A SWEET ENDING TO A BITTER DAY

October 1, 2013

My Dearest Family,

So life has been a little NUTS this past week. I have so many stories and such little time. Here are the highlights:

As I told you last week I have been serving in a trio.  My companions are English speaking, but Sister Jones speaks Spanish. She was Spanish call, but never served Spanish. She took a few Spanish classes at BYU and then had language classes while in the MTC. Even though she has not served Spanish she has been able to remember what she learned. She goes home in 6 weeks, and her last transfer is in English too. Poor girl. But I think she's okay with it. She has been a huge help to me these past two weeks.

Transfers are tomorrow and I'm staying in Cudahy. Same area. I've just been living in a different apartment while I've been in the trio. So I'm going back to my old apartment and getting a new companion. Sister Walker. I hear she's a really good missionary, really nice and from Utah. I’m glad I’m staying, as I love the people in my area. I wasn't ready to leave them. Plus I really like my zone. I was super scared too because they told us that three companionships were losing their cars. Geographically we have a super small area so I was scared that they were going to put us on the bikes. But Heavenly Father loves me and we are keeping our car!!! Thank goodness!!! I am so blessed! I have used my bike - actually like four times. Ha ha. One day I'll probably need it! We might ride some if Sister Walker has a bike. I just don't like riding at night.

Wednesday night we were teaching a recent convert (just baptized last Sunday) in a park. This man on a bike comes up and starts asking questions about our "Bible Study." We were getting excited because no one ever comes up to us to ask questions!! Yeah not quite... The man started Bible bashing like no ones business and trying to prove us wrong and being super disrespectful (he very bluntly told us women should not be preaching to a man which one of my companion did not like). I was worried about E., the recent convert, and what he would think about the whole situation. But then E. did the something I was not expecting. He started to TESTIFY!!! E. claimed his membership to the church and testified of the things he knew were true. It was so great. Our bike man friend still tried to argue, but we shooed him off. E. was in awe that we deal with that kind of stuff. I was so proud of him. And then he bought us churros. It was a sweet ending to a bitter day.

Saturday we went and watched the General Relief Society Broadcast. I loved how everything was about covenant keeping! I strongly encourage anyone who didn't get the chance to watch it to do so. It was great.

Sunday I gave my first talk in SPANISH! I was so nervous. Plus, my companions and I went on splits. So they went to their YSA branch and I went to the Spanish Ward. My companion for the day was Sister Balbuena. She is the cutest thing ever and an angel to go with me. Then the best thing about Sunday.... R. CAME TO CHURCH!!!! R. is a less active that we have been working with my whole transfer in Cudahy. She's been a member for about four years but hasn't been to church in like a year. But she was there on SUNDAY!!!  And her whole family (her two daughters and son) were there as well. And M. was there again with her family. Love the Gospel and especially love people who are at church keeping their covenants. Then we were able to go to the departing missionary fireside. The fireside is for any missionary who is leaving the mission and going home. There are bittersweet. Its fun to hear all the missionaries testimonies, but sad to think they are leaving us. One sister from our Zone goes home to Samoa tomorrow. She has been an amazing example of a consecrated missionary and a hard worker. Members, investigators and missionaries (if they have an investigator) attend the fireside. So I was able to see a few families from my last area at the fireside. It was so fun!!! I really miss La Cienega sometimes.

Friday we also had the opportunity to hear from Elder Richards from the Seventy. It was a really great conference and I especially loved how he said, “we need to focus on the four essential truths: 1) Jesus Christ 2) The First Vision 3) The Book of Mormon 4) The Priesthood”. We need to make sure we have a testimony of these and we need to make sure our investigators understand them. I challenge all of you to make sure you have a testimony of all these truths. If not, pray and read your scriptures and go to church to strengthen your testimony.

LOVE YOU LOTS!

From Cali,

Hermana Mik Pillar 

P-day at the library.