Dear friends and family,
OVERVIEW/NEWS
I'm moving out of my greenie area! I'm going to Corona, where I am going to be in a trio. Hna Bjork, Hna Dulong and I are opening up a new area there which is a little CRAZY because it's one thing to open an area/to be doubled in (that is what they call it when two new people go into an area), and it's another thing to be in a trio. Haha but we are being TRIPLED INTO A NEW AREA. It's so crazy. But I know it's inspired, and I love both Hna Bjork and Hna Dulong. I'm especially excited to be back with Hna Bjork but also it will be cool to be with Hna Dulong cause she is on her very last transfer and has tons of experience-- but also she is just really sweet and really funny. We're going to have a blast I think! I am a little scared about opening up a new area, and I was SUPER sad about leaving Moreno Valley; but focusing on the good things and keeping my hopes up high-- we're going to have fun. There's no way we won't cause those girls are just so fun! Other than that; the week was kind of stressful and crazy but we reached the mission standard of excellence and we reached all of the goals we had set for the week (we always set really high goals) so that was AWESOME. It always feels good to reach standard even though you have to work super duper duper DUPER hard to do it. haha :P (actually, that is probably WHY it feels good haha :P) Last night, the Elders baptized this golden investigator named Angela. She had like read all the pamphlets and half the book of mormon by the time they found her! haha :P. Anyways, that was awesome. She is such a sweetheart! Other than that, we found a lot of new investigators and just in case I forgot to tell you guys; we had just started working with the uncle of one of the guys in our ward who had been KIDNAPPED AND SHOT IN THE HEAD IN MEXICO three years ago; and he's still alive even though the bullet is still in his head and he has a hard time reading and stuff. So yeah, I'll never forget working with him! haha :P
REFLECTION ON MY ENTIRE EXPERIENCE IN MORENO VALLEY
There is no way that I could explain to you guys how much I loved the people here. The ward (congregation) was AMAZING. The people just wanted nothing more than to serve the Lord (and eat loads of Mexican food) and they were all just so special. Then, as for my recent converts and investigators-- I know without a shadow of a doubt that God sent them to me. Missionaries (myself included) testify in lessons all the time that God sent them to that person. But I want to emphasize that God sent these people to ME. I mean, I know I helped them and everything; but the things that I learned from them-- and in helping them to overcome their struggles-- were some of the greatest lessons that I have ever learned in my entire life. All of my investigators had serious trials-- to name some I taught a homeless woman that is currently in a mental institution; the above mentioned man that got shot in the head; a woman with paranoia, a man that had just gotten out of prison and had a serious smoking problem, a man that was so terrified of commitment that he'd been living with a woman for over 10 years without getting married to her, a woman with breast cancer, a man so traumatized by his past that he couldn't move on, a half-atheist family and the list goes on... And I have loved them all with all of my heart. All of my heart. And you know how we are supposed to work with all our heart, might, mind and strength? Well, it has been hard. It has been very hard. But I can promise you that I did that here. I put it all on the table before I left; and these people got all of me that they could have had.
But now, the people in Corona get to have all of me for at least the next 6 weeks. And I'm excited to learn to love them too! I have faith in the inspiration of the work, and therefore I know that God wants me to go there. I'll let you know how it is next week!
All right, but WHAT KIND OF MISSIONARY WOULD I BE if I didn't leave you with a SPIRITUAL MESSAGE:
Today's message is entitled: "IT'S OK TO ASK FOR HELP"
The above mentioned man who is really afraid of commitment (BUT IS GOING TO PROPOSE TO HIS GIRLFRIEND THIS MONTH YES MISSION ACCOMPLISHED (almost)!! :) ) has this problem where he doesn't think he can ask God for help. And believe it or not, I definitely have also had that problem. Maybe, to some extent-- we all have. We think maybe it's selfish to ask God for the things that we need and want most. But, it's a commandment to pray-- and furthermore, it's a commandment to pray with a sincere heart. GOD WANTS to help us. And therefore not only is it OK to ask for help-- but he EXPECTS us to. And as we do, he will help us with everything that we need in our lives-- whether it be physical, emotional or spiritual. Also, as Dieter F. Uchtdorf once explained "God hears and answers the prayers of His children...but it is usually through another person that He meets our needs." Which means that sometimes, after asking for help from God-- we might have to ask for help from someone else as well. And that's ok. We're all here to help each other. It's a big part of our purpose on earth! And so if we don't ask people for help when we need it and God seems to be inspiring us too-- then we are only depriving someone else of an opportunity to serve if we do not ask them. So I guess to sum this all up, I'll leave you guys with this scripture:
"Ask and it shall be given unto you, seek and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For everyone that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened."
Matthew 7:6-7
And, how on earth could I say goodbye without sharing with you our pictures from national fake moustache day. (Do not worry, these were not worn during proselyting hours)
All the sisters in Moreno Valley
and then this one, which I have become quite infamous for