I am either doing something wrong, or white washing is going really well. The ward has been so great and supportive. Within 10 minutes of getting into the area we had the ward leaders calling us and welcoming us and asking if we needed anything. The members know most of our investigators and have been taking us to meet them for the first time. It was kind of a slow start but we are getting the hang of how things work around here. I love the area already and I can tell that it has great potential. I am so excited to find those prepared people and baptize all of them!
Ok, you people have not seen a daddy long leg until you have seen the ones in our apartment. No, not around the complex but IN our apartment. I wish I was exaggerating when I say this but they are literally as big or bigger than my hands. I will try and take a picture to show you. It is gnarly and I hate it. We have found SO many spiders. I have literally been praying to Heavenly Father that he will keep them out of my bed at least and so far I haven't seen any in my room...yet. I am so glad He cares about our little requests. They are just reminders to me about how much he really does love us.
So I am now in Thousand Oaks, and so far I love it! We are the first sisters in the area at least in the last 20 years, if ever. So we are getting so much attention from the ward and they are so excited to have us! Sorry Elders! The wards love you but for some reason they love the sisters more. We are just hoping and praying that we can live up to their expectations.
And yes, we are in the same apartment that the Elders were in. All of the people who hear that ask what the conditions of the apartment are. Well, aside from the spiders it wasn't too bad. The apartment itself is kind of nasty but I don't think that was all the Elder's fault haha.
Oh! My new companion's name is Sister Woodland. Yeah, so funny! We get so many comments on it every day. It is funny to see how people react when we introduce ourselves. Also cool story, Sister Woodland was Sister Hiapo's MTC companion. She was sent home a couple days into the MTC because she sprained her ankle. She had to wait 6 weeks to come back out but she is here now! Here is what I am thinking. I think that her and Sister Hiapo both needed my to be their trainer and Goleta needed Sister Hiapo, so He sent Sister Woodland home until I was available to train her here in T.O. I am going to say that is what happened. I can't lie, I was a little bit nervous to be training her in the beginning. She and Sister Hiapo had some issues, so I heard many stories and I knew that I would be training Sister Woodland from the middle of last transfer. At the training meeting though the Training Sisters committed us to love our companions and to do our best at showing them our love.
The Lord has blessed me so much. He has helped me to forget any stories that I heard about Sister Woodland and love her for who she is and not what I had imagined her to be. We get along so well and I see no issues with her. I know this is because I have been trying to keep the commitment the Sisters gave us and the Lord has helped me every minute. I account every night to Heavenly Father how I have shown her my love and what I have done to help her feel like a good missionary.
Anyway, the area is great! There are a lot of wealthy people here, but so far people have been really nice! And mom! Guess what! Joanne Kelley's (Kelly?) brother is our ward mission leader! Sweet! And the Favero's friend was in our ward yesterday.
Oh, speaking of church. I gave a talk yesterday. Yeah, I wasn't in the area more than 20 minutes before the 2nd counselor called us and asked me to speak. Cool. But the story gets better. Remember how last time I spoke I spoke with a return missionary at his homecoming? Well, This time I spoke with Mr. Popular at his farewell. He is the top jock at the school and valedictorian. So, yeah. I was nervous at first but the great thing about being a missionary is that you are used to teaching people. So I hardly needed my notes and I don't think I said the word "um" the whole time. My goal since being out here is to stop saying that. I really don't like that word.
Anyway, I need to get going now. Hope you all have a great week! Love and miss you! Don't forget about me!
No comments:
Post a Comment