November 18th 2013

Dear Family,

Ok I told you I would tell you about Hna. Fleytas. She is from Argentina and was baptized there a long time ago, but moved soon after being baptized and couldn't find the church in the new city where she lived. Last Christmas some missionaries came to sing at the nursing home she was at, and recognized the missionaries!!! She was so happy, and hasn't missed a Sunday since then! Everytime we go over there we sing Count Your Many Blesssings, I can't even describe it, but she is just so happy to be back in the church and loves us all so much!

So more info about Cudahy. The neighbor hood is like all Muslims which is super cool. i heard that they just called 4 elders to speak Farsi in this area so our mission has 4 of 8 missionaries in the whole world speaking Farsi. LA is seriously one of the coolest missions. There is a little bit of everything, and so many opportunities. My area covers a little bit of Bell, Hunington park, Cudahy, and maywood. It's flat so being on a bike is not hard, It took us 40 minutes to bike to church yesterday, but I am absolutely loving it!  We're in Bell Gardens ward which is a combination of 2 wards that happened about a year ago. there hasn't been a baptism in my area for almost 2 years, but there is a lot of potential. A couple that hasn't been able to get married are finally going to be able to get married and then the girl, maria will be able to get baptized soon! It's a little funny that this has happened twice in a row. I should probably just move from area to area and somehow the couples will magically be able to get married.

Saturday we were riding our bikes to the church for coordination, and we stopped to look at my bike because it was just way harder than it should have been. Sister walker's bike pump has a air pressure thing which is super nice. Anyways, my wheels are suppose to be at 50-60 psi and they were at 10. Let's just say that I enjoyed biking a little bit more than I have been the first 3 days.

Ok, so I guess the easiest without making it sound super depressing was I just sort of started to break. I don't know. I was struggle to feel like I was progressing as a person, struggling to find the spark a loving the work like I have been, and my relationship with my companion wasn't what I wanted it to be....ok,happy news now!

I didn't come to Cudahy and everything was magically fixed. I felt the same the first day, so I was a little anxious, but I made some goals, and a few activities to do everyday to help me be happier, love the work and have more faith in it/patience, and love myself(that can be a hard one, especially trying to notice what my strengths are). Anyways I have 2 little books. In one every morning, I write in one a few things that happened yesterday that i love about my companion, not that we don't get along...I just want to love her more. Then in my other book i write things about why I love the mission, being a missionary, and things I love about myself. I'm determined to really know what my strengths are and be confident about them:)

Yesterday we had dinner with the Reyna family. they have been members for about 3-4 years and were sealed sometime within that time. One of the talks during Sacrament meeting just really got to her, and I guess things had just started to build up for her too, and she just kind of broke, and little like I felt. She explained it like her glow stick just felt super dim. I don't know why but this week I have shared Mosiah 23:21-23 and this one has really been a favorite on my mission, and I was able to share that with her, and at least for me I felt like I could help her. I felt like I knew how she felt, and that I could help her. Every time I have felt bad about myself, and was able to puch my selfish thoughts away and really help someone I have come out feeling better myself with a brighter hope. I have no doubt that we go through things to be able to better relate to people and when we forget about ourselves and look to console others that's where we will find true joy. Sorry, if that was super broad, but I never know how much to share about others trials.

Ok Dad, I'm going to put you to work with all your knowledge about your BYU athletes:)

Every month there is a "why I believe" fireside at the VC, and last night Chad Lewis and his wife, Michelle came to speak. We weren't able to go, but on Friday me and my companion were invited to go to a fireside with him this morning. Only about 50 missionaries were invited to go, and I don't know why we were selected, but Heavenly Father truly does know our needs. I could have broken down crying a few times during it, but I was sitting in the front row but I didn't want to look like a complete wackoo:) I was so grateful for everything they talked about! One thing that Sister Lewis said was that we don't realize how many people are praying for us. We hear that all the time, but for some reason I just really appreciated that this morning. The other day I was looking back from my notes in the MTC and someone told us that when we are having a hard time, just picture your parents, siblings, family members kneeling at their beds and praying for you, and i know that's true.(great, I was tearing up just thinking about it!) when I remember that I can feel all of your love, so I guess just wanted to say that I am so grateful for your love and prayers. 

They talked about a few different things, but one thing they talked about was letting our talents, and personalities shine.(matt 5) we have a responsibility to let our strengths show! we're all a little weird so we need to give people their space and let their personalities shine.President Weidman and the Lord are going to ask us to do things that will make our hearts pound but we just need to have the confidence and strength to do them, and when the natural man comes and starts sneaking into our thoughts, just forget them! I learning a lot to allow myself to be proud of my strengths....well I'm still working on acknowledging them, but it's coming along;)

One thing Bro. Lewis said was "have a high tolerance of boredom"(someone told him that before going in to the NFL) we're going to hear the same training, scriptures, and we need to fight all the pride, and tiredness to stay awake in meetings and take something out of them, and see the same scripture from a different angle. I thought it was pretty funny, but extremely true.

This week we have zone conference which I am super excited for because last night and this morning i feel like I've been on a little high, and things are feeling like I'm on the upward climb. True, we only have 2 investigators but there is so much potential and work to do. I want you all to know that I love my mission, I love LA, I love the people here, and I absolutely love the gospel and my Savior. 

Love,

Hermana Ford

November 11th 2013

Dear Family,

I can't even believe transfer calls have already come and gone. I didn't even react when they told me what would be happening. Sister Foster is leaving to an english ward downtown la, and I'm also leaving to serve in Cudahy with Sister Walker which is still spanish. So that means our are will be getting white-washed by some elders. I think it will be a good thing because there is a lot of work to be done in a certain area that we haven't had a lot of time to put a lot of effort into. Cudahy is a bike area! Heavenly Father knew I was about to go crazy because we spent a lot of time in the car this past transfer. I know that Sister Walker has been out a transfer longer than me and she is 20 and from Utah. 

I guess one of the biggest events from this past week was that Sister Foster and I translated for a stake training meeting. That was a really cool and humbling experience. All I kept praying for was that the sisters that we were translating for would get what they needed to get out of the training. They were some sisters that were from our branch so we  had fun. I felt so inadequate, but we did what we could!:)

Funny story:

We had just parked to go to a lesson with Rosa and Enrique and there was a group of guys standing near a car, and when sister Foster got out of the car(have I told you she's 6') and they starting laughing and what not and were like oooohh grandota! and then when I got out they were like oooohhhh dos grandota's!!! It's so funny to understand what people are saying about you in spanish because they think we having no clue what they are saying. Something happened like that the other monday in the laundry mat and there was this peruvian guy talking about us while he was on the phone with someone.

