Hey everyone!
Things are going well. I'm picking up more and more spanish each day, but I still have a long way to go. It's been pretty warm here in Las Colinas but the nights y mornings are nice and cool which is so nice. There's a lot of polution, it reminds me a lot a lot of Bakersfield lol. I never talked about where we live. We live in a cute little one bedroom apartment. It's actually really nice which I didn't expect at all. We got a new companion on Monday and things are going good. We weren't sure how we were going to fit another missionary but it's actually not bad at all. We fit 3 little beds in our room and so each bed is like a foot and a half apart haha. Good thing we love each other =) Yeah so we fit well, it's quite the miracle that we fit all of our stuff becasue Hermana Lowry and Hermana Kelson both have a lot of stuff.
Our investigators are doing well. Maria Concepcion Molina is getting baptized this Sunday which is so exciting. We got to take her and her sister to the Oakland temple on Saturday which was awesome. They weren't going to go because somehow they got in a big fight about something and no one was happy. We went over to they're house to see what we could do. We talked to Maria and her daughter, Maria Elena, and called both of them down. Maria Elena wanted to go to the temple so bad but Maria Concpcion Molina was still upset and didn't want to go. We seperated the two so we could try to convince Maria Concepcion Molina to go. I was praying like crazy because I knew that they needed this experience together. A member from the ward ended up calling and I don't know what she said but Maria wanted to go after. I was so grateful and said a big thank you to Heavenly Father. Hermana Lowry and I dressed Maria Concepcion Molina, among other things, which was a whole lot of fun ;-); and we were on our way. The Oakland Temple is soooo beautiful. I loved it. We walked around the temple grounds and visiters center. We got to watch the Joseph Smith movie which was a whole different experience watching it in spanish, it was awesome. That was one little miracle that we witnessed and let me tell you I'm so grateful for the tender mercies that I witness each day, it's unbelievable.
Rene, the little 9 year old we are teaching is going to be baptized this Sunday also and is sooo excited. Oh, he is soo adorable! Karina just got back in town but is planning on moving back with her parents in Fresno. We are so sad about that but know that she'll make the right decision that best. We going to see her tonight and only time will tell if she will be ready to be baptized on Sunday. I sure hope so though, she has such a strong testimony but her parents are so against is and we still need to talk to her about the word of wisdom and the law of chastity. I'll let you know how that goes next week. We had to drop a lot of investigators which is always such a hard choice to make but if they are not progessing there is nothing we can do right now. We have a few new investigators as of this last week and I don't know where all of them will go but one of them is very promising and is the best experince I've had yet.
It was Monday night and we were planning on going to Family night for the ward but the investigator who was supposed to go couldn't anymore. We went around visiting and inviting others we have been teaching but no one was home. We called so many of them but no one answered their phones which is really really unusual. We decided that we would go to see Ana Diaz, who had a baptismal date for this Sunday but has been ignoring us or is always gone lately. We got told that she was not home and so when la mujer shut the door there was another lady at the apartment right next door. We starting talking to her and she was so sweet. Hermana Lowry told her that we had a message about prophets and told her that we have a prophet today and that Christ's church has been restored to the earth. Usually when we tell the people this they knod their heads as if they knew this already but you can tell they're really not interested. Instead, she opened her eyes wide and said Que? She wanted to know more. We asked if she would like us to share more of the message and she very excitedly said yes. Hermana Kelson then asked if she had time right now. She said yes yes and invited us in. We taught the first lesson to her and she was absolutely captivated. I wish you could all see her facial expressions. She was in disbelief and sooo excited to learn more. She said she had been searching for the truth and then we came to the door. She is so humble and oh my goodness it was amazing. The spirit was sooooo stong. We all had tears in our eyes. We commited her to read in the Book of Mormon and to pray to know that it is true. She stroked the Book of Mormon and said she would. She said thank to us probably 50 times before we left. When we walked out we checked the phone and we had several missed calls from those we had called before we taught her. I know for fact that everything happened for a reason and we were met to be there at that exact time so we could teach her. Her name is Militza. She has a husband and two beautiful girls. She is the most humble and faithful woman I have met. She is paralized and so has to stay in a wheelchair yet she never asks why or says woe is me but continualy gives thanks to Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ. It was funny because just an hour or so before we met Militza I was thinking how I really needed to pray harder and fast more to find those who are ready to recieve the gospel. There have been several instances in which I have expressed my desires and my prayers were answered long before I received the opportunity to cry unto Heavenly Father in prayer. He is so aware of us all and I know this with everything in me. Never give up, even when times are confusing and hard. I promise you that He knows and has provided a way for us to find comfort and that is through His son and our Savior Jesus Christ. Well, after we left the apartment of Militza I felt very strongly that something was going to happen. She is ready to receive the gospel and Satan does not want her to. I expressed this to Hermana Kelson and Hermana Lowry and so we said a prayer. Sure enough her family STRONGLY dislikes us and does not want us to teach her. We have already seen her 4 times since Monday and I am confident that the Lord will provide a way for her to be baptized no matter how long it takes. Oh, I love her so much. Please pray for her and those we are teaching. You have no idea how many things happen so they cannot/do not attend church and are not baptized.
