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