Tuesday, October 29, 2013

October 29, 2013 - The Big, Blue, Wet Thing!



FAMILY!!!
 
So last week for P-Day we went to the OCEAN. PEOPLE. IT IS HUGE. We went to these massive cliffs and resisted the temptation to jump in. It was beautiful! I live in the coolest place! SO that was a lovely P-Day activity. Definitely different from the Valley haha.
Speaking of lovely P-Day activities, I WENT TO THE TEMPLE FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE APRIL AND IT IS THE BEST THING EVER!!!!  I cried the whole time. That new presentation is powerful. I just sat there smiling the whole time, I was so happy! I thought a lot about you guys and all I could think of was, "Man. Families are great. I am glad this place let's me be with them for eternity."
 
I can't get over how fast time is flying! Let it be announced that my birthday month is about to fall upon us. But in all seriousness I can't believe Thursday is Halloween!  I feel like it should be June. The weather here is beautiful-65 degrees and sunny. Not suffering.
 
This week flew and it seems like we were on our feet for all of it! I love being on a bike-which is a lot easier to ride in a skirt than it looks, let it be known. I'm starting to get a hang of where everything is in this area and how the ward works with the missionaries. I love this ward!! The bishop is hilarious and he gives a lot of support to the missionaries. Our ward mission leader, Hermano Espinosa, is on fire! He is super passionate about the work and is really on top of it. It's cool to work with someone who understands and is excited about the hastening and the urgency of the work. There are 8 missionaries serving in this one ward, and at first I was like "this is waaaay too many missionaries." But the more I am here, the more I realize how much they are needed! The ward is handing out referrals right and left and there is SO much work to be done!! It makes me so happy. We wake up every morning, study, and just go. We take 15 minutes for lunch and dinner and then we're out again. I am loving it. I love coming home completely whipped and exhausted. There are a lot of missionaries in Chula Vista (there are 2 zones, Chula Spanish and Chula English) so everywhere you look, you see black tags. It's so cool, the mutual support we feel from one another. I've always loved big groups of people, and here it definitely feels like an army.
 
Hermana Kelemen is awesome! It's really fun to be with someone from my MTC district. There wasn't an awkward "get to know you" week and we just jumped straight into the work. Our teaching styles are waaaaay different, but somehow it really works and we've taught some really cool lessons as a result. She's been in this area for 3 transfers so she really loves it and knows it well. I'm learning a whole new way of teaching from her and it's been a blast to see how our two styles of teaching can come together into something totally different. I love her a ton!
 
We are teaching a lot more investigators than I am used too, so that's been a blast. Antonio has a date set for next Thursday!!  He's super solid. He gave up coffee in 4 days and is so prepared. Teaching him is really interesting. For some reason, neither mine nor Hermana Kelemen's Spanish is super great in those lessons. We're always fumbling over words and teaching things really simply. But the spirit works through him so strong!! We explain a principle really simply, then he sits there and thinks about it, and then he says "so what you're saying is...."and then launches off for the next 5 minutes about the principle using details we never taught him!!! Watching the spirit work through him is incredible, I've never seen anything quite like it. It a huge testimony builder for me, knowing that we are simply the mouthpieces. And sometimes not even that. At times we are simply the people who presents the idea and then lets Heavenly Father take care of the rest. OH MY SHOOT DANG IT IS THE BEST THING EVER.
 
It was the primary program last Sunday. I cried the whole time. Being on a mission has turned me into a SAP.
 
Then Anna and Socorro are our other progressing investigators. Anna is the mom of the ward mission leader in another English ward, but would rather attend the Spanish ward so that's why we are teaching her. Anna doesn't realize how much she has changed and how much she has progressed. Actually, Soccoro and Antonio are the same. They don't realize how different their countenances are! I know I've only been here a short time, but man. They are different. I wish they could just see how much the Gospel has changed them. Antonio actually texted us the other night about his baptism. He said he had some doubts because he didn't feel like he was worthy to be baptized or start this journey. We talked about John the Baptist in the bible, and how he didn't feel worthy either to baptize Christ. But he did anyway-because he knew it was right. Then we talked about the tender mercy that followed-the Holy Ghost being manifested in the form of a dove. The Holy Ghost being present is significant in that event in the Bible, but I also think it was a small sign to John that said "You did good. You did what was right." We need to walk with faith, knowing that the way is right, never needing signs to encourage us, but rejoicing in the tender mercies that say "You're doing good. You're doing what is right.".
 
