27 October 2014

Hola,

This week was a more chaotic one with lots of service and parties for the members.  It was still really good! My companion and I were just laughing through it all! It was a plain old, good week!

Last Monday we had a good p-day and we taught the Gomez family. They welcomed us in but are not willing to come to church right now, because they have there own religion.  The thing is that we think they would be offended if we didn't come back, so we hope to have some Book of Mormon study with them and help them see the truth! They are so kind and sweet so we will see where they go!

On Tuesday we had a wonderful district meeting and I went on exchanges with Sister Murphy. It was nice for her to have someone to talk to, someone that understands her a little better than her companion. They have been having a few struggles so she just laid it out on me! I was glad because then we could talk it through and I hope I gave the help she needed. We taught a few of their investigators. It is always so interesting to teach in English, obviously the words come out, but it is just a bit different! It was a fun day and night! We went to Laytonville, which was fun and had a good lesson with a less active family. They are very interesting, but willing to talk with the missionaries.  They have some unknown barriers that keep them from church. The children did come to church, but the parents didn't, so we will see when they finally decide to recommit!

Then on Wednesday we were finally able to go and do service at the thrift store again and get Hermana Navarro signed up! It was fun and our help was needed.  It was really enjoyable! We didn't teach any lessons, but we did get our 20 contact so that was nice!

Thursday it was raining so our usual plan of going to the Farmer's Market to talk about family history was canceled. We were able to help out one of the less-active members that were moving. She was repainting her apartment and so we got to help. I must say it was fun to paint! I don't think I have ever painted walls before.  Well I actually painted a closet.  It was fun! The help was definitely needed! Then after dinner we went to see the Tepale family. It was kind of an awkward time for them, but we left a short message and then we started talking the "vibrations" they have been feeling ever since we have been meeting with them and in my head I just thought, "IT IS THE SPIRIT!". So we were very excited to talk with them more. They like us and are willing to listen because it makes them all feel better so I am excited. We keep having these mini lessons so we hope to have something more concrete next week! Then we went to see PJ, who told us all the Drama going on. She just moved into a members home and there was just so much going on, that I knew a lot about already, but we were just talking about it and I was letting her unload.  It was not good for my little companion. It was just too much information too fast and she kind of got overloaded. It was good to know that the drama is too much for her. Oh, people really do have problems out there, and isn't it interesting how 100% confidence in the Lord makes life run just a little bit more smoothly!

Friday was our weekly planning day.  We had a fun morning to start it off. First we had comp. study with our district leader in Ukiah, then during language study I was checking out the new apps. for spanish missionaries that we are piloting. They were super fun and interactive ways to practice and go over the spanish! Then we went out to lunch at a pizza buffet which was super fun too! Then we did our weekly planning and we were actually pretty effective, which was nice!

 

Friday night we went to the Halloween party for the Primary. Instead of trunk-or-treating they decorate doors in the building and do it inside. We were asked to do a door, well not decorate it, but just to hand out candy and that was fun.  We dressed up as fairies! It was fun and there were a lot of non-members who came. We actually invited a few of our investigators, but none of them came. I had felt impressed to see one of our potential investigators, but we got there and she wasn't home so I thought, leave the flier with a note.  We did and they came! It was so cool to see that we did something so simple, but it actually helped someone! It was so cool to have them there, so we will see what happens with them in the future.

Then on Saturday we were planning on doing service, but it got canceled because of rain so we finished our weekly planning.  Then our investigator, Jesus, canceled his lesson so we went and saw PJ to tell her we wouldn't need her for the lesson.  We had a good chat with her, while she was making cookies and with the members there and so it was a good little moment. Then we went to the Ward Luau for the Southwicks as a goodbye for them. They start on Saturday at the Oakland temple.  It was a bitter-sweet moment. We helped a lot with food and welcoming all the visitors and dancing a little. It was a really fun night! We helped with the clean up because there was a lot to do.  That was our whole day! It flew by.  I was glad that we could help serve the ward! We were pretty tired after, so I can't imagine how tired they all were.  It was fun! 

