are getting some new things tomorrow so that will be great.  Am I hearing ipads?  We all sure hope so.  :)  But we shall see! 

We have been in a lot because Hna. Tauiliili has a sprained ankle.  She had it for 6 weeks, and we finally got to a doctor this past week.  So we are hoping to see it get better so we can be out more. :)

I'm trying to be a better missionary everyday.  I'm trying to be the best I can for my companion.  For President Felix so that he knows I am reliable and trustworthy.  But most of all I am trying to be the best I can be for the Lord.  I am trying to be the most effective instrument in His hands as I can be.  I love this gospel!  This message we share is happy and glorious.  So if you see missionaries that aren't smiling, remind them of that!  Because it is always a great day to be a missionary.  Not everyday is easy, but it is always a great day to be a missionary!  

Hope you have a great week.  

Love,

Hermana Ah Mu  

November 2, 2014

Things were a bit different this transfer with phone calls on where and what we'd be doing this transfer.  Leadership calls were made Friday evening and area calls were made Saturday!  VERY different, but we loved that change :)  Both Hermana Cuevas and I were surprised to get a phone call from President Felix on Friday!  Thankfully he was only calling to let us know about changes with Hna. Eastman and Hna. Swan.  Hna. Swan got her visa and had to leave yesterday so Hna. Eastman is with us until tomorrow, transfer meeting.  President and Sister Felix picked Hna. Swan up yesterday, it was fun to see them. 

I also got a call from one of the Assisstants to the President on Friday night.  He let me know that I would be training a brand new missionary this transfer.  I was surprised!  I've never trained !  I have now idea what to expect, but I am not worried.  I know I can do it.  I will be staying here in Arroyo Grande!!  Hna. Cuevas is going to the Spanish Branch in Santa Maria!  Hna. Eastman is going to be in Simi Valley!!  I am so excited for this transfer.  I will miss Hna. Cuevas a TON though.  She is one of my favorite companions.  

RICHARD!  He came to a baptism that was held Saturday afternoon!!!  That was VERY exciting.  He was late, he missed the actual baptisms but made it in time for the confirmations.  Why was he late?  Well, getting into the car (with the only nice pants he had on) they RIPPED.  He called us and told us he couldn't make it.  I almost yelled into the phone, "No!!  Just wear something!  Wear jeans if you need to and if anything wear shorts!  You just need to come!"  So he said okay.  He loved the baptism.  There he was able to meet President and Sister Felix!  That was cool!  

The reason he needed to come was because he has had bad experiences coming to church!  Last Sunday.  When getting in his car to come to church he found all FOUR of his tires on the car flat.  Someone had come and taken the air out of them.  Dumb, right?  Then he didn't want to come late so he just stayed home.  Tuesday was our Halloween party.  Before the party he had fallen off a ladder, cracked some ribs and sprained his wrist!  Richard was a bit discouraged about his efforts in coming to church, whether it be for a meeting or party, because something bad happened just before he was to come.  So we were trying to help him not give up right when something dumb happens.  

He came to church!  Early too!  And by the end of church (he stayed ALL 3 hours) he let it be known to many who talked to him that he knew he was supposed to be there.  So that was neat.  Richard is awesome and we hope to see him coming more!  

Well.  That's about all I've got for you!  Things here are awesome :)  It's a great day to be a missionary.  It brings me great joy to know this isn't my last transfer.  I am excited for the time I have left, truly everyday that passes is a day added onto my mission because I was so discouraged while at home I almost gave up.  I just never talked about it because I knew the more I'd say it the more real and easy it would have been to stay.  My decision to keep moving forward and keep with my mission will be an eternal blessing to me, I know it.  I love this glorious work, we are all so blessed to be a part of it!  

I love you!  Thanks for everything.

Love,

Hermana Ah Mu

October 27, 2014

I was so happy to hear from Sister Rackham and Sister Merritt!!  They wrote me.  I will write them back soon.  I'm so excited for them, they get a whole transfer together again!  They are working wonders in our ward, I know it.  

This was a good week.  Monday Hermana Cuevas found out her grandma was very sick and that she didn't have but a few days left.  I couldn't help but cry with her.  Tuesday morning during companionship study President Felix called and told her her grandma had passed away that morning.  It was hard for her to hear, but she is such an example of pushing forward and leaving all to the Lord.  I told her if she needed to just sit and take a break for a few minutes or needed to cry, I didn't mind.  I wouldn't be annoyed in any way.  I let her know I understood to a certain extent on how she must feel.  But she never once needed to, she is okay with it all.  

We are working as hard as we can and are so excited about the work that is getting done.  Our numbers don't show everything we do, I'm not about numbers.  I'm not about wasting time and spending our efforts on pointless things either.  I know we aren't doing that.  We are working hard, we are spending our time wisely.  I'm content with that, and I'm not sorry our efforts aren't showing number wise!  We are striving to be successful missionaries.  No where does it say successful missionaries reach the standard of excellence every week.  Or that they baptize tons of people.  I know we can feel successful when we feel the spirit working through us and when we are trying our hardest.  

