Surprise Visitors!

January 17-23

Day 104: Basically we said goodbye to all our wardies today.🙁 We stopped by a less active families house to say goodbye, one of the brothers wasn't too happy that we were getting transferred.  We gave them (the 2 brothers) a cheesy bookmark that said "Don't do anything you wouldn't do in front of us" (they always told us "don't do anything I would do") I felt impressed to give them each one of the CTR rings my dad had sent (thanks dad💖) The one brother said "I'll trade you!" and gave me the ring on his pinkie finger. (they're like 30-40 years old)  He then told us we helped him more than we think we did, and started crying. 😢 It was so sad/emotional.

Day 105: TRANSFER DAY! Not a whole lot happened today, I met my new companion Sister Houseman! She is from North Carolina and has been out for 16 months, SHE IS AMAZING! We get along so well! It's gonna be such a fun transfer! I can't wait😍 Super pumped!

Day 106: Today we again didn't do a lot.  Sister Houseman got sick and had to stay in most of the day so I got unpacked and we did a lot of phone work. I met our investigator, she is getting baptized on Feb 11!!! Woot, woot! She is so cute and fun! I 💜 her already!

Day 107: Today we went "Boothing". Basically we set up a booth at the colleges and talk to college students about Jesus and the Restored Gospel.

Day 108: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD!!! Man, I hope he had a good day! We had a district Mtg today, had district lunch and did our missionary stuff.  We had 5 guys for dinner, yum.  Then saw a less active who's apparently in music videos and is an actor or is famous, idk. Oh and his friend that he lives with is trying out for The Voice this next season.  So that was cool.

Day 109: We met a referral from the elders in our district. I'm pretty sure he was drunk.  Then he texted us 30 messages in 5 minutes.  We have yet to respond...

Day 110: HAPPY SUNDAY!!!💕 Today was as any other Sunday, meetings before church, studies, then when I was waiting for people to show up for sacrament meeting I looked up and saw some family coming.  I was so confused because we're in a Young Single Adult ward.  Then I realized is was THE BURTON FAMILY!?! I freaked out.  After sacrament we taught 2nd hour on the Restoration through Joseph Smith.  Then we skipped out on Relief Society to take our investigator to see a baptism.  She loved it!

The Burton Family 

Is YSA a feeling?

okay so im just gonna type out my weekly this week through email because ...... 

IVE GOTTA PACK UP ALL MY STUFF TODAY CUZ IM GETTING TRANSFERRED TO THE WEST LAKE YSA WARD!!!!! I'm super excited and very nervous all at the same time! 

not much happened this week, except for the fact that BRYAN GOT BAPTIZED!!!!!! AND CONFIRMED!!!! AND NOW HAS BEEN ORDAINED A PRIEST!!!! AHHHHHHHHHH!

im sorry this is sooooo boring to read. but yeah, all that happened was the baptism and transfer calls.

oh yeah. and ive officially been out OVER 100 DAYS! wow! actually. thats not very far considering the fact that i get to be out for 547 days.... oh well. any chance i get  to have ice cream to celebrate, imma take it!!

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I love you all! Thanks for all the support!

-Sister Page

💖 to 💖 Hugs!

January 3-9

Day 90: Not a whole lot happened today. We got super yummy ice cream! I got one that was salted carmel cookies and cream. YUMMY! Then district sports was cancelled 🙁We had a lesson with our investigator who is getting baptized. We finish out last "required" lesson with him! YAY!

Day 91: We had a lesson with our 10 year old investigator, we just read scriptures with her. SHE LOVED IT! It's so cute to see how much she loves the Book of Mormon! Today was a super awesome day. 💗🎔

Day 92: Nothing big happened today, we got a new investigator.  He actually took the lessons in 1970 for a year but didn't get baptized because he didn't understand the priesthood.  He's a cute old man. He awkwardly gave us a hug even though we told him we didn't hug people.  But he wanted to give us a 💖 to 💖 Hug.

Day 93: Tonight we started a fast with our investigator thats getting baptized.  He's fasting to know if the Book of Mormon is true.

Day 94: We had a super long zone meeting! But it's okay because it was good! Today our investigator told us that he wants to wait until next week for his baptism because something came up on Saturday... so we had to call and let everyone know of the change. That basically took most of the day.

