La primera semana en Anthem!

Sister Loveless and I at the temple

This week has been kinda psycho! Transfers are always insane,especially when you get DT out and DT in to an area. My week started off with losing my wallet.... :( My poor new companion must of thought I was crazy, because I could not stop crying about it one morning. Haha :) Life happens though! I'm just happy that I didn't lose something more important like a journal or an IPad....!

So my new companion is Sister Porter. She is from Pocatello, Idaho. We actually came in together, but I go home before her since I spent a transfer at the CCM. We are having a ton of fun together! She is older than me, but has five younger siblings too! She has already taught me
a lot this week, and I am excited for this transfer with her!

DT are always crazy, but because everything is online now, we didn't have an area book or any information until Thursday morning! We have two wards, Inspirada and Madeira Canyon. They both go to church at the same time.....so we have to do splits for church. It's weird not having a companion. Haha! The members are amazing here though! We have relieved so many referrals from them, and they are ready and willing to help. We realized that missionary work here is going to be very different from the areas that we have served.....so we are trying to
brainstorm as many ideas as we can!

I got to go back to Pelican Creek for a baptism. It was so good to see the ward, Sister Loveless, and our investigator again. I already
miss them! It is always hard leaving an area. You get really attached as a missionary, since you are serving constantly. You get to feel a
different kind of love for those people you teach and serve. I can't wait to visit after my mission is over. :)

That was our week! It makes me tired just thinking about it. Haha :) We have some amazing investigators here and some great plans for the
future. I am sad that I had to leave North, but I know that Heavenly Father needs me here for some special reason. I'll just have to wait and see what it is! I love you all!!!!!

Love,
Hermana Erickson

Whitewashes for all!

Sooooo. Transfers have been fun. Kinda but not really. Sister loveless
and I are both leaving Pelican Creek and Northstar.

I am getting transferred to Anthem zone, in Henderson. Honestly, I'm super sad. I
did not want to leave his area. I was sure that I was staying and I hate to leave. I feel like there was so much more that I had to do..... It's really hard leaving. The whole mission got whitewashed, so we aren't the only ones. I'm trying to be excited, but it's not working out to great. But it just helps me learn that my plan is not the best, but the Lord's is!

We again heard from Elder Corbridge on Tuesday. Something that really stuck out to me was not missing opportunities on my mission. It is crazy to me that I have been out for 11 months. I've been looking back a lot on my mission and what I have accomplished and how I have changed. It's funny because at points I don't feel like I have done much. But even if I didn't baptize anyone, just me going affects at least one person. Me! My testimony of the gospel has grown and been strengthened. A mission is an amazing experience!!

We got to go to the temple this Saturday (right before we found out our fate.. :P), and it was wonderful. I saw a lot of people from my first two wards, since they have a Spanish session on Sat mornings.
There was a family that I was working with in Los Feliz that had gone through some really hard times. We kept telling them that they needed to attend the temple. I saw them there on Saturday! It was the best feeling ever :)

So I bummed about transfers, but it's just a new experience ahead.
Can't wait to see what I learn next! Love you all!! :)

Love,
Hermana Erickson

Insane Week Full of Surprises

It has been a long week filled with all sorts of crazy out of the norm
things. It did go by fast though, which was nice. I can't believe that
we are ending the transfer next week. We will find out by this
Saturday on what is happening. I really hope that I will be staying
with Sister Loveless for another transfer. I feel like I haven't had
enough to time to serve here yet!

So we had an emergency transfer happen in a different area, so a new
sister came in on Wednesday. The only problem is that bother her and
her companion can't drive now (both are foreign), and one of the
sisters doesn't have a bike. And they live a mile away from their
area. Sooooo I went back into Harmony Hills for the weekend to help
the new sister with the area and to get rides set up. It was really
fun being back and we found a bunch of new investigators! It was
awesome :) It was the first time being in leadership that I actually
felt like I actually helped someone. It was a really good weekend for
me and for the area :)

We found a Hispanic investigator a week ago! We went to go teach the
first lesson, and she had a whole meal prepared --authentic Mexican
food. It was the BEST :) It made me miss my Spanish areas, but it was
so good. I was so stuffed afterwards. We also received a member
referral for a teenager, Trey. He is really interested and loves the
gospel! He really wants to change the path he is on and help build his
future. I love teaching teenagers and young adults--they have so many
choices going on, that they need the direction the gospel brings.

We have had two really cool opportunities as a mission recently.
First, was a worldwide broadcast for all missionaries. The quorum of
the 12 was there, and we received a lot of help and guidance to be
better missionaries. Then yesterday, we got a training from Elder
Corbridge of the seventy. He talked about not being fearful of our
leadership callings. We need to use the Lord more and trust in His
decision. I really needed to hear that as I have definitely been
struggling with understanding my calling to be a leader. But I know
that Heavenly Father called me for a reason!

It was a great week! I can't wait to see what else the Lord has in
store for me and for our area. I love you all!!

Love,

Hermana Erickson

Another baptism!

This week has been really good for me! I have had a lot of self-discovery and learning. I feel that I have grown a lot in this calling as a STL. It has pushed me to become a better missionary and has caused me to go out of my comfort zone. I am excited to see how I grow within the next couple of months.

So we had a baptism! He is 9 years old. His family went less-active during the time he turned 8, and then started coming back to church. They are a super fun family, and Danny was really easy to teach. He knew everything, and was very prepared. We have never had so many people show up to a 9 year old baptism. Even President Snow and Sister Snow showed up! It was a great baptism that was filled with the spirit. That family is one step closer to becoming an eternal family :)

We found this awesome couple this week to teach this week. We were walking around, when we saw this young guy. He had gauges and tattoos, so we totally thought he wouldn't be receptive to the gospel. But then
we started talking him, and he was really open. I was telling him about baptism and why we need it. He then says "yeah, I am probably due for one pretty soon." It was awesome! It is amazing how the Lord prepares people for the gospel. We should never judge who is ready or not.

