Another week, another dream

This week has been pretty boring. A lot of the people we usually teach
have been out of town, so we didnt get to have as many lessons as we
would have liked to. It's okay though. we got to spend a lot of time
doing service this week. That has been a lot of fun. I dont think we
were avoiding service before, but we definitely haven't been doing as
much as we should. This week has been so much less stressful because I
have been able to just relax and help people. I guess I just need a
little more manual labor in my life.
We got to go work on this farm with some Elders, and it was a blast!
We were mostly just weeding a garden, but it was still fun!
We also got to volunteer at the stake pioneer day activity! We helped
our Bishop's wife teach people how to make butter! It was so fun, and
we got to take home some homemade bread and butter, so that was a
bonus! My new companion is allergic to glutton, dairy, and sugar, so
it is only me enjoying that bonus. Good thing I havent gained any
weight yet!  Hopefully It doesnt catch up to me :)
I guess I havent told you very much about Sister Rogers. She is from
Sandy, Utah, but has lived all over. She is number 5 of 7 in her
family. She was homeschooled all growing up, and did one semester at
BYUI before her mission. She is almost 21 and has been out one
transfer longer than me. She was in the desert for 6 months though.
As for me-- I cant think of much that is new. I have a feeling that I
am going to stay in singles ward for a really long time, but who knows
really.  I enjoy it though, its a fun challenge.
Here is a list of Random things you might not know:
- My companion right now is not cleared to drive in the mission, so I
drive all the time. Since our area is so huge, we are on the freeway
almost every single day. I am pretty sure I will have to be a good
driver by the time I get home.
- I always wear sweaters on sundays because we have 6 hours of church
and the church building is freezing no matter where you are.
- We have a gas stove which makes me a worse cook than normal.
- I have the best family and friends ever! (Oh wait, you knew that ;) )
Other than that I dont feel like I have too much to report on. Sorry I
am kind of boring! On to another week of living the dream!
I love you all so much! I cant wait to hear about your adventures!
Sister Hope

Hope of Isreal

This week has been interesting. It is always an interesting week when
a new companion comes. Sister Rogers and I are very different, but we
are working through the kinks of adjusting to someone new:)
As for the work this week-- Our investigator in the Mill Creek ward,
Brother Hayden, is doing pretty well. He loves us coming over, and is
beginning to read the Book of Mormon for the first time! It is very
exciting for him. His wife has been a member for over 30 years, and it
has been so fun to watch his faith and interest grow in the last few
months. His wife is always expressing gratitude to us because we are
the first missionaries that have stuck around for more than one
lesson. I love Brother Hayden! He is so wonderful, and I know that he
will accept Jesus Christ as his savior, hopefully soon!
In the YSA ward, there is a lot going on as always. Steffan was able
to bless the sacrament this week, and that was very exciting for him.
Him and Cameron have introduced us to his sister, Marilyn! she came to
church this week and even asked for a priesthood blessing while we
were there!
We also had a really cool experience with our investigator, Kenny. We
weren't sure where to go with him this week. We had taught him the
first 3 lessons, but he was not very solid on Jesus Christ and His
divinity. We didn't want to start commandments until we felt like he
had a really good understanding there. We decided to watch "Finding
Faith in Christ" with him, and the lesson was FANTASTIC! the spirit
was so strong there, and when we asked him how his Book of Mormon
reading was going afterwards he said, "If all of the things that you
are telling me are true-- and I don't think that you are lying-- then
this is the most important information that anyone could ever hear.
This is more groundbreaking than man walking on the moon and more life
changing than any discovery that has ever been made. I am just waiting
for that moment that I can say 'I know it' and really feel that way."
It was awesome! we bore testimony of the power of the Book of Mormon
and told him how that would be the key to knowing. He said that he was
ready to work for an answer! He is such a great person, and I am so
grateful for the work that our Savior is doing in his life. I really
do know that it is by the power of the Holy Ghost that all of this has
been put together in his mind!
I also got to speak in church this week! My topic was member
missionary work. I hope that all of you are working hard at being
better missionaries. It's not a job that belongs to only those with
nametags. If you are wondering how you can be better and repent,
please read the talk "Find the Lambs, Feed the Sheep" by President
Gordon B. Hinckley. It is awesome! All of us can be better about
sharing the Gospel with our friends, and helping love people in to the
Gospel. Find a way to be better this week :)
I love this gospel, and I know that it is true! I am so grateful for
the Atonement in my life and that we all have the ability to gain
access to the power that it holds. He lives. I know it. I love sharing
it :)
On to another week in the vineyard,
Love you!
Sister Hope

Cameron raises Madagascar Hissing cockroaches and sells them for
profit. Just sayin'. Gross! and they are super loud!

Happy 7/11!

Also, I ate an entire pie this week. Oops.