Pray for Antonio, that he will know that this is right, and that he will have the strength to take that leap of faith!!
 
I love you all so much. I hope you realize how incredibly important you are to me!! I feel your prayers daily!
 
Hermana Hess

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

October 22, 2013 - CHULA VISTA!

FAMILIA!!!
 
WOOF. This week was the absolutely craziest week of the mission thus far. Tuesday (the day we found out about transfers) was definitely the hardest day of my mission. We went around saying goodbye to investigators and some members and I just stood there and cried. Many, many tears were shed. The Valley became my home and the people became members of my family-I never expected it to hurt that bad to leave. A member family drove from El Centro to visit here to go shopping and they took me and my companion out to dinner yesterday and I was SO EXCITED  to see them again-even if it was just a week ago that I left. I feel like I changed and grew a lot there and it will forever occupy a huge part of me. So Tuesday and Wednesday morning were a little rough....I remember driving out of the Valley and feeling like I left my heart there. But more on that later.
 
So I went from the Desert, to the Promised Land!!! I'm serving here in Chula Vista, yet another border town (I just can't seem to get away from them...) so we are right next to Tijuana. When you think of what San Diego looks like, that's what Chula is. It's absolutely beautiful!! The ocean is RIGHT THERE. It's super green and there are trees everywhere and it's right on the coast (so completely opposite from my last area.). We are lucky that we are so close to the border that there are a lot of Spanish people to teach so it's really easy to find people. There are 4 companionships in my ward and it's split down the middle with elders and sisters-all of whom are incredible missionaries so I'm stoked to learn from them. Here is a fun fact for ya-did you know that this area is the only area in the mission that has sisters on bikes? Now you do! I'm using the bike of the sister who just left the area so no worries there. I LOVE IT!!! It's so much easier to contact people and talk to them! The knees are holding up beautifully, so I'm hoping that being on a bike will strengthen them instead of kill 'em. Chula is 100% different than the Valley. It just goes by a lot faster here and the work is more intense-we have more investigators and more people to visit. I think that's such a cool thing about being on a bike-we talk to so many more people. The challenge is discerning who is prepared to listen to the message, and it's a challenge that I do NOT mind having. The people are so kind here-we went up to a person outside their house who was working on the yard and asked her if there was anything we could do for her, and she started off being really negative and mean. When we drove off, she ran up and told us how sorry she was for being so rude and that she's just not used to people asking if there was anything we could do for her. All the people we've talked too have seemed really interested as well. It's the craziest...Our ward is so incredible! Every auxiliary position is filled! WE HAVE 5 WARD MISSIONARIES!! Where in the world am I?! I think the weirdest part is that I'm in one of the wards that "The District" (the training video for missionaries) was filmed in so I'm meeting all the families that they taught on the show. I can only think "OH MY GOSH YOU'RE FAMOUS" in those lessons....
 
Our apartment has hardwood floors, it's 70 degrees everyday, and we now get mail every week instead of 2 times a month. I am not suffering.
 
My companion's name is Hermana Kelemen-we were in the same district in the MTC!! It was a really smooth transition with her, probably because we knew each other before and had a good relationship. She is a rockstar missionary and I'm already learning a ton from her. She teaches a lot differently then I do and so it's good to blend our styles together and see how that works.
 
I mentioned before how I felt like I left my heart in the Valley. I still feel that way, but Heavenly Father works miracles on His missionaries. I can feel my heart getting bigger every day as I meet the people here. The love that I have for the Valley will never diminish and I'm glad it doesn't have to, because there isn't a limit for the love the Heavenly Father has for His children. It just gets bigger. I'm working on concentrating on this area, putting away the pictures and the memories of the Valley and focusing on why I am here. This is my area now and it deserves a lot of heart. Sometimes I still get sad when I think about how long it will be before I see "my" people again from there, but then I meet another investigator or member here, and I am reminded of why I am here in Chula. What a good life. Man, Heavenly Father is perfect.
 
