14 July 2014

Hermanas Hooton and Cornwall

Hola,

So this week has been crazy! Saying goodbye and saying hello are all very hard things to do! I am so sad to leave Winters, but I am also so happy to be here in Willits. Hermana Hooton and I have been saying all week how we have felt that we know we are meant to be here.  It will still be a hard long process! So Here is my week!  [Click here for info on Willits]

Monday was a pretty crazy day! I said goodbye to quite a few people and then in the evening we went to a lesson with our investigator Sonia. We taught our normal lesson, she was so nice as always, and then at the end she told me that before I left she had to tell me something. She was not very happy that I was leaving already, but I knew it was time. She told us about her experience at church. She told us that she was very worried about eating the sacrament bread because she has been having this horrible pain from her cheek to her head and she hasn't been able to really chew, or at least without a lot of pain.  She took it and it wasn't hard to eat. Then of course I told you all about going up to bear my testimony... so, while I was up there Sonia was praying for the answer of whether to keep going to church or not.  She felt a spiritual confirmation, from the words I said (or really that were translated to her), that she needs to keep going to church! Then she said the next morning that she could eat breakfast with out pain! Not only was she healed, but she received a confirmation that what she was doing right! We were so amazed and so happy for her. Then she made sure that we took a picture together before we left! Anyway, Hermana Vance and I decided that I had to be leaving so that I would bear my testimony and so that she would have to tell us the story! It was so wonderful to hear all of that from her and I am overjoyed to hear about her future progress! 
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Tuesday I said goodbye some more and I taught my last lesson to the Lopez family. They were my one regular connection to the branch and after 9 months total I was said to say goodbye, but I do love them so much!
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Then the big transfer day on Wednesday! It was so wonderful to see everyone again, but sad to say goodbye to Winters, Hermana Vance, the Woodland Stake the whole east side of the mission! Then of course when we were there we had to find our car, get a phone, get supplies, move our stuff and everything else.  It went well! After getting everything organized we head off on our way and as we were stopping for lunch we decide to call the Willits Sisters, Sister Becker and Sister Andreasen, currently serving in our area to ask about things like Walmart and dinner and everything.  We realized that our phone isn't working right. We call another number and it doesn;t work.  We thought maybe our phone wasn't connected yet.  We go to lunch at Mcdonalds and try to get the Sprint number from our Ipads.  It didn't come up with anything.  We go back to the mission office.  There was something legitimately wrong with the phone so we were glad we went back. We hung out at the mission office for a while and that was fun. We finally got on our way, with just enough time to make it to dinner! We get in town a little early so we stopped at the church, which is like the first thing you see. (P.S. no Walmart in Willits, by the way) and one of the doors happened to be a little bit open so we snuck in! We went to dinner, unpacked, went to a member lesson with the Sisters and had a meeting with the bishop and came home! It was a crazy, amazing day!

Thursday was fun too. We grocery shopped at the Safeway (which I think is the equivalent of Pavilions). We skyped with our new district leader/old district leader Elder Olmos! And then we had a full day of finding, which is quite a big change from the past. Usually when you come into an area you have the area book with investigators, potentials and former investigators, but for us we had literally nothing, it was empty. There have never really been spanish missionaries here and the whole first day we only met 2 hispanics out of almost 30 people that we talked to! That was exciting! In the evening we met the second counselor of the bishop and his family. He has 13 children, with only 5 at home  We came to find out on Sunday, his 4 boys are the whole Aaronic priesthood! Anyway, it was fun to just get to know each other!

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Friday we had district meeting in Ukiah! It was fun.  Our zone in super spread out so I am trying to come up with ideas for Zone unity! When we got back to Willits we had Weekly planning! It was about the shortest and simplest weekly planning I have ever done.  We finished it all quickly and went to work that night! We had a house blessing with someone we had talked to the day before.  This was a little weird because of drug use and her home situation, but we were glad to at least try to help her have the spirit in her home.  We hope she will have the correct environment to accept the gospel in the future! We went tracting in the one area we had heard there were Hispanics and we actually found some. Never have I been so happy to see a Hispanic in my LIFE! We did a house blessing with la familia Hernandez, with an appointment for tonight. They loved are willingness to help and bless them.  They were so kind in return. Also the funny thing about talking to Hispanics here is that they have never really talked with missionaries before.  We are making their first impressions of who missionaries are! (And they are usually a little bit more open!) We gained a little bit more hope for our little area of Willits Spanish.  [For info on Willits demographics click here.]