Well, I'm about out of time but I want you all to know how much I LOVE you all. My prayers are with each of you. Toodles until next week!!!
Love,
Hermana Jami =)
Monday, August 24, 2009
Monday, August 17, 2009
It's Already been 2 weeks!
Hey! I hope everyone is doing well!!! This week absolutely flew by! We've been very busy but need to find more investigators. Many of the ones we are teaching are not progressing. I working on having more courage to talk to everyone on the streets regardless and invite them to learn more. It's definitely not the easiest to appraoch people on the streets or especially when we're grocery shopping. I've passed up opportunities to share this true gospel and so I want to try harder and just talk more =)
Anyhoo, I can't even think of what's been going on... Let's see, we have 4 baptismal dates set for this month (8-30-09) but it looks like only two of them will happen for sure on the first date that was set. One is with a young 9 year old boy whose name is Rene. He is adorable and so excited to be baptized. His grandparents are strong members of the church and so they take him to church and activities. His mom is inactive and his dad is not a member. From what I understand Rene's dad is not very happy with him being baptized but is alowing it. We are so excited for Rene.
Karina who is 20 years old has such a strong testimony. Her parents do not want her to be baptized and they came into town this week. She told us that she knew they would try to change her mind but when we asked what she is going to do when they try to do that she told us that she won't let them. We're praying that she'll be strong enough. She's out of town with them write now and will be back in a week. She told us that she brought her Book of Mormon and is going to read it. Karina told her mom that she has decided to be baptized and she said nothing, so now we pray that Karina's dad will also soften his heart.
We are also teaching an 80 year women who is Jehovas Witness. Her name is Maria Concepcion Melina. We have to call her by her full name or else she corrects us haha. She's such a cute lady. We taught her yesterday and she gave the sweetest prayer. It was the first time she prayed outloud and without help from us. I felt like a proud mom =)
We also have a baptism date for another woman, Ana Diaz. She was so excited to be baptized but then when her date had to be moved back because of problems with the word of chastity, she has ignored and avoided us ever since. We don't know if she has been affended or what but we may have to drop her which makes us sad. So those are our baptismal dates.
If all goes well Rene, Maria Concepcion Melina, y Karina will be baptized on August 30th. We're teaching a lot of recent converts. I love hearing them bare their testimony. They have the strongest testimonies and it helps me so much.
I love this work and I'm learing so much each day. I know spanish will come little by little, I'm trying to have patience haha. Hermana Kelson y yo often both don't understand the investigators and so we just bare our testimonies a lot haha. It'll be nice to be able to teach more so according to their concerns, I can't wait until I can understand these amazing people!
Oh, today we got a new companion. We'll be in a trio for a month until transfers come. More than likely Hermana Kelson will be transfering to "Paradise" or Seaside because she's been here longest. Although it's not all that pretty I love it here so I'm happy to stay.
So, more about our new companera, her name is Hermana Lowry. She's been out in the field for 4 months (so 6 months including the MTC). She says she doesn't speak much Spanish but I'm pretty sure she knows more than she says. We'll find out tomorrow at our appoitments =) She's so sweet and funny, we're going to love serving with her and it'll be fun to figure out how to teach with 3 of us now haha.
Things are going well though. I'm so grateful for this gospel and the opportunity to serve. Please do all you can to share the gospel with friends and family. Everyone needs it and wants it whether they know it or not. Help the missionaries out and give them referals. Referals are the best every! I looooooove you all so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Until next week, Hasta luego!
Love,
Hermana Jami =)
Anyhoo, I can't even think of what's been going on... Let's see, we have 4 baptismal dates set for this month (8-30-09) but it looks like only two of them will happen for sure on the first date that was set. One is with a young 9 year old boy whose name is Rene. He is adorable and so excited to be baptized. His grandparents are strong members of the church and so they take him to church and activities. His mom is inactive and his dad is not a member. From what I understand Rene's dad is not very happy with him being baptized but is alowing it. We are so excited for Rene.
Karina who is 20 years old has such a strong testimony. Her parents do not want her to be baptized and they came into town this week. She told us that she knew they would try to change her mind but when we asked what she is going to do when they try to do that she told us that she won't let them. We're praying that she'll be strong enough. She's out of town with them write now and will be back in a week. She told us that she brought her Book of Mormon and is going to read it. Karina told her mom that she has decided to be baptized and she said nothing, so now we pray that Karina's dad will also soften his heart.
