Merry Christmas

Well I hope you all had the best Christmas ever this year! I don't have too much to say being as I just talked to everyone 2 days ago. But here I go anyway! So this past week was very good and filled of Christmas cheer, this week we spent one of our nights caroling with the elders in our district so some members in our area it was really fun, from having dogs attacking us to singing the wrong tune to a song, to just being able to make peoples days.

We also rode our bikes last week, and that was fun! At one point we felt like a biker gang because their were tons of bikers near us going a long with us, it was funny! it was a good experience! Biking days are always soo funny!

We also got a new investigator this week Her name is Maritza, and she is really awesome! She has problems with Joseph Smith, but she is ready to listen, I feel like we will definitely be getting baptismal dates this week, so it's really exciting! We also still have Nery and Estela, who are doing as good as ever, they even came to a noche de hogar with us at a less-actives house yesterday!

Our Christmas Eve was great! However everyone wanted to feed us, but it was fun, we felt a part of a family everywhere we went! Then on Christmas the elders had a baptism and we went, and my companion who only kind of knows how to play the piano, played anyway because they asked her too, I was so proud of her, and felt bad that I didn't take piano lessons more seriously!

Yup, so that was our week, and on new years eve we will be getting transfer calls and will be having transfers on Monday, so we'll see what happens for the new year.
Happy New years!!!

Love, Hermana Love

Merry Christmas!!.... Almost!!

Hello all!

Well this week was an eventful one, this past Tuesday we had interviews with the President, and boy President Becerra is so cool, such an inspired man it went well, I was interviewed first of my companions and then by the time Sister Taylor who was last came out, he had told her that we are the happiest trio in the history of the mission! That made me feel so privileged and awesome to be able to be a part of that, so pretty much we are really lucky, it's amazing how well we get along because we are all so very different, but we have the same goal in mind! Also a new missionary came this week to our district, it's the middle of a transfer, so it was really random, but he has been here before once I guess and now he's back, and the elder training him found out the day before that he was coming, so that was different.

Also we had our like 8 hour talent show on Wednesday, it was a nice break, but very long, our district did the EFY medley in Spanish, and being the procrastinators we are we only practiced once with the piano right before the show started. The funny part is me and my companions practiced a lot on our own, and the elders did not, however, when we did it we messed up and the elders did awesome, so that was way funny! Also my companions and I did this dance with a bunch of the English missionaries, and it was random and embarrassing, but there were a lot of weirder talents so I don't feel too bad about it.

We had a very cultural experience at our ward Christmas party this past week, the Hermanas in the Relief Society did some dances, one was about these old men or something with creepy masks on, they also told jokes that made no sense, because we don't know Spanish that well, but it was fun anyway.

That's the exciting things going on in the mission life right now, it's fun, I love the mission more and more everyday, that I get to go out and tell people that I know that Christ is our Savior and Redeemer, that our Heavenly Father knows and loves each of us, That we have a prophet on the earth today, That the Book of Mormon is true. I love that we can tell them that we know the way back to God! This is something so special to me, and I am grateful for the chance I have to be here helping people to know what we all know!

I love you all! I hope you have a merry Christmas and I'll be talking to you next week Family!

Love, Hermana Love

My 2nd Exchanges!

well this week was a good one, we had quite a few lessons this week, the main one was with a less-active, we invited him to a tour of the church, because he has been less-active for a REALLY LONG time so we decided to take him on the tour, and during the tour he opened up to us to why he isn't coming, because he doesn't remember it anymore and he spends time with his family. It went really well even though he didn't come to church, but the tour was a big step for him.

We also have been trying as a district to get our ward more unified, because they currently are not, but we are helping them to get that way, I'm really excited for that to change!

Probably the most eventful time this week was exchanges, we had exchanges on Saturday and that was really fun! Hermana Taylor went to Chino with Hermana Cruz (my MTC companion) and then her companion Hermana Brown (who has only been here 3 weeks came with me and Hermana Mulitalo. I drove for the day, and since I usually don't drive funny things happened including getting semi-lost, and the big thing is we came home for Lunch and well we walked out the door, and I had locked it, and just as I shut the door I realized the keys were on my desk, luckily this has happened before, so we opened the window and climbed through and got the keys. That was lucky! We also got to go to a Christmas concert at the stake center, It was really good, and made it sort of feel like Christmas, so that was way cool! It was a way fun exchange and a good learning experience!

This week we have President interviews this week, and the missionary Christmas talent show party, no one signed up to begin with so then President said he wanted everyone to be in it, so our district decided we would do it together and we'll be singing the EFY medley in Spanish, I don't know how it will go we just threw it together, but I'm excited to see the talents of the other missionaries. I'll let you know how it goes!

Well that's pretty much it! Hope all is well! and your enjoying all the snow back home, we just get rain!

Love, Hermana Love

3 Meals May Be a Little Too Much

Well it was a good week this past week. I alsoo learned this past week that I am an amateur at the holiday in the mission thing. So as you all know it was Thanksgiving this past week, we decided it would probably be hard to do any real work on Thanksgiving, so me and my companions decided we would tell the members who asked us that we would go to their dinner, we thought we had spaced it out pretty well with 3 meals.  It ended up that some people were late and some early so we ate 3 meals in a row, that was probably the worst decision I have ever made in my life, we were all close to tears by the end of the night. Christmas should be a lot smoother. We also spent that day taking fruit baskets to less active sisters from the Relief Society it was really fun!

We were pretty busy this week we even got a new investigator, it's been a while so that is pretty awesome! Things have been relatively slow here but this transfer with 3 of us we are going to take off and I can feel that with lots of work we can have a White Christmas this year!

Also we had a lesson with Arnulfo one of our investigators this week and we were talking to him, he has to look for a new place to live and a new job all at once and we said we were sorry, and he said I enjoy everything in life whether it's working all the time, even my problems and every day because you never know what will come tomorrow, so enjoy it today because tomorrow you wont have it. It was really profound and it was really cool, Arnulfo is a really awesome investigator!

That's basically the most of what happenened this was a great week, and I feel a lot of great things will happen this coming week so stay tuned this week.

Love, Hermana Love

3rd Trio and Still in Rimgrove

So it was transfer times again, and well it turns out that I am in another trio again, me and Hna Taylor stayed in our area, but then Hna Mulitalo came to join us, so that was pretty crazy insane! Hna Mulitalo is Samoan but she is from salt lake Utah! I'll give more details next week! However I am happy we are staying here because I love it here, and I have had a new companion every transfer thus far it is really crazy!

Anyway and things are really awesome, I feel things really are going to pick up here pretty soon and I am really excited to see what this next transfer has to bring to us, so it should be really good and awesome! I can't remember much of what happened this past week, but it was good, on Saturday we had a ward thanksgiving party, and they went all out, we went to the church early to help them prepare all this food it was soo awesome, and also the ward choir which included us sang in the jungle from Lion King, not sure how that relates to thanksgiving, but we just do as we are told. So that was the main thing that happened.

Then of course on Tuesday, I got a phone call from President Becerra that was really quite shocking, from your mom called to the news of grandma was really quite crazy! Weird I didn't know Grandma was sick but somehow when I heard the news from the president, all I could feel in that moment was a sense of peace, knowing it was her time, and a greater appreciation that we have the gospel in our lives that we have the plan of salvation, and that Grandma was needed to do work on the other side. I loved Grandma, and I am praying for you all and hope you can feel peace at this time. I love you all a lot as well!

Love, Hna Love

also if you want to read an awesome story Alma 20 is the way to go, seriously I love it soo much! I read it today!
Also happy thanksgiving!!!

A week of service!

Well last week was a little different. One of the members here in our ward got a notice of eviction a few weeks ago, so we kept going by to see how we could help them, and hoping they knew we were serious when we told them to call when they were moving, so we were so happy when they actually called last week so that we could help them! Also during that move I realized just how lucky we are to have the life we have. Because we were packing stuff and moving it out and their were COCKROACHES....EVERYWHERE! It was insane I don't know how people can live the way they do, sometimes, also us and the other missionaries and 2 other people were the only people to help so we were there all day because we just had 1 truck. However I was grateful to help and get some service, since there is not much service to do here.

Then came my birthday and it was great, I had 2 cakes that day one with the other missionaries and one with the investigators they planned it as a surprise. Our investigators are the best! Also the tradition is that you have to bite the cake, and when you do that someone pushes your head so you get frosting all over your face, it's a funny tradition, I think I'll keep that tradition.

