March 31, 2014

Hello family!

 

Hope all is well in the home land. Thank you all so much for keeping me updated and all. I love your emails! This week was a good one here in Rialto. Hermana Lauaki-Sablan and I are always having fun. We picked up a new investigator this week. It is the cousin of a girl we were teaching that ended up moving away so for some reason we had the idea to go back to her house, even though she doesn't live there anymore. Come to find out that her cousin has been waiting for us to come back because he wanted to come to church but he didn't know where the church was! And guess what else! The day we went, his cousin that we were teaching that moved? She had come back to visit just for the day! So she and her cousin sat down for an awesome lesson! So cool.

Then, on Wednesday we had dinner with one of our members and he has been trying to get us to sit down with his daughter. She is less active but said that she didn't want to talk to any missionaries. Well while we were having dinner at her parents house, she just happened to come by. She didn't say much to us while we were eating but Hermana Lauaki-Sablan and I pulled her aside after dinner and just talked to her for a second. Well I guess after we left she told her mom that she really liked us and that she wants to have us over to her house. So we're having dinner with her and her husband tonight! After almost three months here in Rialto we're finally getting to go to her house!

 

I was made the driver again because they don't have Hermana Lauaki-Sablan's paperwork so I am the designated driver. So much for looking at the pretty scenery on the way to our area! We've been walking a lot though! We even walk to church now. All the members see us and try to give us rides. They're the sweetest. Yesterday two people pulled over to talk to us and ask us if we needed a ride. When we said no they ended up giving us granola bars and offered us tacos. It was hilarious and I just love the members here and all their generosity. I might have already mentioned this but Hermana Lauaki-Sablan and I are the first sister missionaries this ward has gotten in over ten years! So they just love us. They really do spoil us. I'm hoping we have at least one more transfer together for three main reasons: 1. WE'RE BEST FRIENDS   2. I want you all to meet her and if we stay together for one more transfer we'll be together for Mother's Day when we Skype home. and 3. We came into the ward together as the first sisters in a loooooong time, so it just won't be the same if one of us leaves! We're getting along really well with the other four elders in our ward too. We struggled a bit last transfer, they were still getting used to having us here, but now we're working well together and having lots of fun! It's a great dynamic.

 

There was an earthquake on Friday. The other two we had while I was here I was asleep for. But this one was the first earthquake I've ever really experienced! We were in a lesson when it happened so I'm sure it made our visit memorable!

Saturday night was a broadcast for women at church. It was really great to hear the messages of the leaders of Relief Society speak to us. I got some really great insights and they shared really good messages. Sunday Hermana Lauaki-Sablan and I taught primary for our ward, we taught, or tried to teach "Jesus Christ is our Savior" to the little kidlets. It was... exhausting. But they told their parents that they had fun!

 

The six of us missionaries have been working really well together and trying our best to help our ward come together and work with more unity. We've been working on that a lot and have had a really good experience with it lately. Our members are responding well to our messages and they're doing more to help each other. On Saturday we had a big service project with one of our members cleaning up his backyard and cutting up branches and trimming trees. It was a lot of work to be done! But we got other members out to help. One even brought water and juice coolers for everyone that was there working!

Our bishop got special permission from our stake president to have General Conference shown at our chapel next weekend and is inviting all the members to come and have a little picnic together between sessions! (there are two 2 hour sessions on both Saturday and Sunday) so I think that is something that will help our ward as well.

 

The other night we were sharing a message with one of our members and when we told them we had to head home, their 3 year old daughter says "Can't you just live here so you don't have to leave?"

 

Sorry this email is so scatter-brained. I just have so many experiences and not enough memory to tell them all. I sure do cherish them though!

I'm LOVING my mission!!! And learning sooooo much. Love and miss you all.

 

Love,

Hermana Granado

Hey family,

 

So no bikes, thanks for all your prayers but it looks like our mission president thinks it isn't the right thing to do right now. So we're going to start parking and walking all day. Wish me luck! (and send me blister bandaids). But I know that the decision our mission president made was prayed about and thought about a lot this past week. And I am thankful that he is able to make decisions for this mission to bless us and the people we come into contact with.

