Alas, Earwax! [Harry Potter]

     Harry Potter does come up quite often around here.:)  All the missionaries in our ward now (10 companionships) have been out under 5 transfers or about 6 months. It is crazy!!! Elder D. and I received a new companion who is waiting for his visa to Mexico! His name is Elder F. He is from Rexburg, Idaho and we have had so much fun already. We were at a light trying to turn right and I said "Can I make it?" I immediately quoted “What’s Up Doc” and answered myself, "We can make it!" Then Elder F. said "I don't think we can make it..." and the quoting began. It was so funny! Who knows how long he'll be here, but we are glad to have him and hope he can learn as much as he can about missionary work before he hits Cuernavaca with all he's got!
     Y's confidence is building so strong. When we ask questions now, she is not hesitant and answers confidently!! She is awesome!!! Both she and J are set to be baptized this Sunday the 11th. Woot!!! We also had a lesson with a family we found my second week here and it was cool! D prayed and his wife A was very involved. They work a lot and lessons are hard to schedule, but we will keep trying. One new referral we taught was pretty interested. When we told her that Christ taught all of the things we need to live again, she said "Cuales son? Por favor digame." I was blown away. I have never had a referral ask me to tell them what they needed to do to get eternal life.
     One lady we met by the post office asked us if we could help her and we said "Yeah!" She wanted money, but we gave her a Bible because hers was small and falling apart. We put a Book of Mormon card in the middle and as we drove away, Elder D. saw the pages fall open to the card as she perused the book. We couldn't help but fist bump like Shawn and Gus. When we were searching for answers as a companionship for  how to best help an investigator, we said a group prayer and then shared the answers we felt we had received. Interestingly enough, we got the same answer with a little variation. That was a powerful experience! Another day we were making a plan after looking through a list of former investigators, and we saw one name that stood out. As we looked further we saw that this family had had a baby girl on the 3rd of March. As that date echoed in our minds, we realized that today was the 3rd of March. Coincidence? I think not! We knew we had to go that day. This family was not home but their neighbors were, and they really liked El Plan de Salvacion. We will be going back tomorrow...:)
     We talked to one boy who was playing basketball and we played a bit with him, too. He kept calling me Kirilinko (used to play for the Jazz). It was fun. He really likes the missionaries. We made about a bajillion Swedish pancakes at the M's house and they LOVED them!!! We are planning to do a FHE with them as well. Later that night, I got to witness two new missionaries (mis companeros) teaching effectively and fluidly in full Spanish. Elders D. and F. killed it! They were answering questions with Hno. M. about the sacrament and repentance.
     Last night we had several situations that turned into lessons with people in the area. I am really focusing on boldness and talking to everyone! We are very excited. The same is applicable in  non-missionary life as well. When something turns out differently (a bummer), you can always turn it into something happy.
     Well, I am almost out of time. Yesterday I read Sister Dalton's talk about purity, and fathers loving mothers. It was such a pump-up and I loved it! The one thing to always remember, "Your personal purity will give you POWER." I love studying, even though there’s never as much time for it out here as I would like.
    You can all do missionary work as well. There is nothing to be afraid of. Nothing can stop this work from moving forward! All we need to do is open our mouths and talk to those around us. Be the best you can be!!! I love you all!
    P.S. "Paradox of man: we are nothing compared to God, but yet we are everything to him!" -President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

You Might Get Baked into a Pie!

Hola Familia!!  The quote is from Magic School Bus this week.