Sunday was of course lovely. We had a lot of meetings and things after church so we just had a quick lesson before dinner with a member. It was actually really good because we were able to talk to her less-active son and help them to feel uplifted and strengthened and learn a little bit more about the member. Then we ate at the Mcfadden's house which is always a treat and did studies in the evening.  It was a very calm night and it was good.

I definitely see the next 2 weeks as an opportunity. I am excited to try my hardest, and work like I have never worked before to leave it all out on the field, I am so grateful for the opportunities I have to serve. I love this Church, but most of all I know that Jesus Christ lives and is guiding and directing us!

Les Quiero,

Hermana Cornwall

20 October 2014

Hola,

JESUS CAME TO CHURCH! Well I mean Jesus our investigator, not actually THE Jesus!!!! I didn't realize how odd that would sound on paper if you were just reading rather than have someone say it [hay-SUS]! Anyway, Jesus our investigator came to church. It was a proud little mommy moment, not only for my area, which is my baby since I started it and also for my child Hermana Navarro! It felt so good to finally have a spanish investigator in the Willits Chapel! Such a great moment, and he liked it and is planning on coming back!

But to back track a little, last Monday we had a good day. I forgot to take some things to Ukiah for shopping, like my wallet, and for playing sports, like my clothes. So that made p-day a little bit more frustrating than usual, but it all worked out in the end! Then in the later evening we taught a practice lesson with the Snider family.  All of their kids are out of the house now, so it was just the 2 of them.  It was very enjoyable and good practice. Even though we were teaching them things they already knew it is still just as powerful and amazing. We taught them the Plan of Salvation and it was really just a wonderful experience! It is amazing how we just keep growing and learning!

Then on Tuesday we had a fun district meeting! We each taught about our favorite talk from conference. I really enjoyed hearing what everyone had learned. Conference is just so powerful and motivating. It is real time revelation! I greatly enjoy the words of the living prophets and apostles. Then we went on exchanges! Sister Carter, the STL, went with me in my area! She is great and so much fun. We were just laughing the whole time, we worked hard and did good. One of my favorite parts of the day was teaching a practice lesson with Donna Patterson. She is a widow in her 80s! She got surgery on her hip this week, but before she had it we had the lesson with her. She was all into being an investigator, she was acutally really good at it. She kept worrying that she was being too hard on us, but it was good, I enjoyed it. She asked me if it was hard to teach in english and I told her that it wasn't too bad! Then we finally had a new student at english class! Her name is Samantha. We got through 2 lessons in less than a half an hour.  I had to get creative about what to do for the last half and so we read out of the Friend in english. There are not many materials we have access to, so it should work pretty good to help her with comprehension and sentence structure! It was a really fun class!

Wednesday we just kind of had this odd day where we ran some errands and went to visit a member which turned into an hour long chat outside.  It was a funny afternoon of getting things done that weren't originally in our plans! Then we went to go visit one of the semi-active members.  The night before she had fallen and got her head stapled back together but was home and resting. I love how the Spirit directs us to see the right people at the right time! We haven't found anyother way to help her, but I know she feels loved! Then a member gave us Papa Murphy's pizza for dinner so we ate at home, which was nice! We saw the Tafoya family! They had  missed our appointment on Tuesday, so we were just checking in and she let us right in and said how they didnt have our number so they couldn't get ahold of us.  We taught a short lesson on the atonement and watched "Because of Him". She really like it and her friend was there too.  It was a good little spiritual thought to leave with them! Then we saw Jesus! Because his wife just recently left him, he is the only one in the house.  We always bring a female member with us so we can go in! We brought Sister Kester this time! She was awesome, even though she couldnt understand anything we translated.  She was definitely willing to participate. He opened up about how he wants to be closer to God and so we focused a lot on Faith. I must say that we are really focusing on teaching him rather than teaching a lesson - just like Preach My Gospel says. We ask a lot of questions and we really try to get on each other's levels. He says his faith is very low right now and that ours is so high. I think he understood how we are all nuturing our faith. It was great!

