Week 22

Hows everything?

Tuesday for p-day we were supposed to go to sister Kang's zone activity (shes in another zone) but we didn't get permission because they said that zones are only for the people in the zone. So we ended up playing volleyball in our gym with 4 other elders who were all planning on going to the other activity. We are the only sisters that the elders invite to do stuff haha, its fun, they are some cool guys. We spend a lot of time with Elder Quintero and Elder Francisco, we call it "our club" because we are pretty tight. Wednesday we didn't have coordination because our ward mission leader moved to Colorado this week. We got a new one but none of us know him so he is going to have a lot to learn as he was not originally someone that came out with the missionaries prior to this new calling. There are only a select few that are willing to randomly come out with us on lessons. One of the people was Hermana Seanez and this week she was released as a ward missionary and called as Relief Society president, basically that it a bad blow for us because she comes with us always and now she will be a lot busier. We currently don't have a single ward missionary called in our ward, I am a bit few up with the lack of concern they are showing for missionary work and the little help we are receiving from the ward. On the plus side, the work continues and we are extremely grateful for those that do sacrifice their time to come with us. Go on lessons with the missionaries, tell them when you are free and GO! haha. Just sayin.

So this Saturday we had Lorenzos baptism, he showed up all dressed up and it was really precious and it made me just want to hug him, but I resisted haha. Sunday was his and Ernesto's confirmation so that was really awesome. Our area is doing so well- I deff don't have any complaints about serving here in Covina- loveeee it. Lorenzo bikes for 40 minutes to get here to the church from his house- he is a champ, I love him. Please send me old ties, these guys are all coming to church dressed kinda sloppy so maybe some ties will motivate them to go buy white shirts!

So last night the funniest thing ever happened. We had a pass off lesson with the elders for Jesus (the bling ex-gangster guy, less active member) because they are going to be teaching him from now on because he is in their area but some reason we were teaching him. Anyways, so we were saying bye outside the house and Elder Fransisco farted and it was pretty funny and he was so embarrassed but Hermana Herrera was laughing soooo hard and pointing at him and being pretty harsh about it then we get in the car and she is still laughing then I go, "ew something stinks" and Hermana Herrera looks down and realizes that she sat in dog poop BAHAHA. Kharma gets you. I couldn't stop laughing because it really is true that what goes around comes around.

My companion and I are doing fine. Tomorrow we have exchanges, but they accidentally put Hermana Herrera and Kang together and they both can't drive so they need to fix it so I dunno who it will be with tomorrow or where. Last week I asked for permission to go to Little Mexico on Nov.1st for Sister Kangs last p-day adventure and the zone leaders called and told me that the zone leaders said I shouldn't be planning p-day so far in advance and shouldn't be so distracted. hahah, all these guys take their callings a little bit too seriously. I told him that was nice of them to be so concerned about my level of distraction but to let me know when they feel it's an appropriate time for me to ask for permission. Sooo dumb.

Overall we are teaching a lot and have some great progressing investigators that I love to death. I gotta go but I am good here in Cali, not enjoying the rain but the work continues! loveeee and miss you guys. Laura.

Week 21

Hows it going!? Well it has deff been an action packed week. Last P-day we spent at the mall the whole time, not too fun but I bought some AWESOME high heel brown boots that I am in love with, I put them on like every night and sometimes walk around my house in my skinny jeans and boots just to feel normal haha, I'm a loser. We had President interviews on Tuesday so that was nice to meet with him, sadly my companion and I had to have another interview with him later in the week to be able to work out some issues. Good news is that it really helped and we are doing really well now. This week we also had a ward sports activity and that was really fun, I was heading the ball the whole time so I had kind of a head ache afterwards haha, but I'm getting better at headers so that's awesome, in a skirt and everything. My arm movements have been kind of limited for while, for the past 2 months or so my arms and wrists have been super sore- still haven't figured out why but I was hoping to wait it out but its getting worse and it hurts me a lot to wash my hair or reach back for my backpack in the car etc, so I am thinking about going to the doctor, haven't decided yet though.

So this Sunday we had Ernesto's baptism and it was a really great service. He was sooo ready, he is already reading in Alma in the Book of Mormon and he has a great testimony. It was so great to be able to teach him. After the baptism we gave his sons tour and his one son David (24) is kind of an interesting guy and has a huge tattoo on his arm that says 'Born to Hustle'... haha they are our new investigators but he is pretty into his way of life so we'll see how it goes. We are teaching 2 new wonderful families, Alexi and Oscar are a cute little couple from Guatemala, Oscar is actually already a member but he is inactive and now his wife is super interested and he is coming back. She recently miscarried her first baby and she has been really emotional about it, made me pretty sad so I can't imagine how she feels. In church on Sunday I told her she will get to meet her baby and she was crying happy tears for like 5 minutes, it was kind of a precious moment. The other family is Cesra and Elia, also a younger couple with a 5 month old baby Amy. They are super cool and its great to have such cool new investigators, they love us and its so fun to hang out with them. Yesterday we had mission tour and Elder Bowan and his wife came and we had like a 4 hour meeting that was really cool, we talked all about the house of Israel and the Abrahamic covenant and stuff so it was really interesting. Those are some of my favorite topics so it was awesome. This week I locked us out of the house but managed to climb through a broken fence and get into our house. It was actually pretty hilarious because I was stuck between these two planks for wood cuz I got my upper body through but my big butt was not getting through but somehow I made it through and saved the day! haha. Hermana Herrera and I were laughing so hard and we were so sad we didn't have a camera. This week this less active member, Manuela Silva, did a beauty session with us and washed our hair in tomatillo and did avocado masks, it was pretty fun, that explains the pics with the towels on our heads. Overall its been a good week, we had awesome numbers again, I am veryyyy pleased with our success. I love this work and love the mission, its challenging in so many different ways, but I am learning so much and know that this is where I'm supposed to be. Love and miss you guys, see you in less than a year! Hugs and kisses. Laura.

