I can't wait to get the
big newwssssssssss! It's so crazy to think that Al is probably in the delivery
room right now...I feel so dettached from it, but I am hoping and praying that
all will go well...I am so excitedddd!!! Anywhozle, hello family! Thanks for
everything. Mom, I got the package last week and it was GREAT and turned out to
be a lifesaver (which I will explain later)..but thank you so much. Hope you're
all getting excited for Turkey Day! We have just a half pday today (we had zone
conference this morning), and then we'll have pday on Thursday. So Thursday the
members we live with (Bro and Sis White...different from Elder and Sister
White) invited us to dinner, but we won't be able to make it in time to the VC,
so we'll be eating dinner w/ Elder and SIs White and other VC missionaries.
Then we have to be all ready to go at 3 pm for the big show to start!
Anyways, I will tell you
about my week. It was a weird one haha. We had some good teaching moments and
some good progress in the area and with members, but there were some
distractions that had to momentarily take us away from the work...namely:
Chinchas. Aka...BEDBUGSSS!!!!!!! Woohooooo! I think I mentioned to mom a while
ago that I was getting bug bites, way back in August, and they would just come
and go away. Then Sis Tejada got them, so we talked to the housing guy at
transfer meetings. He came and sprayed and told us we'd have to wash our
clothes, but the lady we lived with talked us out of it and said it wasn't a
big deal. Then Sister Holladay started getting bites! And we talked to the
housing guy again (because he needs to do 2 treatments) and he wasn't too happy
with us, and told us they'd have to start treatment again and we'd have to wash
all our clothes. So this was Friday night, after a super long day in which
Sister Holladay had had a break down about Spanish, and we just found out that
we would have to spend our entire next day cleaning out our apartment and
washing out all our clothes and drying them for several hours and everything.
We were pretty bummed hahahahaa, and might have been slightly overwhelmed. Then
Saturday morning we had to wake up bright and early for a GREENIE BREAKFAST!
Which the branch put on. They were going to give me one when I came to the
branch, but never got to it, so this past Saturday they gave me and Sister
Holladay one. I had been looking forward to it forever, and it was just funny
when it came on the morning that we were both super overwhelmed and exhausted.
But either way, the Greenie Breakfast was awesome. It consisted of green orange
juice, milk, sausage, eggs, potatoes, tortillas, cereal, pancakes, and
syrup...all dyed green! There was a green decorated table we sat at, and then a
few families from the branch came and they all ate normally-colored food at a
separate table and laughed at us as we ate. It was really fun, and they put a
lot of effort into it. So that was way fun. Then we headed back to our
apartment, and sat on the couch as we tried to devise a plan for the bed bugs
extermination. One sister from the VC, Sister Nishiguchi, had bed bugs before
and called to offer to help. We told her we'd call her back, but then her and
another sister just showed up at our door ready to work! They were saints, and
we were so exhausted and they just took charge. So Saturday we spent the day
clearing out all of our clothes, going to the laundromat and spending several
hours there, and also going to the dry cleaners and spending $150 on clothes
that would get ruined in the dryers. Anyways, so then for the past few days
we've been staying at the apartment of 2 other sisters that live right by the
VC. That's been really fun and they have a really nice place,and we might just
stay there for 2 weeks so we don't have to repeat the entire process of washing
all our clothes again.
Anyways, so yeah! And I
also have this sore throat that I got yesterday, that I might go to the doctor
for, because it is against all the rules for me to be sick for Christmas
lights...so I might have to rest up to get better for that. Long story short,
there is SO much to do, and SO little time! It's been interesting these past
few days, as I've realized there are a billion and a half things to do, and I
can only accomplish a small portion of them, how I've just had to give it all
over to the Lord. I can't possibly do it all, and these past few days I
realized that, and so I've kind of gotten to this point where I just have to
let go. I'm not quite sure where to find the balance. I haven't had any
time to write in my journal the last few days, so maybe that's why this
letter is even more introspective than the usual :) hahaha. But it's so
interesting, because just being with Sister Holladay is such a
different culture than with Sister Tejada. It's so much more laidback, and we're
way more prone to talk about things at home, which makes it hard to focus on
the work and feel the spirit. Sister Tejada was work-work-work
obedience-obedience-obedience, and now I'm realizing that I have to play that
role. So it's been an interesting transition, because I have a hard time
finding the balance between being a giant ball of stress 24/7 and being a
slacker, and then trying to make wherever I fall into that spectrum compatible
with my companion. Does that make sense? ANYWAYS...things have been really good,
this past week there have just been a fair dose of distractions...what with bed
bugs, having to switch cars, exchanges, etc. Today in Zone Conference a quote
was said that I liked..."A distraction doesn't have to be evil for it to
be effective." That made me think, because I think sometimes I struggle
because I'm like "But the things we're talking about aren't bad!"
which is true...but that doesn't mean they're the best thing we could be doing
at the moment! Anyways, so...family, if you have any insights on distractions,
stress, any of this..feeeel free!
Anyways, so despite all
of this, I have seen some miracles this week...especially in the Visitors
Center. I have felt really blessed in the VC this past month. As I've been
focusing on training and helping our area and all of that, the Lord has really
blessed me to just have teaching opportunities fall into my hands in the VC.
I've gotten a lot of PMR's that just fall into my hands this past month, and
this past week I was lucky to confirm a few great calls and also get some top
boxes! So I have been so grateful for that, to see that if you do your best,
the Lord does provide. This past week I was able to top box my first family!
That was so awesome. I walked up to a family that was standing outside of God's
plan, and they told me they were nonmembers that came to see the lights, and
they've never had the chance to come into the VC before. So I showed them God's
Plan, and they were super receptive and just agreeing with everything I was
teaching. It was a mom, dad, and their 2 11-yr old twin boys. Then I showed
them the temple panels and taught them about it and again, super receptive. And
they basically were totally down with having missionaries, and it was great.
Woohoo! Pray for them! Also, this past week I had a 15 yr old member girl come
in with her friend that's investigating. I showed them Gods Plan as well, and
then found out the 15 yr old member was a convert to the church as well. They
were giving me referrals and the member girl referred me her dad who lives in
San Diego whos not a member and she's never talked with him much about the
church. So I gave him a call, had a great conversation with him and he accepted
missionaries, and was liek "I want my daughter to be here with me."
He only sees her once a year, but she's coming out for thanksgiving so he wants
the missionaries to come over then so they can all listen together! So that was
cool, I was able to call up the girl after and tell her about it and she was
sooo happy. Anyways, so I am so grateful for the visitor's center, and for my
area. This past week we had 2 lessons in a member home, which is the first time
that's ever happened in the area that I know of! Woohoo! They were both really
good, and it's so nice because the members can help us out with teaching
because both of us still struggle with Spanish. Ana is still on board for
December 3rd, which is great. I think we're seeing progress with members, and
we have some great ideas. However, with Christmas lights we will hardly have
any nights in the area, but we'll try to make things work. This past week we
taught Griselda again, who told us she still wants to come to church and is
always ready to go, just doesn't want to go alone. What! So of course we're
like "We can change that!" Anyways...so yes. I love you all so much!
I must be off, but thank you for everything. I am so so grateful for all of
you. I'm grateful for your examples of righteousness and dedication to the
Gospel and to serving others. Hope you have a great thanksgiving with the new
little one! Thank you for all that you do, I love you lots! Love, Hermana Fors
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