Bitter & Sweet

Buenos dias!!! Como estan? Como le fue con su semana? Ojala que todo esta bien con ustedes!

This week was such a good week!!!!! Remember how last week wasn't? Yeah, that didn't last long! I feel like so much has happened so I will try my best to tell you everything and not just jump around all crazy-like.

To start out, we had our mission conference this past Tuesday! It. Was. POURING. Rain. Seriously, the roads were super dangerous and a lot of people don't know how to drive in the rain so we had to be extra careful. We felt terrible because during that conference we had Representatives from Salt Lake City putting in the new TIWI units into our cars. The TIWI is this little black box on our windshield that watches our driving. If we are going faster than the speed limit a loud voice says "CHECK YOUR SPEED!" Talk about mini heart attacks! You then have 6 seconds to slow down or you will get a mark on your driving report. It is also programmed to make sure that you are doing dumb things. I feel like that is the best way to describe it. It can tell if you are going too fast around corners, if you catch air in the car, that you are wearing your seat-belt etc. Now we are really good drivers! But the reps had to stay outside in the pouring rain and put those in.

Other than that the conference was really good! We talked a lot about working with members, and working harder, with more faith, to achieve our goals. I really liked the conference and I always feel the spirit!

This week we also went on exchanges. I went to Rialto with Hermana Lutu. Have I talked about her before? I think so. Either way, she is amazing. She is honestly my best friend here in the mission and this exchange was something that we both needed. She started crying in the morning about the stress of training, fixing an area where missionaries had been super disobedient, etc, and then we went out and had an amazing day of teaching, and then I broke down later that night as we talked about the mission. I didn't realize how deeply my feelings of inadequacy, and failure were rooted into my heart. I guess that most of the time I just feel like I am failing the Lord. Hermana Lutu was perfect and said exactly what I needed to hear. Since we have served around each other our whole missions it helps that we know what the other person has gone through this whole time. It was just really good!

I thought this was hilarious. While we were on exchanges we tried to visit this investigator but his wife wasn't home so we couldn't go in. However, this little girl darts out of the apartment and gives me a big hug while saying "Hello! My name is Daisy!" Then... she darted back inside and quickly as she had come... I wanted to say "Hey! Me too!" 

This week we had the most amazing street contact in the history of street contacts. We had an impression to go visit a referral, who is NEVER home, and we had to park around the corner and walk a little bit to get there. When we parked their was this girl sitting on a little fence, she was probably about 18, hipster/goth mix, smoking, etc. We decided to go and talk to her. When we started to introduce ourselves she said that she new who we were and that the missionaries stopped by every Thursday to talk to her sister. She started to tell us how her sister was recently baptized and that her mom was a member when she started to sob. Literally sob. It was so sad! She went on to explain that her mom died a month ago, that they were now living with their aunt, and that she was really struggling. We talked to her about the Book of Mormon, which she has seen help her sister during this time, and talked about how Christ understands. She accepted a Book of Mormon and said that she would listen to the missionaries the next day. When we stopped by to check up on her she was doing so much better and was planning on going to church. God really does prepare the way!

Last thing, sorry this is so long!!!! This past week all of the missionaries in our ward decided to fast for 2 of our investigators. In the end only 4 of 6 did it but the outcome was amazing. While we were all fasting yesterday.... miracles happened. I have never seen the church so full in my LIFE! There wasn't enough room for everyone to fit. We had a ton of investigators there, and a TON of less actives, members decided to bring their friends, etc. It was the best sacrament meeting in the whole world. I have never had such a strong testimony that fasting brings blessings. Usually, to be perfectly honest, I just fast because I know I should, this past week I truly saw the difference. The Lord can honestly work Miracles but sometimes he waits for us to truly sacrifice until He will give us the blessings. I realized that if we hadn't had such a bad week last week we wouldn't have been able to feel the extreme joy that we felt yesterday when we were able to see the blessings from our labor. I felt like Ammon in Alma 26, I just wanted to praise God for His mercy that he is always giving us. It was amazing.

Thank you so much for reading all of this... and for your prayers in my behalf. I can feel them strengthening me and changing my life and the lives of those we are teaching. I love and pray for you all! Have a wonderful week!!!

Love,

Hermana Morey

P.S. Melissa and Marisol are getting baptized either October 3rd or 10th!!! Miracles!!!!

Testifying of Christ

Buenos Dias!!!

Hello my dear family and friends! How are you doing on this lovely September morning? I hope that you all enjoyed your labor day and that you got to rest a little bit! 