That's my thoughts this week.  Sorry.  Hahaha, I really love it here and am excited for what is to come.  With the Spanish group in place for the 9th, we have lots to be excited for and lots of work to do.  It's awesome! :)

Amazing thing this week:  Our investigator Richard said to us, "I think it is so cool that He sent me friends to teach me the gospel, not missionaries."  He had tears in his eyes.  Richard is a special person Hermana Cuevas and I are teaching.  He is so cool!!

Well.  That's all I have.  Have a great week.  

Thanks, Love you!

Hermana Ah Mu

October 20, 2014

Thanks so much for the email!  

President Felix sent out a talk from GC.  I was wondering if you could send me the conference issue??  I would LOVE that.  We only get one per companionship and I think that Hermana Cuevas will want to have one.

This week was great!  We set one of our amazing investigators with a date!!  He is so cool!! :)  We are excited to keep teaching him, his date is for Nov.29!!  

We have been attending an english ward here, but we have a Spanish group approved!!  So we are working on putting that together!!  A group leader has been called and the group will be starting on Nov. 9!  We understand that this is going to be a huge change and it WILL be rocky for a little while at the beginning.  Missionaries will be giving a talk probably every week for a while.  But I am excited.  I think investigators will feel more comfortable coming to church if they know it will all be in Spanish, instead of there being translation.  Recent converts will be able to participate more and it will be AWESOME!!  It is the first step to more Spanish speaking investigators and baptisms in this area.  :)  

I don't have any more time.  But I hope all goes well.  I am glad you enjoyed the poem :)  

I love you all!!

Hermana Ah Mu

October 13, 2014

I got to see Meet the Mormons this week!!  It was just AWESOME!!  Please tell me you've all watched it!!!  Or are planning on seeing it?!!  I think the part that made me tear up the most was when the missionary was leaving his family...It wasn't so hard leaving my family the first time (I still love you), but the second time, just a month ago was a lot harder.  Not too sure why, but it took everything in me not to fall apart crying and sobbing leaving you guys the second time.  AS a missionary you think you say that goodbye once.  NOPE.  Not if your me.  You do it twice.  Haha, it's okay, but that part made me tear up a bit!

A SPANISH GROUP HAS BEEN APPROVED IN OUR AREA.  That is huge!!  We are working on putting that together!!  This is exciting!!!  We are VERY excited!!  Please pray that we will be able to work it all out and things will go smoothly! :)  

The work just keeps moving along!!  I love it here.

Hope everyone has an awesome week!

Love,

Sister Ah Mu

October 6, 2014

So.  This week.  

It went so well!!  We have been able to go to a website, justserve.org and we are able to find great service opportunities around the community!!  I love it.  We have been able to meet many more people and talk with them about the gospel.  It truly is a great missionary tool.  It atleast puts our name out there and we are able to meet more people around the community.  We went to the Catholic church and did some service there, it is so fun to be able to connect with local churches.  It is so good!!  

We finally have progressing investigators!!!  YAY!!  It is very exciting!!  We have seen how raising the level of obedience here in this area is changing EVERYTHING.  Exact obedience brings miracles!!  I truly believe that.  

We have been working with a less active.  He has been dealing with hard core drug addiction.  He finally stopped heroin a bit before I got here.  And has been trying to get over perscription drugs.  He finally went to rehab this past week.  We are so happy he is there.  Just before he went in, like the night before we made the mistake of visiting!!  He was ON DRUGS.  Being so weird...he grabbed scissors and tried to cut my hair!!  He said he wanted a lock of my hair.  We were out of there so quick.

General Conference.  Thanks for that package mom!  I loved it!  Wasn't conference just great??  I loved it.  I received many answers to questions that I needed answers to.  I am excited to be able to read it all.  I loved so many of the talks.  

We get to watch Meet the Mormons this week!!!  SO exciting.  We get to see it Thursday.  And we will also be having interveiws with President.  It'll be my first interveiw with him.  Not sure what to expect.  With President Castro I always knew what to expect.  

Well.  I hope y'all have a great week.  

Love,

Sister Ah Mu

Hermanas Brown and AhMu September 2014

September 29, 2014

Wow.  First week of the transfer is already over.  How can this be?  I just got here.  Right?  Haha.

We are finding so many people to teach.  We are working a lot on finding new investigators.  There has been tons of laziness and disobedience here.  It is frustrating, but we are going to change that.  We already are.

Thanks SO much for the Downeast shirts!!  I SO appreciate it.  

