Week 68 - Stony Point

Qué tal todos? Espero bien.

Ok so this week has actually been super crazy here in Santa Rosa. We had transfers so there was moving and then there was the MLC meeting and then they added another Spanish companionship into Santa Rosa, so areas were realigned and we had to figure out all that jazz and then there was district meeting and then all of a sudden it was Monday again.

So it's been busy unfortunately there aren't any cool stories about investigators or finding this week but I'm excited to get to know the people in this part of Rosa! We have some pretty cool investigators. A majority of our area was given to other missionaries so there will be a lot of finding being done for Hermana Jimenez and I so lots of prayers we can find those that are prepared to be baptized!!

Let's see I did drink bugs this week... yep I did. A member has these bugs she brought back from Mexico with her and apparently if you drink them live they go into your stomach and go to areas that are infected or sick or something and they explode there and it heals whatever is going on. I don't remember what the heck they are called but the member drinks ten every day because apparently, they are super bien for you. Yea so I had watched other missionaries do it and Hermana Garcia finally convinced me to do it as well. Um let's just say I won't be doing that again anytime soon it's a little alarming when you drink the water with the bugs and then you realize two are crawling around in your mouth still.  I actually flipped the table over in my panic. But it's ok, it's fine now my stomach is just thriving in cleanliness or something. So there's a highlight of the day. 

To end off I'll share one of the things we discussed at MLC! The meeting was really spiritual and we talked about so many good things but I'll just share one of the things that I loved. We talked about the power of music first off. Music is one of the fastest ways to bring the spirit into an atmosphere and we talked about how we could use music more in our missionary work. They shared a quote about how someone can learn a principle ten times faster through music than any other way.

D&C: 25:12 tells us that as we sing we are offering a prayer of the heart. So many blessings can come from the simple songs we sing if we really pay attention to the words we are saying and the spirit it brings.

We also talked about the importance of goals. I was really touched by this section and how goals are what keep us motivated and going. When we make goals we should pray to know what we can accomplish because the Lord knows all.

And then once they are set we can begin in the plans of how we are going to accomplish our goals. As we plan we are showing that we truly do want to achieve these goals and as we go through with our plans we should always involve the Lord and tell him how things are going because he surely wants to help us achieve our goals but we have to ask for his help.

A missionary shared an experience about how he fasted to know how many people in the next month would be ready for baptize and the answer he received was 8. So they made plans to just work and got tracting and find people in hopes to find those 8 people. He then showed a picture of a family a whole family that lived in one house they knocked. And by the end of that month all 8 of them had been baptized. So the Lord knows our desires and goals and as we ask for his help and really plan how we are going to achieve the things we are inspired to do miracles will happen! 

During this meeting there was such a range of emotions that goes through my head at a meeting like that filled with the spirit. Trying to balance thinking of what those in the zone need and thinking about all you can do to improve. There were powerful testimonies born by President and Sister Wright and some missionaries. And during these the spirit was so strong and I was just thinking to myself about what my mission has been and who I've become. How I've changed and what the gospel is now for me. Sometimes it's hard to see the change in myself because I see it from my eyes but I know that there's been a change in me over this year and a half.

Love you all and hope this upcoming week is just great! There's nothing better than the gospel and the peace it brings! I was reminded of a phrase this week my grandpa would use which is "No Empty Chairs". There's no empty chairs in the gospel. Every chair was filled at one point and now it's our job to make sure they can all be filled again. So go and share your testimony with someone this week! Everyone deserves to hear your testimony!

Que le vía bien y disfruten su semana! 

Con amor,

Hermana Foster

New Companion from Porto Rico, Hermana Jimenez

The District in Bennett Valley before the transfer

Hermana Jimenez

Sister Leaders and old Friends

The Zone Leaders

Week 67 - Bennett Valley

Hola!!! Qué tal???!

I hope you've all had an awesome week it's been a busy one here. Hermana García was transferred on Wednesday because another sister went home early so her companion needed a companion and the Lord said that that person was Hermana Garcia so she left us for the last couple days.

On Saturday we got transfers!! I'll be staying in Santa Rosa which makes me so happy! But I will be moving areas in Santa Rosa to be companions with Hermana Jimenez!! She's from Puerto Rico so it should be a lot of Spanish this transfer but I'm really excited! She was here last transfer as well so we got to know each other a little bit. I was also called to be a leader over the sisters here in Santa Rosa so I'll get to do exchanges with Hermana Garcia and Hermana Rivera whom I love. :) 

We did have a baptism this week for our investigator Richard who is really Hermana Broyles investigator because she knows sign language. But It was such a cool experience to be there! There were a lot of investigators including Richards mom who isn't really an investigator but is very much not attending church right now.

