Aug 5

Hola Todos!

There really are always changes going on in the mission. This transfer Hna Allen and I got a new companion named Hna Watts.

She is straight from the MTC, but she was in the intermediate class so her Spanish is already excellent! She is from Utah and loves to rock climb, bike, and do yoga. (She was very excited to be in a bike area.) We also had a lot of changes happen in our district. Elder Ellsworth and Elder Winward went home :( but luckily everyone else got to stay with us here in San Fernando. We also added another area with a new companionship of Elders on bike. We now have 11 missionaries in our district! Elder Guevara is our new district leader, and he is absolutely AMAZING!!! He's also opening the new area in Mission Hills, and training a new missionary Elder Baker. Elder Bowman and Elder Lo'amanu are still together and Elder Bowman get's to finish training Elder Lo'amanu. Elder Linford is also training a new missionary. His name is Elder Gonzales, and he's from Provo, but was born in Argentina, and speaks perfect Spanish. It's amazing that every missionary in our district is either a trainer or in the 12 week program except for Hna Hansen and Hna Redondo, but they're Hna Training Leaders which is close enough. This is going to be an AWESOME transfer!

 

Last Monday we went to the cactus farm as a district, and played around with a bunch of really old stuff, looked at cactus, and took pictures.

Then we went to get frozen yogurt for our last day together as a district. After Preperation Day was over Hna Allen and I had something unheard of happen. We had a day in our planner that went exactly as we had planned it! We'd had 3 set appointments for the last 3 hours of the night, and all three appointments happened, and went really well. We taught the Plan of Salvation to C---a, taught the Restoration to V- and D-, and taught R- the Restoration. It was absolutely amazing!

Tuesday morning I had a meeting for all the trainers who would be receiving new missionaries, and then we had transfer meeting. It was exciting, and sad all at the same time to say hello to the new members of our district, and also to say goodbye to Elder Winward and Elder Ellsworth as well as several other missionaries who have been such good examples to me. It's hard to let go of them because they've been here since I came into the mission, and they taught me so much! The rest of that day was crazy with a welcome to the mission Menchies trip for most of the district, a couple of appointments together, and unpacking for Hna Watts. Since we didn't have a bike for Hna Allen I was able to borrow Elder Bowman's bike again, which was great.

Wednesday Hna Allen and I had a 6 week follow up meeting all day. Luckily Hna Watts was able to go with Hna Hansen and Hna Redondo and didn't have to come to an all day meeting on her first day. After the meeting we met with E-. He's still refusing to pray, and he's having some problems committing to do the things he knows he needs to do, but we'll keep working with him. I know that he wants to change his life, he just hasn't decided to actually do it yet.

Thursday we had a very crazy day. We started out with a little bit of studies, then had a cita with a menos activa who we've been trying to contact for weeks. Unfortunately we didn't have Elder Bowman's bike any more since we let one of the new elders borrow it, so we had to walk to our cita. The cita was interesting because she obviously still has a testimony, but her husband has no interest whatsoever in anything more than the Bible. It is so sad to me when people refuse to accept more words of God, or even pray to ask God it is His word. Then after we'd talked with her we went to buy a bike for Hna Watts. Then the rest of the day was weekly planning, cena with the D- family, and correlation.

Friday we actually had to spend most of the day finishing up weekly planning since we'd only had time for about an hour the day before. We did get to go see Andy though, and encourage him to read the Book of Mormon every day.

Saturday was a full day of appointments and contacting. That night was especially interesting because we had an appointment set up with the E- family, and had a member coming with us, but then they weren't home... We tried calling some of our potentials to go visit, but none of them were available so we just tried knocking a little bit on that street. For some reason we just had horrible luck for the entire hour that Hna Navarrete was with us. She went home after that and we decided to try a few more houses. Miracle of miracles we found 2 really good potential families, and three new investigators. One of the potentials was a man named P- who told us that he couldn't come to church the next day, but he was going to change his work schedule so that he could come the next week!

Sunday morning we went to pick up I- for church, and we were finally able to meet his mom. She couldn't come with us this week, but she said maybe next week, and sent I- and two of her grandchildren with us to church. It was so fun to have them, and we were able to teach the first lesson right before sacrament meeting. We were also able to set a baptismal date with I-, and he really seemed like he's ready to learn and progress! I was able to do music time for Primary, and it was so much fun to sing with them. It was a little rocky at first because I've never sung the primary songs in Spanish before and the rhythm’s a little different, but it turned out well.

I know that so many blessings come from the gospel, and especially from our obedience. The Lord wants to bless us, and when we keep his commandments he will bless us more than we could ever imagine. I have seen these blessings in my life and in others. I know that the Book of Mormon is true, and that Joseph Smith was a prophet. More than anything I know that God is my Heavenly Father and that He loves me, and each of you.

Love,

Hna Marin Hardy