 

Hope you all had a good week. I'm trying to think of fun things that happened... But nothing is really coming to mind. We are struggling to find more people to teach. Please pray that we will be able to find people that are ready and willing to hear the gospel- we're only effective when we have people to teach!

 

Today we played sports with our ward. We did some basketball and softball and kickball- it was a blast! I'll send a picture of the missionaries (I'm in a pink sweatshirt). The other pic is from a few weeks ago, with a family in our ward. Two of the elders were transferred so that's why there's two different ones in the recent one.

 

In two weeks we're having General Conference! I'm so excited! General Conference is when the prophet and apostles speak and it's twice a year- the first weekend in April and the first weekend in October. So I'm really looking forward to that!

 

This week is Hermana Lauaki-Sablan's 9 month mark so we're gonna do it up big! I'll probably treat her to a shake or something :) And then a couple days later is my 5 month mark! Not that big of a deal but crazy to think I've been out that long already. I still feel so new!

 

Time's running out... I'll try to write more if I can get back on. I love you all and miss you!

 

Hermana Granado

HAPPY ST. PATTY'S DAY! 

I wore green all day so you can put those pinchers away! I made that up just now, I even impressed myself.

 

This week was great but I spent a lot of time emailing my mission president so I don't have much more. Here's why: WE WANT BIKES! so bad. Hermana Lauaki-Sablan and I have been talking about it for a while now but we really really want to be put on bikes instead of driving around. I want to be out and be seen. A lot of people don't even know there are sister missionaries because we're always hidden in a car. I know it will be hard but that's why I want to do it so badly. I want to sacrifice more and give it my all. I only have 13 months left out here and this is a time I'm never going to get back. I want to look back on this experience and know I gave my all to the Lord, not that I was sitting in a car with AC on my way to our appointments. Our area is the furthest away in the ward and we have the most hills but - even better! There are sister missionaries on bike in different places in California. Remember Hermana Baird from the MTC? She's in San Jose and she's on bike (yes, in a skirt) and she loves it! Plus with these dinners we're having, I need to burn a few more calories during the day.

 

On Saturday we had the opportunity to hear from Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorom of the Twelve Apostles and also Elder Anthony Perkins and Elder Douglas Higham both from the Seventy. It was our entire mission and the Rancho Cucamonga mission, so probably over 500 missionaries. And Elder Andersen wanted to take the time to shake each one of our hands! So I shook hands with an Apostle for the first time and after hearing his remarks, I know he is an Apostle of the Lord. While we were sitting there waiting for them to arrive, we were sitting quietly and pondering. I remembered that I should have a question in mind. I bowed my head and said a prayer, asked a couple questions, and continued to wait patiently and ponder. One of the questions I had in mind was "How can I enjoy my mission more and learn to love every part of it" about halfway through Elder Andersen's message, he said "The key to loving your mission is learning more about and understanding the Atonement" there was my answer! Clear as day. Another insight I got was that I need to stop comparing myself to other missionaries and other people I know. I am a unique daughter of God and I was called to the California Redlands mission for a unique purpose. I need to be patient with myself but not excuse myself. It is a constant struggle to try to accept and do the will of the Lord but it is something I am slowly learning. I can see the beauty of the Master's plan when I step out of the way and let Him work. Another thing I liked was when Elder Andersen said that when we are feeling discouraged or worried, it's because we're trying to do the work ourselves. I am also learning to lean more on the Lord and not my own efforts or understanding. This work cannot be done withour the Lord's help and I am learning that more and more everyday. When I make mistakes it's because I'm trying to do it myself and when I have success it's because Heavenly Father took over and is helping me.

