Hola Muchachos

What a week! We have seen miracles this week! 

We are starting this thing in our Zone called a miracle report. Every two days a companionship is challenged to see a miracle in the next 48 hours. Everyone in the zone prays for them to be able to see a miracle. At the end of the 48 hours, they send a voice recording of their miracle to the zone and challenge another companionship. 

We haven't even been challenged yet, but we have already seen some miracles this week. 

On Tuesday we had some super fun exchanges. I went up to Simi Valley with Sister Brown and Sister Sheppard. It was so nice to be back in a YSA ward! We walked a lot and taught a few lessons! All in all, it was a great day!

Wednesday we went tracting in a trailer park and met this lady named Betty who let us in and talked to us for about an hour. We left her with a Book of Mormon and our testimonies. She is pretty involved in her church, but the truth of the Gospel can open people's minds and hearts. 

We were able to get in contact with our friend Pete Wednesday night. Last time we heard from him he was headed into surgery, he fell and hit his head and they found a tumor so they were going to remove it. We didn't hear from him for about a week and a half, and finally we called the hospital. They patched us to his room and we got to talk to him!! He said he would love for us to visit! 

Thursday we met a homeless woman named Lynn. She said the thing she needed was a sleeping bag (it gets pretty cold here at night). We told her we would ask around and went on our way. We were tracting and this lady we ran into asked us if we needed anything. We said, "a sleeping bag?" And she was like, "I have an old one I've been meaning to donate". WHAT???? MIRACLE!!! We found Lynn again and gave it to her! 

Friday we had a bomb district council. We did a testimony meeting at the end and we all felt the Spirit so strongly! That night, we talked to this guy, Wolfgang, who said he wanted to learn and he wanted his family to learn, too! WHAT??? MIRACLE!!!!

We went on Saturday to visit Pete. Some members came with us and they gave him a blessing. He was very grateful and just kept saying "Don't forget about me". :( 

Sunday we flooded the westlake Elders area and it was so fun!

Good times this week! Miracles happen!

Funny moment! We were at a doorstep and I accidentally introduced myself as SISTER WYNDER! HAHA! I must have had her on my mind. Also, I'm EXHAUSTED! We miss you sista!

Love you all! Keep me updated on your lives!

Sister Hadden

Rising up, back on our feet

First week this transfer was the worst on the mission. Second week this transfer had been THE BEST!!! We just made it more fun! We were super down and homesick and this past week we have been able to get out of our heads and go to work. Our hearts have been so full and the love for the people had grown so much! 

 

We've had so many laughs this week! We got everything done already this P-day and are currently hanging out/playing games at this members house in Agoura (he's for sure a millionaire). We are so blessed to be serving in this beautiful place!

Not much out of the ordinary this week. We had a few lessons and went tracting a lot. Sister Fowers had chipotle for the very first time. We met some really cool people and got to know the members in both our wards much better. That is so important here, where really the most effective way to find investigators is through the members. 

The Hermanas both got bitten by dogs this week. We are getting super close to our district since we are so small! They are such supportive people and have incredible testimonies! I am so grateful for my mission, if only to have met and become friends with such great people. It is so important to surround yourself with people who strive to do good and to build others up.

I don't really know what to talk about this week. Sorry if this email is a bit scattered. All is well here and I hope all is well with all of you! Have an incredible week! If to have something you'd like me to include in my email next week please let me know! 

Love you all! 

Sister Hadden

And then there were two . . .

Hello!

This is Sister Hadden and Sister Fowers, reporting live from Newbury Park, California. The weather is gloomy (they call it May gray) and the butterflies are out in force again! 

We are currently sitting in a Pep Boys in Thousand Oaks waiting for our car's oil to be changed. We have been waiting for about 2.5 hours, had time to walk a mile to Starbucks to get breakfast, walk a mile back, and finally decided to ask about it. The lady says she just put it in line to get the work done and it'll be two more hours..... send help. 

It's okay though. The Hermanas are coming to the rescue and are going to pick us up and take us to district activity (hide and go seek at the stake center). 

We have had a looonnnggg week. We started teaching two new people and have been out with the people. We had walk day on Thursday and have been out finding all week to no avail. But it's okay. The Lord works in mysterious ways. He has seen our efforts and is sending us people. We had two people come up to us this Sunday and tell us they have someone for us to teach! One was Camille (a teenager we are teaching who has basically been a member her whole life but hasn't been baptized because she needs permission from her dad). She told us she just started dating a boy and he wants to learn more about the church! 

The other is a Lady named Sister Tan. She is the Young Women's President and is a teacher. One of her co-workers has been having a hard time and Sister Tan felt like she should give her a Book of Mormon. She acted on that prompting and have her friend a Book of Mormon with her testimony written inside and told her how it could give her peace and bring her closer to Christ. Her friend was so grateful and felt the spirit testifying to her she began to cry and thanked Sister Tan adamantly. Sister Tan says she is going to invite her to church and to take the discussions and asked us to pray for her! Will you all keep her in you prayers as well? Her name is Julia.

