The week started out on fire. Literally. With Sister da Silva gone and Sister Roberts' new companion still in training up at the Mission Office, we were living the trio life. Tuesday afternoon we were doing our usual hour and a half of walking when we see this pillar of black smoke. We head over to investigate and lo and behold, someone's house was on fire and they were evacuating their family out to the middle of the street. All of us were kind of standing there in shock and finally we reached in our bags to call the fire department. Someone must've called earlier because almost immediately after we had happened upon this unfortunate scene, the firetrucks came barreling down the road and came to the rescue.
We decided that a couple of Sister Missionaries would be kind of useless in helping put out a fire, so we continued walking, the smoke stinging our lungs with each step. On our way back to where we started our walk, we get a call from our District Leaders! They asked where we were and told us to stay where we were because they had something for us. A few minutes later they show up with all of our favorite sodas! It was so sweet of them. They thought that we'd need something cool while we finished up our walking. Elders are so great.
We decided that a couple of Sister Missionaries would be kind of useless in helping put out a fire, so we continued walking, the smoke stinging our lungs with each step. On our way back to where we started our walk, we get a call from our District Leaders! They asked where we were and told us to stay where we were because they had something for us. A few minutes later they show up with all of our favorite sodas! It was so sweet of them. They thought that we'd need something cool while we finished up our walking. Elders are so great.
The day finally came when Sister Roberts went to Riverside to pick up her trainee. All of us knew a few of the Sisters who were coming in, so we tried guessing and making predictions. We ended up getting Sister Ogden as an addition to the Valle Vista family! She's also from Texas and has the sweetest soul. She looks like Rapunzel mixed with Merida and she is sooo cute. Such a good missionary too. I went on exchanges with her and Sister Roberts when Sister Cozzens had a meeting to go to, and she was so quick, so caring, so amazing! Hemet has really gained a good missionary;)
We had a Zone Development Meeting and oh my golly gee did we have fun. One Elder's mom sent him a care package full of Halloween goodies that he shared with the whole zone.
Speaking of Halloween, our apartment is decked out with skulls in preparation for Dia de los Muertos thanks to my own mom! All of us are so excited for Halloween and all of the fun things that happen. I'm going to miss doing all of my usual blood and gore makeup, but it's a sacrifice I'm more than willing to make.
Shout out to my friends from the Y! I received the cutest care package full of stationary, letters, pictures of my main man Baymax, and Japanese candy. It was such a blast trying to figure out how to work the Japanese things. I eventually figured it out with the help of my companions.
We had a Zone Development Meeting and oh my golly gee did we have fun. One Elder's mom sent him a care package full of Halloween goodies that he shared with the whole zone.
Speaking of Halloween, our apartment is decked out with skulls in preparation for Dia de los Muertos thanks to my own mom! All of us are so excited for Halloween and all of the fun things that happen. I'm going to miss doing all of my usual blood and gore makeup, but it's a sacrifice I'm more than willing to make.
Shout out to my friends from the Y! I received the cutest care package full of stationary, letters, pictures of my main man Baymax, and Japanese candy. It was such a blast trying to figure out how to work the Japanese things. I eventually figured it out with the help of my companions.
Sarah had her baptismal interview this week with our District Leader, Elder Cornia. They came out beaming and we took that as a "she's ready for baptism." Apparently she had taught him all about the Atonement and was giving him tips to give to other missionaries. She is one in a million bajillion. I love her so much! Her baptism is next Sunday at 4 and all of you are welcome to attend!
I don't know many missionaries who have had people lie about their identity to get rid of them. But Sister Cozzens and I can now say that we've had someone lie to us about their identity to get rid of us! We were looking for a man named Bill who was taught last year. He was really hesitant the last time the missionaries taught, but we figured that after a year, his heart might have been softened at least a little bit. We knew he had four girls and that his wife was Buddhist. We had his address and we were determined to talk to him. We knock on the door and he answers! "Is Bill here?" we ask. "No," he says. Uh huh. We talk to him for a little bit and he mentions his four daughters. We talk about his family and how important it is to keep our family centered in the gospel of Jesus Christ, but he quickly explains that his wife was practicing Buddhism so he really wasn't interested in our message. He referred his neighbor (who literally slammed the door in our face) but that was the end of that. The experience was both mildly entertaining and mildly annoying.