We have this super awesome investigator, Brian. He has a Mohawk and is a punk rocker. It is pretty fun teaching him! He really loves the gospel, and is very receptive. His dad is a less-active and is
becoming active in order to baptize Brian. Brian came to institute (a church scripture class), a Why I believe activity, and to a baptism. It is amazing to see how much he loves the gospel! We really enjoy teaching him.

This week has been great and I love missionary work! I can't believe that I am on the downhill slope. It is crazy to me that I am ending my mission at the end of this year. I love the people here though and will miss them immensely. Until next week!

Love,

Hermana Erickson

Goodbye Holidays!

This week has been pretty good! Life as a STL is never boring, we always have something going on. I am starting to get used to it...but I don't know if I ever will get fully adjusted to my new crazy life! I ended up getting sick this week.....with bronchitis. I thought I just had the flu, but our investigator's dad turned out to be a doctor. I was super grateful that he was able to get me some meds! I feel so much better now :)

This weekend we have had a mini missionary with us and it has been super fun! I don't know if you all remember Ellie (from East), but she is leaving on her mission this week! I love having mini missionaries with us. I wish I would have done one before mine. We always have super fun experiences! For example, we knocked on a random door. The lady said not interested, and tried to slam it, but it got stick. It was the funniest moment of our lives. Haha!

I got to lead my first exchange this week in Pelican Creek with Sister Paa. It was super fun being on the side of a STL. It was really scary leading it, but it went good! SIster Paa was very sweet and said I was a natural leader. Haha, no. But maybe after 8 months I'll get there....!

Sorry, I don't have too many crazy stories this week. I was pretty dead for most of it ;) I am sad but happy that the holidays are over.  People will finally be back on normal schedules! But I will miss having the whole world focused on Christ. Today is my ten month mark....AAH! I can't believe I come home in September. This year is going to be awesome! I can't wait for all of the new experiences. I love you all!

¡Feliz Navidad y Año Nuevo!

These past two weeks have been crazy beyond belief. I just have no time to do anything because of everything else going on. I have never felt so exhausted!! It has been weird being an STL. I'm still on the fence about it. But I guess it is what Heavenly Father wants. I love my new companion, Sister Loveless (she is a Washingtonian too!) and our new ward, Pelican Creek, is awesome. I just wish I could be a normal missionary again at points....but this calling is pushing me to become better.

We had a baptism on Saturday! She is so awesome! The sisters from Pelican Creek did a great job of teaching her. We just came in at the end, for the last few lessons. But it was still really cool seeing another person be baptized. Her husband is a member, but hasn't been going to church for a long time. Hopefully her example will change that so that they can become an eternal family.

As in other news, we lost our other ward, Northstar YSA (Young single adult). When they redid the stake boundaries, that ward got moved into another stake. That stake just so happens to be in the other mission.

So, everything we do there doesn't count for our mission, but for the west. President wants us to give everyone over, which is upsetting.  There is so much work to be done in that ward! Our ward mission leader doesn't agree, so he is requesting a meeting. We will see how it goes!

Christmas was really good, just so different from what I am used to. I did have a wonderful time though, and loved every single gift I received. (Thank you so much to everyone!!!!). We spent the day with members, so it was very relaxing. Having a Christmas away from family made me realize what the true gift is. I am so grateful to know I have a Savior who loves me and knows what I am going through. I definitely would not have been able to go through my trials without Him. I am honored to be one of His representatives right now. :)

That's been the past two weeks! It is crazy to me that we are starting a new year already. This one has been awesome, filled with amazing memories. I am excited for what the next one brings!

Transfers...... and a new calling

It's that time again! The stress of transfers has come all over again.

This one has been a little different for me. Friday night I received a call from our mission president. He has asked me to be a Sister Trainer Leader.  I was shocked to say the least. I am super nervous and feel very humbled by the calling. I haven't gotten much sleep this weekend, and I probably won't for the next week or so as I try to adjust.

My new calling brings some new responsibilities. There are about 12 of us in the mission, one for each zone. We go to trainings given by President, and then relay them to our zone. We also are in charge of any exchanges or splits for the sisters. We work with stake leaders and organize any conferences for our zone. I don't feel ready for the calling, but I guess Heavenly Father feels like I am.

 

I will be serving in a new area! I got in-zoned transferred, so I will still be in North Las Vegas :) But, I will now be covering two wards.  My new wards are Pelican Creek, and Northstar which is a young single adult (YSA) ward. So I get to cover the whole stake again!! Whoop whoop :) Family wards are just way smaller than what I am used to. And even though my mom won't like it, my area covers the ghetto again ;)  I am really going to miss Harmony Hills!  I will be covering my old stake though so I will get to see how things go.

We were able to do a ton of service this week. First one was at ThreeSquare, which provides meals for children in Southern Nevada. It was awesome! We were able to package 9000 dinners for kids. The other one was helping a woman in our ward who lives by herself. We helped her wrap all of her grandkids presents. It was super fun and she was so appreciative. The other project was helping a family wrap all of their cookies for families. They even g ave us a plate. :) All of the service projects just made it feel like Christmas. I loved it so much!

I am very nervous for the new calling, but I know that the Lord qualifies those He calls. I will need His support more than ever, but I know He will give me what I need. Thank you for all of the prayers and support. I will need it more than ever :) Les amo!!

Love,

Hermana Erickson