So many things

Well mi querida familia, I don't even know what to title this email this week, because there are just so so so many little things that happened! strange. Where to begin.

Well we will start with the ward. so we have been working really really hard with the young women lately. The girls in the Spanish branch now go to young womens with the English girls, and they aren't mixing well. They don't really like it. So they asked us to go to help them out. Well we got a big old group to go! and by big old group I mean instead of the 2 girls that usually go we had 6 youth there. It was a combined activity and I can tell why it was so intimidating. Kids are crazy! I forgot what it's like being a youth. Man. I felt awkward and out of place, and I'm a missionary. And I had a companion who is basically assigned to be my friend! But there was the cutest little investigator boy there named Antonio, who is the shyest little thing ever! he reminds me so much of Easton! so he became my new best friend of the night.

Another fun thing we did this week was we had this dinner way way far away, and we were running late after it (as usual) trying to get to English class on time. Well mid way to the church I popped my bike tire, and so I had to ride the last 2 miles on a flat bike tire. I almost crashed like 17 times, but I couldn't stop cause then we would never get going again! We arrived to English class looking like the scariest, sweatiest, ugliest sister missionaries ever... but the class went really good! Hermana Jensen taught it like a champion!

and then what else happened this week. Oh. We got the low down on how all the refugee missionaries made it out of Africa! there is an elder that was reassigned here from that mission, and we got the lowdown on the whole story. Basically the coolest ever. No time for all the details.

Oh also, we had another fun clean the river activity. Except it wasn't really a river it was a dry river bed... poor little California is just in such a bad drought situation! So we picked up lots of trash and saved the environment one fish at a time!

another silly thing that happened is we decided to do a kind deed and give all of our recycling bottles to one of our less actives. she is the cutest, and they are just so so so poor. So we took our pluthera of plastic bottles, put them in a giant box, and strapped them onto the back of Hermana Jensen's bike. Well after a solid two pedals the box tipped over and all of the bottles went spilling into the street!! ahaha! good thing we are not engineers or anything!

Well. those are all of the silly things. Now for the best part. Sunday. Oh man. Best day of the week by far! so we started by going to the familia castillos house to help them come to church. Well we get there and all of the kids are all ready looking so fly in their church clothes and they are all so excited. Well then out come the mom in her pj's and she says "I'm not going. the house is a mess, I'm too frustrated, I am not ready, the baby isn't ready, I am not going." OH NOOOO!! all this work for nothing! talk about a stress emergency! so we get on the phone trying to get the kids a ride while trying to calm down the Hermana from her fit she is throwing. We may or may not have kidnapped the two little girls to take them to church. haha just kidding we didn't. But we did find a ride for only the two girls, so we took them. Well it turned out during the second hour of church Hermana Castillo came too!!! with the other 3 kids! oh happy days it was the best thing ever! We have been working all transfer to get that family to church. think they all really liked it a lot.

another amazing thing that happened at church, our friend Ramiro came! we haven't even taught Ramiro a lesson yet, he is just way too busy all the time. But we saw him Saturday night before church, and he said yeah for sure I will come. and he did! he actually got to church before we did due to the fiasco with all the ninos. haha. good work. oh it was just amazing to see the chapel so full on sunday! there were like 70 people there. And that is quite a lot for our little rama! (branch). It has been so fun working so hard with the ward, to help people come back and to help others come for the first time. Sunday is my favorite day of the week. It's where all your hard work and labors pay off. Seeing old faces in church and seeing how happy people are as they leave just makes my heart melt. I love the gospel, and the peace it brings into our lives. Especially into mine. I don't know what I would do without it. So next week at church, take a moment to stop and ponder, and appreciate the people around you and the sacrifice they are making to be there. But most importantly take the time to feel the spirit, and remember the reason we even go to church, to worship our savior jesus Christ.

I love this gospel and my savior. And I love all of you!

consecration

okay familia! sorry I skipped the big email last week. I will tell you the problema... we just had an overall lack of diligence. We weren't working as hard or as efficient as we should have been, and it showed in the results of our week. So we repented and changed and decided to have a better week. And it was amazing! gosh I don't even know how to word this email so sorry if I ramble.

we'll start on a not spiritual note... haha so Thursday morning we woke up early... too early. Okay actually I woke up to Hermana Jensen throwing her stuffed shark at me at 1:30 in the morning. I had no idea what was happening so I just rolled over and started praying. Then I heard the crazy argument that was going on outside. Our gang friend drug dealing neighbor named sam who is the sweetest was in a fight with this crazy lady who was swearing and yelling very profane things that are very unpardonable at 1:30 in the morning.. so after listening to them argue we went to sleep and she came back at like 5:00 to yell at him again in some more foul language. I may or may not have spied on them through the window... :) I tell you. They always keep me on my toes!

continuing with drama stories, one of our investigators juan (who we call the chosen juan.. haha get it like chosen one! that one was all Hermana Jensen) but he is like way in love with us. He invited us to go out dancing with him this week. So we started taking our recent convert Pedro to his lessons to protect us! haha we have another creepy investigator that wants us to date his son. yikes.

and then one day this week just for fun hna Jensen made us a fort because we had to watch some training videos. haha she's just a hoot. So here's some nice fotos. anyways, now that you have been filled in on all the unspiritual things, now onto the spiritual things to restore your faith in me as a missionary of the lord!

so I have been studying diligence a lot. Cause I don't want to finish my mission being one of those trunky missionaries that just wastes time. I want to Finish Strong. Well in preach my gospel it says“I have often said one of the greatest secrets of missionary work is work! If a missionary works, he will get the Spirit; if he gets the Spirit, he will teach by the Spirit; and if he teaches by the Spirit, he will touch the hearts of the people and he will be happy. There willbe no homesickness, no worrying about families, for all time and talents and interests are centered on the work of the ministry. Work, work, work—there is no satisfactory substitute, especially in missionary work.”

