January 20th, 2014
Dear Family,
This week has been awesome! Well...monday was rough, but then we so conviniently had interviews with President on tuesday. Sometimes I feel like talking to him is like going to the temple. I feel so much more rejuvenated and ready to work. I made a few goals, and I have been feeling a lot better and ready to "attack" the work:) I am so grateful for President Weidman and his wife. they truly have been called of God, and are definitely the leaders I need as a missionary. One thing that President shared with me was D&C 84:87-88. I put this scripture on my first planner, and I think he shared it with me in my first interview with him and then it was quoted in stake conference this week. I feel like this scripture just pops up all over the place, so I guess I need to remember that there are people supporting me, so I decided to copy it down in my planner in spanish so I can start memorizing it:)
We "found" Laura again! She was lost for a little bit because we could never find her at home, and one time a really drunk guy answered the door and said that he didn't know who she was. Anyways, we found her and then she came to church with her daughter Stefany! We are really excited because we set a baptismal date with her the first time we had met her, but we had to push back her date and we might have to again because we don't think she's married, but we're really excited to start working with her more!
Our other investigator that we are working a lot with right now is Fernando. He is 21? and knows a lot about the bible and goes to a bible study group multiple times throughout the week. He always has a lot of really good questions, so he is really fun to teach. We had a really powerful lesson with him on thursday and he asked us a question and said that only I could answer(not really sure why) but I answered and he was satisfied.He asked if he could be saved without the Book of Mormon. He was a little frustrated when I said yes and no but that we would explain more later:) Throughout the whole lesson we just testified and taught with so much clarity, power, and excitement. I can't remember another lesson where I had been so excited as I was teaching. It is lessons like that where I just love being a missionary! There is nothing more powerful than teaching about the first vision! At one point in the lesson he told us that he couldn't find anything that he didn't agree with which was such a tender mercy because he had told us he had lots of questions before the lesson and before we met with him we just prayed that we would be able to answer all of his questions and he would understand everything! I wish you all could experience teaching the gospel as a missionary!
This week we had Stake Conference and on Sunday President Erying and Neil L. Anderson speak to us(broadcast to 50 stakes in california). President Larsen(stake President) at one point had all the missionaries stand up and it was so cool. I can't even describe how much I love being a missionary and serving others and knowing that the members look at the missionaries a certain way! Before conference had started a man, Richard, started to talk to us and told us how he had only been a member for 3 months and was a little nervous because he didn't know how the conference worked. It was so fun talking to him and to hear a little bit of his story! I love how new members see a name tag and they immediately trust you! Then Sunday morning we saw him and he was asked to usher! It was so cute to see him so nervous but loving that he was given the responsibility to say hi to everyone.
I don't have a lot of time today, but I just want to say that I love being a missionary! I love feeling the spirit and I love the trust that members have in us(scary at times but nevertheless I love it:)) I love my Savior and I am so grateful for the grace he shows for me and all my shortcomings in his work. I am grateful for the love of my Mission president and his wife and the direction he is given to guide the work in L.A. and help me become a better disciple!
I hope you have a great week!
Love,
Hermana Ford
P.S. Did I tell you that we were told we were going to get technology aka ipads by the end of this year? Still not sure how I feel about it yet....
January 13th, 2014
Dear Family,
This week was super good! Lately I have been studying about the Spirit(did I tell you that last week?) anyways, as I have been thinking about it more throughout the morning as I study it has been really cool to recognize it so much more during lessons.
This week a lot of new people showing up to English class! We hold it at our church building which is super far and a little inconvenient for people in our area, but it makes me happy to see that has been successful for the missionaries who work in Santa Fe Springs. The last 15 minutes of every class we share a spiritual message. This week for some reason or another(probably because there were more people) the spirit was so strong as we taught about our life on earth and testified of the blessings from having faith and following Jesus Christ. Sister Walker and I have been working on teaching more simply and unified and I feel like we are finally figuring out how to teach together.
