Dad.... Mom.... I'm having a baby (missionary)

I love the temple!

That's right. I just got a call from our mission leaders telling me that I am training.  I will be going to North Las Vegas in an ENGLISH area.  The Lord must want me there, but I am so sad to leave. Sister Gregson is training here in Los Feliz.  I literally feel like throwing up all over the computer...but I will survive. Eventually! 

This week went really awesome! We have had some awesome lessons.   I love our investigator so much! She is one of those people that has been prepared by the Lord for the gospel right now.  She loved church and she had tons of questions for us. I am excited to hear how her lessons continue to go! 

Breaking the sugar fast

We received  a referral from some English sisters for another lad. They weren't even able to talk to her, but they called us and had us set up an appointment over the phone. The lesson went AMAZING! as we were sharing the lesson, she stopped us and said that she was feeling something different... a different kind of peace.  I am so excited to see what the future has in store for her.

El distrito

There is this less-active that we have been working with this whole transfer. She has a really rough family life at the moment, and she doesn't have a ride to church. She just got baptized, so we have been seeing her a lot to make sure she is doing good. She hasn't come to church all, but she came to church yesterday and to the women's conference. She looked so happy and like the weight of the world was off of her shoulders. I think reactivating is just as satisfying as a baptism. It was amazing to see the change in her whole appearance after being at church. 

Me encanta el templo

Funny experiences of the week:  One of our investigators was talking about how he had been making homemade tortillas, and he asked if I was hungry. I said sure, but then he went and bought me tacos on Sunday....they luckily did not poison me. Haha! I also got to go to a wedding for our investigator Angelica! It took like 5 minutes but it was definitely awkward...but hey! Now she can get baptized :) 

I am so so so so sad to be leaving Los Feliz. I am trusting in the Lord that He knows why I need to go English. I hope I do a good job training as well. I know that Heavenly Father will help me out. Continue with those prayers because I will need them!

Crazy Adventures!

At the top of Sunrise Moutain

 This week has been full of weird stuff. It has definitely kept us on our toes! We are now feeling really comfortable here in Los Feliz, and are starting to find new investigators. I am shocked that it is already week 6 of the transfer and that Saturday I will know whether we are staying together or not. I really love the members and our investigators here, so I don't want to leave! 

Last Monday, we were invited to eat with an investigator. When we got there, they had Horchata (a milk drink) waiting for us. They said it had been sitting out for a little bit, but they added some new milk, and the Dad was drinking it down. We drank some and it tasted great! After we left though, we both started feeling a little queasy...turns out the milk was bad. Poor Sister Gregson almost threw up on a street contact! We were fine by the next day, but let me tell you--Rotten milk is no fun. 

The Las Vegas Valley

Also, all day Saturday, Sister Gregson's face was swollen and hurting. We had called our mission doctor, but he said everything was fine. Later that night, she started having trouble swallowing. We landed in the ER (in the West mission!!) since all of the Urgent Care was closed. They gave her some meds, and then she was fine, but we were there until 1 in the morning. We were dead on Sunday. It was entertaining to watch all of the crazies though! 

Hiking together

We have found an AMAZING investigator this week. She is truly prepared for the gospel! When the Elders first started meeting with her a few years ago, she just didn't feel ready.  So, she stopped taking the lessons, until we came along! We have lists and lists of people, all in different areas. So when we plan each night, we really try to listen to the Spirit according to who and where we need to visit. We picked her name out of everyone we had! We have had three lessons with her in one week, and she came to church on Sunday.  I am so excited about her progress and her faith. The funny thing is...we teach her in English! She will not be going to Los Feliz, but she asked us to teach her instead of the elders ;). 

She's trying to switch me to Auburn  :)

We have had some really spiritual less-active visits this week. Both of the families are going through really hard times, and are struggling emotionally. Each family feels like they are alone and that they don't have the support they need. I have felt like that a lot on my mission. Yes, I have a companion and a family, but I really struggle with feeling alone at points. I have had to learn how to rely on Heavenly Father more than ever. I really feel like because I am learning that lesson currently, I was really able to connect with these two families, and express to them how much our Heavenly Father loves them. When we go through trials, there is always and equal and positive reaction to it. Because I have gone through what I have, I am better able to help others on the way. 

I am really trying right now to live in my mission and not on the sidelines. I think sometimes we get so distract by life or the end goal that we miss what is going on around us. I am definitely guilty of that, so I am trying appreciate the time I have here on my mission.  I am loving it here and I am excited for the week to come!

Halfway there in Los Feliz

This week has honestly been very slow for us. Not a ton has happened, which is disappointing since we are working so hard! We bike almost every day, and we try to talk to every person that we see. We just haven't been able to find any new investigators, and our current investigators aren't keeping their commitments. 

We were able to have two lessons this week. The first one was a little awkward.....at the beginning of the transfer, the other sisters had an investigator. We tried setting up appointments with him, but he just kept avoiding us and stood us up a few times. He eventually told us that he would call us when he had time. On Monday, we get a call from the bishopric saying that there is a member who would like her husband to be taught. Of course we called and set up an appointment. We get to the house, and the address seemed all too familiar to me....the husband ended up being the same person!! We had a great spiritual lesson on the Book of Mormon, but we aren't sure of the interest level at this moment. I pray that he will read the BOM for himself, so that he will have a true desire to be baptized.

Our other lesson was with a lady that has been involved in the gospel for around 12 years. The only thing that has held back from baptism for this long is marriage. She plans to be married and baptized on the same day--the 26th of September. We had a really great lesson about the plan of salvation, which turned into talking about temples. For those of you who don't know, we believe that family relationships can last beyond this life. When a couple is married in the temple, their marriage lasts forever. I love talking about temples because of how important my family is to me. I remember when my Grandma King passed away...the only thing that gave me peace was that I knew I would see her again. Whenever I go to the temple, I am blessed to feel very close to my grandma. 

We had a funny/scary experience this week. There is this guy who the past sisters met. They tried setting up several different appointments with him, but every time he would give them a fake address. But the thing is, he constantly calls. And you can't understand a word he says because he mumbles. Anyways, one night we are driving, and this car ahead of us pulls over, and then pulls out behind of us. So then, of course we think that they are following us. And guess who we get a call from? The same guy. Both of us looked at each other and screamed! Haha! The car wasn't following us, and this guy was just doing his daily call. We were scared for a bit, and then just had to laugh! 

I have to say that we have been blessed with members this week. During almost all of our dinners, the hermanas have told us that they would love to come out with us! One Hermana told us that we are her kids, and that she is our mom for right now. I just have felt an outpouring of love from a lot of these sisters. It has been amazing and just what I have needed! During our Sunday dinner, the brother in his prayer said "bless the sister's families, and bless the sisters that they won't miss their families too much because we are grateful they are here with us." I about cried right then and there! My mission has really taught me what kind of member I want to be when I get home....Preach My Gospel missionary for life! 

So even though it hasn't been very successful week number wise but I really feel like we have been working our hardest. My mom sent me this quote: "It is impossible to fail when you are do your best and when you are on the Lord's errand". I think at points during the week I was getting to caught up with numbers, but then I realized all the good we had done, that can't be measured by numbers. I am grateful that the Lord is on our side and that I am a part of his work.