Then we had a chance to help the elders and we moved another family, but that was much easier because it was from one to another in the same apartment complex, it was soo great!

Also this week we had Zone conference! I love zone conference! Seriously our president is so inspired! I really learn a lot each time he teaches, so it is really exciting. It was in Spanish this time, so it was good, to learn more Spanish. I always feel soo inspired after we meet with him.

We also had a lesson with Arnulfo our investigator this week, in which we finished teaching him everything, however the crazy thing is that he works everyday, and so he had a 2 hour break on Saturday, so we went to his work, and taught him in the back of Burger king. It was slightly random, but that's how much he is prepared, but he only has thanksgiving and Christmas off for the rest of the year. It's sad because he has a desire to come to church, but he literally is working all the time now! But I believe in Miracles! The faith must be tried first though.

I got to go to a baptism this week also of a little girl from my English ward. Leo, who got baptized while I was there baptized her. It's so cool to see a convert be able to use the priesthood. It was a sweet experience.

Also our mission President came to our ward yesterday, and he spoke and then while he was there we asked about how to help our investigators and he really inspired us, and it was so good, to have that inspiration. Truly i feel like one of the reasons I'm here in this mission is so that I can know President Becerra!

Well that's all here this week! Transfers are this week, so we'll see if President decides to change things with me again. Who Knows?

Love, Hermana Love

Gracias!

Well I received the package today, and I saw all the wrapped presents and I said I'll wait til tomorrow to open them and my companion said wow you have a lot of self control so then I opened them seconds later, I couldn't help it, I had to know! Also I loved the outfit, you chose well, I also tried it on and it fits perfectly, I'll take a pic and send it next week, because I at least am waiting to wear it till tomorrow! Thanks so much though I really loved it!

Also guess what? My companion became an aunt this week, her sister had a baby and it's the first in the family, so it's really exciting, I just found out now, but the situation seems similar to Mitchell, so that's funny! Thanks for the pics I love them!

Love, Hermana Love

Rojita our new car!

Well our p-day was a little crazier than expected yesterday, so we get to email today instead, because for p-day yesterday we went to the LA Zoo, we got to go because the parking lot is inside our mission! So it was really fun, nearly all the sisters in the mission went it was way fun!

Also this past week we got a new car, and when I say new, I mean new! We traded in our car, so we could have a smaller car, a Toyota corolla, that's red, and when we got the car it only had 10 miles on it! We were soo excited! The mission is so nice to us sisters!

We had an awesome Noche de hogar  (FHE) last week, where all our investigators and recent converts were together, it was like a dream and it went really well! It is so good! I love it!

Next we have really been searching for service so finally we found some that probably wont work out in the long run, but nonetheless it was fun, last week we went to a senior home and we did BINGO with a bunch of old ladies, and oh boy they were so ornery especially when they didn't get BINGO, me and my companion semi feared for our lives, and were going back today again, but after that we'll be looking for more purposeful and effective service. So wish us luck on that one!

Now, for the heartbreaking news, Arnulfo our investigator had a baptismal date for this Saturday, it's his second one thus far, but Arnulfo asked for Sundays off and instead of getting Sundays off he now is working 7 days a week and longer hours, it's so sad, and since he wasn't able to come to church he still can't get baptized, yet, which is so sad because he is soo ready, but we are praying for a miracle, because now we've had a trial of our faith.

I was able to get some more culture this week as well, our investigators invited us over for dinner on Sunday and they made us carne asada, and tacos de lengua which means on Sunday I tried cow tongue! Seriously it was one of the best things I have ever tasted in my life, it was way better than expected, also I tried Guava, which I suggest never eating because it is so weird, but great for the experience suppose.

Also thanks for the happy birthday wishes!

Love, Hermana Love

Happy Halloween!

Well Hello all, it's been another fun filled week in the Rimgrove ward here in SUNNY California! Well our week has been filled of exciting things. One was my first Mission tour last week. We had Elder Walker from the 70 come, it was so neat and so rewarding, he told some fun stories about the apostles and the importance of our mission calls, but one the major themes was this

"In the gospel there are no such things as coincidences, just panned incidents!" He talked about how God truly is in all the small details of our lives. It was a great mission tour I really enjoyed it.  The crazy part was the very next day we were at the gas station filling our car and checking the oil, but the hood wouldn't shut, and at that moment the elders in that area were walking past turns out the leverwas stuck, so that was just a little thing but that was proof of a planned incident.

Also the other night we heard a knock at our door, and our neighbor brought us all these groceries, it was so nice, we were so grateful. None of neighbors are members but they are all incredibly nice, and bring us variousfruitsand things often, I'm convinced that they will all become members one day.

Also we are still teaching Arnulfo our investigator, and the day we went to teach the word of wisdom he was drinking Coffee, and so then we taught him the word of wisdom, and he siad I don'tdrink or smoke, I drink coffee every once in a while but I knowit's bad for me so I'll stop, I don't know why tea is bad, but if God says I won't drink that either. That just is a testimony of how  prepared and awesome he is, he truly is great, he was supposed to get baptized this past week but he had to work so he missed church so he will be baptized next Saturday. We are soo excited!

We also had a ward halloween party on saturday, it was so fun to be with and get to know the members a bit more, and also on saturday we rode our bikes for the half the day, it was so crazy because our area is ginormous and we don't live in our area, but we found a bike path that made it faster to get where we wanted to go.

One last thing, have any of you ever tried a percimmon? If you haven't I suggest not to unless you want to be foaming at the mouth, it's a weird fruit I guess you put it in pie.

Well Happy Halloween all! Tonight the missionaries will be at the stake center, because we can't be out since halloween is nuts, literally there is a costume place on every corner! Crazy!

Love, Hermana Love

Yes, We Got Towed!

Hello all, I guess I will first begin with an explanation of the subect of this email, so last week, we went to an investigators house and well there apartments are gated but they gave us a clikcer and a parking space there because we have a few investigators and members, so one of our investigators gave us permission to park in their spot since they don't have a car, and so long story short we were in the middle of the lesson when our investigators ran in and said our car was being towed, so we ran out  and sure enough the tow truck was about to pull out, turns out the neighbor of the investigator called on us, but after some money we luckily got the car back, I am soo grateful for our investigators watching out for us, so we could get our car back, before we didn't know where it was. That was the crazy thing of this week.

Also we had a lesson with our investigator Arnulfo this week, and it was so good because, at one of our lessons he said he had a question, and he asked what do I need to do to prepare for baptism? He is soo cool and so ready, it's evidence to me that the Lord truly is preparing his children to accept and here the gospel. He is such a great investigator, he came to church for the 2nd time yesterday which was the primary program, my favorite sunday of the year I think, I loved it.

Other random things, we stopped to get Elote (corn on the cob, with mayo, chile and cheese) it's way good, and then we saw these kids with halloween costumes so we gave them a treat (pass a long cards) and they were so excited it was awesome! Also speaking of weird things we also tried these mango popsicles with chile on it, apparently those 2 don't mix so well.

Well anyway those are just a few of the highlights of the week. It was soo good! I love the gospel so much I fall more in love with it everyday and my testimony is growing. I know this gospel is true, and that The Book Of Mormon is the word of God, there is power to that book. I love it soo much. Joseph Smith was the prophet to restore this church, and I'm grateful for his courage and faith each and everyday. I love you all soo much as well, thanks for the support (and letters) *hint hint*

Love, Hermana Love

Week 1 in Rimgrove!

Well this past week in my new area was soo awesome! Well the beginning of the week, we were in Covina my old area as a trio but then on Tuesday we separated when Hermana Judd went to Arcadia to get her new trainee and I and Hermana Taylor went to Rimgrove, where we were greeted by a crazy bachelors pad. Our first lesson that day was with a referral and he is so solid, he accepted a baptismal date for the end of this month, and he kept wanting us to go read with him, and he came to church yesterday. His name is Arnulfo and he is such a golden investigator, after we explain something he explains it back to us much better then we did in the first place, because lets be honest our Spanish is not super awesome, so that gift of tongues is really coming into play. Also up until now my companions have taken the phone calls but now I am back to being the passenger in the car, and so now I am trying to master Spanish on the phone, it ends up pretty disastrous sometimes. But we just laugh about it.

