dreams do come true!!! AGAIN!!!

Hey family! What's good? so here is the deal. About 5 months ago I had a way stellar email about how all my dreams were coming true and I got to be with my dream companion. Well awesome news the dream team is REUNITED!!!!! It is SOOO good to be back with Hermana Barnes. She is just my favorite. It's been fun to see how much we've grown, and all the new things we have learned. She is just my best friend!

here are some of the adventures we have had together:

well first we are on bike. I mean stop everything that in itself is a dream come true!!! I've wanted to be on bike my whole mission!!! It was a little rough in the beginning. especially cause I don't know anything about bikes! but it's okay, my bike (the beast) and I have settle our differences and decided to be friends. And also the guy at the bike shop is an angel and fixed my bike for free! (how was I supposed to know how to put the tire on correctly? I'm just a white girl!)

The next awesome adventure is every single day in our area! It's a missionaries dream! its super paisa (latina) and the people here are so so nice! I love Mexicans way more than white people. wait did I say that out loud? sorry America I take it back!  But for real. They are just SO nice! this one lady I just barely met invited us into her home and made us enchiladas! Almost everyone we see offers us water. And even when the people reject us I still feel way good about myself! I love it!

Another way way fun thing we did was we got to walk to church with a caravan of teenage girls! haha it was like a little parade! picture attached. the girls are all way awesome. they are the only members in their families, but they still come every week without fail!

We made a drunk man cry! We have an investigator named Beto, who is a big time alcoholic. We just met him last week and we shared a scripture and he was in tears just saying "I want to change! You have to help me!! I know you two will be my angels." 

We got to do this way fun service! we were trailblazers! (that's people who make trails right?) cause that's what we did! we made trails! holy tolito it was so hot and super hard manual labor, and I was for SURE feelin It the next day. But it was so so so much fun! now I am an expert ground tiller, and I can use a mccloud like no ones business.

but out of all the fun and all the adventures, we have seen so many miracles. I am so happy to be in this area. It is so amazing the people her are just amazing. I am so excited for all the adventures we are going to have in this area, and all the lord has in store for us.

Well honey lovers, I miss you and love you! Besitos!

Love Ness

Our Miracle Family

Hey my sweet family. I have wonderful stories for this week. So listen.

 

Once upon a time there was a missionary who was just having a hard time. She was working really hard, and not seeing the fruits of her labors. For the purpose of our story we'll call her Hermana Watts, because that's her name. So this Hermana Watts is getting discouraged. With herself, with the work, with her investigators that seemed to be so cool and just aren't progressing. She just can't seem to figure out what she is doing wrong. but then she reads a scripture in Mosiah 23:21-22

 21 Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith.
 22 Nevertheless—whosoever putteth his trust in him the same shall be lifted up at the last day. Yea, and thus it was with this people.
So this little Hermana does the only thing she can do. She prays. She puts every last little ounce of trust she has in the lord. Her and her sweet Japanese companion begin to pray that they will find the elect. The people really searching for the gospel. Not only that, but that the will find a family.
So what happens with this cute little companionship of downtrodden hermanas? The Lord says I think I will bless them with a miracle. I think they're ready. And along came Lyneth.

Lyneth is a referral we received. So Miracle #1 we never ever receive referrals. So we schedule an appointment with her, and we go and teach her. She is absolutely amazing. She doesn't have a religious background, but believes in God and Jesus Christ. She has been looking for a church. So we get to know her, and right as we are about to say the opening prayer Miracle #2 her husband comes home. and instead of being very against missionaries like some spouses tend to be, he sits down with us, and says oh yeah I went to the Mormon school in Mexico. I almost was baptized but my mom wouldn't let me. WHAT? So we teach them the message of the restoration. Miracle #3 We were able to teach the perfect lesson perfectly tailored to their needs, and they loved it. The spirit felt was incredible. We set a return cita for the next day. Miracle #4 they were actually HOME for the return appointment. Miracle #5 her two sons were also home, and so we taught them as well. We taught them all about the book of Mormon, and they all promised to read it. Miracle #6 when we went back the next day Lyneth had read more than her assigned reading. She read right past the introduction and through all of the testimonies! miracle #7 Lyneth came to church. miracle #8 she brought her whole family! Our miracle family of 4! miracle #9 Lyneth and her family came super late, but for some strange reason, the Obispo decided to have all the youth get up and bear their testimonies BEFORE the sacrament, so the sacrament started late and our miracle family didn't miss a minute of the best part of the meeting:) Miracle #10 Lyneth wants to be baptized:)
I know God hears and answers prayers. I know he is mindful of us. Lyneth was an answer to our prayers. She is an elect. Not only did he bless us with the opportunity to teach an elect, he blessed us with a family to teach. I know trials strengthen us, and I am so grateful for the blessing that comes from each trial of our faith. I love you all so much! Keep being wonderful, and pushing through your trials, because there are great blessings in store.
Love Ness