Even though this transfer this transfer was a little hard emotionally I think I learned a lot from the members. In both wards I have been so amazed by the women or men who are the faithful parents in their family. It takes so much strength and faith to go to church faithfully and magnify their callings with so much faith that their spouse will one day get baptized or come back to church again. 

Ok, I love you all.....better letters are on the way!

Hermana Ford

Hna. Fleyta....she is so cute, I'll have to tell you all about her sometime soon:) 

I painted Hna. Ramirez's face for her son's homecoming game!

Sorry it's been so long....But Hermana Ford is doing amazing!!!!

September 4th 2013- 

Hello Family!!!!

It seems so weird that everyone has headed back to school. It's been super hot lately. I heard it's only been in like the 80s but because it's so humid in Hollywood we're pretty much dying the minute we walk out the door. We saw another mouse in our apartment, so I guess we have to buy some more traps today. 

This week has been a little full of emotions.(basically just headaches because I need to cry:)) We don't really have any investigators so we're back to walking around and just talking to everyone. You think I would have everything figured out after being in the same area my whole mission, but I don't. So that's been a little frustrating because I have put a lot of pressure on myself this transfer so far to be focusing on the right things and people, and then on top of that we don't really have any investigators. I know I shouldn't worry, but it is helping me reevaluate how I do things and understand my purpose a little bit better. The mission has really been pushing recently to focus on finding new investigators, so I guess I'm not the only one that wants a little help:)

We went to the temple this morning which was really nice just to sit and remember all the love that Heavenly Father has for me and what he has done to help me succeed. My eye has been twitching for the past 2 hours...getting up at 4:30 isn't my favorite thing to do:)

Hna. Bernadino went through the temple on Saturday(she was baptized with her daughter a year ago) and she found out that her mom was baptized in Mexico on the same day! What a sweet little blessing! We weren't able to go, but it has been so amazing to hear her testimony as she has been preparing to go even though her husband does not support her at all.The testimonies of some of the members here make me so happy sometimes. Cynthia is going to go do baptisms at the temple this weekend for the first time too, so that is super exciting. We have dinner with her later, so I am really excited to talk to her about her experience.

A fun little project that we have been working on is an english class. It starts tonight, so we have been advertising for it like crazy this past weekend. Lot's of people have been calling. One night we had put up a flyer on a street corner, and this guy ran after us asking about it, and said he would try and change his work schedule around so he can come on time. The funny thing is I remember seeing him and his brother earlier that day. The program and lessons are all done, but we still have to decide how we teach everything. We are teaching the intermediate class. I think we about to get very humbled by the fact that we don't know spanish that well, but it will be a great learning opportunity for all of us.

I went on exchanges with the Sister Training Leaders this weekend...in my own area but in english. It was a really nice break to just go and do everything and enjoy the day without worrying about how we are spending our time and doing everything we can. 

The lice is all gone. Sis. Myorga(mission nurse) checked it this morning before the temple, so that's a relief that we got rid of it so quickly. Now I don't have to feel guilty about hugging people!:)

We spent one day on bikes! Some of the other sisters in the ward needed our car to go to a baptism so we let them borrow it and just biked. It had been really hot and it took us like 40 minutes just to get to our dinner appointment, but it was really fun just to be out. 

 This past week has just been a lot of walking, talking, and trying to figure out what the Lord wants me to do in Silverlake and what I need to learn either from Sis. Robinson or someone I meet, or maybe someone needs to learn something from me(that's a weird thought haha) 

I love you all!

Hermana Ford

September 9th 2013

Dear Family,

It hasn't been much time since I last emailed, but things have certainly improved! Sis. Robinson told me I talked in my sleep last night in spanish! So that means I'm fluent right? Just kidding I am so far from that, but it's coming along.

Yesterday a less active asked us how we felt when people rejected us, so I started to think about a bunch of street contacts we have had this week.

-We walked past this one lady and just said "Hola, tenga buen dia" or something along those lines and she looked back at us and said "I speak english!" haha I felt super bad, but sometimes I can't tell what ethnicity they are!

-Yesterday we decided to talk to this one family but we knew they didn't speak spanish and as we were digging through all our cards we realized we didn't have anymore in english so we just gave the little girl a card in spanish whose family hardly even spoke english!

-Yesterday we talked to one of the most drunk person I think I have ever talked to since being out here, and we kinda realized it was a mistake the minute we stopped to talk to him. Even though I knew he wasn't going to listen to us I still felt super bad just walking away blatantly ignoring him while he was asking us questions.

-There was this girl who was standing on the sidewalk crying because he dad wouldn't let her wash the car with the hose. I stopped and asked her if she wanted a princess sticker, and she stopped crying so quickly. It was pretty adorable:)

ok, so as far as other things we are really working on trying to increase....get a teaching pool. aka walking around talking to everyone, even though it's tiring and it makes me feel a little bad that we don't have anyone to teach and I have been here for 5 months I feel like I'm doing what I can just by bearing my testimony.

The english class has been super fun to teach, and to get to know some of the other members in the ward. The beginners class has a lot of nonmemebers which is super exciting. There is one less active that is in our class and as we were packing everything up I said to him, "see you next wednesday, oh wait....on sunday!" he told us he couldn't come to church because he works, but come sunday morning he came!

Oscar came to church and he finally wore a white shirt! A member gave him a tie a few weeks ago, but he hasn't been able to wear it because he hasn't had a white shirt, but this week he walked in with a white shirt and tie and he gave the closing prayer in sacrament meeting!

Before church had even started I was just so happy and filled with joy! At times like that I just want to stay in this ward for forever! They have truly become my family, and I love watching them grow and go outside of their comfort zone to say a prayer at church and ask a question in class.

For zone meeting we talked a lot about goals and how we have to make follow up plans, but this is just a little excerpt from my journal because I don't have time to try any explain it, so I hope it makes sense!

"For the follow-up training we went through the steps with our mission goals. As I was thinking about goals/standards I've had in the past and how I am dealing with the stress right now. I think my whoel life I have never really set high standards for myself. I just coasted. Like with school, I could have gotten A's if I really tried, but I didn't. B's and B-'s were pretty maneagable. So now, I have or the mission has high expectations and I am expecting so much more out of myself. I though I was a happy, patient person, but I realize that I have these/those traits but just when I'm coasting and not really progressing, so now that I am really trying to push myself and grow I have to learn how to be patient and happy(less stressed over the small things) with high standards. It's hard but I know that this is super important for me to learn because I'm tired of mediocracy. I want to conatntly becoming better, but I also want to learn how to enjoy it as well"

So basically, last week I was struggling to just balance the emotions, but by the end of the week I started to see all the small miracles throughout the day again which made me happy again:) Those were just my thoughts one day, I don't know if they are an accurate conclustion or not.

