I Love Being a Missionary

September 20th 2010

SO the exciting news for the week is we got transfer calls last night!! Ok, ok...now ya'll may not be as excited as us missionaries get in waiting anxiously for the good word, but here is the final verdict. Unfortunately, Sis. Perez is leaving me. She is going to be transfered to serve in Othello and will be in a threesome, working both Spanish and English. We both knew that it was coming and the chances of us still being together were slim, so we had kind've already accepted it. She is sad, but knows that she will love the people there just as much as she has grown to love the people here. I, on the other hand, am staying here in Wenatchee!! Yay! I'm so incredibly excited about that, and this is an answer in itself that there is still someone here who I am meant to find who I have not yet. This last transfer was hard, as far as finding new people to teach is considered, but I'm hoping all that will change in this coming transfer. So guess who is going to be my new companion!! Sister Olsen, who came out the same time as Sister Perez did. She is the one who Sis. Naylor trained right after me. SO we are "sisters" in missionary terms, and we both just knew at some point we would be serving together. I knew it from the moment I met her that last day I was in the MTC. There's something special about her and I think we are going to make a great team! We are both very excited to be serving together and a little surprised that we will be serving together this soon on the mission. Where there's room for growth and miracles to occur, well we both are not fluent in the language. SO the gift of tongues is going to have to come in big measures these coming weeks, because I'm willing to bet our Spanish is about the same level right now. She was in intermediate level at the MTC, and I've been out a transfer longer, so we shall see where the two meet up. It shall be interesting and is going to take a ton of faith on both our parts, but she is optimistic and enthusiastic about the work so we are going to see so much these coming weeks, I just know it! I sent a pic home not too long ago of the 4 of us sisters in the "fam", Me, Sis. Naylor, Perez, and Olsen. So, you should be able to get a nice visual. Who'd thought my first 3 comps in the mission would be all in that pic right!! Craziness, the Lord does indeed have a plan :) I'm very excited!

The latest with the work, lets see. Well, no new investigators this week, but we did invite one of our investigators, Dennis to be baptized. Who accepted, but we have not set a date yet. It may take some time with him, but he seems to really be trying to change his life. A little more about him on the tape, but really I dunno what is up with me teaching all these single guys, both old and young. Haha starting to notice a trend here...kind've interesting. We are working with a couple families, and trying really hard with the Mendoza sisters, Jessica and Maritza. I'm starting to lose patience, but praying to know the Lord's will for them and what part we play in bringing them unto Him at this time. They haven't been reading (again!) and haven't come to church yet, which is discouraging. There's no doubts that at some point they will enter on this path, but right now...we are trying to figure out if we should continue teaching them. If they don't start keeping commitments again, and progressing, unfortunately we are going to have to temporarily drop them, which will prob be the saddest day EVER! So this week, we are hoping to have a pretty straight forward conversation about the responsibility they have and the importance of reading and coming to church. Please keep them in your prayers, as I know you have. They need them and I need them. I love this family so much, which has been such a driving force for us not giving up but they have to do their part and have to be progressing in order for us to continue teaching them.

In other exciting news, one of the less actives we visit every week has now come to church 2 weeks in a row. She wants to work toward the temple, and we've been working with her since I first got to the Mission Ridge ward 3 months ago. She hadn't been to church in 10+ years. So this is HUGE! Although she isn't an investigator, I almost feel that she is...because we are teaching her basic gospel principles and she is progressing so well. Her name is Maggie, if I hadn't mentioned her on tapes before. We are teaching so many people both members and non members alike, so sometimes I only mention the main players we are working with at the time. But I am loving the people! I love the area! I love the ward! And I love being a missionary!

I have learned a lot since coming out here on the mission! My testimony has grown in leaps and bounds. I have been blessed with spiritual wisdom and maturity beyond my own, just as my setting apart blessing promised. I have seen miracles and seen both good times and bad. I am not a perfect missionary, but I do sincerely try my best and rely on my Savior's Atonement for the areas in which I lack. I feel so much love and gratitude for the people in whom I am serving. I am learning a lot from them. I have turned the corner and am now past my 6 months. The time is going by fast! Every day, I wake up and get on my knees and thank Heavenly Father for blessing me to have one more day out here on the mission! I love this work! And it is truly to work of the Lord! More news next week! Pray for me and the language...please please. I have faith the Lord will continue to perform miracles in and through me. The good word is true! If you haven't done your personal study yet today, I invite you to take 10 min and open the good book and read the words of the Lord. I love you all! Miss you every day :)