WattsX2

Hey Fam! What's new? So get this. In this zone of mine we have two Hermana Watts. How cute. And I just happen to be her sister training leader, so logically, we are going to have to go on exchanges! And what does that mean? WATTS X 2 (or watts squared whichever you prefer...) It was a blast! We introduced ourselves all day "hey we're the Hermanas Watts" or "Hi nice to meet you my name is sister Watts.... my name is also sister watts". People were just all sorts of confused! One investigator, cute Mayra asked us, are all the misioneras going to be called Watts now? ha. Too fun.

 

Lets see what else happened this week. Well we had a great Mission Leadership council with president Hall, where we learned how to teach better. I tell you the gospel is so amazing and I am learning so much about it every day. But it's so hard to teach! okay false, it's hard to teach it simply! I just want to tell everyone everything I know, but that just doesn't go down well. And then you have to factor in teaching with a companion, and then of course the spirit is the real teacher, why should we even worry about teaching? yikes. The struggles of teaching the beautiful gospel. I'll be good at it one day, just you wait!

 

Lesson that I learned this week, is that if you invite people on the street to come tour the chapel it is not a great finding activity. No one came to our church tour... :( I know saddest days. Except! our atheist investigator Carlos. he is the sweetest. He knows basically everything about the gospel, he just can't feel that it's true. So everyone, Pray that Carlos Can feel the spirit!!

 

okay yeah my time is gone, love you lots and be good and happy!!!

 

Love, Ness

"It was the load"

Hey Fam. what's new? Well. The email today won't be too long, because to be honest this week was kinda hard! I don't have any crazy stories, no incredible miracles occurred, it was just a rough week in the life of a missionary. Had exchanges with Hermana McGlothin, and then Hermana Larsen. two great hermanas. We are teaching an atheist, and that's fun, and then last they were filming a movie right by our house Friday night, and they crashed a bus on the corner of our street. So I guess that was pretty cool.

 

But something I have learned a lot this week, is about trials. Why we have them, and how amazing they are to us. Really trials our a vital part of our mortal journey. God gives us trials and burdens to help us learn how to depend upon the atonement. I love the talk by Elder Bednar from this conference "Bear Up Their Burdens with Ease". I invite you all to read it. he says "We are not and never need be alone. We can press forward in our daily lives with heavenly help. Through the Savior’s Atonement we can receive capacity and 'strength beyond [our] own.'" One thing I have been learning is that we can receive so much strength through the atonement of Jesus Christ. We don't need to carry our load alone. The savior is our constant companion, and he has done everything possible to help us live with heavenly father again. I am so grateful for trials. I am so grateful for my savior. I know this gospel is true, and I love my calling as a missionary.

 

Thanks for all your love and support. I love you with all my heart!

 

Love,

Ness

Happy Mothers Day!

Dear Fam. Okay here is the run down of the week. So here is what happened. I don't really remember.

-We had a cinco de mayo party last week, and it was so fun! got a paisa piñata and everything! Super fun.

 

-Our investigator Mayra taught us how to make enchiladas!

 

-ummm we aren't on bike anymore. So no more worrying mom ;)

 

-We taught he COOLEST homeless man. well first he was a referral, so all it said was Benjamin, go to the park on magnolia and Tujunga by the Amelia earnheart statue at 4. So we did. And we taught this super cool guy, who is from Honduras and has only been in the US for 10 months. He is homeless yes, but so cool! He even accepted the invitation to be baptized june 1st! The only problem is after that day we lost him. We spent the end of the week knocking on every homeless persons shoulder trying to find him. no luck.

 

-we found 13 new investigators this week. UH yeah that was crazy unreal. We actually taught this family of four girls on Monday, and they are all super sweet! We'll see what happens there.

 

-We are learning how to teach simply, and I is so awesome. I am finally coming to really understand the gospel, and know what it really is to be converted.

 

-We had two exchanges this week. One with Hermana Blacker, and it was super fun. She is just a hoot and I love her. All our plans fell through and it was a terrible day, but she is just so good and down for anything.

 

-Exchanges with Hermana Simpson did NOT go as well. Hermana Simpson is going into law. Nuff said. She is an excellent missionary, it's just super intimidating to be her leader! AH

 

-The last thing that was maybe my most favorite part was the opportunity to talk to my sweet family. If there are two things I know to be true, it is that God gave us families because he loves us. Families are so important and I love my family with all my heart. And the second thing is that the gospel blesses families. This gospels changes lives. It makes bad men good and good men better. When we apply the teaching of the gospel in our families we can have so much joy and success in our homes. I testify this gospel is true. I love it with all my heart. I love you all so much, have a wonderful week.