On Wednesday, we had a church tour lined up with a referral that we hadn't met yet. Fernando(the referral) couldn't come at the scheduled time so we rescheduled for right before preach my gospel which actually worked out a lot nicer because then we could get a ride to the church with the Reyna Family. We were running super late because we had a dinner with a less active who was going through some super hard stuff with her family so it was hard to get out on time when she had to get so much stuff off of her chest. So we got to the church late, and as we were pulling up we saw a boy(21 years) turning the corner and leaving. We still didn't know what Fernando looked like at that point, so we just assumed it was him because it would have been weird for someone to be leaving and walking on the side of the church that he was walking on. We tried calling his name out, but I guess he didn't turn around. We pretty much chased him down for 2 blocks and he had headphones in so he couldn't hear us. We finally we able to get his attention, and luckily it was Fernando!(could have been potentially weird). So we were able to go back to the church building and have an awesome lesson. He apparently had been taught before, but we had a super powerful lesson and the Reyna's definitely were suppose to be there instead of the other member that we had lined up for earlier in the day(who had to cancel at the last minute as well). So many little blessings with that lesson because the Reyna's were able to take us and come on the tour with us, we showed up at the church at literally the last second to be able to see him. We have a lesson with him tonight at the Reyna's, so I'm excited for that.
On Saturday we had dinner with Hermana Garcia and recently reactivated ish lady. Last week, she talked to the bishop and he told her she could start taking the temple prep classes! This is super exciting because we feel like it has come out of no where! She wants to change even if her husband won't be there beside her to do it with her! She has a lot to do before it actually happens. We had a really powerful lesson on prayer. It's funny how prayer can be so simple, but this principle always has a powerful impact on people. She opened up a lot to us which was cool because she just moved to our area and had always had elders and did not like sister missionaries at all, but she told us she loved us! Tender mercy:) Her daughter Valerie, YSA age, has been making a lot of changes too. One night last week we stopped by to visit her brother Benji, and she shared all this stuff she had been doing and how she reads and prays everyday! We can see such a difference in the way she acts and treats others. It has been so amazing to sit in the back seat and watch someone be filled with more charity and desire to be better.
Hermana Rodriguez just finished taking all the classes, and is so excited to go through the temple. Hopefully we can find a way to be there with her for her first time through!
Yesterday we had a few rough lessons, but they always teach you a lot. After church we made pupusas at the Osorio's and she's going to give us her recipe, so hopefully I can come home and make some. I also have her recipe to make some Horchata and Torta's! Right after lunch we had a lesson with a man named Aurelio who seems so prepared. He wants his grandchildren to have a religion and loves to read. He read almost all of 1 nephi in one week, and wants to put his knowledge into practice. The hard thing is he doesn't let us talk and has a hard time actually listening and digesting what we try to say before launching into something else. Sister Walker and I were getting so frustrated. I just wanted to yell and tell him to just stop talking because what we have can help him! We definitely didn't have the spirit of love and patience which made me super sad. So then that lesson made us late to our next lesson which was giving a blessing to this family.We received another referral this week for a family that wanted a blessing because something scary had just happened to the dad. We had some hermano's meet us there which we were so grateful for! The whole bike ride over I was praying so hard to have the spirit again and to calm down because this lessons was important. We got into the house and pre-set what we were going to do and everything so they could know what was going on and feel comfortable because they're "catholic", but within 5 minutes one of the members launched into stories, explaining stuff. ugh. I felt so frustrated because I was already a little thin on my patience because of the previous lesson, but I knew I had to get the spirit as much as I could because this lesson, well none of them really are, was for this family because they needed to feel God's love and comfort so badly. Thankfully we made it through and it was a goodish lesson. We have another lesson with them this week, so we hope to start teaching them more and invite them to baptism this week.
We are starting this awesome missionary class in the ward. It's designed to help the members learn how to invite their friends to church and all that jazz. It's based off of a lot of what we do to help us prepare, so practices. With ward council they went over a few examples, and so many of the examples and almost the exact same case with members spouses, so hopefully those members are able to solve their own stumbling blocks with sharing the gospel!
Have a great week! I love you lots!
Love,
Hermana Ford
January 6th, 2014
Dear Family,
This week has gone by so quickly and was full of little miracles and experiences left and right! Ok, funny story first. We were biking to the Robles house to have a FHE, which fell through:(, but as we were turning the corner a dumb little dog started barking and chasing us....well more like me because I always bike behind Sister Walker. Well, I got a little scared that it was going to bite my ankle or something like that so I lifted my legs up onto my bike a little bit...but I wasn't going very fast to begin with so it was a little difficult to get away from the dog when I couldn't pedal. Hopefully that puts a smile on your face because it makes Sister Walker crack up every time she thinks about it. Then while we were at the Robles house they asked why we had come so happy and giggly, so I told them about my little dog experience and that made Hermana Robles laugh a lot, and would repeatedly start laughing imagining me lifting up my legs on the bike throughout the rest of the night. The chair back also popped out while I was talking and we all started laughing while we were fixing it, and then it took like 5 minutes just to remember what I was talking about.