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms! I got to call mine yesterday! Thank you to all the amazing mothers and women out there who are such an example to me and to all they come in contact with. Give your moms a hug and if you see mine give her a hug from me! 

Love you all! Have an incredible week! Find missionary opportunities, they are everywhere!

Sister Hadden.

A Week

This is Lisa!

It has been a week...

We met with Pete after P-day last Monday. He was the man we met who wanted to do some family history! We had our family history consultant with us and she connected him to his great aunt who was a member and she had done a bunch of his family history. He was so excited and grateful to us we are meeting with him again this week and will hopefully begin teaching him! The spirit of Elijah was truly at work! 

Tuesday Sister Wynder went to Oxnard for MLC and we got to go out with the Westlake YSA sisters! It was a fun day!

Wednesday we had a normal day with lots of walking and knocking. We also served Lisa again. 

Thursday we went to THE TEMPLE!  A member (Sister Pace) took us down to LA and we did endowments and initiatories!  It was so cool. The LA temple has 5 rooms instead of just 2 and you move from room to room. It was beautiful. After the temple Sister Pace took us to get Chick- fil-a. She is the sweetest. She has a daughter in Taiwan on a mission and another who just put her papers in.  After the temple, we went and visited this lady Marianna. We were running a little late and were scared we would miss her but she was home!! She invited us in. As we sat down, she burst into tears and told us that she was very overwhelmed and lost and she needed help. We told her our purpose and that the gospel would help her in her life. She said she wanted to learn and hear what we have to share and the answers we have! MARIANNA IS SO READY FOR THE GOSPEL IN HER LIFE! She is a mom of 4 boys and has the strongest faith! We are so excited to teach her!

Friday we had district council and we did weekly planning with white wash sheets because transfer calls were Sunday (keep reading to find out where I'm going). 

Saturday was a LONNNGGG day. We tracted for hours. Sister Fowers and I, after a particularly difficult door, both started laugh/crying. We were so overwhelmed and tired and sad. All the emotions. But we dried our tears and kept going!

Sunday was an amazing day with so many miracles and fun times. We met this woman Barbara and she wasn't very interested, but she was super excited to meet us and kept calling us "yum yums" and giving us hugs. She sent us on our way with fig bars and her phone number. She was the sweetest lady. That night sister Fowers and I got our transfer calls and we are......both STAYING! We get to be companions again for another transfer and I'm leading the area and senior comp/follow up trainer so a little #stressed but I'll be okay! Send prayers! 

Today was a blast. It's Sister Wynder's last day, so we went shopping with a member for some new clothes for her. It was Sister Fower's 2 month mark, so we celebrated with doughnuts (we surprised her with a custom one that said 'Happy 2 Months'). And then we did shutouts and thrift shopping with the district. Best day! 

Miss you all. Hope you have an amazing week. I'm going to send pictures! 

Fig bars from Barbara!

Saturday cry fest! Keep on keepin' on!

The temple!

Week 5, Transfer 2

This week was a roller coaster. 

On Monday after P-day ended, we dropped by this lady, Stephanie. She let us in to her home and we asked her if she would want to learn more, and promised that this Gospel would bless her and her family. She said yes :) She also said she would prefer to learn in Spanish, so we had to pass her off to the hermanas :(.

On Tuesday we had a pass of lesson with the YSA sisters and started teaching Brian! He is in his 50s and wants to learn. We are excited to continue to meet with him and help him progress. We officially started teaching our friend Bob. He looks like the old man from UP and is the cutest!

Wednesday was walk day, and we walked a ton!! It was also THE HOTTEST DAY EVER!!! We helped Lisa in her yard again and helped clarify the difference between The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the FLDS church, which apparently there is a new show about, called Escaping Polygamy or something. We explained that we do not affiliate with that group and do not support or practice polygamy! I thought we would have gotten more questions on the subject from people, but It's only been brought up maybe twice my whole mission. Either people know that is not us, or they don't want to ask.

Thursday we did weekly planning and service for a different Lisa (Bob's daughter). She is definitely not interested in hearing  more but we just serve her anyway. It is kind of funny how surprised she is that we genuinely just want to help her!!   

Friday we got to do MORE SERVICE! We went and helped this lady, Marlene, with a project she does with her church. They get donations from local grocery stores of all the expired food and things that don't sell. They keep it all until Friday and then take it and feed the homeless.They get to go shopping for free! We helped pack everything up for them to take to the people. Hopefully, we get to help again sometime soon!!

Then that night we had to stop teaching Bob :( He was not willing to progress and did not want to learn. He was lonely and so loved talking with us, but he was not open to what we shared with him. It was the saddest drop lesson I have ever had. 

Saturday was a long day of knocking and visiting people. We got to visit Greg and get to know him a bit better! He said he would come teach a group of us meditation one morning! He also said he would try to come to church Sunday.

Sunday GREG AND HIS WIFE IANTHE came to church!!!! They loved it!!!!! The talks were about..... the restoration. They had to leave after sacrament meeting but said they would try to make it to both hours next week! 