Oh we have these other investigators Nery and Estella they have been investigating for 8 months and they are better members than some actual members, they are waiting for Nery to be divorced so they can married and baptized, sometimes I forget they are investigators because they are soo solid, and patient.

We have been having friends in our pad lately, cockroaches, the first night we saw one it was the size of the quarter and we had no idea what it was but we took a picture and showed it to our district and they told us they were cockroaches, so we spent several evenings chasing them around trying to catch them.

Also my companion is hilarious the other day we went to check someone, and when we got back we realized she had left her car door open. It was soo funny. Other funny contacting stories a guy asked us where we were from because he knew we weren't from there because we are white, which is funny because its America.   I also got bit by a dog this week, it was more like a nibble so no harm done.

The best part of this week is me and my companion tried to be creative and were going to set up a booth with Book of Mormons, but then the Elders said something like needing a permit, plus we couldn't find a good spot, so were going to look harder this week and try it somewhere hopefully we don't get in trouble, we'll see.

Oh and this Spanish ward has a choir, and it's pretty legit being a Spanish ward, and of course all of us missionaries are in it, we sang a song on Sunday, it was great.

So that's my life! stay tuned for next week.

Love, HermanaLove

Transfers Yet Again!

Well Hello all!!

I had a pretty great week this past week our area here in Covina has been moving a little slow with investigators this transfer but this past week, we got a bunch of referrals and just found all these new investigators, which was super awesome and really a blessing, because of what is happening in Covina these next few transfers, We got a call for transfers again, and my companion sister Judd is going to be training here in Covina, her new trainee will arrive later today, which means that I have been in a trio here in Covina for the past few days, with my new companion sister Taylor, she just got here a transfer ago and so once again I am packing my bags and heading off to a new ward called Rimgrove, I haven't seen the area yet, but I will finally get there today, it should be super fun. I guess President doesn't like to keep me in an area or with a companion very long, because I've had a new companion every transfer and I have already been to 3 of the 4 Spanish sister areas. Let's just say I am becoming a pro at packing. I'm really going to be stepping it up this transfer because Sister Taylor doesn't know very much Spanish, neither do I but I am going to get better very quickly. Oh also sister Taylor goes to Utah State as well and she reminds me of Stacey, her handwriting her mannerisms and everything, so Stacey I suddenly feel like your on the mission with me it's crazy!

Oh also something random, I forgot to mention this a while ago but we had sisters training a few weeks ago and when we had it David Archuleta came and sang be still my soul for us and it turns out that he has been hanging out with our president and the AP's here in this mission so it's super crazy and random. Oh also turns out my raincoat works well, last week we planned to ride our bikes for half the day, but then we woke up we changed our minds because it rained a ridiculous amount that day all the streets were flooding! It was a little bit ridiculous, and so oh boy I am looking forward to such a rainy winter.

Well anyway I just want to let you know I know this gospel is true and that God truly loves us because we are his children, and that God and Christ both live and they are with us each and every day. I have also gained a greater testimony on how God truly does know each of us personally and truly is looking out for us, and assisting us every step of the way. I love this gospel so much and love you all soo much!

Love, HermanaLove
 p.s. Happy Columbus day yesterday thus the email today!

General Conference is the Best!

Yes I am super uplifted by General conference! I loved it soo much! I don't know why it really got to me this time I felt like (but did not) crying during the entire thing I guess the spirit just really is getting to me, and it's so awesome because I cannot wait to share these stories with investigators, recent converts and less active members. President Monson seemed a little more lively this conference especially with his first "hello" greeting. We were laughing at that and then I think one of my favorite talks was that of Elder Christoffersonreminding us to smile when we talk of repentance. I really loved it. Oh man I just love hearing the words of the prophets.

Also this week we had sisters training and it was super awesome, President Becerra is really inspired. I felt so uplifted after that not to mention I was already uplifted from the relief society broadcast that I loved so much that I am determined to help all the sisters, in this area to at least read president Uchtdorfs talk, I noticed he had the same theme for conference as well, it was awesome!

Well I guess that's all for now!

Love, HermanaLove

Forget Me Not!

Now those of you who got to go to the relief society broadcast understand the title of my email. President Uchtdorf is the best! Well actually the whole relief society presidency is awesome! I loved the broadcast and now seeing the beginning of conference just makes me soo much more excited for conference this weekend I love it! I am now anxiously awaiting the november Liahona so I can reread all the talks from relief society of all the ones I heard. I made a goal to read all the talks from the april conference in spanish before this conference, and the good news is I only have sunday afternoon session and like 6 days, I think that I will make it! I hope my excitement for conference is getting everyone else excited because conference is the best.

So apart from the broadcast, on friday this past week our whole mission met in Arcadia for a working with members training, in which sister diana holsher (sp?) came and spoke she came from San Antonio Texas, but it was really awesome, it made me soo excited to work with members and I'm really looking forward to this week to working with them, this will really help the work in our mission progress, because it's just awesome I can't explain it, we just learned that missionaries are part of the spirtual conversion and members are part of the social conversion and once we both learn our parts things will be much better. Our district decided to see which companionship can get the most member lessons this week, we'll see who wins, it's fun to be able to have competitions that really helps us all progress in the work.

Also this week has been pretty good in general, we set a baptismal date for an investigator, and then spent a lot of time meeting new people and finding more people that way, it's fun to see what others religious beliefs are and the different ways people react to us, yup so that's basically what is going down here in Covina.

We have some exciting things coming up this week, we are having a sisters training with our mission president, ward activity, and general conference, so be prepared for some exciting stories this next week.

Love you all, Love Hermana Love

I Love to See the Temple!

Well today has been such a great day this far, we left at 5:30 this morning for the LA temple, a member with a 15 passenger van took me and my companion and 8 other elders to the temple, it was soo nice of them, so we were super happy to be able to go since it has been quite a few months since I have been able to go, so I am very happy right now, we also had an awesome week last week with some really powerful lessons. We actually committed an investigator Estefany who is 15 to be baptized this coming Sunday after resolving some doubts that she had, it was really powerful, she is soo ready. Then a few days later we had a lesson with Sally another investigator and committed her for the 25th of September, so September has some exciting days ahead. Also we are making some progress with some less-actives we've been trying to get a hold of and finally for the 1st time since I've got here we've actually got in contact with some of them, so it is soo cool, to see all our work going somewhere and that we are able to see results from our labors.

Oh also last Wednesday we rode our bikes to the church and it was conveniently the hottest day of the week 108 degrees. The church is only 3 miles away it's a gradual hill on the way there, but by the time I got there I was dying and had a whole lot more respect for the Elders who only have their bikes, I guess I am out of shape I was sore the rest of the day and we haven't rode our bikes since, but we probably will be soon.

Also we had a scare last weekend, President Gutierrez who is the first counselor in our mission presidency and also in the last ward I served with went hiking with a bunch of people from the church but then during the hike he was lost, but they luckily found him a day later and was fine because he is a survivor. So it was good!

Anyway so life is pretty good here in Covina, I'm really looking forward to this next week, because everyday is exciting as a missionary and hope you all have a good week as well.

I love you all! Love,
HermanaLove

oh and here is a thought " There must be works with faith. How foolish it would be to ask the Lord to give us knowledge, but how wise to ask the Lord's help to acquireknowledge, to study constructively, to think clearly, and to retain things that we have learned " I'm not sure who said but I love it and I know it is soo true!!

1st Week in Covina!

Well I just experienced my 1st week of my 3rd area in the mission and with my 5th companion in the field, and things are great! it's fun! On tuesdays (today) we get to go to a citizen center and serve them lunch for service it is very fun, today we listened to a man go on for 20 minutes about a  lot of crazy things, like how he had a mormon friend, but it is really enjoyable! And speaking of people talking about people going on rants we were knocking and last week we knocked into someone who went off about how we was a professional tennis player but then for a while he was debating playing tennis or being a minister, it was impossible to get away but I love it, because the mission is so different every single day!

Also I guess I am learning everyday how amazing the spirit is because last week it was getting dark and we weren't sure where we should be and we decided to go visit a member, and I was lucky we followed that prompting, because she was preparing to go on a camping trip and we were able to help her get ready because she needed a little help, it's crazy how even just a small little thing can be soo important to someone else, and we would not have gone if we were not listening to the Spirit, so thus I am very grateful for the spirit in my life.

