Hello from Fountain Valley!
So this area is a lot different than my last area. It is
closer to the beach and is at the southern edge of our mission right by
Huntington beach. The ward is similar to our home ward with a lot of families
and a good amount of youth. Our ward mission leader is awesome. His name is
Brother Monson (no direct relation to the prophet that I know of) and he has
been a bishop, in the stake presidency, and a mission president. Also our ward
has 9 ward missionaries!!! Its crazy. The area is wealthier so it is kind of
hard to find people who are willing to listen. Also it is harder to contact
people there aren't has many people out and about here like there were in my
last area. It has been super hot here the past week. We walked all day on
wednesday and I got sunburned pretty bad (even though I put on sunscreen!) It
should be cooler this week though because since we are closer to the ocean it
doesn't usually get as hot as it would in my last area. My new companion's name
is Sister Robson. She is from Wyoming and she has been on her mission for a
year now.
I kind of came into the ward during in the middle of a bunch
of things. First off there was a baptism this week!! I don't know if I can
fully call it my baptism because I just met them a couple of times and then
showed up to the service, but my new companion and I are the ones that baptized
them I guess. It was a mother and a daughter. The mother (marie) is 70 years
old and the daughter (theresa) is 35. They are the nicest ladies and were so
excited to get baptized. Baptisms are 10x more awesome when you are a
missionary. You realize just how much this step will help them in their lives
and you get to feel the joy from their choice to follow Christ and to join his
church. So that was great. Also one of our investigators has a crazy story. She
was a referral from a member of the church who met and talked to her her when
he came over to spray for bugs. Then a few days later the sisters came over to
meet her. After they left they gave her their number and reminded her that if
she ever need anything that she could call them. Then a few days later she got
super sick. She called everyone she could think of to try to find someone to
drive her to the hospital but nothing was working out. Finally she called the
sisters who were able to find a family that took her to the hospital and that
watched her two boys while she was gone. So a few days later when I came to
fountain valley we came to visit her and try to help her out since she was at
home just trying to heal and get better. As it turns out the family that took
her to the hospital has a lot of random connections with her. Also she has been
atheist for most of her life due to having bad experiences with different
churches. She tells us that she has never felt so loved and not judged by
anyone in her life than by us missionaries and the members she has met. The
elders came over and gave her a blessing a few days ago. After the blessing she
told us about how she feels like there is light around us and that she could
feel that light when the elders gave her the blessing. So that was a perfect
opportunity to talk about the holy ghost! Anyways she has been through a lot
and it will take some time to help her regain her trust in God but we feel like
she has totally been led to find the members and to have the missionaries in
her life like she has. The missionaries basically saved her life because at the
hospital they found out she was bleeding internally and if she hadn't been
taken to the hospital right then she probably would have died. So ya, kind of
dramatic but the Lord has a way of putting people where they need to be when
they need to be there. We are teaching her at the Kennedys (the members that
took her to the hospital) tonight for fhe and so hopefully her heart is ready
and open to our message.
I'll send some pictures next week, we have limited time
since today is a holiday and the library is closed we have to fight 35 other
missionaries for the computers at the family history library.
Love,
Sister Washburn
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