"Tofa Sister Felagai!!"

Hi!!

First off, I MISS CARLIN & EUREKA!!!!!  I love you all very much!  I will return someday :)

This last week has been crazy!

Monday & Tuesday were full of trying to set appointments, saying goodbyes, & packing (fun.)

Wednesday was Transfer Day & Sister Felagai got split up & Sister Michaud (mi-Show) became my new companion (one of the sweetest Sisters ever)!  We spent the day getting settled, unpacking, & going around with the Zone Leaders to visit different people (it was formerly their area).

Our new missionaries are Elders Stene & Weed, who took over Carlin/Eureka, Elder Gellert, who is being trained by Elder Altamirano, & Elder Haynes, who is finishing Elder Clunas' training.

Thursday was Thanksgiving!  We had a good afternoon dinner with the family we now live with & did more unpacking, visiting people, etc.

Friday we met one of our first investigators!!  I'll call her Dina.  She is a super nice lady, & her daughter is so funny!  They believe in God & Christ and are open to learning!  We can't wait to continue teaching them the lessons.

We've also met several other people who we will be working with & teaching--it is very exciting to have so much work to do right off the bat!

Saturday & Sunday we continued visiting more people that the Elders had been working with.

Last night we also went to a special nighttime church meeting for miners.  During the service, a man who was taught by other Elders was confirmed a member of the church & received the gift of the Holy Ghost.  The Spirit was so strong there!

I look forward to what this next week brings!  Take care til next Monday!

Be faithful & strong because He was!

Luv,
~Sister San Diego

p.s. to you (mom n dad)--Elder Gellert is from Laie!  He said Willie is in his Ward back home--not sure if it's family ward or ysa.  I met a family by the last name of Carroll, & Bro. Carroll served in Grampa & Gramma Ching's area in 2001--he said he thinks he knew them :)

Transfer Day - Saying our goodbyes to Sister Felagai

Tofa Sister Felagai - You will be missed!!!

Thanksgiving Dinner at the Hastings'

The food looks awesome - let's eat!!!

Same District....Different Ward

Howdy!

I forgot to mention last week that in Zone Conference, President Hermansen informed us that the Nevada Reno Mission will eventually reach a complement of 250 missionaries, increased from the original goal of 190!!!  That's enough to have a companionship in every Ward and every Branch, with extra to spare for large-area Wards!  We will also have Senior Couple Missionaries here soon!

Sis. Felagai & I got our call from the Zone Leaders on Saturday, aaaand........we're BOTH being transferred this Wednesday!!  Sis. Felagai will stay with the Sisters in Reno (her last companion, Sis. Wood, & my last companion, Sis. Moore) for the next 3 weeks until she goes home to Samoa on 12/12/12!  I am getting transferred to a different Ward in my District, and my new companion will be Sis. Michaud from the Sparks area.  Also, our District is getting split!  It's crazy how quickly this area of the mission is growing!  I'm sad to leave my beloved small towns, but at least I'll be close enough to run into the people every once in a while :)  I wish the new Elders in the area the best, and I can't wait to hear how the work progresses there!!

Elders Cruz & Martindale are also transferring, and training new missionaries too!  I'm so proud of them :)

Well, the next couple days will be filled with saying goodbyes, setting appointments with investigators, & everything that comes with transfers, woohoo!

With Thanksgiving approaching, I would like to encourage each of you to watch this video: http://youtu.be/Tuwid8_O8dk
Among the turkey dinner & family time, let us recognize all that our Heavenly Father has blessed us with, and let us remember to be grateful to Him for all that we have, both temporal & spiritual.

I am grateful for each of you and for the support and love you have shown me!  I am grateful for this Gospel and our Savior's Atonement, which makes it possible for us to overcome all & to become more like Him.

I hope you all have a wonderful & safe Thanksgiving week!

Be strong & faithful because Christ was!

Love,
~Sister San Diego

p.s. Oh one more thing!  I forgot to mention Sis. Felagai & I sang in church yesterday!  We sang our own twist of "As Sisters In Zion/We'll Bring the World His Truth" using Samoan & English lyrics :)

"When You Give In To God, God Will Bless You."

Hey everyone!

Last week was Zone Conference, and our main focus for this one was finding people who are ready to receive the gospel.  President Hermansen, Sister Hermansen, the Assistants, & the Zone Leaders all gave great insights on how we can improve ourselves & our efforts so that we may be able to find those "who are only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it" (D&C 123:12).