So Cal

Hey Family!
Well this week has been a little boring, but I will try to give you a
summary of my adventures still :)
Cameron and Steffan are doing awesome! Steffan was ordained to the
office of Priest yesterday, and both him and Cameron are planning on
going to the temple with the ward to do baptisms for the dead this
week! We are so incredibly excited for their love of the Gospel! They
build our testimonies every time we get to meet with them! They have a
lot of struggles that they are always working through, but they are
working through them and growing more and more each day!
We have also been working with Brother Hayden in the Mill Creek ward.
He has a lot of arguments in him, but we love him so much! He has not
always been a huge fan of the missionaries that have come over, so it
is awesome that he has loved Me and sister Dowd so much! :)
That's kind of it for Highlights this week I think.
The Fourth of July was AWESOME! I am so grateful to be a missionary in
such a blessed land. We have the freedom to worship our Heavenly
Father and Jesus Christ and to share our faith with others! That is
such a blessing! It truly is a promised land, and as we live up to the
covenants we make, we can enjoy so many of the promised blessings.  I
love the people here in southern California and I know that this is
the place my Heavenly Father needed me to go :)
In other news, I felt my first California Earthquake! It felt more
like a mob running up the stairs of our apartment, but It was pretty
cool I guess. I am sure there will be many more to come. The one I
felt was Friday morning, and I think I heard something about the
epicenter being in Big Bear. You guys are welcome to look it up and
see how large the earthquake I survived was ;)
Last thing-- TRANSFERS :)
Yup, those are this week! We got our phone call a couple of hours ago.
I am staying in YSA and Mill Creek, and Sister Dowd is going to  Palm
Dessert. I think my new companion is Sister Rogers, but don't quote me
on that one. It should be a great transfer!
Hope you enjoy all of the pictures!
Love you!
Sister Hope

 

This is Brother and Sister Hayden. Sister Hayden has been a member for
30 years, and Brother Hayden has been talking with the missionaries
for a very long time :) He used to be a Government teacher, so he has
lots to say. We sure love him though :)

This was my district this Transfer
Sister Rivera, Sister Dowd, Sister Lee, Sister Hope, Elder Armstrong,
Elder Hevner

Fourth of July Slurpee!! :)

These are the Sons of the American Revolution.
It's like the DAR, but for men. They are the one's that do reenactments
and stuff like that though! They were super awesome!
Also, Mel Gibson wore the Hat that is on my head :) They are the
helmets used for filming the Patriot! A little redecorated, but the
same ones! :) I love America! :)

On the Fourth we had to be in to our apartment by 6pm. Fortunately, we
live about two blocks from away from on of the big firework shows
here, so we got to watch from our apartment complex. Unfortunately,
there were some trees in the way. However, it made for some cool
pictures! :)

 

A week to remember :)

Well, the highlight of this week was definitely Cameron and Steffan's
baptism! It was very exciting and special to see these two make a
covenant with God! This baptism is one that I will definitely remember
forever! Cameron has been investigating the church almost 6 years!!
She had a lot of complications about getting baptized, but the day
finally came, and it was so neat to see her finally take that step
towards being a disciple of Jesus Christ. She is simply amazing! I am
so happy that I got to meet her and work with her! Her and Steffan are
already looking forward to going to the temple and making further
covenants! It is super exciting!
The baptism was interesting. Cameron and Steffan didnt want a lot of
people there, so there were 3 priesthood holders, the bishop and his
wife, a group of missionaries that they felt comfortable with, and
President and Sister Van Cott. Definitely different than what we would
normally expect, but it was awesome! The spirit there was so cool.
Cameron and Steffan shared their testimonies with us the next night on
how wonderful they felt and how they knew that they had made the right
choice and that their sins had truly been washed away. They are
amazing!

The set up for the baptism was definitely interesting as well. If
anyone wants to hear a good story well into the future, ask me about
filling the font that day:)

Anywhoo, the rest of the week wasn't too bad either. We have been
working with guy named Kenny. He is really smart and has a lot of
questions about the Gospel We have taught him twice and he came to our
ward activity on Saturday and church on Sunday! He is super great.
Everyone in Elder's Quorum loves him and wants to be his best friend,
so hopefully that will work out and he will be able to develop those
friendships in the Church :)

We have been also been working with this guy named David. He is a
friend of a member that just got married. That is unfortunate because
he is no longer in singles ward. David has made a lot of other friends
though, so hopefully he will keep coming. He has stayed strong so far.
David is super cool and knows a lot about the church. He wants to have
a solid answer before he commits to anything though. He has born
testimony of Jesus Christ though, so we have that to build off of. We
think he might be a little scared of us as missionaries. He doesnt
really want to have formal lessons with us, but hopefully he will soon
:)

Also this week, I sang in sacrament meeting. YIKES!! We all know that
I was not born to perform, and it did not go well, but Sister Dowd is
a good singer, so it could have been worse. She did make me solo
though. It did not go well, and I laughed at myself from the stand,
that's okay though. I am perfectly comfortable knowing that American
Idol will never choose me.

Well, I love you all and I hope to hear from you soon! hope you are
having a good week and that you are recognizing those tender mercies
of the Lord. He really is amazing. When we take the time to notice
Him, it makes us happier and puts our lives in perspective. Notice
God's hand in your life :)
Love,
Sister Hope :)

Cameron's Baptism!
Sister Dowd, Cameron, Steffan, Sister Hope

This is a recently returned missionary. He served in the Boise mission
I think. His last name is Mann.
Anyways he was in the Gooding/Wendell Stake for 3 months during the
Christmas of 2012. He knows all of the Hope's, and also knew the
Bowers, and I think he had met Grandma.
Also, this picture is proof that I do actually do my hair some days :)