New Year's Eve was pretty uneventful. We decided that literally no one is home on New years day or out the streets. It was weird, but we were able to get into this one lady's house. It was an interesting experience because we just went into her house and sat down and she just paced back and forth in front of us and told us she knew who we were, and then went on for about 40 minutes. We were super confused if she actually wanted us to teach her something or she just wanted to tell us what she believed. We were at least able to sing a song for her, and then our dinner appointment was able to get us out of the house.
So, this week has just been insane. We went from having no one to work with except for members to finding 5 investigators this week! I don't know what we have done to deserve it. On Saturday as we were biking back from the church after exchanges I started to cry(not a lot:)) because I just felt so undeserving of all the little miracles we have been seeing lately! I can't imagine what it's like to be a mission president to see the work of the Lord, but I imagine it's about a million times more than what I felt.
This week we went on exchanges with the Sister Trainers so I was companions with Sister Young for a day which was so fun! Sister Young is the best! One thing we had been talking a lot about was always trying to figure out what God wants us to learn in every area, companion. In Hollywood I was pretty confident in knowing what I was suppose to do/learn, here and in San Pedro was a little less clear, so at this point I'm just trying to figure out what God what's me to learn and focus on. This past week I decided I wanted to learn how to recognize the spirit better, and it has been cool to be able to see how much the spirit guides every aspect of our days. Then at the end of the night we took a member with us to a lesson that had fallen through and we felt that we needed to share a scripture with her. So we went to her house and some of her family was there and we decided to share D&C 84:88. Everyone shared an experience about following the spirit and it turned into how missionaries need and follow the spirit so often. A return missionary shared an experience where he had stayed in an area for a super long time and when he had finally helped this family be baptized he was transferred the next day. I was grateful for all their testimonies because it just showed me how much control we have over receiving revelation for ourselves and our areas and that we can find out what God's will is for us.
The Robles took us out to a Taco Truck this weekend to eat. Hno. ordered a bunch of different kinds so we could try them. I had Chincharon, cabeza, lengua, asada, buche, and tripa:) You can look them up to see what they're made of and let me know what you think:)
On Sunday we had a cool little experience. The old bishop asked for our help with the ward FHE tonight and he was going to talk to us after church but instead he pulled us out during relief society. After we had talked I decided to go to the bathroom so I wouldn't have to after church when we would be busy talking to a bunch of people. We found a member crying really hard. We stopped and talked to her for a while. It was one of those moments in her life when just felt so defeated and so...just extremely sad. You could literally feel it. Sister Walker did an amazing job following the spirit and being able to share things with her that she had just studied in personal study. She was still crying super hard, so we asked her if she wanted a blessing. One of the Elders was able to give her a blessing and you could just feel the dark cloud lift and he was giving the blessing. The power in the priesthood is so real. One thing I have noticed as I have seen women feel like they are nothing and that their trials have become too hard to handle on their on that it's ok to break as long as they look to our Heavenly Father in every moment and that look to the priesthood to have a stronger reassurance that their Heavenly Father loves them. I am so grateful to be surrounded by men who are worthy and that follow the spirit. If we hadn't had been called out of Relief Society we would have never found this member.
I feel like I could tell you so many more little stories, but the time always seems to go by so fast!
Love,
Hermana Ford
December 23rd, 2013
Dear Family,
This week was super eventful! I think I jinxed myself because Tuesday morning we decided to look over everything on our bikes to make sure everything was good, but the minute I started pumping up my back tire it got a hole near the valve and went flat in 2 seconds. Probably because I was thinking in my head that I had been so lucky because I hadn't had any bike problems yet. Then I had a close call with a car either later that night or Wednesday night. Can't remember, but I'm still alive so everything's good:)
This Friday we had a Christmas devotional with half the mission! The first few hours we talked about the miracles we have been seeing from talking to at least 20 people a day and then praying and working towards 89 baptisms this month. So far we have already had the amount of baptisms that we normally get each month and then if all the dates go through we'll reach our goal. It's so cool to hear about all the success people have been having. Then we had like a musical program which was so amazing. I'll have to send you the outline of it some time, and then the last hour was like a testimony meeting. I can't even explain how overwhelming the spirit was during the program. I love my Savior, and am learning to serve him with all my heart everyday. Then the crazy part was I got up with a bunch of other people to go up to the front after the first person gave their testimony. I have no clue who I'm turning into, but I'm not going to complain:) I wish I had more time to explain it all, so I'll just have to tell you in 2 days...
