04-18-2016

I have now been in California for 2 months now! I can't believe how
fast time flies. I love California and oh I love the people in west
Sacramento. Too blessed for sure.

We went and visited my favorite people ever. She is a single mom with
two kids and she is awesome. One of her girls is a member and the
other isn't. I love love her girls and it's a great time over at her
house. Her one daughter has expressed before hand that she is angry
with God  and struggles in the belief if their is a god because of the
fact that really bad things happen to really good people. She always
stays to talk but when we start talking about God she slips out of the
room. This week things went for a twist as we were sitting in the room
and talking about how her day at school went she said why does God let
bad things happen to good people. Why does my grandpa have cancer when
he is practically the only father I have. Why is God taking my "dad"
again? I believe in God but I don't understand why-- whoa. Why
adversity? That is such a hard question. I told her that adversity is
how we grow and learn. It's how we learn to be dependent on the
savior, that it makes us stronger. That opposition is necessary in
this life. And that opposition is needed for us to experience sweeter
joy. This is the first time she has expressed anything about God. And
i don't want to mess it up, I hope next week when we see her she can
understand that God loves us and that's the fundamental principle. We
go through hard things but God loves us. Pray for my sweet friend.
Adversity is no fun, and her grandpa

A recent convert in our ward found out that she will have to give a
still born birth. It broke my heart. She is a little over 5 months
along and had everything ready when they learned the baby was no
longer alive. My heart just broke. We went over to visit with them and
share a message and it was so powerful. Testifying to a heart broken
mother that she will see her baby again is a feeling I can't describe.
That not only she will be able to see her baby again but that she will
be able to hold him and raise him if she endures to the end. I think
that's one of the most amazing truths of this gospel that families can
be together forever. Through him we can live again. Hallelujah.

There is an older lady that we go and visit occasionally whose husband
recently passed away. She is seriously the cutest haha she had us sign
her bible HAHAHAHAH we were like sister Danley we are confused and she
goes please sign my bible hahaha I'll probably never be famous so
that's probably the last time someone will ask for my signature so YOU
BET I signed her bible haha
maybe in twenty years that bible will be hard cash if I get famous
haha she is seriously the cutest, she's not even 5 feet tall but oh
she is pure sugar

In Alma 28:8, it's talks about how missionary work made Alma and
almeulek feel an "incomprehensible joy". That is so true. Two of my
favorite missionaries are leaving after this transfer. They are both
converts who have been members for less time then they have been out
on their missions. It is such a testament to me that this gospel
changes life that this gospel causes you to act on faith.

We did a lot of talking to people this week. We were contacting up a
storm and knocking on doors and talking to everyone we could about the
message we share. In the beginning of the week, it was rough. Talk
about doorly pump up speeches. By the end of the week, I don't know
what happened haha it's like sister Waite slipped me some courageous
pills. I was knocking on doors talking to people left and right all
thanks to my main woman, sister Waite. We were able to find a few more
people to teach and met a lot of really awesome people.

Our investigators are really awesome. One of the people we are
teaching is a lady named Raina that has been through a lot and is just
grateful she has 4 walls and something to eat for her and her
daughter. She is very humble and is trying to get her life back in
track. We have been able to teach a lot on the streets and we have a
lot more people that are willing to meet with us. Let's just pray they
don't bail and we can meet with them this upcoming week.

On Saturday I woke up and it was not my day peeps. I got one of those
stress headaches that I got when chase left on his mission. Don't ask
me why, I don't feel stressed but I guess I am haha It was not a fun
day. I ended up staying in bed and took two 3 hour naps. Finally I
felt good enough to go out so we spent the rest of the day out doing
missionary work. Madreee miaaa though. Not my favorite day.

Sister Waite is really awesome. I feel blessed that she is my
companion. She took good care of me

This week we had zone conference with Pres. And Sister Wright. It was
seriously the best thing of the whole week. It was a good pick me up
to start off the transfer. Sister Wright bore her testimony at the end
and I don't know if I have ever felt the spirit so strong. She shared
the shortest most profound scripture according to her in Doctrine and
Covenants. It reads "and they shall overcome all things." She talked
about how that although we go through opposition, we will make it out
alright. We WILL overcome all things. She talked about the difference
between those in the different kingdoms of glory is their testimony of
Jesus Christ. That's why we go through hard things; to refine us and
make us better.

 more so I believe we go through hard things to make us recognize our
dependency on the savior. I think that many times in our lives we have
called out "God where are you?" Sometimes we go through the 1st watch,
the 2nd watch, and the third watch and we wonder if God is really
there. But he is, through all 3 watches he is aware of us. He knows
where we are and its when we finally fall on our knees and recognize
our dependency in the Savior that he comes. Sometimes god doesn't come
till the 4th watch but he always come. So push on, you can overcome
hard things.

I love and miss you guys.

Godspeed always.

Sister Thurgood