Then On Friday I had a mini-christmas, why because the housing Elder brought my bike to our apartment so I finally get to ride my bike, we haven't ridden them yet but we will probably ride them tomorrow, I'm excited to get a bit more exercise and hopefully to be able to talk to more people rather than when we are in the car, so I am super happy about that, and can't wait to finally ride it.

On sunday, we had a mission wide fast our fast was to double baptisms, so great things are about to happen here in the California Mission with the power of several missionaries fasting for the same purpose. And also since I was a new missionary in the ward I was asked to bear my testimony, and it was good. I'm really happy to be back in Spanish too because I feel like my limited spanish knowledge was going down last transfer being in English but I am really excited to work with the hispanic people again, we also found out that we get pday next tuesday because next tuesday we get to go to the LA temple and I am really excited! It's been a while since I've been.

Anyway well I hope everyone else is doing good and that life is good back home! I love you all and hope you have a great day!

Love, Hermana Love

6 Months!

Wow! Time is sure flying by, it was just 6 months ago today that I was set apart as a full-time missionary and tomorrow it will be 6 months since I began my mission, and I have already learned a lot in the past 6 months that I have been here on my mission, my testimony has grown a lot and my love for the people here in Chino has grown more and more each day, but next week when I write I will be in a Spanish area, I know because President told me, but I wont know where till the end of this week, but I have really enjoyed being able to spend time here and experience English work, what's best is that this week on Saturday we will be having a wedding, actually it's Joanna and Leo the ones who were going to get married a few weeks ago, but this time it is actually going to happen, and then the next day on Sunday Leo will be baptized. I am super excited for it! Leo is a man who truly has a broken heart and a contrite spirit, he really just wants to get baptized, because he knows the importance of baptism, it was crazy because our president met Leo a while ago and he said, because of mis communication with the bishop that he would come and marry Joanna and Leo himself so that he could get baptized. We also got a new investigator, Regina, she is married to a less-active, and well we might have to be patient and work slow because the husband is really bitter and angry but she has a desire to learn more, so it's good news. This past week has been really good, as far as the missionary works, we've had more lessons with less-actives and members then we have had this whole transfer so it's great. Also it's funny because there is a lady in our ward who is determined that we have to be fed every night so she's taken it on but the funny part is she doesn't tell us when they've been planned but luckily we talk with the members somehow before it happens, she's really taking it on calling everyone, which is kind of funny because we don't care about getting fed we just want to get to know the members and build the trust with them, but so many people care about the missionaries. Anyway yup, so i guess that is the life here in San Antonio, I'm sorry I always blank when it comes to emailing, but I guess that's just the way life goes, but before I go, I will leave you with a quote, this is something I want to do at the end of all my emails from here on out. so here it goes

"The best time to plant an oak tree was 25 years ago, the second best time is now!" This is from my district leader in a district meeting, and obviously it just means don't put off what you can do today, I really liked it because so many times we make excuses for why we can't do something today when there is always time, anyway I just really liked it, we can change at any time!

well Love ya all, Love HermanaLove

Greetings From Sunny California!

Hello everyone!

This past week was good. We have been progressing in our area trying to continue to meet the less actives in our ward as well as find new investigators on our own. But I guess the highlight was that I had my second zone conference here in the field. It was on Thursday, we got up and were getting ready to go when the member we live with told us that we had a flat tire on our car, so we made phone calls to our district leader and decided since conference was an hour away and we didn't want to be late we called the other sisters in our zone to give us a ride, so they saved the day. Then while at zone conference we role played situations and we were paired in 2 sets of missionariesm so one could evaluate well since we are a trio President Becerra came and was our evaluator, we were so nervous at first but after getting over the nerves it ended up being really good, I learned a lot from him, we are going to double our baptisms, and he really motivated us. After zone conference was over we went home and our district leader came and helped us put our spare on but it turns out neither of us had the right tools but luckily our neighbor was outside and helped us. Also this week we got a new investigator, we found him in an interesting way, we heard music and their was a gate to the actual door. so after debate of getting to the door we just knocked on the window and talked through the window, he accepted a tour and he agreed to meet with us again. We are super excited! It's been a while since we got a new investigator. Leo our investigator who was supposed to get baptized yesterday is still not baptized, but next month hopefully he will get married and baptized, he knows it is true, he just has to get baptized. But anyway I guess that is all that is really going on here in good ole' Chino, so until next week, I love you all and hope your doing good!

Love, Sister Love

Greetings From Chino, California, As Always

Well this past week was good and crazy, we started out the week comitting Leo our investigator to be baptized on the 14th and him and his girlfriend had plans of getting married on the 13th, but as of yesterday that has changed, because Joanna (Leo's girlfriend) is a less-active and she met with the bishop yesterday and he says they are not getting married for a while which means no baptism, but he said to be patient, and I trust that everything will work out exactly the way it is supposed to. Also this past week we had interviews with the President. President Becerra is really awesome, and truly he is inspired, He is really awesome. He told me in my interview that at the end of the transfer I will be going back to spanish work, so that should be good, I'm excited! I love english but I'm really excited to go back to spanish work again. This weekend one of my companions sister Fonua was sick and so we realized something great about the trio, sister Fonua stayed home with the members we live with and me and sister Eggleston worked for a while, but I think Sister Fonua is much better today. Yesterday we also had the chance to go visit some people in the ward with our relief society president sister Chld, she is awesome, when we went to pick her up she had a missionary name badge of her husband, they covered the Elder with black tape and wrote sister it was hillarious, she is one of the kindest people ever, it was great to go out with her, We are still trying to help the less actves in our ward, and slowly but surely I believe some will come back to church. Well I guess that is it for now! I'll try not to blank out when I email anymore, but I just never can remember.

Love, Hermana Love

Another Week in Chino!

Hello All!
Well another week has come and gone! What happened this past week? I am drawing a blank but I am sure good things happened. Well actually this past week we have been visiting some of the many less actives in our ward and the work is slow but we have a few appointments this week with some less actives and even got a new investigator so hopefully that works out well, I'm really looking forward to this coming week, I know that things will work as long as we have faith! Joanna and Leo are going to get married on the 13th and hopefully Leo will be baptized the next day so we are super excited about that.

This last week we also were knocking a culdesac(sp?)  and all the houses there had celebrate signs and we asked one of the people what they were celebrating and they said everyone in that culdesac were original homeowners and had all lived there for 20 years so that was super crazy! Also yesterday we had a dinner appointment and we had Togan food because the member is togan and wanted to make us togan food since my companion is Tongan, it was way good, but we were soo full by the end. Well I guess I am having a brain block today because I really can't even think of what I wanted to say so I guess I'll say this. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day saints is the only true Church. It was restored through Joseph Smith, The Book of Mormon is true! I am learning so much from the Book Of Mormon, and especially Preach My Gospel, full time missionary or not PMG is definitely beneficial to every member! Well I love you all and hope that everything is going well!

Love, Sister Love

Week 1 of English Work Down

Well this past week has been pretty crazy because sister fonua who has been here the longest of all of us has only been here 2 weeks longer than us so we are basically white washing, so we have been going to all the less actives and formers to see who even still lives here, it is super crazy! However we also have 1 investigator Leo and his girlfriend is a less active member but coming back to church and they have a 2 yr old daughter (Mary Ann) anyway so last week we committed them to something strange, we comitted them to be married on August 13th, being as that is a necessary step towards baptism for Leo. So little did we know that we would be semi wedding planners on our missions but it's great because the ward is willing to help. Oh I also I realized that the Spirit is super appointment because one night this week we were planning for the next day and we wrote down a members name and then the next day we were wondering why we wrote that name down and then we couldn't find the street of Where Linda lived, and the very next day we went to the Relief Society president and she said that Linda the mysterious member we wrote down had been wanting a blessing, which we couldn't give but could find someone, but it was in that moment that I realized just how real the Spirit is, it was amazing!  English work is much different than Spanish work but I like it. Since it was Pioneer day yesterday we had a stake celebration on Saturday, we were excited for it! It was fun because we got to meet some of the members and attempt to play soccer in skirts, that did not last long! Well also I had an opportunity to go visit some members in our ward and it was really fun because they just reminded me so much of grandma and grandpa Love and some of their kids were there and we discussed a lot about mission work because the Nelsons (in our ward) served a few missions and their daughter did also, so it was a good time! Well I am really looking forward to this next week and hopefully we can make a little more progress in the work here in Chino, in the San Antonio Ward. Also I had a great experience we had a dinner appointment with a lady from Mexico so I used that chance to use my spanish and she told me she thought I was from Central America, I guess I'm getting the language better than I thought. Well anyway I guess that is all for now I love you all and hope everyone is doing well!

