2/13, 2/21, and 2/27

2/13/12
Happy Valentine's Day loved ones! I hope that everyone's doing well. Things are good here in Folsom. My companion and I have been sick for several days now, but we were still able to see most of our investigators this week. Jessica is doing well. She's been investigating for a few months now but her husband just isn't on the same page as her so she doesn't want to move forward without him. We asked her husband to donate a service to the Young Women's Silent Auction this weekend (he used to be a pro golfer so we asked if he'd be willing to donate an hour-long golf lesson for people to bid on). He was way cool about it and even came to the silent auction with Jessica. We also got our ward mission leader to go over and have a chat with him and help resolve his concerns. I think we're moving in the right direction. Jo is doing great. We ended up having to move her baptism to Feb 24 because it turns out she's working on the 18th, but I'm just happy she's getting baptized at all. She made dinner for us a few nights ago and tried to teach me how to double crochet. I'm not very good, but I have big dreams. Also, my mission president is still on sick leave. He's recovering, but very slowly. I don't think he'll be back to the mission for another month or so. In the meantime, his counselor Pres Weston has taken over and is doing a great job. And that's pretty much my life in a nutshell. Transfers are next week and I am hoping to stay, but I'm sure it'll be fine whatever happens.



2/21/12
Hello loved ones! I'm out of time so here's a baby blog!

Transfer news: Sis Ratu and I are staying here together in Folsom for another transfer. I'm so glad I got to stay. I would have cried if they had transferred me out of here. I'm very attached to a few of my investigators. Jo is still on schedule for baptism this Friday, so please keep her in your thoughts and prayers. The ward has been awesome and many people are planning to come to the baptism. I'm so excited for her!! Here's to another great transfer!


2/27/12
Jo was baptized this Friday and it was the best baptism I've been to so far on my mission. So much love and participation from the ward. Jessica, the member who friendshipped Jo and invited her to church, had a major tragedy the day before Jo's baptism. I thought Jo might want to cancel, but her friend insisted on her going through with the baptism and even asked if she could bear her testimony at the service. It was amazing to see her at the baptism, looking heartbroken but so brave and faithful. She bore one of the most beautiful testimonies I've ever heard. Jo was so light and happy at her baptism and is excited to jump into membership in the church. I love her very much and I'm so lucky to have been a part of her conversion.

1/30/12

So Thursday I get a text from the zone leaders saying that we were having an emergency mission conference the next day. I was a little stressed about this because I had appointments I had to reschedule or cancel. I wondered what could possibly be important enough that they would need to see every missionary the very next day. So Friday, all 200 of us are in a chapel in Stockton together, and the assistants tell us all to stand, which we always do when the mission president enters. We stand up and look down the chapel aisle, where none other than JEFFERY R HOLLAND is making his way to the stand. It was so cool. Of all the apostles, it happens to be my favorite, Jeffery "The Bulldog" Holland as I like to call him. I was sitting in the second pew, so I was probably 10 feet away from him. He got up there and just gave a great talk in classic Holland fashion. He even yelled at us! "Don't you DARE even think about becoming inactive after your missions. THAT IS SIMPLY UNACCEPTABLE" he roared so loudly the mike squeaked.

It. Was. Awesome.

We all got to shake hands with him and talk with him briefly. It was so nice that he took the time to do that. It was one of the best days of my mission for sure.

Also, one of our investigators, a woman named Jo who I have come to love very much, has tentatively accepted Feb 18th as a baptismal date. I am so happy for her. I've loved teaching her and getting to know her. All in all things are going good here!