Fun in Fontana

Well, this has been a very interesting week full of fun! We had a great week seeing as Sky was baptized and all went well with that. We were able to have a smooth running baptism with lots of people there to support her and most of them were crying by the end. Baptisms are often the most stressful thing ever, but this one was great! So grateful for the blessing it is to be an instrument in the Lord's hands in bringing souls into the kingdom of God :)

here are a bunch of pictures! Hope that you enjoy! :) 

Baptism!

Sister Hope, Lisa (Sky's mom), Sister Rogerson, Sky's Grandma, and Sky :) 

Sister Rogerson and I decided to  decorate some doors of investigators, less actives, and members to show a little extra love and add some trick to our treat! It was super fun, but we did get caught a few times ;)

Sometimes we had to do a little improvising because there were dogs that were barking at us...

Sometimes Sister Rogerson hid in the bushes while I decorated doors...

and sometimes we just couldnt get away fast enough :)

or as we walked up to the door they came out and invited us in...

overall though, it was pretty great, so we took a celebration selfie ;)

Also on Halloween, I got to do Sky's makeup! She wanted to be a broken porcelain doll-- I think its pretty good :)

Also, here are some interesting things that we see every single day :) 

I just love Fontana :)

it rotates, its pretty creepy

Bless their hearts :)

his may be something that people want.. Im not really sure

Also, it rained this week and dropped down to about 60 degrees. Considering it was in the 90s a few days ago-- Yes, we think we are freezing to death :) We have been all bundled up the last few days :)

Well, I hope that you enjoy all of these photos :)  We have sure enjoyed our week :) 

This week we were also able to pick up a new investigator named Trisha! She is so great! She has a lot of struggles in her life, but she is at the point that she wants to change. It is sad sometimes to see people well into their lives that just haven't figured things out yet, but we are ever so grateful when they decide that they are ready to be better. 

We were able to have some great missionary moments this week with Trish! I just want to tell ya'll about her! :) 

So Trish is a neighbor to a member of our ward, Sister Gifford. At our mission conference a couple of weeks ago we were told that we should be asking referrals from EVERYONE. We visit Sister Gifford pretty often because we are helping her give up smoking and be active in the church. She has told us many times that she doesn't know anyone that we could teach. We had seen Trish around her house a few times, and we asked her if we could teach her. She told us that she didn't think that Trish would be ready, but that she would think about it and try. As it turns out, Trish had a very humbling experience and came to Sister Gifford for help. Sister Gifford told her that the only thing that would help her is the Atonement of Jesus Christ and that she knew a couple of girls that could help her with that. 

Wooo Hooo!

So we got to go over and teach Trish about the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the power of the Atonement and the effect that it can have on our lives. It was a great lesson that was guided by the spirit more than any lesson I think that I have ever taught. It was so neat so see her really relax and come to a realization of truth. As we were able to follow the promptings that we received, even though they were a little different than what we had planned, we were able to help Trish recognize her real desires in life and see that the happiness that the Gospel brings really is what she wants. Its what all of us want! 

A couple of days after we had this lesson we had the prompting to go over to her house. We found a way to fit it in our schedule and stopped by. When we knocked on the door, we were almost knocked out by the smell of cigarette smoke and alcohol as she opened. She was a little intoxicated to say the least. We went in and found out that she was having further problems in life and thought that she had found a solution. We talked with her a little bit, and in the end poured her alcohol down the drain and took many of her cigarettes. We left that night wondering what we had done and if it had been best.

The next day--Sunday in fact-- we stopped by to check on her. She had a nice hangover, but we were able to talk to her. We taught her about the Plan of Salvation and more about desires. She wants to be baptized and get her life on track. She let us take her coffee pot and we left her with no alcohol and one cigarette. 

I am so very grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It compels us to BE better. Not just Do better, but be better. I know that it is true because of the fruits. When the Gospel is lived fully, it produces Christlike people that are striving to be better all the time. I love the testimony I continue to grow. I love knowing that this life is not the end and that as we have short-term discipline, it turns into long-term rewards. If God's goal is for all of us to have eternal happiness in His presence, wouldn't you think that the things that he tells us to do would be worth while? Even if they are hard?

I sure love all of you! I hope that you are all doing everything you can and trying a little harder to be a little better and growing to be more and more like our Savior Jesus Christ! 

Love,

Sister Hope