Week 20

Hey,

How is everything? Just skimmed the emails and it looked like everyone is doing good.

So we had another successful week. Our numbers were actually better than last week so I was pretty stoked because our district leader is pretty animated so he is quick to give praise, which was nice to hear after a rather challenging week. Its not that the numbers matter to me so much, its that the numbers are a pretty good indicator of what you were able to get done that week, so its nice to know you used our time wisely and had success. We had 2 tours and 3 new investigators- the sndard of excellence is to have 2 tours a week so I was happy that it worked out. Tour is so tough, people are so slow to get to the church and they arent investigators till we get them there, so its an interesting challenge.

This week I randomly felt impressed to call Edgar, whom we had dropped a few months ago and he came to church on Sunday and said that he needs to come back and stuff so that was super cool, I was so extremely excited to see him cuz he is one of my favorites. This Sunday our investigator Ernesto is getting baptized and he is soooo awesome/ready. He is in 2nd Nephi and loving the book of mormon and came to all the conference sessions- soo legit. Lorenzo is also ready to get baptized but he needs to stop working Sunday afternoons... we are praying that he will find another job. We visit Alejandra a lot and trying to get her to make more friends in YW and attend the tough activities, she is kind of shy so its a little hard for her but she is wonderful and has her heart set on serving a mission, wowww, she keeps asking me about it, all random questions that she wants to know, its cute.

This Wednesday we have interviews with President Pike, they are emphasizing that the interviews should only be 10 minutes long so itll be short but he is a very gentle insightful man so itll be nice to talk to him.

Next Monday or Tuesday we have something called mission tour where we have a guest speaker come but Im not sure which day it will be so you might not hear from me till Tuesday, just a heads up. That should be fun, hoping Ill see Sister Kang as I miss her. I am trying to plan to go back down to Little Mexico for p-day on her last pday (Nov.1st) but the zone leaders are being slow at giving persmission so we'll see what they eventually decide.. bleh.

This morning I dyed all my clothes red. Everything that was once white is now red. And my clothes that I dyed blue in the MTC are now purple... haha. yikes. Are they still good if they arent white!? lol, hope so. Well I gotta goooo but I love and miss you guys tons! I hope everything is going great and that you are taking care and being good! Besosss, Laura.

Week 19

Hey you guys!

Well its deff been an action packed week for me. Monday was transfers where I met Hermana Herrera. First impression- I was just shocked at how much stuff she had haha, our car almost didn't have enough room for all her stuff (I'm thinking that is directly related to her fascination with shopping). Tuesday we taught mutual- not because I wanted to but because Hermana Kang agreed to it before she left haha, needless to say, when I saw her at conference this weekend I told her she was in my bad books for signing me up for something I didn't want to do haha. Thursday we had district meeting and it was extremely boring. Our zone got split in half so the district leader that corrected my Spanish that one day is now our zone leader and still in my district. Elder Kidd went home last transfer and he was my homie (even though he took his jokes a bit too far sometimes about how sister missionaries are a waste of space- he would always tell us to go home and find a husband and feed him nachos while he watches football- obviously I feel bad for his future wife). He made our district more fun so that was kind of depressing that he left. On Friday we told our investigator Lorenzo that he needs to quit his job and find a new one haha (cuz he works on Sundays), those are lessons that always make me nervous. We have some super awesome investigators right now though so it's so fun teaching them. Saturday and Sunday was conference which was really good. I watched it in English in a room with all the missionaries on Saturday, I prefer to watch it in English but that room was crazyness so it was pretty distracting. There is a certain sister that loves the elders attention and the whole time she would not shut up, so Sunday I watched it in Spanish to escape that shiz and cuz we had investigators that came so yeah- it was great. Last night we reported our numbers for the week and our district leader was like, "wow! you guys did so good! you taught 4 times as many lessons as the zone leaders." I was happy cuz its been a super stressful week for me. I'm fine, I like being senior and already feel used to it, but it's been stressful as I feel a lot of pressure . So life is good here. I am a lot more focused on the mission and feeling good about being here and the work and progress in the area (yes- still in Covina).. BESOS. Laura.