Week 9

It was so great to hear from all of you! It was a little sad that I didn't get very much snail mail this week! I was so excited for it to be Tuesday so I could read all your emails! What a week it has been! It has been a little slow but I think it is mostly because it is a new schedule and I just needed to get used to it. In the MTC I had a hard time falling asleep but here I hit the pillow and I am gone until 630. Except for last night, for some reason I woke 3 times. I don't know what was going on! Well I arrived in California last week around 930. My mission president and his wife and 2 elders greeted us. They were the first people I saw when I came out of the airport. They greeted me with warm smiles and a big hug from Sister Sexton. My mission president said welcome to California in Spanish and it took me a minute to realize what he was saying. I was freaking out but all was well. We talked and got our luggage and then I rode back with the Sexton's and the elders that I traveled with went with the AP's. We had a nice visit and President Sexton said that they were very surprised and excited to find out I was coming this transfer. The sisters are few in number and they thought they weren't getting a sister this transfer. The elders I came with got their calls before me so the mission knew ahead of time they were coming but I just snuck right in. I told president that I was just as surprised as they were that I was coming so soon! When we arrived at the home we went through some orientation stuff and I took a driving test and confirmed that my bike was in their garage. Sister Sexton cooked us a wonderful meal and then we waited for our trainers to come. I was replacing a sister who flew out before I arrived. My companion is Sister Colwell. She is from Sandy Utah and has a twin sister named Meagan(yes that is how she spells it) who is on a mission in Texas speaking Spanish. They entered the MTC on the same day. I think that would be fun! She hits her 1 year mark on the 3rd. Our president just told us that we would be staying in areas longer because Elder Perry said that missionaries were being transferred to often, entonces(so) I may be with her until she goes home. I am serving in the Long Beach 4th ward which has many cultures including, Cambodian, Philipino, Samoan, Spanish, and many others that I can't remember right now. We teach about half english and half spanish. I hate knocking doors because is scares me soooo much! My companion is good at making me step out of my comfort zone! In my interview with the president yesterday I just cried and said that that is the hardest thing for me. It was my biggest reservation about coming on a mission but I know that the Lord will provide a way. Everytime I think I can't do it I think of 1 Ne 3:7. My mission president told me that it happens to everyone and that I am normal. Imagine that! He truly is an inspired man. I really love his counsel already and know that I needed to serve under him. He has a great vision for this mission and I know that I will be blessed as I follow his counsel and do all that he asks. We live in a backhouse behind a member so we get to do our laundry and wash our car at the house. It is really nice and the Sherman's are always looking out for us. They are very nice! Que mas? Our lessons went pretty well this week. We didn't teach a whole lot but we did have some great lessons when we did teach. The first time we taught I froze and I forgot my testimony. I had no idea what to say and I forgot everything I had learned in the MTC. It is getting better, I have less anxiety. My first lesson was to a man named Anthony. They found him knocking and his wife's funeral was in two days. He feels like we are his angels. I am very excited to continue teaching him. I think we are going tonight. We did get to attend the Relief Society braodcast on Saturday. We asked the zone leaders and they said probably not and we said why? you elders go to priesthood. The president said of course they can go if they want. We were so excited! It was weird seeing the conference center and being in differentplace. It tugged on my heart a little as I saw the familiarity of home. When President Uchtdorf spoke I was taken right back to the MTC and wanted to go back. I am going to miss those Tuesday night devotionals! The meeting was exactly what I needed to hear and I loved it. I realized that I focus on my inability to speak spanish and decided that I needed to be more faithful. We had a less active come and Bishop Garlick was very excited to see her there. I felt like we should invite her so I was excited to see her come. Sunday was probably one of the longest days. It was weird going to an english ward and going to a full block of meetings. We started the day with meetings at 830. Church started at 10. In the MTC we only had relief society and sacrament meeting and they were at 10 and 145 so it was weird attending all meetings like before. We taught the gospel priniciples class which was fun. After church we went and had our study time and then went back to the stake center to get ready for our baptism. Gary is a retired cop who can barely walk. I wish I could have seen his whole conversion but it was a great way to start the mission. When he came up out the water his smile was so big. It was so great. It was my favorite part of the whole experience! He bore his testimony afterwards and he said that this church was everything that he dreamed a church should be and more. He said that he feels like he is finally home and that he has been looking for home for a long time. This work is true! It was such a wonderful experience for me! Yesterday we taught 3 spanish lessons. It is really hard for me to understand them. I can read really well and can translate when I can see the words but it really takes a lot of concentration to understand what is going on in the conversation. The first lesson was with Cesar, I asked a question and then realized that I couldn't understand his answer. Luckily at the end of his answer that I didn't understand he said I don't know why. It set me up perfectly to explain. The next lesson with Matilde, I hardly said a word. I taught the principle I was supposed to and then just listened for the other 30 minutes. The next lesson was with Josefina and I decided I was going to take a leap of faith. I started and then if I couldn't explain fully my companion would take over. I even recited the first vision in spanish. I memorized it in the MTC but I hadn't used it a lesson before. I missed a couple of words but I didn't stutter very much and I didn't miss any big parts. We got out of the lesson and Sister Colwell said that was amazing! You did so good! I felt pretty good but I have got a long ways to go. Little by little. Oh funny story. So we were teaching a spanish lady named Josefina on like wednesday or thursday and Sister Colwell asked me to read a scripture. I read it and the lady was laughing at me and was just overjoyed at my attempt to read spanish. It was pretty funny! We also had this lady come to the door when we were knocking and all we hear is No me gusta! It was pretty funny. Well overall everything is going well. I really love the ward and it is fun to actually teach real lessons even though it is so scary. I love this gospel and know that this work is real. I know that I have been called of God and I know that if I am faithful and obedient I will be blessed for my efforts. He has prepared a way for me and I will be able to accomplish this work. I love all of you and hope that all is well! I love being in California but it really doesn't feel like I am here. It's hard to explain but it feels like you are in this surreal world. Not knowing what is going on around you in the world helps you stay focused and all you worry about is the gospel. I love it! We get to go the LA temple this transfer so I am very excited! We only get to go twice a year and at the end of our missions. I feel very lucky to start out with a visit to the temple and a baptism. I will talk to you later! Love ya and miss you! Hope to hear from all of you!