Love, Sister Love

Transfers Happened!!

Well Transfers is the big thing for this week we got our calls on Saturday night and transferred this morning, I am still in a little bit of shock of what my call is. I actually am still in Chino but I moved apartments because I am in Chino but I am actually in an ENGLISH ward and in a TRIO! Wow! I didn't think I'd ever be sent to go to English work because I was only called English but they said it would only be for this transfer and then I will go back to Spanish work. I'm living with a member of the Spanish ward, (my last ward) and hopefully I'll get to talk to them a little, to keep my Spanish up and the President is letting me continue to have my hour of language study so that is very lucky for me, I hope not to lose the little I have learned thus far!

I really enjoyed my last area a lot and I loved the Ward. Jose who just got baptized got confirmed yesterday and already got a calling of ward missionary. He will do really great in that calling, he wants to serve a mission so bad although he cannot! Our district went to Jose's this past week and we had papusa's (salvadorian food) me and my last companion helped his mom make them it was super fun! Oh and because latinos are awesome we just had a ward fathers day party last week, don't worry I know fathers day was like a month ago and it had to be postponed, apparently they believe in postponing parties instead of canceling them but I was okay with that. Other than that this week was sort of a blur.

Well also my trainer flies home tomorrow which is weird, and my old companion is training this transfer and so is Sister Thompson from my MTC trio and then me and sister Cruz both got sent English this transfer but now a little bit about my companions I don't know much yet, but Sister Eggleston is originally from here but most recently from Provo Utah, and Sister Fonua is a Polynesian from AUSTRALIA! She is awesome especially her accent is super cool as well, It will be an interesting 6 weeks, but it will be good I am sure!

Well I love you all lots! I am praying for you all!

Love, Sister Love

Last Week of Transfers!!

Well from the title you can see this is the last week of my second transfer! Time sure does go by pretty fast! But so next time I email I may be in a new area probably in a trio with my MTC companions but I will know for sure when we get transfer calls at the end of this week. But anyway this week was pretty crazy! My companion wasn't feeling so great this week, and was sure that she would be going home at the end of this transfer or maybe even at the end of last week because she is soo sick! But on Thursday we met our new mission president and his wife! President and sister Becerra! They are way awesome! President Pike was super awesome and really prepared this mission to go forward and take off! President Becerra has a great enthusiasm for missionary work and really is getting our mission excited to continue in the work! He talked a lot about faith and basically says nothing happens unless we have faith and are willing to exercise our faith to find new investigators. Anyway I was super exciting!

Now going back to my companion after we had our meeting with President Becerra, she went into the interview planning on getting a date of whn she would return home, but because our president is awesome! She came out knowing she was going to stay! I was super excited for her! Because she is so close to being finished with her mission and she is a really hard worker! So she is going to stay and finish her mission so I'm super happy for her! Especially since she is such a great missionary and has a very good personality.

Then we ended up the week with a baptism yesterday! it was such a super nice experience and really spiritual, because Jose the one who got baptized is soo awesome! He went from a crazy life, to when the missionaries in english work found him he was smoking a pack of cigarettes a day and by the time a week later they passed him off to us, to 3 a day to completely quitting 2 weeks after we met him, and then also the first time he came to church in sneakers and the next time in dress shoes to just this past week he bought a suit and he said the only time he had ever worn a tie before is when he got married and now he bought ties and a suit instead of paying his tickets so he could get his license back. Missionary work is soo awesome all day yesterday he was talking about how he was soo happy and he is already working on helping his family receive the gospel and come to church. None of his family came to the baptism but I feel he is setting a great example for his family!

I love being a part of this work and being able to help others have happiness in their lives! Well I hope all is going well for everyone back at home! I love you all!

Love, Hermana Love

First 2 Baptisms!

Well this past week was quite an eventful week and also quite an interesting week, I actually wrote down stuff so that I could remember, so here it goes:

Monday - Last Pday we played ultimate frisbee inside the church glow in dark style it was pretty sweet, and also we got pranked by the Elders, on monday night because we were in a war with pass along cars on windows of our car but they ended up getting us pretty good they ended up getting into our apartment while we were gone and took our mattresses and put them in our tiny bathroom, but it was pretty hillarious and creative, they ended up coming and putting them back for us while we sat on our porch but it was super random.

Tuesday -  We had a lesson outside with an investigator and in the middle of the lesson I thought wow my leg is stinging, and then I looked down and realized their was a bee on me and had stung me for real, I stayed super calm and then my comp. and our investigator were freaking out hoping I was okay and I just laughed. This investigator (Jose) he also gave us eggs from his chicken coo it was so random, He also has a baptismal date in the next 2 weeks! Exciting!

Wednesday - Sister Christian decided she was curious about how long it took to walk to our area from our apartment and we also decided if we did that we would be more grateful for our car, and so we walked and realized it took 20 mins. to get to the church but 50 minutes to get to our area, we were thinking it was not bad, we walked to a members home hoping that we could share something with her and she could drive us back, but she wasn't home so we knocked for a while and then walked back home! We were soo hot and dead by the time we got home, but we really were very grateful for our car now!

Thursday- is proving to be a brain block for me but I'm sure it was an awesme day.

Friday - was pretty normal as well I guess we just had weekly planning and some lessons so it was good!

Saturday -  I tried Curry for the first time, and we also went with a less active member to cleans someones house but she wasn't home but it was still super random!

Sunday - The best day we had a baptism for 2 9 yr. old twins, they have some kind of disability but they are really intelligent but we were really worried because one of the twins got there and was crying because he was so nervous and afraid of going in the water but it ended up just working out fine, and he calmed down for the actual baptism! it was a neat experience!

Also Jose our investigator with abaptismal date had his last cigarette on Saturday we were soo excited!

Well I love you all, and hope everything is going good at home!
Love, Hermana Love

Another Week in Good Ole' Chino

Well Hello all!
It was yet another great week in Chino it turns out last transfer I didn't pay very much attention to where Sister Ence was driving so needless to say this first week with Sister Christian we got a little lost sometimes (or took maybe a "detour") because our area is huge, but it's coming along and I'm starting to actually learn my area, plus sister Christian is awesome!

However, one of the highlights of the week was we had a ward talent show this week, and some of the elders said they would do something in it and well I had no plans in performing in the talent show, but then Sister Christian decided the night before talent show that we really have to do something and put ourselves out there so the ward will love us more. So we were trying to come up with something and eventually decided we would rap, so she wrote a rap in spanish in just a night. Don't worry it was definitely a mission rap, about knocking on doors, being tired, getting attacked by dogs and checking the mailbox to find it empty and how we love mexican food and stuff. Needless to say the ward loved it and actually they made us do it again later on in the talent show. It was fun and I think it's a good way that the ward could get to know us. We also sang Army of Helaman as  a district so it was good, and lots of them had awesome talents, our Chino ward is awesome and really rises to the occassion I love them.

Also we discovered this week that these 2 twin boys we have been teaching are 9 and actually get to be counted as converts but we thought that they were going to be member baptisms they are soo cute. Also one of our recent converts named Ybon, who we love so much her sister actually just got here this week from Mississippi, said she wanted to be baptized so the day we went to meet her, we got there and she told her husband that we were going to give her the lessons because she was going to be baptized. So that's simple enough. I'm pretty excited about it! it seems promising, I just hope she is willing to make the changes that are necessary.

Also my new companion has convinced me that I should drink these protein drinks so we'll see how that goes. It turns out half the mssion is like on this protein kick it's kind of funny! Well anyway I'm excited for another week! I love ya all and hope things are going great for you all!

Love, Hermana Love

First Transfers!

Well this past week was a super great one, me and Sister Ence had some good times this past week! We contacted a lot but one of the exciting things that happened this week, is we decided to go to Rite aid to get ice cream, and we got there and parked next to some guy sitting in his car with the window rolled down, so I gave him a card and we talked to him for a while we was actually in the process of moving here from Chicago and he was super nice. We also have an English class at the church but no one comes so we've been working on advertising it a little bit more. So we told him about it because it was actually happening that night but he didn't come, but anyway comes Sunday (yesterday) were at church and the elders were asking who some random guy was there and we look and it was Martin the guy we met at Rite Aid! He only stayed for Sacrament but he liked it and we are going to try and meet with him sometime this week! He is a very promising potential! That just shows that the Lord really does work in mysterious ways! Who knew us going to get ice cream could lead to such a great potential, really you can find people anywhere it's so awesome!

