OH MY GOSH! so much happened this week :)
First off, we have transfers tomorrow and I...am...STAYING! :)
yayyy!!!! I literally have no idea what's going to happen to me in my
last transfer. My mom (Sister Cole) goes home this transfer (starting
tomorrow) and she was out in the field but then got called back to the
VC for her last transfer. Also, the longest a VC has stayed out in the
field is 4 straight transfers...and I'm technically starting my 4th
transfer in the field tomorrow since I did one transfer "off-site" back
during the holidays. So, haha, I know it's 6 weeks away but it's going
to be so exciting to figure out what will eventually happen! There were
sooo many changes this transfer, two VC sisters who are called English
have been called to serve in ASL!! Sign Language! They took it in high
school and President knew that they were good so by being inspired of
the Lord, he called them to serve in ASL out in the field! HA! So crazy.
Also, a sister that we did exchanges with is ONLY about to start her
second transfer (so technically has 6 mroe weeks of being trained) but
has been called to white wash (to open up a new area) a SPANISH area
(when she started her mission in English), be in a bike area, TRAINING A
NEW MISSIONARY and she is only 19 years old :) Ahhh I love all of
these changes! I know without a doubt that President Baker is inspired
by God when he makes transfer assignments. I know it because he has
answered my prayers through the changes that have happened in my life
through transfers. This is his last month that he will be serving as a
mission president -- okay, time out. some dude is telling all of us to
find a job haha because there are no more computers and he knows we are
missionaries and he's mad that he doesn't have a computer...gotta love
the fact that we are all children of God and that technically, he's my
brother! i love people in LA -- which is so sad because I don't want him
to leave! But, I hear the new mission president is awesome so I'm
excited for the little time that I'll get to serve with him. Oh yeah, we
also have 10 EXCHANGES to do this transfer!!! That's 2 more then last
transfer which is...a bit stressful lol but we'll receive so many
blessings, I just know it! Our area is also being split and a new set of
sisters will be coming into our ward! I'm stoked. Lots of
changes...love it!
So, last year during a zone conference President Baker invited us
to "flood LA with the Book of Mormon" going off of a talk by some
general authority that was given a few years back. Well, President Baker
has just informed us that we need to STOP passing out Books of Mormon
as a mission! Apparently, each mission is alloted a certain amount of
Books of Mormon every year (who would of thought?) and we are only in
May and we are WAY pass our half way mark! It makes sense because our
zone, even though it's the tiniest in the mission, handed out at LEAST
500 pluss Books of Mormon this transfer. We were able to hand out about
120 and I know that one of the Elder companionships has to of done that,
if not more. Now, we are only given 14 Books of Mormon (7 per
missionary...lol) each transfer and that's IT! Haha oh man, love it!
Sister Mellor and I had a little fun experience the other
day. We were on the freeway and she told me to look for the 223rd exit.
Well...I'm driving forever and I can NEVER find it! She was on the phone
with one of our recent converts and I was trying to ask her if we were
too far but she was too busy. So, I just kept driving haha. But then I
noticed these oil plants which I remember seeing when we went to Harbor
City to watch a baptism and I knew that we were getting close to leaving
our mission boundaries! Welp, we ended up in Long Beach haha so we
definitely were out of our mission boundaries. I'm pretty sure we
were suppose to tell President...actually, I know we were. But, we were
too embarrassed because we had just come from an interview with him
haha...
Nicole was baptized on Sunday and it was so great! She looked so
happy and we were able to get 5 non-members there. We were hoping for
more but a lot couldn't come. She is seriously going to be that pathway
to getting her family to temple soon! Her mom isn't married to her
boyfriend and that is our goal this tranfer: married and baptized. It's
going to happen, I have the faith that it will! We had 5 investigators
at church this Sunday which was great for us because that is the hardest
thing for us to do, get our people to church! Elva came which was
amazing because she works til 7am on Sunday's and is always too tired.
