Hola mi querida familia!
I got to see inside the Visitor's Center this week! We were at the mission home showing the Joseph Smith movie and doing temple tours (We are assigned one time every transfer to go and run the "information center," which is like the temporary fill in for the Visitor's Center) and when we had finished the temple tour we started talking to a temple security guard and he took us to the Visitor's Center to look inside. It is going to be so pretty! It is smaller than I expected, but everything is going to be new and state of the art. They have a lot of work to do on it still. I don't think there is any way it will be finished this summer. They're hoping it will be open before Christmas. I guess it has been closed down for over three years now. It will be so nice when it opens, and such an incredible tool for the missionary work here. We got to see the new backdrop they painted for the Christus, and it is so pretty- it looks like a sunset on the ocean. There is also going to be a really cool exhibit about ancient Jerusalem with a holographic projector. That might just be heresay, but we'll see. Either way it is going to be incredible.
I'm so excited that I will get to experience practically two completely different missions- one out in the field in an area that is practically Mexico, and then one in the Visitor's Center meeting people from all around the world and being more of the public face of the church. I'm going to need to get into better shape though. This week I had a sad slap of reality when one of the senior sister trainers told me I need to stop wearing some of my skirts, because now that I've gained a little weight they come to high up on my waist and are a little short. Plus I actually weighed myself at Raquel's house (one of my recent converts) when I was in the bathroom, and it was sad. I told her how much I'd gained and she turned to Hermana Garcia and said "Si, cuando ella vino estaba bien aflaquita." (Yeah, when she first came she was so skinny.) If I keep on at this rate they're going to have to buy me two plane tickets to get home. Jk, its not that bad. Well, it is, but I'm going to fix the problem and get back in shape before I get back. It is hard because neither of my companions are able to really exercise so I can't go out and run in the mornings like I was. Its ok though, I'm just literally sacrificing all that I am and all that I have for the Lord, so hopefully he'll bless me for it and I can overcome it.
We took Felix's family to see the Joseph Smith movie on Sunday. They really enjoyed it and felt the spirit. They are such a beautiful, intelligent family. It was amazing how Felix was able to take that first step and is now setting the example for the rest of his family. It shows the truth that if we want to help change others for the better we start by changing ourselves. His family has been able to see the change in him and see his testimony grow, and he has had a powerful impact on them. We are hoping to work with them and get the rest of his family baptized this June.
In church on Sunday one of the speakers talked about missionary work, and he said something about how "anyone who has been converted to the church will always remember the missionaries that taught them and always be grateful for them," and both Felix and his mom and Raquel and her daughters were sitting by me and turned and smiled and nodded. It feels so amazing to be part of this work. In that moment and whenever they tell me thank you or something I always feel a little awkward though, because really I feel like I haven't done anything. The real miracle comes from them turning to the Lord and making those changes in their lives- the missionaries are just the messengers, and the spirit does all of the work. We are nothing without the spirit, and without God's help. That is also why it seems really futile to measure yourself and your success as a missionary by the outward results or number of baptisms. If anything it just shows that you are privileged to be a witness of that experience in their lives.
I also like to think about how with missionary work we are making friendships that will last for eternity. In Doctrine in Covenants 18 it says if ye shall convert but one soul, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom. It says "with him," which for me makes me think that the joy will come from having that friendship for forever. I can't wait to introduce these incredible people that I've met to all of you someday.
At the rate my mission is flying by it will be pretty soon and I'll be back. I don't think about it very often, most of the time I am really involved in the here and now in the work, but it has been kind of interesting this week because there is a sister missionary that just got back in the ward we're working in, and she has come on splits with us and was saying "Please use me! I want to come with you, it is so weird being home." She has only been back for a week and it has been hard for her to adjust. She is still doing her personal studies and everything. There are a lot of changes I am making in myself that I want to keep after my mission. I want to always be a good member missionary and help out the missionaries. It is funny though thinking about whether or not it will be awkward to transition back. Probably, but that's ok. I think I would rather completely throw myself into my mission and be awkward for a bit after then always hold back and think about home an try not to lose who I was before. I'm still trying to do my best to lose myself in the work, because I know that like the Savior says, it is by losing our lives in the service of God that we can truly find ourselves. It is hard, but I've been trying. I was getting a little overwhelmed and feeling down on myself, but then I realized again that I can't expect myself to be perfect all at once, all by myself ever. You've got to love life and love people despite all of the imperfections and mistakes and weaknesses. I can't expect perfection from myself or from others, because if i do I will always be frustrated by the imperfections and focusing on the negative. We need to love as Jesus loved us. He knows all of our weaknesses and he loves us anyways. He helps us overcome our weaknesses, forgive others, and have a higher perspective on life.
