Lets just say it was a full day. We started off studying extra long and extra hard during companion study this morning because next week we have to teach the missionaries for District Meeting on the subject of prayer. We are going to quote my nephew Elder Heath serving in Ghana right now. He said we need to pray for our investigators and less actives by name. That means if you have 10 investigators you need to pray 10 times in your planning session. Multiply that by everyone you feel a need to pray for and you can see why Enos prayed all day and all night. Heath's mission president recommends you use a pillow for your knees if you need to!
Then I went visiting teaching with Juana Estrada and Angeles Santiago. They are partners but neither one of them has a car to go in. So I drive them. It is worth it to me for the sisters to fellowship each other. This took a couple of hours.
Then Glen and I went to the Family History Center with Maria Ramirez. She is 69 or 70 depending on which record you want to believe. She wants to do the FOR for her parents and grandparents and then get everyone sealed. It was very difficult. Many of the records were tied up or confusing. Luckily we know two really great helpers. Tammy helped us immensely!!! She really is as good as they say she is up in the administration building. Ann also was a big help. Even so it took 2 1/2 hours to find what Maria needed. (should have just called Tammy sooner).
Then we picked up the young Elders and ran to a teaching appointment. Afterwards Glen had to jump start the Elders' car and get them to a repair shop. Then he had to run them to their various appointments while the car was getting fixed.
While he was helping them pick the car back up etc. I was teaching our ESL (English as a second language)
class at the church. It is just so much fun. They figured out the long and short sounds of the vowels and could all read "pigs like mud". Quite an accomplishment! It really is a fun time. Hopefully this will help them with jobs, children's schooling, doctor appointments, shopping etc. Not the pigs part but the learning to read English part!
We are exhausted. But we are very happy with everything we were a part of today. Missions are great.
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Saturday, February 15, 2014
A scary Valentine's Day
It takes a lot to scare me anymore. But lets say I was very anxious to see Valentine's Day coming this year.
That's because we were throwing a Valentine's Dance for the Spanish branch which meant decorating, cooking treats, coming up with music, clean up etc.
We had been asked by a family to take them to the airport after the dance because their daughter was going to the Provo MTC. We said yes of course, and a few days later they mentioned that we had to leave at 1:30 am to get there. We put on a brave face and said that was fine. Then the day before, they told us it wasn't to the Fresno airport which is the closest one. It was out of Sacramento which is over two hours away. This was the same night as the dance: Valentines.
We decided to make the best out of it and booked a hotel so we wouldn't have to drive all the way back that night. Turns out the people were real nice about checking us into the hotel at 5:00 am.!
After four hours of sleep we took off to explore Sacramento. Neither of us had ever been there. We went through the State Capital building of course. Then we went to Sacramento Old Town which is much bigger that San Diego Old Town and isn't Spanish but rather sprung up from the Gold Rush. It was a very interesting place and we settled on eating at Fat's City. Fat is the name of the family who first settled there by the railroad, not a description. The food was excellent and the place was historic and beautiful in carved wood and Tiffany stained glass.
On the way home we went by the Modesto Flea Market which we have heard so much about, just so we would know what people were talking about and sure enough, it is big.
So what looked like an impossible, daunting, and even scary Valentine's day turned out to be quite fun and even relaxing in the end. Who would have guessed.
That's because we were throwing a Valentine's Dance for the Spanish branch which meant decorating, cooking treats, coming up with music, clean up etc.
We had been asked by a family to take them to the airport after the dance because their daughter was going to the Provo MTC. We said yes of course, and a few days later they mentioned that we had to leave at 1:30 am to get there. We put on a brave face and said that was fine. Then the day before, they told us it wasn't to the Fresno airport which is the closest one. It was out of Sacramento which is over two hours away. This was the same night as the dance: Valentines.
We decided to make the best out of it and booked a hotel so we wouldn't have to drive all the way back that night. Turns out the people were real nice about checking us into the hotel at 5:00 am.!
After four hours of sleep we took off to explore Sacramento. Neither of us had ever been there. We went through the State Capital building of course. Then we went to Sacramento Old Town which is much bigger that San Diego Old Town and isn't Spanish but rather sprung up from the Gold Rush. It was a very interesting place and we settled on eating at Fat's City. Fat is the name of the family who first settled there by the railroad, not a description. The food was excellent and the place was historic and beautiful in carved wood and Tiffany stained glass.
On the way home we went by the Modesto Flea Market which we have heard so much about, just so we would know what people were talking about and sure enough, it is big.
