It's been a wet and wild week. So let's start at the top.
Tuesday, I went to the Valley to pick up my new companion. Sister Haynes! There couldn't possibly be a cuter missionary out there. She is a gem. She adores me and follows every step I take and she is obedient and sweet and kind and I LOVE HER SO MUCH. She is 19 too and she always wanted to serve a mission and so this was her time. She loves horses and bought little girl horse sheets for her mission bedding. She is super funny and always joking and already we are having lots of fun. I had told the Lord that I was at my limits this transfer. That staying and training and doing 127389712 exchanges and being sister training leader were enough for me. And so I just knew He'd send me a good little sister. And He did. He really loves me. I was still having a hard time on Tuesday but I got your letter,mom. It was just what I needed to read: The Lord will choose with your Heart in mind. On the outside of the letter the assistants wrote me a note too: "You can do it! Keep up the Great work and smile!" It was just a tender mercy that the Lord knows me and loves me. I feel loved on this side of the mission and everyone assures me it's where I belong. And I think I know that too.
It's been sunny and beautiful lately, but then on Wednesday is started pouring and it hasn't stopped raining. President McCombie says it's a sign that the Lord is pouring down His blessings. The Elders called to tell me I'm officially the Spanish sister in Cheney and all Spanish speakers here are mine. So far, I'm teaching a family of 4 that the missionaries have been teaching for a year. The dad, Carlos was going to get baptized a few weeks ago but he did not. I'm incredibly surprised but my Spanish is still intact! And I'm praying for a miracle 'cause i'm just little Hermana Judd. Good Elders have taught this family and so I know that they have felt the spirit and are ready but I don't know what to do to give them the push. Sister Haynes doesn't speak Spanish but we've been practicing everyday. She is almost ready to bear her testimony. President Mullen told me he feels really impressed that she do that and I feel that too. I think her sweet and humble testimony would touch and soften their hearts. Pray that we find more Hispanics to teach!
Thursday I had training in the Valley again for all the Sister Training Leaders. It was a blast. It was just a small intimate group of 6 Elders and 9 Sisters and so we got to spend the day learning from President and Sister Mullen and the assistants. We talked about all the logistics of sisters and elders working together and it was a really inspiring, uplifting meeting. Then we met with Leslie. I met Leslie my first week in Cheney. We had asked everyone for people they knew we should visit and President McCombie told us to try Neal because he was
always bringing a "friend" to church or activities. So we set it up and we've been teaching Leslie since. She is a really wonderful girl. She just finished her masters and thesis and she is just so cute. Neal likes her a lot and he's told us how serious he is. She is too and for that reason she is giving her all to find out if the church is true. She has a strong Christian background and she is so open and honest and ready to learn. She has been reading and coming to church and praying. She's doing all the right things but she has not received her answer. So we challenged her to step outside her comfort zone and decide to get baptize and then pray for the confirmation. So she said ok. And she's planning on July 13th. And she's serious.
Friday I went to MOSES LAKE: the promised land! Elder Pieper from the Seventy came to speak and so the mission split in two to see him on Friday and Saturday. Logically and geographically it would've made more sense for us to go to North Spokane on Saturday but the Lord LOVES me and He let me go to my beloved Moses Lake one last time. It was bittersweet to be on that side of the mission for a final goodbye. I won't see Elder Legarra or Sister Sanchez or any of my Moses converts again while I'm on my mission and that is sad. But I felt peace and closure. It felt right to be back in Cheney. Elder Pieper's training was incredible. He had us read "Learning by Faith" from Elder Bednar before hand and then he taught us how to help our investigators act in faith to find their own answers. It was life-changing. He told us to make our investigators write their answers from the Book of Mormon. We've been doing it ever since and many mighty miracles have happened!
Sunday we had the broadcast. Elder Pieper had advertised for it all during his training and he was really funny. "Did I tell you about the Broadcast on Sunday? You're going to cry!" And he was right. I cried the moment the choir began, "Hark all ye Nations!" just because of hearing the words and seeing the missionaries! I felt so much joy to be a missionary right now in this historic time. What an honor and privilege.
I'm happy to be in Cheney. I feel really excited for Leslie. I know she will receive her answer. I'm praying mightily for her. I feel like she is the reason I'm staying. I really, really do.
I love you all!
Hermana Em
PICTURES:
umm so here's what is going on.
baptism with melissa from 2 months ago.
temple trip a couple times ago. we ran into all the spanish sisters.
my OLD, OLD district from two transfers ago. Elder Legarra, Decker, Molyneux, Sherwinski, and Sister Sanchez
my last zone conference in moscow, idaho. all the missionaries that served in moses lake together.
elder dowse and elder williams and me in moscow after zone conference
sister johnson me and sister haynes
giant book of mormon in the institute
my last district meeting. elder trowbridge. sister johnson me. sister senger. mini missionary. elder hall.
sister johnson and i
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