Day 95: We had a lesson with a potential! But at the end his wife came in and tried to Bible bash.  Super awkward.  Then at dinner a 10 year old boy started telling us pick up lines. I don't remember all, just one "I wish I was Voldemnart, so I could be attached to your face" HAHAHAHA! Children kill me!

Day 96: Happy Sabbath! 💕 Today a 15 year old gave a talk in church, that his dad wrote for him, he didn't read it beforehand. So while he gave the talk you could tell he was surprised by what was in it! LOL! Then President told us we needed to go to the YSA devotional broadcast.  Let's just say it was about marriage, all the missionaries didn't know what to do.  Then at dinner we taught an atheist about temples ... so yeah...
That was this week! The 17th is transfers so on Monday I will let you know if I'm staying or leaving Ventura!

1- normal photo

2- sister christiansen!!! 

3- this morning cuz we realized we took 0 pics this week

4- awkward photo, idk what sister hardy is doing hahah 

5- we wear like 5 layers of clothing to bed at night

2017?! Oh and the rain bird

December 27 - Jan 1

Day 84: Ok awkward story: On exchanges the other week, we met a man who wanted to learn more! (yay) he told us to come back sometime/anyday at noon...we've been back everyday since then, at noon...and HE'S NEVER HOME! How rude! Anyway, we had a lesson with a little girl who's slowly dying😢(Her lungs are slowly being filled with her spit) Anyway she got a bead bracelet maker for Christmas and she made us "Friendship bracelets" 💖 I'm never raining it off.

Day 85: Today we planned B's baptism!!! He's getting baptized on Jan 7, 2017! How exciting!💗 That's honestly the only cool thing we did.

Day 86: Today we had a lesson with someone we don't know whether to continue to teach or not. Half way through our lesson we talked about baptism.  He said no, then yes, then maybe...so we shall see!

Day 87: We had interviews with President and Sister Felix, which is always fun. 😊We then met again with the man who doesn't know if he wants to get baptized.  Half way through our lesson he said "Girls, I don't want to waste your time...I want to be a part of your church/congregation! I know that this will help put my life back together! YAY! We set up a baptism date for Feb. 18, he said he might have something that day but he will double check!

Day 88: Hey it's New Years Eve! How exciting, J/k.  It doesn't even feel like a new year is coming! We went to a baptism today! Man I LOVE BAPTISMS AS A MISSIONARY! The spirit is amazing.  Then we had District Meeting for 2 hours instead of 1...oops! Not much more happened today, other than we had to be in by 7 cuz everyones out.  So we came in and made banana bread. Yum!💕

Day 89: HAPPY NEW YEAR! 🎉
Today was filled with church meetings galore and study time then we had to come in early again because of the holiday. We had a meeting with our bishop and talked to him about the second coming and about future generations! It was kinda nice to go more in-depth in the gospel for a good hour! We also learned about President Hinckley today, what an amazing man! Oh how I love him!!! We colored and listened to Mormon Tabernacle Choir before bed. #happynewyear

Oh! Also, one of the elders taught our Mission Presidents wife how to "dab" then she told me and Sister Hardy that she knew how to do "the rain bird" as she was showing us the sprinkler...she's a hoot and a half! 💖

Week of Christmas

December 21 - 27

Day 77-83: I'm so sorry, yet again for such a short little weekly...but NOTHING happened! Monday  we played ultimate basketball←IDK...elders made it up.  Tuesday...Oh! Tuesday we had a Mission Christmas party! That was fun! 💖 But it took all day because we drove for 5 hours. Yeah Wednesday...uh we gave our district leader a tree, fudge and a house that lights up. Oh and also a box that said "Don't open til Christmas!" but it only had a balloon in it...idk why we gave them that. We also gave our zone leaders cookies and fudge and a box that says "Don't open until Christmas!" but it wasn't a balloon, it was chocolate coal.  So we gave elders coal for Christmas... again idk why.  Thursday, oh wait! All that stuff I said happened on Wednesday actually was Thursday stuff! Oops, yeah nothing Wednesday.  Friday was the day before the day before Christmas, so NO ONE talked to us, well except a man who yelled at us. Oh and it rained HARD like flooded the streets! Saturday we did service and had dinner with a member who gave us PJ's for Christmas. It was cute. 💕Sunday we had hour church, opened presents, had lunch with a member then ate dinner with another member.🎄