Richard was actually baptized when he was a lot younger by his uncle but something somewhere happened and his records were lost and no information on his baptism could be found so it was required for it to be done again with records this time made.

Richard

Bennett Valley District

Jose, a friend they made during a correlation meeting

Hermana Soba

The last of the Trio.

Zone

There were many unique parts to the baptism and one of them was that his uncle who originally baptized him was able to fly in from Idaho to baptize him again this time. The spirit was so strong pretty much the entire baptism but it was so special because another thing is that Richard is deaf so there were interpreters going throughout the baptism. Many people there could hear but all the people who shared testimonies and gave talks spoke through sign language and it was beautiful to watch.

There was of course someone saying the words they were signing but even if there hadn't been it was so cool to see how the spirit is a universal language for everyone and can be felt in every single circumstance.

As Richard and his uncle stood in the water the spirit was so incredibly strong, so so strong. After his baptism, you could see the happiness coming off of Richard I don't think he stopped smiling and wow as a missionary seeing that and feeling that was probably one of the happiest things I've ever experienced.

Then we had the opportunity to watch as he was confirmed a member of the church and was given the gift of the Holy Ghost. And again, the spirit just filled every open space of the room and I have no doubt that everyone in that room was able to feel it. Richard was so happy and glowing you could tell that he really felt it and to see that happiness, that us as members know, be given to someone else was unforgettable.

I was so thankful to have been there to have felt of that spirit and to see the happiness Richard felt from only beginning his membership in the church. It was all so so good and a special baptism to have been a part of.

So there's the special moment of the week! I hope you all are doing great I'll be packing my bags again but I'm not moving far!! I hope all is good good good.

Love you all and have a great week!!!

Con muchísimo amor,

Hermana Foster

Week 66 - Bennett Valley

Hola hola!! 

It's been another good week here in California I hope all is well for all y'all as well! It rained some more this week which always makes things fun haha.

But some highlights hmm well we have an investigator named Richard who is deaf! Hermana Broyles is super awesome and knows sign language so we are able to teach him and he is already and set for a baptism next week on Tuesday! He's the best haha and always has the best questions for us about the scriptures. So it was exciting to see that he is all prepared.

Also an update, we also saw Juan again! And wow he just makes my heart so happy. He's so funny but we had an awesome lesson with him we weren't really sure what to share because we are in an awkward position of he wants to get baptized but has a tube in his chest for his operation that can't get wet so we just went with it and followed the spirit. And wow it was awesome!

We were just talking and we read about the waters of Mormon and how if we have a desire to serve God there's nothing to hold us back from baptism. After the scripture, the spirit took complete control and I just started talking and saying stuff about the Holy Ghost and how He helps us and how He could help him. I was pretty stunned for a moment and it took me a second to realize that it was the Holy Ghost but then Juan said something that made us all sit back for a second.

He looked at us and said God just told me. I should get baptized before my operation, I want the help of the Holy Ghost for my operation. We had a split second of silence and then we all flipped a little and were like yes yes yes haha Hermana Garcia like screamed and threw her hands in the air.

So then we talked about how in the world that could happen and decided that we will find some doctor to ask about it. As we finished Juan said well if it's the will of God it will happen and we were like yeaaaa. He said the closing prayer as well and let me tell you his prayers are the longest I've heard but they are so heart felt. He thanked God for having us come over and told him that he wants to follow him and asked him to not draw away from him but to help him keep understanding. Wow. That was a very happy moment.

Also during the lesson Hermana Garcia told him that he isn’t allowed to say the word "pero" (but) anymore because that's just always followed by an excuse and there's none of those. And he tried so hard to not use pero he even said it in his prayer but caught himself and started laughing but continued on. But that shows his commitment.

He doesn't understand everything but he doesn't need to and he knows that he just want the help the gospel and the Holy Ghost can bring. So we just keep praying and we know that what God needs to happen will happen in his time!

To end off we can talk about how much I love the Book of Mormon. Haha it's really the best I love love the opportunity we have to study it each morning it's one of my favorite parts of the day. You all should just read it, it's too good too good! And this week I also thought a lot about repentance it's amazing that we have this gift. It comes to us so freely because of the love of our Heavenly Father and Christ. It's so free and always there for us. Our father in heaven and Christ are just waiting for us to confess to them and ask for their forgiveness and it is given because Christ suffered for us and because they love us and that's so beautiful. I love 1 john: 1:9 about repentance.

I hope you all had a great great week and hope that this week will be even better! The gospels awesome! Love you all!

Con un corazón lleno de amor,

Hermana Foster

My Easter Picture

In their car making hearts to attack someone with.