tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29848836943193167642024-03-13T04:01:50.635-07:00LIFE AS A SISTER MISSIONARYCourtney Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11908401456240498893noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984883694319316764.post-1431959861979150762017-08-23T15:56:00.000-07:002017-08-23T15:56:17.097-07:00The end of 18 months, The beginning of the journey<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Well it's the end of the journey here, I've been out 18 months, and I'm coming home soon. I can't believe it. How time flies. There are so many things I wish I would have done, so many things I wish I wouldn't have done, so many things I wish I would have become. But regardless, I'm glad I'm not who I used to be. Serving a mission is one of the most refining times of anyone's lives. I am so grateful, and will be forever, for this experience of a mission. You can read back on my other posts and see, yeah it's been so hard and so trying for me, but the hardest workouts, give you the strongest muscles. I can't believe my journey of being a missionary for the Lord full time for 18 months is now coming to a close. Though time has flown, it has gone slow, but there has been so many things happening this past year and a half that I would have never imagined to happen in my life. I have grown so much, I have changed, but I am still myself. That's probably going to be the weirdest thing going home, I'm a new better me, but I'm still me, my family and friends are new and changed, but they are still themselves. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Coming home is going to be hard, because you've lived such a strict and exact lifestyle for so long. I know I will struggle, but I will be grateful to be normal again. A cool experience I want to share. So about 2 weeks ago, I was praying one night "Heavenly Father, it would be really nice if I had sister missionaries to come back home to." But I knew that probably wouldn't happen, we've had elders in our branch for a long time. So 2 days later we had a member in my ward send a picture to my parents. My mom replied to him and told him "Will you let Courtney know we just got sisters put back in our branch?" I started crying, I was so happy! We haven't had sister missionaries for at least like 6 years, maybe more. And the sisters were taken out of our branch just before I started to grow up and want to go on a mission, so I never was really able to go out with the missionaries, since they were elders. God knew exactly what I needed and wanted to show me his love for him, by giving my branch Sister Missionaries!! I gave the greatest prayer of thanks that night possibly more than I ever have to my Heavenly Father, I just prayed for that! And God came through, he blessed me with my needs. And I know so many other people at home need these sisters too. I am so grateful to know God is always aware of us, and really does love us!!</span> </div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DlFCrFeRa_c/WZ4Fu2WpAtI/AAAAAAAAAog/1UXxG8v7J5AJooBrGc5_52yS8Ios3hV7ACLcBGAs/s1600/DSCN5175%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DlFCrFeRa_c/WZ4Fu2WpAtI/AAAAAAAAAog/1UXxG8v7J5AJooBrGc5_52yS8Ios3hV7ACLcBGAs/s640/DSCN5175%255B1%255D.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Serving a mission tests your love, faith, hope, and endurance. And through testing these things, if you let it, helps those things become stronger. I have learned to have so much hope and faith, faith that my Savior is here for his missionaries, hope that we can follow what he is telling us, hope that those that we teach and talk to every day might one day listen to what we have to say. I've grown lots of endurance. I've been really tested to see if I will endure the trials of my life. Though I don't always respond maybe as I should, I know as I have grown with my faith to know that these are the things my Heavenly Father wants me to be doing, so having the faith that I can endure these things, even when they hurt. You don't stop in the middle of a mile long race because you're burnt out, you can't stop, you have to at least get to wear you can cross that finish line, and at the end, you're stronger because you kept going, stronger than those who stopped along the way because it was too hard. I'm so grateful I never fully gave up. I'm grateful I never gave into the adversary telling me it's too hard, and I can't do it. I'm grateful I learned to thank God for my challenges. Because there's no comfort in the growth zone, and no growth in the comfort zone. I've grown so much love. I never knew I could love so many strangers. So many people who were recently strangers to me, or who still may be, I have been blessed to be able to see them through the Saviors eyes. When you see people how our Savior sees them, it is the coolest experience ever. You see them as a child of God, who has as great of a relationship to our Father as you do, though they may not be strengthened in theirs right now. They have a life, a family, a God, a purpose. When you love others, you forget about the bad around you.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">I have made so many new friends, missionaries, members in the wards I've served, investigators, or just people in my areas in general, sometimes complete strangers, and my companions. I've made so many lifelong memories and had so many life changing experiences. I've grown to love California and come to know as it in some part as home. As I end my mission, it's going to be like leaving home to go home. I am so excited to go home and be with my family again. I am grateful for my family and all the love and support they have given me throughout my mission. I couldn't have done it without them. I'm excited to share my experiences with friends and family. Leaving is a strange experience, but at least this time, I get actually keep in touch with people a little better. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">I know God sent me on a mission to be the instrument in his hands to help people to find the gospel and to bless and change their lives forever.<span> </span></span><u style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">But I know God sent me on a mission to help me fully find the gospel, and to bless and change my life forever</u><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">. The biggest thing I have learned on my mission is that our Savior lives, and he loves us, and he did suffer for our sins. We can be forgiven, we just have to let him heal us. I have learned how to let him heal, and how to let him accomplish his will in our lives. I am so grateful for my Savior and all the love he has shown me. I am so grateful for his mercy, because I have not always been the greatest or most diligent or most caring loving missionary, sister, daughter, or friend.</span></div>
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Let the gospel change you. I promise you will never regret it. I'm so glad I let it at least a little bit help change me. Never forget who we are, sons and daughters of God.</div>
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Coming home is going to be the happiest experience of my life, yet such a sad experience, leaving behind those I have come to love. But this is how it shall be, and I am grateful. Always remember, God is good.</div>
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<br />Courtney Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11908401456240498893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984883694319316764.post-43954059244164799092016-12-16T22:13:00.001-08:002016-12-16T22:13:57.644-08:00Why a mission?Well it's been about 10 months now on a mission... it's been a while since I've had anything posted on my blog, or have even told much about my mission life at all. But I've been feeling lately like I need to share some things and open up about my hardships and some things that I have learned. So I'm sorry if this all is not what you'd like to hear or if you think I'm being negative and a wimp but I want to be real with you about my mission experience thus far, and maybe I can help some people out who are struggling as well. I'll try to have a positive vibe.<br />
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So... the mission... One of the biggest questions I've gotten on the mission, especially in my first 6 months was: "Is the mission like what you expected?" And let me tell you, I didn't really have any expectations, I wasn't really sure what it would be like, I mean I spent lots of time with missionaries before, I thought I was ready, but didn't know what to expect... But it definitely isn't anything like I could have thought it would be if I were to have expectations, it didn't meet any of them. And you may ask me why, what is different, what is it like then? Or "well what the heck did you think it would be like then?" But I don't really have too much of a solid answer for you on that one. All I know is that none of you returned missionaries fully explained how hard missions are! Which I see now is probably a good thing so sorry if I ruined it for anyone by telling you these things... But all I can say is I will never ever regret coming on a mission. So, I would never do this again although if anyone would have explained how hard it is I may not ever come but I will always be glad I went on a mission.<br />
So now you may be asking "well, why is a mission so hard for you Sister Day?" Because we all know current or returned missionaries who just love or loved their missions so much who had the best 18-24 months of their lives and don't care as much about all their hardships because "they were all worth it." Well let me clarify, I don't hate the mission, nor do I hate being a missionary. But if you were to ask me if I loved being on a mission, I could not truthfully say yes, or even say I love being a missionary. I'm sorry for the negativity, but I just have to be honest, I will try to explain this all the best I can...<br />
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I've had a hard Mission so far not really because of hard circumstances, or hard companions or anything bad happening to me per se, but mainly because of my attitude and my stubborn unwillingness to submit my will to the Lord. I mean yes I know, missions are definitely hard, for everyone. But there are those who make it harder and more miserable than it could be... But yes everyone has hard times on their mission and anyone who tells you they didn't is lying. You have to wake up every day, follow a strict schedule, follow a strict set of rules, and not get much free time or time to rest. That in itself is hard, some days you just don't want to, but you have to. And then you have to spend your entire day, from roughly 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. with breaks for meals, finding something to do the fulfills this purpose: "to invite others to come to Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and his Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end." So all day, every day, we are trying to find people to talk to, to teach and help feel the spirit. Of course yes, I do agree, what a cool calling this is! To be on the Lord's errand 24 - 7 for a year-and-a-half is super cool but after awhile, it kind of wears on you, because being a servant of the Lord doesn't come without the persecution in the reviling and the works of Satan trying to stop us. And yes we get persecuted, we had that terrible "Mormon missionary" stigma to us, no matter what kind of missionary you are. And then the people who truly know you, members, family, all expect and hope you to be perfect and obedient and strong, and positive. Especially our local leaders where we are serving. The pressure is always on. As the Lord's servant we are held to a higher standard. Through all this, just trying to help people, touch <u>someone's</u> heart, while trying to stay sane.<br />
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Through all my heartache on my mission, I think the biggest thing God has taught me through all of this is just: that life is full of trials, we are ALWAYS going to have trials. Most importantly he wants us to use him to get through them. And all he really wants, at least I think, is that he just wants you to be stronger and have unshaken faith. Which I don't think you can have unless your faith is truly tried. We can't appreciate the good without traveling through the hardest of times. Truly, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. And that's what I'm finally starting to realize. There is a poem common among missionaries that writes out my thoughts perfectly it's called quote highs and lows:<br />
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<i>A mission is a strange experience<br /> It is a trial and a test.<br /> A mission throws at you the worst<br /> Yet, teaches you the best.<br /> I've never been so happy,<br /> I've never been so depressed.<br /> I've never felt so forsaken,<br /> I've never felt so blessed.<br /> I've never been so confused,<br /> Things have never been so clear.<br /> I've never felt my Heavenly Father so distant,<br /> He's never been so near.<br /> I've never been so discouraged,<br /> I've never been so full of hope.<br /> I feel I could go on for forever,<br /> I think I've come to the end of my rope.<br /> I've never had it quite so easy,<br /> I've never had it quite so tough.<br /> Things have never been so smooth,<br /> Things have never been so rough.<br /> I've never traveled through more valleys,<br /> I've never ascended more peaks.<br /> I've never met so many nice people.<br /> I've never met so many freaks!<br /> I've never had so many ups,<br /> I've never had so many downs.<br /> I've never worn so many smiles,<br /> I've never had so many frowns.<br /> I've never been so lonely,<br /> I've never had so many friends.<br /> BOY, I hope this is over soon,<br /> GOSH, I hope this never ends.</i></div>
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The first time I heard this poem I cried because it is so true and accurate I mostly just agreed with the "lows." But then I have realized yes there are <u>so</u> many of those lows on a mission, but it's true there are those "highs" and I have to keep that in mind. And this is why I will never regret coming on a mission because I have learned and rejoiced so much more than anything else I could have done in this life. For example, I've had the privilege of being a part of three people's conversions and to go all the way up to their baptism by the priesthood authority of God in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. These people who were once strangers to me became some of my most loved friends. I've been able to see so many other lives change as well through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As missionaries we get a front-row seat into seeing people's lives change, we see lots of the hard and then the joy. How sweet is our calling!<br />
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Through all of the great and through all the hard, I have learned what I feel is the true purpose of the mission. I mission is the time to be the most selfless you can be. But it's also time God is really focusing on and improving you. I think one of the biggest reasons God wants young 18 to 20 year olds to go on missions is to improve and strengthen them through focusing on anyone but themselves. God sends us out here to try to help others come closer to him and decide other people's lives while he sneakily just as equally is improving and helping the missionary. God really COULD do this work all on his own. He honestly could, he technically doesn't need us. He can touch the heart at any time with the people he had chosen to be a part of the Kingdom. He can touch people by a visit to the temple, TV spot, a book from a friend, any of the ways people can be touched by God doesn't require missionaries. But he uses us. He requests us. He wants us. Because not only does he want us to go out and save his sons and daughters, but he wants us to be strong, faithful, and undaunted, he wants us to push harder than we ever have, so that we can grow more than we ever have. We study the scriptures, words of the prophets and things of God-every day. We teach by, think by, and feel by God's spirit. Every day. How could we not grow closer to our Heavenly Father by doing this?<br />
And if we follow God and become more Christlike, won't that just entirely improve us as people? Obviously we don't become PERFECT through a mission. But I guarantee you every missionary who comes home will be at least a little closer to God and little better as a person. We learn that Christ is real, and that he suffered for us. We have first hand experiences every day. This is one of the greatest things in life any person can ever come to know. This life - A said in the book of Mormon in Alma 34 vs 32: "this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men do perform their labors." God needs brave sons and daughters. He holds our feet to the fire because that's how you make steel. We are being properly trained and taught in the gospel to prepare the world for the second coming of the Savior, and to prepare OURSELVES for the Savior.<br />
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So yes, some of my hardest and most depressing darkest moments of my life have been on my mission. I've had a hard mission and through most of it haven't wanted to be here. And I missed my family more than you could imagine. Being away from your family, who are your best friends, missing a year and a half of your lives... But I know God is testing me to see if I will be faithful to him in tribulation (read Doctrine and Covenants 122:7-9). I know God is forming me into the person he needs me to be, and that comes with "growing pains". <br />
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So I am so honored to be a full time serving to the Lord, I'm grateful to spend this time focused on him and my fellow brothers and sisters. I know that our Savior suffered for us, the heartache, sins, sadness, pain - everything for us. Look to him. His gospel Works. Use it, you will never regret it. I know missions work. I first came on and a mission because I wanted to help people, I wanted to share the gospel and help people. Because I know how much it has changed, helped and blessed me, and my family. I had seen so many people's lives change because of the Gospel. I wanted to do it full time, for so many more people. And some days, when you knock on 5 million doors and nobody answers, or you get yelled at through a door, or yelled at out of a car driving by or when people are just mean to you, and you feel like you haven't helped a single person that day... Those days I only stay for God. I am still here because I love and want to serve God. At least I'm trying. So you people who are not members of our church, have mercy on the "Mormon missionaries". Imagine if you thought you had the greatest cookie in the world, no cookie can compare. Wouldn't you want to go and share that? Give that recipe to everyone you know so that they can enjoy those amazing cookies? That's what missionaries are trying to do. We are trying to show unique message that can change and bless your life. We're not just "trying to get ya". Hear what they have to say, invite them in your home. Be their friends, even if your "good in your religion" at least hear what they have to share and help them. Members of the church, help and love the missionaries. We need you. Introduce them to your friends, family, feed them, help them, listen to them. We aren't perfect. God's work isn't for the missionaries. Be a member missionary. You make a difference. Serve your God. You won't regret it. God is good. Matthew 28:19 -20. Matthew 16:24. <br />
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--Sister Day :-)Courtney Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11908401456240498893noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984883694319316764.post-34868409057055004002016-07-05T15:55:00.000-07:002016-07-05T15:55:23.352-07:00A testimony<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
I have seen SO many changes in myself. I am so glad I came on a mission, no matter how much I want to go home. I realized I didn't just come out here to only help people. I now realized why everyone says boys need to go on a mission to grow up. Because I have learned so much mentally and spiritually, I couldn't even afford NOT going on a mission. My mind has been changed and I realize so many more things now. I appreciate the importance of the gospel, and I am growing so much myself. I am learning how to need to work hard, because I was such a princess at home. Still am... haha, but I'm realizing why God put us on this earth. I can't believe I almost didn't come on a mission. I highly suggest a mission for every young adult... including girls! Especially with this age change, I promise no girl would regret going on a mission. You learn so much and grow so much closer to heavenly father. You learn the important things in life. I can't believe how much I relied on social media, and now I don't have it, I don't really miss it as much as I thought how important it was... Conversion is not an event it is a process.</div>
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<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Courtney Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11908401456240498893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984883694319316764.post-7685767284887124922016-05-16T14:45:00.000-07:002016-05-16T14:45:38.710-07:00April 28/ May 5, 2016
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dear Family,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Wow what a week it has been.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">You wouldn’t believe all that has happened this week.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">That’s why you haven’t gotten a letter in a
while, I’m very sorry about that!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Well I
don’t even know where to start.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I guess
I’ll start with the biggest news...I am now a trio!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We got a new companion! (Yes, you are
thinking correctly, we are halfway through transfers)</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So it is now Sister Thomason, me, and now
Sister Dinkle from the Silverlakes ward in our zone.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Some crazy stuff happened.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">But to say first, I’m kinda excited to have
Sister Dinkle, even for just 3 weeks, because she goes home this transfer—which
is in 3 weeks.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Oh and other news going
along with this, I am doing much better, I had an amazing week.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So where do I begin to tell you what all has
happened…Also, as I tell you all that has happened, I know that a lot of things
are confidential and I won’t be able to tell you some things, but I will tell
you as much as I can.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So let’s start with my week.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I already told you a bit about Monday.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">After we came out of the library we got stopped by a guy wanting to bash
with us.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And then we went to the
zoo!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">There’s a zoo in Phelan called “Forever
wiled-exotic animal sanctuary” and it was really good!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lions, tigers, monkeys, sloths, parrots,
etc.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And we heard they had been on
Extreme Home Makeover years back.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s a
nice place!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was really fun; we went
with the Wrightwood Sisters!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">But the bad
thing was a storm was rolling in (for once) and it was so windy and cold!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I took some pictures.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So that was a good day.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><img height="480" src="https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13095761_1729056893999086_3323197578862612227_n.jpg?oh=f91295563e3e5b3561013cc0b34da021&oe=57A5A873" width="640" /></span></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then Tuesday I had a really good day
too.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We had a district meeting in the