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Saturday we just decided to go out, find and work hard! At the end of the day we had talked to 56 people with a high majority being Hispanic! We happened to find a few Hispanic gatherings going on.  We were just filled with hope that there are people here to find! We found in the same area we had been in the night before, so we were starting to get worried that this was the only place that there were Hispanics. We met someone that lived in another neighborhood so we had hoped to find more.
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Sunday was wonderful! Hermana Hooton and I spoke. I spoke on remembering the Savior always.  It was a good lesson for me to find out how do we always remember Him! In the evening we decided to go in the area where that new man lived.  I had picked a street  the night before. To the left it was very country, spread out and things, but one house had their name out on the street and it was Hispanic.  We parked went up to it.  They were Hispanic and we made an appointment with them for tomorrow. Then down on the other side the houses were closer together and we found 3 Hispanic houses in a row! It was great!
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SO needless to say there is hope for our area. We have decided that anything we do will be amazing.  We want to do our best.  Hermana Hooton and I have thought that we would never serve in Willits, because it didn't exist until we got here.  We are very happy to be here! (by the way Hermana Hooton still has 2 transfers, oops!). The one thing I am most happy about is that through it all I have remained happy. I don't see this area as unfruitful and I am accepting of how hard it is going to be. I am excited to just take all of the skills I have been given and really put them into use!  I am happy missionary [work comes] with a few struggles and I am so excited for this next week and all the things that could possibly happen!
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I love you all so much! Keep up your amazing work because you never know what is going to happen!

Hasta Luego,

Hermana Cornwall

Some families from Winters

The Osburns

Natalie Osburn

07 July 2014

Hola,

I am headed our of Winters! My time here is up, but I have had a very good time of growth and development and I am excited to move forward. So, I am opening a new area in Willits! [All about Wilits in next week's post.] My new companion will be Hermana Hooton and this is her last transfer, I am also the STL! So I am looking forward for what the future now brings! After all this time, there isn't really a fear of the work being hard, but I am interested to see what it will feel like to start with nothing and build my way up. When Sister Alba told me on the phone she said, the Lord needs you in Willits, so go make a group of hispanic members and then make it a Branch.  It sounds like I have a lot of finding and baptizing to do! 

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So this week was interesting. The whole question of whether I would stay or go was, at times, really distracting! On Monday we had a crazy day because we drove with the Elders for P-day, in order to try and save miles.  It was fun! We also went bowling! (pictures included). It was a fun last official p-day of the transfer! We did some good finding when we got back and we had a lesson with Diana. She is a newer investigator! She was at the member's house when we went over to make bows with her daughter and so we did some tag teaming. I made bows and Hermana Vance taught a lesson! It was fun!

The Zone

Tuesday we had our last meeting as a zone! We talked more about the house blessings, because President Alba asked the President from Riverside and he said the reason was because of the house blessing and they were doing it a little different then we were so we are changing it up a little bit. The big change is that we use more specific words to start the blessing, so it is different then an average prayer and we make sure to schedule an appointment soon after in order to get the fire of the spirit going! Me and Hermana Vance have been trying it and it has gone really well! Then in the evening we met with Maria, our young recent convert who is awesome! We usually just talk to her mother when we are there, but we just had a one on one with her! It was good!

Wednesday we did service at the community center for the senior lunches. It is so fun to just help them out with those things that they need and to serve the seniors, I like it! This week we also got to help with the deliveries of meals on wheels! That was great too!

