My Final Week 8.25.2014

Dear Family,

It's kind of hard to believe that I will actually be home tomorrow!

Monday starting out with having a dinner with President and Sister Weidman and then having a testimony meeting with all the missionaries that were leaving this transfer. It was fun to reminisce all the funny stories, and to also see how much everyone else has changed. 

Yesterday we went around saying goodbye to a few families. It's a weird mix of emotions. I want to continue to serve them and yet at the same time I know I did what I could and that these families need whatever the next missionaries have to offer them. I know that the Lord will continue to look after them, and I will support them the best I can from home and school and I'm ok with that. 

Part of my letter to president:

 "This week has been great! I was a little apprehensive at first about what I would feel my last full week as a full-time missionary, but just like always my expectations were completely off:) Instead of nervousness, and sadness about leaving these people I just felt pure love and complete joy. I know I did my best and that I will continue to learn and improve. I know this next part of my life will be just as challenging if not more than the mission but I have gained things on the mission that are priceless. I have deepened my faith and increased my love for my Savior. I understand a little bit more what it means to rely on the enabling power of the Atonement. I know how to use prayer and find strength in it. I know what it feels like to be filled with the pure love of Christ. These are only a few of the things that I know will bless me for the rest of my life. I am so incredibly grateful for the opportunity to spread the good news and to see it change the lives of others. 

As I have started the Book of Mormon reading I have felt so filled! The Book of Mormon is true! I am so excited to continue to read it and make it a part of my daily life. I know that reading it with the purpose of looking for Christ will bless and help me so much as I move into fitting 'Sister Ford' into BYU:)"

I'm excited to see you all tomorrow and to be able to finally explain everything a little bit better!

I love you all so much and thank for all of your letters and prayers you have offered during these past 18 months!

Love,

Hermana Ford

Saying Goodbye

Almost Home 8.18.2014

Dear Family,

This is what you face at a departing missionary fireside. 

You have 3 minutes to leave my legacy with the mission as President Weidman would say. You have 3 minutes to tell members, recent converts, less actives, investigators, and missionaries not only what I value most but something that they need to hear. Just 3 minutes, and let me tell you those 3 minutes go by extremely quick. All week I prayed to know what to talk about and what I could share that impact those attending the most, and I week I was coming up with a blank. Everyday I didn't feel any peace or clarity about anything! By the time Sunday came around I was pretty much freaking out. I have never felt so anxious about something for such a long period of time. Not even entering the mission! We had 30 minutes for personal study on Sunday, so I took that time to prepare somewhat. I prayed, I read my patriarchal blessing, and I thought back to scriptures that have a lot of meaning to me. I finally came to the conclusion that the one thing that meant the most to me throughout my mission was learning more about using the atonement in my life, and as I studied our purpose("Invite others to come unto Christ....through faith in Jesus Christ and in His Atonement...") I finally felt like that was what I should share. I shared Omni 1:26and told them with as much power as I could about the power of the atonement, that we all have a personal Savior, that the atonement can only take affect into our lives on condition to our faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, and our obedience to our gospel, and that we can all use the power of the atonement more effectively in our lives. It was certainly not what I expected to finally be on the other end of the fireside, but it was rewarding in so many different ways. I was filled with so much love for the people I was able to serve and gratitude for the things I have learned. I was also grateful for the feelings of peace and love from my Heavenly Father telling me that I serve my mission as best I could and I can come home satisfied and continue to progress in the gospel.

This is just parts of my letter to President:

"This last transfer has been such a mix of emotions, joy, love, heartbreak, sadness, uncertainty, but when it come down to it I am just filled with gratitude. I am filled with gratitude to have had the opportunity to serve in certain wards, to serve and learn from my companions, learning from my leaders, but mostly I am grateful for my Savior and my knowledge and testimony of the restored gospel. The mission truly is what every what everyone says, the hardest but best experience. At times I am so scared about the future. There are small moments of peace, but after the fireside last night there are no more doubts of whether I did a good job or whether I became the person I was suppose to become. Yes, I still have a long way to go and much to learn but I have know doubt that I did my best that I could and it's time for me to go on to the next phase of my life.