Sister Robinson is from Austin, Texas so it goes without saying that she was a little upset that BYU beat Texas. It's ok though, she still wants to be my companion:) Ok I 'll sty summing her personality up: she is a little spacing, funny, terrible driving, great teacher, and loves to laugh at herself. oh and we are terrible singers, so we probably won't be singing during lessons this transfer:)

Times up! I love you all

Love,

Hermana Ford

September 16th 2013

Dear Family!

This week has been absolutely amazing and full of miracles! Since we have started the english class(2 weeks) we have had a few people that have come consistently and have loved the little spiritual messages that all the missionaries give at the end of the class. These people have all expressed how much they have needed the thought and it has been so amazing to see how much the spirit touches them. The 3 people that have been coming consistently all came to church yesterday and have been expressing desires to be members! Leo is the one student that is in our area. We found him and had just invited us to the class. He had told us that he was trying to quit drinking, and after every class he says that he is only there because we stopped and talked to him. It is after times like that that I don't even feel worthy for the gratitude they give us. To me it just feels like pure luck that we talked to him, and he has come to class, the ward activity, and church, but I know that it is because Heavenly Father loves his children and there is timing in everything.

On Saturday the ward had the Dia de Hispanidad activity that they have every year. It was so much fun to see all the members sharing their culture with everyone and especially the members that did a dance from their country. Activities like this make me so grateful for the ward I have been in for so long. All of the leaders looked at this activity as the perfect opportunity to do missionary work. We had a gospel tent for people to talk to the missionaries and ways to recognize whether people were members or not so we could make sure that we would talk to them. So many members brought their non-member family members and their neighbors! 4th is seriously amazing! I can't even describe it! So many members have the vision of sharing the gospel an they are so supportive of us and always looking for activities to bring investigators to. On friday after english class we were talking to the bishop about all the success we have seen from it and how it is truly calling the elect people. We all just had the biggest smiles on our faces:)

Ok, so my little(well actually really big) miracle for the week:

Oscar Flores, the less active that we found who has been coming back to church brought his wife to the dia de hispanidad! I can't remember if I told you this before but she was completely hardened towards us when we first met her and had no desire to come back to church. So, she came to the activity and I was watching her throughout the day and she was having so much fun dancing and talking with all the members she knows, and when I first greeted her at the activity she told me that she was going to come to church the next day!(seriously, such a miracle). Sunday morning we walked into the chapel and I saw Carmen sitting in the back row with her husband Oscar! I went over to go say hi and tell her how happy I was to see her and all that jazz and she just grabbed my hand and her eyes started to well up with tears. She touched her chest and told me how much she felt the spirit and the love her Heavenly Father had for her. So, at that point we just started crying! She told me "voy a quedar" (I'm going to stay) and I was just so overwhelmed with joy and love for this family!

She got a blessing after church and talked to the bishop, and then last night we went over to talk to them at their house. This family has not been to church for 13 years. I can't even begin to tell you how amzing this has been. They were so strong in the church before that all they had to do was come to church once, feel how strong the spirit was and have the amazing the welcome they had from the members. They are both working to going back to the temple again and hopefully be an example for their son. I love this family so much! I feel so blessed to have a part of this experience they have had even though I feel like I haven't done anything. All I did was knock on their door.

The spririt is so real. As members I feel like we don't always fully comprehend how incredible powerful the spirit can be to non-members and less actives. It can pierce their hearts, and move them to make a 180 change in a matter of seconds! I love this gospel, and the knowledge and opportunity that I have to provide people the opportunity to know how much their Heavenly Father loves them.

I hope all is well at home, and you are all looking for the small blessings and love their our Heavenly Father has for his children.

Love,

Hermana Ford

oh, I have lice again and my companion has it now as well. This is the most helpless I have every felt. Aside from shampoo and picking out the knits I don't know what to do. We only do laundry once a week, and all the carpet in our apartment is probably contaminated...ugh. I hate taking the time out our day to deal with it. (Probably shouldn't have put that in the family email, oh well):)

September 23rd 2013

Hola Familia!

Sorry, this letter is not going to be very long at all. Pictures: We pretty much get a kick of how big my hair is after coming it out everyday, but....I got a haircut today!

We got permission to dry our sheets everyday, so hopefully that will help get rid of the lice for good. It's been a little stressful having both of us have lice because it takes a lot of time and it was cutting into a lot of our proselyting time. What we were doing was wake up and do one person's hair either in the morning during our time to get ready/lunch time and then do the other person at night after planning right up until going to bed so we haven't had anytime to relax, so we talked to president about our time management, and not having time to destress from the day, but we talked to him and we're doing what we can, and everything will be ok. 

This past week we have started teaching a few people, and it has been crazy teaching the restoration so many times this week, after not teaching people for a while. Since I have been here for 6 months it is really easy to put a lot of pressure on yourself for how much success you have but, I have learned especially from this past transfer that there are people prepared and we will find them in God's time. All we have to do is just keep working hard and always be looking for how you can be improving the area and the ward. Two people we have started teaching is Eva and Leo. Eva was just a street contact and we hadn't really gotten around to contacting her again and she ran into us and pretty much approached us on the street but we were busy talking to someone else so we couldn't talk to her, but we stopped by her house taught her a little, and  she invited us back the next day! We are going to teach the plan of salvation tonight! Pray everything goes well! Leo, has a really cool story, so I will tell all of it next week when I have the time to explain all of it!

This past week, President Weidman started doing a 6-month training every transfer for all the missionaries who had hit their 6-month mark that transfer. One of the trainings that I loved from that conference was about obedience, but more on the side of becoming consecrated. It was based on the talk The Fourth Missionary which I absolutely loved. This training came at the perfect time because I had been stressed by lice, and just remember and getting re-motivatated to do things to the best of my ability. This past week I have just been reading through that and my patriarchal blessing and just really looking for who Heavenly Father wants me to be. Times up....love you all

Love, 

Hermana Ford

October 1st 2013

Dear Family,

I am finally getting transferred. We all found out this morning. I have kinda had a sinking feeling in my stomach the past few days that I would be leaving but when they told me what I knew I would be hearing I still cried. It just kills me to leave after growing to love all the people, ward, area, and missionaries here so much. I will probably try and get a good cry in tonight so I can look forward with hope and happiness tomorrow. I didn't write all the information down, but I know I will be going to an area called "The Banks" (spanish) and my new companion will be Sister Foster. I don't know who she is, but I heard she is cool and has only been a member for a few years.

This past week we got 4 new investigators! In the past 2 weeks we have begun teaching so many people. At the end of transfers the work always seems to explode! One person we have started teaching is Vasni. He is an older man that has never had a religion and all he knows about God is that he created the world, and that is knowledge he has gotten from other people. He grew up in a family that never talked about it, so for our first lesson we just planned to talk to him about prayer and who god is. As we were getting towards the end of our discussion he asked us what prayer is, so we were able to teach him and then he offered the closing prayer. The cool thing about this lesson was that when we were planning all we knew was that he had never had a religion before. I know that as we were planning we were definitely being blessed to not plan very much, and stick to one of the most basic things.

