June 25, 2013 - Is Our House on Fire?

OH HEEEEYYYY!!!

 

So how much of Colorado has been reduced to ashes and soot? Has all of FoCo been destroyed except for the temple grounds? I think that would be fun. More people would attend church if that happened.

 

How is everyone!? How is the summer going?! Did everyone watch the huge WWLT broadcast and weep as a child like I did?! WASN'T THAT THE COOLEST THING YOU'VE EVER SEEN?! Man we all got so pumped as we watched that!! It never fails to amaze me how the bretheren are always so spot on. I am so stoked to see what is going to happen with the work, especially in regards to member missionaries. I have a HUGE testimony of how important members are to the work. The last couple of weeks we have been visiting all of the members in our ward and telling them how integral they are to our success, and how we really can't do it without them so we are hoping and praying that they got the opportunity to watch the broadcast. Really though, we literally can't do it without the member's help!! I'm not sure how or when all the changes will be implemented here in San Diego, but I'm sure we will be getting all of that information soon.

 

I freaked when I saw all those missionaries singing in the choir! I saw a friend from USU singing so that was super cool. Being a missionary is THE BEST.

 

Quote that describes this week: "The pure love of Christ is the most awesome, incredible, STRESSFUL FEELING ON THE ENTIRE PLANET."

 

This week was frustrating and stressful and miracle-filled. We are 98% sure that one of our investigators (with a baptisimal date, mind you) got deported, so that was a lovely realization haha.

 

There are now 4 spanish missionaries working in El Centro (us and the new elders), both working for different wards. The stake president basically told us that they want to strengthen Imperial (which is the OTHER ward-it has spanish translation), so we are super confused about our work. We basically have to ask every single investigator we have if they want to attend the ward here in the same city, or 25 minutes away in Calexico (our ward). Of course everyone has been choosing the Imperial ward because it's closer and no one has money for gas, so our work has shrunk significantly. It's frustrating when we work so hard, and we have to give all of our investigators, who are getting SO CLOSE to a baptisimal date, to the other elders:( so it's been a rough week saying goodbye and handing over these people that we love so much. Our stake president's advice was "be flexible".....deep breaths, Sister Hess, deep breaths....

 

I sang "I know that my Redeemer Lives" at a baptism this week (made 'em cry). I didn't realize how much I missed singing for other people! I'm singing "Lead Kindly Light" in our ward on Sunday-which is awesome because we can now guilt trip our investigators to come to church:) JUST KIDDING.

 

A couple of days ago we met these 2 guys on the corner of a street and started to talk to them. They seemed super interested but didn't give us their address when we asked if we could come teach them. So we set a return appointment to meet them at the same corner the next day. They buffed us so we were pretty bummed:( but yesterday we were on our way to contact a referral and when we pulled up to the house we both had a very distinct impression that we shouldn't knock on the door. So we began to drive off, and when we exited the neighborhood we saw the same 2 guys we met before on the corner! We started to talk to them and shared the Restoration. They both seemed super stoked and said they would pray and come to church!! The only problem was I'm pretty sure they were flying higher than a kite and one of them was in the middle of a drug deal when we were talking. Whatevs. I consider it a massive miracle!

 

I have been studying A LOT about the Plan of Salvation this week, especially concerning eternal perspective. Literally all we do, all we teach all comes back to the POS. The coolest thing we do as missionaries, is that we teach the Crucified Christ (like Paul says to the Corinthians). We realize that the wounded Christ is the captain of our souls. We understand His glory and perfection, but we preach Him crucifed-why else would He choose to keep the prints on His hands and feet? We teach the Christ who suffered for us, and by knowing that we know the glorious and eternal plan that Heavenly Father has for us. The plan that we chose to accept. Cool, huh? This gospel is the bomb.

 

We started to teach a man yesterday and set a return appointment for Friday. He then replied "Well, looks like Jimmy's not getting drunk this Friday!"....He's well on his way to living the Word of Wisdom! What a blessing....

 

I love you all! I hope that the fires aren't getting too close and that all is well. Life is good here in the Valley! Hard, but so good. We continue to call it "Miracle Valley" and I am blessed to be able  to see all the tender mercies we have been given!

 

LOVE YOU SOOOOO MUCH!

 

Hermana Hess 

June 18, 2013 - Pizza Rolls!

Last Wednesday, we all drove to San Diego, I had a trainer meeting where President said that "the calling of a trainer is one of the most trusted in the church, you make or break this persons mission (no pressure), I picked up my trainee, bought her some lunch, we visited 3 people, and then we bought 130 pizza rolls.

This has been the craziest week of the mission yet!! Transfer meeting was like it always is-a game show. Our mission president began by saying that "Many big changes will be coming to the California San Diego Mission in the next upcoming months" which got us all excited, and then he said that nothing super big would be announced this month....THANKS PRESIDENT YOU'RE THE BEST. My trainer went up to Poway and I got my brand-new greenie! Her name is Hermana Oliver and she is incredible! She has so much energy and isn't afraid to work hard. We both have similar personalities so we have laughed A LOT this past week!! She came armed with amazing ideas and she is seriously up for anything. She is fearless. We're a good team:) Honestly, she is the biggest answer to prayer! Training is one of the hardest, most stressful, most rewarding things I have ever done in my life haha. It's all about her, and it's all about the Lord. There is literally no time to think about anything else. I've spent many hours on my knees in conversation with Heavenly Father, because I cannot do this without His help. But it's amazing-we work so hard! I've never worked so hard ever and it feels just so good to come home totally whipped.