After zone conference I threw out 2 or 3 shirts that I had and today we saw another miracle similar to one that was shared at conference. While we were waiting in the parking lot in the library today for the sisters a car in his car slowed down and told us we were dressed nice and then asked us why. We were able to explain that we were missionaries and a little bit about what we do. He told us he has gone to SLC multiple times at worked for an LDS professor at Utah State for a little bit, and then asked us if we had services anywhere! We also used the Book of Mormon in a street contact and were able to get a new investigator out of it! This week I saw the Lord guide us so much! I don't know if my companions recognize it but when I go to bed and think throughout the day I am once again filled with so much gratitude because if we are obedient and diligent the Lord will guide and direct us in every aspect of the work! "

OH exciting news! Maria had her baby on Tuesday!! Her due date was the 27th of August and the whole time she has mentioned how badly she was the baby to be born before I left so I could see him and what do you know it actually happened! On Saturday we made dinner for them....correction, Sister Yanez cooked for them. I mostly just washed the dishes(that's my specialty:)) 

Welp, I love you all and will see you soon!

Love,

Hermana Ford

8.11.2014

Dear Family,

So, I guess the first thing that might be interesting to mention is the training I went to for leaving. Sister Young and I went on exchanges that day, and that was one of the biggest tender mercies ever! We were both so grateful to have someone to talk to about everything that has been there from the beginning and that understands what you are feeling and be able to talk about all the plans without feeling guilty for talking about home especially since sister buys is just starting out:) They talked about a lot of things, but I guess one of the biggest things I took from it was making plans/goals, and keeping busy:) I'm so excited to see you all and to hear about everything with more detail other than the watered down version of your lives. I'm sure your excited to hear a little more detail from my end as well:)

We had a ward activity on Tuesday and we thought it was just the normal monthly activity, but I guess they had announced in Relief Society(we were teaching Primary that day) that there would be games and food as kind of a farewell for me. They had me come up during the spiritual part of the activity and bear my testimony again and bishop said a few really nice things about me, so it was fun:) They played an activity where someone in the middle of a circle of people had to get a few random objects. I wasn't really playing because I was just on the outside of the circle, but it was super funny when I gave the people in the middle the objects the fastest(Tylenol and a flashlight) haha:)

There's this family that has been in the states from about 8-9 years from Guatemala and when they came here to the states they had to leave their oldest newly born boy there(talk about hard). Anyways the boy(Russell) was finally able to move here to live with their family. We ran into in the hallway at church because primary was a little overwhelming for him(it's all in english) so we stopped to talk to him and introduce ourselves. His mom mentioned that I was leaving soon and he was like "NO!" and ran over and gave me a hug. Ok, generally I don't let the little primary boys hug me, but this one caught me by surprise and it was so cute!

Thank you so much Mom for ordering those BoM's! 

This Sunday I will finally be a part of the oh so famous departing missionary fireside. It's a little scary to think that my time has finally come, but when it comes down to it I'm happy with what I've been able to do. I'm so filled with joy and love for the people I have been able to serve and I go to bed just at peace and acceptance AND I'm super stoked to see you all!:)

I love you all!

Love,

Hermana Ford

8.4.2014

Dear Family,

Funniest excuse ever:

"sorry, I just burned my mouth from eating too much chile. Can't talk"

I bore my testimony in church yesterday, and while I was waiting Hna Balbuena was sitting next to me and after a second she put her hand on my knee and said, "ohh, it's your last fast sunday!" yikes. The members are all so aware of my ticking time bomb..... Tomorrow I have my departing missionary training. I think I am still in shock that is actually my turn, and that I'm one of "those missionaries". I'm trying to keep it out of my mind, so on to last weeks events!