I love you all, and am so grateful for the sacrifices you have made to help and support me here on my mission.
Cuidense mucho!
Hermana Dansie
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Vernwood: Translado 3: Semana 3 May 19, 2010
Hola Familia!
This week has been really intense, but good. It has been hard juggling two areas and learning to get along in a trio, but it has been pushing us to learn and grow a lot. It has made me a lot more aware of my weaknesses and what I need to focus on improving. I've realized that I've always kind of enjoyed change, and I think the reason why is because all of the changes in my life constantly remind me that I can change. I can improve, I can overcome challenges, I can become a better person. Our mission president talked to us this past zone conference about change, and how really that is our message to the world. We are teaching people about the Jesus Christ and his atonement, and that through his atonement we can slowly but surely become the people that God expects us to be.
This past Sunday we had Felix's baptism. It was such a great experience seeing him take that step in his life. He has a very strong testimony of the Book of Mormon and of Jesus Christ, and I feel really blessed that I was able to be here and witness his conversion. I had a strong feeling that it was kind of like a checkpoint- just another miracle reminding me that I am where I'm supposed to be, and that I am accomplishing my purpose as a missionary. One of my teachers in the MTC told us something once about how Heavenly Father is looking after all of his children, and he is going to make sure the work gets done and they all have an opportunity to receive the gospel, but it is up to us to decide and to act if we want to be part of those experiences. When we aren't doing our best to be missionaries and to share the gospel with everyone, the only one that really misses out is us.
There are a lot of changes that are going to be happening in the mission pretty soon. This is our mission president's last transfer. After he goes they are closing down and demolishing the mission home to get ready to rebuild. They are also hoping to open the Visitor's Center soon, but we'll see. Apparently it is going to take a lot of time just to install all of the electronics- it will all be state of the art with brand new, never before seen exhibits. I am really excited for it to open, but at the same time I'm really glad I've been able to have this experience out in the field, in the more nitty gritty areas living and working like what you would expect when you picture a mission. I love that I've been in an area just like Mexico so I've improved my spanish a ton, and I've been able to learn about and come to love the spanish culture even more. Being in Vernon apparently I've also been in the most Ghetto sister area in the mission. It's really interesting though seeing a whole different side of life and of the city. I have no idea what is going to happen for next transfer- but I know whatever it is will be good. I love that I have learned to see the positive and truly enjoy every moment and every situation I've been put in. There are so many people that spend their whole life dissatisfied, waiting for something else to make them happy, and it is so sad.
We had an incredible miracle this week in one of our lessons. We were having a family home evening with the Naranjo family and with our investigator Mari; the best friend of Sister Naranjo. Brother Naranjo was baptized about four years ago with his daughter, but Sister Naranjo still hadn't been baptized. When we were teaching the lesson we had the prompting to extend the baptismal commitment to Mari and to Sister Naranjo, and they both accepted and are excited to get ready to be baptized together. It was so incredible to see Brother Naranjo's face. I think it was the definition of joy and complete happiness, as he looked at his wife and knew that his prayers had been answered, and that they are going to be able to have their family together for forever. It was such a beautiful and amazing experience for me, especially because it is a family that I have really grown close to and feel so much love for.