Thursday we had a house blessing with this brother and sister. It felt nice to be able to bless them with those things that they need as set apart servant of Jesus Christ! It just it that opportunity to bless them with those things they need from Heavenly Father! 

 

Friday, Independence day, was crazy but fun! It started earlier than usual because we volunteered at the Fire station for their pancake breakfast. Right as I was getting in the shower I noticed a little worm on the floor, not like those outside worms, but like a trash worms, then I notice there were quite a few more, so I went to the trash and it was literally moving, because of our crazy week we had not taken out the trash so we took care of that and then got ready to go to the fire station. It was really fun to help out. They didnt have much for us to do, but ti was good to be out in the community! We planned the rest of the day. Taught a lesson to a new family! They are a family of 4 and they live in this tiny little trailer. They really liked the plan of salvation and we are excited to teach them more. Then we had dinner at the Osburn's/Nichol's! Always fun! We went home early for the night to keep planning! It was a very good day. The weird part was thinking of how I was near Winters the last Fourth of July and it is just funny to think that these next few months will feel similar.  I have served around this time before, and yet different! Oh and I almost forgot, that we got transfer doctrine.  That was a fun addition to the sound of fireworks! 

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Saturday we had a great day. We went to a blitz in Woodland. It was so hot and no one was outside, but it was fun! In the evening we taught Sonia, our new investigator, the Restoration! It went really well! Then the big miracle was that at the end her husband came home and so we got to meet him. He was very kind and we actually had him say the closing prayer.  It was really wonderful! Then we had another house blessing for this house of men, because one of their house mates passed away last week.  It was great just to bless them and pray for their needs!

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Sunday was a sad day. I wasn't very excited to say goodbye to all of these people and it was fast Sunday so I felt the need to bear my testimony too them. I was already crying before I got up there, so it was a rough testimony, but I was so grateful to thank them for the love they had shown me and how I would share that love in my new area. Needless to say, I am very excited that in a few short months I can see them all again! Then I played for choir, which was a good experience. It always amaze me how my little bit of skill is so greatly appreciated everywhere I go! 

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So there will be lots of new beginnings this week and I will be sooooooooo excited to tell you ALL about them next week! Until then, I love you! I hope you are all doing well! I hope that you remember Christ this week!

Les Quiero,

Hermana Cornwall

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30 June 2014

Hola!

Wow, wow time is flying! I can not believe how fast this transfer has gone. Somedays it feels like Hermana Vance and I just started this transfer.  Now with another transfer week coming up the future is all open to change.  I will be happy if I go and happy if I stay.  It will be nice to know! 

Anyway, so this week was a great one, we picked up a bunch of new investigators, again, and we couldn't be happier. We didn't have anything too exciting happen on Monday, just continuing to find people and a few canceled appointments.  On Tuesday I had my first successful ministering night! I have had members come out before, but it was the first time that we had two members that came out, with 2 successful appointments. I went to see a less-active sister who hasn't been to church in a while. Her boyfriend just recently left her with their 4 kids and life just seems really hard. I taught about the gospel of Jesus Christ and how we have to have faith in order to change and make it all end well. It seemed to touch her a little! It was a good night!

Wednesday we started teaching Brandon! He just graduated high school and doesn't really have a set relationship with God and Jesus Christ.  That is where we come in! He has some personal issues to work through, but we are excited to help him! In the evening we had an awesome lesson with our Jewish investigator and the Bishop.  They decided to not visit with us for the time being so that they could study and pray on their own. They said they would call if they get the impression to learn more.  We will be waiting. It was a very interesting and a good experience.  He really help me to figure out why we do things the way we do them.  It strengthened my testimony in the restored gospel so it was all good. 

Thursday our new investigator was Sonia and her son. We just kept it simple, talking about Jesus Christ and it was really good! She just loved that she has the opportunity to learn 2 on 1 about Jesus Christ. In the Catholic Church they usually have the mentality of, it is ok to go to church, but it is also ok to not go. She likes that we are there it help her to go!