This week we had lots of great opportunities to teach the restoration. On one specific day our plans and back ups were falling through very early on in the day, so atleast I was getting a little worried about what the day had in store for us. A little bit before an intersection I just started praying for someone that we could teach. We crossed the street, I was still pretty focused on keeping my thoughts positive, and Sister Yanez stopped and said hello to this guy that was sitting in his garage that was set back a little farther than his house. He let us come over and we were able to teach the restoration. Heavenly Father answers prayers! Then we went to try and contact a potential again and he was home and we had one of the most powerful restoration lessons! After he had said the closing prayer he just sat there looking down. When he finally looked up he just said, "I feel different. This feels really good." We stopped to explain the spirit a little bit more and the blessings of baptism. It was so powerful!

On Saturday we were eating with a family, and one of the teenage sons said that his friend might come to church on Sunday. We continued to ask him how religion came up because he is only 14, and this is how he said the conversation went:

"What religion are you?"

"Catholic"

"What religion are you?"

"I'm a Mormon"

He then went on to invite him to church, but told him that they could only give him a ride home. Guess what! He came to church by himself, and got a form to go to the beach with the young mens and when we were talking with him outside after church he told us we could teach him more about the church! If only it worked like that all the time:) What a blessing!

The work is coming along. It's slow and hard, but God knows I could handle a hard area for such a long time and love it, well I have learned to love it and through myself into the work and in return I have learned SO MANY valuable lessons for which I will be eternally grateful for. 

I love you all so much and prayer for you often. 

Sisters, good luck with all your preparations to leave for school! Enjoy every moment with the family! Live in the moment. Don't look back. Plan for the furture, but don't live in the future. Advice from a missionary who constantly prays to not be distracted by the date:)

Love you lots!

Hermana Ford

My Final Transfer 7.28.2014

Dear Family,

I love the beginnings of transfers! I feel like there are always so miracles! Even though it was the beginning of my last one I felt oddly calm and peaceful inside. No twinges of regret or fear just peace and faith. I'm ready to work hard and give every little last bit of energy that I have for these last few weeks. It's funny because I hadn't even realized that we would have to get an extra 10 conversations until the new missionary orientation on Thursday, but the HUGE blessing is that on Tuesday and Wednesday we got 30 and 33 conversations:) God truly does bless us if we work diligently and show our faith! 30 conversations a day is pretty much taking everything out of me everyday, but I'm grateful for an extra little challenge:)

Another miracle! Maria an investigator that has been coming to church for the past 3 years got her birth certificate on Friday and she still hasn't drank coffee since that day after the LAE meeting at the beginning of last transfer when we committed her to stop drinking and take REAL action towards getting married! Their baby is being born on August 27 and plan to get married after that:)

Tuesday we were scrambling around for a member to go with us to visit our baptismal date, Nicholas, and Hna. Balbuena(the temple prep teacher) our angel was so kind as to come with us! Well, he didn't end up being there(always sad) but there is always a reason for something being cancelled. We decided to go visit a LAish family that lives a few apartment complexes down the road, and guess what! The entire family was there and had time to sit down (that has maybe happened one other time the whole time I have been here). The mom was suppose to start the temple prep classes a month ago but for some reason hadn't been coming to church. We had an awesome lesson on faith and families, and the mom really opened up and shared her concerns about the classes and why she hadn't been coming to church. Hna. Balbuena helped so much with addressing her worries! The Lord really guided us to their house that night and I'm so grateful Nicholas wasn't home and we thought to visit that family instead. I would love to say that lesson changed everything, but we're human and we are so easily consumed with fear and the mom still didn't come to church this week, so there is more work to be done, but all we can do is pray and teach with the spirit. It is so apparent that in the end we have no control.

If only I could describe everything in detail....

All the members just keep saying that I just need to buy a house here. I laugh and agree, but in my mind I just think "that would not make the family very happy":) haha

Oh yeah! Ok, so our new companion is Hermana Buys. She is from Dallas Texas, 19, went to  BYU-I before, she sings really well, has 3 brothers, and speaks a little more spanish than what I could speak when I came in(I still don't speak fluently, but I've come a long way considering it took me a while just to get the name of the church down:) haha)) 

hhhmmm, que mas? It's getting hotter, but it doesn't bother me like it did last summer so that's a good thing:)

This past week we had a lesson with a family that was taught by some sisters I know a little over a year ago. They still had the same concerns and weren't really open to letting us try and resolve them which was pretty sad because they love the missionaries. The dad was pretty much crying because he felt so awful that they were telling us they weren't ready to change. It's was just crazy because they even told us they thought we were a sign from God because we came when they needed a little extra more of God's love. I don't know how more obvious you can get than Him sending his missionaries to your door.

