Hola!!

 

How is everything in Missouri?? And...any where else y'all might be...Hahaha.  This was a GREAT week.  Hermana Brown and I made some goals for our last week.  We are hoping that we will be able to hit the ground running when we get to California.  That is all we want. 

 

Last Sunday we had Sacrament meeting.  21 people.  Wow.  That district of 13 left this week, and so now it'll just be the 8 of us in District 42 B and the Branch President and his wife.  We have been feeling rather lonely without the other districts.  We loved our Branch presidency.  It has been hard to see our zone/branch dissolving.  I have really loved our Branch president and his wife.  They are SO great.  I will miss them.  But it is so neat, the Branch presidency has told us multiple times that the last groups of missionaries they've had are the most obedient missionaries they've ever had.  What a compliment!!

 

I found that Hermana Brown and I are the perfect companionship, you know why?  She has an obsession with ranch dressing just like me!!  She eats ranch with spaghetti too!!  I never knew I would find someone that loved ranch as much as me.  Haha.  Okay, that isn't the only reason why it's been great to have her as a companion.  She is a good example to me when it comes to scripture study.  She always has a great scripture to share!!  I love it.  We both have come a LONG way, that is for sure. 

 

Hermana Brown and I had an awesome experience in TRC this week.  TRC is when volunteers come to the MTC and let missionaries teach them.  So it's just like when missionaries will come over and they share a message after diinner.  That sort of thing.  I love it.  But this week was by far the best experience.  We were to do a 40 minute lesson (instead of two 20 minute lessons like we've done with every other week).  We were assigned an elderly couple.  (Keep in mind this is always in complete Spanish).  We discussed the Atonement with them, and also the importance of repentence.  That through the Atonement, repentence is possible.  We read a few scriptures with them.  We had a great discussion!!  But then at the end, they gave the sweetest advice.  I am not even sure how I understood it all, but I did.  And I could tell that Hermana Brown knew exactly what was being said as well.  I didn't tell anyone, not even my companion how nervous I was to leave for California.  I was freaking out.  I think Heavenly Father knew that I needed the boost.  And not just me, but Hermana Brown.  After we were done she and I talked about it and how we both had been feeling nervous and scared.  We knew the advice and comforting words were definitely inspired. 

 

We had a 9 hour in-field orientation meeting yesterday.  It was loooooong.  But it was so great.  They really stressed the importance of working with the members in our wards.  It was so exciting!  I hope everyone that reads this knows that missionaries LOVE referrals.  LOVE LOVE LOVE them.  Missionaries LOVE it when you go into lessons with them and HELP TEACH portions of the lessons.  You members are where the spirit can really come from in some lessons, especially if you have had similar challenges, or similar life styles.  Sharing your testimony at the end is always good, but teaching portions is always GREAT. 

 

In the orientation, we watch a video on how to gain the trust of ward members.  Elder Bednar was speaking.  He spoke of two elders that had come over one Saturday morning.  They were playing with Elder Bednar's children, watching cartoons with them.  Then the Bednars fed them breakfast.  After breakfast the Elders asked Elder Bednar (who at the time was a stake president...I think?) if he had any referrals for them.  Elder Bednar replied, "Elders.  I love you.  But I would never give referrals to missionaries like you.  You have just wasted an hour and a half of the Lord's time, you could have been out finding people.  You have been in my house for too long, now leave."  Ever since I came into the MTC, I never realized how blunt Elder Bednar was!!!  I have watched MANY MTC devotionals by him and he just says it how it is. 

 

Yesterday we also watched a clip from another one of those leadership conferences that was done in 1999.  Called "Feed the Lambs, Gather the Sheep" I may be wrong...it was something along the lines of that.  Any way, President Hinckley was talking about the number of convert baptisms for the year.  He said that there is no reason we couldn't double the number of convert baptisms.  In 1999, there were 308,000 convert baptisms.  There have never been that many convert baptisms since.  How cool would it be if that happens this year??  Or the next?? 

 

Okay.  I would like to talk about my district for a bit.  Mom, Dad.  You were right.  I have gotten so close to them.  They have been my best friends, we love each other so much.  I don't think I have ever shared my testimony with anyone more than I have shared with them.  They have seen me grow within the last, short 6 weeks we've spent here (We don't even stay her for a full 6 weeks!!  It's more of 5 and a half weeks!!).  I think that is what brings us so close to each other though, the fact that we have been here together since that beginning.  I mean yes!  Of course we had great tesimonies when we came in.  But we all have seen our testimonies grow drastically!!  I know for a fact that I have changed SO much.  I am thankful for this change I have made in myself.  And I thank my district for all of the insights, thoughts, prayers, and laughs.  We always have a GREAT time.  The Elderes and Hermanas CRACK ME UP.  The elders are like children, until you see them pray, or give blessings.  They go into super spiritual mode!  They are some great men.  San Fernando is lucky to have them.  We all have been trying to ignore the fact that we say goodbye in 2 days.  It is going to be sad, and hard.  We just have to remember, it's not goodbye, it's, "See you later." 

 

Well.  That's about it.  I'm freaking out.  I'm scared to death.  My brain says I'm inadequete, but my heart says I'm called of God, that He will be with me every step of the way.  I can do this...it will be hard.  But I can do this.  Next email will probably be so crazy.  I can't even imagine what this next week will be like.  Thank you for all of the support.  I love you.  And thank you for all of the prayers. 

 

 

Love,

 

Hermana Ah Mu