October 13, 2014

Hello family! 

Well this one will be short because we don't have much time. It's a Tuesdayand we gotta get out and work. But this past week was such a good one! It was crazy busy and stressful but those are always the best as a missionary.

We had three baptisms of three lovely little ladies. It was so great. We're seeing a lot of success here and we're hoping we can work hard and that it won't stop here.

I can't tell you how happy I am to hear that some of you went to see Meet the Mormons. Such a fun and uplifting little flick. It wasn't meant to be very educational, just a little sneak peek into the life of some Mormons and to get a better idea of what our priorities and lives are like. Hope you liked it because I know I did!

This week is another busy one! We get the opportunity to hear from one of the leaders of the church named Elder Evans on Thursday. He's coming to do a little conference with us that day and I'm so excited to hear from him and the counsel he has for us as missionaries about how we can be better teachers and better people!

Then on Friday we'll have exchanges. I can't remember who I'm going with this week but I will be sure to tell you all about it on Monday. 

This week I've learned so much about the importance of always improving. We're here on this earth to learn and to become better so that we can return to live with Heavenly Father. but He is never going to force us to do that. We need to be ready and willing to do what is necessary to improve. Sometimes it's hard but it's necessary. I know that for myself I need to be constantly evaluating myself and what I'm doing so I don't let myself get complacent. We might get comfortable but there is always more happiness ahead if we're willing to put in the work.

Love you!

Hermana Granado

1. Alazay and Marina. I've been teaching them since I got here in May and absolutely love their family. I feel really close with their mom since she's only about 4 years older than me and we've been there with her through a lot. They're so great!

2. Margarita. She is the first one throughout my whole mission who I've been there to teach her every single lesson from the very beginning and I was there to plan and have her baptism. She's great and I feel so lucky to have been there to see her progress this whole time.

October 6, 2014

Hello family! 

Can you believe it's October already?! Time is just flying! I hope everyone is doing well, you're all a little quiet...

This weekend we had General Conference. It is every April and October that we have the opportunity to listen to messages from the Prophet and the Twelve apostles and other leaders of the Church. It was so great! I always love General Conference but what I love most about it is that I can think of questions I have about my life or my mission or my plans after the mission and no matter what, my questions are ALWAYS answered. Always! Such a blessing.

There was one talk that when I heard it, my thoughts automatically went to you guys. Here's the link if you'd like to watch it.

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/watch/2014/10?lang=eng&vid=3822608486001&cid=10

Other than that we've had a really great week! Hermana Southwick got here on Wednesday and we have just had the best week! Since I'm the only one here that knows the people and the area I started the week really stressed out but the elders that came in are really hardworking and I know we're going to see great things here.

Last night was had such a big miracle! We were walking around a trailer park and saw a man who was working in his yard, naturally we asked if he needed help and without hesitating he said yes! No one ever says yes. He let us in the gate and handed us a tool and gave us a pizza box to kneel on and we went right to work! He asked who we were and we got the opportunity to tell him about what we do and also to ask him about his background, family, religion, all of that. The service only took about 10-15 minutes and he let us wash our hands and invited us to come back and teach him, his wife and his kids this week! Such an unexpected miracle. I love times like that!

This coming week we're planning to have two baptisms! Two little girls we've been teaching forever and a lady named Margarita that we just found last month. All three of them are so ready to be baptized and so great, I feel so lucky to have been a part of this time in their lives!

Don't forget to go see Meet the Mormons! I want to hear all about what you guys think!

Love,

Hermana Granado

Picture: Saying goodbye to Hermana Martinez!

September 29, 2014

Hello, hello family!

So the news for today is transfers! Hermana Martinez is finishing her mission and going hometomorrow. So I found out that out of all 6 missionaries serving in our ward right now, I'm the only one staying. Everyone else is going to new areas in the mission. My new companion is Hermana Southwick and there are 4 elders coming in (2 of them are brand new, flying here tomorrow). And in addition to that, instead of the area we've been covering up until now, my new companion and I will be covering the whole ward. So Indio, Coachella, Mecca, North Shore, Thermal... we're going to be busy! So my job as the only one who knows anything about the area and the ward is to get everyone up to speed and help them get to know the members and investigators.

Pray for me!

In other news, MEET THE MORMONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It is a movie that the church has made to be shown in visitors centers (like the one at the Mesa temple that we went to for Christmas) to kind of show who "Mormons" really are and get rid of some of the myths and rumors going around. Well when people saw it, more than 70something% said that it really changed their outlook on the church and "Mormons" and helped them understand a lot more of who we are. So because of the overwhelmingly great feedback, the church has decided to put it in select movies theaters to make it available to more people.

But from what I understand it will only be showing for one weekend to see how it does, October 10th and 11th. You can go to meetthemormons.com to see the theaters it will be showing. Another important thing: The Church is NOT trying to make money off of this. All net proceeds will go to the American Red Cross. So please go see it! We had the opportunity, as missionaries, to see it before it goes to theaters and I was laughing I was crying, it is just an all around uplifting and feel good movie. Missionaries will not be standing outside the theater ready to bombard you, just go buy some popcorn and enjoy the flick :)

Please go see it and let me know what you think! I loved it!

This week started off with a funeral, it's the third one we've had since I got here in May. We were asked to sing and it was so cool to feel the room fill with the spirit while we sang hymns. The family thanked us afterward and said they loved the feeling they got while we were there.

Last night we had an activity at church talking about eternal families and it was really cool! The adults had their class about how they can strengthen their marriage and stay strong, the youth had a class on what kind of person they want to marry and how they need to be in order to earn that kind of spouse, then we helped teach the kids a song about families and played games with them. Then of course there were desserts afterward. It was really cool!

Love,

Hermana Granado

One last picture of the district!

