Last week ever!

Dearest familia, this is the end. my only friend the end! haha no just kidding. Almost the end. Almost the last email I will ever write as a misionera de la iglesia de jesucristo de los santos do los ultimos dias. I don't have a lot to say, but I do have a story I want to share.

We have a wonderful man who lives in our neighborbood, his name is Eloy. He is about mid 50's or so, and loves to drink beer. But he is my best friend. We first met Eloy in the park while teaching Pedro. He was one of the very first lessons Hermana Jensen ever taught. We taught him for a little minute, but we didn't get very far cause he was too drunk to understand anything. Well Eloy has become our really good friend. We see him all over the neighborhood, sometimes drunk sometimes not. But whenever we see him he always yells to us "Mis Angeles!" he calls us his lil angels. The other day when we saw him he told us "you know angels, I hope that one day you find your prince and get married and have the happiest life cause you deserve every happiness in the world."

We always make a special note to invite eloy to church every week. He always promises that he will come, but he never does. Well the other day he was walking by and I said Eloy I want to invite you to church this sunday, it's going to be my last sunday here. He looked at me and said "my angel is leaving? NO!!!" he got so upset, he had to walk away, and he started crying!!! the next day we walked passed his house, and he was drinking with a few buddies, but he said "Mis angeles!!!" he called us over, and gave us some flowers and limes, and he talked to us for so long about how sad he is that his angels are leaving. He started crying again and he told me he would always remember me and keep me in his heart, and he wanted to give me a plant so I could always have a little piece of his spirit with me, and he was just being so sweet! Even his buddies that he was drinking with (who we didn't even know we just barely met them) they started crying too! they all kissed our hands before we left (don't think that's missionary appropriate) and as we walked away Eloy yelled I love you guys! It was a little strange, but so sweet.

It really made me stop to think about the difference I have made here. Even though we only taught eloy maybe twice, and he never came to church, he didn't get baptized or come anywhere closer  to his heavenly father, We made a difference in his life. We made a lasting impression that he will never forget. We touched his life for good. I don't think I have ever truly realized what an impact being a missionary makes on others lives. We truly are angels in others lives. Sometimes I feel like a normal person, just walking around the streets saying hi to people, and sometimes I get discouraged and feel like I haven't made a difference. But Eloy really taught me that my service here hasn't gone unnoticed. People know who we are, and know what we have to share. People can see the difference in our eyes and our smiles. They know we have something different. When we have charity for others, that is what changes their lives. Sometimes, that's all they really need, just love. that's all Eloy needed, just to feel God's love.

I am so grateful for all the wonderful people I have come to know. They all have taught me so much. I am going to miss them all with all my heart. you know what grandpa watts always used to say "you've got a friend in California, a friend who misses you."

Love,

Ness

The Castillos :)

Hey! my familia! okay well here is the dealio.... SOOOO much has happened the last week and a half I don't even know what to tell you! But I guess I will just tell you a great story.

la familia Castillo, remember? the one we have been working with FOREVER!!! Well. they did it. They made it to their baptism. Oh my you have no idea how hard we have been working with them. It has been so hard, but so amazing. So so so amazing. We visit them every day, the house has been more calm, the kids are more well behaved, the Hermana has been more patient. it is just so unreal to see all the changes in that home.

So their baptism was planned for the 19th right? I think satan was working really really hard to make this baptism not happen. It was not good. the first trial was that my companion got the flu. she was out for two days, but we had to see them every day or they wouldn't make it to their baptism!!! so you know what we did? yep we took bed-ridden sicky pants Hermana Jensen to the castillos. I am actually pretty impressed with her, she made it pretty far before she turned to me and said I think I need to vomit now. So after she puked in Hermana Valenzuelas bushes I took her straight back home and to bed, called up the sister training leaders and said QUICK! we need an emergency exchange! Hermana Francis and Buxton quickly came to the rescue, and we left Hermana Jensen and Buxton home while Hermana Francis and I ran to the Castillos. We did a mock interview, which is basically we just told them all the answers to the questions they would ask in their real interview. And they were Perfect!

The day of the interview was equally crazy. It was a struggle getting them to the church, but we got them there! They were both so cute. They each have little side bags like sister missionaries, and cute little Linda took out her book of Mormon in the interview and was so excited. They said she did so good and it was one of the most amazing interviews. She is the sweetest.

Well we kept visiting them everyday, and on Friday night we were all ready. The girls were so excited, and to make the event even more special for the Hermana, we gave her skirts! some old skirts we had that we weren't using. She looked so good and so modest in them:) it was so sweet to see her face light up with our little act of kindness, and before we left we taught the girls the rainbow baptism song, because they wanted to sing their own baptism song.

Well then comes sunday. oh sunday. the big day. We show up to the Castillo's at 11:30 to help them get to church. The girls are all ready, they are just waiting, and the Hermana is getting out of the shower. Well then she comes out and says is the diaper bag ready? do the kids have their shoes on? that's it we're not going! I don't want to go, you're not getting baptized, forget it.

OOOOOHHH NOOO!!! stress emergency! we had to talk to her in a very soothing voice and it took a decent amount of shoe searching and diaper bag prepping, but we did it! We got them to church! (good thing too cause if they didn't go to church they couldn't get baptized!) they got to church, and it was all amazing. So so good. sheesh. Sundays are the most stressful days of missionary work I tell you what.

