Week Six -- Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Hey there! How is everyone doing??

SO sorry that I didn't let everyone know that with transfers p-day is on Tuesdays! and with Thanksgiving next week, p-day will be on Thursday :) not sure what time but at some point during the week. 

Well it's been an INCREDIBLE week here in ​Sacramento! I've been giddy to write home and tell you all! 

Starting on Monday, p-day and we went out to dinner with some members and their neighbor, Don. He's the one that we've done the sheep herding for. We went out for thai food, and sister p ordered for us in her language which was so cool. On Tuesday, we went out contacting some less active members in one of our areas and went to go see a potential investigator we had contacted a few months ago before I came here. We knocked on the door and the sweetest woman answered the door, when we told her that we had talked with her husband and son a few months ago she says, Oh! My sister is taking the lessons with you missionaries where she lives! She was going out of town for Thanksgiving but we plan to go back at the end of Nov early Dec to see if we can start working with Donna and her husband, Scott. 

Tuesday nights we have our lesson with Kirk and Colleen. Usually we have members with us but they weren't able to come with us this week, which was kind of a blessing because without them there they were able to tell us more concerning the addictions that they both struggle with. We knew that Kirk had a smoking problem, but we found out that he smokes at least a pack and a half a day...YIKES. And Colleen has a few addictions she struggles with as well. It doesn't look like Colleen's divorce will be able to go through for another few months, but we're trying to help them with these addictions now so that when the divorce is final, they can get married and then baptized ASAP.

While we were talking, I had the thought, we need to be fasting. So I suggested that we fast once a week for them. They loved the idea, so each Monday night and then until our dinner appointment Tuesday we will be fasting to help them with these addictions. In addition to fasting once a week, at 2 each afternoon, we stop whatever we're doing and say a prayer for them to give them the strength they need to continue to quit. We're thinking positive about the fasting and prayers...I personally don't feel like I've gained my own testimony on fasting so I'm looking forward to this experience with Kirk and Colleen. They are so wonderful, we love them so much. We've been reading Second Nephi with them, Kirk really loves the Book of Mormon and his testimony about it grows each week. So exciting

On Wednesday, I had the opportunity to go contacting at the local community college with Sister Garrido, we had so much fun. This isn't something the zone leaders let everyone do, so we're grateful that they let us have that experience. I'm feeling a lot better when it comes to contacting...not feeling so hesitant and nervous when it comes to talking with people about their beliefs and why we are out sharing the gospel. 

Over the past few days Sister P's tooth had been bothering her but on Friday she woke up saying I need to go to the dentist. We called the mission office and they said we could go to a dentist....we get there at 9 and she went back so that they could take an x-ray. The receptionist comes back up and says, well, it looks like your companion needs a root canal and a crown. So you'll be here for a while. I felt so bad! She had mentioned her tooth had been hurting but wanted to keep working, we didn't realize how serious it was. By the time she was done, she was completely out of it and so tired. The other sisters came so that I could go out and one stayed with Sister P while she rested. 

By the time we came back, Sister P was feeling a lot better and we went to teach our lesson with Henry, one of the less actives that we're working with. We meet each week with one of the families from the ward and study a chapter or two from the Book of Mormon or bible. He's very sweet, but likes to take things in his time and things his way, he doesn't like to be forced or rushed. But we're grateful he even lets us meet with him. Praying that he'll be ready to come back to church soon.

On Saturday, Sister Garrido got the stomach flu so Sister Line (her companion) and I went out while sister P stayed in with her. We went and visited some of their investigators that are getting baptized this coming Saturday. They're both a little...slow. But they are hilarious and I got to cut both of their hair! Oh man, I miss doing hair so much!! Then after our dinner appointment we switched, I stayed in with Sister Garrido where we laughed too hard and talked way too much ;) She's hilarious. 

Sunday morning, Sister P woke up with a cold and thought that maybe we shouldn't go to church but we decided it would be better to go. And we are SO GLAD we did! As we're waiting, two less-actives came!! Crystal with her two year old and Pam. Ah, we were so excited.

After sacrament meeting, we were getting up to go talk with both of them when an older man comes up to us with a younger man next to him. He says-I'm not kidding you family this is what he said: Hello Sisters. I'm Brother Mills, this is my co-worker Jeremy. We've talked about the church and he wants to meet with you more. Jeremy (the younger man, mid 30s) jumps in and says yes! Here's my address and my phone number...we just kind of stood there like, wait what?

It took us a few minutes to put all the pieces together but Brother Mills is a long-time member from Napa. He and Jeremy work together often but Jeremy lives in our area. They've worked together for several years and the church has come up over the years but I guess randomly a week ago, Jeremy had told Brother Mills that he needed some more spirituality and wanted to go to our church. So brother Mills drove the 75 miles allllll the way from Napa to bring Jeremy to our sacrament meeting. I had seen him come in, but knew that there was a baby blessing that same day and thought he was with that family.

He LOVED sacrament meeting. The stake YW and YM presidents talked on kindness and enduring to the end. They were both incredible talks, the YM president used the poem "the race" by D H Groberg  throughout the talk and it was so good. Look it up and read it if you haven't! As we were talking more with Jeremy he told us about his wife and daughter that's 9 months old. How amazing that there was a baby blessing the day he wants to come to our church, are you serious?? We're really excited. We meet with him this Thursday with one of the members and keeping his family in our prayers that they are prepared and ready to receive the message that we have and how it will bless their family.

We are so thankful for Brother Mills for being such a loving friend over the years to be an example to Jeremy as they've worked together and to drive all that way just to bring him to our sacrament meeting to meet us. So kind and so wonderful. 

I've been reading in the Book of Mosiah and two verses really stuck out to me this week as all of this was happening. Mosiah 7:33 and 8:18. When we put our complete faith and trust in Him, and in His timing, miracles will happen. We've been so blessed in the Ashton Park area this week, I'm just blown away. Heavenly Father is so aware of each of us and the different things that we are needing!

I am so thankful for everyone's prayers and love, I hope that you have the best week! 

Much love, 

Sister Allen