06-13-2016

Hello my favorite people ever in the history of ever.

On Tuesday we were having part of district meeting outside because I
mean California weather got me grinning all day. As we were finishing
up an older gentleman came up to us, he was a maintenance worker that
was doing some work for the church. He said he was a convert and
wanted to bear his testimony to us. He told us that he used to be a
raging alcoholic and he lost everything. he had nothing and no one.
Luckily he started getting his life in order and met a new lady but
his son from his first marriage had gone out of control and was
worshipping the devil and had no belief in God. He was really worried
about his son and didn't know what to do. One day as he was trying to
a 12 step meeting he met a man who was trying to become sober. They
started talking to each other and found out that both of them were
concerned about their sons. They knelt down and said a pray for their
sons, shed a few tears and then they went their separate ways. A year
went by and the son was beginning to change he had started going to
church and met with the missionaries and got baptized. The dad was
overwhelmed with joy and gratitude to God. The son called the dad one
day and said "dad my new friend is getting baptized and he wants me to
baptize him, will you come." The dad agreed. when he showed up he was
surprised to see a familiar face. It had been that man that he had met
that one day at the 12 step program. They embraced each other and the
other man asked him "what are you doing here?" And he said "my son is
baptizing his friend today and asked me to come. What are you doing
here?" With tears already forming in his eye, the other man said
"today my son is getting baptized by his friend"

It was seriously the coolest story. I am blown away by how God works
in mysterious ways.

We met with Rick this week! My love for Rick just keeps on growing he
is the absolute best. This week we showed up to our lesson and there
was a bouquet of picked flowers on the table atop a blueberry cake and
a note on a napkin that said "This is a homeless mans way to say thank
you..." He is so generous and so grateful. It just makes me love
teaching him. Rick has made such progress this week. He bore his
testimony to us and he knows everything to be true. Nothing can quite
describe the feeling I felt listening to Rick testify of the atonement
and of Jesus Christ. Rick is a man who tangibly has very little but
knows he has more than he could ever ask for, knowledge that no one is
ever too far away to return back to the Good Shepherd.

This week we had interviews with President. The best thing ever-- I
love president and I love his wife so much. They are the best people
ever. Sister wright and I got to chat while my companion was in her
interview and she is truly my mission mama. She takes good care of me.
I really want to be in a zebra companionship. It's where one is
English speaking and the other is Spanish and you teach both. So For
interviews me and Hermana Court Bennett dressed in all black and white
to hint at president that we need to be in a zebra. I walked in and
said in Spanish "did someone say zebra" hahahah he was like sister
Thurgood you keep me laughing haha

All my dreams came true when I got to go on exchanges with hermana
Bennett. And then relived my dreams when we were companions during our
blitz on Saturday. Hermana Bennett is contagious and makes me LOVE
life. I have met some of the most amazing people out here and Hermana
Bennett is definitely up there, we are going to be friends for ever.
Best friends for life

Being out in my mission has helped me realize two things. One: I am so
grateful for my people at home. I feel blessed and two: missionary
work can be described in two words incomprehensible joy.

Ive realized that joy and pain are not strangers. We may not feel
deeply enough to know joy unless our hearts have been hollowed out by
sorrow. “Hard” isn’t negative when you are a missionary. Why? Because
when your feet hurt and you’re really hungry and there are CATS
everywhere and your companions driving is a lil haywire, you are
surprised to discover that you are happy anyway, you accept that gift
of joy as a blessing from your Heavenly Father, thanking you for doing
His wok.

The lord promises "In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of
good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). His gift to those
who testify of Him is not freedom from hard work or sorrow or
stretching but the surety that every ounce of effort in His name is an
investment in joy.

Godspeed

Sister t


P.S.-- Special shout out to the guy that has brought me immense joy
and who has spent hours and hours rebounding basketballs for me,
laughing at all my jokes. You have been my number one fan. Love you
dad Happy Father's Day.