27 January 2014

Hola,

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It has been a good week out here in the Santa Rosa California Mission. One thing that has really interested me this week is family history. So family history is amazing! I love being able to find out about ancestors and who they are, but not only that, to give them the opportunity to have those necessary ordinances to live in glory with Heavenly Father. Our mission is testing the church family history program. The funny thing is that not much has changed for us missionaries. It has really changed for is the members. We have these family history pamphlets that we give to others. The members give them out too so that people can start their family history work. The church is making a huge push because it is so important. It helps everyone feel the spirit of Elijah, that connection we have with those in our past and even for those that aren't members they can feel it too! It is meant to be an easier way to introduce the gospel to others. So who needs help introducing the church to others? I hope all of your hands are raised. To start - ALL of you need to go on family search.org and connect to our family, or your own, and be a part of your family history.   I must say, a lot of you aren't on there. As missionaries we offer to teach those that don't know about the importance of family and we teach them. We are not becoming family history experts but we are just connecting all for them to see. My challenge this week, for real, seriously, you all better do it - is for you all to go on and add your family history. It doesn't take too long and it will make you feel so good, I promise you that, also feel free to add pictures and stories so that everyone knows about you and your life for years to come!

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So there is my speal on family history!  

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This week we had a good week! On Tuesday we had a lesson with our recent convert Santa O. She is doing great but we felt impressed to talk about the Book of Mormon and she hadn't been reading it so we told her to read it! We pumped her up and gave her those steps to read it and receive all of the answers it contains. Then we taught the 10 commandments to Santa the investigator. I love that we still live the old law. The things that God has made, those things he asks of us are still in place! Then it is always funny how there are still a few that we struggle with so we still are trying to follow his law no matter how old it is!   I got a new investigator on facebook from Bolivia.  That is great too! It is so interesting to talk to people on facebook. It really is a good place to talk to some people! We took the end of the night saying goodbye to some people for Hermana Hernandezs' last night.

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Wednesday we had transfers. Every transfer there is a meeting in Santa Rrosa for those that have to switch up and things.  The President and Sister Alba give a little devotional and then we all head out. I have not been to this meeting since I was a greenie.  I didn't know what was going on anyway so it was very fun to go. Everyone meets in the parking lot and switches bags to where they are to go. We meet the new missionaries and have the devotional and head out. It was fun! I loved it! The fun thing was Hermana Underwood was there and so we got to meet up and drive back to Fairfield together. I know Hermana Underwood because she use to serve in Vacaville.  I went on exchanges with her before so we knew each other and we both were very excited to be companions together. We hit it right off the bat with a great start and I have loved our companionship already. We spent the rest of the day unpacking and getting to know eachother better.

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On Thursday we taught two less actives. Graciela is awesome. She comes to church all by herself.  Her family isn't members and she tries to come but she also can't drive so we miss her a bit.  She is trying. She really wants her family to start being interested but it has been hard so far. Then we taught Ricardo who struggles a lot with his relationship with God.  He and Hermana Underwood hit it off great.  I am so excited to see his future progress. What got me on such a big family history kick was the fact that we had a Relief Society activity on it.  We got internet in our house and so I am able to go on pretty frequently and it is great!

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On Friday we had our district meeting. It was so weird to be in the meeting and actually be the one others turn to for answers. It was great to talk about the vision for the zone and what we want out of the transfer. We did some planning which is always weird when you are the only one who knows the area.  I had a conference call with Sister Alba and all of the Sister Training Leaders talking about exchanges and this pilot program we are doing of reporting numbers and things which was weird. The scary part was during the discussions she would call on people to answer questions and things. I was so nervous. She asked me about the power we have behind our faith and what that means for us as missionaries. It was good!

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Saturday we taught Anallely our less-active who is coming to church and she was doing great too! Then we had a bunch of facebook lessons, which was good - 3 between the 2 of us. We finally had correlation meeting after a whole transfer of not having it with our new Branch mission leader. I am so excited for what his leadership will now bring!

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O I love all of you so much! I hope you have a wonderful week ahead of you! Keep up your good work!

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con carino,

Hermana Cornwall

20 January 2014

Hola,

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How was your week this week! Mine was great! I found out about transfers. I am going to be staying in Fairfield and I am going to be a Sister Training Leader. I am going to be Senior companion and driving and leading out the area.  It has been a big adjustment mentally, even though it hasn't happened physically. My new companion will be Hermana Underwood. I know her a little bit and she has been out just a little over a transfer more than me. She is really funny from what I have seen. I am very excited to be her companion. I am so very excited for all of this change even though it is hard and difficult

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So this week was a good one. Last Monday we taught Anallely a Less-active. She is awesome. She has a little baby with her boyfriend and has just really struggled coming back to church with an unsupportive boyfriend and a small baby.  She has been trying to come back on a more regular basis.  This week she came, with her husband! It was awesome! After 3 months I finally saw her there! They are so wonderful and I am excited to see her progress even more!