Day 70-76

December 14 - 20

Day 70-76 : Yeah, thats right, days 70-76.  I am so sorry but NOTHING EXCITING OR WORTH MENTIONING HAPPENED THIS WEEK! Like really, everyone cancelled because of the holidays. Let's see...Oh Saturday we had exchanges for the day, I got a package from my cute neighbor for the 12 days of Christmas. My mom sent me the recipe for fudge and ingredients. We did run into a man who thought he was Satan...so yeah.  It was a boring long week! Oh and 6 DAYS TIL CHRISTMAS!
I am sorry that this is so short! 🙁

Because I ADORE HIM!

December 7 - 13

Day 63: Today I met Sis. Hardy, the new comp. She's also a cosmetologist and we get along fairly well.  Not sure were this transfer will go but we shall see.

Day 64: Today I got to see the area a little. We're trying to get used to each others teaching style. We had dinner with a lady with dementia and we had the same conversation every 5 minutes and her son looks like Santa with a random British accent. (No one in his family is from England or over there)

Day 65: This area is SO small! I miss my big Atascadero! We had amazing asian food for dinner. Nothing new today, just trying to get to know the area.

Day 66: Today we had our 1st district meeting as a new district. It's double the size of my last one! Oh and Sister Christiansen is in my district again! Nothing much happened today. Oh, it is Sister Hardy's 9 month mark today so we ate ice cream! YUM!

Day 67: Okay, today is SUPER SPECIAL because we got to hear a talk from Elder Ballard who came to California to talk to the Ventura Missionaries! How cool is that?! He talked about why we do what we do as missionaries.  His response to every question was..."Because we ADORE him" Him being Jesus Christ 💖. Oh! and because of the meeting I saw Sister Dye!!! We than had a ward Christmas Party and got to meet most of the ward.

Day 68: Not much really happens on Sundays. We had ward council at 7 am (BOO mornings) then church at 9. We had an early dinner at 4:30 and then walked around forever because we can't knock after dark, which is 5:00-9:00 for us... so yeah awesome. We then came in for studies and then are gonna eat ice cream before bed.

Day 69: Today's P-Day! So far we've worked out, done our laundry, cleaned the apartment and studied.

Transfers!

November 30 - December 6 

Day 56: Funny Awkward story. We delivered a childrens Book of Mormon to some investigators. After we kept our car parked outside her house. Knocked around for a solid 45-60 minutes and cam back to the car. We stayed put as we made a few phone calls.  Right as we were about to leave the investigator pulled out of their driveway.  Since it looked like we had been sitting there for an hour we ducked, stayed down for a solid 5 minutes and I came up to see if they'd left. NOPE! They were pulled up right next to us and were looking in our car.  I awkwardly waved and they left.

Day 57: Miracle!!! We went to read scriptures to a less active.  There was a man there who now lives on the property as pay for taking care of her animals.  He came to the camp fire and asked if he could join.  We read the Book of Mormon intro during that he got a phone call and tried to reject it and put it away. He actually answered the phone and his friend started chiming in. He told the man that we were sugar coating everything and started bashing Mormons. (he was on speaker phone) The man then stood up for us and hung up and told us he still wanted to learn more!

Day 58: #LIGHTtheWORLD service kick off!
Not much happened.  I finished 1 Nephi today! We also went back for another campfire scripture study.

Day 59: We has our last district meeting of the transfer! SAD! Then did service for an investigator.  Had 3 lessons today, but nothing exciting really.

Day 60: Today's SING NOEL! Today felt super long! Cuz transfers. Long story short, we're both leaving Atascadero! Sis. Dye is going to a YSA ward in Santa Barbara and I'm in Ventura.  I'm going to miss Sister Dye so much!

Day 61: Last Sacrament meeting in Atascadero! We basically packed all day and said goodbye to members.

Day 62: 2 MONTHS!!! We tried to dry our clothes 2 times and it didn't work. So we laid them on the floor and put fans on while we emailed. We went to SLO and shopped with the Elders, had ice cream cuz 2 months and did shout outs (basically missionary yearbooks) We said last minute good byes and then P-day was done. 😢