I really do love you all, and I hope you can feel it. Be happy, know that I am well and my birthday is next month:) I'll send pictures next week!!!
 
Hermana Hess

October 15, 2013 - Transfer #6

Aaaaannnnddddddd......
 
She's leaving the Valley:(
 
We got the transfer call this morning and I cried haha. I guess when you're in an area for 7 months it kind of becomes your home. I wanted to leave so bad last transfer and now, when I want to stay so bad, I'm gone. I'm super excited though! I'm ready to be stretched in new ways and it's going to be a crazy new adventure. We leave for San Diego tomorrow morning where I'll meet my new comp and head out to wherever they'll send me! But today, I'm sad. One of our members took us out to breakfast and said "Whoa. I think I'm actually going to miss a sister missionary!" Cue the waterworks. I feel like I did what I needed to do here, and that above all is the most incredible feeling.
 
But this week was crazy! A member gave us a referral for her friend who is looking for a religion to join (her words...) so we went a few nights ago. We knocked on his door and some random lady opened it and there was a super intense bible study going on. People were wearing veils. And speaking in tongues.....haha so we were like "uhhhh, can we come back tomorrow?!". He invited us to come back the next day and it was such a cool lesson!! Easily one of my favorite lesson's we've ever taught. His name is Raoul and he definitely did his homework. He had a ton of really awesome questions and it was so cool to be able to answer every single one of them! The spirit was really strong. After a 45 minute question/answer sesh he just sits there for a minute and says "....ALRIGHT. I liked all these answers. You passed the test. Come see me next week!"....OK! It was awesome because this week we weren't able to see a lot of our investigators, for some reason no one was home and we got buffed a lot. So that lesson was a major tender mercy. Also, they fed us the best fish tacos I've ever had in my life. WHAT A BLESSING.
 
Wanna know what isn't a really good food? Goat. Goat isn't really delicious. Tongue is better than goat.
 
We were at the local community college the other day and we had a booth with a bunch of information about the church. One of the other sisters brought her ukulele so we just chilled and jammed on the uke to primary songs....it was bliss. We contacted a deaf guy! Thank you mom for teaching us the alphabet in sign language!! It was actually really cool. He poured over all of the pamphlets we gave him. There are only 2 ASL companionship's in the mission and they're all in San Diego but they have video chat so we set up a meeting with them!!
 
Our ward is doing alright...well. It's kind of falling apart. All of the auxiliary leaders have kinda given up and they're moving to the English wards in El Centro. We went to visit them this week and they said they're just tired, so it's been rough. They're having a meeting with the stake presidency this next week about putting missionaries in the auxiliary positions because there really are no members. It's been discouraging. These people have such intense testimonies, but there unfortunately isn't a lot of love in the ward. That's another reason why I'm sad to leave. I CAN LOVE YOU! We just got a new rule in the mission that we can't leave our area-which is interesting for us in the Valley. We live in El Centro but our ward is in Calexico. We have a ton of single ladies that the elders can't teach over there, so we don't know what to do. We went to a less active's house the other day, and when we told her we couldn't see her anymore she said that she refuses to have elders come to her home....So keep Damarys in your prayers.
 
Cool moment of the week: It was fast and testimony meeting last Sunday and our bishop stood up to bear his testimony. He had his 7 year old grandson with him who only speaks English, and when he bore his testimony he said "I want to bear my testimony in English so my grandson can understand". I cried the whole friggin time....I don't know where it came from, but since I've been on the mission I have never appreciated more the power and spirit that kids have. It was cool to see our very stern bishop soften up and look straight into his grandsons eyes and bear a simple yet powerful testimony.
Pictures: A member (Hector Martinez!) took us out for breakfast this morning. He calls me "Hermana Shout.". He's one of my favorite members! And the other is of the street where that cool investigator Raoul lives! 
 