 

Love Ness

 

p.s. sometime during this crazy week I hit my 1 year mark! ah crazy!

Story time

Hey Family what's new? Okay so I am just going to play story time with you this week, and tell you about my favorite little investigator Andres.

 

So we had a lesson with them on Friday. Well we were running a little late, and by the time we got there Andres is sleeping on the couch! Dangit! so Hermana Umana gives us cheesecake while we wait for him to wake up. About five minutes later, he comes rolling off the couch like a grizzly waking up from hibernation. And so we teach the plan of salvation to him, and he was absolutely hilarious! we invited him to be baptized on June 15th with another little girl in the ward, and he said, "no then my water will be cold!"

somewhere during the middle of the lesson we were talking more about his baptism, and he just says "I just want my water to be warm."

He is so the cutest little honey ever! hands down my favorite investigator. Him and his cute mom Maria. They are the sweetest. Maria even memorized the scripture and gave it during relief society! they are just a golden little family!

 

We have another awesome investigator named Victor. He surprised us this week by being AWESOME! so we invited him to church and all that jazz. Well come sunday morning we call him and text him and he is just not answering. Dangit Victor! Well we go to church and sit by our sweet Golden family, and all of the sudden who do we see in the back row? VICTOR! so I think I really have come to learn never to give up on people. They will surprise  you. The people who really want this gospel won't need a lot of pushing from the missionaries. They will make it happen.

 

The last and saddest news is that Hermana Barnes is getting transferred. To BIKE! that lucky lady... (not the transferred part. the bike!) but. I am going to miss her a lot. It's been an amazing three months. Its probably safe to say she has been my favorite companion. She has just helped me grow so much, and become a better missionary. It has been really refreshing not to have to worry about companionship drama or anything, and just focus on missionary work. I have seen the area blossom, the people change, but most of all I have seen the change in me. I am grateful for every life that has touched mine for the better. I only hope to be able to touch others lives and help them become better people as well. I love you all so much! Have an amazing week.

 

Love,

Ness  

 

Oh. Other things we did this week you might want to know.

Fed a homeless man a sandwich

Died in the super hot 100 degree weather.

Had awesome zone conference with president (p.s. we totally won the cleanest car award! yay!)

and accidentally drove out of the mission! (again!)

Bike Week!

okay, so here is the deal. Sometimes I get really bored doing the same thing every day, so I have to think of fun ideas to get me excited about life. Well. Here was the latest. Bike Week! It's like shark week, except without the ocean, or the sharks, and instead of a whole week we only went three days.... but other than that exactly like shark week.

 

So we rode bikes this week. and. it. was. so. FUN!!!! (sorry I didn't tell you about my genius idea mom ;)) why have I never been on bike my whole mission! It is the funnest thing I ever knew! Except we are super sweaty and look nasty and people probably think we are crazy riding bikes in skirts! haha but let me tell you, it was just a hoot! our first day on bike we rode 18 miles! we may or may not have had trouble on the way home... Hermana Barnes chain was being a sissy and kept breaking, but this very friendly skateboarder with the mouth of a sailor ended up helping us out! cute him. What a miracle.

 

okay enough about bike adventures, I will tell you some cool story adventures. So we are teaching this mom and son, Maria y Andres. My favorite little family. Well we were at the church Tuesday night talking to sweet Andres, and we asked him how his reading in the book of Mormon was going. He said good I'm already in 2nd nephi like 25! so we read with him 2nd nephi 25:26, and it ends by saying "that their children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins." and cute little Andres just looks at us and says "speaking of sins, I think i'd like to be baptized." WHAT!!

 

okay so we say "well why do you want to be baptized andres?"

and he says "I just want to be clean from all my sins"

"Well what kind of sins do you have Andres?"

"well, sometimes I tell lies. One time I told my teacher there was a zombie in our classroom. I think I just want to be clean of all my sins and have a fresh new life."

Stop everything he is the cutest honey I ever knew!! We're going to get him baptized!!! (hopefully. Pray his older brother can have a soft heart)

 

And last my favorite thing ever, my sweet investigator Martin from Burbank was baptized yesterday. We got to go, and it was so special. It was especially amazing because Hermana Barnes and I taught him his very first lesson in February when we were on exchanges. He is our little miracle we found together, and now he has made covenants with heavenly father that will change his life forever. I am so grateful for this gospel. So grateful to be a missionary. I love every single day of it. I can't believe it's almost been a year! It's so crazy how fast the time goes. I love you all and miss you, but there is no place I would rather be than here in California serving the Lord. I love you! Have a great week!