September 22, 2014

Hello, hello family!

This week was a pretty crazy one, we're getting ready for Hermana Martinez to head home and because the departing missionaries have some special activities and devotionals and stuff like that, I've been working in the area with anyone I can find to stay with me! Last night I took the bishop's daughter to our lessons and it was the first time she'd been out with the missionaries, well let me tell you she had an experience! This week I'll find another member to stay with me on Sunday while she goes to a baptism and then I'll be with Hermana Zamora while she goes to the temple. It's always interesting to see how our investigators react having someone new every single time! But I'm glad that I get to stay here and see them progress :)

This week I had a really great experience with one of our investigators. She wants to find a Mon-Fri job so that her and her kids can attend church more often and feel more comfortable. So this week Hermana Martinez and I offered to fast with her for that. So the three of us fasted on Thursday and went to have dinner with her to break the fast together. She fasted for the first time in her life and she was so touched that we would join her in her fast. It was a tender mercy that Heavenly Father let me fast with my investigator and share that experience with her.

Gotta go, Hermana Martinez ran out of time so she's going to write her family on mine!

Love and miss you!

Love,

Hermana Granado

September 15, 2014

Hello, hello family! 

This week went by so fast! But we definitely saw some miracles as always.

We had two exchanges this week so on Tuesday and Saturday I was here with other sister missionaries while Hermana Martinez went to train and help their companions.

One of the many miracles this week: There is a less active family who we've been visiting and giving service and teaching but they haven't come to church in a long time, years I think. Well on Saturday we were writing thank you cards and birthday cards and it came to my mind to drop something off at their house to remind them about church, even though they haven't come in forever. So I wrote a note saying that we've missed seeing them and we hope everything is going well, reminded them of the importance of church and even put a Book of Mormon scripture on the note. We dropped it off on our way to our next appointment. And they came to church! For the first time in a really, really long time! The Hermana got to meet the new Relief Society president and she invited her to some activities and the daughter got to meet the young women's president who also invited her to participate in some of the things the young women are doing. Notes work and miracles happen!

We found a new investigator this week, her name is Margarita and she told us that she wants to get baptized! She's come to church twice already and the last time, a member followed us there to pick her and her kids up and they were all in skirts and dress pants and it was just such a beautiful sight to see!

And I'm not sure if I've mentioned Edith before but she had stopped coming to church and stopped reading the scriptures and everything so we wrote her a letter to tell her how much she means to us and how great she is and how we are always here if she needs us. But we stopped visiting her because it was just not a good use of our time. Guess who walked into church yesterday!? Edith! With her kids! A day of miracles :)

So many more to tell you but I have to get off, the other missionaries don't have a computer to email so I'm going to get off but I love you and miss you all!

Love,

Hermana Granado

Pictures:

1. When we finally finished it!

2. Picture of the Kermes/Mexican Independence Day activity (notice the piñata...)

September 8, 2014

Hey family!

Today has been a crazy adventure trying to find a place to email! It stormed really bad this morning and completely flooded La Quinta and the library where we email was closed due to the flooding! But luckily, last minute, we found a place to email. 

This week was a bit of a whirlwind. Just as always there were good times and a few bad moments.

I went on an exchange with Hermana Jepperson this week. She's new to the mission, only been here a couple weeks. But the minute I saw her I said "I know you!" and it only took a few questions to find out where I'd seen her before. She went to Utah State! Love that place. She was actually in my ward my freshman year but we didn't ever really meet. But now, almost three years later, I recognized her the second she walked up! I honestly feel like she will be my companion in the future, so I'll let you know when that happens!

Also, on Friday night Carmen got baptized! Remember that story about when I had forgotten my planner and since we were both new in the area we went to the only other place we knew how to get to. As we parked we noticed a "for rent" sign next door so we remembered that one of our street contacts was looking for a place to rent. We wrote down the information and went to visit the person we came for. The next day we went to that street contact to give her the rent information. When she opened the door she started saying every reason in the book why she didn't want to see us anymore. We told that was fine but that we had some information on a place to rent since we knew she was looking. Her entire face changed, she took the information and we were able to keep teaching her. Her daughter Nadia got baptized and I got to go back for her baptism and on Friday Carmen, the mom, was baptized! I was planning on going back to see it but last minute my ride cancelled on me so I couldn't go. But the important thing is that she was baptized! So great :)

And we're making some progress on the pinata! Who knew that it would be so much work?! But the activity is this week and I'll try to send pictures of our finished product!

Gotta go! The computer's kicking me off. Love you and miss you all. Until next week!

Love,

Hermana Granado

September 2, 2014

Hello Family!

Where does the time go?! Sorry I couldn't email yesterday because we email at a public library and it was closed for the holiday. I also have super limited time today since we gotta go out and teach people!

But this week was good! It definitely had challenges and struggles but there were miracles like always.

Something new we're doing is helping an Hermana in the ward with a piñata! We're making it from scratch! So difficult but definitely something good to learn. Now I know what I can contribute to all the fiestas when I get home! :)

In other news, our investigator stopped smoking! It's been almost a month now and she hasn't smoked! It's a miracle because we've been trying to help her stop forever but it wasn't until she started praying that she found the strength to stop. Prayer works miracles!

We also did one of our 5 planned exchanges for the month. I stay in the area every time but a different sister will come be with me while Hermana Martinez goes to different areas to help other missionaries. So last week Hermana Stuber came to Indio and that was so fun! We had to go down to Banning to meet them since they're serving in Redlands. She has served here before so she helped me with some things that even I didn't know about the area! And tonight we will go to Palm Desert to exchange and I will have a new sister that just came in a couple weeks ago. So I am learning from all these other sisters too! What a blessing I have to meet all these great girls.

Love,

Hermana Granado