We have found a few more people who definitely have potential, and it's just a matter of fitting into their super busy schedules :)

Yesterday was Stake Conference out here, & the talks & testimonies that were shared were awesome!  I especially loved Mike's testimony that he shared; he spoke about his family's experience in coming out here--they started with nothing, & he prayed for the Lord to help them.  Soon after, they were so blessed everything they needed: a job, a place to live, food, and a church.  He testified that "When you give in to God, God will bless you."  He also spoke about Alma 32:28--"when you plant that seed and you make it grow, people can see that light."  He truly spoke from his heart and his testimony was so strong that everyone felt it and there was not a dry eye in the room.  I love this gospel and what I love even more is having the privilege of being a witness to the changes it brings to people's lives, and seeing them become truly converted!

I would also like to share an excerpt from an email from my family:

"Yesterday's [Stake Conference] session we listened to President Eyring and Elder Holland in and Area Broadcast to all 96 stakes in Arizona.  Each talked about the early days of the church in AZ and the sacrifice and dedication that was made by the early pioneers and settlers of the church here in the state and how blessed we are to now have six temples available.  Elder Holland emphasized some of the great announcements made at this last general conference, especially in regards to missionary work and how much more prepared the missionaries turning 18 need to be and how we as members need to "lengthen our stride" in supporting all these new missionaries to provide them with teaching opportunities that they will have a successful and fruitful mission.  President Eyring talked about being a positive optimist in these latter-days when so much is occurring and so many trials are being faced, we need to develop the faith in the Lord that will help us endure what is to come and prepare ourselves and look towards Christ's 2nd coming."

May we all do our best to become truly converted, strengthen those around us, and be optimistic in times of trial.  May we all be aware of & grateful for all that our Heavenly Father has blessed us with.
I know that God lives & He loves each and every one of us.  He is our Father & when we do our best, He will make up the rest.  I bear this witness in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Take care, be safe, and I love you all!

Be strong & faithful because He was!

~Sister San Diego

Car Inspection time

The Elko Zone - November 8, 2012

Happy November!

How are you all doing??

I forgot to mention in my last email that it SNOWED on October 23rd!!  Yes, it was that exciting to this low desert Sister :)  There was enough to make snowballs ;) and the next day I drove in a snowstorm for the first time--fun stuff!

We have a couple new investigators!  One is Trevor, who was referred to us by some other Elders, and Naomi, who was an investigator before!  We have also met a few others who used to be taught by missionaries, and they were welcome to us coming by again--we just need to catch them at a good time in the midst of their crazy busy schedules :)

Trevor is a good guy--he has a sincere desire to turn his life around for the better & we are excited to watch him grow & improve as he learns more about the gospel!  Naomi is a young mom & wants to have a foundation for her kids--can't wait to visit her family again!

Saturday we had the privilege of being present for the baptism & confirmation of a girl in our ward, and the baptism of a man who was taught by Elders in our District!  Speakers from both baptisms mentioned how baptism is the gate that opens the pathway to the temple--how true & wonderful it is!

Yesterday was fast & testimony meeting, and I Loved all the testimonies that were shared--the Spirit was so strong there!  Different people shared about the baptism, the temple, the good examples of others, & missionary work.

During the meeting, I noticed some people who were there that I hadn't seen at church in a while, and I was so overjoyed to see them!  Then the thought came to me: "If this is how happy I am to see them in church, imagine how joyful it would be to meet each other in the temple, and even in the Celestial Kingdom!"

I testify that this is truly the Lord's Church restored again on the earth.  I know Joseph Smith saw our Heavenly Father and His Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, and was a true prophet.  The Book of Mormon is a true record written by ancient prophets, and if anyone will read it, learn from it, and apply what they learn to their lives, they will come closer to our Father in Heaven & will have the strength to face the challenges of life.  I know that Jesus Christ lives, and that he took upon Himself each of our personal sins & sufferings, that through Him we may have the opportunity to enter God's kingdom.  I know President Thomas S. Monson is our living prophet today, & he and the First Presidency & Twelve Apostles are inspired men of God.  The Gospel of Jesus Christ is true, and I testify that it can bring us true happiness & that those who live it are blessed.  I bear this witness in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Be strong & faithful because the Savior was!

~Sister San Diego