morning as always, which was really good.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I learned a lot about relying and listening to the spirit.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And I knew I should have a package from you
guys, and Aunt Melissa said she sent one, and I had still yet to get the package
they said they made us at the Women’s conference.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So I was expecting to have 3 packages.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And when the zone leaders got there they only
had missionary supplies.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So at the end I
asked one of them “hey I should have like 3 packages by now and there are no
boxes?”</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And he was like “Haha ohhh yeah,
that’s our bad, we forgot the boxes at our house, you had some packages, we
will bring them by your apartment tonight.”</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So it’s a good thing I asked.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Oh yeah, also after district meeting an Elder from eh other district
showed us the new missionary parody of “Hello.”</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A member put it on a flash drive for him and he showed us all it.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I have to say it was so cheesy and weird, but
it was also THE funniest thing ever, and so spot on and true!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The part at the end where a lady finally lets
them in ad you see them just fill with joy, I felt the spirit watching that so
strongly, because the pure astonished excitement and unbelief they expressed at
that part of the video is so true!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It is
really what missionaries go through!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And
the words to their song, so great!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Haha,
I love it!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">If you haven’t seen it go
watch it, I heard it’s gone viral.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The
difference though from that video is, we don’t sit and sing on peoples porches </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Haha.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">But also funny thing about that video is none
of the other missionaries know the real song Hello besides Sister Johnson and I
because we just got out and everyone else is too old!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Haha.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Anyways, then we tried lots of people, Linda a lady we’d tried before,
and finally had talked to out on her lawn last week and said we could come back
said when we got there, in tears that her brother in law died a few days
ago.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Very sad.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We tried to comfort her, we said we’d come
back, and she even came out and gave us such heartfelt hugs, and said thank
you.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then we tried a lady who said it
was her daughter that had been taught, so we talked to her, probably 18, she said
she’s trying to look at all the religions to see which is right before she picks
one.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Super cute.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Gave her a pamphlet.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then tried lots of people who weren’t home or
weren’t interested.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then we had dinner
with the Keserich’s, a returning less active family.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">She’s a health freak, so we just had big ole
salad with lots of healthy toppings, and dressings, it was actually Reeeally
good.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">They shared their plan with us
about their non-member friend who’d been to church; they’re trying to get a
plan for him to meet with us.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So
cool!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then we went home.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now Wednesday, it was probably my best day of my mission so
far.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was such a great day.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So Tuesday night and Wednesday morning I
decided to change.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I figured out I was
not being selfless and truly loving God.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So many prayers were answered.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So
as you know I’d been having a pretty terrible week, sad, missing you guys,
wanting people to teach, wanting to be more bold, wanting to be able to
recognize the spirit, and not having a good attitude.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The biggest reason is because I haven’t been
truly loving God.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I learned that by
listening to the talk<a href="https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/10/the-first-great-commandment?lang=eng"> “The first Great Commandment”</a> by Jeffrey R. Holland.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’ve heard this talk a million times before,
and it finally hit me Tuesday or Wednesday whenever we had it playing in the
car.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">When Jesus asks Peter 3 times if he
loves him.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And then as the story goes
Jesus asks him basically why he isn’t fully giving himself to the Lord and just
feeding his sheep.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And then a scripture,
no, two scriptures popped into my mind: Matthew 10:37-39: “he that loveth
Father or Mother more than me, is not worthy of me.”</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And Luke 9:61-62 “And another also said,
Lord, I will follow the, but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home
at my house.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And Jesus said unto him, No
man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the
kingdom of God.”</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It made me cry of course.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I realized I was not truly loving God.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’ve been worried more about my family and
how easy life was back home; I haven’t been truly putting in my whole soul and
hastening this work.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So wow.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then Tuesday night after I realized this, I
decided I was going to just have a good attitude.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My family is fine, my attitude doesn’t
technically physically change anything at home, so why not put my whole heart
in it, and I decided that.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And that
night and the next morning I was just naturally more positive and ready to
work.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then God was so great.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’ll tell you about Wednesday.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So we were able to text and call so many
people and make so many appointments.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Oh
and by the way I had also been praying so hard to find those being prepared for
us, because I wasn’t really seeing any, and I’d lost hope that there was
any.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Anyways, Wednesday started with
studies of course, which went really well, I learned a lot.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And in comp study I was more positive and
contributive.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then we went and saw a
less active Sister Hearn.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">He is making
so much progress, it is just so great.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Read the Book of Mormon with her and answered questions and explained
things.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">She’ trying so hard, doing
everything she can to improve.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So that went
really well.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then we went over to
Jennifer and Abel’s who we had briefly talked to last week.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We went in, talked with them, our first
lesson with them and we taught the whole restoration and they took it SO WELL!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">When we asked if they knew who Joseph Smith
was he said he didn’t know a ton, but he must have been a good man.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then said he’d, they’d, like to read the Book
of Mormon and build on their faith.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We gave
them one, they said they’d read it together and AH it just went so well!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Two new investigators there!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">They received the lesson amazingly and seem
so promising!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It made me so happy.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then we went to go see less active Sister
Coleman.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We have tried her so many times;
I’d never met her yet.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">She let us in; we
talked, she was happy to have us, and then shared so much heartache and trials
she’s been going through.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Her father
died, her rent went up, she can’t get a job, and they turned her water
off.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sheesh!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">What next! I cried.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">IT was terribly sad.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">She told us she was ready this morning to
stop meeting with the Sister Missionaries, but God had been preparing her.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Last night she did all her laundry and
dishes, and then this morning her water was turned off.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We were going to share Alma 7:11-13 with
her.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">But when we got talking I felt
prompted to share D&C 122:7-9 with her that talks about when Joseph Smith
was in jail, to be patient in his afflictions, it will give thee experience, to
remember God is there and to trust him.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bad thing though I didn’t pull that scripture out right away.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I was hoping Sister Thomason would read the
Alma 7 first, and then I’d get out D&C 122.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">But then Obviously Sister T had a prompting as well, and she read
D&C 121:7-8 same story that I liked and wanted to read, same story where
God tells Joseph to be patient in his affliction and endure it well and God
will triumph you.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So then after she
shared that I shared mine.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And Sister
Coleman really loved it.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">She knew she
had God, and she felt loved, and she felt a little more comfort.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was so good.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It made me cry and made me soo so happy.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Before we left she told us how amazing we
were for being on a mission, and if it weren’t for missionaries she wouldn’t be
here today, so to keep working.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">That
always helps me so so much.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I know God
speaks to me through those sweet people.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I felt the spirit.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then we went
home for lunch and some more companion study.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Which was really good and effective, I was mentally being more
cooperative.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then we went to go bring
dinner to Keith and Sheryl.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">They are the
cutest things!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We brought them dinner
from a member and they invited us to come in and sit down and we talked with
them and we talked about Keith and his diseases and everything and then they
said how him getting sick has really opened their eyes and brought them to God
and faith.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was so good, but we had to
get to dinner so we just shared Alma 7:11-13 with them and they loved it so much.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">They said they would look at their calendar
and have us come by for a real lesson and that they had some questions and they
said they were almost done with the Book of Mormon!!!!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then we had to go to dinner, but how great is
that, right?! </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dinner was with a less
active—returning less active convert.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It
was really good and we helped her print out some names for temple work!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So good.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then we went over and had a lesson with Sandra, we had made that
appointment that morning, and had gotten Sister Ratliff to come for a member
present!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We taught her the last needed
lesson with service and missionary work in the church, it went really well!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">She’s golden.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And she even shared an experience with us about how her husband went “back
into his shell” and is having problems again and things weren’t going
great.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And I can’t remember exactly what
she said she was praying for, but she said as she was praying she realized God
gave her unconditional love and she felt him saying “you want unconditional love
from me when you won’t even give it?”</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So
she told her husband and said she loved him.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So it was a great night.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We came
home and did all we needed then went to bed, like normal.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Wednesday night we went to bed like we were supposed
to.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We were fast asleep, and at about
11:18 pm the phone rings, waking us up, I look over and pick up the phone and the
Silverlakes Sisters are calling, Sister Stallings and Sister Dinkel.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And it was actually Sister Bergstrom and
Sister Dinkel and they were on exchanges.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">But we were confused because they had been on exchanges the day before,
and they only last one day.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We answered
the phone and it was Sister Bergstrom.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">She said, “Can we come over to your apartment?”</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We said sure and she said “we’ll explain when
we get there.”</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So we were so very
confused, had no idea what was going on, hoping they were okay and hoping they
weren’t bringing any bad news.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So we got
out some extra sleeping pads and blankets from our closet and waited like 10
minutes, really hoping everything was okay.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">They arrived and told us the story, but all I can say is that there was
an emergency transfer of one Sister, and the others had a prompting to leave
their apartment, they didn’t feel safe.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So yeah now Sister Dinkel is moved in with us and for now we are
covering two wards.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I like it so
much.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sister Dinkel is so awesome and
fun!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s so much more fun.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I love being in a trio.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It will be sad to see Sister Dinkel go home
in 2 weeks!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’m doing pretty good, still
just trying to figure out how to teach better.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I miss you guys so much!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I love
you so much!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I can’t wait to talk to
you! </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Love,</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Court </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Courtney Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11908401456240498893noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984883694319316764.post-23866248126394346612016-04-16T19:59:00.000-07:002016-05-16T14:52:10.365-07:00April 16, 2016<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Dear Family,</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Hello my beautiful family, I miss you all so much.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I think about every single one of you
daily.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">It’s sad for the missionaries who
don’t have any homesickness, because they don’t have good families back home,
but they’re kinda lucky too, because they have no homesickness!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "wingdings"; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">L</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I miss you guys tons and tons!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Thank you for all the letters, emails and
packages you send!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">You don’t even know
how much they mean to me!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I’m sorry
first of all to say this letter is going to be freaking long! </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">But this week was an eventful week, so don’t
give up!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">It’s worth the read!</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">So, starting with Monday.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">We had our regular studies (personal study @ 8:00 and comp study @ 9:00)
we did laundry, it’s nice because we combine our loads since we both don’t have
a whole ton of laundry.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">By the way did I
ever tell you guys our apartment has 2 bathrooms, so we each have our own
bathroom!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Which like never happens, most
companionships share a bathroom.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">So that’s
really nice.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Anyways, back to explaining…so
then we went shopping, I got all the supplies I needed, and food.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then we had lunch, and the sisters from the
silverlakes ward who are in our zone came over and had lunch with us, that was
good, they’re our good friends. </span><span style="font-family: "wingdings"; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then we emailed, I’m sorry I still really
such at emailing </span><span style="font-family: "wingdings"; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">L</span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
and I wish we had more time.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then I went
to the post office and sent a package home, then we had to go to Walmart, then
came home and chilled until dinner.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Which by the way it rained SO MUCH!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I totally used my rain jacket, and they were so right when they say it
floods up here.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">The roads and everything
flood so bad even if it only rains for a half hour.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">It was ridiculous!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">But it dries really fast.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then we had dinner at the Maiavas, super cute
family.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">You guys would be so proud of
me.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I will eat ALMOST anything now, I
don’t always love it, but I eat it!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then
after dinner we went over to try Marlene W.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Our ward mission leader asked us about her the other day; we’d never med
or heard of her, she was a former investigator, so we went to go try her.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">We looked at all her past notes from other
missionaries.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">We went there and she was
happy to see us, said she missed missionaries coming over and they haven’t had
them in a long time.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">She has 6 adopted
children like ages 6-10.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">We got to know
her a little bit and scheduled to come back on Thursday and asked her to read
the Book of Mormon.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">It was
interesting.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then we tried a few people
who didn’t answer.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then we went and met
with Brother Blood, he’s not a member, he and his wife aren’t members, but
their daughter and son in law are converts who just moved out of our ward, so
we would visit with them when visiting their daughter.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">They love us so much and always tell us to
stop by if we need anything or want to share a scripture.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">They’re Pentecostal, but they love our church
and really respect it.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">We went, Sister
Blood was asleep, but Brother Blood let us in, we visited with him, he showed
us his garden, and we shared a scripture.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then the last visit of the night was to a less active family, the Alfaro’s.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">They have like 5 kids, two boys older and
moved out I think, and a 12, 8, and 4 year old at home.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">We visited and the day before they had just
gotten back from a trip up to Utah to visit people, and while they were there
visited Temple Square and did all the tours and stuff.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">That was good to hear.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">This day just throughout the day I just
learned over and over D&C 121:7-8, mine adversity, this hardship for me, is
but a small moment, I just have to endure it well.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">So Tuesday we had studies, and then District Meeting like
always.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">It was a good meeting like
always.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">With transfers the day before,
we got 3 new Elders in our District.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then we
had lunch.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then we went out to go see
lots of people.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">We tried lots of former
investigators and some potentials.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">A lot
of people not home, a few people just we got a different person we were looking
for, so told us to come back another time.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">We met a guy, in his driveway, he didn’t live there but he was super
