Monday, October 17, 2016

Is there any more meat on that?

How in the world do I describe such an amazing week? All right lets start with an exchange that I went on. This was one of the best days of my mission so far!!! First let me just say I was scared out of my pants for this exchange. Our Sister Training Leaders that we were exchanging with are English and don't know Spanish and I was the one staying in our area. So what did that mean?

1. I had to drive for the first time in crazy San Fernando California and that is scary all on its own.
2. I HAD TO SPEAK SPANISH THE WHOLE TIME ALL BY MYSELF!!!

Ya, no big deal, just only 5 weeks in the mission field with a companion who is fluent. So with this being said Hermana Carlson and I planned this exchange day like crazy! We made sure I was having dinner with people who also spoke English and had Spanish members come to the lessons we had scheduled so I wouldn't have to talk and teach the whole time. 

I will give you the play by play of what ACTUALLY went down on exchange day. First we did knock out which is where we pick a street and knock for 2 hours. It went good and we left knock out with a yoga ball and some other random stuff this lady was trying to get rid of.

Then we went to this awesome place called Salsa and Beer where one of our members Hermana Mexicano, yep that is her name, works and so she fed us dinner! It was sooooo good and a ton of food! Three words: Bacon Wrapped Shrimp. Dang there was a lot of meat... and more meat... we got fed plates and plates of just meat.  Next week I will send pictures because this week Hermana Mexicano didn't email them to me.

After the meat, we had a lesson scheduled with one of our investigators and we had a member set up to come and help me teach and then the member canceled.  So we even had a back up member to help me teach and they canceled. So guess who had to teach the whole lesson all by herself like a big girl to a family that knows zero English... ME!!!!  This was one of the most spiritual moments I have had on my mission so far! I testify to you that the gift of tongues is real! The lesson went amazing and we picked up her 17 year old son as a new investigator!

The next day once again all of the plans we had set up didn't work out so I sat down in front of our white board and prayed for direction. Three names came to my mind of people to go visit, two part-member family's we hadn't met yet and then one less active we didn't know.

For a quick run down of what happened through out the day I taught another lesson all in Spanish and then found a girl and taught her the first lesson and committed her to baptism with a specific date. Then went and taught the less active family and helped them realize how important going to church really is. We also picked up one other new investigator from a part member family. Miracles were in the air that day!

The amazing stories from this week didn't just end there! The best part was this last Saturday we went to go visit a referral that we had gotten from Church Headquarters. It was a self-referral that basically means they turned themselves in ;) and that they were interested in learning more about the gospel. So we picked up Hermana DeLeon, our Relief Society President, and went to go find them.

They are an amazing family that just moved from Peru 5 months ago! They have a 21 year old daughter, 15 year old son and a 9 year old son. After we taught the lesson we invited them to be baptized on November 19th and they agreed and THANKED us for inviting them to baptism!!! The Lord prepares the people!

Most of the family came to church this week and the others had work already scheduled but they are a golden family! I am so happy I get to be apart of teaching them! We had so many investigators at church this week that Hermana Carlson and I were running around like crazy while I played the piano for all three hours! That's what happens when you are the only one who knows how to play and they have the primary program next week. It was crazy! 

Sunday I was also asked to play the piano for a baptism for one of my district leaders investigators. This was one of the most sacred experiences I have had. I didn't know who the baptism was for but when I got there I realized what a special day this really was. The man who got baptized has been an investigator in the mission for a very long time. He has only some movement in his left hand and other than that he is totally paralyzed. The spirit was very tangible in that room. I am so blessed to have been apart of watching 4 worthy priesthood holders help this amazing man make this covenant with his Heavenly Father. 

Last little highlight, I found Charlie Brown fruit snacks at the store this week. It was probably the best moment of this week… I am kidding! The other stuff was at the very top but finding these fruit snacks were a pretty close 2nd. For those of you who know me really well you probably understand why finding these fruit snacks were the best thing ever!

Anyways I love you all!! This church is true and I know that without a doubt! I love this gospel!


- Hermana Hadley



Hermana Carlson and I, really LOVE this girl!



Baptism in Sherman Oaks that I was blessed to provide music for.