This weekend we had zone conference, and we had the opportunity to have Elder Richards(70) and his wife come speak to us! They talked about a lot of things, but I don't have a lot of time today to tell you everything, but one thing he invited us to do was to go through all of our investigators and look through where they are struggling or if they are with these 4 essential truths of the restoration(faith in jesus christ and his atonement, first vision, book of mormon, and the priesthood). We were told to teach more simply! I have found that we just make things so difficult when I try to explain things, so with a lesson the next day with Eva we decided to just go and talk to her and really figure out what her understanding of the restoration is. I am so grateful for the zone conference we had because we have begun teaching a lot of people and I feel like I have struggled a little to really get people progressing, and after that lesson I just felt so much more confident that she understood and that she wouldn't just drop us in a week or 2. It is such a blessing and an answer to prayers for me to have someone just to tell me to teach more simply! I have been working on being bold, and it is so much easier to be bold and to have people understand when you say things simply and more upfront.

Last night, we ate with the Flores family. Well, first we made pupusas and then we ate them! My first one wasn't perfect, but it got better....so I'm ready to get married to a salvadorenan.(atleast that's what they told me:). 

I'm going to miss silverlake and the people a lot, but I know for whatever reason I need to go to the banks and continue to learn and grow! I can't wait to find out what it is like and tell you all about it next week!

I love you all!

Hermana Ford

October 7th 2013

Dear Family,

Sorry my last letter had absolutely no information about my area! So the banks covers San Pedro, it's still spanish, but since it is such a 'white' area the spanish area covers 2 english areas which feels so crazy since in Hollywood there were 4 spanish to one english area. San Pedro is right next to Rancho Palos Verdes, so the area is a little bit more affluent than the latino ghetto of Hollywood:) I went from shopping at Food for Less to Trader Joes and Sprouts! I promise to take more pictures of this area than of my last area. We cover the Cabrillo Branch with a companionship of elders, which means I'm going to have to play the piano unless I just say no and let them play the music from cd's, so whenever I have been at the church I run to the relief society to practice a song or 2. Sisters, keep practicing the hymns! you never know when you are going to have to play...President Joregenson is really cool. He served his mission in Guatemala, so he is very organized and knows how things need to be run. He has been the branch president for about 3 years now. It's going to be a bit of an adjustment since the 4th ward was like the best organized and biggest spanish wards in the mission. 

My companion is Sister Foster, and she is from Springfield Missouri. She is a convert to the church about 4 years ago, doesn't play sports, has a guitar, has been out 1 transfer longer than me and has been in this area for 6 months.

So, the history with missionaries for this area is to stay here forever. Sis. Foster told me that one sister stayed here for her whole mission except like the last transfer, another for 10, and then this transfer will make it almost 8 months for sister Foster! I'm hoping that that will be me! I think silverlake and a few of my companions there taught me to really love the people, my companions, and to really plant roots where I'm at, and not just live there and then move on when my time is up. I lived like that in college, and looking back I realize that there is no progress or learning when we live like that. I'm still working on it but I think I have improved. I love the people already, and adjusting to new companions has become easier with each one. 

I don't have the address of my new apartment, but it is near the air force base in San Pedro, the Cabrillo Marine Museum, and the Korean Bell. We exercise at a park along the beach, so I am loving that! I'm back by the water! This morning I ran a little bit and then just stood along the wall just watching the ocean. Since, I've been a little bit more motivated to workout and be healthy lately could you send me some good 20-25 minute workouts. There's plenty of room at the park to do whatever, and I may have an elastic band somewhere.

Brooke-we don't have ipads or anything yet. I know they're test piloting that in ogden right now. They only have those in 3 missions as of right now. We don't have facebook or anything like that either. Maybe towards the end of my mission.

What was everyone's favorite talks!? Different ones reminding me of a few of you! I don't think I could pick a favorite because I could relate to pretty much every single one or could use it for someone I know. I wish I could just go through every talk and talk about what they said and what we could take and apply to our lives.

We watched conference at the stake center in Rancho Palos Verdes, so we could watch it in english. It's a little funny that both my first sunday's in an area have been a conference which has made it a little harder to meet everyone and introduce myself to the members, but next week for sure! 

During President Monson's talk I began to cry. Not because he said something I needed to hear, but because I know that he is a prophet of God. Everyday I testify of the gospel and God's power on the earth, and as I listened to him I knew that what I have testifies of is the truth! I wouldn't trade for where I am at and what I am doing right now for anything in the world! I know that our most important responsibility we have in this life is to preach the gospel! I love you all, and hope you are following the apostles counsel and helping the missionaries, and telling your friends about something that has brought eternal happiness and peace into your life:)

Love,

Hermana Ford

Dear Family!

Story about the picture of the shampoo:

At one point in the night I got up and put some shampoo in a measuring cup so I could save some to give to Sis. Robinson(I think...it made sense when I was doing it) Anyways, in the morning I noticed the measuring cup and was so confused. I guess I'm sleep walking again.

I'm talking in my sleep....well i've done that the whole time I've been on my mission, but Sister Foster actually remembers what I say. Last night I asked her if she had remembered to read her scriptures. haha

This week has been super good! Meeting lots of people and trying to remember all of the members names. I'm getting a little bit more oriented in the city. It's so incredibly different than hollywood, and what our focus is on, but it's good. 

This week has been really good. We have been working a lot with members in the branch to help make the foundation stronger, so when new members come in they will have good direction from the members. 

One cool story that happened this week was that Elsa, a recent convert of 6 weeks told us that she wouldn't be coming to church anymore because she couldn't pay her tithing and was too embarrassed by that to come to church. We tried our best, but  there really wasn't that much we could do. The next morning we called the branch president and the relief society president to go visit her or call her or something! We went back Saturday night and she told us she had felt so loved and supported this week because even though she didn't answer some people's calls on purpose she felt loved and happy, and would be coming to church the next day! She came, sat in the front row, and talked with the branch  president and is back on track. I am so grateful for the members here in this ward. I haven't seen such an amazing response, and I know it is because of the members that Elsa is back on track because I don't think there was anything we could have really done to help her feel better.

Something else I have been thinking about this week is our talents. I quit playing the piano 7 years ago, so I can't really play anymore except for a few hymns. In the branch absolutely no one plays the piano, so I volunteered to play during sacrament meeting even though I was so nervous. I played all the songs perfectly, but then we get into sacrament meeting and my fingers start tensing up, kinda like they did that one year in softball, so I just starting really freaking out. I messed up a little bit but no one died. In the past I have just hidden that I could somewhat play the piano, but I realized that God gives us talents and hiding them or even ignoring them is a bit of a mockery. Even though I can't play I decided that I need to share what little I can do to support the branch.