We started to teach Ruby on Wednesday. Her mom is one of our potentials for english class, so we went by and Ruby was there.  I thought "Why not teach her a short little lesson?" We talked about prayer and communicating with our Heavenly Father. We watched "Earthly Father, Heavenly Father" and she took it really well! We have an appointment to see her this week, and I am excited! We also taught a little lesson to the mother of one of our investigators. They weren't home and she answered the door, she is on dialysis and so she is sick and weak. We shared a short message and scripture about the atonement how He can succor all of our pains and afflictions! She was very welcoming and nice to us.  We are excited to teach her more when we come back! Then we Taught PJ about visiting teaching. She didn't know what is was, so we were able to teach her and help her understand more and get her excited to do it!

Friday was a great and weird day. We did planning as usual and we went to Sister Mcfadden's home for lunch! It was awesome, one of the Sisters was having a hard day, but Sister Mcfadden always cheers us up! Of course it took out a big chunk of our day. Then we got our front windshield replaced because of a rock chip that was begining to spread, and we went to go pick it up. When we walked in the secretary woman asked if they were fixing a rock chip or replacing a windshield (which they had already replaced), because she talked to the fleet coordinator and he thought it was just a chip repair. My heart sank and I was so afraid that I had done something wrong.  She asked if the rock chip was spreading and I said yes, so luckily all was well and the window was replaced correctly, but boy was I afraid for a little while there! Then our whole evening just did not go as planned, all of our appointments went through and it was all a bit of a struggle. We tried to finish planning, but didn't get much done! 

So Saturday was fun because there was a baptism for one of the 8-year olds in the ward! They asked me to play the piano and the Bishop asked us to come early to fill the font! It was great to be a part of that. In the evening we went to go and visit the Saldana family. We kept missing them at there home when we made appointments, but finally they had a little time. He had done some research on the internet so he had questions about polygamy and things, but we answered them all and then we talked about the Book of Mormon. We were running out of time to get to our coordination meeting and just as we were finishing up Jose said that we was confused on what the Book of Mormon was. So I made the call to not leave him in confusion and to answer his questions. Almost an hour later, we finally got out of there and it was without much success to help him understand. I was a little bummed how things turned out.  They said they would read and pray, so we will see what happens with them! We got there very late, to our meeting, but said what we needed to say!

Then Sunday of course was awesome because we had Jesus at Church. He said that he liked it, that it was all new but he liked it. Then we went and saw him in the evening, because he is going to be gone all this week, so we taught him about the gospel, to teach what comes after faith. To sum it up, he just wants to focus on the Faith part and a little bit of repentance, but baptism isn't something he can see in the near future. Then funny thing is that we aren't worried, we know that he will be receptive and that Baptism will be something he wants, eventually! He is really ready and willing to change in order to be closer to his Heavenly Father.  That is where we are going to start! He is really solid! I am so excited for him!

This week ended so well. There were some weird minutes to it, but I still love being a missionary because of the ability we have to help others! I hope you all look for opportunities to serve and share the gospel this week. I promise that you wont regret it!

Les quiero,

Hermana Cornwall

12 October 2014

Hola,

Can I just say this week was a wonderful roller coaster of excitement! (I am using the roller coaster analogy because Sister Carter, my STL, was talking about it all being a roller coaster!) Anyway, I had such a great week so I will just dive right in to telling you!

On Monday we taught our investigator Leticia again, but this time we included her husband too! They were both attentive to us sharing about the Restoration and then they asked about the Book of Mormon. They were very curious about it and they agreed to reading a little. Then Hermana Navarro invited them to baptism and that is when there was a little halt, because they weren't really on board for that, but that we are always welcome. We hope to teach them again soon, but we aren't in a huge rush at the moment.  We hope that with time that can accept it! Then we had an FHE with the Dunham family in the ward! They are great! They aren't really less-active.  They come and go! They are really wonderful people so it was nice to just have some spiritual time together! One thing I love, that happened in the lesson with them, is the guidance of the Spirit. I felt impressed to share a simple scripture and it really touched them. There is so much power in the Spirit and it is always guiding us. I feel so much better when I follow it! 

