June 16, 2014

Dear Family,

First off, guess what?!

I'm getting transferred back to Los Alamitos! My very first area on my mission. It will bring everything in full circle. I'll finish where I started :)

Second: SISTER FATAI IS TRAINING!! Let me explain how amazing that is. Normally you're with your trainer for 12 weeks, and then you usually have a follow up trainer, and then if you're good you get called to train a little later on. In our mission for a while there were so many sister missionaries coming in that twice they had to call a 6 week old missionary to train a new one. But only because there literally were no other trainers. But sister Fatai's situation is different. She didn't go to the MTC. She's only been out 6 weeks. And there are tons of other missionaries qualified to train with only two new sisters coming in. And she got called to train. I'm so excited for her. She is amazing and I'm excited to see how she grows. I'm really sad I only got to be her companion and train her for 6 short weeks. I'm really sad to leave Westminster (I really thought I'd finish out here) but I'm excited to go back to Los Al.

Sister Saunders is my new companion. She's great. We're going to have a fun transfer :)

Okay, now....

So I decided yesterday that I would write my family email first so I would have time to tell you all the amazing miracles that happened this week. But...I forgot. And now I'm almost out of time. Whoops!

But I'll try to tell it fast.

Monday: This actually ended up being a way lame night. I was feeling sick and so off. But we still contacted and then got to go to the ward FHE and play Pictionary with bible stories. It was great.

Tuesday: We helped out Sister King (the lady we live with) with some gardening. Ah it made me miss gardening. It was great :) I found out that my comp is not a fan of worms and bugs. Ha, I wasn't very nice and kept surprising her with them. She still laughed :)

Wednesday: Sister Fatai had her interview with President and found out she was training. That totally threw us for a loop and we were pretty bummed about it all day. We were feeling so out of it and so unmotivated that we eventually pulled over, talked it through, said a repentance prayer and told Heavenly Father that we were going to get over ourselves and go out and work. And we promised that we would talk to EVERYONE. We went to a mobile home park and began walking to our potentials homes. And we talked with everyone. At one point we were almost late for an appointment in another area, so just getting ready to leave so we could be on time. We passed by a lady-she had something in her ears and she didn't look too open, we were late, and it was kind of out of our walking path...but then we remembered our promise and turned around and talked to her. And that is how we found Kim. We told her just a bit of who we are and what we do and set a return appointment for the next night.

Then we went and taught Brother Kimura. And it was SO good. I love him. He is progressing so much. It is so rewarding to see the Gospel change people's lives.

Thursday: We taught Kim! She was really open. Her daughter used to take missionary lessons. We taught the restoration and invited her to read the Book of Mormon and invited her to church. And set up a return appointment. We also taught a less active. She opened up to us and we were able to understand her concerns a little better and we're teaching her tonight.

Friday: This is my favorite miracle of all.

We have been teaching a less active. But she hasn't really been progressing. No one in the ward seemed to have very much hope for her progressing. But we went over Friday to help her with service. I was kind of in a weird mood. I felt like it wasn't very effective. But we finished and began to teach her. Her grandson (7 yrs old) was in the other room watching a movie but he came in for a lesson. We were talking about prayer. We asked him if he ever prayed. He responded that he had never heard of that. We asked him if he knew of Heavenly Father. He said he'd never heard of him either. My heart broke for him. So our focus switched to him. We sat down with him and taught him about his Heavenly Father. We told him that Heavenly Father loved him so much, that He always was willing to listen to him, and that no matter what He was there for him. We sang I am a Child of God and then taught him to pray. And he prayed for the first time in his life. Afterward he told us that he felt so so happy and kind of tingly all over. It was so beautiful. We invited him to church and he said he wanted to come. And his grandma said, I guess I better find something to wear....

I am so grateful that I was raised with a knowledge of who Heavenly Father is. I know that He loves me and that He is there. I love Him.

Saturday: We taught Stephanie the Word of Wisdom. It was awesome.

Sunday: The departure fireside. I sang in it. Again. I think people are sick of me. Whoops! Oh well.

K, I'm out of time. But I love the Gospel. I love being a missionary. It is so hard and so emotional and so stressful. But it is so worth it.

Read your scriptures. Pray to Heavenly Father like He's your best friend. Thank Him for the blessings he's given you and then ask Him for things that you need! He wants you to ask Him for specific guidance and for help. It's not selfish. :)

Love you!

Sister Andelin