Now the second big thing is Transfers were this weekend! We get calls on Saturday night. So we sat there after planning just waiting to see if we would get a call and it was about 10:15 and we still didn't get a call so we thought maybe we are staying together and Sister Ence will die here in Chino because she only has one more transfer left. Then we got the call that Sister Ence is transferring to an English Ward in Diamond Bar which we cover as part of our Spanish area so it's crazy she is not going very far at all! She was super sad because she really came to love the people and we worked well as a companionship but things have to change here in The mission. So my new companion who I met up with this morning is Sister Christian. She is from Maryland and actually she has been out over a year and has about 3 transfers left but this is only her second area. she Was in Covina her whole mission it is super crazy that she was there for so long, but she seems way cool and I am excited for what is to come, it will be an interesting transfer because like Troy our new mission president is coming at the end of this month too, so the mission will change now! But It will be super awesome!

Oh also something random the 2 boys from here left on their missions this week and so last Monday we had a noce de hogar as another farewell kind of thing but anyway and it was there that I tried Menudo, which is a soup with cow stomach! it did not taste very good at all but I had to try it just to try it, but I probably will never eat it again! Oh and we contacted some cool people Nick and Claudia but we referred them to the English Elders yet again, but it's okay because we got a referral of this old man who is reading the Book of Mormon but his daughter is hard core atholic so we can't really make appointments with him, but he said on June 19th he will come to church because he wants to read the Book of Mormon first it is very promising! Well things are slowly but surely staring to pick up here in Chino so all will be good!

well love ya,
Hermana Love

Happy Memorial Day!

Well another week has come and gone and lucky for us we got to come to the church to email today since the library is closed. So it's pretty awesome! Anyway so things are going here in Chino, it's a little slow but things are coming around me and my companion are trying to see the positive in every situation. We have no progressing investigators right now except on Saturday one of our old investigators called, but he didn't want us to come to where he was staying and wont tell us either but he ran to a park a little bit a ways from his apartment to meet with us, we brought Lily (a member) with us. It was pretty good. Then on Sunday we told him we could get him a ride for church but he found his own ride and came on his own, so hopefully this time he is ready to progress! And on top of Luis coming a recent convert/less active teenager came with his family, plus another less active lady we have been visiting.

Also there are 2 boys in a family here that are both leaving on their missions on Wednesday they are not twins but they are leaving the same day, they are a convert family. But I guess they don't have papers or something so they are serving in different missions here in California and they are going straight to the mission since they can't travel to the MTC! But anyway it's exciting but they do farewells a little different here on Saturday night they had their despidida (farewell) at the church and it was like a scrament on a saturdday night like the Bishop conducting and we had hymns and the 2 missionaries spoke and another speaker. However it seems that us sister missionaries are the go to in the ward and so I was the chorister at the meeting it was embarrassing because we all know how I am at music. But it's okay. I'm glad I can help in the ward.

On Sunday it was the 5th sunday, which in this ward apparently means missionary sunday. So that means 3 of the elders in the ward and myself had to speak however they were super nice to me and only made me give my testimony so that was good, its something I can do because I learned my testimony the 2nd day at the MTC, plus the 2 boys leaving bore their testimonies also. It was great! I just can't wait to be able to understand the meetings at church, at least I know that the spirit is there.

So I know as we put forth our effort and do our best the lord will help us out, I'm so glad that the definition of a good missionaryt is whether you have investigators or not because some of our best days this week we have only taught maybe one lesson, but we had good contacts and it feels soo good knowing we are doing our best even if people are choosing to reject our message! My testimony and my faith are getting a little bit stronger everyday! I know that people are being prepared and The Lord really is mindful of each and everyone of us, and prayers are answered maybe not in the way we think but they are!

This past week has probably been my best week! I love missionary work!

Love, Hermana Love

3 months on the mission!

I can't believe it! I have been on my mission for 3 months today, and in California 4 weeks tomorrow! It's pretty crazy time is flying! However, this past week has really tried us, we realized that none of our investigators really are interested or progressing so this week we pretty much are going to drop them which resorts us to getting in the homes of the members and knocking like crazy! It's going to be tough but I've learned that we can do anything as we have faith in the Lord (Moroni 7 : 33) Sometimes it has been difficult because we knock for hours and door after door people are not home, or they are home and don't answer however, it's worth knocking a whole street because maybe there was someone who listened to us and at least thought about Christ for a few minutes after and every once in a while a person agrees to let us come back, so it's going okay! I know that while the work is slow right now, there has to be times when we have to be tested on our faith and maybe God is still in the process of preparing the People or maybe as Troy said in his email maybe the people are afraid of change. maybe when they see us on the door (and they do) they choose not to answer their door, because they might have things that they aren't ready to give up just yet! Missionary work is really interesting and I'm excited to see what Chino is going to bring over the next while we are taking a leap of faith and dropping our investigators because we know it's best for us and it's best for them as well, and they can think about and maybe one day these investigators will be ready, that will give us more time to find the people who are ready for the gospel We're getting closer everyday to finding a new investigator who is ready that the Lord has truly prepared!

With that being said something this past week happened I experienced my first quincierra! It was at the church and people were worried because it was a less active family and lets just say they are a bit of a rowdy crowd, but Bishop approved it thinking it might help them become more active but not very many people showed up, it was kind of sad, but what can you do? we had to be there to make sure nothing bad happened but we got delicious food out of it and some crazy headaches from the super loud Mexican music that all sounds the same! However it was good, and they treated the church nice which is what we were worried about, so it worked out well!

Well I am guess that's about it for now! i love ya all and thanks for the support and love you all are!

Love, Hermana Love

Week 3 down!

Well this past week has been pretty good! We were able to go to my 1st zone conference this week! It was super great! The overall theme of the conference was focusing on the doctrine of christ which also is our purpose as missionaries! It was good! It made me feel so much more inspired and ready to work and invite people to come unto Christ! We also are trying to focus more on members to find referrals, and something that has been taken from our mission which is being put back so we can be in the members home more is... dinner appointments with the members I'm soo excited! Also we had a successful day at Church yesterday. We have an investigator named Maria we go to her house and help her 5 yr old daughter with her homework sometimes, because Maria doesn't know English, so we help! But anyway Sister Ence told me they have been teaching Maria for about 12 weeks now and she has never come to church! Everytime we go she has some reason that she can't make it. But last week we asked and she said she would think about it and she didn't want to wear a dress and she would only come for one hour. So we called a member to call her to offer a ride and sure enough she came to Sacrament Sunday with 2 of her 3 kids, her youngest stayed home with her husband! I hope that she will be able to keep coming and we can figure out her doubts, the only Problem is neither I or my companion know great spanish so we can't ask the things we want to but we are trying our best! Now the part that is a downer our 1 investigator who has/had a baptismal date is still in another part of California and we still don't know when he will come back to Chino! He said he was going to come back this past week... but he didn't! Maybe this week! Also we went knocking yesterday and one lady answered her door and we  were talking to her and then her husband came out and went off about how he only believes in the Bible and he'll only believe Joseph Smith is a prophet if the Bible said. We just let him talk and said thanks for your faith, of course Sister Ence had to tell me later what he said because I didn't understand! Then at another house on the same street I was totally caught off guard when we said who we are and she came out and we sat on her porch for a while talking about our beliefs and then we came to find out she was just visiting a friend and it wasn't her house so she tried to get her friend to listen who was catholic but she wouldn't come out! But that lady was way nice but she doesn't live in our area but hopefully the other missionaries can teach her! Well that's what's happening in Chino! So I'm off for another week of missionary work!
Love, Hermana Love

Week 2 in Chino!!!