We have a goal to focus on finding and strengthening families this transfer and joining families by trying to get 100 baptisms as a mission for the month of June. We had a 24 hour fast together as a mission last Sunday where we all knelt wherever we were at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday to start and ended at 3:00 Sunday afternoon. It was powerful picturing all of the missionaries praying and fasting together, and I know that the experience with Sister Naranjo was a blessing that we have seen from the faith and diligence in working towards that goal. We are going to fast again June 15th and end our fast inside the temple as a mission and have a big special meeting inside the assembly hall. It is going to be a really neat experience.
I love you all! Have a good week.
- Sister Dansie
This week has been really intense, but good. It has been hard juggling two areas and learning to get along in a trio, but it has been pushing us to learn and grow a lot. It has made me a lot more aware of my weaknesses and what I need to focus on improving. I've realized that I've always kind of enjoyed change, and I think the reason why is because all of the changes in my life constantly remind me that I can change. I can improve, I can overcome challenges, I can become a better person. Our mission president talked to us this past zone conference about change, and how really that is our message to the world. We are teaching people about the Jesus Christ and his atonement, and that through his atonement we can slowly but surely become the people that God expects us to be.
This past Sunday we had Felix's baptism. It was such a great experience seeing him take that step in his life. He has a very strong testimony of the Book of Mormon and of Jesus Christ, and I feel really blessed that I was able to be here and witness his conversion. I had a strong feeling that it was kind of like a checkpoint- just another miracle reminding me that I am where I'm supposed to be, and that I am accomplishing my purpose as a missionary. One of my teachers in the MTC told us something once about how Heavenly Father is looking after all of his children, and he is going to make sure the work gets done and they all have an opportunity to receive the gospel, but it is up to us to decide and to act if we want to be part of those experiences. When we aren't doing our best to be missionaries and to share the gospel with everyone, the only one that really misses out is us.
There are a lot of changes that are going to be happening in the mission pretty soon. This is our mission president's last transfer. After he goes they are closing down and demolishing the mission home to get ready to rebuild. They are also hoping to open the Visitor's Center soon, but we'll see. Apparently it is going to take a lot of time just to install all of the electronics- it will all be state of the art with brand new, never before seen exhibits. I am really excited for it to open, but at the same time I'm really glad I've been able to have this experience out in the field, in the more nitty gritty areas living and working like what you would expect when you picture a mission. I love that I've been in an area just like Mexico so I've improved my spanish a ton, and I've been able to learn about and come to love the spanish culture even more. Being in Vernon apparently I've also been in the most Ghetto sister area in the mission. It's really interesting though seeing a whole different side of life and of the city. I have no idea what is going to happen for next transfer- but I know whatever it is will be good. I love that I have learned to see the positive and truly enjoy every moment and every situation I've been put in. There are so many people that spend their whole life dissatisfied, waiting for something else to make them happy, and it is so sad.
We had an incredible miracle this week in one of our lessons. We were having a family home evening with the Naranjo family and with our investigator Mari; the best friend of Sister Naranjo. Brother Naranjo was baptized about four years ago with his daughter, but Sister Naranjo still hadn't been baptized. When we were teaching the lesson we had the prompting to extend the baptismal commitment to Mari and to Sister Naranjo, and they both accepted and are excited to get ready to be baptized together. It was so incredible to see Brother Naranjo's face. I think it was the definition of joy and complete happiness, as he looked at his wife and knew that his prayers had been answered, and that they are going to be able to have their family together for forever. It was such a beautiful and amazing experience for me, especially because it is a family that I have really grown close to and feel so much love for.
We have a goal to focus on finding and strengthening families this transfer and joining families by trying to get 100 baptisms as a mission for the month of June. We had a 24 hour fast together as a mission last Sunday where we all knelt wherever we were at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday to start and ended at 3:00 Sunday afternoon. It was powerful picturing all of the missionaries praying and fasting together, and I know that the experience with Sister Naranjo was a blessing that we have seen from the faith and diligence in working towards that goal. We are going to fast again June 15th and end our fast inside the temple as a mission and have a big special meeting inside the assembly hall. It is going to be a really neat experience.
I love you all! Have a good week.
- Sister Dansie
Monday, May 10, 2010
Vernwood: Translado 3 Semana 2 May 10,2010
Hola familia!
