Called to Serve... California Rancho Cucamonga Mission: July 15, 2013

Mon, July 15, 2013

Hello!

Thank you so much for the birthday presents! I was getting sad that I wasn't getting any mail while I have been out here but July 11th was when I got my 3 packages and two letters from Ali and Nana and Grampy! That made my whole week! I had a wonderful birthday, but it was weird not spending it with the people I love. My companion was awesome. She got me a balloon and some body spray and lotion. Sister Henrich, the lady I am living with, got me nail polish and lip gloss and took us out for dinner. People called me from my zone and wished me a Happy Birthday, which was super sweet and then today I got some emails! Absence really does make the heart grow fonder. haha I love the presents you sent me! That is just what I wanted and needed, thank you!! Oh something that is cool is that I turned 20 but also I turned 1 in the mission. It was my one month!!

Not a lot has happened this week cause I have been in meetings like all week, but I will update you anyway.

On Tuesday the 9th we had zone conference so we met Pres. and Sis Hobbs (even though they know who I am). We had our interviews with him but we had to wait until 5 pm and we got there at 9:30 am so you could say that was a very long day! We had our zone leaders teach us about fellowship and then me and Sister Miles had to teach about conversion. I was super nervous cause I still hate teaching but it went really good. We used Elder Bednar's talk in Nov 2012 Ensign about conversion. After we had a break and tried some really weird juice that some of the elders made for us. I didn't like it at all cause there was chunks of fruit in it. I guess the Tongans always have it and that's where they learned it from. After the zone leaders taught us again about appearance and how important it is. We were done with that but we had to stay there until our interviews were over. We got to know the elders in our zone pretty well cause we sat and talked with them while waiting and we also updated our area book. Oh the whole iPad or tablet thing isn't going to happen for a few more months but that is for us to have our area book all online which will be super nice! I bet I won't see those changes until half way through my mission but I will be excited when it does.

Oh something sad that happened that day was that our investigator Thomas, dropped us. Yep, my very first investigator decided he didn't need the Book of Mormon cause he has found so much truth in the Bible. That was a punch in the gut and we were sad cause he didn't even give us a chance to help him see the importance of the Book of Mormon and how that book would answer all the questions he was having. I guess he wasn't ready yet but it still hurts and is sad cause I know he would have made a great member!

On July 10th I was stuck in a new missionary meeting all day long! Not fun at all except I did get to see the sisters and elders from the MTC which was fun to catch up with all of them and to see how they were all doing. Oh Makelle, you were in my thoughts all day since it was your Birthday. I wish I could have called or sent you a text or something but I can't do that as a missionary. That is one of the hardest things to get used to.

On Thursday July 11th we went and picked up our two week missionary Sister Remington. She is 18 and live in Ontario. She has been thinking of serving a mission but still isn't really sure. This program lets the youth see how a mission works and lets them get the feel of it. They get set apart and everything so they are missionaries for two weeks. I don't know if I would have liked that cause I might of not gone. I would have justified that as my mission knowing me, haha. We had an appointment with a LA (less active). She was super nice and sweet. She has two kids ages 6 and 4 but she is older. Her first husband died and she got remarried to a guy she met off the internet. He ins't a member but he is a Seventh Day Adventist. He isn't active in that religion thought so she just keeps praying that her husband's heart will soften soon. Now that she has a family of her own, she sees the blessings of raising her sons in the church so she is torn right now. We are being her friend and doing service for the family so he will feel comfortable enough to sit down with us at some point.

On my birthday, July 12th, we did meet a new investigator!! Her name in Loraine and we went to her apartment thinking it was a LA in our ward but he moved and she was there and looking for churches to join. She wanted to learn more about us and invited us in. We were there for about 45 minutes talking about our church and left a message with her about the atonement. She was raised Catholic but feels like she is missing something and her kids hate sitting in Mass and wants to have fun programs. We told her about primary and youth activities that we have and she loved that! She also loved that the Christian church has the sacrament. We invited her to church and she said she would love to come. That Sunday she didn't come and we were really bummed but we haven't given up on her!

That is all that has been happening with me here, but I am enjoying every minute of it. Right now, it has been had cause all we have been focusing on is finding and we want more teaching experiences but I know that if I put all my faith into Heavenly Father and ask him for this desire that He will make it happen. I have been able to witness miracles everyday and I love it!

Well, I love you all and can't wait to share more with you! Love you lots!!

Love,
Megan