4.25.2011

Week 48

Hellllllllllllllllllllo. Happy Easter ! So transfer calls came anddddddddddd............. I am here in Covina for transfer #9 and I am training, yay! I was 99% sure that was going to happen but its nice now that its solid. So its been crazy and this week is going to be even more loca. So today I am with Sister Kunz as she is also training and her comp also left. We are having a good time. Last week I had another intercambio with Sister Kimball and we had a blast, like the day just FLEW by and we figured out that we are basically the same person, I reallllly like her. Saw all the sisters at the office this morning because its a good central meeting point- and thats where I went to drop off Sister Clawson, I am excited for her, she has mixed feelings about going home but less that she will miss the mission and more because she is nervous about what happens next- which is an understandable fear. Pretty sure I will be so excited to see my loved ones that I will have no hesitations! haha, who knows though. So pday with Kunz today and am with her till tomorrow at 2:30 when I get my new comp then Wednesday from 9-3 is new missionary orientation then Friday we get to leave the mission to meet with LA mission to see L. Tom Perry speak, ITS GUNNA BE AWESOME. I am really excited about that, one because it will be a spiritual kick in the pants (or skirt given my current circumstances) and two because it will be cool to leave the mission! Then Saturday we are doing Mormon helping hands which should be really fun- nothing like cleaning up ppl's trash in a park with bright yellow vests on haha. I am really excited to train- I thought I would be nervous but Im really not. I deff need to step up my game a little but Ive got it under control. We are gunna do workkkkk and baptize- love it.

Claudia got robbed that same week she paid tithing and since then has really gone cold. It is very sad as she paid her tithing and that same week she got everything stolen from her car- gps, ipod, $300, wallet etc... not really what I had in mind when I promised that she would protected and blessed... urrr hah, but life happens, satan really works against people when they are doing good. Sad about that. Juanita just cant get to church gaaaaaaaaaaa. Feeling ready for new investigators. Melanie is my fav investigator, she is smart, 16 and her questions are the best. She is pretty outraged that women cant have the priesthood haha but she is really cool. Little worried that she spends more time picking out her outfits for church than she does reading her book of mormon haha, but its all good. We need new investigators- my trainee is about to find out what it means to knock doors and talk to everyone hahaha.

Today I am going to get my blood taken to run it again for lupus to see if the results vary... Ill keep you posted.

Love and miss you guys. HUGS AND KISSES. give referals to the missionaries- if you cant think of anyone then you need to go make friends!!!!! Love Laura.

4.20.2011

Week 47

Hellllloooo,
Just got back from the temple... I just love it there. It was great. The Santa Monica temple is really cool because you are changing rooms the whole time- soooo pretty, the temple is my favorite placeee in the world!!!!!

This week we spent a bunch of time trying to fix our brakes on our car. Ended up at the office and Elder Hansen (senior missionary) and I ended up taking off the front two tires, checking the brake pads and the ridges in the rotors- he taught me how to check/change the air filter... all sorts of fun things haha, I felt hardcore naturally. Didnt end up finding the solution- went to pep boys, said we had wharped rotors- which was causing the crazy squeaky grinding noise... got the car back and 2 days later it was making a different mysterious noise- took it back to pep boys, they called us 2 hours later said they drove it and didnt hear anything- picked it up- still making crazy noises baaaaaa haha. Ive always wanted a car but now I am starting to think they are more hassle than I realized. Maybe Ill hold off on that purchase and buy a sweet bicycle.

This weekend is going to pass by so fast- today is pday, tomorrow we have intercambios- sister kimball is coming here with me to covina again- should be fun she is a good hardworking missionary. Saturday is transfer calls- dun dun dunnnnnn the moment of truth! Im nervous even though Im pretty sure I know what will happen. Ill be very excited to train if president doesnt change his mind at the last minute. Who knows!? Sunday Ill be with other sisters from 5-9 cuz my comp has her farewell thing in Arcadia that they do for all the departing missionaries then Monday will depend on whether or not I train as to what happens. If I do then the trainees get here on Tuesday so I would spend the day with other sisters and if I dont then it will be off to wherever I get called. Wow- Im ready for a change haha. Sister Clawson and I are getting along really well.

