October 27, 2014

 Hey family!

So this week was EXHAUSTING!!! I have never ever been so tired in my entire life. But that's how we know we're doing something right! 

There was so much going on this week- we had a big service project that lasted a big part of the day on Friday, helping with a bike race in La Quinta. 

Then on Saturday we had a big Mexican Fiesta in Palm Desert! Everyone and their dog was invited! They were expecting 600 people! I don't know if that many came but there was a big turnout. There was authentic Mexican food, I know that because our ward made a lot of it and they also had a live Mariachi band which our investigators loved. Other than that it was the most normal week we've had... but we worked hard!

We also met 2 awesome new investigators who are going through a lot right now and they seem so ready to change and learn. They're so sweet. 

Also, who can believe that I've been out for a year on Thursday? Not me! The time just seems to be going faster and faster and I can't seem to get a grip on it. Sometimes people will mention something that happened in April and I think, "Oh that wasn't too long ago." But it was 6 months ago! And in 6 more months I'll be finishing my mission. It just blows my mind!

It's cooling down a bit. It gets down to the 80s at night and in the mornings. I was looking for a sweater last time it got down to the mid 80s. I'm going to be in big trouble the next time I see that snow stuff.

Love,

Hermana Granado

Me and Hermana Southwick with our roommates at the fiesta!

October 20, 2014

This week was so great! 

On Thursday we were able to have a mission conference with Elder Evans who is basically in charge of missionary work - which means he has to coordinate for 88,000 of us missionaries all over the world! We got a lot of advice and instruction from him about how we can teach better and really just help more people with the resources that we have. We also learned that our mission will be receiving iPads! Yep, Redlands is going digital. He didn't give us a ton of details but he told us we'd be using the mini-iPads and how we'd be able to use them to share the gospel with more people in more places! Like showing videos, helping them do family history, things like that. They are asking all those who have more than 6 months left to buy their iPad but since I will have less than 6 months left it will be an option for me. It's something that I'll have to think about though since iPads are pretty widely used from what I understand and it will probably be nice to have for school and what-not after the mission. Anyway, that's the news we got! Hello technology! 

Hermana Southwick and I are still working hard! We were able to put a baptismal date with two more investigators this week and these girls are so great! One of them is the only one who's not a member in her family and she's decided after meeting with us for a while that this is something that she'd like to do. 

The other is someone who was learning from other missionaries in the past but never really wanted to change. Hermana Southwick and I thought we should go meet her and see how she's doing and she welcomed us with open arms and while we were talking to her she shared with us a lot about her life. She told us about a lot of bad decisions she's made and how she's still suffering the consequences even though it was years ago. She told us last night that she needs to change because she wants her life to be better. So she set a goal to be baptized as well! This area and these people are just so ready to accept the gospel and I absolutely love it!

We also did exchanges this week and I went with a sister who has only been on her mission for 3 weeks. It was really cool and really humbling to remember where I was at and what I was like at that point of my mission. She's way ahead of where I was! And I feel like I've come so far and learned so much since then! 

My mission really has made me better than I was and I've learned so much about myself, about others and most importantly about the Savior.I was reading today and I came across the parable of the unprofitable servant. Jesus Christ was instructing His disciples and He said that when they go out to preach and teach and serve they should do just that - serve. They shouldn't expect to rest or to receive any type of reward. That they are to do what they are sent to do. Be a servant. In a way that's what we're doing as missionaries. We are here to serve and to help in any way possible. And along with painting and cleaning and yard work and picking up trash, we know that the best way to help is to teach the gospel, so that's what we do! But the difference is that even though we are to consider ourselves unprofitable servants, we're not unprofitable. Members feed us dinner, we have a place to live, I have AMAZING family and friends behind me supporting me and most of all I have endless blessings from the Lord as I'm here doing His work. And I've come to realize that the more I serve Him and the more I sacrifice, the more I'm blessed. So really I'll never make it up to Him, I will always be in debt to our Heavenly Father for the countless blessings I receive day in and day out.

Love you all and hope you have a fantastic week!

Don't forget to recognize all the blessings you're receiving too!

Love,

Hermana Granado

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...)