email of 1 June 2010

Happy Memorial Day!!! Oh, and Happy first day of June too!!!

June! Can you believe it?!

I sure can't. And like I told David, I also can't believe that he's out on his own, living in an apartment in SLC, right by temple square and the conf center, riding his bike around town, being all cool and grown up and stuff! Since when are kids allowed to grow up and do things like that?!?!?!

Oh wait...

Actually, ironically enough, because this last week also happened to be the last week of May, we didn't have very many miles left in our monthly allotment (we have 600), so we ended up biking a lot. It's actually great, and we really enjoy it -- makes you feel more like a real missionary! And it's really not that bad in a skirt, just so you know. :) So yeah, we biked for most of the week, except for the couple of times we had meetings or service or something that was too far away to bike, or when we had to pick up the Elders (there are only 2 cars in our district -- us and the DL -- so we give some of the elders rides...it was a little weird at first, but not so bad now). I think we had 3 days that were entirely car free.
I had a few funny moments this week, as we were riding along, when it would hit me that here I am, 24 years old, riding a bike in a skirt in L.A. What in the world?!?! It's an adventrue, you know, this whole mission thing, but I love it! And we sure enjoyed being on bike. I'm so grateful that my companion is so willing to do what it takes, and love it. This has been an awesome transfer together here in N Torrance; a huge blessing that I really needed.

It's so great to hear about your vacation -- speaking of adventure! I'm glad everything went well with getting David off, and that you've been able to have the awesome experiences you have. Isn't the Priesthood wonderful? The experience you shared of Dad getting a blessing while you were in SLC reminded me of Ether 12:27. How often we're given trials and challenges that are hard, yes, but give us such an opportunity to turn to the Lord!

We had a cool experience yesterday of being able to experience and recognize the Lord's guiding hand in this work, and what it's like to follow the Spirit. We had planned last night to have dinner at a member's home where one of our investigators lives, and we were planning on having an FHE with their family, but especially focusing on their son-in-law who isn't a memeber. Then we were going to do another little FHE with a recent convert at another member's home. Well, about 5:15pm we got a message that our dinner needed to cancel (it was scheduled for 6pm, which is why you make back up plans as a missionary!). Bummer, but ok. Then, as we were eating dinner at home, we got a phone call from the members who we were planning on having our second FHE with, and they needed to cancel too! The recent convert could still do it, we just needed to find another member's house to do it at. We called several different families, and were about out of ideas, but then thought of one other family we could try, and, it turned out, they were available!!! Then Herman (our investigator from the first cancelled appointment) called to say that they were home now, so we were stil able to go by to do a lesson.

Those two changes were exactly what needed to happen. When we went over to see Herman, Chris (the NM son-in-law) was there and decided to join in the lesson. The family as a whole wasn't up to FHE, so we decided to do some BofM reading with Herman and Chris. It was great though, because it gave us an opportunity to really talk to Chris in a way that we couldn't have, had it been an FHE with kids running around screaming, etc. It was a great lesson too. He really opened up to us like he never really has befor with th sisters, and we were able to testify of the blessings that the gospel brings individually and to a family, especially the PH. IT was awesome, and both Sis. Tittle and I felt very directed in the things that we said in that lesson. It was funny too, at the end, when we knelt for the closing prayer, because here we were, two little sister missionaries, kneeling with these three very large grown men (One big white guy with a shaved head and a beard, one big black guy with dread locks who is a bouncer on the weekends, and one big half Samoan who is also a bouncer) to pray. It was a really spiritual moment, and just very powerful to feel the Lord near in that prayer.
Then, when we went for our second lesson/FHE with Brenda (the recent convert), it was definitely the right thing. It wasn't so much that the lesson was amazing as it was that the members were exactly who she needed in that moment. It's so awesome to see the Lord guide His work!!!

I would like you to know that this church and Gospel is the Lord's, that it's true, and that He guides it. I know that He loves His children, and that we find more happiness than we can even imagine as we learn to love and serve Him!

I Love You, and I love being a missionary!!!!!

Love,
Hermana Sallie

HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!!!!!!!