I wish you all could meet some of the members here. Some are inspiring, some just make me laugh so hard, and some make my heart break because of the struggles they go through. I never thought I could love other members so much so quickly! 

Sister Foster and I are very similar. We love laughing, things are very black and white, and we hate showing our emotions.  It's interesting to be on 'the other side' of my personality type. It's teaching me a lot of how to communicate better, and how I can continue to share my feelings more openly. 

I hope all is going well! Time is flying, so don't let a day go by without living it to the fullest and finding the times where God is blessing you!

I love you all!

Hermana Ford

October 21st 2013

Dear Family,

This week was super good, and full of little miracles and exciting events!

We got the flu shots, a few people have gotten sick from it, but luckily Sister Foster or I haven't! We locked our keys and our phone in the clerks office one night after an english class, but luckily the other set of missionaries were there so we could borrow their phone to call around to a few of the members in the branch who have keys. No one was answering the phone so the elders went to go stand outside by a gate of an apartment building that a member lived in that we knew had keys. The odds of someone actually walking in or out at the exact moment you are there are usually pretty low, but within 5 minutes someone let them into the gate and the member was home! We thought that was a pretty big blessing because we probably would have been stuck at the church for the rest of the night if we didn't find anyone.

We had interviews with President Weidman this weekend. All morning during personal study I was thinking about what I wanted to ask him, and the more I thought about my question the more I started to get a little down on myself because sometimes it is really easier to say "you've been out this long, shouldn't you have this figured out by now!?" but the moment I saw President Weidman I felt like everything was ok and I had my normal happy smile back on:) I am so grateful for President Weidman and all the love and confidence that I get from him. 

Yesterday was a super eventful day! Elsa and Elizabeth who have both been baptized within the past 2 months spoke in sacrament meeting! They were so sweet! There was leftover time, so I had to speak for 5 minutes which was a little fun because that was the first time I had spoken or anything in church. It's definitely a weird feeling to be talking without someone by me side. I teach english class by myself as well. I have really come to love to teach with someone. Going back to school will certainly be an adjustment. Then Anderson(Elsa's son) turned 12 on Saturday, and received the aaronic priesthood after church so he gets to pass the sacrament next week, and go to the temple with the whole branch this wednesday!

Every month at the visitors center there is a 'Why I Believe' fireside where someone comes and well...talks about why they have a testimony of the gospel. President Weidman and his wife spoke so we took and investigator. Sister Robinson brought one of the Grandson's of the Arellano's(ate with them every sunday) who is now investigator so I got to see him and his sister(baptized but went inactive after a year...probably really hard being the only member in her immediate family). I am so grateful that there grandparents insisted on us coming over everyweek because they knew that it would have an impact. It reminds me a lot about what I read in the Book of Mormon this morning. An angel appeared to Alma the younger because his dad had been praying for him and it happened "according to his faith"! I think this story is so relevant to our day. Children are growing up without the same faith and experiences as their parents and they "rebel" or don't really gain a testimony of their own, but eventually they will gain their own testimonies and a lot of it has to do because the parents continued to have faith and pray for their children. 

Anyways, this was what I realized from the fireside(this is just what I wrote to president this week) I was really grateful for the fireside last night. With all of the talk about teaching simply I had struggling over how I could explain the Book of Mormon more simply, and I realized last night that the investigators aren't going to read the Book of Mormon because they know some prophets wrote in or it's from the America's, but they will read it because we can promise them if they read it they will find peace, happiness, and answers, and that is the best way I can explain the Book of Mormon. 

I love you all and I hope you are loving life and doing well!

Hermana Ford

October 28th 2013

Dear Family,

This week we had our branch Halloween party! Sister Foster and I dressed up as each other and no one got it. haha We would ask people to guess who they thought we were and they would all respond with..."ummm missionaries?" 

I went on exchanges this week with the Sister Trainers which was really fun! Sister Rudd was in a trio with them because her companion went home sick, and it was so fun to see how much she has grown! I felt so proud of her! 

I lost my planner at a house we had FHE at on monday and didn't get it back till Saturday, so this week was a little weird with just following sister Foster around, but I have it back now. My planner is pretty much my life here, so I was pretty happy when I got it back.

Sorry this email was super lame...

I love you all!:)

Hermana Ford

Halloween Costume!

November 4th 2013

Hello Transfer #4 August 26th 2013

Dear family,

This past week has mostly just been telling Sis. Robinson where to go and taking her around to all the members. I'm trying really hard to not let Sis. Howell affect the way we interact with the members. Transfer day was a little scary. I woke up just feeling sick to my stomach because I didn't know what the next transfer was going to be like and I was pretty sad to see Sis. Howell leave. We grew a lot the second transfer together and we were doing great work in the area. Sis. Robinson was just Sis. Zollinger's (MTC comp) companion so I was able to calm down:) She's from Austin, Texas and has only been out 1 transfer longer than me. She turned 20 in June so she's another youngin' but that doesn't bother me any more. She is a good teacher, and we're really excited to work together this transfer. Something that she has taught me is to pray with people after talking to them at their doorstep. The first time it really caught me off-guard, but it was actually really cool just to feel the spirit come in so strongly.

Planning was a little stressful because I had to pretty much do it all by myself, and my brain wasn't like working at all but we got through it:)

My head has gotten a lot better. Sis. Robinson looks through it every night which is super nice of her. I know a lot a people would have been pretty grossed out and not willing to do that. 

We weren't able to go to the embassy this week because of transfers and a lot of things got changed up. All of the missionaries that were in Griffith zone when I came in have been transferred so everything feels really different, but I love being in my area so I really don't care what missionaries are in the zone(I should probably be a bit more friendly, huh:))

Francisco is doing good....he wants to be baptized, but not until he has everything figured out with his wife which is a little frustrated/sad because I have no clue when that is going to happen. I'm trying to find the balance between having faith that things will work out and he will get baptized and preparing myself to drop him because he's not going to progress:(

Andrea is doing great, I still can't believe the change I have seen in her.

Oscar has to be one of my favorite people right now. We met with him this week, and the determination he has to go back to the temple is just unbelievable after being inactive for so long. He has told his story a few times, and every time he refers to us as his angles. If there has been one thing I have learned is that no matter how good of a teacher you are, how much you love them, and if you do everything "perfectly" it is all about the lord's timing. I feel so blessed just to have been on the sidelines watching Andrea and Oscar. Even though I was the missionary that found him or the one who "baptized" her I can honestly say that I really didn't do anything. Just in these past 5 months I have seen so many miracles, but I know that it wasn't because of me.

                                                      korean BBQ with Cynthia

                                                                                               Sis. Robinson and I.