    This last week was one of the best weeks I have had thus far in the mission!! I worry a bit since transfers are coming, though, and that would be sad if I got moved. To start out, we finally contacted the referral with the devil dogs! As we went in, one of the dogs relieved himself on my shoe and then rolled around on it. So essentially I’ve received my first shoe shine here in LA!
    Last Wednesday we had a lesson with A at the church! We started out with a tour and then ended up in the chapel for a lesson on church attendance. It was incredible. As we talked about hymns, Elder D. showed A. his favorite hymn (“Mas Cerca Dios de Ti” or “Nearer my God to Thee”) and I felt like we should sing it. We sang, and A. joined in with us as well! The Spirit was so strong, I felt like I could reach out and touch it. The hymn really opened his heart. We had the best lesson we have ever had with him. He even committed, which he would never do before, to come to church!!! Unfortunately his grandson was sick and he babysat, so he didn't come, but he promised to come next week.
    H prayed in our Plan of Salvacion lesson!!!! We used the puzzle which was fun, and they said that one day they would be baptized but not yet! It was also a really cool lesson. H's prayer was so incredible -- the most sincere first prayer I've heard! Y set another baptismal date, too!!! We had a lesson on faith and trusting the Lord with a recently returned missionary in the ward. Again, the Spirit was so strong!!! We felt good about March 11th (Elder D. and I had prayed between two dates) so as we discussed it, I asked her to set that as the goal! She accepted which was really cool. I also used several quotes, one of which was from Winnie the Pooh. I never thought I would use that in a lesson, but it was very applicable at the time. :)
    We also got to go inside F's house – the boxer from transfer one who's dad was sick. We taught the Plan of Salvacion (parts) and that was really cool. For some reason this was a Plan of Salvation week.:) 
    I cannot believe it has been 6 whole months since I left the world I knew and entered the world I live in now. Crazy huh? Elder D. and I went crazy today at the store and bought ice cream.....woohoo! We are celebrating the six-month mark together!!! We also bought smoothie supplies and several type of meat.:) Don't worry, we resisted the pop tarts. Hno. H. gave us free donuts, too... that is dangerous... we must resist eating them all at once :) Transfers are coming up on Wednesday so I hope we both stay!! Most likely we will, but the Lord is the one in command, el capitan! Love you all! Let me know if there is anything I can do for you! Thanks for the awesome support and love!
     P.S. I got into a Harry Potter conversation at a member’s house last night, which was very fun. I was surprised at how much I could remember! Oh dear, we loved that book. I still do, but I don't get to read it too often out here... funny that. Mischief managed!

Put that thing back where it came from or so help me!

     Well, I hate to begin the e-mail with sad news, but Y canceled her baptism for yesterday... it was very sad. At the beginning, J had been the unsure one, but now she is pretty solid. We hope to see them baptized in the first few weeks of March. We also went to the visitors center with A last Wednesday! As we pulled up to the temple grounds, the pouring rain stopped which was incredible! The sisters helped us so much. It was really cool! It made him realize how much he can learn. We did the Plan de Salvacion puzzle to teach his lesson and it helped him understand a lot more! Thanks mom!
     Lately we have seen the blessings of biking! We have seen so many people on bike that we never would have seen if we had been in a car. In The Doctrine & Covenants there is a scripture about the missionaries passing by people who need the gospel and I believe that is what happens when we drive. We have seen several members, potentials, and investigators while biking. I think this really helps build trust with the members, too. For some reason if they see us out tracting or biking then they open up more to us as those who can help their friends. Our goals for the last week of the transfer are about referrals and member present lessons. We hope to make real progress in this area, especially if we both stay (most likely we will since Elder D. is still newer).
     Adriane, you have no idea how many conversations and discussions have been started because my sister just had a baby. So many women trust me immediately when we talk baby talk. It is really fun!
     This week we taught a lesson in a mobile kitchen thing, which was interesting. You know those big white vans that sell everything on the road? They are everywhere here. The lesson was okay, it was just odd sitting inside instead of buying from outside...:)
     Sorry it is a short one today! Ironically our preparation day can be the most hectic day of the week instead of the most restful. To close, I just want to let you know of an experience I had. On Sunday morning I woke up feeling like I was dead. I felt terrible. This combined with the canceled baptism had me bummed a bit. The moral of the story is that I read the conference Ensign during lunch! It picked me up sky high! President Eyring's talk about the Book of Mormon really helped me feel better in both ways. SO if you ever feel down... read the Book of Mormon or the Ensign!!! I love you all!!!! Thank you for the assorted cards and candy... yummm! I will write again next week! Where has February gone? I hit my 6 month mark this Friday.... Santa Vaca! Hope all is swell!

Why can't we have some meat? [LOR]

    Another week has simply flown by and lots of stuff happened! All of the hard times on a mission are worth it, thanks to one small joyful moment now and then!  That was the theme for the week. Many of our appointments canceled and it was a bit disappointing. I was reading President Monson’s talk in the conference Ensign; he said, "We are never standing alone when we are standing with our Father in Heaven." This was really uplifting to me and I suggest going back and reading his talk “Dare to Stand Alone.”
    The other night we saw a mouse at an investigator's house and decided to try and catch it for them..:) It sure was fun! I just remember thinking in my head..."Matelo, Matelo!" We didn't get it, but I got close with a toss of the broom. It was a fun intermission to our lesson. 
    We have also cooked a lot lately. We learned how to make carrot soup from a member and it is super easy and cheap. 5 carrots, butter, water and bullion cubes. We made Swedish pancakes the other night for the first time.  I named my new blender Sven the Blender . . . or Svender!