At the last transfer they added a new spanish companionship to El Centro. Before we covered the entire city, now we only cover about a third of it. It stinks because they will be working with another ward in the stake (the english one with spanish translation) so we'll basically be fighting for investigators. We met up with the new elders yesterday and basically gave them half of our area book:(. The stake president basically said that he wants to build up the spanish community in El Centro, which means Calexico (our ward) is  going to dry up. not happy about it. We lost a lot of the people we are working with as a result, so we are trying to get creative with finding people. It's been nice to have a companion with fresh eyes and fresh ideas, though! So that part of the week wasn't fun. People are getting less and less receptive to the message around here but we're still working hard. There has been a lot of effort put into this week, that is for sure.

One of the miracles I have seen since becoming a trainer-holy crap I can speak spanish. HELLO GIFT OF TONGUES, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN. It's super weird having someone ask you what things mean and being able to reply....i feel like i'm still the one who should be asking questions haha. My companion doesn't speak a lick of it haha. I definitely don't understand all of what people are saying, but enough to reply and know what they need. Wonder of wonder, miracle of miracles!

On Friday we got a call from an LDS lady who was staying with her non-member niece in Calexico. She told us she wants us to come and baptize her haha. We were like "dang straight we'll baptize her!". We went to her house that night and brought the elders because she said she wanted a blessing. We thought we were going to give the blessing, then start to teach her. What happened was more of a blessing conveyor belt haha. The elders gave her one, then proceeded to give her 3 kids one. Then the grandma. Then the aunt. Then the house. By the time they were done we had to leave....but we're seeing them again on Wednesday so all is well!

It's weird. We lost half the area and half the people we work with, 85% of our appointments bail on us and no one seems to want to listen, but life is still good. I'm still happy. I guess when you are doing the work of the Lord, when you're carrying a Book of Mormon in your hand at all times, when you know what you know about the Gospel, you have no reason not to find joy. I've learned a lot about that this week.

BORING LETTER. Sorry. Man life is great. Life is crazy. Life is stressful. But ya know what, it's good. It's so good! Me and Heavenly Father have gotten pretty close lately. He is a good person to have as your best friend.

Love you all, con todo mi corazon,

Hermana Hess 

June 11, 2013 - Transfer #3!

 

I HAVE A FUNNY STORY FOR YOU ALL.

 

Mom and dad, remember when we were talking on Mothers Day and I told you that all I wanted to do was NOT TRAIN?

 

Heavenly Father heard that and started to laugh.

 

So tomorrow I will be driving the brand new corolla (which is awesome by the way) to San Diego, dropping off my trainer, and picking up my trainee. We got transfer calls this morning and half of my district is leaving, and the other half who are staying are training, so we are going to be a super young district. Right now I can't tell if I'm stoked or terrified haha. I think it'll be an incredible experience, but at the same time I'm like "Really? I finished my own training 2 DAYS AGO. I CAN'T SPEAK SPANISH. WHAT IN THE WORLD IS GOING ON??!?" Minor panic attacks may be occurring these next couple of days (wait what?! Sister Hess stressed?! Does she even know what that means?!?).

 

But at the same time, as I reflect back on the past 2 transfers, I'm amazed by how the trials of these past couple of weeks have all been "preparation trials". I have a testimony that faith brings trials of faith, which brings strengthened faith. At the beginning of my mission, when Elder Holland gave his talk in general conference, I wanted to have the same strength and determination as he did. I wanted to say to other people "If your faith is tested, lean on mine.". I'm basically the furthest away from that point as possible, but everyday steps are being taken in that direction. This week, and surely these next couple of weeks, are going to be amazing trials of faith. But the cool thing is, we have a promise of miracles. Faith first. Miracles will follow. (Ether 12:12 is one of my favorites!). I have faith in the miracles. I'm excited to sweat and stress and hurt and work and have no idea what I am doing, because that means I get to become that much closer to my Father and my Savior. I have faith in the enabling power of the atonement. Good thing too, cause I'm gonna need as much help as I can get....

 

SO yep. That's the life right now. This week was a suuuuuper slow and frustrating, but at the same time really cool. We had three days straight where we only taught 2 times a day because no one was answering their door and people kept missing our appointments. So that was rough... but the appointments that we DID have were some of the best I've even been in!! We taught one member in our ward who has been struggling with depression, and when we went over the other day she greeted us at the door by saying "my sisters!! I've felt happy all day! All I've had to do was think of you two and what you teach me!!". Ummm, WHAT A BLESSING. Man, the Gospel is so cool. It's SO COOL. We have three investigators that we are teaching that have accepted the commitment to be baptized!!! One even came to CHURCH WHICH IS THE BIGGEST OF ALL DEALS OF LIFE. This week we are setting them all up with baptismal dates, so keep Marbella, Ronaldo, and Vinny in your prayers!! I have high hopes for this next transfer.

