Hola familia!
Muy buenos dias. Lo siento acerca de la nieve. Ick. Do I really have to return to that? We've had high 60's and 70's with some rain mixed in to change things up. But snow?! Bluh.
So we saw Pres & Sis Cook at church on Sunday and it was SO good to see them. Hna Cook happily told me that she received the Christmas card. And she gave me very wise advice: "It's not the end so don't think about it. It's not here yet. So don't think about it." I've kept that in my head since then and I've felt better! Just have to focus super well and do Heavenly Father's work while I still can! It rocks and I love it! And yes Mom, I don't have a choice about talking to strangers. It usually isn't that bad, sometimes I get lazy though. And Hna Stratton said it well when she said "seeing the Cooks is refreshing and stressful." Te he. We love them lots.
The miracles have started raining down after a long and tough trial period. It has been pretty incredible!! On Sunday we had some good appointments and saw the power of the priesthood excersised (how do you even spell that word?!) with 2 priesthood blessings. And the mom of an active RM accepted a date for baptism. Hna Bailon. She's sweet and has been off and on with learning for some years now. Hopefully now is the time she will go through with it! Her son did a neat presentation with lights and photos in the church building to talk about the pattern of prophets, the Savior's life, and the Restoration. It was pretty cool. We're not exactly sure we could reproduce it but we might try! It was very powerful. Hna Stratton was so excited. Her 2nd most powerful teaching experience in the mission.
Hna Stratton says 'hi'
And then we were in Pala on Sunday to give the gentleman a blessing. A newly married couple, the Atempas (yes they're related to the Atempas I worked with in San Marcos. Small world!!) came with us. They are pretty great. Hno Ramiro received the blessing very humbly. We shall see. We hope to see them Thurs night or sometime. And then a member Hna Gonzalez who has been pretty sick with a kidney stone that would cost a fortune to remove surgically received a blessing. She was super grateful. They made us a tasty Guatemalan dish! And we're heading over today to show them the lazy man's way to make pumpkin pie (we don't know the real way :) and some cookies to give to members. ((We realized that our members are probably having a hard time adapting because we both came in new after the other sisters had 4 transfers here together. That's SO long. Like 6 months?)) But Familia Martinez seems to love us. The 15-yr-old son has a better attitude now and it is pretty great. Probably due to the ward combine/change. He did a wonderful delivery of a beautiful potted yellow calla lily Sunday after church. I heard him come up to my turned back and I turned around, he handed it to me then did a spin and returned to his family's car. Ha ha. It made me SO happy because I have wanted a plant or flower for sometime. Our little porch just looked so dead and uninhabited. Hurray!!
Back to the work. So yesterday was seriously a day of miracles. It was SO neat. We talked in our morning study about how we need to seriously put ourselves to the task and invite people to be baptized in every lesson. Heavenly Father heard us and set things up so we could do it. We set 2 more baptismal dates and we found 3 new investigators. One, Sandra Diaz, investigated in 2009 and she just seems so neat. We were definitely guided by H.F. to find her. And we had a great lesson! I was just so excited to be there with her. Hurray! I love the gospel and I love the energizing power of the Spirit. And how it is the teacher while we are the preachers (just noted that in our district meeting with the other missionaries. It's in D&C...(JJ?) maybe 11.)
It was neat and we are excited to see what happens with Hna Diaz. Her little 3-yr-old boy Jason was super cute too. We tried to get him to fold his arms for the prayer but he thought we wanted him to give us hugs. I was SO okay with that! He gave us each 2. Ba ha ha. Love little kids.
We also visited a new-ish investigator, Hna Maria Reyes. She is so uplifting and happy. She loves bright colors and just brings things around her to life. In our first lesson she told us all kinds of miracles from her life. And we stopped by and she showed us the things she was cooking to make enchiladas (yum!) and we had a long, winding conversation which was good because we answered questions about who we are as missionaries and what we do and don't do. Plus we were able to testify and teach lots. It was neat. H.F. really blessed us with our Spanish ability because she talks relatively quickly and you have to be able to jump in and say what you're going to say. Yeah. She's pretty great. Even gave us cooked beans so we could go straight home and make gorditas. Yum!! (but my tummy doesn't really like fried foods :( )
And yeah. Then we went out to Pala with a different family and set a date with the husband. He seems pretty conflicted because his wife is not interested. She was learning before but now I think she's studying with the JW. Anyway. We will do our best to help him.
FUNNY: we were kicked off the Pala Indian Reservation. We have no idea what the laws are and all that so we just submissively and quietly left the little area. We did see the big "no solicitation" sign but they have those in nearly all the apartments and it doesn't stop us. The police lady said it like this: "You preachin' the word? You know you can't do that around here." Ba ha ha. i thought it was exhilirating and fun. And sad to think how many of those people can't have the gospel. We actually set an appointment with a lady before the 'kick-off' moment and so we shall see how that goes. She, Victoria, was the one we were sent there to find. Heavenly Father answers our prayers and it is so amazing! I love it!!
And I love you guys. You are super fabulous. Thank you Mom and Dad for always getting the things I ask for and sending them out quickly. Thank you Shantaye and JJ for the great letters I received this week (which I will likely not respond to. How about a face-to-face chat later? Awesome, thanks for understanding.) And thank you Chez for all the letters sent before.
I'm excited to give you all some big hugs!! And yeah.
Elder Denos is an older gentleman who lives in Mission Viejo and is serving with his wife their 3rd mission in our office. Just the other day we found a door dent in the pretty car. Gr!
I don't know why H.F. has some of his missionaries change their language assignment. Well, I do. He needs them in a certain area of His vineyard. And that's just how it is. It happens more with elders than sisters.
Keep on being super great! And keep on growing and sharing your testimonies. It is the neatest thing to be able to share the "fruit that is most delicious and desirable" with other people and watch as their lives change and improve immeasurably. I know that Jesus Christ lives and I feel very humbled and privileged to have the assignment to testify of His name here in Fallbrook (and surrounding areas). I love how Heavenly Father guides our lives. And how He wants us to be happy! He is so willing to give us what we want - we just ask Him in prayer. And He is very willing to allow us to be part of miracles. So go ask for and work to have miracles in your lives!!
I love you all bunches and bunches. Sunshine and hugs being sent from me!
Hna Green
PS There is a house in Pala with a pet tortoise eating the grass and moving around slowly. We snapped pictures yesterday :) I was so surprised when I first noticed it. Who has a pet tortoise?!
PPS An awesome 12-yr-old who has aunts who are members walked in the church door this Sunday. We were so excited and surprised. Osvaldo is just awesome. I'll work to snap a picture with him. ha ha.
PPPS We went to the Mexican store Northgate market last week and it was super great. Bought too many Mexican treats. Te he! It was a cultural experience I've wanted my entire mission. Pres. Cook was super nice and gave us permission to go there even though it isn't in our area.
And we had a fun district activity with volleyball and a super huge 36-slice pizza. Fun times!!!
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