Trials and Tribulations Always Lead to Miracles

MTC Companion Reunion

I'm walking on the edge of darkness

There is beauty all around - even in the desert!

Leaving the mission for a little field trip.  (Don't worry, we got permission)

No car for the Trunk or Treat?  No problem.  We just made our own.

We got bored while we waited for the baptismal font to fill up...

...for this baptism.  These are all the missionaries who taught this new sister.  (Sister E is brand new to the area and two elders are missing, though.)

Me with the Bacon girls

Sister C with her companion, me and Sister E

Hello Family! Friends! And all you other random citizens! 

Sister H and I found these "antelope antlers" out in the desert

Trials and Tribulations Always Lead to Miracles

Although I have had a hard time with this concept I know that it is true.  I know the Lord gives us really really really hard things where we want to give up, and go home, but then there will be a tender mercy, and I want to hit myself for thinking God left me.  He will never leave us.  We might leave him, and forget how much he loves us, but he will NEVER forget us.  I love the Gospel.  I love that I have this opportunity to share it with others.  I love that I have the needed support from my family, and the family that I have gotten here in this ward in Hesperia.  Thanks for all the letters of encouragement, and love that I got this week.  I really needed them.

Alright, now to the cool part of the week.  I was not on a bike for a WHOLE DAY! and I hated it.  The day was great, but I hated being in a cat.  haha, awkward, meant car.  But it was nice not having to use a ton of energy to get from one place to another, but there were so many people that we could have talked with, but didn't because it would be kinda awkward to pull a car over just to talk with someone... So, we just drove on by.  I really was grateful that I was able to get a break from being on bikes, but I really missed Gideon Moroni.  It was nice to be reunited with him.  I also learned a lot from Sister H.  She is such a great Sister Missionary.  I really could tell that she was in the work 100%.  It was nice to be with her for a day, and to get to know her better.

1.Funniest things done: While I was on exchanges, Sister H and I came across this pack of dogs... They surrounded the car, and we literally could not go anywhere.  Never fear, because we were in a truck. But they wouldn't move, and Sister H didn't want to run them over.  We would start to move forward, and then they would surround us again, causing us to be stuck.  It was pretty funny, because we were both kinda laughing, but kinda scared we were going to kill a dog.  We thought they were gone, so she started to go, and then we hear them barking, and we were like a yard or two away from hitting them.  We finally got them to leave us alone, and that is how I was surrounded by a pack of dogs that were on crack.

2.Biggest Blessing: SETTING TWO BAPTISMAL DATES WITH OUR INVESTIGATORS! December 20th, better come quick.  It was actually a really cool experience.  We were praying about what date to set, and when Sister E and I were both talking, we both got the answer that December 20th, was the day the Lord knows they will be ready.  I am so excited, and we know it is going to be hard, but that it will all be worth it in the end.
3.Latest project:  Trying to focus on having the Members help us with Missionary Work. Sister M and I didn't really rely on them that much, but we have been asked by President H to really work with them, so that is what Sister E and I are really focusing on.

4.Most exciting events: Setting that Baptismal Dates. Samantha, the Elder's Investigator, but she fed us ALL the time, so I have a huge amount of love for her. I got to see Sister P (MTC comp), Sister M (trainer), and Sister S (moon's trainer) at Samantha's Baptism.  It was awesome! We left the Mission.  Yup, I am a rebel.  We actually had to receive all this permission from people, and I think from Salt Lake as well, but we had to go to the Kaiser Hospital for Sister E. (She is okay)  We had our Ward Halloween Party/Trunk or Treat.  The Elders and us, were the "official" Chili Cook-Off Judges.  It was grand.  

5.Favorite game: With Sister H: Who can make the weirdest faces while eating Jelly Beans.  She is an overall champion at it.
6.Favorite Foods: Homemade Tacos.  Homemade Tortillas.  Yeah, it is SOOO good.  I know why the Lord didn't send me to a Hispanic Cultured Mission: I WOULD ONLY EAT! No missionary work would happen, unless REAL Mexican food was there.
7.Most challenging thing:  Trying to figure out why the Lord allows bad things to happen to good people.  I have yet to figure this one out, but I know the Lord has a plan.  There were a lot of people that had bad things happen to them this week, and they are all good people.  
8. Simple Pleasures:When people recognize us as Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and not just "Mormon Missionaries".
9.Goals: Be more Positive when things seem to be spiraling out of control.  That should help to have a better week.
10.Biggest smile: When I saw two pieces of bacon walking around the Ward Halloween Party, and thought of Kristin and Addie, and their odd obsession with Bacon.  I got a picture with them in your honor.  They got them from Amazon.  You should look into getting them.
11.Biggest accomplishment:  Getting Two Member Present Lessons, the day of the lessons.  The members that we had planned on bringing bailed, but our ward is awesome.  They really stepped up, and helped us out.  

12. Worst food: Her mom deleted this in case someone's feelings might get hurt.
13. Amount of Miles Biked: 59 Miles.  We really biked a lot.  I am so close to reaching 1000 miles on that bike. Speaking of biking, do I have a funny story for you all.  See story later.

14: Favorite Quote: "You really need to get a car rack for the back of your bikes."- Sister C.  We were talking about how we could use a car to get to our area, and then we would be 100% fine with just biking all day.  Sister C found the most "perfect" solution, and then after she told us, we all busted up laughing.  It was great.

Okay, so that was the week in review.  A lot more happened, but never fear, because I have some time left before I gotta get off. 

CRAZY AWESOME BIKE STORY: Okay, so the other night we are biking home.  There is a LOT of sand randomly in the road.  If you are not paying attention, your back wheel or your front wheel will go crazy, and you will end up almost crashing... Well... Bike crash number two happened this week.  It was pretty hilarious.  This is what happened.... 

We were biking along in the dark.  We have lights, cause it is the law, and we are law abiding citizens here in Hesperia.  So the light informs me of a patch of  sand in the road... I had the phone in one hand and was going to call the Elders, for something about the ward, so we are going along and I hit this patch of sand, right when I hear a DEEP voice, "Hello" it was the Elders.  And it scared me to death! I didn't realize that it had started to call them.  I had only one hand on the handlebars, and when the sand and my tires hit each other, and I got all startled from the voice on the phone it went a little crazy... I tried to brake but didn't want to use the front ones, cause I didn't want to fly over the handlebars, so being the "smart" me that I am, I crossed over, and tried to use the back brakes... yeah, not smart... I went to the left, hit a root of a tree, and proceeded to slide in the sand.  ALL WHILE LAUGHING SOOO HARD! I didn't get hurt, except for a small scratch on my leg.  I quickly hung up, and laid there dying of laughter.  It was great.  Gideon Moroni has some sand in the gear changer on the handle bars, but nothing a little compressed air won't change.  Yeah, so add that to my list of bike wrecks, and mission awkwardness.  We called the Elders later, and they thought we were trying to be funny, and then realized that I had wrecked, and then they didn't believe I was fine, but I totally was 100% fine.

I feel like a lot of really crazy things happened this week, and I know that I probably missed a ton of them, but I will write them to you if I remember.  Yeah, all depends if I remember.

The Church is true.  The Prophet is still called of God.  The Book of Mormon is for us today.  Yeah, all of that is still true my friends.

I love you all so much! I am doing the best I can, but it gets hard, so pray for us here in Arrowhead.  We need all the prayers we can get.