Tuesday we did Studies with our zone leaders. It was really great to be able to get help and feedback on training stuff. They are so nice and they take such good care of us. They are some of the best zone leaders I have ever had, actually they might just be the best! On Tuesday evening I went to go practice Amazing Grace for the funeral! Luckily the version Gloria (member) had given me was pretty easy so I wasn't too worried.  I get there and the Sister Mcfadden and Gloria decide that they would prefer the song a little lower.  We go to the organ and turned it town 2 notches(whoohoo I got to play the organ). Then being silly me, I told them I would transpose it, again it wasn't that hard so I wasn't too worried. As we were finishing up, Gloria told me about another song she was doing, I asked if she had an accompanist yet and she said no. I said that I could try it, It was a very simple version of it so I did ok.  I heard the song a few times (because I had never heard it before) and then later that evening I practiced and practiced on the keyboard we have in our apartment.  I transposed Amazing Grace.  I didn't have the blank sheet music so I was just trying to read it off of my hand written notes. Anyway it was a crazy night trying to get so much done!

Wednesday we had a quarterly zone conference! It was amazing as always. What President Alba focused on was us having the countenance of Jesus Christ in our faces. It was very powerful. He went up to one of the Elders and told him that he could see the Lord's countenance in his face. I just thought of how I want others to be able to see it! Then Sister Alba talked a little about Change -- making sure we are always willing to adjust and improve. We talked a little about the Harvest/house blessings and the cool thing was that I could promise all of them that Harvest blessings truly do help you find the elect, because it is how we had so many new investigators recently!  We started to talk about Meet the Mormons, how it was not to be a missionary effort but that we could encourage people to go!   He showed us a clip from it and paused it and we discussed a little and then Sister Alba yells, "Well lets just watch the whole thing!" So we watch Meet the Mormons, before it came out in theaters. Elder Holland encouraged all of the mission presidents to show it to their missionaries! It was great! I really enjoyed it! I hope you all saw it this weekend, or plan to see it soon, and make sure to take some friends along with you!  I gave my departing testimony. I don't know if I have explained this before, but at the end of every zone conference all of the missionaries going home in the next 3 months bear their final testimony! It was such a real experience to have it be my turn to say it! I remember my first zone conference most of those testimonies gave me the strength and the will to go on and I wanted to be that testimony for someone! Anyway, not only was I the only Sister missionary, but I also was the only one going home at the end of this transfer, it was weird, but awesome. One funny thing is some missionaries that went home 8 weeks ago, together got engaged last week so then the big joke on me was that they expected an announcement by December.   I told them I would try, but no guarantees. In the evening we met with the Tafoya family. They were so welcoming to the message of the Restoration. The father just kept saying how happy he was to learn that there is a living prophet! It was very interesting. They agreed to read the Book of Mormon.  So, we will see this next week! 

Thursday we did our planning early, because of the funeral on Friday! Then we taught a Blanca and her 2 kids. She really wants her kids to know all things spiritual and so we are focusing on them, but I am sure she will be open to listening to us too! Then we taught the Saldana Family. They have honestly been very prepared to hear the message of the restored gospel. They haven't been very content with their church right now and they have questions unanswered. It seems the husband is always searching for truth. We taught them the restoration and they understood that they needed to ask for themselves and the importance of such an event. The husband gave question after question.  We had the answers. (I am really grateful I am teaching him at the end of my mission, because of my understanding of Spanish and the gospel, that makes it a lot easier) When we gave them a Book of Mormon.  The husband started reading it right away! He was excited to read it and know more! It was an amazing lesson! We were so happy. The whole family is involved with learning more and so it is truly just incredible! Needless to say we are excited to see them this week!