Well hello all!
This email will probably be a short one since I just talked you you all yesterday which was awesome by the way! Anyway so not much new is going on here but except for last night we went to visit a recent convert, Ybon. We visit her often but she is a single mother of 3 children. It impresses me how she does it, but anyway there has been this girl living with her who I guess used to be Ybon's friend! But she is crazy! Last night we were there she was saying all sorts of crazy stuff like Christ has never done anything for anyone because there is still hate and murder in the world! It was crazy! It was obvious the spirit wasn't there and she was talking to Ybon's children saying all this rude stuff! it made me sad, but I write this because seeing all that made me realize just how important the gospel of Christ is and the plan of happiness God has created for us, It made me realize how much work we have to do here in Chino and throughout the world! There are so many lost souls here who deserve to know and see the truth. They need to know that they are children of God, and there is a purpose to this life! I am learning so much everyday! And I'm getting more excited to help people change their lives even though we don't have many investigators right now! I know people are waiting to hear the gospel. Well I guess that's all I have to say now!

Love, Hermana Love

1st week in California!!

Well tomorrow I will have been in California for a whole entire week! Crazy! I love it though! My companion is really great she is really nice and we get a long super great! Her name is Sister Ence! This is her 2nd to last transfer so that is pretty crazy! But anyway so this week has totally dominated any week I had at the MTC! I love Missionary work! I also feel really blessed that sometimes I can talk to people in English, because when people speak Spanish I get really lost! Anyway so I don't know where to start hmmm.... Well my first area is in Chino! And we are serving in a Spanish ward along with 4 other elders serving in our ward which makes us a district! I really like my district a lot! Well so far A lot of great things has happened so I'll just highlight a few!

1st day (Tuesday) I had training, met my trainer sister Ence we went To Chino and went to visit a recent convert, and when we went another Recent convert was there with his friend Gilbert who we set up an appointment with and we had family home evening at a less actives house with the other missionaries
Wednesday- half the day we had training but first we walked outside in the morning and sister Ence realized she locked the keys in the Apartment so we called our district leader and they helped us get back in to get our keys so we could go to Arcadia for Training. Later we went to see an investigator to help their kids with their homework (the parents don't speak English but the kids do) I tried Horchata there it's a cinnamon drink and it was way good!! Also we had an appointment with Gilbert and taught the first lesson and he accepted our invitation to be baptized!!!! We were soo excited!!!
Thursday- I don't remember what happened this day!
Friday- We got to leave the mission boundaries and go to downtown LA because Elder L. Tom Perry was here to speak to the LA and Arcadia Missions! So there were tons of missionaries there but it was a way good meeting!
Saturday- We had Mormon helping hands service project! So we went to a skate park and scraped the paint off the fences so they can repaint it! It was way fun! We met with Gilbert again too!
Sunday- 3 hours of pure Spanish and I didn't understand hardly anything, and a boy in the ward was getting baptized and we went to his baptism!

Anyway so exciting things are happening here in Chino! Oh and I do have my bike, but it's at the mission office and I wont be riding it for a while because my companion doesn't have one! Anyway ya the Spanish is a bit overwhelming but it's way fun anyway! I'm liking the sun here too! it's so nice! I am never cold! Yup so I guess that's it for now!

Love, Hermana Love

Last P-Day in MTC!!!

Wow! this time in the MTC has flown by and I have learned soo much in this time I've been able to spend here in the MTC, but I guess now I am ready to fly out to California because in 6 days I will be making my way to California! Craziness and we had the best devotional ever last night to prep us for that experience, and it was our last day! We were all soo excited because we've been praying to see an apostle before we left the MTC and last night our prayers were answered because Elder Richard G. Scott came to speak to us, it was one of the most powerful talks I have ever heard! I could go on forever and ever about this talk but I wont! First of all during his talk he personally with his apostlistic authority invoked and conferred the gift of tongues upon each one of us! That was amazing! Because I am in desperate need of that gift! At the end he bore one of the most powerful testimonies ever! He said that he knew that Jesus Christ is a glorified resurrected being with PERFECT LOVE! It just really hit me! That is all I need to know! I am being sent to California because of his perfect Love. we are given hard times and trial because of his perfect Love! Everything that happens is through his perfect Love! While we may not always understand and know why things happen, we do know That christ Loves us and that is why he atoned for us! I have learned lots here in the MTC And ready or not here I come to California! It will be an interesting next few weeks! I love you all! And I want you all to know that this is the true gospel, that we have a loving heavenly Father and Brother who loved us so much he atoned for us! I know that Thomas S. Monson is the true Prophet and almost 200 years ago Joseph Smith received revelation about this church!
I love you! I'll write again when I am in California!
Love, Hermana Love

2 Weeks Left!

well It's been a great week! of course I don't remember a lot about it because it's kind of repetitve but anyway we had a special treat on Sunday, the byu mens choir came and gave a musical fireside and it was nice to just listen and not worry about notes for once, yesterday we had a devotional about always having the spirit with you in this way
1 bridle your passions
2 garnish your thoughts
3 ask for the spirit
we also get a new district today with 4 new hermanas it should be fun! Anyway that's pretty much it!
Love, Hermana Love

Merry Christmas!

yup! Today is the technical birthday of Christ! And we are all excited about it! And about 20 minutes ago I got to See Jennie Adams, as I was walking home from the temple!! It was sooo awesome! I didn't think that I was going to see her until 3 years, so that was a sweet treat! And I also found out today that I have a brand new nephew!!! Yay!!! I am so excited! Today is such a great day! And to top all of that we had christmas for 2 whole days this past weekend aka CONFERENCE! I really enjoyed it! I did things differently than I ever have in the past! We were teaching one of our "progressing investigators" And we told him to write questions down that he wanted answered at conference. So I figured I should do the same thing and I got some great answers! My favorite talk was by M. Russell Ballard about the small and simple things that we can do! It just really touched me for some reason! Then later on Sunday night we had a fireside with Vai Sikahema he is a sports announcer in Philadelphia. He brought one of his converts from his mission with him to illustrate some of the greatest rewards we can receive on our mission! It was really powerful! I enjoyed it tons! It made me that much more excited to get to California which is just 3 weeks away! This week our district became the oldest distict in the zone it's way weird! Also me and my companions are now the only sisters in the Zone! Because the other sisters left 2 for their missions, and 1 suddenly had to go home for medical problems but she was supposed to leave for her mission hopefully she'll only be home a week or 2 but no one really knows!, and then our roommates left for Guatemala, so now we don't have roommates again! It's very weird! Anyway well I love being here on my mission, and I'm grateful for the Love and support of everyone!

Love, Hermana Love

1 Month Left!!

So I guess I've been in the MTC for a while because absolutely everything is blending together and I don't really remember what happened last week! Crazy! Well with that being said this will probably be short due to the fact that I have no idea what to write about. Anyway well it was our second and last fast Sunday here in the MTC and it was really great! All but 4 out of 28 in our entire  zone bore our testimonies on Sunday it was a really spiritual experience, plus it was really great because the night before we studied more about the true meaning of fasting, and so fasting had so much more meaning for me, I'll be honest most fast Sundays in my life I have just gone without food, but not truly fasted. So this time was one of the best experiences ever. We also had mission conference which was really great! our MTC president talked about the atonement it was a great talk. Also for the fireside that night we had Brother Allen who was our first fireside speaker when we got to the MTC I really enjoy hearing from him, he talked about expectations and told us how as missionaries our expectation should be directly lined up with the Lord's expectations, and we must have his purpose in mind it was great! So yesterday morning I got up and told my companions that Elder Perry was coming that day, since we have devotionals on Tuesdays, and we got to the devotional and it was.... not Elder Perry but it was James M. Dunn a emeritus of the 70, his talk was great on finding people as missionaries and loving people without judging. However when I realized Elder Perry had not come I realized he really did because we watched a clip of him earlier that day! So prayers really are answered. Anyway that's pretty much what's been happening in my life, it's really great!  Oh and ALL the prophet and the apostles will be at the MTC this weekend, Saturday and Sunday!!! And us missionaries cannot wait! Oh wait I guess they'll be on your TV's too so watch it!!! Well I love you all, and you know what I also love? Letters, so PLEASE write! The gospel is true!

Love, Hermana Love

Pictures

Getting ready to pack for the mission. The bags are packed! This is what I am taking!

Our districts nametags!

My awesome District! Top: Elder Bayles, Elder Rauckhorst, Elder Smith, Elder Miller (District Leader)
Bottom: Elder Johnston, Elder Dennis, Me, Hermana Thompson, Hermana Cruz

Me and my awesom comps!