So what looked like an impossible, daunting, and even scary Valentine's day turned out to be quite fun and even relaxing in the end. Who would have guessed.
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
A Shift in the Mission
About two weeks ago Glen and I had a shift in our mission. Actually, I shifted months ago when they put me in as Relief Society President. My focus became helping the sisters in our little Branch. I did that through getting them back to the Temple, and by doing Familly History, and by giving them callings as teachers and visiting teachers and fellowshipping with activities.
Glen really loves proselyting. And he is really good at it. The other missionaries actually text him asking for new referrals. Now he does a lot for the Branch too. He figures out the music so they can have a dance. And of course he is still straightening out the membership records and teaching the Branch President how to do advancements in the Priesthood, tithing settlements and all the regular kinds of things it takes to run a branch or ward correctly. But two weeks ago something else came up.
I help with the Bishop Storehouse food orders because of my calling. And Glen and I went to Fresno recently for training on that. But most of the meeting was taken up with the Church Employment Services. We talked to the Brother in charge after and explained how the Spanish in our area have different problems than most unemployed people here. A couple of days later Glen had a chance to speak with him again. So the next day this man was serving in the Temple and he saw a Spanish couple walk by. And the Lord spoke to him. Actually he says the Lord chastised him and said "These are my children too. What are you doing to help them?"
Without knowing this Glen was impressed to ask him to come to our church after Sacrament meeting to talk with any Branch members who needed help finding a job or a better job. He came and was very kind and loving to our members. After, he told Glen to sign up the people on ldsjobs.org and he would contact them and help them. Then he said Glen needed to line him up with a meeting to talk to the Stake and get them on board and get an employment specialist that could help them. Wouldn't you know, as we were walking out the door in comes the Stake Presidency councilor. It wasn't his church building and we didn't expect him there but Glen immediately got the two men together and plans were set.
Now we realize that this is a huge undertaking. Glen has even told the Lord that he loves proselyting but if the Lord wants him to do this and work mostly with the Branch, he will. The first Sunday Glen spent a lot of time after the meetings signing people up on the computer. He has learned how to get the people trained with the church's help and get them jobs. I can't imagine how we are going to be able to fill this huge responsibility but with the Lord's help I know it is going to happen.
Glen really loves proselyting. And he is really good at it. The other missionaries actually text him asking for new referrals. Now he does a lot for the Branch too. He figures out the music so they can have a dance. And of course he is still straightening out the membership records and teaching the Branch President how to do advancements in the Priesthood, tithing settlements and all the regular kinds of things it takes to run a branch or ward correctly. But two weeks ago something else came up.
I help with the Bishop Storehouse food orders because of my calling. And Glen and I went to Fresno recently for training on that. But most of the meeting was taken up with the Church Employment Services. We talked to the Brother in charge after and explained how the Spanish in our area have different problems than most unemployed people here. A couple of days later Glen had a chance to speak with him again. So the next day this man was serving in the Temple and he saw a Spanish couple walk by. And the Lord spoke to him. Actually he says the Lord chastised him and said "These are my children too. What are you doing to help them?"
Without knowing this Glen was impressed to ask him to come to our church after Sacrament meeting to talk with any Branch members who needed help finding a job or a better job. He came and was very kind and loving to our members. After, he told Glen to sign up the people on ldsjobs.org and he would contact them and help them. Then he said Glen needed to line him up with a meeting to talk to the Stake and get them on board and get an employment specialist that could help them. Wouldn't you know, as we were walking out the door in comes the Stake Presidency councilor. It wasn't his church building and we didn't expect him there but Glen immediately got the two men together and plans were set.
Now we realize that this is a huge undertaking. Glen has even told the Lord that he loves proselyting but if the Lord wants him to do this and work mostly with the Branch, he will. The first Sunday Glen spent a lot of time after the meetings signing people up on the computer. He has learned how to get the people trained with the church's help and get them jobs. I can't imagine how we are going to be able to fill this huge responsibility but with the Lord's help I know it is going to happen.
Monday, January 27, 2014
Super Saturday
This little Branch hadn't had a Relief Society Super Saturday since they made blankets for Hurricane Katrina-which was a long time ago. So we lined up less actives to teach a class on making jewelry and also one on decorating cupcakes. When we planned this out months ago we had only half as many sisters attending Relief Society. So we had to go out and purchase more of everything! And the sisters loved it.
