Priesthood Power

I'm extremely happy that this transfer is over, but I'm also really sad.  Hermana P is going home today :(  Happy for her, sad for me.   haha.  But I'm staying in Casa Grande for another six weeks, but I get a new companion. 

Last Monday it rained the hardest I've ever seen.   The streets here are really bad in the rain.  I told Sister P that I'm from Washington!  I can handle it!   But the streets were like rivers.  It was fun.

The coolest experience I had this week had nothing to do with investigators.   Sister C got really sick again, and couldn't eat or drink anything.  We took her to Urgent Care and all they gave her were some pills, which she threw up.   So, last Tuesday it got really bad and she told me that she felt like she was going to die.   But I couldn't take her back to Urgent Care because one of the cars wouldn't turn on and the English sisters were at district meeting.  So when the sisters came home, they brought all six elders to give Sister C another blessing.  But when they got there Sister C wouldn't wake up.  We tried everything to wake her up.  So, I called President Toone, and Sister Toone told me she was going to call the nurse and then she would call me.   The elders were really mad . . . haha.  Elder M said, "This is like praying to the virgin to get to God! - Just call 911!!!"  So, finally with permission we called 911.  In the meantime we let the elders into our home to give her a blessing.   They surrounded her as she was laying on the couch, and each put their hands on her head.  Elder R could only fit one hand on her head, but they all fit.  Elder M gave the coolest  blessing.  As he was closing, Sister C started to stir a little, and as Elder M said amen, she woke up just in time to say amen.  She doesn't remember any of that, but it was the coolest priesthood experience I've ever seen.  She was rushed in an ambulance to the hospital, but they didn't find anything wrong with her.  So, she's back and kicking, but getting transferred, probably to Tempe.  It was awesome.   

So, there's my cool experience for the week :)

Another Good Week

This week has been good.   Sister C has been sick for the past three days throwing up so we've been staying home while she tries to get better.  We took her to urgent care to get her an IV but all they gave her were pills that she threw up, too.   Sooo, hopefully she gets better soon.

This past week was zone conference with our new mission president and his wife.  I LOVE THEM!!  They are so great, and they're trying really hard to get used to everything.  He replies to all of my emails, which is crazy because there are so many missionaries here.

We had a lesson with our investigator, B, this week.  His wife joined in as well.  It went so great.  We talked about the gospel of Jesus Christ (faith, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end).  He accepted the baptismal invitation and has a baptismal date set for the 3rd :)  His wife is praying about baptism, but I have no doubt that she will be baptized the same day as B.

We also had a lesson with M this week, and she is sooooo cute.  She is SO excited to get baptized and she is so much fun to teach.  She takes note during our lessons and during church.  She calls us "her hermanas" to everyone, and she knows a lot of people in the church already.  If I get transferred before she's baptized next month, I'm going to get permission to come to her baptism.

We had a really cool haboob this week.  We had to cancel our appointments and stay inside.  We've also been having awesome rainstorms.  We proselyted in a monsoon, maybe a bad idea but it was a lot of fun :)

 

Transfers are next week, and I have a feeling I'll either be leaving or training or both.  But who knows, I've said that before.  I think I'm leaving because I love my ward and branch too much.  Casa Grande feels like home, and I think it might be time for me to leave :(  Plus Sister P is leaving to go home next p-day, so it'll suck staying in Casa Grande.

We have to tell a story on Wednesday to the stake about a pioneer story that we have.  And the one I'm going to share is about YOU, mom!   You're my favorite pioneer!

Love you all!!

Sweet Cakes, Sweet Members, FBI and Aliens

This week has been good.  We went to the temple this week.   Afterwards we stopped at Deseret and then at Sweet Cakes Cafe, a bakery in Mesa that has been featured on TLC in its Best Food Ever episodes.   I went up to buy this HUGE cinnamon roll and asked the manager how much it cost, and she said, "How 'bout it's on me" - - turns out she's a ward missionary in Mesa :)   She gave us a bunch of homemade goodies for free to take home.   Best cinnamon roll I've ever had.