I love you all! Merry Christmas!
Love, Hermana Ford
Pictures:
President and Sister Weidman at the Christmas Devotional
Sister Powell, Young, Zollinger(MTC)
December 16th 2013
Dear Family,
This week was very slow but it was filled with lots of activities to keep us busy. Wednesday we were able to go to the temple. There are only 4 cars in the zone but luckily all the sisters got to ride in the cars, and a few of the elders had to take the bus, bummer. I had been counting down the days all transfer to go to the temple. I don't know how I would have been able to do it without being able to got to the temple every other transfer.
This Saturday was the ward Christmas party! Sister Walker and I were asked to give a little 5 minute talk on the meaning of Christmas and all that Jazz. I kind of forgot about it until right before, but I had a few ideas running through my head that morning. Martha Jane sent me a letter the day before of an outline of a talk on Christmas so that was super helpful, so I just read Luke 2:10-14 and talked about singing the hymns in the Shepherd's field in Jerusalem and how I came to realize more the meaning of Christmas and came to cherish the Shepherd's and the experience they had and the message the angel shared with them about Christ. I was super nervous, again. Hopefully I don't get asked to speak on the 5th Sunday odds are I probably will so I will definitely prepare a little more for that. The missionaries also sang Little Drummer Boy acapela. Oh boy. We were practicing right before for like the second time ever all together and I don't think I got through the song once without accidently having one of my nervous giggling fits. Thankfully, I was able to pull it together when we sang in front of the ward:) One thing that I love about latino's is that they all love to dance! Especially with this ward after every dinner there is a dj and they all dance! One day I'll be able to join them:)
Riding Bikes:
-The past few weeks when it was really cold at night we would wear scarves, and during nightly planning we would notice that they smelled really weird. We decided they smell weird from all the gas exhaust that we bike through. yum
-Our back lights got stolen:((kind of our fault because we haven't been taking them off, but don't worry we do now!) Luckily, Sister Walker had 2 extra so we just stopped back by our apartment to get them
Sister Walker and I are staying together, so we don't have to pack up anything before Christmas!:) Transfers just seem to go by faster and faster. A little frightening, but hopefully it just means that we're working hard.
I hope you all have a great week, and find someone to serve! I love you all so much!
Hermana Ford
December 9th 2013
Dear Family,
This week was really good. I feel like there have been a lot of answered prayers, not in the way we have expected or not even with the people we are praying for, but it has been amazing to see how much power the spirit has.
So, Hna Camargo has been less active for about 20 years, and we visit her once a week, and she has been teaching us how to knit, the first day I went and visited her, I was basically just sitting there while Sister Walker was knitting and talking to her daughter, so I asked her if I could read from the Book of Mormon for her. I started to read 3 Nephi 11, and from there we had a good conversation then last night we finally got around to finishing the chapter and we talked about about how much Jesus Christ loves her, and the image of Christ with his arms extended(like at the visitor's center). She left the room to grab something, and Sister Walker and I looked at each other because we could tell this was huge progress for her. Sister Walker said she's going to church to church before the end of the year, so when she came back we invited her to go to church before the end of the year. She told us she wouldn't come the next day but soon! It doesn't sound promising, but it's huge progress for her, and she even offered the closing prayer! We also hit all green lights on the way there when we were already pressed for time so we were definitely suppose to visit her.
We also had a really cool experience with Felix this week. 2 weeks ago we had dinner with them(did I tell you about that) and then we were on our way to preach my gospel class but we had a few minutes to spare and we had a choice between a couple of people that we could visit but we decided to visit Felix. He answered the door, and right away we could tell he was a little out of it. We found out his girlfriend and him broke up and his was still struggling with it and couldn't focus on a project that was due later in the week. Anyways, we were able to talk to him and how it could be God's way of opening up the door for him to change and come back to church(totally was:)) We set an appointment for friday to read the Book of Mormon with him, and when we showed up on friday we found out that the sisters from the YSA ward had stopped by to meet him! That was such a testimony to me that God loves all of his children and knows all of there needs that we stopped by so quickly and the other sisters within our next appointment. Breaking up with his girlfriend isn't the funnest thing but it was such a huge answer to our prayers. I am so grateful for trials because not only do they help people show where their faith is but it humbles people, and I was especially grateful that we were able to follow the spirit.