Today is mother's day in Mexico, so feliz dia de las madres! :) I got to talk to you yesterday! I loved hearing your voices and talking to you, even though it was so short. I know that for a lot of missionaries it probably makes them feel sad and "trunkie," but for me it is just really motivating knowing that you are there for me and you love and support me. I really haven't had time to be homesick, and plus I feel like you should enjoy and take advantage of every experience in your life and not waste it by dwelling on other things that you're missing out on or that you can't change. I am so happy to be here on my mission and to be having these experiences and learning so much. I love how the mission forces you to change and adapt and grow by always putting you in challenging situations that make you keep reaching. If you ever feel like you've arrived, or you feel comfortable, then the Lord throws you another challenge to push you.
A great example of that is what happened this past week. Just when i was settled in with my new companion, feeling good and happy because I feel like we are really good friends already without even trying, everything changed. Another sister in the mission had a medical problem and had to be moved to the temple apartments, so everything else had to be shuffled around. We ended up being put into a trio with another sister named Hermana Cass, and they also combined our area with the bordering area of Vernon. All of this happened last Thursday. It was a little daunting thinking about having to work in two areas and get everything figured out. Sister Cass moved into our apartment in Maywood. The move wasn't that big of a deal, because I had cleaned out every single closet on transfer day and gotten rid of all of the junk in our apartment, which apparently was inspired because it would have been a big mess trying to move in another person if I hadn't. The most daunting thing about the change was just the fact that we now have to cover two of the busiest areas in the entire mission. We've had a lot of help from the Lord to get it all figured out though.
Sister Cass is from Utah as well, and it is great because she is pretty chill, and she is also really funny. She is really great at telling stories, so I've actually laughed so much and had a lot of fun this past week, even though it has been a little crazy. She just barely transferred from the Beverly Hills area, where she had Aaron Ekhart (sp?) in her ward (the guy that is two face in the dark knight). He is a less active that she got to visit a couple of times. Chelsea Hightower from so you think you can dance was also in one of the wards she covered. She says that is was really hard though because they would never have investigators, and they would spend hours tracting these huge mansions and no one would listen.
The new area that we cover is called Vernon. It is quite a bit more ghetto than Maywood- it has a little bit of Compton in it, and a lot more diversity. It is going to be interesting getting to know a new area. I am glad that I get to work in an area where the people are humble and listen to us, and also where I have been able to teach and practice my spanish a lot. That has been one of the biggest challenges for Hermana Cass because she hasn't had the opportunity to practice spanish. She also broke her foot a while back and has to wear this really big heavy boot. Hermana Garcia has her broken finger too, so we will be going to the doctors once a week for them. I am sooo glad that I haven't had to deal with an injury or major health problem. I have been very blessed.
On Saturday we got to volunteer at the Revlon Run/Walk for women's cancer at the USC colisseum. I was a huge event and only our zone got to help out with it. Our job was to stand at a booth area where the runners made "tribute signs" with the names of the people with cancer they knew who they were running in support of. It was a really neat event, and it was great to see so many people trying to do something to help. There were a lot of different teams and slogans. I got a picture with the "hot mom's club" team, and also with a team that's slogan was "save the ta-tas." We all got free T-shirts for being volunteers, and it was really funny seeing all of the elders wearing shirts that said "We've got Womentum," which was the slogan for the race. We also helped count the pledge money. They were telling us that the events coordinators want to try to use us for other events, because if you think about it, where else can you find a big workforce of bilingual, honest people that will work really hard and be really obedient for free? We did this as a service project while all of the other zones helped clean up parks as part of a California wide service called "Mormon helping hands."
I get to go to the temple again next week, which is another perk of the change we had because we switched zones, so I'll write again next Wednesday. Have a good week!
