Week 7 - Wednesday, March 30th, 2011

Dear family, . So! this week has been intersting. I honestly can't remember anything that happened at the beginning of the week. We met people and talked to lots of people who weren't interested. (Don't worry they will be some day) So it's been a long week. And I got slightly frustrated with people and their lack of care. I wanted to call them all to repentance, but it's not how I'm supposed to do it, so I tried to think of things that I could do to make myself better so that I could get the work done and actually meet people who were interested but I ended up really frustrated and I didn't think I could do it. I knew I was the problem but I didn't know how to fix it. So yesterday, I finally told Sis. Cluff everything that was on my mind and how I didn't feel like I had the Spirit with me and I felt like a terrible missionary. We talked during companionship study and I got it all off my chest. After I felt slightly better. Later that day we actually met with one of our recent converts. He was having a terrible day and was having suicidal thoughts. In that instant I knew exactly what to say to him and I felt the spirit so strongly. I told him about my experience that morning and how because we were talking today he answered my prayers. We helped him call the Bishop for a meeting with a psychologist. He doesn't want to commit suicide, but he has thoughts and dreams about it because his friend committed suicide 5 years ago and he blames himself. Well because Sis. Cluff's dad is a psychologist he actually sent her a letter the Tuesday before that told her what to do in the situation of a person having suicidal thoughts. We were able to help him and he felt a lot better after we met. We know he will feel that way again so that's why he is meeting with the bishop tonight and he was given Sis. Cluff's dad's cell-number just in case. Heavenly Father has told us the worth of Every soul is great in the sight of God, and when people forget their worth or they want an escape from the pains of the world they look to suicide. But Suicide will not help. The same things they deal with in this life will follow them into the next. It doesn't matter if we have bodies or not. While we are here on earth we have a weapon, our bodies. Satan isn't happy with that so he will try any means for us to lose that weapon and he will tell us that death is an escape. Suicide is no escape. . Heavenly Father prepared us well and he helps build us all up through each other. Wards are our families and they are what keep us going. When we ignore others in our ward or when we judge others, that's when people leave and do things that they shouldn't. We should never judge anyone or be rude to anyone for any reason because we don't know how what we say affects them and we are supposed to be a family. Sometimes, the members have no one else but their ward family to build them up and make them stronger. As we do missionary work not only with non-members but also less-actives we are able to build a fire in ourselves to keep us going strong but we build others up and in return they build us up. . Now for the part that made yesterday the best day of my mission so far!!! . So after meeting with this man and making his day better and allowing the spirit back into his life and mine we went in search for less actives that we're supposed to meet. We couldn't get a hold of any of them so we went home for our dinner break and took a well-deserved, and long-awaited nap. We were exhausted. . After dinner we tried a few others without much success and then we went to the Schwarz. They are a less active family that pretty much is composed of a bunch of random family members plus kids who run away from abusive parents and who live on the street. They take all these kids in, with rules that they can't do drugs, smoke, or any other bad things while they live at that house. Many kids have continued to live there because they feel better there. Robbie (who's a girl) and her husband pretty much parent all these kids and last week they were all told that they had to get a job. All of them got jobs! Robbie is hillarious she is a beautician and she loves designing things in her house, so she gives us tips on house design stuff, hair care, and cheap things we can buy that are just as good or better, such as food. They also keep an aquarium of fish in their house and they all have their fish they've contributed in getting and pets that have been rescued from terrible situations. . So I met Socket, the one-eyed cat last night, I met a blind fish and I saw coral and an anenime eat last night. It was cool! They are an awesome family and Robbie is now one of my hero's. She's led a very hard life and so she doesn't judge anyone now, she will take these kids in who she doesn't know and she will care for them and love them, no matter what they've done. Well they're less active bc it's hard for her to get these rebellious kids to go to church (they sit in the foyer in their pj's sometimes just so she can get some of them to church) and because she doesn't want to give up her coffee or swearing and she doesn't like how people judge her because she has eccentric hair colors. BUT she told us as we were walking to our car that she's giving up coffee and swearing and she's planning on going through the Temple this year!!!! It's been her goal for a while, but because her sister gave up smoking to live with her they're working together to go to the Temple! I have never been so excited for someone I don't really know in all my life!!!! We ended up driving home listening to our favorite song and just full of joy! It was AWESOME!!! . As for the other investigators... we haven't seen Alex this week, we're waiting for Sara's mom to leave before we visit her but we send her texts every now and then. (oh yeah, we text, how strange is that) As for the Thomas's we haven't seen them this past week but we will see them on Thursday! Hopefully he sincerely prayed! That's about it on our investigators. We're working a lot with the less-actives in our ward. I don't know if you've heard of Pres. Monson's The Rescue, but it's pretty much each presidency in the ward picks 5 names of less-actives to work on and the goal is to get them to the Temple and to strengthan their families as well. So we've had lots of meetings with the presidencies, especially because 2/3 of the ward is less active. Only 1/3 attends church and less go to the ward activities. We're working on it. . Ok answers... I can't send pictures today bc I forgot the cord, sorry. :( As for my companion, Sis. Cluff, I love her. She is practically my sister, we're very similar and very goofy. :) Which of course I love. We're in charge of one ward and in fact we share it with two other sisters because there are so many less actives and so much work to do. . I'm sorry the girls are sick, tell them to feel better! As for Emmy, YEAH! I'm so glad she's finding friends. And Olivia(and her ladybugs)... I guess she had to have an obsession with something. But you're saying she isn't collecting paper dolls?! I'm shocked. ;) MTE stands for mission training experience? I have no idea. But Pres talks to two zones at once about whatever he feels we need to know. We have that every other month and then zone conferences on the other months. We haven't sung yet, we're singing in Spanish on April 10th.

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We can drive anywhere in our area. If we go out of the area we have to ask President first. Oh and we're allowed 1200 miles a month (we're under 1000 with 3 days left!) We don't serve at the Battalion but we can bring our investigators there, we've gone 3 times so far. I have the song memorized already. :) Last Tuesday we went to the Light House at Point Loma. It was really cool, I'll send pictures next week. Today we're going to have a relaxing day and we're going to have lunch with our district at Mission Bay, maybe we'll even play some Frisbee! ;) hahaha

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We eat pretty much anything. I've had squid and a few other random things so far. :p Don't worry mom I'm eating and most of it is healthy. :) haha

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Oh and because the floors in our shack are wood, we've resorted to using prayer pillows so our knees don't hurt. They're quite comfy! Oh and mom I made mint brownies last week! Every one loved them! Especially our "grandpa" Bro. Bronson who is continuously spoiling us. :)

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Well I love you all! Everything is going well here and the work will be increasing this week. Promise. Sorry for the long letter. And I promise to write your letters back soon. It's a little harder to write those but I should finish them today. Love you have a great week and keep up the missionary efforts!

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Love, Sister Davis