5th Week in Ceres

Here is Anne's email from today.  She sounds busy and happy!  They had lots of meetings/trainings this week.

Querida Familia y amigos--

      Esta semana teniamos muchas reuniones. Entonces, estabamos en Fresno por dos dias. Ahi, teniamos trainer/trainee meeting y una reunion para los lideres(para Sister Training Leaders, lideres de distrito y lideres de zona). Este dia, you estaba con la Hermana Guzy en Kermin(cerca de Fresno). Estaba muy enthusiasmada por que yo no vi las otras hermanas de mi distrito de CCM en mucho tiempo.  Con ella, enseñabamos algunas lecciones y tocabamos muchas puertas. Y tambien, nosotros hablabamos sobre preguntas que tenemos y hablabamos sobre nuestras vidas.
       (Here is the translation:  This week we had many meetings. Then, we were in Fresno for two days. There, we had trainer/trainee meeting and a meeting for the leaders (for Sister Training Leaders, district leaders and leaders of area). This day, I was with Sister G in Kermin (near Fresno). I was very enthusiastic since I had not seen the other sisters from my district at the MTC for a long time. With her, we taught some lessons and we knocked many doors. And also, we were talking about questions that we have and we talked about our lives.)
       But going back to the start of the week....   On Monday we had a barbeque with all of the missionaries in our zone. (Our zone covers a stake -- a large church unit of many congregations). Then that night we had a noche de hogar(family home evening) in a member's home and C and I came. They want to come to the one we are having tonight as well. We are very excited because we think they might actually be starting to get to know some of the members of the branch (congregation).
       Then on Tuesday we had the trainer/trainee meeting in Fresno. We had multiple trainings from the Coordinating Sisters, the Assistants to the President and from President and Sister Gelwix (all mission leaders)
        On Wednesday, I had the exchange with Hna G. There truly is such a special bond between missionaries. We got to see almost all of our old district at the meeting on Tuesday.
        On Thursday, we taught Claudia. We taught the Restoration of the Gospel and invited her to be baptized. She accepted and said she just needs to learn more. She also said she is planning on coming to church this coming Sunday! We taught her the Plan of Salvation today. She is going to be baptized!
         On Saturday we mostly worked with recent Converts and less actives. While we were doing this I realized something rather important. This work is about much more than just baptizing. As missionaries, if we can not keep the converts we already have coming to church, there is little point in baptizing new converts. We also realized that as we work with members and less actives, and help them come back to church, they will bring their friends to the gospel as well. So, we are starting to work more with less active families and through them finding those that are ready to hear the gospel.
          Yesterday, Sunday, we went visiting teaching (where members of the congregation go visit one another to check on them and share a spiritual message) with a sister in our branch and in the process gained a new investigator. Her name is O. She is married to a less active English speaker who is the son of a less active sister in our branch. We taught O and her husband and taught in both English and Spanish and translated some of the time as well. The lesson, though slightly different than other lesson because of the use of both languages, was one I will never forget. O was so ready to hear the gospel and I am so excited to go back and teach her again and help her husband come back to church as well.
          One scripture that has helped me immensely this week is 1 Nephi 3:7 (from the Book of Mormon) . I love this scripture because it reminds us the Lord always provides a way. I know that the Lord asks us to do things for a reason and allows us to struggle at times because He loves us and wants us to grow. He has a plan for each of us. Of this I know without a doubt in my heart.
           I love the people here in the California Fresno Mission. I love the Lord! I love this work!   May the Lord watch over you and protect you this week and always!  Love you all so much!  Los quiero mucho!

 Love,
Hermana VanWie