Trunky Transfer

This week has been great! We had a spooky Halloween...not really. We stayed in our apartments and cleaned out our clothes! It was so fun though! My companions are the best and we had a party! 

We did some super fun service pruning olive trees. I was literally a laborer in the vineyard! I got a ton of little cuts and scrapes and some gnarly blisters from the hard work, but it felt great! 

Venice is doing so great! She wants to "live for God and not for the world". She calls us sometimes when she is feeling overwhelmed or tempted, just to get back on track! She has a real desire to do and be better. 

Transfer News: 

I am being transferred to Ventura YSA (which is and area in the Camarillo YSA ward). I served in that ward over a year ago and loved it. It is one of the only places I would be kind of okay leaving Fillmore for.

My new companion's name is Sister Dahl. She is sooo cool. I've met her a few times. Her original assignment was Japan. 

I am sooo sooo sad to be leaving Fillmore. It has become a home away from home. I LOVE the people here, and will miss them with all my heart! I have made so many friends and memories here. 

Sister Stock will be staying here and training a new missionary! She has grown so much and I'm so proud of her! I wouldn't trust this area to anyone else! 

Sister Olson is going to be opening a new area in Ventura with a sister named Sister Hansen. 

I am going to MISS THESE TWO!! 

Pictures: RIP the Trio, an olive tree, our friend Melissa (who we had to stop teaching), last district excersise=frisbee, the Halloween fits 

Prayer is Mighty

 We had zone conference this week! That was a blast! I spoke about how praying in faith effects our desires to do the work! I learned so much preparing for my discussion. Prayer is so powerful and can bring miracles! Here's an example: 

We met this man named Michael a couple weeks back while out walking in Fillmore. He called us a few days later and we were able to help him through a really tough spot in his life with prayer. He has seen miracles happen this past week, and is on track to sort his life back out! He also has had his heart softened to the point where he wants to learn about the Gospel! He lives in Santa Clarita, and so we passed him off to the missionaries there, and he is doing great! All we did was pray with him, listen to him, and be there. God did the rest. He is in control! 

I am so grateful for prayer! I have seen the way I pray change over the last little while. It has become more of a  conversation with God and has helped me to develop a real relationship with Him! I am able to do all things through Christ! 

Pictures:

Service, Zone Conference, Begneits at Rabalais 

Three Peas in a Pod

I love my companions! They are so fun and we have the best time!

Random experiences this week:

 

We had a two hour long member visit this week...she needed it, but they had DOGS! So I've also had allergies the rest of this week!

Sister Olson, Stock, and I have been speaking in British and Australian accents all week. It's been hilarious. 

I got stung by a BEE on my finger :(

It was Sister Stock's 3rd month mark <3

It was Vanessa's daughter's birthday and we went to the end of the party to support Vanessa. She asked us to watch her bouncy castle until the guys came to get it...we watched it very closely!

We had an exchange with the ojai sisters and I got to be with Sister Gowans who is the sweetest!

General conference was amazing! The overall message was of peace and christlike love. It was so up-lifting. I am grateful for the Spirit who taught me and inspired the speakers. I am grateful for a modern day prophet and apostles! Something that really struck me was Elder Andersen's talk about how we need to stand up for the Savior and bear testimony of Him. That we need to talk of Him, testify of Him, and rejoice in Him! I love my Savior and have grown much closer to Him over my mission. I love who I am becoming as I do grow closer to him! 

And then there were three.

Sister Stock and I got a third companion this week. Her name is Sister Olson, she is from South Dakota, and she is a hoot! We love her already! Tri-pans are literally so fun! We have been working hard this week, too. Three heads are better than two, so now we have a whole bunch of new ideas!

We went "chalking" where we walk to a park or a bike path and draw in chalk spiritual messages on the ground. We have gotten a few responses! Some good, some bad, but people are actually reaching out to us! One person texted us and told us they weren't sure which path to take, they believe in Christ, but didn't know which church to be a part of! Woah!

We saw some MIRACLES this week! One of them was the chalking person. Another was we received a referral from Vanessa for her step-daughter, Venice, to be taught! We will meet with her this week. 

We were also able to go visit our friend Robert IN PERSON. He is paralyzed and has been locked in his facility for the past six months! Now we are able to visit, sitting outside, six feet apart, wearing masks! 

