Monday, November 27, 2017

"Friendsgiving"

Hey everyone!!! Thanksgiving was so great and full of thanks:). We had a lot of fun adventures on Thanksgiving, and we ate a ton! We didn't want to eat at all on Friday because we were still full! This week really has not felt like Fall at all.... I know I talk about the weather a lot but it was so weird. Almost the whole week it was in the 90's! We were sweating so much it was crazy! It felt like summer time outside and kids were playing in the swimming pools. It was so weird! 

Some of the highlights from this week are, Tuesday we took a nap. I guess the reasoning for the nap isn't a highlight, but Hna. Dunn and I got really sick so we were quarantined to our apartment, but it is all good because we got feeling better really fast!

The next day we were able to go visit a part member family that we have been working with FOREVER!!!! The Hermano is not a member and everyone thinks he is because he is more active than most of the members, haha. He told us that he will be getting baptized soon, he can feel it. Whatever that means, but we are ready for the second he says ok and then we will baptize him the next day! That family is so sweet and I am looking forward to finally seeing him be baptized because I have known him since the beginning of my mission!

Now I want to talk about our Thanksgiving Day!!! It all started with an early District Meeting which was awesome, and we talked about being diligent. Then after the meeting was when all the craziness started! The Zone had planned to have a Zone lunch the very last minute, so they told everyone to just bring what they had in their apartments. Well, as missionaries we don't have a lot. So, we ate a ton of pie and soda, and it was pretty impressive. Hna. Dunn and I brought a lot of veggies and the Elders didn't even touch them. I thought it was so funny to see that the only people with veggies were the Sisters! After that we went over to the Escobar’s to help them cook all the food for their family Thanksgiving! It was so much fun and I even taught Hermana Escobar how to make mashed potatoes! After helping Hermana Escober we went back to our house we baked a lot of cookies for all the members in our area and delivered them with thank you cards:). Next, we a fun Thanksgiving dinner with the Familia Flores! It was really good and Hermana Flores' turkey was better than most American turkeys. After dinner we went back to the Escobar’s for pie and leftovers, hahaha! It was a very nice Thanksgiving!

To end this email, I wanted to talk about the "Light the World" video for Christmas this year!! It is great that they are going to be doing the same thing! I love it so much because we really can Light the World by doing good each and every day!!!! I invite all of you to go and check it out on mormon.org! Go and spread your light!!!! Love you all and have an amazing week!!

-Hermana Hadley





The San Fernando Zone for our Friendsgiving!!! 



Friendsgiving! <3



Our Zone Leaders cutting a ham that a member gave us!



We helped Hermana Escobar prepare her families Thanksgiving and I taught her how to make mashed potatoes. We went back to her house later for pie and leftovers! :) 



A wonderful Thanksgiving with the Familia Flores! <3



Hermana Dunn and Hermana Hadley enjoying their Thanksgiving!



The Latino's Turkeys has a kick to them! ;)



Got to have the Yams!




ICE CREAM TRUCK in November!!!



Ice cream with the Familia Ramirez! :)



So crazy it is over 90 degrees Thanksgiving weekend!



Hna. Dunn and I had cake with Lola for her Birthday!



Lola (Rafael's Mom) and Hermana Hadley
Rafael was one of my baptisms early this year.



More Birthday Party Fun!



Hermana Dunn, Lola and Hermana Hadley <3




Monday, November 20, 2017

"Surprise Baptisms"

Hey everyone! I hope you are all having a fun time getting ready for Thanksgiving! I love this time of year because everyone starts becoming nicer and nicer, haha! We have been sharing a lot of church videos this week about giving thanks to our Savior to get people in the mood for Thanksgiving! I had a lot happen this week so I am just going to list them:

1. We had Zone Conference this week! Hna Dunn and I were freaking out because we only have one more Zone Conference and then we go home, it was a little bitter sweet! We talked about church and helping our investigators understand the importance of the Sacrament! We also had the special opportunity of seeing this year’s Christmas initiative:). Everyone will really like it! It will be online this Friday:).

2. Hna Dunn and I managed to get all 4 tires on our car flat. We don't know how we did it but, we looked really funny trying to fill them all up, and calling our District Leader to ask him what number they needed to be at! They gave us a hard time for not knowing the number and we said we were sorry, but they didn't include that information in the "How to be a missionary booklet".

3. Road trip to Valencia because...... I HAD A SURPRISE BAPTISM!!!!!! This is actually a really cool story so be prepared. Once upon a time, a year ago, I helped reactivate and also baptize part of the Castillo Family up in Valencia. Brenda Castillo, was my first convert and was baptized on November 19, 2016. I got news that her nephew Paquito, who I also taught and reactivated was getting baptized! Paquito got baptized on November 18, 2017, almost exactly a year after his Aunt Brenda! I was so happy to be able to see all the people up there! It was so fun to do a road trip with 5 Hermanas, one was my past companion in Valencia, in the car to go up to this baptism! It was exciting!

4. Last little bit of news is that I found out yesterday, while watching the "Face to Face" with Elder Oaks and Elder Ballard, that one of my friends from high school got baptized 2 months ago! For anyone who was watching it, she was one of the host!!! It was great to see Eliza and also some more friends in the congregation because it was broadcast from Utah State University. I saw a ton of my college friends too! It was a wonderful “Face to Face” and I am so happy I was able to watch it!

Anyways, that is basically all that happened this week besides the fact that Hna Dunn and I have been sleeping on the couch and on an air mattress because our beds are terrible, haha. The mission is working on getting us some sort of pad so we can sleep! It has been fun though because we are having a campout every night in our living room! I hope everyone has an awesome Thanksgiving!

-Hermana Hadley 



Paquito's Baptism!!! Selfie with him and his little brother Mateo!
Brenda, my first convert a year ago is his Aunt!



Paquitos with his mother and little brother!



This is Josue, he was taught at the same time by Hermana Johnson and Talbert. They asked me to be in the picture because when I was in Valencia I played soccer with Josue a lot.



Road Trip to Valencia with the Hermanas!



We found a license plate that got us laughing pretty hard...Missionary Life :)




 These next pictures came from The CASF Mission Facebook Page of their Zone Conference

Mom Note: There are six zones in the CASF Mission. Zone Conference is a two day event in the mission. The first day is three of the zones and the next day the other half of the mission receives their training. 



San Fernando Zone



Doing what she loves <3!



All of these cute girls are Spanish Speaking Missionaries!



Would not be Zone Conference if they did not have Role Playing :)



Sister Henrie noting missionary definitions of what a "Lit" missionary looks like.




And this is their impressive conclusion!
(OYM Stands for Open Your Mouth)



Receiving instruction from President Henrie.