nice and enthusiastic to us, we gave him a card.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">We went to try Marquis and Shantel, husband
and wife both former investigators, and Marquis was out on his porch.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">He said he remembers missionaries teaching
them before, he was very happy to see us, super nice guy!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">He said his wife was inside getting ready to
leave to pick someone up; she came out as she was leaving and said hi.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">But it was good we talked with Marquis for a
while, talked about the church and told him a little bit about the Book of
Mormon.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">We read him some verses, and he
really loved it, we gave it to him and he said he’d read and we could come back
Friday.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">That was really good.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then we went to go try a less active who
doesn’t care for the church anymore but doesn’t mind us coming by, Sister
Hunter.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Her neighbors were in their
driveway so we decided to go talk to them.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">It was an older man and he saw us walking up and he asked “what can I do
for you ladies?”</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">My companion said “well,
we’re the missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
are you religious at all?”</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">The guy just
looks at us and says “Girls, I’ve been through 5 wars, seen so many children,
women, families and innocent people die terrible deaths, there is no God.”</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">It was kinda silent for a second and he said “I
know there is no God, and you’re not going to convince me.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Are you really wasting your lives away doing
this?”</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">We kind just simply said okay
well you have a great day or whatever…it’s so sad; death and illness isn’t the
end!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">It’s not eh worst thing that can
happen to you!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">But nothing we could have
said would have changed anything for him.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">So then we went and saw Sister Hunter.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">We talked with her, gave her a scripture thought.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then we had dinner at the Echegoyens, the
Bishop’s house.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">They’re from El
Salvador, but have lived here a long time, I love them, his wife is super cute,
and they have a 21 year old son still living with them.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">They’re practically vegan, mostly Sister
Echegoyen, but they make great food.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">After at their house was a Relief Society recipe exchange.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Lots of ladies came over and brought even
more food.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">It was nice.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then Wednesday we had studies, and then we had to go to Pep
boys Auto to get our windshield wiper replaced.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">That took a while.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">We had to wait
inside until they finished.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Lots of pop
music was playing the whole time, and it made me think of all the music I loved
to listen to back home, it drove me crazy, it made me really sad, I had a hard
time.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Satan was really making me miss
home.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then we had lunch, and 4 people we
tried to make appointments with weren’t available, 3 investigators.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">That sucked.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">So we went and had mormon.org time.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I always love mormon.org time.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I
organized all the talks on my USB, watched videos, did stuff on my missionary
portal, etc.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then the Lents took us to
dinner out at Chili’s!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">So good!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">They are so awesome!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then we went by the church to see if there
was a bible study class, there wasn’t.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then we tried lots of people, weren’t home, so we went home and updated
our area book.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I learned a lot of
patience this day…</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Thursday we had service as always at the Homeless shelter, and
then we had lunch.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then we went to this
guy Charles’ house, he is a member, he’s 29, he goes to the YSA ward, but his
Mom is a member of our ward, he’s active and she’s not.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">We go over there occasionally to give him a lesson;
we went over to help him with service.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">We re-painted their house number on their curb.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Was easy.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">He has some disabilities.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then
after we went home and changed, we went to go try lots of people.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">This day was pretty full of seeing
people.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">So it started out we tried a few
people who weren’t home, or had moved and didn’t live there anymore.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">One house who the family didn’t live there
and the new family wasn’t interested there were some guys out in the driveway
next door.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">As we started to walk up to
them one of the guys came to meet us halfway, he was super nice, asked who we
were.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">He said he lived right next to a “super
Mormon guys” in Hesperia.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">He said they
were good friends and talked about our religion a lot.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">He said how he wondered which churches were
true and there were so many but said ours was good and he thought it was
interesting, and we asked him if he’s ever prayed to God to know that and he
said “Haha, well actually…I don’t believe in God so…Haha.”</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">We were like ohhh well then there’s the
problem.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Haha.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">We told him to keep talking to his friend and
gave him a card.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then we tried a lady
on our potentials list, but she didn’t live there anymore, but the lady there
was super nice, accepted a pamphlet, said she’d read it and told us we could
come back.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then we tried some more
houses, people weren’t home.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">This one
house of a potential the door opened a crack and we saw a lady’s face and she
said “yes?”</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">We asked for the name, she
said “that person doesn’t live her” so we proceeded to tell her we were
missionaries, and before we were even done saying it she just shut the
door.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Okay, cool, thanks.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">But her neighbor in his garage was getting
ready to leave, we told him who we were, that we had a message, explained it a
little bit, and asked if that would be something he’d like to learn about. </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">He said “yeah I don’t see why not.”</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then said “but I’m getting ready to leave, do
you have something to leave with me that I can read and you can come back
whenever?</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">But I’m not home much.”</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">So we gave him a pamphlet.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then we went to a house of a potential lady,
her probably 17-21 year old son answered the door, said she was sleeping but
asked if we had something to give her and we could come back.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then he told us he thinks he’s been to one of
our churches before and he’s seen missionaries, thought it was cool.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Told us to come back.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then we went to try another potential—a woman
named Nikki.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">We were walking up to the
address and there were like 5 thug looking boys in the garage.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I was thinking to myself, oh no.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">We went up and said hi, the boy who lived
there said hi, we asked if Nikki lived there still, and he was like, “Oh Haha,
that’s my great Aunt, and she’s actually in jail right now…” hah, awkward.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">He was like “she gets out next month if you
wanna see her. “</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">So then we asked them
if they were religious, the one said yes, another guy said “well not really
religious, but we’re believers,” and then we just started talking to them.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">They were asking us questions about our
missions and one was like, “Yeah we’ve seen the guy missionaries a lot, but
they never come up to us probably because of our appearance” Then the one guy
was like “I wanna ask you guys your opinion on the rule your prophet set of
children of gay parents not being able to be a member of your church.”</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Oh boy, that was super fun.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">He was lie “How can he do that, that’s
judging the kid because of the parents.” And kept going on about it, no matter
what we said he still just kept going.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">And then one of the boys was like “I just have one thing to say, you
guys are really awesome for what you’re doing, especially because you’re just
doing it because you love God and I’m sure people turn you down all the time,
but you still keep going, so don’t give up!”</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">It was nice to hear.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">So we asked
the one that lived there if there was a time we could come back and teach them
all a little more.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">He said yeah we could
come back on Monday, they’d all be there.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Haha, so that was interesting!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then we went to Sister Wolfe's for dinner she’s so awesome, she always
feeds us every other Thursday.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">She’s so
sweet.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then we went to have our lesson
with the former investigator, Marlene, now she’s an investigator again.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">We went and taught the whole Restoration
lesson, probably her 3</span><sup><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: x-small;">rd</span></sup><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> or 4</span><sup><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> Resto lesson.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">But she seemed to really like it and she
seemed sincere about listening and reading and praying about it.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">She was happy to hear about church being at
1:00 pm, so hopefully she’ll come.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">After
our lesson with her we wanted to go try some people but it was late and their
lights were off.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">So we went home.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Friday was weekly planning.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">So we had studies, planned for a few hours, ate lunch, and then planned
for a few more hours.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then we went out
and tried the new investigator lady again, no answer, sad, she seemed kinda
sincere.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then we tried a few people who
didn’t answer, one former investigator told us no thanks, one former
investigator told us to come back earlier in the day.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then we went over to our investigators, Clay
& Brittany’s.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Brittany wasn’t home,
but her sister and Clay were, so we didn’t want to do a full lesson without
Brittany, so we just talked with them and shared a scripture.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">We asked him if they’d be at church and he
said he always wants to but Brittany won’t always.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">So it seems like he wants to progress and she
doesn’t care as much.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then we went over
to Marquis and Shantel’s, the former investigators, who are now investigators
again.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Shantel was out on their porch
when we got there, she said Marquis never told her we were coming but yeah we
could totally stay and talk, she said he was taking a nap.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">We talked a lot with her, she’s super cute
and awesome, asked us lots of questions, told us lots of things, she was so fun
to talk to.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">She asked us a lot about our
missions and our church.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then halfway
through Marquis came out, he was happy to see us and he said so sorry he
totally forgot we were coming.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">So we talked
a lot with them, shared a little bit of the Restoration, and gave them a Book
of Mormon, gave them a chapter to read, and explained how we wanted them to
pray to know that it’s true.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">They both
were super enthusiastic about it and told us they would and we planned to come
back Wednesday to teach the real first full lesson, so that was really
good.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then we had dinner at the Millers,
super cute family, love them.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then we
tried a few people who were busy, and just came home and updated the area book.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Saturday we had all our studies.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then we were supposed to go see Sister
Hearan, but she called and wasn’t going to be home.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">So we tried a lot of houses and no one was
home, or the person we were looking for wasn’t there.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then we went home for lunch.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">On our way home we saw this lady on the side
of the road with a big tent selling food or something, we see those things all
the time, we decided to stop.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">So she
spoke Spanish, we couldn’t really communicate, but we gave her a thumbs
up.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I guess she just had fresh fruit in
her thing; she cut up lots of pieces of different fruit and put it in a big
plastic container for us.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Super
random.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">There are also these guys who
walk around with shopping carts selling what I think is corn on a stick with
some weird condiments on it.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">They walk
around and honk a horn to get people to come buy, so many people do.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">It’s weird.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Anyways, after lunch we tried a lot of less actives we have never met,
none of them were home.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Tried a few
potentials that weren’t there.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">These two
old ladies just moved into the ward, they are sisters, both widows, so they
came to live down by one of their daughters.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">They came from Barstow.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">We
stopped by to see them because we wanted to get to know them; they were super
sweet and talked a lot with us!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then we
had dinner with the Lewis family, super cute, love them.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then we went by to see one last less active
family who always texts us that they’re busy.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">They have 4 kids over 8, only two are baptized, so we’ve been trying to
get them baptized, but we want them active.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">All the kids were in their rooms mostly, in and out, the Dad was around,
we mostly talked to the Mom, super nice family, and they just don’t come to church.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">We talked a lot with her and shared a scripture
we asked if they were coming, they asked at what time, cleverly dodging the
question.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then we went home.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Oh another funny thing on Saturday, we were
about to leave our apartment and our doorbell rang.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">It was 2 little black girls and one said “can
we take your trash out for a dollar?”</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Haha,
uh sure.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">So we gave em our trash and 4
quarters.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Alrighty then.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Sunday—today, we had studies of course.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then we had to run to Brother Lent’s to get
him a paper for ward council.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then we
called Sandra, because we haven’t seen her, she’s been gone.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">We convinced her to move her baptism date to
May 7</span><sup><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> because she would be confirmed on Mother’s Day and that
would be very special.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">So she’s still so
excited!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">That makes me so happy.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then she told us she was going to set aside
Sundays so she wouldn’t miss church, so no matter what, she’s going to be
coming!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">So happy!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">And she and Jen came today!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then we went to see David Love, less
active.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">And he was in pain and tired and
just didn’t want us there…then we had lunch, then went to church.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">There were tons of people there for a baby blessing,
and we had 3 investigators there! Sandra, Jen and Marlene!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">We had no idea Marlene was there but bishop
told us she came in late and sat in the back.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then we had class, taught Gospel Principles, and then Sandra asked for a
blessing.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">She’s been having trouble sleeping
and she doesn’t want to rely on sleeping pills.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">So Brother Waters and Brother Cammack gave her a blessing.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">That was good, and she stayed for Relief
Society.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Oh I love her!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then we tried a potential Jennifer, she
invited us in, but they were making dinner.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">We met her two daughters and her husband Able.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">They knew some Mormon people, they asked us a
few questions, said they haven’t found a church since they moved that they
liked, they might try ours, and said we could come back!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then we had dinner at the Waters after trying
a few more potentials that weren’t home.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I love the Waters!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">They just got
back from trek—youth conference last night, they were dead but still fed
us.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">They told us all about trek
stories.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Reminded me of our trek and how
bad I didn’t want to go, but how glad I was that I did.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">They are so awesome I love them!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">And now their married daughter and son in law
live with them, even better!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then we
came home.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">And now I’m here.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Sorry it’s so long!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I’m
still doing okay.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I miss and love you
guys!</span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Love, Courtney</span><span style="font-family: "wingdings"; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span></div>
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Courtney Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11908401456240498893noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984883694319316764.post-54733147276993548272016-04-10T13:00:00.000-07:002016-05-10T13:01:02.055-07:00April 10th, 2016
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">General conference was so good, obviously you guys know
that!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I learned a lot from all the talks
and was definitely strengthened by Elder Holland.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I thought of you guys all conference.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">One of the biggest themes was families, I was
so happy to have such an amazing family.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I can’t wait to get home and have so much fun with you again!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I learned from Conference that it truly will
get easier.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I am having such a hard time
because it’s not what I’m used to and it’ really hard, stressful, draining,
restricting.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">But I will come out “refined”
from this experience.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So I gotta put in
my time and work hard and God will help me.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hopefully it will start working sometime soon…so as I said we watched
Saturday conference at eh church both sessions, it was basically only the
missionaries from our zone there, a few other people.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then we wanted to watch the first session of
Sunday at the church with our investigator Eddie, but he wasn’t able to make it.