On Friday Hermana Vance had a meeting in Santa Rosa, so Hermana Lemmon and I were companions for the day. We actually taught a lot. We started teaching Melissa and her family. It was one of those lesson that we didn't know what we were going to teach before hand, but just the natural discussion lead to helping her find purpose through the plan of salvation. Then we taught Yenn. It was a short lesson about the power of prayer and how necessary it is for us to recieve answers. Then, we started teach la familia Olmedo. They just haven't felt content in one church.  They are open to learn about other churches.  We know that they will truly be able to have the true church if they listen, pray and read.  We are excited to teach them more! 

Saturday we planned for our week and went out finding a lot of people. There was one sweet hispanic family that saw us and called us over and got chairs out for us and were so kind. They are religious and we set up an appointment to go back this week. On Sunday, Sonia came to church! It was awesome and the translation went really smoothly! The Sacramento Temple President came to speak with us. The talks were so simple and powerful in talking about the sealing power and how it created eternal families! Then Sonia had to leave the 3rd hour because her husband was wondering where she was.  It was a good day. Though it shouldnt be a rare or new experience it is great to have an investigator at church, to translate for them, teach them, network with them, introduce them to people etc. We helped out Melissa with her birthday party decorating and helping to cook! Then we had a huge miracle. There has been this less-active family that I have been trying to teach since I came to Winters and the mom finally let us in to say a prayer with her. Though it was short, it was powerful and I know her heart was being softened in the process. It was an awesome experience and I was so glad that we followed the Spirit to be able to go see her at that moment so she would let us in! 

Anyway miracles are happening from working hard and from the combined strengths of my companion and me! It has really taught me a lot about how we interact with other people and how very small things make a big difference and how we have a choice in everything! Well life is great! I can't complain, especially because I now know better than to be negative about doing the Lord's work! It is amazing how fast everything really goes. People always say it, but it is hard to comprehend until you are actually doing it yourself! Pues Saludos! Hasta la proxima semana!

Les Quiero,

Hermana Cornwall

23 June 2014

Hola!

I can't believe how fast time is going! I just love how the harder you work and the more you are focused that time just slips away! So just so you know, we are working hard and seeing amazing miracles. Every week we are finding new people to teach and more people that are ready to accept the gospel, it is awesome!

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So last Monday was simply amazing! We taught one of our newer investigators about the Book of Mormon. She said she wasn't comfortable using the Book of Mormon so much because she doesn't know that it is true so she wants us to teach out of the Bible. We were so glad she was honest so that we could learn more from her! Then we taught our new investigators that came to church! She just accepted the restoration, felt the peace of the Holy Ghost confirming to her that it was true.  We set a baptismal date for August 9th. It was so exciting and it felt so great!

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Tuesday we went on exchanges! I was with Hermana Palmer. She started her mission the same day as me but we have never served around each other.  It was fun to get to know her more! She is very quiet, but very nice. WE had fun time getting to know each other. Then we finally taught Yasmin! The goal with a recent convert is to continue with the lessons right after, but this was the first time we taught Yasmin since she was baptized! It was great to just finally have that time to help her and support her!

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Wednesday was good as always! I have been having a bunch of success on facebook! With lots of friend requests and new investigators. It is fun to be touching lots of people in a small amount of time, on a regular basis. Then in the evening we taught our Jewish investigator, Orlando. It is so interesting how they are so close to understanding and then with just a few things they have their stubbornness, just like us, and so it catches them up a little bit.  They are progressing little by little. Then we talked and taught their neighbor, that seems to have been taught before and we simply just talked about prayer and it really touched them. They felt recommitted to talk to their Heavenly father on a daily basis. It was cool it just be able to do that for them!