Friday was the funeral. For the first time in my life did I feel like a pianist. I transposed a piece to a different key; I accompanied on a country soul song; I played the organ for the closing hymn; and I played postlude! Usually I am the singer, but I was very happy to use my talents as a pianist! They may not be many, but they were enough to help! I also got a lot of compliments and "I didn't know you played the piano." I guess I was hiding under the bushel of my last companion, but I was glad to help. It kind of made it an exhausting day with everything to do with the funeral and graveside services, but it was good. We had another lesson with an elect! Jesus is ready to better his relationship with God. From our last visit he had already read 3 chapters in the Book of Mormon and he says he has all of the time in the world to meet with us. His wife just left him, so he had been humbled to accept the gospel. 

Saturday was a actually a very chill day! We got our 20 contacts and had a practice lesson with Sister Pollock and our weekly coordination meeting with Brother Abono! He is so wonderful! I am so glad I get to serve with him!

Then all of the investigators we thought were coming to church didn't show up, but we have hopes for next week. I played the piano in primary, which was fun! My companion and I had a good little talk about things and I hope that I can be a good trainer for her! 

Oh how I love serving the Lord. He always proves to me that it is worth it everyday!

I love you all so much!

Hermana Sarah Cornwall

06 October 2014

Hermanas Navarro and Cornwall

Hola,

I really can't believe that already a week has gone by. The funny thing is that so much happened this week! Oh my goodness! It has been a crazy week.  I think that also is what contributes to it going by so fast! This week was hard, but spiritually uplifting. I truly love being a missionary, because the joys make it all worth it!

Last Monday was crazy. I am surprised I even got letters out at all.  I am grateful I did. It was a little tender to say goodbye to Hermana Hooton and all of the other missionaries I knew that were going home. It was so weird. 4 of my past companions ended their missions, Hermana Hernandez, Hermana Underwood, Hermana Santiago, and Hermana Hooton. It felt weird to have a large chunk of the Sisters I look up to leave! Then I had an interesting night with the Rincon Valley Sisters in Santa Rosa. It was so weird to be in Santa Rosa for more than just a meeting or transfers. I actually learned my way around. We got to just go contacting in their area. It was Hermana Jones and I, and another Sister whose companion went home. We went out to dinner at Chik-fil-a which was fun too! Then we had a sleepover at the Rincon Valley Sisters apartment!

Tuesday we had studies then we went to the transfer devotional and saw all of the new missionaries. There were a bunch. I got to sit on the same side as them with all of the trainers! There were a lot of Hermanas which was good. It was so funny, because out of the 9 Hermanas training, 7 are going home.  So all of these "babies" are getting new parents in a few weeks! Then after that meeting the Assistants and Sister Alba gave us trainer training. I saw my first 12 weeks in whole new light. It blew my mind to think about the beginning of my mission and everything my trainer did for me! Then we ate dinner! As we were leaving to go out and do some work for the evening I asked President and Sister Alba if we could help with anything. Oh - I forgot to say that I slept at their house on Tuesday night. So, I asked if they needed anything and Sister Alba asked us to come to the mission home and help her set up for all of the Sisters coming over. It was so much fun to go back to the Mission Home after the last time being there was over a year ago. It was so homey and it was fun to help Sister Alba and welcome President home.  It was weird, and I enjoyed it. Then Sister Alba put me in charge of everything, welcoming people, telling them the low down and just being helpful. It was good that Sister Alba told me everything because the next morning she woke up sick.  I really did end up in charge of everything. She sent me a text asking me to take care of everything. It was so sad and sweet. I am glad that I could be helpful!