Well after church came the time. The baptism. oh man. Like I said it was a miracle the whole thing actually came together. We had a lot of help from all sides, and especially from padre celestial. But it came through! Probably not one of the most reverent baptisms I have ever been to, but I would say one of my favorites. The girls put on their white jumpers, and decided they looked like karate suits so they started doing karate. The little five year old kept wanting to swim in the font. Everyone got their late. The girls couldn't decide who they wanted to go first, they were standing outside the font saying no you go first, no you! haha. Then they all the sudden realized they needed to go potty. oh gee just everything was nuts. But the highlight of the whole thing: All the primary kids went up and sang the rainbow song. The two shining stars stood in the middle and sang with all their heart. It reminded me a lot of my baptism, and it was so special.

I love the castillos so much, and am so grateful for the chance I have had to work with them. Even though it was a lot of pain and heartache and work, it was so sweet in the end.

Well family, that is all I have this week. I love you so much!

Love,

Ness

iPads!!!

familia. spoiler alert. The email of today is not too long. and not too interesting. Well it was pretty interesting. and now it is not. first. Here is the big news. The California San Fernando mission is the next mission to get iPads!!!!! WOOOOO!!! We don't have them yet, but we get them next Friday!! How exciting! I'm not really sure all that that entails. I think we are going to start online proselyting, and other great things. I am not 100% sure on all the details, but i'll let you know next week.

Saddest news. I just read president's email and this is what it says:

"On a separate note, I have some disappointing news. I received a call from the Missionary Department that they have decided to postpone the rollout of iPads to our mission. It appears that there were some missionaries in another mission who decided not to follow the rules for the use of the mobile devices and used them inappropriately. The Missionary Department has decided to hold off on providing additional missions with mobile devices until they can review the situation and determine an appropriate path forward." 

wow. That just made me the saddest! Disobedience is the worst! it brings sadness to so many people! especially to me!! (and president hall, and the entire California San Fernando mission!!) and to the LORD! yikes. Just be obedient people.

In other more uplifting news, wasn't general conference just the most amazing thing on the whole planet! oh man. I was sad when it was over! Some talks that I really liked were the one from Jorg Klebbinger something I think was his name... where he talked about spiritual confidence. He was just so bold and told it like it was! I really loved that one a lot.

Another one that was probably one of my favorites was elder Bednar's talk about missionary work. Oh man he is great as well. I loved how he said "devoted disciples always have been and always will be valiant missionaries." the driving force behind everything we do is the love we have for our savior. If you all don't have a personal testimony of the savior and his atonement, I challenge you to obtain one. There were so many talks about revelation, and how we can obtain a testimony. I truly know that a sincere love of God and his commandments, an unshakeable testimony of the truth, are the only thing that will keep us safe in a world surrounded by the distractions and evils of the devil. I know that God lives and loves us, that Jesus Christ is our savior, and that he stands at the head of the church. His church has been restored, and it is guided today by living prophets. I know that living the gospel is the way to true happiness. And if you are not all truly happy, I invite you to reflect and think about changes you can make in your life.

I love you all and pray for you always.

Mucho amor

Hermana Watts

Meet The Mormons!

So familia. Here comes the drama story of the week. Member like two weeks ago when I told you about the crazy lady that came by at 1:30 in the morning? Well. She came back!!! Yeah so Tuesday morning bright and early she comes knocking on our neighbors window being a little too loud and saying many mean things. Well she is yelling at freddy through his window and he is like go away i am sleeping, and then she was getting really angry and yelling at him about a phone charger, and all that jazz. Well then she is banging on the window so so hard that it breaks!! ah! So yeah our neighbors are causing lots of drama. And people are not happy about it. But it makes our life interesting:)

umm what else happened this week? I really have no idea! we had Hermana Jensen's six week follow up, and it was basically the worst meeting ever because all of the new missionaries are there just so excited to have finished six weeks in the field. And for most of their trainers this is our last transfer, so it's like the last six weeks! AHHH! we all got together and had a nice little meltdown due to the quickened pace of time. I can't believe how fast time is going!

Well. In other news. This week we were super lucky! and we got a sneak peak preview of the movie meet the Mormons! We had a mission wide conference and we all got to watch it together in the chapel. Missionary movie night! hooray! If you haven't heard about the movie, go visit www.meetthemormons.com. Then watch the preview. Then you will know! Here are my thoughts on the movie:

I was just really impressed by the whole thing! it made me realize how great and worldwide the church really is.  It is not just a Utah Mormon thing. you know, typical Mormon families living in Utah with their typical lives the dad works 9-5 the wife is a stay at home mom and all that jazz. But I was super impressed with just how amazing the members of the church really are! They are so diverse. They live amazing lives. It just testified to me once again that this is not just a church. It’s the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is perfect, and good, and for everyone! And it all of God’s children deserve the opportunity to hear this glad message. It made me want to be a better missionary and to help the people understand the beauty and happiness that comes from living the gospel. I know this church is true, and I am so grateful to be a member and to experience all the blessing that come from living the restored gospel. I love being a Mormon!

Well so familia, I will leave you with two thoughts for the week. 1. Go see meet the Mormons! and 2.  Watch General conference! I am so so so excited for conference. It is such a blessing to be able to hear from prophets and apostles who receive revelation just for us!  Make sure to watch ALL the sessions! I want to hear all your thoughts and input! And that is all. Sorry the email is short. Lots to say, little time. But I love you all so much! have the best week!

Love Ness

picture: we are training the castillos to be future missionaries. Meet sister Linda y sister Kimberly:)