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So we still watched it there, more
people besides missionaries this time.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then we went over to the Waters for the second session, and we had them
signed up for dinner that night as well.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So they fed us all after conference and we played the game Curses.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sandra and Toby and Jen didn’t get to the Waters for
Conference until the end of Elder Oaks talk I think it was, whoever the first
speaker was.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">They didn’t seem totally
into it, obviously.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Toby asked about “quorum”
and “seventy” to brother Waters. </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sandra
asked us if any young people ever got up there.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Haha, she asked “anyone without white hair?”</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Funny cause brother Waters is late 40’s and
has white spiky hair, we all laughed at him.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sandra liked Elder Holland’s.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We
really wanted to crash Priesthood session and go watch at the church, we wished
.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">But we did have a member for dinner,
her husband went to watch it at the church, but she had it playing for us as we
ate dinner.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We downloaded all those
talks though and listened to them, SO GOOD!</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Monday we did regular ole P-day stuff.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We emailed a little earlier, we will keep
trying to do that now, just so you know.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">But I am having such a hard time with emailing!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Like my time was up before I got to emailing
President (which we’re supposed to do every p-day) and so I didn’t get to email
President.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And I don’t feel like my mass
emails are any good.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ugh.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">But after that we had a pretty good zone
activity.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The zone leaders had texted us
all the night before and told us we were going to do “glow in the dark sports”.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We tried doing capture the flag with glow
sticks, it was fun but ended up not really working, we tried other things with
the glow sticks.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">They set up the volleyball
net and we hung them from it, and they broke a few glow sticks and poured in on
the volleyball.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We tried that, kind
failed, but it was funny.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then we just
played normal volleyball the rest of the day.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was fun.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We then ate at the Stake Presidents house!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Love them!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And then we had our lesson with Sandra that I told you a little bit
about, Brother Lent, our ward mission leader, who we brought to the lesson, was
just so excited and just wanted to testify every chance he could get, they were
baptized 2 years ago and were sealed a few months ago.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tuesday we had an awesome zone meeting.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We also got a new senior couple up in Barstow
in our zone now!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">They seem sweet, I’m
not sure if they will serve there their whole mission or not.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We then tried lots of people who didn’t
answer, and we had dinner at home and then went over to Sandra’s.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">She was being interviewed by President Pratt,
our mission President’s first counselor for her baptism, so we went over there
and met him there.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">He’s pretty
cool.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Interview went well and then we
just stayed and talked to her and Jen for a little while.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was interesting.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Right now, almost every single one of our investigators aren’t
progressing or we’ve only met once and can’t seem to make or keep a return
appointment for a first real lesson because they all reschedule a lot.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sheesh.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Wednesday literally everyone we had an appointment with
canceled that morning.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sheesh.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 investigators, 2 less actives, and even our
dinner appointment at Sandra’s house.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We
didn’t see many people.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lots of people
not home and/or not answering.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We did
talk to these people though for a while outside their house, who we’d briefly
talked to before, a guy and his fiancé, Zach and Sierra, pretty young.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">But the first time we’d talked to them we
walked by, it was a warm day, and they were out in their driveway.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">He had a hose and was spraying her and they
were laughing, he was super drunk, beer in his other hand.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We said hi, told 'em who we were, they said
they went to HDC but cool that we were out and they had a church.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">He pointed the hose at us and asked us if we “wanted
to cool off”, he was totally joking, it was funny, his fiancé told him to stop
hassling us, but he was drunk, they were nice enough to us though.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Anyways, so we went back to that same street
on Wednesday to visit a potential who lives right next to Zach and Sierra.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We got there and Zach was sitting outside in
a chair in his driveway.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">He looked nice
and sober this time.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We walked up and
said hi and asked if he was the one that tried to spray us a few weeks
ago.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">He had no idea what we were talking
about, we then questioned if this was the same guy.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">He was like “oh no that must have been our
crazy neighbor or something, I would never do that to you guys!”</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We were pretty sure it was him, but he had no
recollection, he must have been so drunk that first time that he really didn’t
remember.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Because then his fiancé came
out and he asked her “hey did I try to spray these girls ever?”</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And she was like “yeah remember and we told
them we had a church.”</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Haha, he was like
“oh well, gosh I am so sorry.”</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Haha, it
was funny.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And then we told him we were
going to see their neighbor and he said “okay, good luck, if you can make that
happen I’ll buy you guys dinner!”</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We
went over and knocked on the door, we could hear the TV on and I could see
inside the house.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We waited there for quite
a while and then left.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As we walked back
from their door Zach and Sierra had this guy sitting with them.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Zach said “hey he’s over here, he was already
outside on his way over here when you knocked and his wife is asleep.”</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So we walked up to say hello, though his wife
had been the one we were looking for.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We
got talking to the three of them for a while.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">They asked us lots of questions about our missions and a little of our
beliefs and our “restrictions”.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">They let
us hold their new puppies that were born 2 weeks ago.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">They were so nice.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">They weren’t interested exactly though, but
hey we made a friendship kinda so that was good.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The guy told us to come back the next day in
the morning to catch his wife.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We
finally talked to someone that day.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We had mormon.org time on Wednesday, I downloaded all of the
conference talks, yay!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I also put lots
of pics on the USB, I should be sending a box home.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Monday, actually, I’ll just put this letter
in it!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Considering it would send the
same day anyway.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Thursday we went by that ladies house like her husband said
and no answer.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then we did lots of
service at the Homeless shelter, sorted clothes with the Elders.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Was the last time we would see Elder Hurley
because he goes home Monday.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sad, he was
super cool.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And we didn’t know it but
that was the last time we would see Elder Haueter for now because we heard
yesterday he’s getting transferred, he’s one of our zone leaders.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then we went to go try potentials and lots of
people weren’t home.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We went to the top
of our area (which is pure desert) and we had 2 potentials on this road called Seneca,
so we just tracted that street.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Mostly
nobody home, our potentials didn’t answer, people told us no, and then at this
one random house we picked up a new investigator!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We knocked on the door and this lady opened
up a crack and asked “can I help you” (we get that a lot) we told her who we
are and told we have a message and all that and we asked her if we could share that
with her and she said sure.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">She stepped
outside with us because she said she had crazy dogs.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So we told her about how families can be
together forever and we have a prophet guiding us from God and told her the
brief message of the restoration.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">She took
it well, we gave her a restoration pamphlet and a Book of Mormon and asked her
to read and pray about it and she said she would, we asked if we could come
back and she said yes.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">She was super
cute and sweet.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hopefully that works
out.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Friday we had weekly planning all morning.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We do that for 3-5 hours.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We did a lot, and it rained tons on this day
as well.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then we went out and only saw
one person.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A less active man David
Love.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">He’s 62 and his family lives with
him, they’re active/ less active members.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">He has lots of dogs.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">He works as
a car mechanic up in Barstow at some big company, they overwork them and don’t
treat them well.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We wanted to tell him
of the importance of church, because he doesn’t go.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">He’s a convert, he knows the Bible so well.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">But we got there and my companion asked why
he wasn’t coming and told him the importance and he said he’d go if that wasn’t
his only time to sleep.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">She told him a
relationship with God is like any other, you gotta put in effort to get much in
return.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">He said, “I can have a relationship
with God right here without having to go to church, I read scriptures, I pray.”</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then my companion asked “okay, then why did
God command us to go to church?”</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then we
talked and she read him Isaiah 58:11, 13-14 where it talks about the Sabbath
day.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">He was caught up on the fact that
he wakes up every day at 3 am, works 6 days a week, never gets peace at home
with his family there, etc.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Finally he
was like Okay I’ll try and see if God refreshes me just from going to
church.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">He says he doesn’t learn anything
at church.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We’ll see how it goes.</span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Yesterday, Saturday we did tons of service…from 8 am to
10:30 am we went and helped with “clean the desert” day.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Our ward signed up for a stretch of desert
through town and we picked up trash, we had little grabber things.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was so windy.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then after lunch and studies we helped this
lady from the ward right next to us weed her entire lawn from about 1:30 to
4:00.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Elders and a member invited us
to come help and a few other missionaries.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We actually live in their ward.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Our
apartment isn’t even isn’t even in our area.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">That was some hard work, dirty, it was cold. Then we went and had ward correlation
with Brother Lent.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then we had
dinner.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then we met with Dina
Rifner.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">She’s the only one we saw all
day, it was very interesting.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">She’s a
less active lady we always knock on her door but she rarely answers.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">But this night she opened and let us in.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">She was very heated and angry because I guess
about 10 minutes earlier she had just gotten in a big ole fight (not
physically) with her neighbor.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Oh she
told us all about it.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then she started
to calm down and says she’s sorry and then she was like “Wow, God sent you guys
right at the perfect time I just realized.”</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And it was really the perfect time.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We calmed her a little bit, she cried, she knew she had said bad
words.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Somehow we got into the Plan of
Salvation and she was very interested, she didn’t remember it at all.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We read her some scriptures and talked with
her for a long time.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">God really did send
us there.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">And now today is Sunday!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s the 10</span><sup><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup><span style="font-family: Calibri;">!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now I’ve
officially been out for 2 months!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">16 ½ now
to go…still really struggling.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Anyways,
today after studies we went to go see a potential Mosi.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We saw her in the area book a few weeks
earlier and had went by once, but she was on her way out (she’s probably
mid-20s) she’s super nice and cute.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">She
said she grew up with tons of Mormon friends, grew up going to Young Women’s
every Sunday and Wednesday, she’s trying to help her friends from other
churches see how great our church teaches.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">She loves us so much.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We went back
this morning, and I’m so glad we did.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">She was there, totally welcomed us in, and for about 10-15 minutes sat
there and told us how amazing we were.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And that even when someone slams a door in our face God is so happy with
the work we are doing, and he needs us to help those who listen.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I honestly got teary eyed.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">She sat there forever telling us how amazing
we were and inspiring our hearts.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I know
God sent us to her house for her, but mostly for me.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">She told us to come by whenever, especially
if we have a bad day.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sweetest thing, I
really felt the Spirit.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Last night I had
been praying to feel God’s love because I was having a hard time truly feeling
it, and then God sent us to Mosi.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Wow, I
just realized that.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">That was a quick
answer to my prayers.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then, since it was fast Sunday and we came home for an hour
for “lunch” but didn’t eat, I just wrote this letter, parts of it.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then we had church.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Wow church was so amazing.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Testimony meeting was great.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We taught the youth Sunday school the
Restoration and Apostasy.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then in third
hour Relief Society we talked about prophets and talks that have changed our
lives.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">One sister, Sister Thorup,
probably late 50’s got up and told her experience of going on a mission.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">She wasn’t going, her Stake President made
her fill out her papers, she still said she wasn’t going, and she went to
General Conference in 1985 and heard this talk by Elder Hartman Rector</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(Oct. 1985).</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I don’t know what it’s called.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I
need to print it out.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Anyways I can’t
remember exactly what he said but he said something like even if you don’t want
to do what God has for you, that’s okay, do it anyway.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And then we heard about Elder Holland’s talk
from this conference that said you get points for just trying.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I felt the Spirit so strongly, comfort me,
and give me peace.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s okay I don’t
want to do this, do it anyway though, I’ll grow and learn to love it, just
try.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I cried.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I knew that was exactly just for me.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then we tried to see our investigators Clay
and Brittany, no luck, Brittany wasn’t home, how do we get ‘em
progressing!</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_DlFFKiI0pc/VzI9MGrwVWI/AAAAAAAAAgg/7FqKADTYDTANWreVyBYwdNesxWHZRATUwCKgB/s1600/DSCN1343.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_DlFFKiI0pc/VzI9MGrwVWI/AAAAAAAAAgg/7FqKADTYDTANWreVyBYwdNesxWHZRATUwCKgB/s640/DSCN1343.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I love you guys so much!</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Love, Courtney</span></div>
<br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Courtney Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11908401456240498893noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984883694319316764.post-51218272929171138662016-04-01T12:20:00.000-07:002016-05-09T12:21:02.854-07:00April 1, 2016
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Family, wow... Hi guys! I love you all so much! Sorry it's
been so long since I've written a letter about some of my experiences. It's been
a crazy 2 weeks. But for the record, the last time I got a letter from anyone
was over a week ago :-( That's okay, I know you guys are busy! </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So, I'm doing good. I'm learning a lot. Obviously. I'm
growing, learning, failing, trying again. This work is hard, and draining. But
I'm learning that it's all worth those 300 people a day (dramatic number
obviously) telling us to go away, for that one person who needs to hear what we
have to say-- it does suck though because there's not humble people in this area...
Very few. So rarely anyone wants to hear from us. It does suck. Anyways, Lots
has happened lately that I share with you! Sorry this letter will be so long! </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">First thing, as you already know from my previous letters,
we had been sick, and Monday morning we got a blessing from the elders. We
called our Zone leaders Elder Haueter and Elder Shumway to do it for us, and
they brought a set of other Elders with them from nearby Elder Golden and Elder
Faussett. So Elder Golden anointed me with the oil, and Elder Haueter gave me
the sealing and blessing. It was really good, because he gave me a blessing
that I would overcome my sickness and get better, etc. And then in the blessing
he said “at this time I'd like to bless you and tell you that your family is
doing well. They are doing okay, and your service is truly blessing their
lives, and they are very proud of you. They will be ok, and God need you to
know that they love you.” I felt the spirit very strongly when he said it-- he
doesn't know me all that well, he doesn't know the struggle I've been having,
he was told to bless me so that I could get better and do well. It was a true
blessing from God, I knew he had spoken by the spirit. It gave me some peace.
Anyways the rest of that P-day was like the most boring. Ever. First of all I
apologize for not having much time to email, that sucks. And then there was no
Zone activity, and my companion doesn't really care for just going out and
doing much, so we came home from emailing and just sat around for 3 hours...
Did nothing! So I transferred all my notes for my old scriptures during that
time.<br />
Wednesday was pretty crazy. I told you guys about Raelynn, our investigator and
told Dad in some of his letters more about a few of the experiences. So we went
to go see her first thing that morning. I was so nervous for this lesson, I
didn't know how it would go, wondered if I'd studied well enough, I was
wondering if they'd read any of the Book of Mormon and was nervous for everything.