I've said it once and I'll say it again. It feels good to be doing the Lord's work. It feels really, really good. I've learned so much these past 7 months in the Valley, but I think the biggest thing I've learned is how much I still need to learn haha. But that feels good, too. At times it's frustrating when you see the road ahead of you and you think "OOOOH man, I've got a loooong way to go." But then Heavenly Father gives you a little taste of who He needs you to be, and then you go "OK. I can do this. It's worth it.". It really is worth it. His plan is so much greater than what we understand-and when we realize that, it really does't matter what we don't understand.
 
I love you all, with all my heart!! Have a great week!!!! 
 
Hermana Hess 


Tuesday, October 8, 2013

October 8, 2013 - CONFERENCE!!!!

 
Let me just say that on behalf of all missionaries around the world that CONFERENCE IS AND WILL FOREVER BE AS MAGICAL AS CHRISTMAS.
 
 
MAN Conference was the best!! All the missionaries in my zone got together and watched it at the Family History Center in El Centro-it was super cool to be in a room with only missionaries listening to the words of a prophet. It was like the Superbowl-everyone brought snacks and drinks and we placed bets on how many times the Law of Chastity was going to be mentioned. I don't even know if I had a favorite. I loved Uchtdorf's and Eyring's and Dube's and Gifford's and Oak's and Bednar's...But in all reality, that conference was way inspired and powerful, probably one of the most powerful ones I've seen. I can't decide if that's because I'm a missionary or what haha.
 
 
This week was crazy fast-I can't believe it's already the last week of the transfer! It freaking FLEW. But it was a good one! At the beginning of last week me and Sister Oliver really wanted to teach more lessons focused on the Restoration-we concentrated our efforts in finding more people and having a lot more Restoration lessons with our members and Less-Actives. I've been on my mission 8 months and still the most powerful spirit I have ever felt is when we recite the first vision. There is seriously no denying the power and spirit in the room every time we recount Joseph Smith's words. It just feels good; feeling the spirit as a literal and physical force running through your veins. I love all the lessons we teach, but the Joseph Smith story will probably always be my favorite.
 
 
The other day we contacted and taught a Jehovah's witness! BUCKET LIST OF LIFE? CHECK. She was actually really nice and we had a good conversation. We shared the Restoration with her and after she just said "Well, y'all are nice girls, but I just disagree with all of it. Have a nice day! Don't come back!" SO that was a bit of a bummer, but the J-DUBS are all over the place here and I've always wanted to teach one. Aw yeah!
 
 
Oh  my gosh the Rocha boys are doing great!!! We taught them the first half of the Plan of Salvation and they were smiling the whole time!! The mom was there too and she was just beaming. We talked about prayer at the end and when we invited them to pray every night on their knees, the mom just goes "OH YES THEY WILL! I'll remind them every night. You can count on it!". I wanted to hug her. Man that family is so prepared! The boys just have an awesome desire to make the right choice, and they bring up baptism every time we go over. Christian, one of the twins, said the closing prayer and he said "Heavenly Father, this is breast cancer month. Please bless that they will find a cure before 2030 or twenty-one-zero-zero. Also, thanks for giving us the chance to make the choice to come down here to earth and I'm excited for what comes next". He's a champ!!
 
 
There is a less-active in our ward named Liliana and we are teaching her non-member husband. They're some of the coolest people we know! He at first was really hesitant to us coming over, but after a few weeks he really warmed up. The other day he just went on about the goodness of the people he met who belonged to this church. He had nothing bad to say. It made me really grateful for the good examples of other people. Too often we meet with people who say that they see Mormons drinking and smoking and using crude language, so it was really nice to meet someone who has noticed the good of others. People really do see the example of their LDS neighbors, whether they be good or bad. It's so hard when people don't want to meet with us because of one bad experience with another member. So I'm so grateful to those who are stalwart in their example, it's far more powerful than any words we can say.
 
 
Today we went to a place called Salvation Mountain-basically a huge man-made mountain that a religious zealot spent 20 years making. I seriously can't describe it-but it was way cool!! Also, the other picture is of me with a member who makes me call her "Abuelita" and then makes me swear that I will never call any other lady I meet on my mission that. She's hilarious.
 
