Querida
familia y amigos---
This week has been a wonderful week! It was hard leaving Ceres. I love the people there so much! They truly have become my family and I love working with all of them. More than that, it was hard leaving our investigators and not knowing what was going to happen to them because we were being doubled-out. But, as Hermana W and I both prayed about it, we know that they will be okay. They are prepared and the Elders that are there now are there for a reason. I loved working in Ceres.
On Wednesday I had the wonderful opportunity to meet my new companion from Minnesota, Hermana Z. I am so excited to be working with her! She is energetic and very fun and has a huge desire to work hard and never quit. I am thrilled to work with her. That night she helped me get to know the important people in the ward. We are working in Kerman Ward which covers Kerman, Biola, Firebaugh, suburbs of Fresno, San Joaquin, and Tranquility. There are 3 companionships here and we split the area. Kerman is a small community about 15 miles west of Fresno. Our ward is small, but growing quickly. The area of our ward (congregation) is HUGE, taking in over 8 communities. It is slightly smaller than the state of Rhode Island!! We have a small Spanish Group that has about 50 members and we hope that it will grow to a Branch in the next year or so. We are in charge of Kerman, Biola, and Fresno outskirts. On Wednesday night I met the Bishop and just got to know the area. Our ward is an English ward with a Spanish group. It has been quite the adventure speaking in Spanish and in English and teaching in both--my head doesn't change quite as fast as it should sometimes, but it will come around.
I'm excited to take what I learned in Ceres to help this area grow as well. I am excited to continue to learn more about missionary work and how I can become a better missionary from the members here as well.
Thursday was a day of miracles!!!! We had 7 wonderful lessons, 4 member present lessons, and found 2 new investigators! It was a great day! We had a lesson with a woman named A and had an English speaking member with us. Although we were translating for both of them in order for them to communicate I know that the Spirit was there with us. A is very excited to be baptized and through the testimony of the member and listening to the Spirit we were able to find out what some of A's doubts were.
We also had a miracle lesson with the Familia Q. We taught the Plan of Salvation. Originally we were planning on doing the first half but only ended up teaching about the pre-existence. As we focused on the importance and the significance that we are children of God, the mother (for the first time my companion told me) opened up and was really listening. Later, I found out that it was because of prayers of missionaries and from members that had recently been out on a team-up with the sisters to visit this family. I know that as we pray for missionaries and investigators by name that we see more miracles and the Spirit guides us more in our work. Our ward has only been doing this for a few days and we are already seeing miracles.
On Friday we had a wonderful lesson with a part member family named the B. We taught about the Plan of Salvation. It was a powerful lesson. The Spirit was there and we invited him to be baptized on April 20. He agreed to if he feels like this is true by that date. We also taught him on Sunday. We had a fantastic lesson about the Restoration and the Book of Mormon. Through his wife, we were able to help him resolve some of his doubts and help them both understand more about the importance and the blessing of the Priesthood. We were able to bear powerful testimony to them about the blessings of having the Restored Gospel on the Earth and having the Priesthood in your home. I am so excited to continue teaching them!
Saturday we taught a lesson to a less active family and used the Gospel of Jesus Christ activity. It really made sense and they promised to come to church because they know understand the importance of the Sacrament. My testimony of allowing people to teach themselves has been strengthened. I know when we are instruments in allowing others to teach themselves, we allow them to change more fully and they convert themselves to the gospel.
On Sunday we had to do splits--I was in the Spanish group and had to play piano and then we taught the Spanish Gospel Principles class and went to the English Relief Society. In their lesson in Relief Society I learned something very interesting about the word Partook. God has one plan and that is that we can partake of everlasting life. Adam and Eve partook of the fruit; Lehi partook of the fruit in his dream; Christ partook of the bitter cup; and we partake of the Sacrament. In each of these examples we have a choice, but as we partake we are blessed and receive many blessings of the Lord. I am so excited to be serving in Kerman! I know this is where the Lord needs me right now. I know that this is His work. I know that He lives and loves us. I hope you have a wonderful week! Los quiero mucho!