This week has been long and crazy with lost of ups and downs. Missions are hard ✔. This is the last week of the transfer. Stay tuned for some miracles and some tears because transfers are coming up and Sister Wynder is going home!!

Her last month mark is today! It is her 16th month mark. Will everyone send her a quick email and just wish her a happy 17 months as a surprise?? Her email is mackenzie.wynder@missionary.org . She thinks we forgot but really we got her favorite ice cream and are going to celebrate tonight!!

Love and miss you all! Thanks for your help with the surprise! 

Sister Hadden

Beaches and Bob

Hello!!!! 

Happy Easter everyone!!!

This week has flown by. We had exchanges TWICE ths week! Stay tuned for some awesome pictures if I can figure out how to send them!! For the first exchange Sister Fowers and I were in the Camarillo YSA sister's area. They cover Camarillo, Oxnard, Ventura, and Ojai! We stayed in Oxnard for the day though. Sister Pace (My favorite MTC comp) is in that area and we got to be companions again! Because there were four of us (Sister Pace, me, Sister Fowers, and the other Sister Fowers) we had two companionships and only one car. We asked the assistants if we could borrow their bikes for the day and just like that I became a biking missionary!! It was soooo much fun! We talked to everyone along the way which you can't do in a car and it was waay faster than walking! President is thinking of transitioning the sisters to be driving and biking and I'm all for it!!

Later that day we went out for dinner because it was the other Sister Fowers' 18th month mark! She goes home this transfer with Sister Wynder. After we tracted this strip of houses that literally backed onto the beach. Their side and back yards were THE BEACH. We never get to see the ocean in Thousand Oaks so it was really cool.  

The exchange in our area on Saturday was less exciting. We saw miracles though!! We tracted into some new potentials and were able to get a lot done!! 

We started teaching this man named Bob. He is in his 80s (we think) and we found him in the craziest way! The YSA Sisters were told by a member in our area to go do some service for this lady Lisa. We soon found out that Lisa was not at all interested in the gospel but would let us serve her. We went a few times to weed her yard and then she told us  that her dad could probably use some service too. We went over to her Dad's house and met her Dad...Bob!! We helped him with his housework and started talking about faith. We asked if he would like to learn more and he said YES!! We helped him download the Book of Mormon APP so he could listen to it n his IPad. He is already through 2 Nephi 30!! He is a miracle and he is excited to learn!

This Sunday was Easter Sunday. It is a day to remember the Savior and what he did for us. This is one of my favorite verses that tells of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. It is Alma 7:11-12 and it says:

11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.

Christ came to this earth willingly. He  knows what we experience in this life because he too experienced those things while in the garden of Gethsemane. He is the great mediator that makes it possible for the laws of justice and mercy to both be satisfied. He will never leave us friendless or hopeless. He is a friend and he is hope. I am so grateful for the Savior and what he did for me and for you. We can use his infinite gift to grow closer to our Heavenly Father and too eventually reach our divine potential. 

I love you all!! Happy Easter!

Love, Sister Hadden.

Happy Easter!

Daniel's baptism

This has been a great week! I love my companions so much. Also DANIEL GOT BAPTIZED!! I was able to go and also Daniel asked me to sing at the baptism so that also happened! It was such a cool service and Daniel was just glowing! He had been so ready for this day for the past month or so. I'm so excited for him to start on the path to live with our Father in Heaven once more!

We found some cool people this past week who we can hopefully begin teaching in the next week or so! Sister Burks and I talked to this lady Marlene on exchanges. She was working outside and we offered help. She said she would love help with her garage sometime and  also told us she feeds the homeless every Friday with salvation army and that if they needed help she would call us. YAY SERVICE!  We also met this cool guy Johnny! He said he had been having a tough time of late and could use some upliftment. Sister Fowers shared Ether 12:27 with him and offered him a book of Mormon. He was so grateful! He also accepted a plan pamphlet and a card with our phone number. 

The work has been a little slow this past week. We've had a bunch of meetings but on Sunday we got to meet Ianthe (we've been teaching her and her husband Greg but haven't been able to have a lesson the past few weeks). We just stopped by to "use the bathroom" and got to talk with her for a little while! Greg was busy meditating but Ianthe said he has not had tobacco for three weeks!! So he is still on track for baptism. We just need to get in and have some more lessons!!

My testimony this week has been strengthened so much. One of our meetings this week was Zone Conference / mission tour! Elder Klembingat of the 70 came and spoke to our mission. He is very straight forward and direct. He talked to us about some pretty in-depth things and helped us understand the premortal life,  repentance, and living the gospel a bit better. I gained a testimony that we can be imperfect and still worthy as we strive to become more like Christ and turn towards him when we mess up. He gave an analogy of a child drawing a picture and proudly presenting it to their parents. Although it is no where near perfect the parents still laminate it and put it up on the fridge. They know that the child is trying and did their best work.   The Repentance process is that drawing, we are the children practicing over and over and we are still no where near perfect yet. Heavenly Father loves us so much and knows when we are trying our best and that if we practice we can become better!

Zone Conference

The Di-Zone

Have a Happy Easter everyone!!