Monday, September 10, 2012

First Letter From the Mission Field

Hey!!!
       Yep Mondays are my p-day! It has been pretty good. We are in the area of Chatsworth California. It is located in the San Fernando Valley. It is very very beautiful but differently different than Idaho and Utah. But there is a lot of mountains and we sit down in the very bottom of the valley. It has been rather warm the last few days. hit 101 the other day and that was kind of fun :) My trainer is Sister Mix and she is from Inkom Idaho! So pretty cool we are both from Idaho. She is completely amazing! I have already learned so much from her in just 6 days and I know I have so so much more to learn. If any of you have heard of the Term White washed for missionaries, then you know what is coming. Yep my first area I have been white washed. :) White washed is a term used by missionaries where they send two brand new missionaries into an area that neither of them have been before. Normally they keep one missionary and just transfer out one so at least one of them know what they are doing. So we have been put into the Chatsworth area with neither one of us know where to go or who is around so we have been using the maps like crazy!!! AND This area was switched from Elders to sisters AND we found out that the ward we are in has not had sister missionaries in over 10 years. No pressure right?!?! But it is super fun to basically just start from the ground up and learn everything new and figure out what we need to be doing in this area. So crazy, but I know that the Lord has a purpose in it. There is so much work to be done in this area this week will be mostly figuring out who is who and trying to get a hold of people and set up appointments. Our ward mission leader is brand new and so full of ideas and it will be great to work with him! Our apartment is pretty nice but a little dirty. But the elders that lived there before did pretty well in keeping it clean. I mean for elders that is. Haha jk that is not true. But we did spend some time cleaning. It was really really good to talk to both of you! It was good to know you are doing well. and that you miss me :) We actually, if we can find a member, we can Skype home for Christmas but I will let you know more about that when it gets closer.

       Yes, Sister Ruston was super sweet about it. I am not sure if I was suppose to do that but hopefully it was ok. Because there hasn't been sister missionaries in such a long time, people are extra excited to have us and we seem to have dinner with someone new everyday which is pretty nice because we live on such a small budget. It is definitely enough to get by but it is nice not to have to worry about some meals. And I haven't had anything strange yet so hopefully that streak will keep coming!!! The people in our ward are amazing. They are mostly older with a few young families but so sweet and thoughtful. It will be great to work with them. I am in a car area which really is a huge blessing to me because I am still fighting my cold or whatever it is. There are some days that are pretty tiring and being on a bike would be rough ! So I am extremely grateful that the Lord is looking out for me! Missionary time is so so weird and other missionaries will understand. The days are so so long yet the weeks just fly by and days no longer matter. The only day I can really know is Sunday! So it is weird, but good.

        I just want to thank my family and friends for all the support and love and prayers because I truly feel the power of prayer and I know Heavenly Father helps and hears those for the missionaries. And not just us. EVERYBODY! I know he hears prayers. I have felt that so much in the last 4 weeks. The Lord definitely has his hand over missionary work! it is far too organized to not be. and now I am going into missionary mode. NEVER be afraid to share your beliefs and testimony with those around you. They need to hear it and you never know who is ready for the gospel. I just encourage any of you that read this to pray for a missionary moment and follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost. He will truly tell you when and who you need to talk to. Even if its just a hi and The lord loves you! You will be surprised what will happen.

      You probably saw that I didn't have to buy a bike yet and I am hoping I won't have to even if I get put in a bike area. I think I can borrow a bike from someone who isn't in a biking area if I do but I know I will be in Chatsworth for at least 12 weeks. If not longer where this is my trainer's last 2 transfers and she is with me the whole time. My address is 1025 De Soto Ave. #127 Chatsworth, CA 91311. If you would just make a post on facebook with this address on it so people know where to send it. They can still send stuff to the mission office but it takes a while to get to me since someone from our district has to go up there and it kind of varies how often that happens. My blankets and stuff all got here and it was so nice to have them and something familiar. Plus I love that blanket.

     Its funny you brag out peach clobber because I actually ate some homemade the other day as well. So in your face :) totally kidding.
 
     I am so sorry to hear about Ross Clements and my thoughts are with their family. That is exciting about a new bishop! I didn't realize that bishop lundin had been in so long already! but that is good.
 
     You can send me pictures to my email. I don't have a way to print them out but I would like to see any pictures you take of family and such and Raini's senior pictures of the course! (I am sending home an sd card with my pictures from the MTC on them. You can pick some and put them up. 
 
     I am so glad grandpa is doing well and I hope grandma is doing ok as well. Please give them my hugs and love and tell them they are in my thoughts! and thank grandma for the letter .

     Well better get going! I love you both so very much and miss you lots! I can't wait to hear from you!!!... love you lots

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