Love,
Hermana Dansie
Today is mother's day in Mexico, so feliz dia de las madres! :) I got to talk to you yesterday! I loved hearing your voices and talking to you, even though it was so short. I know that for a lot of missionaries it probably makes them feel sad and "trunkie," but for me it is just really motivating knowing that you are there for me and you love and support me. I really haven't had time to be homesick, and plus I feel like you should enjoy and take advantage of every experience in your life and not waste it by dwelling on other things that you're missing out on or that you can't change. I am so happy to be here on my mission and to be having these experiences and learning so much. I love how the mission forces you to change and adapt and grow by always putting you in challenging situations that make you keep reaching. If you ever feel like you've arrived, or you feel comfortable, then the Lord throws you another challenge to push you.
A great example of that is what happened this past week. Just when i was settled in with my new companion, feeling good and happy because I feel like we are really good friends already without even trying, everything changed. Another sister in the mission had a medical problem and had to be moved to the temple apartments, so everything else had to be shuffled around. We ended up being put into a trio with another sister named Hermana Cass, and they also combined our area with the bordering area of Vernon. All of this happened last Thursday. It was a little daunting thinking about having to work in two areas and get everything figured out. Sister Cass moved into our apartment in Maywood. The move wasn't that big of a deal, because I had cleaned out every single closet on transfer day and gotten rid of all of the junk in our apartment, which apparently was inspired because it would have been a big mess trying to move in another person if I hadn't. The most daunting thing about the change was just the fact that we now have to cover two of the busiest areas in the entire mission. We've had a lot of help from the Lord to get it all figured out though.
Sister Cass is from Utah as well, and it is great because she is pretty chill, and she is also really funny. She is really great at telling stories, so I've actually laughed so much and had a lot of fun this past week, even though it has been a little crazy. She just barely transferred from the Beverly Hills area, where she had Aaron Ekhart (sp?) in her ward (the guy that is two face in the dark knight). He is a less active that she got to visit a couple of times. Chelsea Hightower from so you think you can dance was also in one of the wards she covered. She says that is was really hard though because they would never have investigators, and they would spend hours tracting these huge mansions and no one would listen.
The new area that we cover is called Vernon. It is quite a bit more ghetto than Maywood- it has a little bit of Compton in it, and a lot more diversity. It is going to be interesting getting to know a new area. I am glad that I get to work in an area where the people are humble and listen to us, and also where I have been able to teach and practice my spanish a lot. That has been one of the biggest challenges for Hermana Cass because she hasn't had the opportunity to practice spanish. She also broke her foot a while back and has to wear this really big heavy boot. Hermana Garcia has her broken finger too, so we will be going to the doctors once a week for them. I am sooo glad that I haven't had to deal with an injury or major health problem. I have been very blessed.
On Saturday we got to volunteer at the Revlon Run/Walk for women's cancer at the USC colisseum. I was a huge event and only our zone got to help out with it. Our job was to stand at a booth area where the runners made "tribute signs" with the names of the people with cancer they knew who they were running in support of. It was a really neat event, and it was great to see so many people trying to do something to help. There were a lot of different teams and slogans. I got a picture with the "hot mom's club" team, and also with a team that's slogan was "save the ta-tas." We all got free T-shirts for being volunteers, and it was really funny seeing all of the elders wearing shirts that said "We've got Womentum," which was the slogan for the race. We also helped count the pledge money. They were telling us that the events coordinators want to try to use us for other events, because if you think about it, where else can you find a big workforce of bilingual, honest people that will work really hard and be really obedient for free? We did this as a service project while all of the other zones helped clean up parks as part of a California wide service called "Mormon helping hands."
I get to go to the temple again next week, which is another perk of the change we had because we switched zones, so I'll write again next Wednesday. Have a good week!
Love,
Hermana Dansie
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Maywood Translado Tres: Semana Uno 5/5/10
Hola Familia!