We are also teaching an 80 year women who is Jehovas Witness. Her name is Maria Concepcion Melina. We have to call her by her full name or else she corrects us haha. She's such a cute lady. We taught her yesterday and she gave the sweetest prayer. It was the first time she prayed outloud and without help from us. I felt like a proud mom =)
We also have a baptism date for another woman, Ana Diaz. She was so excited to be baptized but then when her date had to be moved back because of problems with the word of chastity, she has ignored and avoided us ever since. We don't know if she has been affended or what but we may have to drop her which makes us sad. So those are our baptismal dates.
If all goes well Rene, Maria Concepcion Melina, y Karina will be baptized on August 30th. We're teaching a lot of recent converts. I love hearing them bare their testimony. They have the strongest testimonies and it helps me so much.
I love this work and I'm learing so much each day. I know spanish will come little by little, I'm trying to have patience haha. Hermana Kelson y yo often both don't understand the investigators and so we just bare our testimonies a lot haha. It'll be nice to be able to teach more so according to their concerns, I can't wait until I can understand these amazing people!
Oh, today we got a new companion. We'll be in a trio for a month until transfers come. More than likely Hermana Kelson will be transfering to "Paradise" or Seaside because she's been here longest. Although it's not all that pretty I love it here so I'm happy to stay.
So, more about our new companera, her name is Hermana Lowry. She's been out in the field for 4 months (so 6 months including the MTC). She says she doesn't speak much Spanish but I'm pretty sure she knows more than she says. We'll find out tomorrow at our appoitments =) She's so sweet and funny, we're going to love serving with her and it'll be fun to figure out how to teach with 3 of us now haha.
Things are going well though. I'm so grateful for this gospel and the opportunity to serve. Please do all you can to share the gospel with friends and family. Everyone needs it and wants it whether they know it or not. Help the missionaries out and give them referals. Referals are the best every! I looooooove you all so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Until next week, Hasta luego!
Love,
Hermana Jami =)
Mission Letter 10 August 2009
Hey!! I'm now officially in the field and I love it! I arrived here in San Jose Tuesday August 4. I called to serve in Las Colinas as my first area. It's sooo different here than in the MTC which I expected. We contact a lot and it is so much fun. I love the people here. Even though I don't know much spanish and don't understand then a lot of the time, they're still so sweet and very patient. Everyone hugs here and kisses eachother on the cheek.
At first I didn't know what to think about that but after just a few days I've gotten used to it. My trainer's name is Hermana Kelson. She is from Sandy, Ut and was called to serve in San Jose English speaking but the first day she got here President Jackson told her she was going to switch to the spanish program. I would be so scared if that happened to me but she loves it and is so happy she's serving spanish speaking. So she's only been out a few months more than I have so she doesn't know much more spanish than I do! I was so shocked when I found this out because I thought for sure my first senor companion would speak fluent spanish. She understands more than I do and speaks a little better but we're both pretty much at the same level so it's quite a struggle to teach and contact like that, but I have faith that we'll get it quick. The Lord works in mysterious ways and I know this is a challenge He expects me to overcome with His help.
So we looove contacting even though half the time we don't know what the people are saying or what how to respond. Just about everyone we have met is straight from Mexico and do not speak any english. I can't even tell you how many Juan, Jose, Pablo, and Pedros we've met. They're quite the popular names lol.
The food here is AMAZING. We get fed every day and sometime twice a day and the members loove to pile on the food. They keep asking if we want more and I feel so bad saying no but I'm so full I feel like I'm going to throw-up so I sadly have to say no lol.
Yesterday at church was pretty overwhelming. I had no idea what anyone was saying. I would hear words like "el espiritu santo" "la fe" "Jesucristo" or words like that but that was about it. The members would ask me questions and I would just look at them with a blank face and say "No hablo mucho espanol hora pero estoy aprendiendo. Lo siento" and then they just give me a hug ha. They're all so sweet. Luckly nuestro obisbo had me stand up during sacrament and announced that I am new and don't speak very much spanish at all so just give me lots of hugs/embrace and welcome me (at least I understood that haha)
Oh the men who wheel around in their carts selling food on the streets love giving us stuff. The very first day a man by the name of Juan gave us corn smuthered in mayo and parmesian cheese. At first I didn't know what to think about it but after a while I liked it, weird huh?
We have awesome investigators but we're having a hard time keeping then strong. La ley de castidad (the law of chastity) is a big problem here. They all say that they live with their esposas o esposos but they're really not married they just call their girlfriend or boyfriend their wife or husband. It seems that just about everyone has this problem. I'm so grateful that I can be here to bare testimony of Christ's church so they may know of better lives. The Gospel is true and this world needs it sooooo bad.