 
Another quote of the week: "My wife is very angry with me....pray for her.". When we ask if "there's anything we can do for people" I never expect that....
 
 
 
I loved President Monson's last closing remarks...."Be kind." It's simple, but at the same time hard. I've seen a lot of families not go to church because someone said an unkind word. People don't come back to the Gospel because of one word. They are denied blessings of the church because they are hurt. If it's one thing I have come to really dislike on my mission, it's people being blatantly mean. Spirits have been broken as a result and it's heartbreaking to watch, and it unfortunately happens a lot. SO be kind. You're saving souls doing so.
 
 
I love you all incredibly! Have an awesome week!!
Hermana Hess


Tuesday, October 1, 2013

October 1, 2013 - Baby Goats

The family we live with decided to become the adoptive parents of a herd of goats, so on Wednesday we spent a few minutes playing with goats. Not sure why....Anyway they decided they didn't like them so they gave em back and now I have a rather large and unsettling hole in my heart from the absence of farm animals in my life.
 
 
This week was so good! We didn't teach as much as we ususally do but we did a ton of service which felt really good. I never thought mopping a floor or cleaning blinds would make me this happy. Missions do weird things to you haha. We've been talking as a district about how to help our ward become stronger and more supportive towards one another and we all felt that service was the way to go. I can't tell you how many miracles we have seen this week only because we decided to skip a dinner hour and bring food to another family. It's the simple things that really make the biggest impression, and I wish it didn't take me this long to realize that haha.
 
 
IS OUR HOUSE UNDERWATER?! Geez that's so crazy!! A member mentioned something about the flood and she said Colorado is falling apart "because you all smoke marijuana". I seriously could not stop laughing!!! When I told her that my family is from there she said "Good because I bet they are the only people who don't smoke the drugs. They are keeping Colorado alive". So way to go, family. You're saving the state.
 
 
We are teaching this part member family with a 16, 14, and two 12 year old boys. The 12 year olds absolutely love the gospel and whenever we go they say, "I want to be baptized!". The mom is a member but she hasn't been for years. It's been really cool to see the sons be an example to the mom and see her face light up whenever we talk about the Gospel. They were going to San Diego this weekend and when the kids found out they started to cry because "I wanted to go to church so bad!!!". Amazing!!! So keep the Rocha family in your prayers!!!!
 
 
Quote of the week. We were talking about prophets and general conference to the Silva family and when we asked the dad what is the difference between him and President Monson, he simply said "Nothing. We are children of God". Yep...
 
 
So we've been teaching these kids for about 3 weeks now and they're baptismal date is set for next week! In this mission it's a rule that investigators need to attend church 3 times before they can be baptized. Their parents don't have a car so we have to ask members to give them rides. The thing is, our bishop doesn't allow us missionaries to ask members for rides for investigators for fear of them becoming too dependent. We were super bummed...We had to call them on Sunday morning and say that they couldn't come to church because no one could give them a ride, which was the worst. So we were sitting in the chapel right before it starts, and all of a sudden the kids walk in! Their less-active cousin that they live with took it upon herself to call a friend and ask for a ride. I was speechless. It was a great lesson in faith...It's been so long without member support that I started to lose faith in the people, which I shouldn't have done. It was a good little "slap in the face" miracle that I needed. We need to have faith in our Savior, but we should also have faith in people and trust that Heavenly Father's hand is everywhere.
 
 
Man I love my mission. I was thinking about the past 8 months and I can't believe just how much they've impacted me. It's been the toughest yet happiest 8 months of my entire life, and I can't get over how blessed I am to be here! It feels so good to belong to something, knowing that you are a part of something that is led by a coach who can't lose. We just need to make sure that we are worthy to play the game and lose ourselves on the field. So read your scriptures. Go to church. Realize that seminary is the best thing to happen to 14-18 year olds. Pay attention. Don't be dumb:)
 
 
I'm praying for the Aggies this week with all that my soul possesses.
Love you all so much!!!!! More than you realize.
Hermana Hess