April 7, 2014 - 

General Conference Weekend! 

Hey family!

 

Can you believe it's April already?! I sure can't. Last night one of our members asked how long we've been here and we had to think about it and it's been three months! Man time flies. I feel like I'm still brand new in the mission but I'm not really. And I feel like we just got on our feet here but we've been here three months!

This week was probably one of the best ones of my mission! Well, I've been feeling like that almost every week lately. But this weekend was General Conference. 

General Conference is when we get a chance to hear the Prophet and Apostles speak to us on what they feel impressed to speak on. There are four two-hour sessions and a session for the priesthood as well. It happens every April and October. This was the best conference I've ever watched, I just loved it! A lot of people say that conference on the mission is as good as Christmas and it's so true! I think it was a mixture of reasons it was so good. I was definitely paying more attention to this one than any other time. I have gone and seen it in person in Salt Lake City once but other than that, I'm usually comfortable sitting on a couch and it's easy to doze... or I'm watching it online and can pause to go do something, come back, pause it again, and not really pay attention to the messages. But this weekend I took some time before conference to sit down and write down some questions that I was hoping to have answered. There were about four or five specific questions I had and every single one of them was answered almost word for word. It was really special for me. I told Hermana Lauaki-Sablan that I felt bad for her because all the talks were for me! She just laughed.

One cool thing the ward did that they haven't done before is they all got together to watch it at the church. Usually it is broadcast at the stake center but since we've been trying to build more unity in the ward, they decided to get together just them on Sunday. We all watched the first session together then some sisters brought some stuff for a little light lunch. There were a lot more people there than we had expected so while the missionaries were running around trying to meet and greet everyone, the food went fast. I ended up with a couple bites of pears and a dry tostada. Good thing I tucked a granola bar in my bag before leaving the apartment! Then we all visited as a ward, cleaned up, and watched the second session. It was good to see them all get together and just visit. If any of you want to see part of the General Conference, it is on lds.org. I really liked the Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon sessions!

 

We had another earthquake this week. It was on Thursday while we were in our apartment planning. It wasn't as big as the one the other week but I'm still new to this whole earth-shaking thing!

 

A cool experience we had this week was with Brenda and Estevan. When Hermana Lauaki-Sablan first got into the area, we found their record and tried to visit them about five times, nothing. We left notes with our number on it, nothing. In fact, one time when we went there, we knocked on the door, heard the TV on, saw someone look through the peep-hole and they didn't open the door. So we stopped visiting them. Well we were visiting the bishop and talking to him about how we were looking for more people to teach. Then he said he had a nephew who lived in our area. It was them! We told them what had happened and he said that he'd invite them over for a Family Home Evening at his house. So the bishop set it all up and we went and taught a good first lesson. Just got to know them and told them the basics of our purpose and the jist of our message. Well they accepted a return appointment at thier house! Estevan is a less active member and his wife is not a member. So we were excited to go teach them but a little apprehensive about how it would go. We got a member to go with us and when we got there, they let us right in and sat down and were ready to learn. We told them a little bit more about our purpose as missionaries and asked them their expectations of us. Estevan said he wants to get active again and Brenda wants to learn more about the religion because she wants to have a good foundation when they decide to have kids. They even offered to have us over for dinner one night and when we asked to end with a prayer Estevan said he wanted to say it! His prayer was so good and we could really tell he has a testimony. That was the best I have ever felt leaving a lesson. Well, last night we went to visit them and honestly I was a little doubtful of how it would go. It is very common to have an amazing lesson with someone then just have them completely change their mind the next day. Well they opened the door and we had another really good lesson! Brenda even started finishing my sentences because she understood it so well. Then Estevan offered to say the ending prayer again and it was so good! This whole story is probably pretty boring for you all because nothing crazy really happened but there is just so much potential here! It definitely strengthens my testimony that everything happens in the Lord's time. Everything. They weren't ready a couple months ago but now they just seem golden! So it is definitely a reminder to be patient and trust in the Lord's timing.

 

We also helped two families move this week! One on Thursday and one between the General Conference sessions on Saturday. I'm getting some pretty big muscles lifting all these couches and whatnot!

Transfers are coming up, we'll find out next Monday what is going to happen. Keep your fingers crossed that me and Hermana Lauaki-Sablan will stay together! We're working hard and I feel like we're about to have some success!

Hope everything at home is going well, can't wait to see you all on Mother's Day!

 

I'm attaching a picture with the Larios family and of the six of us at our last dinner together, dinners are split up now so we took a picture of our last one together. It's not quite as interesting but it's a good opportunity to talk to the members during our meal and get to build a better relationship with them. I just love it here in Rialto, I REALLY hope I can have some more time here.

 

Lots of love,

Hermana Granado