Our ward met IN PERSON! We had a sacrament meeting outside in the back parking lot wearing masks, sitting six feet apart. Sister Stock, Sister Olson, and I helped check everyone in by taking their temperature! It was so cool to see everyone! 

We were on a walk and ran into one of our friends we are teaching who we have only taught online! It was so crazy! My companions felt like we should walk home from the lesson instead of driving. When we saw him, and Sister Stock recognized him, yelled, and he almost crashed his bike! Haha. Then we set up a lesson and taught him the Plan of Salvation. It was so cool! The smallest promptings can bring huge miracles! The Spirit is nudging us all the time! 

So much more happened this week, but I can't fit it all! I am loving my mission, and my companions are the greatest! 

Sister Hadden

Moments Matter

 

This week has been a roller coaster of ups and downs!

⬆️We went on a split in Ojai with Sister Keele and Sister Gowans! Soooo fun! We went store "contacting" (we just are really friendly and try to start conversations), set up a family history booth, and drew a sidewalk chalk plan of slavation!

⬇️Our most progressing person, Sergio, decided he didn't want to learn anymore. We're sad but people have their agency and we can't help them more than they want to be helped. 

⬆️ We got in contact with Melissa and got to see her four times this week! She even cam to church and we invited her to be baptized, she is praying about it! :)

⬇️ We only have a few people in our teaching pool so we have been grinding trying to find people...but haven't found anyone new quite yet. The miracles will come!

⬆️ We went to a member family's house last night to pick up dinner ,and ended up staying and filming the amazing stories they told us. Our FB page is doing a series called Moments Matter, and they both shared incredible experiences with us. We had to film it! This is a miracle because we've been trying to find stories for a while, and none have worked out! Peep "Come unto Christ - Ventura" to see the moments matter. They'll probably go up in about a week or two!

Now what you've all been waiting for: TRANSFER NEWS! 

Sister Stock and I are both staying!! AND we are getting a third companion! Her name is Sister Olsen and we are so excited! 

Pictures: Family history efforts, cinnamon rolls for Hermana Roylance's month mark, the district, IHOP and baskin Robin's!

The Savior Heals All Wounds

This week has been jam packed! Here are some highlights!

Vanessa GOT BAPTIZED! Her whole family came and it was so sweet! She bore her testimony at the end. She said how much she had felt the spirit prompting her that she was ready. She has come so far and the Atonement has truly changed her! Christ makes all things possible! We're so happy for her! She couldn't stop smiling after! 

We had Zone Conference! It was really fun! I got to see my old companion Sister Taupa'ū, she's the sweetest! We learned a lot about how to find effectively during Covid. We're starting to try Family History, service, and working with members WAY more! 

We found a couple new friends this week, Nico and Ruben...but they're both YSA so we will have to pass them off!

Sergio is doing great! We thought we lost contact with Melissa...BUT yesterday she texted us and said she's been crazy busy but still wants to meet! We are going to do family history with her and her Mom tonight! 

I love my mission. God is great!

Sister Hadden 

I Live In An Oven!

This weekend there is a heat wave in California! I happen to be serving in the area that is furthest inland in my mission. Saturday was 115° and yesterday it was 117°! We are melting! When you go outside it literally feels like you opened the oven door! So we don't go outside...unless we have to! Today we are retreating to Ventura to stay cool! 

We were so crazy busy this week! I had Mission Leadership Conference (MLC), District Leadership Conference (DLC), Combined District Council (CDC) (I gave a discussion in that one), and two exchanges--one with Sister Keele and one with Sister Jacobsen.

I love being busy! It keeps me working hard and focused on the mission! I love my sisters and have had so much fun getting to know them and encouraging them! 

Our people are doing great! Vanessa is getting baptized this Saturday, Sergio has been reading the Book of Mormon daily, Melissa quit coffee BEFORE our Word of Wisdom lesson because "she felt like she should". WHAT?! MIRACLES!!! 

I know my Savior lives and is strengthening me! I literally could not keep up with all this without his help. Prayer has been a huge support to me as I try my best to serve others! I am really learning to rely on my Savior, my Heavenly Father, and the Spirit! As my mission plaque says "I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever." Alma 26:12

God is good! 

Sister Hadden 

Ps: Check out the video we made on my FB page!