But, she didn't have work so she was able to come :) She was answering
ALL the questions in gospel principles haha it was the best! It's the
best feeling in the world when your investigators
understand what you are teaching them. We also had Carmen come, who was a
referral from the English elders. We were hesitant about her
because she was really quite but when we went back that night for a
lesson, she told us how she felt peace and so calm at church. Her
children also went and she said that after church, they didn't fight
or anything like they normally do on a daily basis. It's because they
too felt the spirit and they were able to bring it home with them! The
kids LOVED church which just makes everything awesome. We have high
hopes that she'll be baptized this transfer, she is so prepared!
There was a story given in church that really touched me. It was
Hermano Mataalii giving the talk and sharing a story from his mission.
He knew an Elder that they called "Elder Perfect" because well, he was
perfect! He picked up the language amazingly fast (spanish) and was just
an outstanding missionary. He had a companion named Elder Larson who,
struggled really hard with Spanish. All he knew how to do was share his
testimony. They were tracting one day and Elder Perfect was the only
talking the whole time. Every single house they knocked, the people
would say something and then slam the door on their faces. Elder Larson
then asks if he can try. Elder Perfect hesitates for a bit and decides
that he should have the practice since all he knew what to do was share
his testimony. Elder Larson knocks on the door and someone opened. All
he said was, "Yo se que Dios vive. Yo se que el Libro de Mormon es
verdadero. Yo se que Dios vive." The person at the door stares at them
and then invites them in. The next house they go to, the same thing
happens " Yo se que Dios vive. Yo se que el Libro de Mormon es
verdadero. Yo se que Dios vive." Every single house they knocked on that
street allowed them in. I'm so grateful that I have another transfer in
Spanish because it took me 4-5 weeks to remember how powerful a
testimony is. Sure, I don't know how to have a legit conversation with
people still and my understanding of what they say is a million times
better then what I can say but, my testimony is greater then anything I
could ever try to say! I really needed to hear that story. Sunday was
the first time where I understood about 80% of what was going on and
that story about Elder Larson and Elder Perfect, I was able to
understand completely.
This week we've been reminded how sad and wicked the world is. I
don't want to go back to it. But, my mission has been able to help me to
set goals and make plans on what I can do to continue to live a life
where I don't have to be a part of the world. We talked to a referral
named Brandon who, told us that he does a lot of bad things in his life
and that he has so much to repent of every day. He asked us what things
we did that day that we need to repent of. The only thing that came to
our minds was that 1. we wasted time here and there, 2. our thoughts
were also so focused on the work, 3. we didn't talk to everyone that we
saw on the street that day? We literally couldn't come up with anything!
He just laughed at us and told us how the way we live our lives is so
good and something that's impossible for him. As missionaries, we truly
are set apart from the world. Sure, the things that we were able to come
up with to tell Brandon weren't any serious sins but as a set apart
representative of the Lord, we could always be doing better. We can't
live perfect lives, never. But, we can always strive to follow the
example of Jesus Christ. Brandon wasn't interested in learning about the
church but I know that he can repent. I know that through the Atonement
he can literally feel free. I can feel his sadness by the way he talked
to us. He's missing the light in his life, he knows where to find it,
but with agency, just isn't accepting it. If only the world knew and
accepted our message. Everyone will one day, but why wait? No money can
buy the happiness that we have through the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Oh yeah, maymer and faja, do I have housing yet lol? Just keep
talking with Kaylee's mom! Also, Sister Vinent from the mission office
called me yesterday about a form that you were suppose to of turned
in regarding my flight information? Can you please send that in the mail
by tomorrow? The mission office number is 3104742593 in case you didn't
get the sheet. It just talks about if you're going to get me (don't) or
if I'll fly home (yes) and put Oakland too! Please take care of it
because lol I don't want another phone call about my flight...I'm trying
hard not to think about any of that. Oh yeah, I may be using the US
bank card more, only to buy more food for our appt so we actually have
food to feed the sisters that stay at our apartment during exchanges :)
thank you and love you lots! :)
I hope you all have a wonderful week! Guess what, only 7 months til
Christmas! Woo!! And I hit my 5 year mark of being a member this
Saturday! Yeah! The church is true. I love it so much. Please read
through the general conference talks, I'm doing that right now during my
personal studies and it's so important that we review them. Love you!!!
And yes, I got ALL of this in in a total of 56minutes :)
Love,
Hermana Baeza
1. long beach....haha :)
2. nicole before her baptism!
3. her cute CTR cake :)
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