We get there, knock on the door, she let us in. We ask if she has time to meet
with us today. She hands us The Book of Mormons we gave them and said “well
just no. Sorry I just don't believe what you believe.”</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So that was big, she totally dropped us. So
we said alrighty have a good day, and left. Never to return... But you know, I
wasn't too worried about it... Tried my best, we tried our best. But after her,
we went to see our investigator Wendy. We hadn’t planned too much of a lesson
for her, except just to follow up. We got there, she let us in, we talked with
her, she hadn't read any, had been too busy. So we read over the introduction
to the Book of Mormon with her. She didn't have too much commentary. She's kind
of shy. She just said how regardless if her husband wants to or not (which he
doesn't really care about religion) she wants to raise her son with something
religious. She goes to First Assembly of God, here it’s a Pentecostal Church.
She said it's weird and it's not really comfortable, “people talk in tongues”randomly
and she hasn't gone in a while. She wants to come to one of ours. She went
before when she was younger with her cousins to our church. We asked her to
really pray to know what the truth is and what God wants her to do. She said
she would. That went pretty well. Then, that day we tried a whole lot of people
who weren't home or didn't want to talk to us. We then had a lesson with Sister
Witter, a less active member, whose husband is not a member and believes in the
Great Indian chief is God. I think I told you before about him. He has bone
cancer. Anyway, we got there and he was there with us, and her daughter and we
talked with them for a while just about stuff, try to be friendly. Then we started
with our thoughts, asking them how they knew God loves them, they gave so many
good reasons. We told them “how does God know you love him?” And we talked about
that. And then Sister Thomason had a genius prompting to read Alma 18: 24 - 32.
It totally related to her husband Bob, it was so good! Then we had dinner with
the Greens at Olive Garden for a late happy birthday from them to Sister
Thomason. The Greens are awesome, young couple, three boys, her father is our
Bishop. I had her send the picture of us to Mom, and saw mom that you replied
:-) :-) :-) hope you guys like that!<br />
Then, that day we got a text from Sandra our investigator. She had come to
church on Easter and her husband came, with her, which really surprised us! So
she text us and said “ hey when can we meet next? And I think my hubby wants to
sit in.” what! So cool! We were thrilled, we set up an appointment for the next
day. So so so cool. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then Thursday we did service at the homeless shelter with a
few companionships in our Zone. We then went and met with this artistic 28 year
old guy Charles, he's a member, recent convert a few years. He lives in our
boundaries, but goes to the young single adult ward, in Apple Valley. His mom
is a less active member who he lives with. They initially would go over,
because he would ask to be taught, but they wanted to meet the mom. So we go
over almost every week and just give him a nice thought. We can never get in to
meet the mom. Anyways, then went and walked, tried lots of people, a few who
had met missionaries before, said we could come back, lots of people turned us
down. Then we met this guy Dan on the street. He was painting the house numbers
on the curbs at people's houses. We were walking, he stopped and talked to us.
Thought it was cool “girls our age were out spreading the word” and he said “I
hope to find a nice girl like you girls one day, from Utah” it was funny. We
gave him an Easter card. Then we had dinner at the Cuevas’s house. It was
interesting. The Cuevas family mainly speak Spanish, but sister Cuevas switched
to our Ward to learn English. She is our Relief Society president. She speaks
good English but doesn't understand as well. And I guess because of her culture
when she feeds us, we go in, she has two plates of food, drink, and dessert set
up... Just for us. She serves us, and either sits there and just talked with
us, or goes and does something if she's busy. So yeah, she doesn't actually eat
with us. The rest of the family doesn't either. It was kind of weird. And she
gave us so much food and little Easter presents, </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">it was really good. And she's sweet. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then we went to have our lesson was Sandra!!! We asked
brother Waters to come with us, for her husband, and he brought his son-in-law
Donovan. Brother Waters is a good friendshipper of Sandra, and can relate
perfectly to Toby.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">When they had come
on Sunday they'd stayed for gospel principles class. Luckily we didn't have to
teach it. Sandra's been before, they both seem to like it. Toby (her husband) seemed
interested and has asked questions. We gave them all gospel principles book to
keep. They apparently through the week had been reading the book, super cool!
And Sandra finally started reading in the Book of Mormon! She was so excited
when we got there! Sad thing is, that week when she’d been reading, she had
gotten so excited and had tried to call us but we had been busy and then she
forgot all what she thought was so cool. Anyways so the lesson went so well, we
started answer her questions from some of the concepts in the Gospel Principles
book.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Asked Toby what questions he
had.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">He said he had questions about the
restoration, but he’d save them for us for another time so we can get to
Sandra's lesson. He also said he really liked it there. He liked that the
bishop came and introduced himself, and the other people came up to meet him too.
He said he never met the pastor at HTC (High desert church) and there so many
people, nobody acknowledges his existence, he liked how ours did, and we had
one on one classes, and we would openly answer his questions. It made me so
happy to hear him say that!! He really felt the love. The spirit has totally
been working in that house. (By the way they have two kids of their own living
at home, 2 married kids, and 3 foster kids that live with them). So we taught the
word of wisdom and tithing, and then just talked with them, answered their
questions, testified. It was really good. And other kids were lingering in the
area nearby, the whole time, intrigued :-) Sandra even said it herself; we're
going to be stuck in that house forever! Haha! Started with her daughter Jen,
then Sandra, now Toby, and now two of her foster kids said they “want to sit in
next time”! So cool! One of them asked for a Book of Mormon of their own! Then
we called Sandra this morning and she said both her and Toby had been
reading!!!! You don't even know how happy that makes me! I can see their whole
family getting closer and happier because of the gospel and turn their life!
Then when we left Toby even said “see you Sunday!” which sucks because we had
to explain there's no church, but we told him about General Conference and Brother
Waters invited them to his house to watch with his family and have lunch, and
today Sandra asked us for his number because they wanted to watch conference
with them!! Yay so happy! Sandra is excited for her baptism, she wants all her
family there to see her and then she said “feel inspired”. Sandra is so awesome
and so funny! I love her! Jen has been out of town at her sister’s but really
hopefully this week will see her and set up her new baptismal date.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So anyways... Yeah
Thursday we were out walking, trying people and I was like man, this really
sucks, nobody wants to hear from us, why do I even try. So I prayed in my head
and just asked God to please help us help change someone's life today, directly
after we went down, and then later we had our lesson with Sandra and Toby .
That's why I said earlier in this letter that I guess the millions of people
that tell us no are worth those few who we can help. I don't know why I can't
get that through my head. Okay I swear this letters ending soon, I'm sorry! But
today's been probably in the top ten hardest days for me mentally... I don't
understand why this is so hard for me. I'm better now. I realized we have to
try to give everyone the chance to accept the gospel. God is not just going to
throw us the ones who will accept us, we've got to go through the people that
don't care. We have to give everyone a chance and we have to show God we are
willing to “feed his sheep”. Man this is a really hard lesson that is going to
take me awhile to truly learn. Because even though I know these things, I still
am not accepting them. Man, pray that I will get over this I just keep dreaming
about the day I return home, and I truly can't wait to get off the plane and
hug you all, but this is the worst battle going on in my head right now, I know
I need to find joy in my work here now. I have to not just suck it up, but
truly embrace it. It's hard when I feel that I personally I'm not changing
anyone's life. God's teaching me this lesson and I'm squirming.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">But don’t worry about me. This will all be
for my good and I'll come out stronger. God keep showing me the scriptures: D&C
122: 7-9 and Alma 26: 27 and Alma 31: 30 - 33, 35, 38. Why can't I learn this already?
It will come... I know.<br />
I hope you all know how ridiculously much I love you guys. I thank God everyday
for such an amazing family, I don't deserve to be so blessed! By the time you
get this General Conference will be over, but I'm so excited for that, it's
going to be so good! I truly love and miss you. I pray for all of you all the
time. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I love you! </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Love, Courtney </span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Courtney Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11908401456240498893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984883694319316764.post-2591531215033530972016-03-17T14:04:00.000-07:002016-05-11T20:32:29.084-07:00March 17, 2016- St. Patrick's Day!<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Family <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">I don't even know how to
describe how my day went yesterday... We went on exchanges with the sister
training leaders and I went with Sister Bergstrom to Apple Valley. It sucked
and was good. We had some terrible experiences and some great experiences.
First of all I'll tell about the most terrible experience, probably the worst
of my mission so far... We were tracting this street, looking for a girl who
lives somewhere there. We knocked on this door, just trying to share the
gospel... And this guy opens up, we say “Hi, how are you”, he says “fine”, we
tell him that we are missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints and he says, “are you kidding me!?” And proceeded to just rip us apart
for like 10 minutes straight on his doorstep. Says stuff like “you guys know I
only get a day off every 10 days and every freakin day you guys are on the
street ringing my doorbell, I'm just having some time for myself with myself, I
don't need you guys.” "We don't want to hear from you. Tell your pope in
Utah, whoever it is to write down this house and to never send anyone ever
again! I especially don't want to hear from you because of your buddy Mitt
Romney starting out all his crap that I don't agree with.” Blah blah blah he
goes on and on and on being so inhumanely rude. Sister Bergstrom and I both had
tears in our eyes, but she just calmly said sorry, etc. Tried to leave-- he
continued to be the biggest jerk on the planet, "I'm going to put a
freaking gate up so you all will just get the he** away!" So we left and
just walk down the road in silence for a few minutes and sat down on the curb
side. So yeah. That happened. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">But we did have a few good
experiences as well. A girl named star who has lots of emotional / mental
problems and lots of health problems, we went and helped her, strengthen her
and it was so good, her situation makes me cry... So many people have such
terrible lives. She was really happy that we had come over. We also saw lots of
other people. But when I came back home to Sister Thomason they've gotten four
new investigators that day!!! Three of whom I'd met, and one brand new one. So
hopefully the work will start getting so good over here in Victorville! Please
pray that it will! I love and miss you guys so much you don't even know the
struggle I mentally have every day... I want to go home so bad, but I know God
needs me to sacrifice for him right now and have a good attitude about it. Ugh,
I'm trying, it's so hard. Especially when you sometimes have such hard days.
I'm getting used to this though.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">I love you!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">I miss you!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Love,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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Courtney Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11908401456240498893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984883694319316764.post-36277461847500874052016-03-12T11:54:00.000-08:002016-05-11T20:33:09.672-07:00March 12, 2016<div class="MsoNormal">
Family!!!Today was the. Best. Day. Ever. Oh my gosh! So much
happiness was had! So I started off my day going to the mission conference with Elder Bednar!!! And I saw Esther!!! Oh yes! I can't believe it! It was so
great! I was so happy! We talked a lot after the conference was over, it was
so awesome! I missed her so much! She's doing so good! It helped me a lot to
see her and talk with her again! I'm doing much better now. She's still as cute
as ever! By the time you guys get this I have already told you all about today
I'm sure, and I'll have sent you our picture. But, Elder Bednar... Wow, the
conference was so good!!! It was good also because it was so small, only 170
have us missionaries. He talked for so long, and was so straight up and real
with us. It was so great. And we all got to shake he and his wife's hand!! It
was absolutely amazing there's so much he talked about. What Sister Bednar said
was amazing too. And then president and sister Hobbs talked a little bit, and
our area seventy and his wife that were there. So good. I wish you could have
been there all of you, because I'm not a very good explaining other
people's words. I'll try to give you some of what I remember from my notes.<br />
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So
sister Bednar started out telling a few stories from when her sons went on
missions. It was really good. A few important points she made were: 1) develop a love for these people you spend one and a half to two years with.
It's not only a love for them but also love for the Lord. 2) The Lord will bless
your work, and every person you talk to or knock on doors, will be hallowed by
your night. On your name tag, your name, your family's name, Jesus Christ's
name, and the church's name are all on there. That's all who you represent.
Glorify those names and all you do. 3) It's the last dispensation already it's
your job to prepare the world. So don't hold back, and just go! I felt the
spirit so strongly as she was saying these things, because all of this is what
I have been praying and asking about. She shared Doctrine and Covenants 84: 87
- 88 "behold I send you to reprove the world of other and righteousness
unrighteous deeds, and it takes them of a judgment which is to come and who
stole receive with you, there I will be also for eye will go before your face.
I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my spirit shopping in your
hearts, and mine angels rent about you, to bear you up". I love that. </div>
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Then Elder
Bednar talked for a long time. He told us not to write down everything he said.
To take notes on "small plates" the important stuff, not "large plates", like Nephi.
Then he taught us some do's and don'ts. He also asked us what we learn from the
three talks of his he had told us to read before that meeting. Which talked
about faith, conversion and the spirit. He gave us feedback, Taught us more, asked
us for questions etc. Here are a few points he said: in the church we
tend to play "guess what's in my head." When you do that you turn the person from
an agent into an object. And you cannot feel the spirit. All your planning and
studying won't cover it anyway. The Holy Ghost will. You have to be the willing
instrument. The Holy Ghost reveals truth. Pray to see who you really are. Ask
inspired questions. And inspired question is specific to the person, the place,
and the time. Pray with the expectation to act. If you are truly doing what
you're called to do, you cannot go amiss. There's tasks we have to do (study, be obedient, plan, pray plan, etc). To allow the Holy
Ghost to teach, get out of the way! The Lord gives a pattern in all things: one by one. You want those people your age to have a one on one
interaction with heaven. Them and the Holy Ghost. Learn to get out of
the way. The Holy Ghost comes more readily and willingly when he is invited.
There's not repentance without the Redeemer. Sorrow of the Damned is not
repentance, it's embarrassment. We need to feel Godly sorrow. Repentance is to turn from self to Christ. Faith is a spiritual gift,
but it is not given unless you take this step. Don't avoid the hard aspects of
missionary work. Be you, and the Holy Ghost will help guide. Spiritual apathy is the
church's biggest plague. You expect greatness all at once - line upon line - press
forward, this Mission isn't a sacrifice; you were foreordained to do it. Listen
to the spirit and honor your covenants and the spirit will work on those of
whom you love you don't believe or care when you can't change them. So yeah, I
definitely felt the spirit, and felt strengthened. It made me so happy. </div>
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So then
after we got home from the meeting we had an appointment with Eddie. He had
just walked up to the church on Wednesday night looking for a church service.
There were people there for Mutual, so the stake president saw him and started
talking to him. He had just moved back and was looking for a church close by.
