09 June 2014

Hola,

This week was pretty amazing! We picked up 10 new investigators, we basically doubled our teaching pool, well, actucally more. It was wonderful! We also got 20 contacts each and everyday. It was wonderful! I am so grateful for this opportunity I have to work hard and to continually learn and really improve my skills as a missionary! It is wonderful how we have the choice, sometimes with the help of others, to improve and be better at anything we are doing, whether it be spiritual, vocational, fun or just an interest, we have the ability to learn!

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Last Monday we taught Yenn and Valente. We could tell that something wasn't exactly right with their desires and testimonies. We were just re-introducing the Book of Mormon to them and with a little bit of discussion they told us that they had never really prayed to know that the Book of Mormon was true before. We got our answer of what we needed to focus on and what they needed before they could progress any further and what we needed to do in order to prepare them for baptism. All in all it was a very good lesson!

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Then on Tuesday we picked up our first family. All the children are actually adults already.  They all had a lot of curiosity to know what we're doing and what we we're teaching others. It was a pretty good lesson. We were short on time, which always makes things hard, but it was good. They had a few doctrinal issues and weren't completely ready to accept the Book of Mormon.  I felt impressed to bear my testimony that I would not leave this book with them unless I knew it was true.  While I continued to testify of it the Spirit just filled the room. They all could feel it, though they couldn't understand it.  It was powerful. Now that I think back on it I realize that I couldn't have had the Spirit with me like that unless I knew it was true.  Just so you all know, I KNOW THE BOOK OF MORMON IS TRUE, WITHOUT A DOUBT! Then we also had another lesson, that was unplanned with our less-active and her part-member family. Her usually closed boyfriend sat and watched the video we shared and it really impacted all of them! It was wonderful! Anyway so it was a pretty good day!

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Wednesday we had interviews with President and Sister Alba. I was a little worried, because I didn't know what to expect. With all that happened the past 2 transfers and without any extra responsibility like I have had in the past I was expecting much. Sister Alba she wanted me to debrief the last 3 months. She just wanted to understand more of what happened and how that can help them in the future. I was very grateful to be helpful and I hope it will help her more. Then with President, he also asked me what is it that she [Sister Santiago] needs, or what helps her.  I was able to give a little help on that too.The part that really surprised me, but made me feel useful, was that he told me the Sisters that were struggling in our 2 zones and how I could help them. I felt like I did have something to do.  I did have some stewardship.  That felt good -- to be useful.  When we went out working in the day we were in the Winters trailer park talking to people. All of sudden this girl ran through the parking lot and she was crying. We stopped her to ask what was going on and she said her father was dying and that she was looking for a Catholic priest or someone to help. We told her that we could come and help and say a prayer over them.  We start running to the trailer not really knowing what was going on. Of course they were Spanish so we were glad we could communicate. They told us that earlier in the day he had collapsed and stopped breathing.  He hadn't been to church for a while so they were worried about him.  He was slowly dying and the hospice nurse was in trying to help him. With all of the flurry we didn't know how we were going to say a prayer.  They lead us into the room, with the wife and 3 of the daughters. Hermana Vance said the prayer aloud and I said one of my own while she was praying to add to it. There was just a bit more peace when the prayer finished and everything felt calmer. WE left our number with them to help out with anything we could. It was definitely a moment when we realized that we are Heavenly Father's instruments and he places us where he needs us. We stopped by a few days later because Hermana Vance forgot her planner.  They told us he had passed away a few hours later and that they had felt the difference after the prayer.  Everyone was at peace. I was so grateful for the opportunity we had to leave their home with that prayer to help in this desperate time of need. It seems as if he had terminal cancer so they were glad that he wasn't suffering anymore. That evening we picked up another family of investigators! They are actually Jewish, kind of, because they believe it is the closest thing to Christ's church, funny huh?. In our discussion in the beginning he was hitting on questions that were answered by the gospel of Jesus Christ, the plan of salvation and especially the restoration, all of the lessons we teach. WE were so excited to teach him, to answer his questions. There were a few doctrinal things that we couldn't agree on, but he promised to pray in order to know if he should read the Book of Mormon and he accepted to be baptized if he knew that it was true. It will take some work but we know that he will accept when he knows. His prayer was a little weird at the end.  It all was great and we have hope for our future lesson. A pretty amazing day!

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On Thursday we picked up our 3rd family. They didn't have much time.  We shared the Because of Him video and they loved it and were truly impacted by it. They saw that the life of Christ is something impactful and important. It was great, so we introduced the Book of Mormon to them and they seemed excited to learn more!

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Friday we taught Kimberley.  It was great. We stayed pretty focused.  Her friend listened in for a while and she just really felt the extra strength that she needed. Also she said the most normal prayer I have ever heard.  It was great to see that she is progressing more and more, little by little. A little later we taught our investigator Sandra.  Her boyfriend was there, so we got to share about the plan of salvation and picked her boyfriend up as a new investigator.  We left with a good little feeling in their home of hope of a forever family.
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Saturday we had a blitz in Woodland! Side note it has been in the hundreds here and it has just been so HOT! We were out and about at around 2:00 and so of course it was hot then too! In the evening we taught Jose. He is doing great, but is having some drug problems.  We are a little worried about how we are going to help him with that.  I guess the most basic thing is to pray, so we are. Then we taught Sarah. A daughter of one of the people we taught in the family on Tuesday. We recapped what we had taught with her family and she felt good about it. She had her interest peaked and is excited to learn more!
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Sunday was a pretty normal day. Church was wonderful. I lead some of the songs.  I saw two visitors that had come, so right after the meeting ended  I went up to one who was a young woman and got her hooked up with the other young women.  Then went to the other and invited them to Gospel Principles and it just made me feel so useful to know people, recognize who was a guest and get them to where they needed to go! It was fun. Then we got our 12 contacts, out in the heat with only a little bit of time, but we got them! In the evening, when Hermana Vance was in her leadership meeting I got to be companions with Hermana LemMon again! It was so much fun! We just fit really well together and so it just makes for a fun hour or so!
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Anyway, things are going pretty great out here with lots of exciting things happening, but from what I hear a lot of exciting things are happening with all of you too. I love you all so Much and I hope that you are able to see more of how Heavenly Father is using you to accomplish his work! Have a wonderful week, or at least make it that way!
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Love,

Hermana Cornwall

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