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On Thursday we did some community service. Every weekday they have a lunch for the seniors in town, so we volunteered to help at it! It was fun to just help serve and prepare the meals on wheels and just do some good old service. We taught our new investigator Carmen about the restoration. She liked it but a friend stopped by in the middle and her husband came home at the end so she got a little self conscious about it all.  We hope that she will continue to be open and learn. Then we taught the Hernandez family again. The one that wanted us to teach from the Bible. We came prepared to teach the plan of salvation using the Bible and the Book of Mormon.  It was great. She accepted the whole thing as truth, just from adding a few more scripture from the Bible. It was amazing.  She didn't have anything to question, because we used what she trusted, It was awesome! Then we taught the family whose father passed away and for whose funeral we went. We just shared a little message about the atonement and sang for them! They loved it and happily received our message. It was nice to be able to give them some extra spiritual strength. Then that night we taught English class, which is always fun and it was just a really good day - one that was very full and very good! 

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Friday morning we sang at a funeral for someone in the spanish branch. (Song included) It was lovely to be able to sing with the spirit for all of those in attendance. We taught a lesson to Yenn & Valente and they are doing good. They are still working on actually asking for an answer so that they can progress a little bit better.  We are hoping that they will remember to ask and receive an answer. Then we gave a house blessing to an awesome family. They were so welcoming and kind. It was an enjoyable experience. Even though we didn't agree on every little thing, it all came back to our Heavenly Father and his love and guidance for us!

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Then Saturday, the English Elders had a baptism! We gave the missionary moment about the plan of salvation while they were changing . We decided to sing I am A Child of God to end it and everyone LOVED. It was a great spiritual moment and everyone that was there from the ward were so impressed that we sang so well and especially together that I think they are looking forward to us singing in church! Then we went to good old Davis for a blitz with both of the woodland zones. It is nice to know my way around Davis! I actually went to an old complex I had been in a lot and recognized someone I had talked to before and even remembered his name. It was weird to realize that I knew this person but talked to him almost a year ago! Then we went with one of the young women to a lesson but got lost in the process and couldn't find where they lived. So we gave up. Then we went to a missionary farewell party. It was so weird to be a missionary and see someone else a few days from going on a mission and it was just so exciting and it was just so interesting. It was fun to celebrate this step in her life.

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On Sunday we heard her speak and Hermana Vance and I thought of those experiences she will have that we cant really explain, but will come and were excited for her. We also started teaching our less active's boyfriend so we are excited to see what comes with him.

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Anyway I love you all so much! I hope your week goes great! Les quiero!

-Hermana Cornwall

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16 June 2014

 Hola,

So this week I was really able to realize how much we are an answer to others. We met this man yesterday that just felt this tug from us when we waved at him and then when we came over to talk to him he was uplifted and filled with the peace that he needed. It is just amazing how as long as we are willing, the Lord is going to give us opportunities to serve and uplift. We all have that ability to give off those feelings depending on the power of our spirit! This week was a crazy, but amazing one and here it is!

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Last Monday we taught the Hernandez family. Every time we teach our investigators always grow because they have friends or family over and it is great. We started reading the Book of Mormon with them and it really is softening their heart.  The things we are saying are softening their heart. It is amazing how you can see people's minds start to change, little by little. So we are excited about them!

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Then on Tuesday we finally saw Gisselle and Cindy.  We set a baptismal date with Gisselle. Cindy is her less-active mother and really wants her to learn in order to know God more. Her baptismal date is August 2nd. It has been a while since I have had an investigator with a baptismal date.  It is just a pleasing feeling to actually be working toward the ultimate goal. We when on exchanges with Hermana Hamblin and Hermana Palmer! l I was only with Hermana Hamblin, but it was a great exchange. She is a good little new missionary. One thing Hermana Vance and I have been reflecting on a lot is how fast time goes and when we look at new missionaries it is amazing how we were there once and now we have only 5 months left! It is crazy! It is amazing how fast the time goes when you are doing good!

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Wednesday was a crazy day. In the morning we started off with a first lesson of a new investigator and after explaining a few principles she said it was all too confusing and she didn't want to learn anymore,.  It was kind of a bummer. Then we taught the Hernandez Family again and picked up a few new investigators. We just shared the Because of Him video and they LOVED it. That was great! Then I started to feel really anxious for some reason and I didn't know why! I got a blessing.  It was so weird to have this strong feeling of uneasiness with nothing wrong..With time it did go away.  It just made me so grateful for the priesthood and the ability it has to counsel us in need. It was so nice to have a companion that could lift me up and help me!