The other day on our way back to the car we saw a lady walking towards us without shoes on(obviously extremely drunk) and we said hi, and she just started to cry and tell us all these things that happen to her. She went to go hug sister Yanez, and Sister Yanez thought she was going to hit her our something so she had backed up a little which made her cry even more, but once she saw she only wanted a hug she let her hug her. Our lives are so blessed! 

I love this work so much! I love you to pieces!

Love,

Hermana Ford

New Assignment 7.24.2014

24 July 2014

Stephen and Trina Ford

6808 S. Jackson Ridge Ln.

Greenacres, WA 99016

Dear Brother and Sister Ford,

Sister Rachel Rose Ford has been appointed as a trainer in the California Los Angeles Mission.  No more important position exists than that of training a new missionary.  New missionaries need to be properly taught immediately upon entering the mission field.  Initial experiences truly influence the remainder of one’s mission.  Your daughter will teach by both precept and example the attributes and skills that her companion will need to become an effective representative of the Lord Jesus Christ.  I am confident that she will, with the help of the Lord, be very successful in her new calling.

Sister Weidman joins me in extending to you our sincere congratulations for having a daughter of such quality and our appreciation for having Sister Ford in our mission.  We know she will receive your continued support in her missionary service.

Sincerely yours,

President David N. Weidman

California Los Angeles Mission


cc:  President Gregory D. Mott

       Bishop Keith L. Clark

       Sister Rachel Rose Ford

BLESSINGS!!! 7.21.2014

Dear Family,

Welp, the final transfer call came in last night, and I'M STAYING!!!! When I came here last November I would have never imagined I would be so incredibly blessed to serve here for 7 transfers! Sister Yanez and I are staying together and we are training a new missionary. I was anticipating being in a trio. I think most of us who are leaving early are in trio. I don't know how president did it because what I have heard is that with this past transfer and my transfer of missionaries leaving it adds up to almost a third of the mission.(26 missionaries leave this transfer) I think I am still in shock that this is my last transfer, but there is no where else I would rather spend it! Today we spent most the morning moving things around and I'm just trying to throw things away. We get our new missionary tomorrow, so that will be exciting! I think I'm still in shock I'm on my last transfer. It is incredible to look back and to think about all the things I have learned and all the people I have met. 

We have been working a lot more with Nicholas(the baptismal date we set last week). His kids are warming up to us a little more. Just Fabiola(the youngest) runs out of the room laughing whenever we invite her to come sing with us or pray, and Jesse made sure he knew what his dad's reading assignment was. haha so cute!:) We're still just praying that they have a car so we don't have to scramble for a ride for them every week since taking the bus wouldn't be very reasonable with 4 kids and being unemployed for the past 2 year.

A less active who came to church the other week gave us permission to start teaching her kids the missionary lessons to prepare for them to be baptized and to strengthen her testimony of the fundamental doctrines, so we're excited to start working with them!

Do you all want Cali shirts or Dodgers shirts or would you all prefer something else? As of right now I'm just planning on some Cali shirts. 

I'm gave in on throwing away my black flats and buying a pair of some cheap flats. They were starting to strain the tendon on my right foot when I walked, but I can't complain for a reason to go shopping since I pretty much haven't bought anything that I didn't need:)

This week we met a modern-day Korihor. Either I understand people better or I've met more rude people lately. Thankfully I was full of patience and love that day:)

hmmmm, what else is new? We finally went and visited some former investigators that were dropped right before I got to the area, and they are really cool, and it is crazy because just the week before a missionary had called them to invite them to their departing fireside, and they recognized how much god is aware of them and sent His missionaries to visit them when they needed it most:) Hopefully, we can run on that and help them to progress!

I love you all and I hope you keep enjoying your lazy days at the lake!:)

Love,

Hermana Ford