I'm still in Maywood, and I am sooo happy about it! I really love Maywood. My new companion is Hermana Garcia. She is from Phoenix Arizona and her family is from Mexico, so she is fluent in English and Spanish. I love her so much already. She is a short little mexican-american fireball. She is so friendly and personable with everyone- the whole ward already loves her. I feel like she is a lot like what my mom was like on her mission. She has all of these amazing ideas for ways to improve, she loves the work and the people, and at the same time we have so much fun together. In fact I was almost feeling guilty this week, because I didn't realize that a mission could be fun too. Not to say that it wasn't fun with my last companion . . . it was just that we could both be a little intense, and I tend to do better with people that are really chill and that can help mellow me out and remind me to have fun. Speaking of having fun, I forgot to write last week about how for our zone p-day we all went to a park and had a big paintball-style war with balls made out of nylons filled with flour. I'm going to be sending some pictures, so in case you are wondering what was happening, that was it. We played capture the flag with juniors verses seniors, and if you got hit with a flour ball you were out. It was a lot of fun. I feel like our whole zone was really close this last transfer. With this transfer our area was changed to be part of a different zone, but it will be good.
I gained a lot more appreciation for Maywood this week when we went to Marina Del Rey for a doctors appointment for Sister Garcia. She broke her finger playing football last November and has been dealing with it ever since- she just had surgery three weeks ago. Sister Stout is in Marina Del Rey with Sister Salazar now. It is an area just like what I would imagine for LA- right by the ocean, very urban, and all of the people are very busy and not very friendly. I tried talking to a lady in the doctor's office and offered her a pass along card, and she was not interested at all. We went to grab lunch and I was like "Donde esta las taqueria?" (Where is the taco stand?) It is going to be quite a shock when I finally do get transferred to live in the temple apartments and work in an area like that. Part of me loves that there is so much variety though, and that it will be like serving two different missions.
On transfer day last week I got sick for the first time on my mission. I got some sort of 24 hour flu bug, so one of sister garcia's first impressions of me was me puking on the side of the road. I still tried to go to our dinner appointment right after that- I had prayed and I thought that because of my faith I had been miraculously healed ( I think the flu bug had gotten to my head a bit, ha ha.)- but that was a big mistake. It was at the branch president's house, and I didn't throw up again, but I couldn't eat anything and felt horrible for coming over when I knew I was sick. I realized that the Lord was trying to humble me. I needed to be humbled- because I was feeling like because I had been in the area I needed to be able to know everything and do everything and was trying to take that entire load on my shoulders without trusting in the Lord and accepting his help, so he showed me again that without him I am nothing. "Sometimes the Lord brings us low so that he can lift us higher". (Joseph Smith movie reference. I love the movie, but I will have it memorized by the time I get home.)
We had P-day this week on Wednesday because we had our temple P-day. It was so nice, and exactly what I needed to recharge and get pumped again for the work. I've been loving the work, but it is hard, and it takes a lot out of you. It requires so much of yourself- emotionally, physically, mentally. You are dedicating your whole life to loving and helping these people, and sometimes they just choose not to change. We have another baptism coming up that I am really excited for- His name is Felix and he is James' age- he just barely graduated from high school. He is very smart and has read the book of mormon and received his answer that it is true, and he is excited to be getting baptized next Sunday on the 16th. We are so excited for him. It is so amazing to be able to see the whole process- to have been one of the missionaries to meet him on his doorstep all the way to helping get him ready to be baptized. His mom also wants to be baptized but want s to wait until her husband is on the same page.
Oh, before I forget, you need to tell Aunt Debbie to tell her friend Sister Crosby's mom to tell Sister Crosby (I don't know her first name, i just saw it in the area book) that I'm in her area, and that We're teaching Leonor, and that she still has a picture of Sister Crosby up on her cabinet. Sister Crosby should write Leonor a letter- that is if she still remembers her. The address is 3544 59th Maywood. We're working with her and hoping she will get baptized soon- she said she will if her son will.
Anyways, isn't it crazy how small the world is sometimes?
I hope that you are all doing well. I can't believe that it is summer already- sometimes i feel like the rest of the world should be on pause. Everything is going to be so different when I get back. You need to keep me filled in so it isn't too much of a shock. :) Take care everyone! You're in my prayers!
