I love Moreno Valley!
This has been an awesome week! But before I get into that, I want to say thanks
to Omie and Papa, Noel, and Maddy, Tenley D, Tenley and Aspen for the letters!
Sister Mullen has
created a blog for the mission!! The website is downbythecaliforniariverside.blogspot.com!
So to give a little
background about my new area... I'm in the Lasselle ward. We are on bikes and
the area we cover is quite a bit bigger than the one in Mira Loma! We are the
only missionaries in the ward. We live in a really nice apartment building!
It's weird not being in a homeshare. Especially since there's no piano :( but
it is nice not having to share everything with another family! Missionaries
haven't been staying in this apartment for very long so it's still pretty
clean! And I'm going to keep it that way! I've heard stories of what
"real" missionary apartments are like.. I'm not excited for them! The
ward here is awesome! All the members I have met so far have been extremely
nice!
Elder Justice is my
new companion! He's from Berryville, Virginia and he has been out for 21
months! He goes home at the end of this transfer! He's super fun! We get along
really well! I can't really describe his personality.. He's just really goofy
and a little bit awkward, but in a good way! He also drinks a lot of milk! He's
gone through about two and a half gallons since I've been here! He's also really tall!
I got used to feeling like a giant around Elder Bangerter, and now I feel
really short around Elder Justice!
I was pretty sad last
Sunday, because Alfredo and Maria weren't home so I didn't get to say goodbye..
But on our way out to Moreno Valley, I saw Maria out working in her yard and we
stopped by so that I could say bye to her. That was probably the hardest
goodbye I had! She started crying and kept thanking me for bringing Christ into
her home and family! That's why I love being a missionary! Seeing how the
gospel of Christ changes people's lives for the better!
I'm really excited to
be in the Lasselle ward, though! Elder Justice has only been in the ward for
about a month and he goes home in 5 weeks. Hhis last companion, Elder Hughes,
went home last week. So the area has been falling apart a little bit. Not that
they are bad missionaries, but they're both so close to going home, they just
didn't bother updating the area book, organizing the ward list, etc.. So that's
what I have spent all of my free time doing! I'm still not 100% unpacked just
because I've been trying to get everything organized! But I like a challenge so
this is going to be a great transfer!
On Tuesday, we went to
visit a less active member, Sister Osburn. We sat down and got to know her a
little bit better. She has had a really rough past. She is trying really hard
to come back to church so she can become temple worthy. She has a really strong
belief in the Atonement! It was amazing to hear her bear her testimony about
it! While we were talking to her, she told us how she has made a lot of really
good friends in the ward, she said that she is so close to one sister that
they've gotten to the point where they "finish each other's
sandwiches"! Haha I think she had been watching too much Frozen with her
granddaughter!!
Speaking of Frozen, on
Thursday night, we were helping at a Relief Society activity. They asked us to
go help out in the nursery... I'm not sure why... But they had Frozen playing
and it was SO hard not to watch! I tried, though!
We are teaching a guy
named Omar. He's in his 20s and his aunt/uncle, the Smiths, are members of the
ward. They were baptized about two years ago. His aunt is an amazing artist and
she draws the picture for the sacrament program cover each week! Anyways, Omar
is living with the Smith's and is trying to turn his life around. It's a little
difficult to teach him because he has a hard time focusing and retaining
information. We're working on super simplifying everything we teach. He wants
to get baptized so hopefully we can help him start to understand the gospel a
little bit better!
Yesterday at church,
there was a lady there that nobody knew and we didn't recognize so we went to
go introduce ourselves. Apparently she is a member! Her name is Anna and she is
24. She was going to college in Utah and was baptized there about 2 years ago.
She moved back here and is staying with her family. They are super against the
church! Her family is moving soon and they won't tell her where they are going.
They gave her a P.O. box if she needs to get ahold of them.. It's really sad!
We have an appointment with her tonight and we are bringing one of our recent
converts with us for fellowship!
Last night we were
going to contact a referral from the Wilson family. We went to the Wilson's
home before and asked if Sis. Wilson would come with us to her neighbors home.
She came and knocked on the door but they weren't home! Instead of going back
to her house, Sis. Wilson marches across the street and introduces herself to
the people that are out in the yard and tells them all about the church. They
weren't interested! Most people would probably give up and send us on our way
at this point, but not Sister Wilson! She takes us to her other neighbors home
who she has been working on sharing the gospel with for 20 years! She knocks on
that door and asks if we can come and have a lesson with her! Haha it was so
awesome! The members here are amazing! The lady's name was Eleanor. She's 87
and has studied about every religion that you can think of. She has a hard time
believing Joseph Smith because he was just a man. She feels that since she is
so close to the end of her life she doesn't want to get started in some false
religion. But there is a lot of potential! She told us we could come back and
visit her and keep teaching her!
Well I can't think of
what else I can write about.. I love you all and miss you all a lot!!!
Lots of love,
Elder Warren
Alfredo's Dog
Cole & Marie
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