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Thursday was a very simple day because we did weekly planning.  We did teach a less-active sister and it went really well. She felt the Spirit.  It was a good, powerful and short lesson.Also we went to the funeral of the man we prayed over last week. It was interesting because it was very traditional and ritual like.  We were glad to be there for the family. The Bishop knew one of the daughters, so he came too.  We felt better with him there!

On Friday we had Elder Falabella, a member of the 1st quorum of 70 tour our mission and so we had a half mission conference! It was amazing how the general authorities come with so much power and authority. So a few tid-bits of the conference are these:  In August we are starting a new pilot. The language missionaries will have apps. on their ipads to help them study. They will be through video chats and many other things. It sounds cool so i am excited to see it! Elder Falabella started with the fact that we were going to have fun>, Missionary wirj could and should be fun. He talked about how we need to make habits now that will affect us for the future. The standards we have as missionaries are standards that we should keep, like good grooming.  The hope is that we are still well-groomed after our mission. He also focused on habits like studies and prayers and things that we do that should prepare us for our life after. One of his big concerns was that returned missionaries forget their missions the day they get home, rather than letting it be a part of them always! He told us that in order to baptize more we need to invite everyone in the house to learn from our message, to not just teach the mom or the child, but everyone. Then his second point was in order to retain converts we have to teach them to be missionaries. When they are involved with missionary work their testimony grows and they learn to be focused on their belief! A few weeks before our conference he asked us to study the missionary work of Alma the older, Alma the younger and the sons of Mosiah.   We discussed what we learned from those missionaries. It was a wonderful study, on my side at least. I learned so much more of what we can do as missionaries. He told us the best way to help the members and have them on our side is to love them, just love them. (Our response to that was giving out Father's Day cards it went over really well!). One quote he said, that I loved was that, "Satan is the master of complexity and the Lord is the master of simplicity". It is very profound as a missionary and simply as someone trying to follow the Lord! He told us to think out of the box because " if we do the same thing again and again, we will get the same results". He related setting goals to our Heavenly Father and how important it is for him to set goals, make plans and be committed and for us to do the same. He gave us 2 rules of missionary work, 1) never attend sacrament meeting without an investigator or less-active and rule 2). never miss sacrament meeting. I thought that was pretty clever and that we really do need to do it! He told us to have higher expectation than our mission president. Most importantly he taught us how we need to be Full-time missionaries, asking us if we are sharing the gospel in every moment and every situation? Are we doing as much as we can? It was a nice re-commitment to know how important it is to be all in! I made a whole list of what kind of missionary I am now going to be because of this conference (by direction of Elder Falabella). It was a wonderful opportunity to receive guidance and direction. I was sitting on the second row and he just kept looking at me straight in the eyes, I loved it! Just the power and love he has in those tender eyes! It is lovely! It was fantastic! Anyway I am so grateful for the organization of this Church. It just makes sense and works together so well!

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Later in the evening we taught a lesson to Sandra and her boyfriend. We finished talking about the Plan of Salvation and committed them to be baptized.  They were unsure about that, but it was a really good lesson!

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Saturday we had a service Blitz! It was really successful and we have service planned for this week and we are excited to help them! Then we had our Ward BBQ. It was really successful. Quite a few of our less-actives and investigators came. It was a nice little event. We even found some people to go and visit this next week. I am finally learning to mingle and talk to people at parties.  I am grateful I am learning that skill so it becomes a habit for the future.

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The real miracle on Sunday was that one of the less-actives at the party came to church on Sunday. It was so great to see her there!  I translated for church. Talks are so much harder than testimonies. One Sister read from a talk from Elder Nelson about the heart and I didn't know any of the words, I tried to make it work but it was a little rough. It is fun to translate, but a little discouraging too, but I like learning and at least trying it out. Then we had a good talk with the bishop about the future of the hispanics in the Ward. It was fun to picture it growing and progressing! It was a truly, lovely day and a fantastic end to a wonderful week!

