Sue

February 1, 2011
Sabado: We went up to Dixon Lake, this park in North Escondido, and we were able to talk to some people up there. Then we drove up to Valley Center to do a baptismal interview for [elders there]. To finish off the evening, we went over to [a family] and we talked to them about Family Home Evening. We actually made a cute little assignment wheel out of cardboard and it looked pretty legit. Oh yes.
Lunes: We are trying to volunteer at Salvation Army so we went over there, and then we are also going to be performing at this retirement center so we got things set up for that too. To finish off the evening we taught these former investigators and it went really well.

February 8, 2011
So basically the news is….I am getting transferred. I am pretty bummed, because I have loved being with Elder Kidd and I love Escondido, but I was kind of expecting it. I have been in this ward for 9 months. It has been pretty crazy. It was pretty hard saying goodbye to everyone again, but that is ok. This ward has been my family and it was hard to say goodbye again. We took pictures and stuff. So even though I didn’t have any baptisms in this area, we saw so much success. It was pretty cool. I am excited to see where the Lord wants me to be next and what he wants me to do.
Miercoles: We went to district meeting and I sang a musical number, “Savior Redeemer of My Soul”. It is the hymn words, but to a tune that is absolutely beautiful. I will have to show it to you when I get home. We didn’t have music, but Elder Kidd and I just made it up (he played piano).

February 15, 2011
I got transferred to stay a Zone Leader in the San Clemente Zone. I am in English Work and I am serving in 2 wards. The San Clemente 4th Ward (family ward), and the San Clemente 5th YSA ward. I am living in San Juan Capistrano. Wow, this is the most beautiful place that I have ever been. We are right down on the ocean and there really isn’t a time where you don’t see the ocean. This is also the first time that I have served in Orange County, I have been in San Diego County for my whole mission thus far. It was kind of a surprise to be going into English work, but it is all good, I have a lot to learn. The style of work is completely different too. The members here are great and are giving us tons of referrals. Little known fact, our mission gives the most member referrals than any other mission in the U.S. and Canada.

February 22, 2011
Tuesday: So after we went emailing we went to the church and we spent all day doing this project. We got a map of the two stakes, cut it into 2″ squares and then blew it up 400% and then pieced it together. Then we took our entire wall in our apartment to hang up this map that we made. Then what we have been doing is putting pins in where all of the active/less active members of our ward live with a number so that we can know who lives there. It is pretty awesome. If anyone were to get whitewashed into this area, they would be really grateful.

January 4, 2011
Sunday: I am 20!!! Wow, I am old. That is crazy. I am not a teenager. I am 2 decades old. Craziness. In the evening [a member family] had a birthday party for me. They decorated and made me a cake and everything. It was super nice. Then we came home and ate more food! Thanks for the pizza.

January 11, 2011
Friday: Leadership Training!! I love leadership training. We woke up super early and then we drove over to Vista, I played piano. The training was really good, we just practiced, practiced, practiced. I love it, such a spiritual experience. It is 100% focused on the spirit and you receive SO much revelation and inspiration and excitement.
Saturday: More leadership training! In the afternoon we practiced finding by the spirit and so the zone leaders were all given situations and we were supposed to be real characters and the missionaries were going to contact us. It was super fun. We dressed up and had props and everything and it was really fun.

January 18, 2011
Wednesday: We went to district meeting and then we had a few appointments fall through which was too bad. But then in the afternoon we had to go to the library and take an online mission survey for the mission department. Then we are also being instructed to go on to the new mormon.org and learn about it more, so that we can help members use it too. It is basically this huge social networking site, and I don’t know if you guys have heard the success that it is having in our mission and the world. Truly it is miraculous! The amount of referrals that missionaries are getting are higher than ever because of this website.

January 25, 2011
Sunday: We started with Cinnamon Roll Sunday and then we had ward correlation and then ward council. Then…[an investigator family] came!!! This was the second week in a row for them, and it is SOO exciting! Way spiritual experience, when one of my recent converts actually blessed the sacrament. The Spirit was so strong for me, and I couldn’t help but cry. It was definitely a tender mercy from our Heavenly Father, telling me that he is proud of the work that I am doing. In Sacrament Meeting I actually performed. I sang “I Know that my Redeemer Lives”. My companion, Elder Kidd, played piano and it was an arrangement that we wrote on Saturday, and it turned out SOO GOOD!!! The Spirit was so strong and wow…it was great. Cool story: one of the other missionary’s investigators was there and she felt the Spirit while I was singing and started bawling and it was the first time she had felt the Spirit, and then that night she accepted a baptismal date. It was one of the most spiritual performances of my mission. Also, the most spiritual Sacrament Meeting that I can ever remember. It was great.