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Then on Tuesday we had our zone meeting and a special meeting with all of the sisters. I thought I found a new investigator named Andrea, but it turned out that they were lying to me about most of the things they told me, because they started messaging my companion and said totally different things. I was little bummed but I wasn't that surprised. Then we went to contact our referral in this huge apartment complex and it took us forever to find the apartment.  We found it and they weren't too interested.  It was still an adventure! Then we ate with a less-active family from the ward. They were very strong members and then fell away and for some reason it is always nice for them to have the missionaries over to kind of bridge the gap between them and the members. They have slowly been coming back and so we are excited for them. They aren't in my area so I don't know that much more.

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Then on Wednesday we went to visit someone we contacted the week before, Maria. She had all the right questions but wasn't getting the answers she wanted from us. It was a good lesson.  She said that she would study the pamphlets and call us if she got the answer she wanted!  I had some more real success in facebook with a boy named Cody. He is basically atheist but is open to talking more!

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Thursday we taught Graciela a less-active who wants her family to be more involved in the church. She has had little success but we are trying to take little steps to help her involve them all. We also taught Santa the investigator. She told us that no big steps will happen very soon, like going to church and baptism and so we were a little bummed.  We hope that the Spirit will continue to speak to her and that she will listen. We also taught Marisol and her family with the Elders.  We are hoping to give them to the Elders who will connect with the husband better.

Friday we did service for grandma and grandpa Carlson.  In the evening I got a call from Sister Alba. When you get called to a leadership position or to train they usually call you to let you know. It is a little scary to just talk to them on the phone.  It was great.

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Saturday was also a great day. We taught a few less-actives that are doing great. It is always weird to  know about the changes that will happen.  But after a day or two you get used to it and then you can just finish up with one transfer and start on the next.

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On Sunday I almost had a skype lesson, but he slept through it and so it didn't happen.  I have hopes for next week. Then I decided I don't like changes it just takes a while to adjust to all and then it takes awhile to get comfortable and then it changes again. Oh boy it is all exciting and I am interested to see what this new transfer brings, hope you had a great week!

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Les quiero,

Hermana Cornwall

13 January 2014

Hola,

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On Monday we had an exchange that started at the end of p-day. I was with Sister Ellsworth. She is my mission "Grandma" which just means that she trained my trainer! I truly love her and look up to her so it was fun to get to know her a little more. In the evening we went to an appointment we had, but they didn't answer the door.  Our back up plan was to knock the doors around their apartment and we found Maria. She is very interested in hearing more because her son just died about 2 months ago and so she was very welcoming.  I am so excited to see her this week! We introduced to her the plan of salvation! The idea of having a life after this was very interesting to her. Then we asked if there was anything we can do for her and she said pray for me.  We said actually we can come in and do a house blessing.  We did and that is when she just opened up about her son and it was just wonderful. I was glad we were there at the right time to be able to share about the gospel of Jesus Christ to someone that has been prepared. It was the day of the 3 wise men. Where they have this circle of sweet bread and inside are little baby Jesus' and so it is kind of a game that you play with whoever gets the piece with the Jesus you have to give a gift, or make tamales at a party they have on the second of February. A member invited us to do it and it was really fun! The bread is call Rosca de Reyes.

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On Tuesday we had our district meeting which is always good! Oh how I do love revelation others receive just for me! Then we had a lesson with Santa the investigator. It was so nice to see her after a short absence. We also had the branch president's wife with us! She is from the Dominican Republic and so nice and funny She knows the gospel really well! We taught her the word of wisdom. She totally accepted as something good that she wanted to do, to be healthy! Then we switched back. We had some dinner at home and tried to contact some people that we hadn't seen for awhile, with little success. Then in the later evening my companion and I both had to pack because she went to a 3 day camp at Camp Liahona in the red Woods for the leaders.  I got to spend those days with the Sisters in Rio Vista!

It was so much fun to be  with those sisters! I was officially companions with Hermana Ellsworth and Hermana Rawson! I served around both of them in Woodland so I was excited to be their 3rd companion.  We started Wednesday a little late getting Hermana Hernandez off, but it was a great morning. Then we went to this pizza place in downtown Rio Vista for lunch which was fun. We went to Walnut Grove to see some of their potentials and things. The town is so small that you can walk everywhere, so we did! The funny thing is that there are a lot of Hispanics there, so it was great. In the evening we had dinner with a the Tingys at the Chinses restaurant downtown. That was fun. He works with cows so he had some stories. Then we went to go see a less-active down a dark windy road  He had moved and ended our night with language study. The fun part was that I slept in the English sister's room so I got to bond with them too!