We heard a story this weekend from one of the general authorities about missionaries running from door to door and appointment to appointment and it really touched me. He said that anywhere they would go, they would run. At first I thought it sounded a little strange but then I thought, what do we think when we see people running? That there is something important, right? The message we're sharing is the most important message I've ever heard and it is so important that others hear it. Since then I have had a desire lately to do more and serve more and sacrifice more. That is why I would really like is to be put on a bike. I have thought about it a lot and have a lot of reasons I think it would be good for me. I know it will be very difficult but I want to do it because I want to stretch myself and push myself. I feel like I would have the ability to talk to more people and be seen. If we were able to get out on the streets we could be seen and have more street contacts. It would use less miles on mission cars and when we need a ride, we can find a sister to give us one and there is a good chance of her staying for our lesson and raise our member presents.. If safety is an issue, we can bike during the day and drive at night. I am just so excited for missionary work and have such a desire to do more. Hermana Lauaki-Sablan and I even talked to some members about our desires to be on bikes and they really respect it. The Luna family, who are very strong in our ward and very active in missionary work are completely supportive of the idea. They said that as members if they were to see us biking around, they'd instantly think of the sacrifice missionaries are making and the sacrifice of the Savior. They said that it would make them more excited about missionary work and more willing to help. I know it won't be easy but that is part of the reason I want this opportunity. I want to push myself completely out of my comfort zone and give everything I have to the Lord these next 18 months. I hope you will be willing to let us try this and at least give it a shot.

I feel like after having the privilege to hear from Elder Andersen, Elder Perkins and Elder Higham I am more excited for missionary work and just ready to give it my all. I have such a strong testimony that he is an Apostle of the Lord and was sent to the Redlands mission for a purpose. I hope we will have the opportunity to learn and grow and work more on bikes, I don't want to be a lukewarm missionary.

 

One story this week is that we taught a man yesterday for the first time and it was pretty interesting. We found his wife while we were knocking on doors and she said we could come back but when we did she didn't want to talk to us. Luckily her husband let us in. As we were talking to him we shared John 3:16 which talks about how Heavenly Father sent his son to atone for our sins. As we were talking, I bore my testimony telling him that the atonement is such a great gift to us but he cut me off and told me that the fact that Jesus Christ came to the earth and died doesn't do him much good. That it doesn't help him much. He doesn't believe God created Adam and Eve and he put his hand on my bible and looked me in the eye and said "Estas son mentiras" which means "These are lies" I just stared at his hand on my scriptures and was so hurt. We talked to him for a little bit longer, we weren't fighting or offending one another but his beliefs were something I have never heard on my mission before. Since I've been out here I haven't met someone who doesn't believe in anything. It was a learning experience for sure. It was a testimony builder to me for sure, I KNOW that Heavenly Father sent his son for me. And I KNOW that without that one act, I couldn't have eternal life and I couldn't become the person that Heavenly Father wants me to be. I work hard, I do my best, I do everything I can, and the grace of God makes up the rest. I need it. And that is our message to the world. And this man was willing to let us come back so we'll see what happens...

 

Please say a special prayer that my companion and I are able to start biking, I love you all!

Hermana Granado

Hey family,

 

This will be a short one, but I had a great week! This week we had the most lessons of any other week here. It was a busy one. Those are always the best! I have been told I need to send more pictures so I'll find some. I take lots of them but always forget to send them.

 

Saturday we went to clean the chapel, that was fun. And we're going to go help a lady clean up her yard this week hopefully. Also, there is a member who is in a wheelchair so we're going to go help her organize her room. I love doing service! It's the best way to show our love for these people and help them do what they really need done.

Last night we had dinner with a member and while we were helping her set the table, two members from the Sierra ward (my first area) walked in. At first we didn't recognize each other but I looked at them and put down the plate and all of a sudden the woman screams "HERMANA!!!! OH HERMANA!!!" It was so good to see them.

 

Hope everyone is doing well. I can't really think of anything fun to tell ya'll. Two of the elders in our ward got transferred last week. Elder Torgersen came in for Elder Robles, and Elder Fonseca came in and replaced Elder Bird. Elder Fonseca is from Mexico but moved to Arizona when he was 14. And guess where his family lives - 7th ave and Bethany! So close! He went to Washington High School which is in the same district as Apollo. Small world.

 

On Saturday we're having a conference with our whole mission and the Rancho Cucamonga mission. An apostle and a member of the Seventy is coming to speak to us. We'll be hearing from Elder Neil A. Anderson and he wants to come around and shake all of our hands which will be really cool. I'm so excited! Hermana Lauaki-Sablan and I have been counting down the days!