I love you all!

Love Hermana Ford

August 20th 2013 - End of transfer #3!

Dear Family,

I feel like this week has been a whirlwind of emotions and I have no clue what to do with any of them, so I guess I'll just start from the beginning of the week with a brief outline of every day.

Monday- We had a surprise FHE with the Diaz family who got Steve(LA teenager) to come and we watched the John Rowe Moyell video and we all went around saying what we learned and when it was Steve's turn he talked about how he didn't have any excuses for not doing anything in the church! It sounds like not a big deal, but it was so cool! He came to the activities the next day, he didn't come to church but we had fhe with him again last night so it's just in the beginning steps. Hopefully, we can help him get back in step and go on a mission!

Tuesday-(just a funny story) We were saying goodbye to steve after the activity so we stuck out our hands to shake hands and he went in for a hug, so sis. Howell said really quick that we couldn't hug him, but he just kept going for it, so when he got to me he still hugged me and said "it's ok, I can still hug you" oh so awkward. I hate having to tell people that that's not allowed.

Wednesday-(the beginning of the emotional roller coaster) We were sitting at dinner with Hna. Soltero who I absolutely love, and we get a phone call. Sister howell takes it into the room which we usually don't do, but from the kitchen I could hear it was Pres. Weidman but I just had to keep giving the spiritual thought. I just got the sickest feeling(we had just eaten a lot so that didn't help)and she came back in and her hands were shaking so bad. The Wednesday before transfers anyone who is training gets a call but we weren't really expecting it so early in the night. We left her house pretty quick and the minute we left and sis. Howell just hugged me and we both started crying. Sis. Howell was told that she would be training, becoming sister training leader, and going english. Alot of change for one transfer.      

Thursday-Sis. Howell had training, I just sat in the hallway for a few hours with a bunch of other missionaries whose companions were being trained. This next transfer were going to have one new zone and 18 new areas. 42 new missionaries which is including 6 visa waiters. 1/2 the mission will be training or being trained. 1/2 the missionaries will have 6 months or less in the mission. I feel like the LA mission is changing so much it's a little crazy but it's good.

Friday-The ward missionaries threw a party for all the missionaries in the ward. The APs called us inviting us to a special service opportunity for 5 hours on monday where we have to dress our best. That's pretty much all they told us and then one other companionship of elders in our zone was invited to go as well. We had no idea what it could possibly be. Well actually this was our thought process: the prophet!....ensign cover!....the district 3!.....something to do with facebook/ipads.(we were a little off on our guesses:))

Saturday-So at this point of the week we were just really on edge of emotions because sis. Howell would be leaving and it would be a big change, and we still very sure what was going to happen. It seemed like every day member's were trusting us with incredible experiences they've had and told us how much they trusted us and relied on us has some spiritual strength. The worst part was that weren't telling the members that Sis. Howell was going to leave so as they would tell us these stories they would say that they didn't want us to leave.(it felt like all the members have a internal clock for when transfers are) It was breaking our hearts knowing that sis. Howell was leaving and they love her so much and she is really struggling to leave everyone. 

Sunday-Went to the departing missionary fireside and 2 more members told us stories, so we cried with them and just breaking our hearts even more. Sis. Howell and I have really built great relationships this past 3 months...well sis. howell is really good at telling people she loves them, so that's been a big help:)

Monday- Went to the mission office to find out what the big service opportunity is. So....once a week me and my companion will be going to the Spanish Consulate to work for 4 hours with passports/visas or whatever they need us to do. It sounds like a super cool opportunity, but keep in mind that I know I will be getting a new companion, it will all be in spanish(whole different set of vocabulary, and this is like a super big deal to have missionaries be working in the consolate. The lds public affairs representative in the mission said, "no pressure, but this is a lot of pressure and a big deal" L. Tom Perry is coming on friday to talk to him and told us that church headquarters is really excited about this. So basically, I am going to be part of a test run for the church! It's only for my area, so when I get transferred or they decide it's not worth our time I'll stop. It is a little exciting and scary and the same time, but I know it will be a great learning/growing experience.

Finally got transfer calls at 10:15pm. Sister Howell is going to work in the Hollywood ward which is in the same zone and is the english ward that shares the building with 4th ward and she's going to be with her companion that trained her right before she became my companion. I'm staying in Silverlake and my companion will be Sis. Robinson. I don't know her, but I think she is relatively new in the mission. It kinda feels like the mission is going crazy and changing, but i'm still here in my area just chilling. I love it here, so it will be exciting to see what happens next, but it is still a little scary knowing that things are going to change. Sis. Howell and I have loved being together, and I've really learned alot about how to love other people, but I know that we need to move on and learn and grow more from another area or another companion.  I could keep telling you all things for days, but I should probably save something for next week:)

I love you all!

Love, Hermana Ford

August 12th 2013

Dear Family,

This week has been awesome!

So they changed mailing. Now I can open up my letters right when I get them on Friday. Not that much of a difference for all of you because I still get them on friday and read them all before I email you, but change nevertheless:)

Tuesday we had temple service. At first we were pulling weeds in front of the temple and then we all got moved to clearing out all the furniture of 28 apartments....so I guess I can never get away from moving:) I hope that the sisters are enjoying all the hard work!

For our zone goal this month(finding all the less actives in the Hollywood ward) we all have disney characters, and I'm Mulan, and whenever I think of the songs from the movie it just puts the biggest smile on my face. Mostly just because it reminds me of Dad.

I explained this story in the voice recording but I'll just write it out so other people can hear about it.

Earlier this week right before heading in for the night we decided to go check out one more Less active's apartment. We knocked on the door and they let us in right away!(never happens) Their whole family was home which also doesn't happen that often, and it turned out that they were spanish! We got to know them a little bit and then set up an appointment for later that week. So we went back and the dad, Oscar told us how he had been praying for a way to come back to church, but it was really hard because he was going to have to go without his wife, but when we knocked on the door he knew that it was an answer to his prayers. We taught the tree of life and the joy we recieve from the fruit. Both Oscar and his son Mosiah talked about how they knew they could feel a difference since they had been less active and knew all they had to do was reach out and partake of the fruit again. I feel like my explaination doesn't even do it justice! But, we gave Mosiah a book of mormon and they said they would come to church. The next day we were talking to a member(the guy who had baptized oscar 20 years ago) and he told us that the bishop and him had been praying to know someone who they could reactivate and this man had been praying to be able to find Oscar because he had lost all contact with him, knew he had moved, and didn't know where to look because his records weren't in the ward anymore! The member called his up after we gave him his number and offered to give oscar a ride to church....and he came! I wish you all could have seen him! All of the members were saying hi and he was going around talking to everyone and when he talked in class sister Howell and I were just dying inside of happiness! After church the member related back to us that Oscar had told him that he knew he needed to be back in church. Seriously, the odds of us finding him and just the way that everything worked out is a miracle, so we're going to start teaching them the basics over again. Oscar wants to be worthy again to have his temple reccomment(he use to be a temple worker) and both him and his wife want their son to go on a mission. Just finding this one family will make this project feel like a success if all 800 other less actives say they are not interested. Woah, that sounds bad because I want everyone to come back, but it has been such a blessing.

