This week was an average week, lots of fun, but
also lots of struggle with our actual area! I never realized how long
term hard opening an area will be. I am trying to stay positive and
upbeat because I know I am supposed to be here in Willits.
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I know I said last week we had an appointment
with that awesome family, but ... they weren't home. We spent a lot of time finding, finding, finding!
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On Tuesday we decided to check out Laytonville (click), an
additional city to our area! We had high hopes of maybe finding some
pockets of Hispanics, but we couldn't find them. We did talk to 2 of
them and one of them said that there aren't many Hispanics there so we
will see how much we go in the future! The best part was that the drive
was beautiful! It was just up the 101 and I really enjoyed the woods we
saw along the way. Right before dinner we started our exchange. I
went out with Sister Andreasen! She is from Tehachapi California. She is
so much fun! We served around each other in Fairfield so now we are just
the best of friends. We laugh and joke all day long! The funny
thing was that we went back to Laytonville for their appointment,
because I was in the English sister's area! It is a less-active family
and they invitde the young men neighbors to come over too! It was a
really open lesson. We first watched Finding Faith in Christ for the
younger kids and then talked with the young boy/investigators. The sad
thing was they have had really hard lives and they don't think that they
have a loving Heavenly Father or a Savior! They have lost that trust in
Him, but I think we had some beginnings of future development!
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On Wednesday we taught a whole bunch of
lessons, when I was in the English sister's area. They are working so
hard and they have really wonderful investigators! It was nice to just
be able to teach with Sister Andreasen and back her up. My favorite
thing about exchanges is asking the really bold questions! For some
reason they just come easier when this is the first and maybe last time
you will be teaching someone! I switched back to be with Hermana
Hooton and we had our awesome point of the week, because we started
teaching Jose. He is our new, and one and only investigator! We were
so excited when he said he had time to talk, and it was a good
experience. We are excited to see what happens with him! Oh, the funny
story of it all was we went up to his door and a young boy answered the
door. I asked if Jose was there and he said he didn't live there. I told him his last name and he was still a little confused. He turns to whoever was in the room with him and said " Wait, isn't that
my Dad's name!" We found out it was the right house and we then met with Jose after that!
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On Thursday we had Zone Conference -- always a
wonderful experience. We had been reading the entire Book of Mormon for
preparation over the last 3 months and so we had lovely presentations
from the Albas on relating the Book of Mormon to those things we do in
missionary work! It was a great day of instruction. We also talked about
how serving the members would help them help us, with things like
coming out to lessons and fellow-shipping investigators.
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Friday our planning went pretty fast. We got a lot of things set in our week so that the ideas were flowing. We had dinner at the Bishop's house. They are a young powerhouse
couple. They have so much spiritual knowledge it is amazing. One thing
we talked about is how amazing things come out of the mouth of babes,
like how they explain things about the pre-mortal existence because they
are just so close to that time. She read us some of her experiences! We were kind of having a slow night. We saw this kite really
high up in the air so we decided to follow it. SO we talked to the boy
flying the kite and he and his dad were not interested in talking to us. I asked for a referral and he gave us one. The directions were the
red house by the grange. We tried to look for it but it got too late so
we went home.
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On Saturday we are doing Facebook and we
were looking up pages of things in Willits. In my search I found a
page called the grange and so we found out where it was and so we went
right away to the red house. The first red house we see we go out and
knock on it. It is a young mom and we ask if Joey was there and she
said no one by that name lived there. We offered her a house
blessing and she said yes! (Side note: they were watching the show Wild
Kratts so now I finally know a little bit more about what it is!) It was
a great prayer and she accepted the idea of the English sisters
visiting her in the future. We asked if she knew of a Joey in a
red house. She said no, but that there was a red house next door. SO we
knock on that house and Joey is there! His Mom was very sick, which is
why the boy told us to go there. We went into meet her. It wasn't
the best living situation. We offered a house blessing and she said,
"no". We asked her for any referrals for other people that might need
help and they gave us 2. Latter that night we went to see Cici, one
of the referrals. She let us right in and said she had been
expecting us and that so and so told her we would be coming. After
talking for a while we realized that the person who told her we would be
coming and the women we met were not the same person. Apparently one
of her friends, that is a Jehovah's Witness, was going to send her
friends to come and talk to her, but we got their first! We had a
house blessing with her and she is ready to receive the gospel! Another
awesome win for the Sisters! We finally met our assistant ward
mission leader, who is one of the only members that speaks spanish. He will also be the new Oakland Temple President in November! He was
the kindness and most gracious man. He served us desert afterward and
Sister Andreasen commented that we were being treated like princesses
and that is how it really felt!
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Sunday, no one came to church, but it was a
lovely Sunday. We got to go in to help with the piano in Primary, so it
was fun!
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Oh, the Church is true everywhere you go and there are always
amazing member to be found. I love the continued discovery of the
virtues of all of God's children! Oh, missionary work is awesome. You
sacrifice, work hard, have a lot of fun and are part of the change in
people's lives for the better. Even though I wouldn't relive many of my
experiences, I will never forget those I have had and also those I will
continue to have on my mission and when regular life hits me again. The
joy of it all is that we have the love of a Heavenly Father and the
empathy of kind brother and that we never have to do it alone, no matter
how hard, sad or strenuous it all might be.
.
Oh, I hope you all have a wonderful week! I will
constantly pray that the Lord will be with you and I know he always
will. Les Quiero!
Hermana Cornwall!
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