President told him we didn't have a Wednesday service, but we had Sundays,
and told him there were some missionaries he could talk to, so he gave us his
number and we made an appointment to meet him at the church with an older
couple from our Ward. So we got there and he's an hour late... But he comes in
and starts talking to us, seems like a very nice guy. First thing he says is "sorry, do you want to have a prayer to start this?" We thought, "well, that was
easy." He said yes and had a prayer. After, he said, "okay let me tell you where
I'm at, so you can know more about me..." Haha, he was doing our job for us! He
went on to say how over the years God has been softening his heart and
affecting him, he has a son, his father died recently and that makes him sad a
lot. He said he's going to many churches and he just thinks none of them are
truly what God teaches. He said in the Bible so much, like well, he's probably
in his late thirties, he knows the Bible front to back! We got in teaching the
restoration and he seems to accept it pretty well! He was so prepared as
possible! We gave him a book of Mormon and he said he'd read and pray about it
and come to church tomorrow! The only problem we had during this lesson is the
older couple wouldn't shut up the whole time, and they went into things we
didn't need to go into at this point. It was very frustrating. But anyways so
prepared. I was so confident and ready I knew he was so prepared, and so was I,
God told me there's no way you can miss them! So yeah, it was so exciting! It made me so happy! Sorry I always share such long stories with you I hope you
like to hear them! I'm doing alright. I miss you all so much. Hopefully I write you enough. Keep asking questions! I love you! I miss you! Love, Court</div>
Courtney Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11908401456240498893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984883694319316764.post-34894453554423586112016-03-10T15:09:00.000-08:002016-05-06T15:10:01.178-07:00March 10, 2016<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Family!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Today is the one month Mark since I left home! It's been a month! Wow. It feels like forever, but yet it also feels like I just left. I'm doing better. Your prayers and your fasting for me are working! I just got a lot of your mail finally today, it was like Christmas I felt so happy getting letters. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">So I have an amazing experience to share with you from yesterday the whole first half of my day for me was amazing. So first of all that morning we had studies, that was really good. Then we had some </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://mormon.org&source=gmail&ust=1462658712202000&usg=AFQjCNGvMuey8ZCKyQ5qiI6dOSZWYmW3bQ" href="http://mormon.org/" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" target="_blank">mormon.org</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"> time, and I watched a lot of great videos. I spent a lot of time searching and watching lots of different videos on the Mormon Channel. I listened to some great songs to and added some to the USB drive I still have. I was feeling very inspired, I was definitely feeling the spirit. Then later after lunch we went out to go see people. One good experience today was with Hank. I guess the Spanish Elders had tracked it into him and referred him over to us. The first time we had met him he was all for hearing from us, we gave him a book of Mormon and he was excited to read. So yesterday when we went by he had read the introduction and the first four chapters of Nephi! He had some questions about it for us. We talked about baptism because he had been curious about what steps it takes an our church to be baptized. We invited him to church, he didn't know if he could yet, but we had a really good talk with him. He could turn into a really good investigator. Then we visited a very interesting lady, a less active member of the church, sister Hearan. She probably has at least 15 cats living in her home with her and a few teenage kids. Anyways, she's been having a really rough time lately physically, and her family, medical, personally, financially, etc... So it's really difficult for her right now. She started crying because she felt so inadequate. We shared a thought with her and tried to strengthen her. Then we had an appointment with sister Hilquist, they're a less active family. This was a highlight of my day, maybe week. But oh, before I go into that I have to tell about the talk I read on our lunch break. It's called the fourth missionary it was given at a mission conference long ago by the mission president to his missionaries. Wow... It changed my life forever. You have to go read it! I don't know if you guys can find it somewhere, if not, let me know and I'll send you a copy. It's called "<a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B-RFrnIsrlQYdElsQ0ZHN2hzREE/preview">The Fourth Missionary</a>" by Lawrence E Corbridge given June 22nd, 2002. It doesn't only apply to missionaries, you can apply it to anyone's life.. Go read it. Wow. So anyways. In it, it explains four different types of missionaries: the first two types are disobedient, the second 2 ( 3rd and 4th) are obedient. It talks about how most missionaries are the third missionary - they go through their whole missions obedient, worthy, hard-working, faithful, and change lives, but withhold in their hearts... As in, wants to follow God's Will, and does, but still in their hearts truly want to be doing what they want to be doing... I realized that is me. Entirely and completely. I am the third missionary exactly. I'm doing what God wants me to do, but I still have the desires of what I actually would rather be doing in my heart. I haven't really given up my wants and desires and giving God my whole self to be a missionary and to truly align my life will with God's. I need my mission to change the lives of many others. But when I get home, I need my mission to have personally benefited me. Not just even learning good skills, but really having changed myself from it. I need to be the missionary that "unconditionally surrenders" my time, talent, energy, but most importantly, myself. So as I was reading this talk I thought "I know I am definitely the third missionary... That is obedient and trying hard, but my whole heart is not in it. And I don't know how to, God... But I really really want to be, and I need to be the fourth missionary - the missionary that unconditionally surrenders myself. I know it's the only intelligent thing to do. But I don't know how. God, please please please help me." And I knew then, that I had started the hardest quest of a lifetime. Also the night before, I had been praying to find joy in my work and to acquire confidence and to be bold. And the quote from the movie Evan Almighty popped into my head. It said, "when people pray for their family to be closer, does God zap them with warm fuzzy feelings, or does he give them opportunities to love each other?" I knew God reminded me of that. God is giving me many opportunities to be bold, to share the gospel, to help people... I just got to stop being a scaredy-cat and take those opportunities. So as you see from these experiences I'm just struggling with submitting my will truly to God, and understanding had to be the best missionaries that God needs me to be. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">So now, back to Sister Helquist. So they're less active and really want to come to church, but they have four younger kids and her husband crazy days/ hours always on weekends, its just hard for them to make it. We went in talked with her and she gave us snacks, and just for a long time we simply talk with her, got to know her and had a good conversation. Then we asked if we could share a message. So we shared parts of the introduction the Book of Mormon and told and reminded her of its importance and challenge her to read often. Sister Thomason asked her why the Book of Mormon is important. Sister Hilquist is a convert by the way. She has so many things to say about it importance and she said she'd started trying to read again the other day when sister Thomason had her turn to the introduction she said "looks like God is trying to tell me something, because just yesterday I had started reading the introduction to the Bible to start with the Bible and Book of Mormon, what a "coincidence"." My companion continued to tell her how we can get so much out of the Book of Mormon and how we can feel the spirit so much when we read. The whole time while she was talking, some thoughts entered my mind that I needed to say the importance of reading your scriptures and obeying God shows him what you want. To say when you follow God, He blesses you. That's all my thoughts were. So as sister Thomason ended her thoughts mostly, I took over. I told her that not only do the scriptures help us and we can feel the spirit and get answers, but as we read them, since God has commanded us to, it is showing God what we want. By obeying God, showing him we want to do as he says, not just by saying so, God can bless us. And then just as I said that, this scripture popped out of my mouth, and I had no idea that I even thought about saying it: "I the Lord am bound when you do what I say but when you do not what I say, you have no promise." And I kind of paused. I didn't even remember that I had the scripture memorized, and at the time I didn't even know the reference. But it's Doctrine and Covenants 82:10. I continued to explain that as we obey and truly try to follow him, He blesses us and helps us, he has to, and he wants to! But if we don't do what he says, and we just simply claim that we'd like to be doing God's will, he doesn't have to do anything for us, and he can't. I paused, and I could see there were some tears In her eyes. She then said " oh my gosh... That scripture that you just quoted was the scripture that missionaries read to me the moment I committed to be baptized... And no one has ever said that to me since..." I felt the spirit flood me. She said: "wow, that's no coincidence... Seriously that exact scripture." And we all just sat there kind of in awe. I knew that God had "given me in the very hour what I should say." We then testified of the Book of Mormon in our lives and she said she'd try to get to church because her husband won't work weekends starting next month, and then we left. I couldn't believe what just had happened I really had followed the spirit, and had been an instrument in the Lord's hands. I'm so grateful for that experience, and hopefully I can continue to help sister Hilquist, and continue letting the Holy Ghost speak through me. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">So yeah, I'm sorry this letter is so long, I just had to share that with you. I felt really good can't wait for General Conference, then can't wait to talk to you guys on Mother's day, I miss you so much! Keep sending pictures and keeping up with everything that is happening! I love you all so much! Love, Courtney</span>Courtney Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11908401456240498893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984883694319316764.post-47113382772266037412016-03-08T14:00:00.000-08:002016-05-05T14:00:23.964-07:00March 8, 2016<div class="MsoNormal">
Family,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So guess what…so you know I’ve been having a REALLY hard
time. Homesickness hurt me so bad, I haven’t
been feeling the best about this whole mission thing…I didn’t really like it at
all, I missed you all, I dreaded going into every appointment, I just didn’t
want to do this. It was hurting me and I
wasn’t comfortable with any of it, you guys, know this all…so last night I
received my strength. I think it’s been
in the workings for the past two days.
Sunday we had lunch with this sweet mid/older couple and they were just
super fun. We later had dinner at the
Waters families’ house. They have two
daughters, one is married, and her and her husband were there as well. They are such a cool family and brother
Waters is so strengthening. We had a
great time there telling stories and having good talks. I got some strength from them, we were
talking about how to truly have faith, and to rely on God, and how you aren’t
usually shown or rewarded until after the trial of your faith. Then their married daughter and son in law
told us about the funny stories of how they met, and some other cool stories,
it finally made me feel at home. Then
Monday, yesterday was P-day, we shopped and did whatever we wanted, then we did
zone sports, which was fun. Finally just
getting together as missionaries and having fun. I needed it.
Then we had dinner with the Garcias, a young family, our new Stake
President. They are such a sweet family,
we taught the Restoration, challenged them to pray for missionary opportunities
and we just had a really good talk. They’re
so cool. They made me feel at home
too. So on our way to our appointments
for the night after dinner, I noticed I finally wasn’t dreading getting out of
the car. And suddenly I noticed that the
weight on my shoulders had been lifted a little. I noticed my trial was still there, I still
miss you, and I’m still scared of mission life, but suddenly my burdens were
made light. I couldn’t believe it. It didn’t hurt as bad. I know it is because you guys had a family fast
for me. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So I just wanted to let you know that. I received some of the strength I’ve been
praying so hard for. Not fully, because I
still miss you like crazy and still have to learn how to be bold and confident,
but my burdens were made a little lighter.
So I’m doing much better than I was.
Thank you for fasting and for all you prayers. God heard and answered them. It means so much to me.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I still hurt, I’m still a scaredy cat, I still miss you guys,
but God lifted my burdens so they are easier to bear.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I just had to tell you guys that. Don’t worry about me too much, I’ll be
okay. But keep praying and keep trusting
God; you guys are the best family ever.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Keep looking for ways to help others increase their faith in
Christ, and helping people is happy because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Trust him, that he’s commanded you to share
the gospel, and if you have the desire he will help you do it. Try to read scriptures with real intent every
day and to the things he’s asked. That’s
how he blessed you, if you’re obeying him.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I hope you all have a great week!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I love you guys so much!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Love,</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Courtney</div>
Courtney Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11908401456240498893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984883694319316764.post-39538033018915637562016-03-03T09:07:00.000-08:002016-05-11T20:35:00.080-07:00March 3, 2016<div class="MsoNormal">
Dear Family,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I forgot to tell you on e-mail, but on the 12<sup>th</sup>,
next weekend, ELDER BEDNAR is coming to speak in our mission!!! I’m so excited, that is a once in a lifetime
opportunity. Should be so cool! And yah that’s Bray’s b-day too.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So finally last night we got to actually go shopping! I didn’t get to shop for everything due to
time, but I finally got some stuff. By the way if you, Mom, have a good
buttermilk pancake powder, I just don’t know what to add to make it. Got it a t Winco, grocery store kinda similar
to Costco, they carry bulk foods.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Anyways, thanks for having Joshua send me his talk, I really
needed to hear it. Definitely made me
cry. It was so good. He’ll be such a
good missionary!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thank you for fasting and praying for me. I’ve really needed it. You guys are the best family I could have
ever asked for. It’s still very hard to
be out here in a place I don’t like too much, with people I don’t really know,
having to try and share something with people who usually don’t care what we
have to say and missing you guys so much.
But like Joshua said, if Christ went through much worse, can’t I suffer a little for him
and let it strengthen me? Sheesh, I’m
tryin' Fam. I love you!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Dad, thank you and Mom thank you for all the very highly inspiring
emails you wrote. They made me cry of
course and miss you guys even more. You’re
the best parents.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Every Thursday morning from 10am-12pm we help out at the
homeless shelter here in Victorville.
Lots of missionaries from our zone go.
It’s not a big facility and it’s not the best well run but we help
whatever we can, sorting and crushing bags of trash, clothes, shoes, etc. (Don’t worry I definitely wear gloves). The temple was so good. So pretty.<br />
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<br />
It’s warm during the days here, but after the sun starts to set we need
jackets. Today was a bit colder all day
though. My companion is the designated driver
that means I can’t ever drive until I’m names designated driver. You’re usually only that once you’re a senior
companion. S o yeah I have to be the backer-outer…so much fun. Tell Rand this also: you’d be proud of me
what I ate at a member’s for dinner, cooked broccoli, cooked asparagus and just
a chicken breast, (no not breaded) and I ate it, all of it, just fine. Had Del Taco for the first time on
Tuesday. It’s supposed to be better than
Taco Bell, but their quesadillas didn’t have the good jalapeño sauce like Taco
Bell. Haha. I’m sure everything else is better though.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Oh I never got to tell you, our investigator at the MTC who
we really did think was an investigator committed to be baptized so we told the
Resource Center and I think she really is!
We swapped emails! That was way
cool cuz we had so many so spiritual lessons with her.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There’s this guy Hank though, lives out on a desert road and
he really want to hear about the gospel, we’ve been by twice and he started in
on the BOM hopefully he’ll continue, he seemed really excited. We extended the baptismal invitation; he said
next week we can teach him about that and what all that means so he’ll have to
see. He’s younger, pretty cool.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Another guy, Jose we found the other day trying to find his
brother who was in our area book. HE and his girlfriend are looking for a new
church, we gave him the Restoration pamphlet, and he was working on his car, so
we’ll follow up this week. He seemed very
open and curious. So cool. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We visit so many less actives, most basically inactive and there’s
so many that just have these wacked ideas and believe what they believe and I
can tell don’t want to change or come back, or even try. I really don’t know how to help those ones at
all!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The bishop seems super cool.
He’s probably in his 60’s, Hispanic, super nice. He’s super sweet and funny and cares about
us. There’s some cool members, just hard
to get to know people. So yeah this
weekend is their, our, stake conference.
They’re getting a new presidency!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Next weekend Elder Bednar is coming to speak to us! Awesome!