This week was good. I honestly can't really remember what happened. It all seems like a blur. How does that even happen? You live through each moment but when you go back to remember it... it is just a blur. Oh well! I can tell you what I do remember!

This week we worked really really hard. Aileen had a baptismal date for the 19th and we realized that she had kind of forgotten about it. We had an AMAZING lesson with her by going through the baptismal interview questions, answering any questions that she had, and helping her realize that she is in fact ready. She told us that she knows that everything that we talk about is true. She knows it! She said that she also would get baptized but she is still worried about what her extended family and friends will think. It is hard because her 15 year old sister said that she won't talk to her again if she does get baptized etc. we know that isn't true but I don't think that Aileen realizes that. She said that she wanted a little more time to pray about it by herself and that she would let us know. We realized that she meant that she wanted to talk to her sister but we bore our testimonies and left. The next day, Sunday, she didn't come to church. I was so extremely sad. We had dinner with her family and when we asked why she didn't come she said that she didn't want to. That was when her mom saved everything. Her mom is a recent convert and it is usually hard to have lessons with her there because she can talk! However, her mom just finally stood up and said "Which hour of the church is the most important." Both girls started to think and one said the 2nd hour and the other said the 3rd. The mom just said NO and then proceeded to talk about the importance of the sacrament, all that Christ did for us, how He only asks a little of us, etc. It. was. amazing. I couldn't believe it. It was PERFECT! We still don't know when she will get baptized but now we know that her mom will help her understand the why behind it.

On Saturday night we had a lesson with Marisol and Melissa at their friend Maggie's house. We had pizza and watched Meet the Mormons while her brother made us homemade cookies and cream ice cream. It was such a good lesson and Marisol and Melissa understood a lot more about what we believe and what we sacrifice as missionaries to be here teaching them. It went really well but then they also didn't come to church on Sunday. we still haven't figured out why but we will see them tonight. Why does Satan work so hard on the best people?!?!

This week was really hard because Satan really attacked me on feeling like the worst missionary in the world. I felt like a failure and at one point I even was just praying and felt that instead of being an instrument for God to work through that I was just a hindrance. It was super hard. Then when nobody came to church it just made everything worse. However, as we went about our day yesterday litterally the only things we taught were about Jesus Christ, the Atonement, etc. I realized that is what we do as missionaries. We testify of Christ. All of the lessons are good, but the most important thing is Christ. He is why we are baptized, why we take the sacrament, why we read the Book of Mormon. As I realized that an overwhelming sense of peace just filled my whole body. Even though I am so extremly far from perfect, He chose ME to be here right now, in Fontana California, being His representative. He knows my weaknesses but he will make them strengths and I keep working hard to be better. I hope that is something that you can all realize as well. Heavenly loves us even though we make mistakes. He just invites us to come unto him so that we can overcome these weaknesses. I am so grateful for the humbling experiences on my mission because that is when I feel the most that I am relying on my savior and am becoming who God wants me to be.

Sorry for the little rant. The mission is still good! We start going on exchanges this coming week so I will let you know how that goes! I feel like an STL (sister training leader) is just a normal missionary who goes on more exchanges. :) I am excited to learn from these sisters and try to help them as well.

I hope that you have an amazing week! I love you and am sending prayers your way. Please let me know if I can do anything for you!!!

Love,

Hermanita Morey

Labor Day

Hello family and friends!!

This week has been crazy busy!! It all started with a call last Sunday from the APs. They called to let us know that not only would we be staying together but that we would be the new Sister training leaders!! We couldn't believe it. We are the first Spanish STLs In Over seven months. We are in charge of the Northern Spanish sisters and it should be really fun! Then we had the mission conference in Monday, wow. That conference was Amazing! I felt the spirit so strongly and was left with such a desire to do better with all aspects of missionary work. One thing that Elder Gaye talked about that I loved was mobilizing all missionaries. He talked about how we aren't the only missionaries in our area but that the members are as well and that we have to activate them. We have been working hard but we need ideas. What would personally help,you to want to do missionary work?

We don't want to be annoying, we just want to help people understand!

This week was also a good week with investigators. On Sunday Aileen, Marisol, and Melissa all came to church..... Not only that..... But they all came fasting for an answer to their prayers. We had amazing lessons with them this past week and they all chose to fast. It really was so amazing to know that they sincerely want an answers to their prayers.