This week has been a wonderful week! It was hard leaving Ceres. I love the people there so much! They truly have become my family and I love working with all of them. More than that, it was hard leaving our investigators and not knowing what was going to happen to them because we were being doubled-out. But, as Hermana W and I both prayed about it, we know that they will be okay. They are prepared and the Elders that are there now are there for a reason. I loved working in Ceres.
On Wednesday I had the wonderful opportunity to meet my new companion from Minnesota, Hermana Z. I am so excited to be working with her! She is energetic and very fun and has a huge desire to work hard and never quit. I am thrilled to work with her. That night she helped me get to know the important people in the ward. We are working in Kerman Ward which covers Kerman, Biola, Firebaugh, suburbs of Fresno, San Joaquin, and Tranquility. There are 3 companionships here and we split the area. Kerman is a small community about 15 miles west of Fresno. Our ward is small, but growing quickly. The area of our ward (congregation) is HUGE, taking in over 8 communities. It is slightly smaller than the state of Rhode Island!! We have a small Spanish Group that has about 50 members and we hope that it will grow to a Branch in the next year or so. We are in charge of Kerman, Biola, and Fresno outskirts. On Wednesday night I met the Bishop and just got to know the area. Our ward is an English ward with a Spanish group. It has been quite the adventure speaking in Spanish and in English and teaching in both--my head doesn't change quite as fast as it should sometimes, but it will come around.
I'm excited to take what I learned in Ceres to help this area grow as well. I am excited to continue to learn more about missionary work and how I can become a better missionary from the members here as well.
Thursday was a day of miracles!!!! We had 7 wonderful lessons, 4 member present lessons, and found 2 new investigators! It was a great day! We had a lesson with a woman named A and had an English speaking member with us. Although we were translating for both of them in order for them to communicate I know that the Spirit was there with us. A is very excited to be baptized and through the testimony of the member and listening to the Spirit we were able to find out what some of A's doubts were.
We also had a miracle lesson with the Familia Q. We taught the Plan of Salvation. Originally we were planning on doing the first half but only ended up teaching about the pre-existence. As we focused on the importance and the significance that we are children of God, the mother (for the first time my companion told me) opened up and was really listening. Later, I found out that it was because of prayers of missionaries and from members that had recently been out on a team-up with the sisters to visit this family. I know that as we pray for missionaries and investigators by name that we see more miracles and the Spirit guides us more in our work. Our ward has only been doing this for a few days and we are already seeing miracles.
On Friday we had a wonderful lesson with a part member family named the B. We taught about the Plan of Salvation. It was a powerful lesson. The Spirit was there and we invited him to be baptized on April 20. He agreed to if he feels like this is true by that date. We also taught him on Sunday. We had a fantastic lesson about the Restoration and the Book of Mormon. Through his wife, we were able to help him resolve some of his doubts and help them both understand more about the importance and the blessing of the Priesthood. We were able to bear powerful testimony to them about the blessings of having the Restored Gospel on the Earth and having the Priesthood in your home. I am so excited to continue teaching them!
Saturday we taught a lesson to a less active family and used the Gospel of Jesus Christ activity. It really made sense and they promised to come to church because they know understand the importance of the Sacrament. My testimony of allowing people to teach themselves has been strengthened. I know when we are instruments in allowing others to teach themselves, we allow them to change more fully and they convert themselves to the gospel.
On Sunday we had to do splits--I was in the Spanish group and had to play piano and then we taught the Spanish Gospel Principles class and went to the English Relief Society. In their lesson in Relief Society I learned something very interesting about the word Partook. God has one plan and that is that we can partake of everlasting life. Adam and Eve partook of the fruit; Lehi partook of the fruit in his dream; Christ partook of the bitter cup; and we partake of the Sacrament. In each of these examples we have a choice, but as we partake we are blessed and receive many blessings of the Lord. I am so excited to be serving in Kerman! I know this is where the Lord needs me right now. I know that this is His work. I know that He lives and loves us. I hope you have a wonderful week! Los quiero mucho!
Con amor,
Hermana VanWie
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