 

It's getting warm here so I'm sure ya'll are starting to sweat in Arizona. I gotta go, time's up. But I miss you and love you sooooo much! xoxoxoxo

 

Love you all,

Hermana Granado

I LOVE RIALTO!

Hey family!

 

So first things first. We got transfer news this morning and.... WE'RE STAYING TOGETHER!!!! We were so happy that we started jumping up and down and hugging. I guess you could say Hermana Lauaki-Sablan and I are pretty much besties :) and this will make her the companion I've been with the longest, plus there are a bunch of fun things coming up in the next few weeks so I'm pretty excited :)

 

I LOVE RIALTO!

 

We got lots of rain this week and we loved it. California needed it! We had two whole days of rain. It was intense. The most rain I've seen like ever. Well, I guess that's not saying much considering I'm from the good ole AZ. But this week was a good one! Unfortunately this email will probably be short because we're gonna go celebrate the fact that our week was awesome and that we're staying together. And by celebrate I mean there's this burger place we always wanted to try so we're treating ourselves. We do it up big!

 

Just a couple stories from this week:

 

Last night we went to visit a less active member and we missed her but her son opened the door. He usually just tells us his mom isn't home and we go on about our way but this time he told us that he was really glad we were there. So we started talking to him in the doorway. He was the only one home so we couldn't go inside (it's a mission rule that we can't go in unless a woman is there too) but we stood in the doorway and talked for almost an hour about his whole life. Turns out he was baptized when he was 14 and he told us all about why he doesn't go to church anymore and how he had a rough past but that he wants to come back. He said that he likes it when we come to visit because he can see that we care (We really do!) and that when we come over he can feel something different in the house (the Spirit!) and that ever since we've started coming over his parents have stopped fighting and the whole house seems better and calmer. He told us how he found the birthday card we left for his mom and how he knows we're doing a good thing. He even said that we should expect him at church next week! We said a prayer on the door step and asked for a special blessing on him at this time, he was just in a really bad car accident and is going through a lot. But he has a new desire to come back to church which is awesome!

 

We went to visit an active member, we see her once a week and she is the only active member that we visit that often. I don't really know why we do but we started seeing her when we got into the area. Well this last lesson when we sat down with her she told us that the first time we came over to share a message, she was a bit nervous and didn't really understand why we were there. But that now she knows we were sent from God. She is a single lady in her 50s or 60s and she is lonely sometimes. She said that it feels really good to have someone to talk to and she loves our visits.

 

The other night we went and taught a lesson to the Iglesias family. They're amazing and Hermana Lauaki-Sablan and I are pretty sure we were sent here just for them. The first night we met them the mom said we looked really familiar and she could have sworn that I came and knocked on her door before. She said she had seen my face before. Well in our last lesson we just bore our testimonies at the end and we told them how much we love them and how much we love teaching them. That's when the mom, who is usually the quietest and most reserved, looked at us and said that she knew that we knew God. We were a little confused so we asked what she meant. She said that when she looks at us she knows that we know Him and she can tell that we carry Him with us. Then she turned specifically to me and pointed at me and said that when I smile she can see a light around me and she can feel that I carry a piece of God with me. It was such a good feeling to hear that!

 

Last one. We have an investigator Joseph who is married to a member and her daughters are members too. So he's been taking the lessons and going to church but doesn't really know if it's the right path for him. So one night my companion went over to teach a lesson (I was with another member teaching a lesson to the Iglesias.) and she taught them about the importance of prayer and how we can get answers to prayers. Then Joseph said "it's really interesting you bring that up" then he told his step-daughter to go get his plant. Everyone was really confused why he was talking about a plant right then but they just went with it. Turns out he prayed. And got an answer! He said "You see this plant? It was dead. Completely dead. For almost a year! and one night I prayed to know what to do. I like when you guys come over and teach but I still didn't know if it's what I should do. So I asked to know if all this was true and if this is the path that God wants me to take. I asked for a sign that this is right. Now look at this plant. (it's green and growing and sprounting.) IT WAS DEAD and now... now I have an answer." It was so cool that he told us that! He doesn't open up at all. Ever. It was a miracle. This week was a miracle week.  

 

Gotta go, love you lots, talk to you next week!

 

Hermana Granado