Transfers are next week so p-day will be on tuesday. Not really sure what's going to happen. Sister Howell and I would love to stay together, but knowing that that's what we want we will probably be separated.

We got training again on relationships with other missionaries.... sad that it's such a problem, but don't worry about me:)

I love you all so much!

Love,

Hermana Ford



Moving Yay!!:)

Sister Howell and I matched so much this week on accident

August 5th 2013  Andrea got Baptized!!

Dear Family,

So we share our building with the Hollywood ward(english) and they only have one set of elders in it, and because it is Hollywood it is super transient. They have 800 less actives on their ward list so, all the other missionaries in the zone have been recruited to go contact all of them and see if they've moved or would be interested in having the missionaries or home teachers/visiting teachers come over. It's a fun little assignment and nice because we have built-in back-ups for days:) But really, I actually do enjoy going and talking to all the people and seeing if somehow the church can help them.

The other news is that Andrea got baptized! I know I haven't told you like anything about her yet, so I'll give a brief run-down on her story. When I came in 4 months ago she had missed her baptismal interview the week before because she had gotten sick, so we came in set another date for her, went to the vc cause we weren't supre sure about her testimony(turned out not to be the best experience)...she missed her next baptismal interview with us(3rd one) for a dumb excuse and our ward mission leader told us to drop her, so we did. After that she still kept coming to church everyweek with her grandkids, but we didn't really talk to her because she was not ready to be baptized at all. Anyways, something happened with her family and she told us she wanted to meet with us again. After a few lessons we decided she needed to start reading the bom over again and read everyday and in one week we were going to fast with her about baptism(super awesome experience). Anways, 2 weeks later and she was baptized. Yesterday she got confirmed in church and she even bore her testimony in church. She looks and feels like a completely different person. I feel so incredibly blessed to have been a witness of her change, and even though I was here for a few months I feel like I didn't do anything.

The other day we were walking down the street and this guy was walking towards us and all of a sudden he kind of ran into a van that was parked on the street and leaned up against it pointed at us and said, "oh my goodness, you have schizaphrenia(sp?) I can't stop laughing!" It was pretty funning because he wasn't even really laughing. Oh the things you see when walking around in LA, but don't worrying I promise I'm safe:)

Thanks for the package! (especially the dispicable me toy:))

hmmm, I can't really think of anything else crazy or way exciting that happened this week. There's so many stories that I could tell you about that are funny, or that have strengthened my testimony of things but it so hard to choose or even remember something that would be email worthy. Oh! So, a dad who is a non-member but basically a member got up during testimony meeting got up and told everyone that he was ready to be baptized. No one knew including his wife! Everyone was crying, and we are all just so happy for him and his family! Sister Oldham and Wright/Camacho have been a part of something amazing because their family has been having missionaries over for 15 years!  

I love you all to pieces, and pray that you are all becoming a little bit more converted to the Lord everyday!:)

Love,

Hermana Ford

July 29th 2013

Dear Family,

The weather....some days are hot, but it hasn't been anything to complain about past "it's hot today" or "man, I'm sweaty today" I think you just get use to it being hot or humid.

So....my companion and I speak english a lot of the time because it's easier, but earlier this week we decided we were being disobedient and were starting to feel guilty about(well atleast I have) so we've been speaking a little bit more while we're walking around. Your own language is something really hard to give up, but I should just stop being so selfish and then I might see more progress in the language.

I'm assuming the mail procedure will be the same because it works and changing things in the mission is a lot of work especially since they're still figuring out the more important things.

This p-day we're going on a star-line tour with a district. It kind of makes me laugh about the things I do hear because I think about what other missionaries are doing on their p-days and it's probably things like hiking to water falls and I'm hear in Hollywood walking down the walk of fame, going to the hollywood sign, and going on tours. It's a whole different ball game here:)

Brooke- We have appointments, but lessons fall through, cancel. For as much planning as we do you would think we would just go from appointment to appointment but it doesn't always happen like that. This past week was especially like that. We were dropped by 2 people, lots of lessons cancelled which can always be frustrating but it is just something you have to deal with. We're working with about 10? less actives I think.I have a cool story that i'll tell you about later. We have a baptism on saturday, but her interview is tomorrow so we hope everything continues to go well! The other really solid investigator that we have who is progressing is named Francisco. Other than those 2, the less actives, we work with members, and then maybe a few lessons here and there from people we find. All our back-ups are former investigators, but those usually don't work out very well because they dropped the missionaries for a reason. The mission...is well the mission. I can't really explain it. It's a completely different world. I guess I've been out long enough because the other week I was just thinking about members, and I was just boggled why we didn't just drop everything we do and just share the gospel!! haha, a little unrealistic, but it was a fun thought:) Can you just imagine what would happen if we were all more willing to be just better friends with the people around us, and when the opportunity arised we would just invite them over to our houses to meet with the missionaries!?

So, I told you I would tell you about this less active. Her name is Veronica, and she was baptized about 20? years ago, but has been less active for a long time. Her husband almost got baptized a few years ago, but couldn't because she is still married to someone else so they can't get married offically. Anyways, a week or 2 ago we invited her to start the book of mormon over again, and she did it!!!!(honestly, such a blessing because it can't be so difficult for LA's to do things sometimes) Well, she told us that she is learning so many things that she didn't notice before when she read the book of mormon and went to church. She's a character and told us that we got her hooked, but it was funny because she knew that's that what we were trying to do:) And, she finally told us the one thing that has been holding her back and has always bugged her. It is kind of a ridiculous doubt, but I have to respect what people struggle with. She said that if Moses was so great and did all of these things how could he only see part of God and Joseph, a boy, see all of God. She thinks the church is perfect, but I can't really see how she had a testimony of Joseph Smith and the church if she has a hard time accepting the fact that he saw God. Oh well, not really sure how we're going address that, but we are just praying so hard that she'll get her answer as she reads the Book of Mormon. We can only promise her blessing or answers so much because in the end it's her choice to read the Book of Mormon and look for an answer.

I love you all, and am so grateful for your love and support!

Love,

Hermana Ford


July 22nd 2013  ( This letter Hermana Ford did a Q & A) for us!!:)

Hey family!

1. "Where do  you go to read emails? Print them off?" We email at a public library so there is an hour time limit. I don't print them off because it costs like a quarter unless I email up at the mission office which is like never.

