Two Months? (Jan. 4th email)

Family and Friends!

I can't believe I've already been out in California for two months already. That just seems crazy to me. I'm loving it out here so much, and after this week, Sister Garcia and I have really found out and decided what amazing were doing in the Cordata Park Ward. There have been amazing and inspirational experiences that I will now talk about.

The first one was with Emilia. As I said in the last email we had to see if we need to give her to the Spanish Elders to see her progress and be ready for the 23rd of this month. We did it in the chapel (Since their home got flooded after Christmas). There was seven people in there. Emilia, Rodrigo (her husband) the Spanish Elders, Sister Mortenson (an amazing lady in our ward who has gone through so much this last year, yet she still seems to find how the Lord blesses her), Sister Garcia, and I. We taught her the Power of Four which are four of the commandments: Pray Often, Study the Scriptures, Keep the Sabbath Day Holy, and Be Obedient. It was amazing. In the end we did give her to the Spanish Elders, but there seemed to be a difference in Rodrigo. He's a less active who got baptized two years ago. He went through a messy divorce and didn't come back after that. He always new the importance of the spirit and our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, but now he's seeing how important it is for Emilia, and how she needs to know more. This Sunday that sat up front instead of in the back, and it was great. The Elders translated for her and she seemed way more happy. They were probably the last people to leave the chapel because everyone was going up to them and talking to them. I'm so grateful I was able to meet them. On New Years Rodrigo texted us saying how grateful he was for us to bring the gospel back into his life. I felt so humbled when I said that. They are just great. I can't put it into words.

Sadie also came to church! She the 9-year-old. Her dad was there and also her mom, which shocked us because of her bad back issues. They also brought their 13-year-old daughter Maddi to church that they want us to start teaching. This is a less active family that's living with one grandma and the two youngest. The two oldest (Maddi being one of them) are living with the other set of grandparent's more down town. The grandma their living with is a member, but doesn't want to get involved in reactivating them. The other grandparents go to a different church, and apparently baptized Maddie in their church behind the parent's. Maddy realized that it was a bad decision and wants to start taking the lessons. We really excited for them. Sadie's planing on Getting baptized on January 30th.

We also got two new investigators this week who also came to church! It all started last transfer when we were on exchanges. We met the ladies husband who said that they were paying for part of their nieces mission. A week or so later we got a call from a companionship of Elders from the Anaheim Mission. Apparently she call her Sister-in-law (who's daughters is on a mission) who called the Elders in the Anaheim mission who called us to give their family a spiritual message for Christmas. We've seen her a couple of times before, but we finally taught her this last week. We gave he a Book of Mormon and invited her to read the Introduction. She was so excited about it. She's Catholic and her families from Hawaii. There's been so many things that have happened in her family. They just found out that her mom has a tumor in her bladder, and her nephew who's less active, had to go to the hospital because of an overdose. He's been having really bad migraines. She even said that he'll being doing a lot better because he got a priesthood blessing.

This week has been really great and I'm so thankful for the experiences I've been able to have.

Ofa Atu!

Sister Stone

Sister Eliza Stone

California Long Beach Mission

6500 E. Atherton St.

Long Beach, CA  90815

Sister Garcia's parent's sent us cheesecake. It was good!

 

This is our less actives dog. His name is Ivan and he is the funniest dog you'll ever meet. He is always barking, wanting the center of attention, shaking his little stub of a tale. Cutest dog ever!