This weekend was really hard on the ward because a 21 girl that was anemia(?) died. The sad part was that 2 sundays ago the announced a drive they would be holding for this past friday to find a match for someone to be able to donate blood...I think. The drive was at 2 in the afternoon and she passed away 8 that same morning. As we went around that day it was amazing to see how fast word traveled, even some of the less actives knew and were struggling with the news. Well, Sunday we went to visit Hector and Maria because they missed church, and we happened to mention how this girl had died and they hadn't heard anything about it. I never want to tell anyone that someone has passed away because they took it really hard. Both Hector and Maria had been thinking a lot about some of their own family members that had passed away in December, so they were sad to begin with. We didn't really know what to do so we sat there quietly for a while just listening to them. Finally, I asked if we could sing a song. Hector looked a me like I was crazy, and I don't blame him because most hymns are uplifting especially Christmas songs, but we told them we would just sing for them. We sang Abide with Me(my favorite!:)) and the spirit was so strong, especially when we didn't know how to comfort them. By the end of the song he was grateful that we sang for them. I am so grateful for hymns because they bring the spirit so strongly and there are times when a scripture just isn't right. As much as I dislike singing I have come to love it. I love singing for people, and I love the testimony that they have.
Two thought that have gone through my mind a lot this week:
-I want to work! I want to work hard and just do more. <- I was grateful for this thought because I don't want one little bump in the road to completely derail me:) Also, I don't think that thought has passed through my mind all the much so it was a good surprise:)
-I feel like I am truly learning how to pray and understand how powerful prayers really can be! Everyday I am understanding more and more how I can pray better and have more faith in the prayers I offer.
OK, worldly things:
-It's freezing, it's a good thing we bought that coat before getting to the airport. I almost sent home all my leggings a few months ago as well. Super grateful that I didn't end up doing that. A member told us last night that it usually isn't this cold and hasn't been this cold in a few years. Sister Walker and I just have to laugh about how it would be our luck to be on bikes in the winter time.
-We went to ward council yesterday and this ward has such an awesome mission plan! At ward council they go through each organization and talk about how they are fulfilling the ward mission plan within their organization! More and more I am grateful for awesome leaders who work so diligently and are adjusting things to be more geared to missionary work.
Funny story:
-We were locking up our bikes and this 50 year old man who was pushing a grocery cart full of things to recycle he was gathering from garbage cans stopped to talk to us. Someway or another he started talking about exercises and showed us some good exercises....as crazy as it was he was pretty strong. He also meowed and said "Soy un gato"....Good stuff:)
How was the Christmas Devotional?
Every night this month there is a concert at the visitor's center, and there are 2 nights that are Spanish concerts so we are super excited for that and hopefully we can go and see the lights!
I feel like my whole letter was things I was grateful for, a little past Thanksgiving, but you can't help but be grateful for so many things on the mission.
This past Sunday a girl who returned from her mission a week ago spoke in church. Hitting 9 months, and then listening to her talk was a little scary. As I was listening to her talk about a few of her experiences that she treasures I couldn't help but tear up as I thought about the experiences that I have had so far that I would treasure, and that I feel like I have so much more to learn and do before I come home. I can hardly believe that I am halfway.
Ok, I think I'm done blabbing for the day:)
I hope you have a wonderful week, and think of someone to invite to your ward Christmas party!
Love you all lots!
Hermana Ford
December 2nd, 2013
Dear Family,
On thanksgiving, we got free elote's on the street! woohoo!
For Thanksgiving we just did weekly planning, and then we biked to the Osorio's for dinner. By far the best tortas that I have had, and then we went to the Garcia's for Maria's(investigator) birthday. The Osorio's felt like a normal thanksgiving because they have a big family so it was loud and crazy like normal:) One sister has 4 kids and they're all newly married and then her sister who came has 8 kids and the second oldest is going on his mission in January! Most of her kid are older and newly married so it was really fun because it made me think about when we're all married(at least 20 years down the road:)) and it is going to be so fun!
I bore my testimony in church on Sunday. Bearing my testimony in English is hard enough, I felt like my heart was going to jump out of my chest while I was sitting up on the stand waiting for my turn, but I forced it to calm down before I got up to speak so I wouldn't sound too ridiculous:)
The ward Christmas party is next weekend and they're having the missionaries do a few musical numbers. I love singing with my companion for members and for investigators but just thinking about singing in front of the ward is getting my heart pumping! Sister Walker and I have been practicing the song so we can have it memorized.(Little Drummer Boy) I think we're singing like one or more other songs as well, but I'm not really sure what's going on yet.