We had new members and less actives and investigators come so I was happy. And the next day at church many of the sisters wore their new necklaces and ear-rings and rings. But mostly it was a relaxing activity (for them:-)) and they got to visit and become more united as friends. Elder Pack did all my leg work which really was a life saver for me. He helped everywhere, from setting up to dishing up. He was a huge help.
We had new members and less actives and investigators come so I was happy. And the next day at church many of the sisters wore their new necklaces and ear-rings and rings. But mostly it was a relaxing activity (for them:-)) and they got to visit and become more united as friends. Elder Pack did all my leg work which really was a life saver for me. He helped everywhere, from setting up to dishing up. He was a huge help.
The last Super Saturday this Branch had was making blankets for Hurricane Katrina victms years ago.
Some of our Branch sisters wore the jewelry they learned to make at our Super Saturday!
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Who will serve?
Recently at a zone conference for the missionaries our Mission President told about a conversation he had with Elder Porter when he visited
this mission a month ago. He said Elder
Porter talked about being with Pres. Henry B Eyring when he looked and saw 450 Senior Couple Missionaries were needed right then. But he only saw 87 Couples signed up and
prepared to serve. Elder Porter said, “President
Eyring wept.”
We can honestly say this mission isn’t what we expected. It
is much more “member support” than proselyting
. It is taking the less actives list and
contacting and loving each one on the list as Christ would. For instance, last week we heard that a less
active woman in our ward had just come home from having surgery. That sets all kinds of bells off in Sister
Pack’s head so she made dinner for the family and we took it over. The woman was lying in her bed and when
Sister Pack went over to the bed and touched her an amazing thing
happened. Sis. Pack felt love flow through her to the
woman and had words of love and encouragement put into her mouth and heart for
this woman. It was a wonderful experience
but the most amazing part was still to come.
A few days later we went back to visit with this woman and she said “you
remember when you came into my room and came over and touched me? I don’t usually like people to be close to me
or touch me. But when you touched me I actually
felt something in the touch. I felt loved
and I thought that this lady is a very loving person and I immediately liked
you.” I told this woman that I had felt
something too and it was the Lord sending her His love through me and the Spirit
had been in the room with us.
This mission is teaching the people simple concepts that
they simply haven’t heard about before and didn’t know they could do. For instance this week an older sister in the
branch had heard that we are working on family names to take to the
Temple. She said she had many names,
including her parents that she wanted to have sealed together. But she said she didn’t know how to do anything
on a computer and she needed help. I explained
that all she has to do is fill out the family group sheet as best she can, come
with me to the Family History Center and hand it to a worker there. They will put it in the computer and give her
the cards needed to do the work for her family. Tears came to her eyes when she
said, ”what will we do when you have to leave us?” Who will help them then?
And that is my question to you. Will someone else be coming here to continue to train, support and help these good people? Can you plan on serving? Can your friends? Can your parents serve? There is a big variety of ways you can serve The only thing you need to bring with
you is love. The Lord will supply the
rest.
Friday, January 17, 2014
Picture perfect
There are some fun pictures (at least for me) that I want to add to the blog. Some are from when Mom and Kevin came and visited over New Year's day. And some are of new baptisms and prospective baptisms. Tomorrow Maria Mariscal and her best friend Silvia Ortiz are getting baptized! This is just so fun!
Sunday, January 12, 2014
Growing pains
We are seeing great growth in our little branch! We generally have 14-16 sisters in Relief Society and around 48-50 attending Sacrament meeting! If we get any bigger-and we will- we will need a bigger room to hold Relief Society in. And we need to bunch the baptisms up so we don't tie up every Saturday. That is weird I know but we need Temple Day once a week and doing a dinner for 50 after each baptism is difficult. And then we are having a Valentine's dance and Super Saturday in Relief Society, and a monthly movie at the church to bring investigators to, etc..We are having so much fun we don't know how to fit it all in.
The baptisms are beautiful! We are baptizing adults which will bring their families along eventually. Now we are busy assigning them Visiting and Home Teachers and assigning them to BE Visiting and Home Teachers. We are also holding a Family Night tomorrow for them to come to and see how it is done.
There is much to be done before a baptism. There is much to be done during a baptism. And there is much to be done after a baptism. It is great.
The baptisms are beautiful! We are baptizing adults which will bring their families along eventually. Now we are busy assigning them Visiting and Home Teachers and assigning them to BE Visiting and Home Teachers. We are also holding a Family Night tomorrow for them to come to and see how it is done.
There is much to be done before a baptism. There is much to be done during a baptism. And there is much to be done after a baptism. It is great.
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