We taught three lessons to Janet this week. We taught the most recent one at a member's home so she could really feel the Spirit (we usually teach in Janet's front lawn because the house she's renting is infested with bed bugs and fleas and she doesn't want us taking any home with us), and it was going really well. She said that it was hard for her to believe that there was only one Savior for all of the people on the earth, but as we talked more and more about the grace of Christ and explained a little more about the Atonement, she felt content. We asked her at the end of the lesson if she still wanted to be baptized on the 1st of November, and she had some reservations. She didn't feel like she was ready, but did want to be baptized. So we asked her what specifically she wanted, why she kept inviting us back to teach her. "I want to be happy like you," she said. We smiled and I explained that our happiness comes from living the gospel. That when we made covenants with Heavenly Father through baptism, we gained even more happiness. Happiness comes from the Savior and relying on Him for help. As I said these things, I was overcome with a warm happy feeling in my tummy. I'm sure she felt it too because she couldn't stop smiling.
All we can do is love those we teach. Sometimes it can be hard, but we need to look at it with an eternal perspective. These people are children of the Most High God, and they need to be reminded of that. We are all part of the fold of God and all deserve to feel the love of Christ. The work is progressing one lesson at a time.
Hugs and kisses forever and ever!
Sister Turner
There is no darkness so dense, so menacing, or so difficult that it cannot be overcome by light. - Vern P Stanfill
I don't know many missionaries who have had people lie about their identity to get rid of them. But Sister Cozzens and I can now say that we've had someone lie to us about their identity to get rid of us! We were looking for a man named Bill who was taught last year. He was really hesitant the last time the missionaries taught, but we figured that after a year, his heart might have been softened at least a little bit. We knew he had four girls and that his wife was Buddhist. We had his address and we were determined to talk to him. We knock on the door and he answers! "Is Bill here?" we ask. "No," he says. Uh huh. We talk to him for a little bit and he mentions his four daughters. We talk about his family and how important it is to keep our family centered in the gospel of Jesus Christ, but he quickly explains that his wife was practicing Buddhism so he really wasn't interested in our message. He referred his neighbor (who literally slammed the door in our face) but that was the end of that. The experience was both mildly entertaining and mildly annoying.
We taught three lessons to Janet this week. We taught the most recent one at a member's home so she could really feel the Spirit (we usually teach in Janet's front lawn because the house she's renting is infested with bed bugs and fleas and she doesn't want us taking any home with us), and it was going really well. She said that it was hard for her to believe that there was only one Savior for all of the people on the earth, but as we talked more and more about the grace of Christ and explained a little more about the Atonement, she felt content. We asked her at the end of the lesson if she still wanted to be baptized on the 1st of November, and she had some reservations. She didn't feel like she was ready, but did want to be baptized. So we asked her what specifically she wanted, why she kept inviting us back to teach her. "I want to be happy like you," she said. We smiled and I explained that our happiness comes from living the gospel. That when we made covenants with Heavenly Father through baptism, we gained even more happiness. Happiness comes from the Savior and relying on Him for help. As I said these things, I was overcome with a warm happy feeling in my tummy. I'm sure she felt it too because she couldn't stop smiling.
All we can do is love those we teach. Sometimes it can be hard, but we need to look at it with an eternal perspective. These people are children of the Most High God, and they need to be reminded of that. We are all part of the fold of God and all deserve to feel the love of Christ. The work is progressing one lesson at a time.
Hugs and kisses forever and ever!
Sister Turner
There is no darkness so dense, so menacing, or so difficult that it cannot be overcome by light. - Vern P Stanfill