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I like to Love being a missionary.  Sometimes it is hard, but I am working on loving it always, because when  I don't enjoy it then I won't be happy. Though it is hard, it is all worth it. It all has such good endings that I am just so grateful for all that it has done for me. I love you all so much!

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Les quiero,

Hermana Cornwall

 

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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02 June 2014

 Hola,

Well one transfer done and another started. Time is really flying! It is already june! It is just fun how it all goes along.

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So - Monday and Tuesday were a lot of just saying goodbye for Hermana Santiago to people in our ward and investigators and things. We had just the lovely opportunity to really give thanks for everything we had and everything we did! It was a crazy two transfers, yet in the end we knew we both needed it.

 

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On Wednesday morning we took the loveliest drive through Lake Berryessa and Saint Helina. It was just gorgeous! It was our last little adventure. It just had some wonderful little parts to it! Then, because of an STL meeting my companion had Hermana LemMon and I started our 24 hour adventure. It wasn't really an adventure, but it was fun for me and Hermana LemMon to be companions for a whole day. We haven't spent that much time together since the MTC.  It was really enjoyable. The best part of it was that we got to work in my old area in Davis. I got to see quite a few of my favorite people from the Woodland Branch. Then we went home to help Hermana LemMon get unpacked.

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We spent the day in Davis on Thursday! We didn't accomplish much.  I got to see a few people, less-actives and potentials that I had seen before and really have some good conversations with people about the Church. It is just a wonderful feeling to be there for other people at the right time and to say the right thing or to have the right frame of mind to help them. I also love how I get to plant seeds with people on like a daily basis!  One day they will be a strong plant all ready to go. My companion, Hermana Vance [STL] came back from Santa Rosa and we headed to Winters to start this transfer. SO my transfer started a little late.  It was great!

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The Elders were short on miles so we drove them to district meeting  There had been a construction accident with 2 deaths that the Elders had witnessed so we had to hang out a little while to wait for them.  It was good. We had district meeting, came back to Winters and planned and then went out and worked hard! (with story to come to be explained in a little bit)

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Saturday we worked hard again, which I think will be a theme for everyday this next transfer.  We taught an awesome lesson to one of our less-actives. Jose has had a lot of struggle.  He is finally having the desire to return to Church.  Little by little we know he will get there!
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Sunday we had 2 huge miracles. The first was that a random Hispanic guy walked into church on Sunday and it turns out that he is a member that just moved here.  Now we have an actual member that is native to Hispanic culture. He is coming to a lesson with us tonight and he is so awesome. Second miracle is that someone we talked to on Friday came to church too. His name is Eduardo. We woke him up on Friday night from resting after his long work day. He wasn't very interested, but my companion was being really pushy.  I was starting to get a little worried we were offending him. SO as sincerely as I could I told him that we were really just there to serve and help and that if he saw us again to stop us because we would love to do anything. He immediately just opened up and the conversation ended with him accepting an invitation to come to Sacrament and leaving behind a pamphlet. Then he actual came to church! It was great! That meant I had to translate. I did it. I translated all of Sacrament Meeting and it was great. Then he had to leave.  In the 3rd hour we helped with the lesson in Young Womens and then I played the piano in primary.  We were just jumping all over the place and it was great. I didn't play that well in Primary, but it was fun to be in there with the kids.

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Anyway it was a crazy, but amazing week. Going out and doing the work of the lord. Always learning and growing into the person who the Lord wants me to be. I am grateful for the strengths I have in order to benefit others and to help me in my purpose as a missionary.  Also, I am grateful for my weaknesses that give me something to look forward to. I know that there is a plan for us in this life.  We have the choice of whether we will stay the course or go off a little bit. I hope to continue to work hard in the course the Lord has given me and even though it is hard to show him that I can do what he has called me to do.

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I love you all so very much. I am grateful for the lives you lead that are an example and support for me. Sigan adelante! Los Quiero!

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-Hermana Cornwall