Transfers was going to land on Christmas week, so this transfer is going to be shortened a week! Hopefully I spend Christmas here, and we get to the temple next Wednesday! I'm pretty much counting down the days till we get to go:)
Oh! An hermana in this area works at the temple in the cafeteria so she knows a few of the sisters that are from 4th ward, so I wrote a note to them for Hermana Robles to pass on. Last night we passed by their house and she had a note for me from Hermana Soas(lived in my first area in hollywood) It was such an exciting little surprise! I need to write a few people from Hollywood...not sure when that's going to happen, but hopefully soon!
Little things that I wrote in my journal:
-called an hermano, hermana when we were greeting people before church....rookie mistake:)
-We had a record of biking 5 miles in 26 minutes when we were late for something, all green lights!
- We called a 21 year old out for drinking and waiting till he's ready to get married to stop. I've never told someone so clearly that they needed to stop doing something like that before so it was kinda cool. He's been less active for a about a year now and hasn't really talked to the missionaries at all and he brought it up, so it was a really cool experience for him to trust us with all the doubts he has.
-Tomorrow is Sister Walker's birthday so my little sign that you gave to me is finally going to be put to use! I've been holding on to it for when one of my companions has a birthday:) She's turning 21!
There's a lot of potential in the area, so I am excited to put a lot more time and effort into start teaching the people that we have talked to. I love sharing the gospel with people, and I love how much more I have come to understand about the gospel. It truly is perfect!
Love Hermana Ford
November 25th 2013
Dear Family,
I absolutely love riding my bike!!!! 1. I'm outside 2. I'm building up my muscles again/losing weight 3. For exercising in the mornings we just stretch:)
I don't know why but time is starting to speed by, I feel like I just emailed you all! This week while I was getting ready before personal study I realized last week a year ago I received my mission call! Pretty crazy it's been that long, right!?
This week we had zone conference which was super good. I feel like they get better and better every time. I wish you all could be in those conferences just to be able to feel the spirit. I can't even describe it, but the simplest way I could say it is missionary work is so important!!!!!!! The whole conference was based on direction from Elder Ballard. Before I never knew what the apostles did all the time, but now I imagine all of their time being devoted to help all the missionaries. Basically the gist I got from it all was "Deep Faith and High Expectations" We're always given standards, but they are always being raised, but not in a way that seem impossible, but more in the way that when we have more faith(praying fervently for the things we really desire for our area/investigators and things like that) we will see more miracles, and I know that is so true. If I am really praying to find a new investigator or that someone's heart will be opened to an answer then everything I do will be towards that goal/desire. If we don't see the results the way we expect them we will see other small miracles/blessings and I will be completely satisfied with the work that I am doing. This is what Elder Ballard instructed us to do:
-Pray everyday for one productive missionary opportunity and for the spiritual progress of our investigators and then teach the members to do the same
-In an appropriate and dignified way, speak with everyone we come in contact with. A minimum of 10 conversations per day per missionary
-We are responsible for filling our own calendars with quality teaching opportunities
-teach the principles of the gospel in a simple and clear way. Do away with all teaching gimmicks
-set realistic baptismal goals based on great faith and hard work.
Even though there hasn't been a baptism in this area for over a year, we have set a goal to have 2 in the next 3 months. It will be hard, but we're determined to work hard and praying to be able to meet our goals.
Wednesday it was raining, and we had to back from the church and we we're going to get home a little late, and within 5 minutes into the bike ride a sister pulled over and offered us a ride, and both our bikes fit in the back of her car! That was a little blessing that night because we got home that night, and we didn't get wet:)
Something that I have started doing with 2 little notebooks is in one everyday I write little things that happened that day that I love about the mission, being a missionary, and myself, and then in the other notebook I write things that I love about my companion. It's a little thing, and the things I write are usually silly little things, but it puts a smile on my face, and helps me see all the little blessings in my life. I wish I had started it at the beginning of my mission, but it's a start:)
I love the ward here, it's feels so big after being in a branch but it's fun. The hardest part is just trying to remember all the people's names. Did I ever tell you that people love my last name here? It's pretty much the best conversation starter ever and the members never forget my name. Top question asked is if I'm related to the car company and then they go off about Chevys or something like that:)
For thanksgiving we're eating with the Osorio's and weekly planning but other than that it will probably be just normal missionary work. This past weekend the ward had a thanksgiving dinner that we went to. One thing that I love about latino's is that everyone dances after, always!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Love,
Hermana Ford
