Week 43

June 2, 2009

Hello everyone! I hope that you are all doing well! It has been an amazing week! Probably one of the best in my mission! We were so busy and witnessed so many miracles! Where do I begin? First I will tell you about today. It has already been crazy! I got up early and sent off Sister Brinegar. I will miss her! She is a great friend and awesome companion. I wish her well. Grandma Rowe dropped me off at the Chase's to be with the other Hermana’s. I was back before it was time to get up. President Sexton called around 8 and asked if we could be flexible. He then told us that we weren't getting any missionaries because of the swine flu. We thought maybe a trio but we aren't in a trio. There is a sister who is available to serve on a temporary basis from this area. She will be my companion. I don't know if things will switch up again next Tuesday or what. We have all been thrown for a loop. It is in God's hands and He will take care of it. Guess we'll see. I will be staying here in Fountain Valley for this transfer. Are you ready for a crazy report? Ok, so Tuesday we were walking to go to an appointment with an Egyptian man we met last week. He spoke Arabic so we took an Arabic Book of Mormon with us to give him. Well he wasn't home so we were just walking around talking to people. We met a couple and talked to them about the Book of Mormon. We asked them if they would take a copy and he said he would but didn't read English well, he spoke Arabic. So we gave him the Book of Mormon in Arabic. What American carries an Arabic book? Missionaries. God prepared us to give that book to them. It was no coincidence. He was hesitant to give us any information so we gave him our number. The seed has been planted; God will take care of the rest. Friday we found a referral that we had been looking for and hadn't found. We sat down and taught them a first lesson and committed them to be baptized. They are set to be baptized in 2 weeks. We came out of the house and looked at each other and said "what just happened?" The first ward hasn't had a baptism since Sister Bunch and she left a good couple of months before I came around to the mission. It was a great miracle! These boys, Edgardo and Jorge, are 15 and 17 and were referred by their aunt who was baptized a couple of years ago. I can't even describe how I felt. We did nothing but knock on the door. Sunday was another miracle. We had many less actives at church that haven't been since I have been there. We were sitting in Sunday School for the 3rd ward and President Parker, the Stake President came and found us. He came to tell us that 2 women, a mother and daughter had just walked into the church and wanted to learn more. We went and met them and one of them Angela, the mother stayed for Sacrament Meeting. Astrid didn't want to come in because she had a simulated baby for school and didn’t' want it to go off. We told her no one would care but she didn't want to. We are going by to see them next week. They seem very interested and promising. We now have 2 potentials in every ward. If it is the will of the Lord we could have 6 baptisms this transfer! I am praying that I can say what they need to hear. I know that if I do my best that He will make up the difference. If they are ready it will happen. We taught Sabrina and Natasha on Sunday with Tony. It was a really great lesson. Sister Brinegar was going to commit them again to be baptized but the subject got changed and then we had to go. Their home teacher came to teach them. They are ready. It was truly one of the best weeks of my mission. I got so tired of food. We ate out for lunch and dinner 3 days straight. I didn't even need groceries because I didn't eat at home. Everyone wanted to say goodbye to Sister Brinegar. I was able to go back and say goodbye to some families in Westminster last night. I was with the other sisters. We visited Monica and Gretchen and the Bautistas. It was great to see them. I also saw Bishop Johnson at the distribution center when we were doing service. It was wonderful to see them all. Cleo made some good food for me. I couldn't eat very much because I just had a pit in my stomach. They kept trying and trying to get me to eat more. I just let it sit on my plate and told them I couldn't. Finally Osvaldo said he would eat it for me after I told them it would make me sick. It was so good but I just couldn't eat. Everyone was so excited to see me and I was excited to see them all as well. Missions are a wonderful blessing. I have met so many wonderful people and I have learned so much. I would never trade this experience for anything, even the hard times. Well I hope all is well wherever you are! I love you and pray for you always! Thank you for all of your love and support!