4.11.2011

Week 46

Just sent some random photos- realized most of them were of me by myself haha, I promise I have friends, I suppose I am just super vain and dont like to share the spotlight! haha. Life here is locaaaa, everything is going good. Claudia Cardona paid her tithing this week, she got a check she wasnt expecting and we had just taught tithing and she thought it would be a good way to show her gratitude to God for the unexpected surprise- she is very very cool. Their family are our only progressing investigators right now and it is such a task to get through a lesson with them. Juanita is flaking, superrr not cool, she has canceled multiple appointments so we dont know whats going on with her despite our efforts to see her and get her back on track. We gave a tour to this old guy this week, we thought he was golden because he went to check out the temple but was so mad when they didnt let him go in so he wanted to meet with missionaries to find out how he could enter... found out he is a photographer and wanted to see inside to take pics.. not that he was actually interested in the religion. This week we were able to have a really fun FHE with Karla and her kids and her brother's kids and it was super fun, its so awesome that Karla is being so strong wanting to come back to church and she is setting a good example for her brother who, although he hasnt come to church yet, is slowly coming around.
I am playing soccer in the mornings, haha ok not really playing soccer since really its just me running up and down the parking lot with a soccer ball but I have changed my eating habits and exercising hardcore, you should see the fridge- everything is green! Im on a serious health obsession right now and I am really liking it- hopefully it sticks! I will weigh 115 by the time I come home, thats the goal. This morning was especially awesome cuz 2 Mexican guys came and juggled the ball with me and it made me feel super legit and Latina for those 5 minutes haha. My Spanish is coming along I suppose, my vocab has expanded significantly so its really cool. The members always say to the missionaries if they want to speak Spanish better they need to eat more spicy food... haha just so you know Sam- that is a myth!!!! I am so excited for you as you go to the temple this week. Pray before you go. How are you feeling as your mission date slowly gets closer? Youll be awesome, I have no doubts.
Everything here is good, I am feeling a lot more positive this week, there will always be moments of frustration in life but its how you deal with it that counts- I guess venting to you guys about my companion issues is not really the best way to live according to that little nugget of wisdom, but hey, we are only human haha. Sister Clawson and I had a good week, I gave myself an attitude check and all is now is ship shape. President wrote me an email today that was really nice, telling me to help my companion finish strong etc. It was cool, he knows what all his missionaries are like I have noticed.
This morning a member took us to a really awesome bakery called Portos Bakery... oh my goodness, it was the bomb, it was in Glendale and I am stuffffffed and it was delicious, Ill take you guys one day.

p.s. next week p-day is Wednesday because that day we are going to the temple- hoooooray! So dont expect an email on Monday! hugs and kisses

4.04.2011

Week 45

This week was fabulous. We moved, that was a big event so we lost a lot of time but it is sooooo nice to be in our new apartment, I am still getting used to it. I loveeee it, they did everything new and its so nice not to live with a member. Did I mention that we are Cesar and Elia's neighbors (former investigators), even though we are no longer teaching them- they are my very favorite people and last night they called us at 9 and said to stop by their door before ending the day because they had bought us burgers and fries haha, they love us and we love them. Elia took us to swap meet today, which was fun but I controlled myself and didnt buy anything- yay! So the new apartment is awesome, I was gunna email pix but I forgot to charge my camera and it is dead- next week!

Another highlight of this week- GENERAL CONFERENCE! Oh my goodness I just loved it!!!! So many awesome talks, I loved them talking about the importance of women and wives haha of course, I also loved the emphasis on the fact that our trials are for our good and the importance of the Atonement. I loved the tree analogy where the gardener chops the tree because I feel like that accurately summarizes my mission- I am the tree and Heavenly Father is just chopping me down haha- but its for my good so Im happy about it. We had 5 investigators come to conference- lower than our goal but they all lovedddd it.

Juanitas boss didnt give her Sundays off but said that every second or third Sunday she could leave early so not really sure what we are going to do about that since she is super ready to get baptized and just has that standing in her way. The Cardonas are progressing slowly but surely. We need new investigators!!!

Let me quickly express my love and gratitude for my wonderful family, I know that these things are not coincidence and that Heavenly Father put us 6 together for a reason (sometimes that reason may seem harder to see than others haha). I have been so blessed for being a part of the Christian family, I would not trade it for anything. I love this gospel, I am so happy to know that we can be together forever, the church is so true, the spirit witnesses that to me on a daily basis, it is just one of the reasons I am so glad that I decided to serve a mission. Dont forget the basics- daily prayer and scripture study are so emphasized because they are that important- what a difference it makes- I would know.