–President Ezra Taft Benson
I have really come to understand, appreciate, and gain a testimony of this principle. If you are not working diligently, you don't have the spirit, and if you don't have the spirit, you are not happy. One of the most amazing things I have seen is that diligence in planning really pays off. If you plan with precision, the lord is going to put people in your path. He will lead you to them, or them to you. So this week has been a week of being in the right place at the right time, and working on the timetable of the lord.
For example Monday we met this one guy named Marin who I had met like one month previously, and he remembered me. He asked if we could teach him. So we taught him right then. For our return cita we went to his house, and he wasn't there, but we found a family that said oh we know the missionaries, they used to teach us! and we were able to go back and teach them! they are way cool. Santos and Delmi. So we were guided there by marin who remembered me from forever ago! miracle!
Another time we were planning, and Hermana Jensen says to me hey remember that guy that was washing his car? we start trying to remember this way cool guy, decide we should try calling him, he doesn't answer, but later that night when we are out contacting guess who we run into? CAR WASH GUY!!!! coincidence? I think NOT!
The lord was just putting us where we needed to be at exactly the right time. It was really unreal how everything worked out perfectly. If we had a return appointment, and they weren't home, the Lord had the perfect backup plan waiting. So I really know that when we work hard, and do our best, the lord will make up the rest and guide us.
We also had the amazing opportunity to have a mission conference this week with Elder Bruce A. Carlson of the seventy. He is so cool! he used to be a General in the air force, so he told lots of cool stories about war and stuff. Most of which went over my head. Dad you would have loved them! We talked a lot about what it means to be a consecrated missionary. Or sanctification. What I really think is the most amazing thing about consecration is that it's personal. It's about turning your heart to God. Submitting your will to his. Like Christ did when he was on the earth. Whenever he was asked what he was doing he always answered I am doing the will of my father, or doing what my father sent me to do. He never thought of himself. His own agenda, or his own desires. He was here to serve his father. And that is the kind of missionary I want to be. More than just a missionary who sacrifices 18 months to serve the Lord, but a missionary who has truly become sanctified, and become and instrument in the lords hands, to carry out his will. I know this church is true, and the Lord needs missionaries "who love [him], truly, truly love [him], and love what our Father in Heaven has commissioned [us] to do. Ours is not a feeble message. It is not a fleeting task. It is not hapless; it is not hopeless; it is not to be consigned to the ash heap of history. It is the work of Almighty God, and it is to change the world." Jeffry R. Holland.
So my dear family "Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the Lord will do wonders among you." Love you all so much!

Happy two months!

Hey Family! happy two month anniversary! Surprise I have only been a missionary for two months.... just kidding. I wish that was real life. No today is Hermana Jensen's two month anniversary in the mission! But i decided i am switching places with her and I will stay here forever!!! Because it's just too much fun! here are the fun things we did this week.

So we are famous with all the kids right? well okay not even joking we are now teaching a small army of little ninos. okay well only like ten. We go over to teach the part member family, and all the lil ninos start running out of their houses "are you gonna teach us about God?" "I wanna sing the song about sunbeams!" so yeah we have a little gospel study outside on the steps and teach all the crazy dirty little neighborhood children about how jesus loves them.

Oh i just love those little ninos. the two girls Linda and Kimberly are progressing really well toward baptism. We took them on a field trip this week to see a baptism! (and by took them on a field trip I mean we had their mom drive us all cause we are on bike...) haha it was so fun. They loved it! they can't wait for their baptism!.. except then the next day they didn't come to church >:( so hopefully they will make their baptismal date. But anyways, they are the little joy to my soul for the time. I love teaching kids!

On the other hand, we also spent a lot of time this week with OLD PEOPLE!!! haha So we have started volunteering at a senior center and it could be the funnest thing ever! On Wednesdays they have a live band (like fancy old band with trumpets and stuff) and all the old people get up to dance! they kept trying to dance with us! and this one little latina lady is super hilarious and everytime we passed her she would start singing a song to us. Oh man. Old people are a hoot. I can't wait to be one!

well I just can't remember what else happened this week. OH. We had interviews with President Hall. He is just so perfect and always helps me with my life struggles. Newest life struggle: I just want to end my mission working so so hard, going 200mph and living every minute. But my compie can't go that hard. In fact, she might die at the pace we are going. President's advice Hermana Watts, the Lord knew you would be training. He knew who your companion would be. Take these next few months and make sure she has the best beginning to her mission. Be the companion she needs. The best companion ever! So... I get to learn patience and lots of love. But it's going to be the best two months ever!

Well fam, sorry this email is so lame and short and I have no pictures! AH! I promise I will be better! this week is going to be awesome and we will do crazy things. But I love you all so much!

Love,

Ness