On another note, we got 2 dinners 2 days in a row. I was so extremely full!! You know when you feel so full that you just think that you might die? Yeah. That happened 3 days in a row. Good thing it was fast Sunday! I wasn't even hungry! Speaking of fast Sunday... I was sitting in sacrament meeting when I had the feeling that I needed to go up and bear my testimony. I have never felt that in my life! I ignored it and said not today. Then Hermana Buttars turns to me and says that she had a feeling that we needed to go and bear our testimonies... Oh dear. I knew I was in trouble at that point. But we gathered up all of our courage and went up and bore our testimonies. I was still so nervous.

It went well though and my Spanish worked... Miracles!! Then after we went another elder went up to share his testimony. Afterward he said that he had the feeling to go up there but ignored  it until he saw us go up there. Then he could only think about how scared we must have been up there trying to speak in Spanish and since it is his first language he should be willing to go up there without fear. I thought that was a really cool story.

Thank you so much for everything that you are all doing for me. I love you all so very much! I hope that you have an amazing week and know that I am praying for you daily!!!

Love,

Hermana Morey

Saturday P-Day

Buenos dias mi familia! Como estan?

It feels REALLY weird to be having a p-day on a Saturday... first off, it feels like we JUST had one, and also, it actually feels like a Saturday. For example, we got up and cleaned the apartment. We all just feel a little off. 

I wish I could tell you that I knew what was happening with transfers but I have no idea! We won't find out until Monday and if I get moved I will have been there for about a week by the time I write home. However, I am hoping to stay here with Hermana Buttars! She honestly is the best companion in the world.

This week went by pretty quickly but I think that a lot of things still happened! Last week I talked a little bit about Marisol and Melisa. They are still my favorite. When we stopped by to see them this week we taught the restoration and they loved it. We asked them to read the 1st chapter of the Book of Mormon and not only did they read it by themselves, but they read it together, discussed it, and wrote down questions. They are perfect. On Thursday we had an appointment with their parents but the dad, the member, wasn't there. Usually the mom doesn't invite us in if he isn't there but she invited us in and talked to us. She told us that she really wanted a church to go to on Sundays, her family to be centered on God, and the peace of the spirit in their home. We did a how to begin teaching lesson with her to explain our purpose as missionaries and what we teach and she got really excited. She loves the fact that we are teaching her daughters as well. So now we will teach the daughters in English on one day and the mom in Spanish another day.

 Yesterday we taught Melissa and Marisol the Plan of Salvation and they got really excited to know that there is actually a purpose to this life! I realized just how sad this life would be if we didn't know that there was a purpose for all of this. Thanks to my wonderful family I have known about my purpose my whole life! I have always understood that when we go through hard times it is to help us become better, I have understood that Jesus Christ died for me so that I can live with God again.... how many people don't know that?! It made me so extremely happy to be able to share that message with them and help them see how God loves them so much that he created a plan for them. I just wish I could go and teach every single person this wonderful message. I am trying my best but I just need to wait and find the prepared people. :) I am learning so much!!!

These past couple weeks I have really been studying a lot about the Sacrament. I know why we take it, but I realized that I didn't really understand it. I was reading in the scriptures, old conference talks, etc to find anything I could about it. It has been an amazing experience for me to be able to understand the sacrament better in my life. I don't know if you remember the talk "The Sacrament and the Atonement" by Elder James Hamula but that talk really changed my understanding of the Sacrament and made it so much more real in my life. It has shown me what it means and why it is so important. It was a really cool experience. It also taught me that when we don't understand something, we can actually study it out! That is how the Lord can answer our questions. I had been praying about it and then He guided me to the answers. The sacrament is important in our lives. It is vital that we take it every week so that we not only have the opportunity to repent, but to be clean. It makes me so sad that some people deny themselves of the opportunity to take the sacrament because they are offended by someone's actions. We don't go to church just to socialize... but to become better, become clean, and serve. 

This week was a really good week. I love looking back on the mission and seeing how much I have grown. Before I knew the gospel, now because of the things that I am experiencing, I understand the Gospel. I can apply it a lot more in my life because I understand why these things are so important. I hope that each and every one of you have time to remember, and understand why these things are important to you.

I hope that you have an amazing week! Thank you so much for the package and the really cute shirt!!!!

I love you all so very much!

Love,

Hermanita Morey 

UPDATE: We found out that this transfer she and her companion were named the new Sister Training Leaders!

"Umm say hello to the brand new Sister Training Leaders!! First Spanish STLs in 7 months!"