email of 15 March 2010

Hello my wonderful family!!!

How does your day be? I'm doing "SOOOOO GOOD!" and just livin' it up here in sunny southern California!

I would like you to know just how much I love being a missionary! God is real, and He really loves us, and I know it! This week has been a good one :) We had a dinner appointment on Tuesday with this sweet old hispanic lady, Hna Mendoza. She is somewhere in her 80's, I think, and is one of the most incredible examples of love, faith, and testimony! We went to her home, and she didn't have dinner for us because it's really difficult for her to do much cooking; she has arthritis terribly, and doesn't feel well much of the time. However, she faithfully comes to church every single week, and goes to the temple fairly regularly, I believe. Since she hadn't cooked, she kind of hobbled slowly over to her bookshelf and sweetly gave us a subway card as her dinner for us. We sat down and visited for a while, taking a little bit of time to teach the lesson we'd prepared, on the importance of prayer. She listened very intently and made some wonderful comments; we asked her to read a few times, and with her bent and crooked fingers that she could barely move, she would open and put on her glasses, then take the Book of Mormon and read carefully the verses we asked about. At the end, she told us (in Spanish), "Hermanitas, I didn't get a chance to bear my testimony in church on Sunday because it's just too difficult for me to get up to the stand, so I want to bear my testimony now to you." Then she proceeded to bear the sweetest, most sincere testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel and the strength that she receives from it, of the reality of the Lord and His love for us, and a few other things. It was amazing, and I felt the Spirit in a way that I haven't in quite a while. I just wanted to cry to see the faith and beauty of this tiny little Hispanic woman, to feel of her love and testimony, and to realize and learn from the incredible example that she and so many others are.

Transfers are this week...again! I just can't believe it every time they come around! I at least know that I'm not training, but whether or not I or my companion will be transferred has yet to be determined...we'll find out for sure by Tuesday night! There are definitely pros and cons to staying or leaving, but I'd like to stay another transfer here -- I really love Marina del Rey! Sin embargo, "I'll go where you want me to go, Dear Lord!"

Our investigators are doing well...Cindy is scheduled to (finally!) be baptized this Sunday, but we're not totally sure if testimony-wise she's really quite ready. SO FRUSTRATING!!! I want so badly for her to know and feel this for herself, but this is the tough part of missionary work where you do all you can, while still respecting the agency of others... She's come a heckuva long way, but we'll see what happens. Pray for her!

Patricia is WONDERFUL!!! One of my favorites ever! She always has these little reservations when we first teach her a principle, but then goes off during the week and gains a testimony of it for herself. She's so great. Still not willing to set a hard baptismal date because she's still a little scared of the weight of the commitment, but she's SO READY!!! Pray for her too!

Michael and Justin still won't come to church...RRrrrrrrrgh. But they're coming along nonetheless!

I love my life! the mission is the greatest thing I ever decided to do!!!

Have a great week!!!!!!!!

I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!

I Love being a missionary!!!

Mucho amor from SoCal,

~Hermana Sallie

HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!!!!!!!