Wednesday was the big day when I received my companion. SO we woke up. I took care of everything at the Mission Home. Then I had to take things to the Mission Office for Sister Alba.  By the way, in all of this I also turned in my old car and got a newer one, a 2013 chevy cruze.  I was organizing that car, then we went and had a little training with President Alba. They went to go pray about our companions and came back and assigned us. SO my new companion is Hermana Navarro. She grew up in Mexico and moved to Utah when she was 9. Her parents live in Payson. She is a native speaker to Spanish, which helps me a lot! We hugged and took a picture and we were off! We went out shopping and to lunch with the Hermanas going to Eureka, one of which is ending her mission the same time as me. We had this short conversation of maybe we could drive down together but then we decided to hold it off for a few more weeks! We drove to Ukiah to meet the district leader, did our grocery shopping and arrived in cute little Willits. I let her settle in! Then in the evening we went out a worked. Nothing too exciting, but we went out and did it! We received some sad news. I don't know if you remember hearing about a Brother Munson, but he passed away on Wednesday evening. I happy he is in a better place, but I hope his family left behind will be ok!

Thursday we had our first full day of work. It was an awesome day. We picked up 3 new investigators. One was a woman we had talked to before. She had asked why we hadn't come by in a while so we set up an appointment, left her a house blessing and now we have begun to teach her! Then later in the day we met with a young family, and left a house blessing with them and talked about eternal families and they accepted another visit as well. It was awesome. We also got more than 20 contacts so it was a well rounded and good day. 

Friday was crazy because we had Zone meeting, but it was fun. The zone leaders got us wolf t-shirts. It was so much fun! Then we had to rush home to start planning. The only thing is that we got home pretty late, so we didn't get to plan much. In the evening we taught a practice lesson with Jp, who is a recent convert. She was so into practicing, it was so much fun and it was really good for Hermana Navarro. I just realized I haven't been talking about her much. Boy, do I remember being a greenie and not understanding anything and yet not always being willing to follow all of these new rules. She is a bit timid in teaching, but she is opening up little by little. It was a good practice for her, because we just kind of let her talk and then we could talk through it as she went. It is so funny, because as a trainer they are the person you trust the most, but also the person they don't want to listen to! 

Saturday was an amazing day of conference! We went down to Ukiah because the Elders invited us to do some studies with them. My favorite talk from the first session was President Robbins talk. It made me really consider the way I am facing and whether it is the right way, but to make sure I am always facing the right way in everything that I do. I just loved how he talked about an change to the doctrine takes away it's truth. Then we did studies with the Elders and they took us to lunch at a members little store where they fed us Pasole! It is a kind of soup. It is so good! I miss Hispanic food so much!!!!  The second session I loved the talk in Spanish! That was fun! I liked how he talked about action and that it needs to be loud and clear. Then we had a fun Greenie dinner at a member's home! They really took care of us and it was delicious. We finished our planning and that was  basically our day!

Then Sunday! MORE CONFERENCE! My favorite talk from Sunday morning was basically all of them! I liked Pres. Eyring's, Elder Nelson's, Elder Hales', and Pres' Monson's. All were wonderful! I liked them not because I took a bunch of notes, but because I could listen to them and be uplifted! Then I made lunch for people at the church. It was fun to be a little cook. Then my favorite talk in the second session was Elder Bednar's. That is every missionaries dream to have  an apostle speak to the needs of the investigators. Conference went by so fast this time! I will be excited for the next one! Later in the evening we picked up 2 more families of investigators!!!! We said house blessings with both of them and Hermana Navarro invited them both to be baptized!!! One of the families actually said yes to it right off the bat! It was such a great way to end the week! She was so excited and happy and it was wonderful to be in the service of the Lord!

Though it is hard and frustrating at times to train a new missionary it is really rewarding. I am grateful to help another missionary feel confident and successful doing the work of the Lord. It doesn't give me anytime to slack off and I just come home exhausted everyday. It is great. Time is really flying, It is going to be another busy week this week already.  It is good to be busy.  I am sure next Monday will come all too soon, so goodbye until next time! 

I know this church is true. I know that God, our loving Heavenly Father, still calls prophets today and that they speak to us. I am very grateful to have a leader of this wonderful church, so that we are not in darkness, but so we can move forward! I am grateful that we have the choice to endure to the end so that we can have eternal happiness!

Les Quiero,

Hermana Sarah Cornwall