 

All the missionaries in our district made our bishop dinner on Sunday. Bishop almost cried, he was so appreciative. Our district leader (who went home today...weird!) was really great about finding us service opportunities to do as a district. I hope that continues this next transfer! I like being in proselyting clothes wearing a name tag, and wearing the same name tag but wearing basketball shorts and a t-shirt covered in dirt is my favorite.

 

We are all speculating what is going to be happening on the 23rd! I think they are going to raise the California San Diego mission up into heaven like the city of Enoch. Y'all can come too!

 

There's a talk by Elder Holland that was directed towards missionaries that he gave in 2000. It was about how important the Atonement is to Missionary work, and it's one of my favorites. One of my favorite parts of it is when he explains why missionary work is so hard. He says "This work is hard because salvation wasn't cheap....we preach the crucified Christ, who cried out to His father saying '...remove this cup from me', so don't be surprised if you and your investigator need to take a short walk to Gethsemane, then to Calvary". This work isn't supposed to be easy. Obviously Gethsemane and Calvary are sacred places where we are not worthy to walk, but if the paths we need to take weren't hard, the triumph would not be great. Salvation is the ultimate triumph. I am learning to rejoice in the trials. Goodbyes are hard, seeing people you love fall away is hard, not playing the ukulele everyday is hard. Miracles are worth it!!

 

I didn't get bitten by any dogs this week, which is a miracle as well.

 

115 degrees and climbing! What a great life!

 

Anyway, I love you all. More than I ever have in my life! You all better be happy...

 

Love you most,

Hermana Hess 

June 4, 2013 - Since when did it get to be June?

Hola Familia!! 

OH HEY HEY! Greetings from the desert. It's 111 degrees outside. OH MY GOSH. WHY? Although I learned this week that Prince Charles or whatever his name is was sent to the Valley for his military training because the weather is a lot like Afghanistan. I don't believe the person who told me that.

This week has been crazy! Definitely a week of ups and downs. We had a day where we taught 7 back-to-back lessons and then the next day we only taught one because everyone cancelled their appointments and nobody answered their door. And then it happened again the next day. Not awesome. I was beginning to get really, really discouraged. Our investigators aren't progressing, the ward is suffering (there were only like 50 people at church on Sunday) and we haven't been able to teach as much because no one wants to hear a message. I've heard the term "Si Dios Quiere" (If God Wants...means NO) more times this week than I have my entire mission and not gonna lie, yesterday I was feeling bummed. We had to drop an investigator that I absolutely love because we've been teaching her for two months and she wasn't progressing-so I have officially experienced my first total heartbreak of the mission. We've dropped people before, but we had such high hopes for her. Then we found out that one of the bishops in the stake donated his guest house to the church, so we are moving there on Friday. I should be stoked, but it's super far away from everything and everyone so we won't be able to see the other missionaries as much....

But we got a brand new 2013 Corolla yesterday with 150 miles on it. And it's my turn to drive. Not a bad life.

Honestly, this past week has been an answer to prayer (in a weird way). We had a "Sister's Meeting" last week (basically all the sisters in the mission got together and talked about their feelings.....it was just a shoot-dang BLASTYBLAST....not.) and a TON of the sisters went on about how depressed they were, how they always are comparing themselves, how they feel lonely and a bunch of other stuff. I kindof just sat there, because I don't feel any of that. I guess I felt guilty for being happy haha. So I just had to ask myself, "Do I love the people enough? Do I love the work enough? Because we aren't successful, and I'm NOT down about it. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?". But then we had to drop Yolanda, and I was completely heartbroken about it, and then we didn't get to teach as much, which BUGGED THE JUNK OUTTA ME. So this rough week was definitely an answer to prayer! I love the people, I love the work, I love being a missionary, LIFE IS SO GOOD. Now someone tell my comp this so that she stops crying all the time. Sorry. Too Far.

This week we went to a dinner appointment with a Lady named Hilda-who is a spitfire old lady with no filter. She told me I was never getting married because I don't cook a whole ton. And then she said that "all women should do background checks on their future husbands to make sure there is no funny business." Direct quote!! She's one of my favorites!

I seriously cannot believe that this is the last week of the transfer. It went by so fast! So next week at 8 am on Tuesday our ZL's text us and they tell us either to pack our bags or that we're staying home. Everyone in the zone has a feeling that big things are going to go down here in the Valley. My comp is convinced she is leaving, but I think I'm staying. I hope I am, at least. Definitely not done with the Valley! Although it's SO HOT. ALL THE TIME.

Sorry this is a bit of a boring letter. Rough week-probably the hardest one yet. But I've noticed that in the past 4 months of my mission, I've developed the ability to control my thoughts and keep them positive. Instead of getting discouraged or disheartened, I just get more and more pumped up. I think I get that ability from you, mom and dad! Way to be!

LOVE YOU GUYS! this week I ate cactus. It was really good. still eat beans with every meal. Still not good. Nasty....

With all the love in my heart,

Hermana Hess