2. "Are you allowed to email other people than your family?" So....in the mtc they made the announcement that we could email anyone we wanted, and then this week president Weidman told us that there will no longer be a time limit on emailing on p-days, but since the library has an hour time limit it will just depend on how long I get to email because most the time we have to come and reserve a computer for another time, and I like doing other things on p-day so I'm not making any promises for how long my emails will be.

3. "Have you bought d-con to get rid of the mouse?" ah d-con! I have been trying to remember what the poison was called for forever! No, some elders gave us some dumb traps that never worked, but I haven't seen the mouse(Melvin:)) in a few weeks.

4. "You must not have a/c, so do you at least have a fan in your apt? "We have a swamp cooler in our bedroom that works really well, so I'm never hot at night and then we have a fan for our living room, so we just turn them on when we come home at night. Sometimes it can stuffy right when we come home but it cools off pretty quickly. No complaints here:) I'll send you pictures next week. I guess it might be interesting to you all to see my apartment sincce I've been here for a little bit.

I'm getting to the point(like in Jeru) where I don't care what I wear as long as I didn't wear it earlier that week, so you can send things randomly so it will be a nice little surprise:)

Natalie, Brooke/Doug, I can't tell you how excited it makes me to hear that you are going out with the missionaries and participating in lessons!!!!! Seriously, I am so grateful for the members here that are so involved and truly understand what the gospel is so I'm sure the missionaries just love all of you! Dad! way to invite someone to church! Make to follow-up and if he comes show him around/sit with him/ask him what he thought or had any questions and introduce him to the missionaries! Sorry, you know what to do! I'm just in a really happy talkative mood today:) Sister Howell thinks I'm crazy! I hope that as you get involved with them your view of the gospel opens and changes because my love and understanding of the gospel grows everyday! I'm almost finished readingg the BoM again and I have just fallen in love with reading it as a missionary. I think that the BoM was written just for us:)

 Oh yeah, I totally forgot... You know the Zimmerman case that is going on in Florida and all the riots, well for some reason there were riots over in the South and a little on Hollywood Bld. so one night we had to go home early just for safety precautions. I thought it would be a fun little change, but it wasn't. By the end of the night I was starting to get antsy and frustrated that I was missing all this time to be out in my area.

This week we saw a lot of small miracles with members and investigators. We fasted with an investigator and it was a great experience for her, I'll tell you her story some other time if things work out. I don't want to jynx myself and then it not work out because then it's even more sad and I have to tell you. We found a half active member that I haven't heard about or met yet, and while we were talking to her she thanked us for not forgetting about her and that it was nice to be remembered. It may not sound like a little miracle, but to us it was because we only had 30 minutes left of the night, and to think to stop by and for them to actually be home is a miracle to us. If we hadn't have found them at home I don't know when we would have put that family down again as a back-up plan. Heavenly Father is certainly looking out for them, and I am so grateful that we were able to meet them, and we are for sure going to start trying to strengthen them.

President and Sister Weidman started a new mission blog...

californialosangelesmission.blogspot.com  (well it might be the same one)

I love you all!

Love Hermana Ford

July 22nd 2013

Hey family!

It's weird how the week after transfers is "shorter" but it always feels like such a long week! With the picture of all 4 of us I don't know if you can see it, but the Hollywood sign is behind us. It stills throws me every now and then that i'm in Hollywood, but it's great:) Sis. Howell and I went hiking with Johanna and Cynthia(baptized June 8).

Tonight we have a family night with a member and her family. (she's the other member). It's kind of scary to think that the members are trusting you with their family, but it also makes me feel like I'm doing something right because they haven't suggested it till this transfer. Also, coming up with FHE ideas is a lot harder than we thought.

Wednesday was a little rough because we ended the day teaching the restoration to a single mom who we just love, and the first day we met her she invited us to her sons b-day party later that weekend. You think teaching the restoration would be awesome, but for some reason it just wasn't right and we didn't feel super good about it and was worrying the whole night if we had hurt our relationship with her. Anyway, lessons like those just taught us how much we can always be working on the way we teach. You think it would be a lot easier to teach something you've grown up in, but it was good for us because sometimes you need to have experiences like that to help show you how you can improve. The hardest thing about experiences like that is I would hate to have other people suffer because of what I have to learn in order to grow, but I just have to have faith and remind myself that Heavenly Father is somehow going to take care of them.

We did service this weekend cleaning out a closest for a member. so much stuff but it was fun:) I wore my jeans for the first time since the mtc, that was a little scary....

Yesterday in RS Hermana Garcia was teaching and she was looking around for someone to hand a quote to read. She turned to me and smiled and gave it to me, and told me I could practice, and then the bishop's wife said, yes you learn by practicing or something like that. It was so funny because I knew the minute she looked at me and smiled. I just love them so much, because they are all so patient and loving with me.

I hope you are all enjoying Utah and the heat! At the end of the summer I'll send you a pictures of my tan line from me shoes:)

Love,

Hermana Ford

July 9th 2013

Dear Fam,

I slack-lined for the first time last p-day(i'm terrible at it) and then this p-day we're hiking up to the observatory to with some members. For the 4th of July we had to be back in our apartments by 7. Fireworks are against the law here, but everyone does them so it's kind of impossible to stop them. They were going off all night in the alley of our apartment. Car alarms were going off and our apartment shook sometimes, but it was fun:) When we got up to go running the next morning they were still going off haha.

Guess what mom!? Will you believe me if I said we got the good house keeping award? Ya, me neither, but our little award was we got to go out to lunch with our President Weidman. President Weidman's son served in Spokane, so that was a fun little connection. That same day we had 4 meals(huge meals within 7 hours)...i felt like crying and throwing up, but i just kept forcing the food down. I feel like I'm still recovering.

Transfers are this week. Sister Howell are staying together in Silverlake which is great because we really feel like some of our investigators need us right now and we need them. Our ward is doing the 40 day fast thing right now as well! The sunday after the missionary broadcast we presented the idea, and the bishop jumped right on board.

Last night during dinner I understood pretty much the whole story a member told us! Well, I can't "understand" everything they say, but sometimes after dinner it throws me for a loop when I can talk about what they had told us.

We had a very powerful lesson with a woman that has flaked out on her baptismal interview 3 times(only once with me), I was so incredibly grateful for the spirit, and it's amazing to think that that morning I had put up my "emotional" wall and right before the lesson Sis. Howell and I stood on the sidewalk crying and figuring everything out. If we had not talked like I wanted to the lesson would not have gone the way it did. After the lesson I was so grateful to have a companion that forced me to talk because we both want the best for our investigators, and sometimes you need a little reminder that how you are feeling can really impact the presence of the spirit.

I love you all, and I loved hearing about everything you are doing!

Love,

Hermana Ford