    When we watched some bicycle safety videos at zone conference, I was surprised by one of them. It was about keeping your bikes locked up. It was narrated by two "thugs". . . one of which was Matt from Divine Comedy! It was hilarious! He said "Be sure to lock them up so thieves like US don't rob you..he he he!" Good times. 
    We visited H, M, V and J on Wednesday, and H said he wants to come to church! We are going to visit tonight and hopefully get a good lesson in about el Plan de Salvacion and familias. A canceled on us, but we did schedule to go to the Visitors Center with him this Wednesday and we hope this gets him excited because he likes stuff like that! We contacted a new family last Wednesday and got a return appointment with them on Thursday. When we got to know them, it seemed like I had already met them before. It was strange! The wife told us that she had been really down on Monday and then we showed up on her doorstep that night. I was amazed! It is not every day that we can see evidence of being led by the Spirit! That night we were tired and almost went home, but decided to try their home at about 8:45. It is a good thing we did. They both want to come back to church and I could not believe how easy it was to talk with them and have a good time together. Yet another miracle that we were able to witness.
    A few more stories...At one door, I was able to connect with the people inside because I recognized Shawn’s voice from “Psych”. It was so out of context, but I heard it and had to ask. We got several new investigators from looking for former investigators and we hope to teach them again.
    We biked Saturday and it was a very good day! We didn't even touch the car until Sunday. We continue to work hard and have a lot of fun doing it!

Miracles happen!

Hey familia!
    Another awesome week here in the CLAM! I failed to mention last week about some of the milagros (miracles) we saw last Sunday. It was a special Sunday! P passed the sacrament for the very first time and he was so excited to do it to. Later in a lesson he told his mom proudly that he got to pass the Santa Cena.  The M's also taught the Gospel Principles class! It was incredible to be in their class and listen to them teach!
     A is still progressing. He is so friendly and enjoyed the two lessons we shared. When we asked about baptism, he said he would like to wait to be sure. He loves that baptism can be his choice and that it is like how Jesus was baptized. We are going to invite him to the visitors center, too!
      The other day we passed a famous people party and saw flashing camera lights. We like to pretend that we hung out with Justin Bieber...he he he!
    By the way, I love Preach my Gospel! If any of you have a copy lying around unused...use it please! It has so many great lessons in it! I love the stories, too, because they are real missionary work in action! I love pg. 157-158 about the taxi driver, and there are many other great stories as well!
    We had a missionary fireside last Sunday and a lot of people came. We wrote our testimonies and then everyone read another Elder’s testimony out loud. Our focus was that it doesn’t matter who is reading the testimony -- the Spirit still talks to those who hear it (that is why the scriptures are so universal...:) Then we passed out cards and got the names of those there, and who they would like to give a Book of Mormon to.  Later in the week we passed out Books of Mormon to the members; they wrote their testimonies in the front and we are going to deliver them with the members!! It was really cool! We also got a cool referral, contact and return appointment at the farewell of one of the young men leaving our ward for the MTC. It was way fast and took us by surprise!
    Lately we have been biking around, too! This morning we biked to soccer (about 3 miles ida y vuelta) and on Saturday we biked almost all day using only 8 miles on our car! We want to save miles and "years on the hips" ;)  We have been eating healthier now too. It takes more time and money, but hey... we are paying ourselves right...:)

     Update on other investigators: We hope to set a date with J tonight, and Y has kept progressing! They both came to church with C yesterday, too! Funny story: C was on the phone when we got to their house last lesson, so Elder D. and I had a mini light saber dual when she left the room, which was really fun. She came back and we immediately stopped. She didn't seem to notice, but then asked us if we had been having a light saber battle. We gave her the "huh?" expression and shook our heads. Then we all started laughing. It was really funny!
    J, the older brother of P and M, came to church and has been listening when we come over. We hope that this contagious spirit will spread to the entire family eventually! Last night, we contacted two former investigators who let us in right away to talk a bit. They are a really awesome family! They said we can come back on Wednesday night. I know that when we are obedient we receive the Spirit. And the Spirit gives us power (Alma 18:35). I love you all and hope you are well!