Transfer week.
But before I get to that, Sister Li and I had a pretty good week. We added two new investigators, Douglas and Casondra. We met them Monday night and set up a return appointment but they had to cancel and they weren't at church. Douglas has a lot of health problems that can hit anytime so it's hard to meet them. Douglas and Casondra actually have a very unlikely story. Douglas couldn't hold down a job because of his poor health and Casondra's company fell apart during the recession and they both ended up in a shelter. They didn't talk to anyone else there but each other and they fell in love. It's an amazing story - sometimes our plans are not God's plans for our lives. When one door closes, our Heavenly Father always opens a window, even if we don't recognize it.
We also had a lesson in a truckbed this week. We showed up to the church Monday night to teach Ashley and the doors were locked. I forgot that even our key doesn't work on Monday nights (because families are supposed to be home doing Family Home Evening) so we ended up sitting outside with Ashley, Noelle and John. It was ridiculous but so fun and the weather was great. My allergies had started up after going on a hike with our zone that afternoon, but it wasn't too bad at that point.
We saw Chris A LOT this week. Almost every day. And not even on purpose! We had lessons two days of the week and then one day we did service and she came and another day she went to the Family History Center while we were at the Visitors' Center so she popped in to say hi. She is so great - she's getting baptized June 1st and we're so excited!!!
We saw Jackie. Finally. She said she can't come to church because Sunday is the only day she gets to spend with her son and so her mom drives them around during the day so they're not bored at home. I wish there was more we could do for her, but there just isn't. We gave her a copy of the talk from President Uchtdorf this past General Conference and we're hoping that helps her to move on from where she's at. I'll probably come back and work with her even after my mission, but I want her to find happiness before that.
On Thursday, I went to Spanishland on an exchange with Sister Garcia. She's the greatest - we'll probably never be companions because she's always training, but she is such a great missionary. She grew up Catholic in Guatemala but her cousin referred her to missionaries through the LA Temple Visitors' Center and the rest is history. She is so strong - she was the first to join in her family but most of them have now with the exception of her dad. When we train together and practice together, I learn so much. And I understand almost all her Spanish because I'm so used to it. We taught a woman named Maria about the Word of Wisdom - I didn't say too much but I talked about the importance of obedience. We were also going to teach a family that I had found at the Visitors' Center. The mom was a less active and her husband and son were not members. I gave them a tour at the VC - in Spanish - and she wanted missionaries to come to their home. Later, I found out from Sister Garcia that she had been looking for this less-active woman for a whole year in San Leandro (Sister Garcia has been there for her whole mission). I don't even remember what I said, but it prompted this woman to come back after months of avoiding missionaries. That's the power of the Spirit :) we didn't end up seeing them but that was another cool story of the week.
Sister Li and I went to an assisted living facility to teach them the tune of "There is Sunshine in my Soul Today." Our member lives there and it's her favorite song. She asked us to make a copy of it so they could sing it at their morning meetings but no one knew the tune so we went to teach them. It was a funny experience - we got pretty much no response from them at all. The stark contrast between our member and her cheery attitude (who suffered a serious stroke five years ago) and their sad, worn-down faces was so significant. Most of them have memory problems so we can't really teach them, but I know the Atonement can heal all pain, even physical and emotional pain, and I saw that as Michelle sang this beautiful hymn.
We served in the community by catching two lost dogs and returning them home to the owner. All our plans had fallen through so on our way to go contacting in a park, I felt like we needed to turn and stop by a potential investigator. Sister Ure and I had tried stopping by hundreds of times and he was never home. This time he was home, but didn't have time to talk to us and said "come back in six weeks." So I was a little confused why we were on that street - there was no one outside and tracting is not very effective, so we got in our car to leave. When we tried to leave, there were two little dogs running all around the street. So....we pulled over, checked their tags and brought them home. The owner hadn't even realized that they were out! The gardeners had left the gate open in the back. We left her a pass-along card to get a free copy of Finding Faith in Christ and she said she would do it. But if she doesn't.....we'll stop by there sometime this week :) so hopefully that was inspiration. You never know if it's a prompting until you act on it!!!
We gave a really awesome tour on Saturday at the VC. This guy's name is Andrew and he was so ready for the gospel! He came in with missionaries - he had only been meeting with them for 2 weeks but had a baptism date and everything. He explained that his mom is a member but his dad is Jewish so his mom converted for his dad. Secretly, though, she gave him General Conference talks to read and they talked about the church. It's an amazing story! Not everyone we meet is prepared with that knowledge, but there are prepared people everywhere - even if their parents are Jewish, even if they don't seem like the type to join the church. There are so many people prepared - the Lord has promised us this and we just have to keep our eyes open and look for these people. As we pray to find them, we will recognize us and they will recognize the truth we stand for.
And now - transfers.
I'm going to Spanishland! Oakland 6th branch! I don't know what the Lord is planning for me - making me bounce back and forth between Castro Valley and Oakland - but His plans are perfect. I'm nervous but excited - and I'm pretty much packed. I'm getting good at this - I used to hate packing but it's not so bad anymore. I have no idea what's going to happen but I'm ready for it.
And I'm serving with Sister Ivey again!!! She has always had Spanish-speaking companions and her last companion was a native speaker, but they were only together for one transfer. She was trained in an English area for her first two transfers and she's had two transfers in two different Spanish areas. It's so weird to think that we're in our 5th transfer. By the end of this transfer, we'll be halfway done with our missions! That's kind of crazy - but it'll be good to spend my 9-month mark with my MTC comp :)
I'll miss Castro Valley - I always will - but I'm ready for this change. As Paul says, "What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?" I know the Lord is with me - and with each one of us - as we do what's right and spread His word. So - here goes nothing!
Hermana Hunsaker