Maybe I’ll see Esther there, that will probably be the only time.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We get 2 hours of mormon.org time a week. Just to get familiar with it, if we want.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
District meetings are Tuesdays, that’s when I’ll get any
mail from the mission office from that week, cuz our zone leaders get all our
mail on Mondays.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Oh yeah, this girl Cassie is really interested too they’d
met with her “she loves Jesus” we gave her a BOM and she was so excited to read
she just wants to “follow Jesus what he wants for her.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m doing alright.
Trying to understand how I can grow from this trial. It hurts; I miss you guys so much. But I need it. Hopefully I can figure out how to be the
missionary God need me to be. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I hope you like the pictures, I love you all!</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Love, Sister Day</div>
Courtney Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11908401456240498893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984883694319316764.post-844089475315886202016-03-02T18:00:00.000-08:002016-05-11T20:35:30.052-07:00<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
Wow guys, so it's been a while since I've gotten to email. I got to California the 22nd as you may have seen. It's been a crazy two weeks, physically, spiritually and emotionally. I don't even have time for all of it! So I won't give you a play by play but I'll inform you on some stuff.</div>
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So Monday was a long day we missed a train we were supposed to catch in Provo to Trax then the airport, had to wait an hour for the next one, and it was snowing hard in Provo, just lovely. We <span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">had 17 missionaries and thousands of luggage, craziness transporting from train to Trax to airport. I got to talk to my family! That was so amazing. The flight was fine, I kinda sat by an annoying Elder though... Sorry but true. We got to Chino airport and it was so warm! President picked us up and took us to the Mission office. So when we got here last Monday we spend the night at the mission presidents house, Rancho Cucamonga is beautiful! We got up the next morning and had some new missionary training. We then ate dinner with all the incoming trainers and I got my trainer. Her name is Sister Thomason, she's from Riverton, Utah and has been out 7 months. She's so sweet! I'm really lucky to have her because she doesn't annoy me, she's not forceful, she's not crazy, she's not too shy, and she really respects me. I am located in Victorville, California! The desert.... They call this area the high desert. I'm in the Mesa Linda ward. It's an interesting place. We've had some great experiences and some pretty crazy and weird experiences even in my first week. Everyone calls me a greenie, it's whatever, since I am one (new missionary). Everyone marvels that I'm not from Utah. The ward is pretty good, but not gonna lie, our little branch back home is hard to top. I still haven't seen Sister Boswell, which if she's in Hesperia, she's not too far from me! This week we've been trying to teach and meet lots of people, we've had some miracles and some weird experiences. I will explain some later. We got to go to the Redlands temple today, it was so great! By the way here its like 70-90 degrees all week. It's flippin awesome. The temple was beautiful and we got to go "over the hill" as they call it. If you live "over the hill" like in Rancho it's beautiful and stuff, and "up the hill" in the desert its... desert. We got to drive through El Cajon pass and it's so gorgeous! Like wow! I hope I can send some pictures. I don't have much time to e-mail today so I'll try to share some interesting missionary stories later if I can.. I want to talk to you all! I am still having a bit of a hard time, but I'm trying to rely on the Lord and find my purpose here. Stay strong you guys, I pray for all of you, always.</span><br />
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Courtney Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11908401456240498893noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984883694319316764.post-44719235891726224532016-02-27T10:32:00.000-08:002016-05-03T10:33:10.551-07:002/27/16<div class="MsoNormal">
So this mission thing is hard. I know, I know, you
already know, I keep whining to you. But there's been some cool things
happening too. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I wish you were my companion out here with me for my whole
mission! Because you know how to handle all the situations. Sheesh, why can’t I know exactly how to
handle any situation like you do. Keep
giving me all the knowledge you can and tips and suggestions PLEASE!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
First of all, what do YOU think is the most effective
approach to when tracting/finding? Like
when you see someone out in their yard or knock on a random person’s door; what
do you think is the best thing to say? I
find this so awkward. Especially with
the people that want nothing to do with you.
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Also, there’s this older couple named the Harris’s. They are so cute. We went over there for dinner last
night. They both have stake callings,
but are in our ward. They were super
sweet, joked with us, and told us some very inspiring stories. Oh and also, she made chicken enchiladas
(with white sauce) and Mexican rice! It
was so good! Tasted like I was at home
with Mom! I told Sister Harris
that! Anyways. Brother Harris told us about a story he had
at work years and year ago. He worked
with a guy, that was big and buff and all tattooed up. One day he got a prompting to tell him the
story of the Restoration. He, of course,
was like, no way I’m doing that. So throughout
the time he was prompted 2 more times, so he knew he had to, he was very
scared. So one day he struck up a conversation
with him and told him the Restoration.
He asked him after what he thought about it, and he said something like,
that’s amazing. And he asked him if he’d
like to know more and he said absolutely.
So he talked with him a lot and introduced him to the missionaries, and
three weeks later he was baptized. Two weeks
after that his wife and his 2 old enough kids were baptized. And then, his parents and his siblings, and
his daughter with another mother’s aunts were baptized.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That day I was having a bit of a hard time, as usual,
because nobody ever wants to hear from us, even less actives. So I’m like, if nobody will ever even want to
hear, why am I here leaving my family behind for nothing? He reminded me that there are those 1 in 100 people
that God needs me to find. I won’t find
them all at once. Do what the Lord has
asked, and you will be blessed.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So one thing that happened today, we were going to follow up
with a referral they had gotten from headquarters that they had given a Book of
Mormon and asked to read and pray who said they would. We were coming to follow up and teach
more. We’d tried them twice already this
week and they haven’t been homes. So we
get out at their house, and their neighbor next door was out in his driveway
filling a bucket getting ready to wash his car, and what looked like his older
mother was just sitting in a lawn chair next to him. So we figured we’d stop and talk to them
first. We approach them (a clean, nice
looking black man) and we say who we are and what church we’re from and ask
their religious background and he says like…I don’t know what he said,
something temple Christian. So we talked
a little bit and my companion told him about how we have Christ’s church back
and it’s been restored and we have a prophet of God, simple stuff. And then she bears short simple testimony
about how it’s blessed her life and she asks if that’s something he’d be
interested to learn more about (and people usually say no I’m good with my
church and I have a good relationship with God, and all that stuff, so that’s
what we were expecting, you know?). And he
simply says, “Yes.” So she got out the
Restoration pamphlet and asks if there’s another time we could come by, and he
says yeah you can come by later. So she
asks if he could read it, explained it a little bit, and asks if he would read
it, he says yes! And she asks if he
could pray to know if it’s true—he says yes, I always pray, yes I will! We were like uhhh is this a joke, this never
happens…so I guess we’ll go back and see what happens. That really showed me that I gotta put my
pride aside and sees and understand that God is in charge here. He knows what he’s doing. If I’m being a good girl, he will help me.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, another cool thing today. An older British guy named Chris had talked
with the missionaries before, and we went to go follow up. He actually answered but asked us to come
back Tuesday. He was really happy to see
us, and really wanted to talk but he was busy.
He said he’d come to church tomorrow (which our church is at 1:00 pm)
and said he’d been talking with his Mormon friend from work and really wanted
to try our religion! So cool!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then we knocked SO MANY doors today. All the people we planned for weren’t home
(or didn’t answer) (they all have peepholes) and the people we tracted weren’t
home or told us no.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then we met with a less active member Sister Whitter. We were there forever. They found out her husband has bone cancer
and I guess he’d been having dreams with (who he believes in—the “Indian Chief”—basically
his God) the chief telling him it’s time to come home, and they’re waiting for
results and they are having such a hard time.
I didn’t know what to say. It’s
so sad. D&C 121:7-8 came to my mind
as she spoke, so I shared that with her and Sister Thomason shared the story of
Peter and Jesus walking on water. I hope
it helped her. Because they’re having a
hard time.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We went by a family in the ward’s house who are bordering
less active. They’ve had a bad past few
months, their son (12 years old) was diagnosed with diabetes, their 18 year old
daughter moved out got pregnant and ran off somewhere and then (their name is
the Keserichs) Sister Keserich’s father and stepfather died. They are doing
really good now. Their 14 year old daughter
reminds me a little of Haley. She’s so
sweet. We shared a message with them as
well as they told us an experience they’ve had.
There’s this boy, Cameron, from Emily’s school (which Sister Keserich
also works at) who is in foster care with a drug abusing caretaker and has no
adults who care for him. Emily became
his friend and Sister Keserich and Emily have helped him at school, they
brought him to their house, he thought it was a mansion (it’s a regular ole
house) and a lot of cool stuff. So they said they’re going to help him become a
good person, help him understand morals, and maybe someday have us teach
him. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now it’s Sunday morning, church at 1, this will be
interesting. I really hope you guys are
doing good. I pray for each of you a
million times a day. You guys are
amazing. I’m so blessed. I love you so much!</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Love, Courtney</div>
Courtney Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11908401456240498893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984883694319316764.post-73929541934209332282016-02-24T18:46:00.000-08:002016-04-27T18:46:52.937-07:002/24/16<div class="MsoNormal">
Dear Family,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, I don't get P-day till Wednesday, so this next Monday I
won't be on. This is because we get to go to the Redlands Temple on
Wednesday! Since we have a temple so close each zone gets to go once a
quarter. And since we won’t do much that
day they made that our P-day for this next week.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So I am in Victorville, California! I am in the Mesa Linda Ward. There’s 3 wards that meet at our church building. We only cover the one ward. Since one of the other wards is a Spanish ward,
most of our members (I’ve been told) are Caucasian. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My trainer is so good.
I’m so happy and relieved to have a trainer like her! Her name is Sister Thomason. She from Riverton, Utah. She’s so so sweet! She is a little quiet, but she’s helpful,
obedient, kind, funny and encouraging.
So we are in the desert. It’s so
much different from the valley. The
valley was so gorgeous. Our apartment is
actually very nice. My companion keeps
it clean, that’s very good! I bought
some fruity dyno bytes and milk and envelopes and laundry soap and toilet
paper.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Do not send packages especially at this home address, things
get stolen, so send them to the mission home and our zone leaders will get it
to me the next week.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<img height="480" src="https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/12814267_1705731092998333_271158414829632943_n.jpg?oh=b43b2245252e30dc9ec73a70dffc7d24&oe=579F76F1" width="640" /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We live in a big complex that has a little laundry mat, so
that’s good, we can do it whenever.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A little more about my companion—no, she’s not weird! Yay!
Haha sorry, kinda mean. She’s
very comparable to Stephanie! Sweet as
can be pretty, obedient, happy, optimistic and fun. She even sounds like Steph! I’m so blessed to have a companion a little
bit more like me. I’m excited.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Last night we had dinner with the Wilsons, a young couple
from our ward, they’re having a baby in the next 2 or 3 weeks! They are super cool and super member
missionaries. Dinner was great and we
talked for a little bit, and I unpacked some of my stuff. Not a whole lot yet, I’ll get more time later
today.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I love you guys so much!
I won’t get to talk to Joshua before he leaves so tell him I say “good
luck, you’ll be awesome, stay strong, I’m praying for you1” and tell Steven to
write me. Seriously did he totally forget
about me?! Sheesh boy.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hunty, I love you!
Martina, I love you! Haley, I
love you! Dad, I love you! Mom, I love you!
I miss you guys so much!</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Love, Court</div>
Courtney Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11908401456240498893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984883694319316764.post-69992965038178704152016-02-23T15:00:00.000-08:002016-05-11T20:36:03.517-07:00<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
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<span style="line-height: 19.32px;">I made it to California people! I won't get to send too much of a big e-mail because yesterday was P-day and our flight got delayed way late and we got in super late.</span><span style="line-height: 19.32px;"> </span></div>
But we arrived in California at 77 degrees!! Yes so warm!! I'm loving it! Currently in Rancho Cucamonga!</div>
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They wanted us to send a letter to let everyone know we got here safely and send a picture once we got here. Sister Hernandez and I spent the night at the mission presidents beautiful home last night, it was great! California is so beautiful!!! Oh my goodness, I love it already. Palm trees, mountains, fancy houses, fancy cars, better restaurants, etc. etc.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
We will meet our trainers in a few hours and told what city we will serve in, so I won't get to let you know until next week where I am, so wish me luck! I'm so excited to be here! But I did get to call my family before my flight yesterday for a few hours so I was so happy for that I love you all so much!</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
I'll try to send lots of pictures next week, it's so beautiful here!!!!</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
I miss you all so much especially Mom, Dad, Haley, Martina, Hunter, Braden, and Steph! Love my family, love my friends! Keep me in your prayers, you're always in mine. Here's the 16 new missionaries coming to Rancho Cucamonga mission.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
Love, Sister Day</div>
</div>
Courtney Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11908401456240498893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984883694319316764.post-72866962085363161702016-02-21T13:55:00.000-08:002016-05-08T14:03:57.748-07:00Random pictures before leaving the MTC:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Courtney Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11908401456240498893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984883694319316764.post-5910986952675456692016-02-20T19:21:00.000-08:002016-05-08T13:48:02.244-07:00February 20th, 2016<div class="MsoNormal">
Dear Family,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So family, I miss you all so much! I know you guys
miss me, I feel your love. Thank you SO MUCH! By the time you get
this letter we will have already talked on the phone, so if I repeat anything
I've already told you, I apologize.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I don't think you understand JUST HOW grateful I am for all
the Dear Elders you sent. And letters. And the package. Oh my
goodness. I literally have the best family ever. People in my district
were so jealous. I felt a little bad, but I felt so loved it was okay :).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So you know I got about 46 Dear Elder Letters since I got
here! :) Don't feel bad, I read them all, every one, and LOVED them
SO MUCH! It made me so happy you guys care so much about me and miss me
so much! Don't stop all the love once I leave to California, though it
won't be as easy. Please! You guys are the only thing that keeps me
goin!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So it's currently Saturday as I write this, I leave in two
days. Finally out of the MTC. I've loved yet hated it here.
I've learned so much, but I'm ready to actually get in the field. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So the MTC has been crazy. We've had one real
investigator (we're pretty sure) one who was acting as an investigator but
someone found out she's just a member acting. And then our teacher acting
as an investigator he had on his mission. It's been interesting.
And cool. But our investigator who is real, she committed to be
baptized! It's been so amazing our lessons with her. She's so much
like Steven! She's the greatest and Sister Hernandez and I have grown
much in teaching her.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Campus is pretty big. Our residence bedroom is in
building 17, 3rd floor, and our classroom is in building 18, 5th floor...so we
walk stairs SO MUCH. Up and down and up and down. I'll have buns of
steel when I get home. Hahahahaha.<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal">
So when I got here, I didn't really unpack any clothes.