Also, this week Brother Dr. ** (he's an eye doctor) let us come over to his office on his day off, and he gave us a free eye exam :)

This week we had exchanges.  I stayed here and Sister C went to Mesa.   It was a great exchange.  I really liked the sister I was with.  We went to a less active member's house to see if we could just visit with them.  They opened the blinds and the lady said, "You'll never guess who it is!" and they opened the door.   An old lady opened the door, and her husband, a very large, shirtless man, stood there.   They let us in and we awkwardly sat on their couch while husband went to put a shirt on.  He asked us if we had ever been to South America,  because "they eat missionaries there."   He then went on to tell us that he knew that we were from the FBI and that we couldn't hide it.  He said that he knew that  the leaders of the church were part of the illuminatis (idk what that is, doesn't it have to do with the Catholic church or something??)   He made us sit there for an hour while he told us that we didn't know what we believed and he continued to talk about wormholes and aliens.  I was getting mad so I just kept a straight face the whole time.  Apparently he didn't like that so he kept telling me, "you don't know what you believe."   So, I said, "Sir, I know what I believe and it's not what you're telling me."   So, as we were FINALLY leaving he said, "You'll know this week.  Monday you'll know."  So, it's Monday and I'm pretty sure I'm pretty strong in my faith in Jesus Christ.  He should have been on a no contact list.  haha.

Besides that little fiasco, things are still going good.  We have new investigators, one in particular I'm really excited about teaching.  We met him at an apartment complex and he seemed so sincere.   He asked us to come back when we were street contacting him.  So, I'm excited about that.

Love you!

P.S.  Apparently we can't wear backpacks anymore, so we are off to buy cheap side bags.

4th of July and New Investigators

This week has been pretty good.   My new companion, Sister C., is 6'2", from Georgia and SO different than Sister White. 

This fourth was so funny.  We went to the Spanish branch 4th of July party and Hermana S. made us all sing the Star Spangled Banner, America the Beautiful, and My Country Tis of Thee, and say the Pledge of Allegiance before we were allowed to eat.  All the songs and everything was in English, so all the Spanish people just stood  there during it.   Haha, it was really funny.  The party went a little long, and then we had to come back to our house at 6:30.   It was a fun night :)

This week I've seen a haboob, and two "monsoons" - - they're really just like a lightning storm in Washington.  But we're required to come home when they come so we don't get valley fever.

This week was pretty great, though.   We have 7 new investigators, and one of them is on a date for  the 27th.  Do you remember C?   She wanted to get baptized but she didn't want to get married so we had to drop her a while ago.  The other day we went to her house to visit with her for a little bit and she said, "I have a surprise for you".   Then she said, "I'm getting MARRIED!!"   So, she's in Vegas this week with her boyfriend - or now husband :)  So we're planning on having her baptized on the 23rd, on her birthday :)  I was so happy!   Then another lady, E - we offered her the baptismal date and she said, "Well, I'd really like that.  But I think I should get married first.  It's probably about time."   So, things are looking up again in good ole Casa Grande.

I've been missing letters!  I'm at that point in my mission where letters come only once a week - - and from Grandma.   But, hopefully more letters will come!

Sister Parry made this for me!   The interior is gray and the steering wheel is "crimson" - - Go Cougs!!

Heatwave and Investigator Drought

We really do have a bad heat wave here right now.  The high was 120, but you just learn to suck it up and work with it.  no biking, though :(

So, bad news :(  Sister White got a call from President the other night . . . she's getting emergency transferred to Yuma today at 3 because a sister is having health problems.  I really love Sister White and don't want her to leave.  I'm a little nervous about the sister that's coming because lots of people have had problems with her as a companion, so I'm hoping that we'll be companions just until the end of this transfer.  BUT, on the bright side - - because this chick has been blacking out randomly I get to drive now!!  Woo hoo!

And our investigators are nowhere to be found.  We dropped them all, including J*** because he keeps making excuses and isn't progressing.  And we found out that A** never really was sober.  She had been bringing drugs to her recovery class and had been trading it.  So, she was still using drugs (meth) and drinking, those mixed together are a disaster, obviously.   But, we're making progress with more potential investigators and we've started the family mission plan in the ward.  So, hopefully it'll take off soon.

Yesterday was my first experience was the Arizona "haboob."  Washington is  better and lasts longer :)  Arizona does have more dirt, though.

Love you and hope all is going well!!