The Letter that I got from the office of the First Presidency.  It was a letter just telling me that I was again a missionary for the church.  They told me thank you for being willing to return and have this calling again.  President Monson signed it...and we have looked and looked at it...it looks REAL!!   

The women's conference was great, wasn't it??  I love it.  Loved how the theme was temples and covenants.  

I have started reading the Bible since I got here because I always want to be able to tell those we teach that we read and study the Book of Mormon AND the Bible.  So that's what I've been doing.  It is very interesting...also VERY rated R....I am sure I will be skipping things as I go.  

We are doing well. I have been focusing a lot on charity this week. I love it. I have been studying a talk called "The Character of Christ" by Elder Bednar. It is such an amazing talk. It talks a lot about how Christ turns outward when the natural man turns inward. And how Jesus Christ is the perfect example of charity. I love that talk and it helps me remember, I have a lot to work on. It also talks about how as we strive to obtain Christlike character, we are better able to qualify for the spiritual gift of charity. That charity is not something we possess. 

WEll.  Time is short.  So sorry.  I still can't seem to get the hang of the rush that comes along with emailing on P-days!!  I lost my touch or something?  

Have a great week.  Please know that I am doing great.  I am happy.  I'm healthy...as much as my body allows considering the lack of gallbladder.  I'm excited.  I love it.  

Love you

Sister Ah Mu

September 22, 2014

Hola.

Awesome week!!  It was full of miracles and we were able to find people to teach.  It was great.  We are seeing a lot of success already!  We try to NEVER be in our car and talk to everyone.  You really do see so many more miracles when you work like that.  I have the craziest tanlines ever.  But it's okay! :)

I am staying in Arroyo Grande with Hermana Cuevas!!!!!  We are SO happy to be together again.  This will be her second transfer, so I have to back up train her.  It won't be hard, she is already a better missionary than me!! :)  

The mission tour was so awesome.  Elder Malm and his wife are so great.  Me and my comopanions were able to talk with Sister Malm and Sister Felix for a good while afterwards.  They are both amazing ladies!   He talked a lot about the importance of beginning with the end in mind.  Having an eternal perspective.  Not basing the success of our mission on how other people (our investigatores, companions, etc) use their agency, but more on the WAY we serve and how we grow!  He made it known that all of our service is needed and important.  He is a very funny guy.  I learned a lot, and I was gratful to be here for it.  I needed it!!

I am so excited for the baptisms in our ward!!  I hope that they all go well.  

Things are going great.  Well, thank you for the emails.  I love you all.  Please know, I am doing fantastic.  I am happy.  I am excited.  I love my mission.  I didn't think it was possible, but my appreciation and love for my mission has grown so much more than existed before.  I try to work as if it is my last time to be a missionary.  

Have a great week!

Love,

Sister Ah Mu

Btw.  We get to watch Meet the Mormons!!!!  Our mission is going to watch it most likely before it comes out in theaters!!  Also.  Look up justserve.org.  It's awesome!! :)  

Hermanas AhMu and Miller at zone conference Sept 2014

September 15, 2014

I am sooo happy to be back.  It is so great.  The Miles picked me up from the airport.  They took me to the sister training leaders in Ventura.  That was with Hermana Brown!!!  My MTC companion.  And Hermana Halliday, she is so fun too!!  I had a great time with them.  I felt awkward and out of it the entire time!!  It was great.  I stayed there Friday night, then the Felix's picked me up Saturday around noon and they took me up to Arroyo Grande!  That was fun.  They were headed up here anyway for the Santa Maria Stake conference.  There was a general authority that attended, Elder Carlson.  If that rings a bell?  So I met him.  That was neat.  I am serving with Hermana Rubow AGAIN!!!!!  I am with her and her companion that she is training, Hermana Cuevas.  I love being with them.  We already have TONS of fun and laugh all the time.  We are putting together lots of goals.  I think we will see much success in this area.  It'll take hard work and dedication.  That's what I need to do anyway.  

Our ward is English and we are doing Spanish Translation, so that'll be familiar!  So I haven't been able to attend our ward, since we had Stake Conference.  But next week I will.  That'll be great.  

I don't have much else to say...other than it is so perfect to be back.  I didn't talk about it much, but Thursday morning I almost decided to give up and not come back.  I was so close.  SO close.  But then that call came Thursday afternoon.  It is amazing that Heavenly Father helps us right when we think we can't handle it any more.  I know without a doubt I am supposed to be here, right now.  It is a huge blessing to me.  I am so thankful to be here.  I will never be thankful enough for this opportunity to come back.  You never know what you have until it is taken away from me.  I thought I valued my mission before, but now I value it SO much more than before because it was taken from me.  I grateful that I was given it back.  I hope that everything is going well back at home.  

I love my area.  It is beautiful, right along the beach!  70's all the time.  Perfecto!!  Thanks for the support an love.

Until next week,

Hermana Ah Mu