Just jewelry, shoes, toiletries, etc. Because there's not much room
in our room with 6 girls. I've been living out of my suitcase. It's
easiest. Also, I'm on the bottom bunk of Sister Hernandez and I, which
I'm SO happy about. There's no room, so I have to have one of my big luggage
actually on the foot of my bed, I have to prop up my legs on it at night to
stretch out one luggage right next to the bed on the floor and my little
luggage in the closet I get. They have a set of three drawers in the
closet. I keep jewelry in the top, all my bathroom stuff in the middle
drawer, and hats, gloves, scarves, towels in the bottom drawer (I know you
totally love hearing all these specifics :).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So I have 2 name tags right now. A magnetic one, and a
pin one, which I bought a clip attachment for the pin to make it easier.
We have to take scriptures, notepad, preach my gospel, daily planner, all
that stuff everywhere we go. My bag is chuck full. I'm getting a
strong shoulder! Haha. It's not that bad though. And I won't
have to carry as much in it when I'm actually in the field.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Showers aren't too bad but it's such a hassle. It’s a
lot like Girl's Camp. We are in our classrooms a majority of the day,
then back and forth from meals. I got to do laundry twice, super easy.
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Oh, so Thursday all day we had, for all of the departing
missionaries, something called in-field orientation. Lasted all
day--wasn't too bad. It was training and workshops. They taught us
how to find people, how to work with members, and other stuff like that.
It was helpful.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Oh, let me tell you about my district! So, Elder
Huff-district leader--he's the cutest little guy, but not little. He's
from Pennsylvania, blond, tall, super hilarious but also keeps us in order, I
love his personality! Elder Hearn from Tennessee is the FUNNIEST Elder of
all time he's always making jokes and is so good at telling stories he's tall-
super as well. Oh and he's engaged. Elder Rosengren--our zone
leader form Washington is super cool, he's pretty funny too, likes to have fun.
Elder Steere from Washington--also our zone leader, is super quiet but
super funny as well especially because he doesn't talk much, but when he does,
it's hilarious. Sister Hernandez has a super strong personality, likes to
be funny, super awkward on purpose. And Sister Tew from New York is just
simply super quiet and shy but super spiritually powerful, always know what to
say. Sister Heseldon from Washington has a strong personality as well.
She's super tall, super funny and she's like 21. Sister Moore is
more quiet but super silly and so spiritual. Sister Johnson has a strong
personality as well she's so cute, super funny, a big leader (from Utah).
I love her so much.<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Anyways, I love you guys so much! Let me know what's
going on! Can't wait to talk to you and then see you on Mother's Day!
Yay!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sundays here at the MTC are the easiest. There are a
few big buildings that have "chapel rooms' in them, that's where we have sacrament
meeting. Our branch is just our zone and our branch presidency and Relief
Society presidency are older couples called as our leaders.</div>
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Then on Sundays we always go on a temple walk, have a
fireside and watch devotionals by Elder Bednar and Holland only given at the
MTC, they are amazing!<br />
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Days here at the MTC go by so slow, but the weeks go by so
fast. I feel like I’ve known my district forever and we can never keep
the days straight, but his week has been so fast, I can't believe I leave Monday
for California. Our flight is only an hour and a half.<br />
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Haselden, Tew and Hearn are going to Nevada Las Vegas West.
Rosengren, Steere and Huff are going to Arizona Phoenix. And then
myself, Hernandez, Johnson and Moore are going to Rancho Cucamonga.</div>
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I love hearing from you guys!</div>
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Love you,</div>
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Courtney</div>
Courtney Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11908401456240498893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984883694319316764.post-3663198992181074472016-02-16T12:00:00.000-08:002016-05-08T13:11:37.104-07:00First Week (MTC)<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
February 16, 2016:</div>
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First Week!</div>
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Hello everyone!! So I've been here at the Missionary Training Center (MTC) for 7 days now!!! Its finally my preparation day (P-Day) so I can finally e-mail!</div>
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Wow has it been a very crazy week.. It's been one of the hardest of my life, but also one of the most spiritual of my life. I'll try to remember everything that happened this week but there's been lots... I feel like I've been here forever.. So bear with me</div>
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Wednesday: So Wednesday morning my family and I got up at 2:30 in the morning there in Missouri and I got all ready to head off to the MTC. It was a hard morning. Leaving my family at the airport that morning literally broke my heart, and to be honest I wasn't really able to handle it. It still hurts so so bad. But then mom flew with me to Utah and we stopped by and said goodbye to a few family members on the way and then I said goodbye to Mom at the MTC. It was so so so hard, Mom I LOVE YOU SO MUCH! But I had a Host Sister Missionary helping me with my bags as I walked away from my Mom... I was in tears. But the Sister started talking to me and telling me what a great experience the MTC was. I just wanted to go hop back in the car with Mom. I hurt so bad. But as I started walking in and they gave me tons of materials and I put my bags in my room and met my companion I suddenly starting feeling an overwhelming peace. Nothing like I've ever felt before. My companion Sister Hernandez is the most amazing!! I really do love her so much! I am so lucky, she's actually FROM MISSOURI TOO! She's from St. Joe!!! Can you believe that, and we're going to the same mission! She's 20, so amazing, super sweet, very caring and loves me too! We had a very spiritual and amazing welcome to the MTC and I felt very comforted, I was still hurting and missing my family, but let me tell you, the spirit here at the MTC is real, that spirit is the only thing that kept me here. We then met our District which is a group of 10 missionaries and got our assigned classroom. I love my district SO MUCH!!! There's 4 Elders and 6 Sisters. Our District leader Elder Huff and Elder Hearn-- they are HILARIOUS and our upcoming zone leaders Elder Rosengren and Elder Steere. Sister Hernandez and I are the Sister Training Leaders! (equivalent to the district leaders) and then we have Sister Johnson and Sister Moore -- funnest!! And Sister Haselden and Sister Tew. I love them all so much! 4 of us are going to Rancho Cucamonga, 3 to Las Vegas West, and 3 to Phoenix. We have had such a great time together. We also met our zone, our zone leaders and the leading district are so amazing!!! I'm so grateful for them. Then we got settled in our Residence and had a very VERY hard night of sleep for me... and there are 6 of us sisters to a room!!! SO CROWDED.<br />
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Thursday: We met our teachers for class times, and they are so great, Brother Rogers, Brother Smith, and Sister Neilson, they trade off days. We had lots of study time this day, which we study a lot! Always in our classroom, so we are always with our district. People always say how close you and your district get in the MTC which I thought was impossible, we aren't even here for two weeks... but we are together ALL the TIME, and we have all gotten SO CLOSE it's like we've known each other for years, it's so great!!! Then we met our branch presidency (which our branch is just our zone) and they are super super cool, that's when Sister Hernandez and I got the calling of Sister Training Leaders.<br />
Friday: This day we had a lot of study time as well, lots of bonding with our district, but this was also one of the hardest days for all of us. We were all getting stressed and I've been by far the most homesick.<br />
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Was not the best day. But that was the first time we got to go to the gym!! I played volleyball which was super fun, and our zone all played knockout together and they have a track, my companion and I ran on that for a while... and we also taught our first lesson to an "investigator" (who was our teacher Brother Rogers acting as an investigator) Daniel. It didn't go very well.. he tripped us up a lot and we were nervous and we didn't say everything right.. ugh.. wasn't very good.<br />
Saturday: We had to get up super earlier than usual because us Sisters were assigned a service project, we just cleaned bathrooms and such, yucky. Then we had lots of study time and actually were assigned 2 real investigators that we will be teaching this next week. Catherine and Jessy. We got exercise time again and Sis. H and I did a super good running work out and our legs were jello after that but we felt good. We had to do some MTC training that day and then more studying and class time. This day our district had an AMAZING spiritual day, we all felt it and couldn't believe it, we had had so many spiritual talks, and we had our second lesson with Daniel and it went much better than the first, and everyone elses lessons had gone so well too. We had a district Book of Mormon study as well and all had such amazing revelation, it was an amazing day. Because that was the best day thus far we all decided to do a fast as a district for Sunday morning to keep up this spirit and help each other have comfort and strength. It really brought us together.<br />
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Sunday: Sunday was busy, we had sacrament which was good. Every missionary is supposed to prepare a talk because they will just call on you and give you no time, so I prepared one but I did not get called up, good! We had a New Sister Orientation, then Sunday School and Relief Society. Our district then all wanted to be in the MTC choir and it was so amazing our first practice, our director is SO GOOD and he made it so spiritual, it was beautiful! We then went on a temple walk with our zone. We walked across the street to the Provo temple, and took so many pictures! I don't know if I can send them, but I'll try. It was such a fun experience and it was so sweet, and COLD. Then we had an amazing devotional that night by a guy who visits and trains lots of missions, and he called up some missionaries who were converts, it was so great, I don't remember his name.. sorry.<br />
Monday: We didn't get to really teach Daniel today but he said he'd like to get baptized if he can know things are true and he told us he read the Introduction to the Book of Mormon and had prayed about it and felt really good, so our next lesson should go great! We exercised again and our whole zone had an amazing few games of knockout... for the record I was totally always in the last 3, even though I suck. So much fun. We had lots of class time and study time and then we went to go teach our first real lesson with an investigator, Catherine. It went really well, we got to know her and she was really interested and we did our lesson pretty well, but we couldn't find a Book of Mormon to give her and she kinda seemed... skeptical... but it definitely went well.<br />
Tuesday: We were all so excited it's P-Day!!! I'm so happy!!! We ate, got some mail, took a nap, and came to wash clothes and e-mail!!! We have Ronald Rasband coming to speak to us tonight, and we get to go to a session with our district in the Provo Temple! Can't wait!!!</div>
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Thank you all so much for all the dear elders, they make my day, and make me cry so much. Thanks grandma and grandpa for the Valentines box!!! I loved it and hung the monkey from my bed, my district sisters enjoy all the candy with me <i class="_4-k1 img sp_fM-mz8spZ1b sx_7f72ac" style="background-image: url("/rsrc.php/v2/yx/r/pimRBh7B6ER.png"); background-position: 0px -442px; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: auto; display: inline-block; height: 16px; vertical-align: -3px; width: 16px;"><u style="left: -999999px; position: absolute;">wink emoticon</u></i> Haley and Dad I got your package as well!!!!! Wow thank you so so much you did great without mom there! You spoil me! I can never say I'm not loved. I cried and cried. I miss you all so so much.<br />
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Fun facts:<br />
At the MTC right now there are 51% Sisters and 49% Elders!!<br />
It's SO COLD and most days it's so overcast and there's so much inversion you can barely ever see the mountains<br />
We leave for California on Monday the 22nd and can call my family right before the flight!<br />
The food isn't too great... It's not terrible, just not the best quality.. I usually eat too much, but I work out a lot too <i class="_4-k1 img sp_fM-mz8spZ1b sx_7f72ac" style="background-image: url("/rsrc.php/v2/yx/r/pimRBh7B6ER.png"); background-position: 0px -442px; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: auto; display: inline-block; height: 16px; vertical-align: -3px; width: 16px;"><u style="left: -999999px; position: absolute;">wink emoticon</u></i><br />
The bathrooms are always so full, especially the showers. They have one main bathroom for each floor, which has like probably ten showers and twelve stalls, but there's SO MANY SISTERS<br />
Our zone leaders left yesterday, so sad. The Sisters were going to Bakersfield California and the Elders to Tampa Florida!</div>
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I can't remember much else to tell you... So ask lots of questions!</div>
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I'm doing alright but definitely missing my family and friends so much.</div>
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Love you all, Sister Day</div>
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Courtney Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11908401456240498893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984883694319316764.post-80691845944932413252016-01-09T13:46:00.002-08:002016-01-09T15:01:59.374-08:00A Month AwayI have been called to serve as a missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints! I am headed to the California Rancho Cucamonga Mission, and report to the Provo Missionary Training Center on February 10th, 2016!<br />
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I got my call in November, and since then time has flown by! I can't believe I leave in just a month! There's so much preparation I still need to continue to do. </div>
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As a missionary I am going to live a very strict life and schedule for a year and a half. Our church missionary service program has many rules to make sure that we are focused on our work and purpose, and are able to be worthy representatives of our Lord Jesus Christ. This means I won't get to see my family or friends for a year and a half, or barely communicate with. I don't get to bring my phone, or Ipod, or even use the Internet while on my mission. I can only communicate with friends and family by e-mail every Monday. Every Monday for me in my mission is called Preparation Day for the missionaries. I will get to do things like sports this day. I can only Skype my family twice a year, and that's it! I have a strict amount of music I am able to listen to, to help me stay focused on my missionary work. I won't have social media, texting, calling, anything! This all for me is going to be a very big sacrifice; if you know me, I love to keep in touch, listen to music, and post all over social media!</div>
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While this is going to be very hard, I chose this path. I am choosing to go out and be a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. My purpose as a missionary is NOT going to be to just want to convert everyone to my church, that's not a missionaries goal. Our true purpose as we are told to make it is to: "Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end." And I personally want to share the gospel of Jesus Christ that I have because I know how happy my life is because of it, and how happy I know it would make our Heavenly Father if I shared what I know to be his gospel here on the earth with others who may not be as fortunate to have that. Doctrine and Covenants 18: 15-17 "And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy, if you should bring many souls unto me! Behold you have my gospel before you, and my rock, and my salvation." </div>
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In our church we have The Bible, and The Book of Mormon. Both are very important books written by Prophets of old times that we believe to come from revelation God has given his people. We use them both in our teachings and believe in both very strongly. We share The Book of Mormon with others because not many people have heard of it, or know what it is about, and many people have read the Bible. The Book of Mormon is a lot like The Bible and has many of the same teachings.</div>
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The reason I have chosen to serve a mission is to help others, to try to be an inspiration, to help others change lives. Jesus Christ did so much for us while he was here on this earth, and continues to help us throughout our lives. He died for all of our sins, and the least I can do is try to repay even a tiny little percentage of that back to Him, by helping teach others about the gospel, and helping others become happy as I am. Life is meant to be hard, salvation isn't easy, life wasn't easy for our Savior. If I'm not going to do it, who is? Why not me?</div>
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Doctrine and Covenants 4: 1-7 "Now behold, a marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men. Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might mind, and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day. Therefore if ye have desires to serve God, ye are called to the work; For behold the field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul; And faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work. Remember faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, godliness, charity, humility, diligence. Ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Amen."<br />
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Courtney Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11908401456240498893noreply@blogger.com2