Love,
Sister Dansie
I'm still in Maywood, and I am sooo happy about it! I really love Maywood. My new companion is Hermana Garcia. She is from Phoenix Arizona and her family is from Mexico, so she is fluent in English and Spanish. I love her so much already. She is a short little mexican-american fireball. She is so friendly and personable with everyone- the whole ward already loves her. I feel like she is a lot like what my mom was like on her mission. She has all of these amazing ideas for ways to improve, she loves the work and the people, and at the same time we have so much fun together. In fact I was almost feeling guilty this week, because I didn't realize that a mission could be fun too. Not to say that it wasn't fun with my last companion . . . it was just that we could both be a little intense, and I tend to do better with people that are really chill and that can help mellow me out and remind me to have fun. Speaking of having fun, I forgot to write last week about how for our zone p-day we all went to a park and had a big paintball-style war with balls made out of nylons filled with flour. I'm going to be sending some pictures, so in case you are wondering what was happening, that was it. We played capture the flag with juniors verses seniors, and if you got hit with a flour ball you were out. It was a lot of fun. I feel like our whole zone was really close this last transfer. With this transfer our area was changed to be part of a different zone, but it will be good.
I gained a lot more appreciation for Maywood this week when we went to Marina Del Rey for a doctors appointment for Sister Garcia. She broke her finger playing football last November and has been dealing with it ever since- she just had surgery three weeks ago. Sister Stout is in Marina Del Rey with Sister Salazar now. It is an area just like what I would imagine for LA- right by the ocean, very urban, and all of the people are very busy and not very friendly. I tried talking to a lady in the doctor's office and offered her a pass along card, and she was not interested at all. We went to grab lunch and I was like "Donde esta las taqueria?" (Where is the taco stand?) It is going to be quite a shock when I finally do get transferred to live in the temple apartments and work in an area like that. Part of me loves that there is so much variety though, and that it will be like serving two different missions.
On transfer day last week I got sick for the first time on my mission. I got some sort of 24 hour flu bug, so one of sister garcia's first impressions of me was me puking on the side of the road. I still tried to go to our dinner appointment right after that- I had prayed and I thought that because of my faith I had been miraculously healed ( I think the flu bug had gotten to my head a bit, ha ha.)- but that was a big mistake. It was at the branch president's house, and I didn't throw up again, but I couldn't eat anything and felt horrible for coming over when I knew I was sick. I realized that the Lord was trying to humble me. I needed to be humbled- because I was feeling like because I had been in the area I needed to be able to know everything and do everything and was trying to take that entire load on my shoulders without trusting in the Lord and accepting his help, so he showed me again that without him I am nothing. "Sometimes the Lord brings us low so that he can lift us higher". (Joseph Smith movie reference. I love the movie, but I will have it memorized by the time I get home.)
We had P-day this week on Wednesday because we had our temple P-day. It was so nice, and exactly what I needed to recharge and get pumped again for the work. I've been loving the work, but it is hard, and it takes a lot out of you. It requires so much of yourself- emotionally, physically, mentally. You are dedicating your whole life to loving and helping these people, and sometimes they just choose not to change. We have another baptism coming up that I am really excited for- His name is Felix and he is James' age- he just barely graduated from high school. He is very smart and has read the book of mormon and received his answer that it is true, and he is excited to be getting baptized next Sunday on the 16th. We are so excited for him. It is so amazing to be able to see the whole process- to have been one of the missionaries to meet him on his doorstep all the way to helping get him ready to be baptized. His mom also wants to be baptized but want s to wait until her husband is on the same page.
Oh, before I forget, you need to tell Aunt Debbie to tell her friend Sister Crosby's mom to tell Sister Crosby (I don't know her first name, i just saw it in the area book) that I'm in her area, and that We're teaching Leonor, and that she still has a picture of Sister Crosby up on her cabinet. Sister Crosby should write Leonor a letter- that is if she still remembers her. The address is 3544 59th Maywood. We're working with her and hoping she will get baptized soon- she said she will if her son will.
Anyways, isn't it crazy how small the world is sometimes?
I hope that you are all doing well. I can't believe that it is summer already- sometimes i feel like the rest of the world should be on pause. Everything is going to be so different when I get back. You need to keep me filled in so it isn't too much of a shock. :) Take care everyone! You're in my prayers!
Love,
Sister Dansie
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