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