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Thursday we had another similar day as Wednesday. We went to Isleton this time though and that town is the same. We walked all around the town and met some very interesting people. We met Rebecca who just talked and talked to us. I decided she was lonely and that we were a captive audience. I find that happens a lot as a missionary that people talk because we listen! Then we had dinner with the branch president who was just the nicest man, so kind to his little sister missionaries! In the evening we taught this investigator who won't make a commitment until he finishes the Book of Mormon. So that was interesting. I love being the bold one in lessons.  Because he isn't your investigator you just do what  the Spirit directs and it is awesome. We tried to help him but teaching in a trio is much harder then it looks. We did a practice lesson with a member at 8. That is a newer thing we are doing with our slower time later at night. To have appointments with members to practice teaching and then inviting them to come out with us sometime.

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On Friday one of the English sisters got sick so I went with the other to go fill out the baptismal record with their investigator who is getting baptized next week! It was fun to be part of a process I had never seen before. I wasn't much help but it was still fun. Then I just waited while the other sisters worked on planning. We drove back to Fairfield and waited a while for my companion to come back, which took a while, but it was great! We didn't get much done that night, but it was still a great week.

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On Saturday we did a blitz in Rio Vista, so I just came right back. I really loved learning a new area, meeting new members and just being around more sisters. The rest of Saturday I weekly-planned with my companion. We got a good chunk of it done and then we went to a lesson with a less-active. After going every week this is the first time I have met them. Their family got offended by the church and now they haven't gone in almost 10 years. They are ok with us going by but they don't want much more. It will be a difficult project trying to help, but line upon line I know they can come back if they have that true trust and faith in the lord!

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Well I let you know if there are any changes in my situation next week. It will be fun to see what this next transfer brings. Thank you for all of your prayers and love. I truly appreciate your influences in my life and I hope you have a wonderful week and don't forget to share the gospel!

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con carino,

Hermana Cornwall

06 January 2014

Wow this week has been crazy. I can't believe it was the start of a new year this week. It came and went so fast. I also can't believe that I will be home in 2014! It will be at the end, but still when I went into the MTC in May I never thought I would get here and here I am! Wow missions are amazing. You go through so much, there are so many different problems and concerns about so many things but it all works out some how because we just learn how to trust in the lord!

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Tuesday it was New Years eve!  Not your typical New Years Eve but New Years Eve none-the-less! We had a district meeting, but the flu has been going around so it was kind of crazy meeting All I can say is that I have an awesome companion that does an awesome job of stepping up to the plate. The funny thing was that no one was home and so it was kind of a fruitless day, but it worked out. The other funny thing was that we ate dinner at home that night. Grandma and Grandpa had signed up to feed the missionaries. I was little bummed because I was excited to see the glimpse of someone else's party for a little while. like Christmas Eve, but it was just pretty normal. Then, we went to go see Martha! Oh it was fun. She always makes us laugh. We were talking a lot about life. She busted out the biggest box of chocolates I have ever seen.  We we ate some! It was just great! We had a language study with the Elders, some of them being sick, as a little party which was good too!

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On Wednesday we had exchanges. I was with Sister Buckner in Fairfield. It was fun. We had a little sister's lunch in Fairfield because the other sisters were down for a meeting. We did some finding and stopped by Marisol's house. She fed us some tamales which was fun.  It was nice to talk. We had some facebook training. Man are things moving and grooving. I heard there are a few more missions doing the ipads and facebook and so our tech elders have been working so hard to set the rules and guidelines for facebook. It is weird to be the beginning of it all.  It is great to be learning from the best! Then we just kept on finding after that too!

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Thursday, I switched companions, but we went on another exchange, so I brought Hermana Rawson back to Fairfield.  We did our exchange. I served around Hermana Rawson in Woodland. She is a great missionary and she goes home after this transfer.  It was fun to work with her. We had a great day finding and talking about things. We taught the recent convert, Santa. We talked about Eternal Marriage and baptisms for the dead. She was happy to learn more or just to talk more about the importance of it all. Then we had a lesson with Marisol and her husband for the first time. They needed to run an errand so we had to make it quick.  It was great. The Elders came with us too.  So, we just taught the restoration. It was great and we could really feel the Spirit. It is amazing how the words of the expierence of Joseph Smith really touch the lives of others and how that event is so significant in the lives of every member of this Church. We hope to see him again soon.  We hope that now she and her husband can just grow together. We taught our less-active Ricardo. He is really far from the Church right now.  I just ask about what he expects from it all. He was very honest.  It was good to just have us all be realistic and talk. He has a long progression ahead of him with a past that is holding him back, but I know he can get there

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Friday we exchanged back and I got a worn out companion.  Now she has recoverd and is doing a lot better. We spent the day planning so it was good!

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Saturday we went out finding again, and finished our planning with a much needed companionship inventory. Oh it is great to talk about things. I love having a companion that I know in the end will be there for me and is there to help me. I am loving my mission so far, even though it is hard and it could be different, I love it! I am so excited for this new year of missionary work and the joy it will all bring!

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Con carino,

Hermana Cornwall