My companions and roommates at our Temple walk.
L to R: Hermana Tippetts, Hermana Holder, Hermana Spiller, Me, Hermana Thompson, Hermana Cruz

1 Month Anniversary!!

That's right! I have been in the MTC for a whole month now! Time is flying by soo fast! I feel like I am running to keep up with time, and I also feel like that Spanish is leaving me behind as well, until I remember that the only important thing is that I am learning more Spanish everyday, even if it is just a little bit more. Anyway this week has flown by like crazy! I'm trying to remember what happened this past week, oh we got a new district in our zone last week, and the sisters in the district are our roommates! And our zone leader's district just left on Monday so we are on to our 3rd set of zone leaders and we have been promoted to the 2nd oldest district in the Zone! Also on Saturday night one of our teachers Hermana Harrison, showed us a recording of a talk that Elder Holland gave at the MTC years ago that really has and will change my entire mission! I don't even know how to explain it. I was really sad when I heard that only the MTC has access to this talk, because I wanted to study it more, luckily I took good notes. Here are a FEW things he said. He said that all we have to do as missionaries is be our best selves not the best! He talked about how missions are the most important thing you will ever do, and that we should not come home early ever!! Because we will regret it and there is nothing worse than living with regret! The part that really got to me is he said many of you will ask at some point why is a mission so hard? I'm being obedient, I'm teaching the truth, why is it so hard? He answered that it was because salvation was not a cheap experience. It was not meant to be easy nor will it ever be easy. It wasn't easy for the savior, nor will it be easy for us. We won't even experience a fraction of what the lord went through for us. Anyway it was really amazing! It made me think who am I to say that waking up at 6:30 is hard or that learning a language is hard, I did not go through the atonement! And my attitude has sky rocketed since then! Anyway so that was the exciting thing, oh and last night for our devotional Elder Costa from the presidency of the 70 came to speak to us, it was awesome! He taught about the spirit and how he was baptized 2 days after his first missionary discussion! It was great! Oh also it's the MTC's 50th anniversary and so you might see us in the news or something because ever since we've gotten here there's been camera people like crazy! Well time's almost up! The gospel is true! Jesus Christ did atone for us, and I love you all!!!

Love, Hermana Love

1/3 a way finished!

Hello everybody!
Well yet another week has gone by in the good ole' Provo MTC! It's been a crazy and exciting week! Through this week me and my distrcit have decided we are the district of change. Because On Sunday we showed up to our 2nd sacrament of the day, our district actually had the opportunity to put on the sacrament for the cafeteria staff in the morning, both my companions gave talks and they were great! Anyway so when we went to our regular zone sacrament, I knew something was up because a counselor in the MTC presidency was there, and a few couples were there as well, and then we found out that are branch presidency was going to be released, our branch president had served for 4 years so it was time, but our new president seems great and one of the counselors is the same still! Anyway so we start off a new branch presidency. Also we normally have a large group meeting but they are changing the curriculum so we found out our meetings are canceled. Also 2 of our elders in our district just left for the Guatemala MTC yesterday and one was the district leader, so we have a new one, now and now there's only 7 of us! And then shortly after we get to Arcadia we will get a new mission president! Pretty crazy! And on top of that today we got a new district, and there are 3 sisters in the district and they are mine and my companions new roommates! I'm excited to get to know them! It will be fun I think. Also last week our district was chosen to be part of a recording for a health and safety meeting that will now be online in all the MTC's because currently they only have the meeting here, so I'm pretty much famous now! Anyway I'm still trying to learn Spanish and the gospel and I've felt the spirit soo strongly this past week, and our district has really bonded! It's really great! I LOVE being a missionary! Well take care all! Love ya, and remember the gospel is true!
Love, Hermana Love

Week 2 down!!

Well hello family and friends!
Well I've had quite a great week this past week, The MTC is awesome! I love it! Anyway so not sure what I've already said so far, but on Sundays as a zone we get to take a temple walk and go to the Provo temple and take pictures! It's a good time! But anyway I guess it must feel like I've been a missionary for a long time, longer than I really have. Because this past Sunday we were just beginning our temple walk and crossing the street at The MTC, well at the same time there was a couple walking towards the MTC in the middle of a bunch of missionaries. Well this couple was holding hands, and I swear all the missionaries took a double take, and then we realized that they are not missionaries and they were indeed aloud to do that. So I guess I really have been a missionary for a while now to think that is weird. Anyway me and my companions are enjoying getting to know each other better, it's super fun, especially since we are a trio we get to cover more distance and be in 3 different places at once by having one person stand in the middle of the hall or something it's great! Also we have these progressing investigators so we can practice teaching lessons, who are actually are teachers pretending to be actually investigators they had on their missions, and having those experiences has really brought the spirit into our lives. Yesterday me and my companions even committed both our investigators to be baptized. It felt soo good! I can't wait till we have real investigators to bring the happiness and gospel to them! It will be awesome! Anyway also the Spanish, well it's coming a long slowly but surely. Also we used to have 3 roommates living in our room with us, but last week one left and she found out only the day before that she was leaving, and the other 2 left this week, so now it's just our companionship in our room till new sisters room with us, which is good because we can get to know each other better now. Oh also we get a new district in our zone today, which means we are no longer the babies, which is exciting, but now we don't get any excuses because were not the youngest. Anyway, I guess that's it for now. Oh P.S. did I mention that you all are aloud to write me at the MTC, I think most of you missed that memo.
 Well I love you all lots! until next week!
Love, Hermana Love
oh also I guess I'll bear my testimony in spanish to prove that I really am learning some things
me gustaria testificar, yo se que el libro de mormon es verdadero y es palabras de dios. Yo se ques Jose Smith fue un profeta. Yo se que Thomas Smonoson es la profeta en la tierra hoy. Yo se que mi padre celestial vive y nuestro padre nos ama. En el nombre de jesucristo amen.

1 Week Down!!

Well hello family!

You should be excited! Why? Because this is your first email from Hermana Love! Yay! And I survived my first week, Thanks to my 2 companions, Sister Cruz, and Sister Thompson. We have been having a great time. Also I have already learned a lot! I've learned to both pray and bear my testimony in Spanish. However it still needs improvement. People aren't joking when they say you go and go and go all day long. But it's great I feel so productive. My district is way awesome as well. We are like family. This district includes me and my 2 companions, and 3 sets of Elders. All but one companionship in our district is going to California, Arcadia. Me and my companions as well as our whole district joined the MTC choir, which is funny because whenever we sing in class we don't sound so good, because we are concentrating, so much on how to say the words instead of on how the tune goes, but I think we do better at choir where it's English. Anyway those rumors about the MTC food being gross, is not true! I mean it's not the best but it's still good. On Sundays we have firesides, so this past Sunday our fireside was given by Scott B. Allen who is the missionary director. Anyway it was exactly what I needed to hear, he basically talked about how as missionaries we experience all sort of turbulence and said not to let it get us down. It was great! Then last night we had our first devotional where we, the MTC choir sang come thou fount. Our Speaker was Brother Richard G. Edgley who is a counselor in the presiding bishopric. He gave a great talk as well, telling us how important our call was, and that we are all equal because we all hold the mantle to carry and share this gospel. he said we are the most prepared missionaries because of all the resources we have. Also I love all the letters you wrote me which was no one, except Stacey and Troy oh and apparently I have a package which I'm going to pick up after this which I assume is from Mom, but I could be wrong. Well we don't get a lot of time and my time is almost up, so I'll probably write a letter as well today! Love you all much!!!!

Love, Hermana Love

First Letter Home

Dear Mom & Dad

Well I officially made it through my 2nd day at the MTC!  I've really loved it so far!  I have been blessed to receive not only one companion but 2 companions.  They are both going to Arcadia with me!  Hermana Cruz is from Kearns Utah, and Hermana Thompson is from Sugar City Idaho.  They are both way awesome!  I feel very blessed.  Yesterday we learned to pray in Spanish.  It was way cool and I have felt my testimony grow soo much already.  The MTC is a really powerful place and I'm excited for this journey.  Well our P-day will be Wednesdays so I will write more then!  We just got permission to write briefly now!  I love you both soo much!

Love, Hermana Love

Sister Annie Love

Sister Annie Love has been called to serve in the Arcadia California Spanish Speaking Mission. She will be entering the MTC on February 23, 2011. She will serve for 18 months. We hope to keep this updated for all who want to keep up on her mission!