My first or second day Hermana Kelson and I sang to a lady by the name of Maria Magdolina. She invited us in and we started talking to her and teaching her about the gospel. She wasn't very interested because just like about everyone else we contact, she is catholic (but rarely attends church or lives her religion) and believes that all religions are good as long as you believe in Christ. While we were talking to her, her friend Maria came into the casa in tears. She has severe depression. Hermana Kelson suggested that the Elders come and give her a blessing. Not really knowing what we were talking about she agreed. We wanted to bring the spirit into the house so we ended up singing mas himnos. Another one of Maria Magdolina's friends also by the name of Maria came in and Maria Magdolina's sister Rosa. Maria, Maria, Maria, Rosa, Hermana Kelson, y yo sang quite a few songs. The spirit was so strong. When the Elders got there they gave her a blessing and after Maria smiled and started crying saying "Gracias a Dios" over and over. It was amazing. We're going to go back and teach them.
Although it's hard and frustrating and sometimes I feel so lost I would never want to do anything else. I know this is the only true church. Please keep praying for me. I love you all soooooo much!!!!
Love,
Hermana Jami =)
At first I didn't know what to think about that but after just a few days I've gotten used to it. My trainer's name is Hermana Kelson. She is from Sandy, Ut and was called to serve in San Jose English speaking but the first day she got here President Jackson told her she was going to switch to the spanish program. I would be so scared if that happened to me but she loves it and is so happy she's serving spanish speaking. So she's only been out a few months more than I have so she doesn't know much more spanish than I do! I was so shocked when I found this out because I thought for sure my first senor companion would speak fluent spanish. She understands more than I do and speaks a little better but we're both pretty much at the same level so it's quite a struggle to teach and contact like that, but I have faith that we'll get it quick. The Lord works in mysterious ways and I know this is a challenge He expects me to overcome with His help.
So we looove contacting even though half the time we don't know what the people are saying or what how to respond. Just about everyone we have met is straight from Mexico and do not speak any english. I can't even tell you how many Juan, Jose, Pablo, and Pedros we've met. They're quite the popular names lol.
The food here is AMAZING. We get fed every day and sometime twice a day and the members loove to pile on the food. They keep asking if we want more and I feel so bad saying no but I'm so full I feel like I'm going to throw-up so I sadly have to say no lol.
Yesterday at church was pretty overwhelming. I had no idea what anyone was saying. I would hear words like "el espiritu santo" "la fe" "Jesucristo" or words like that but that was about it. The members would ask me questions and I would just look at them with a blank face and say "No hablo mucho espanol hora pero estoy aprendiendo. Lo siento" and then they just give me a hug ha. They're all so sweet. Luckly nuestro obisbo had me stand up during sacrament and announced that I am new and don't speak very much spanish at all so just give me lots of hugs/embrace and welcome me (at least I understood that haha)
Oh the men who wheel around in their carts selling food on the streets love giving us stuff. The very first day a man by the name of Juan gave us corn smuthered in mayo and parmesian cheese. At first I didn't know what to think about it but after a while I liked it, weird huh?
We have awesome investigators but we're having a hard time keeping then strong. La ley de castidad (the law of chastity) is a big problem here. They all say that they live with their esposas o esposos but they're really not married they just call their girlfriend or boyfriend their wife or husband. It seems that just about everyone has this problem. I'm so grateful that I can be here to bare testimony of Christ's church so they may know of better lives. The Gospel is true and this world needs it sooooo bad.
My first or second day Hermana Kelson and I sang to a lady by the name of Maria Magdolina. She invited us in and we started talking to her and teaching her about the gospel. She wasn't very interested because just like about everyone else we contact, she is catholic (but rarely attends church or lives her religion) and believes that all religions are good as long as you believe in Christ. While we were talking to her, her friend Maria came into the casa in tears. She has severe depression. Hermana Kelson suggested that the Elders come and give her a blessing. Not really knowing what we were talking about she agreed. We wanted to bring the spirit into the house so we ended up singing mas himnos. Another one of Maria Magdolina's friends also by the name of Maria came in and Maria Magdolina's sister Rosa. Maria, Maria, Maria, Rosa, Hermana Kelson, y yo sang quite a few songs. The spirit was so strong. When the Elders got there they gave her a blessing and after Maria smiled and started crying saying "Gracias a Dios" over and over. It was amazing. We're going to go back and teach them.
Although it's hard and frustrating and sometimes I feel so lost I would never want to do anything else. I know this is the only true church. Please keep praying for me. I love you all soooooo much!!!!
Love,
Hermana Jami =)
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