April 22, 2013
All is wonderful and well in Jurupa Valley/Rubidoux. AND HOT!!! Thank you so much for your support, prayers, and letters. I feel those prayers and support continually. With faith, prayers have the power to produce miracles. That is definitely something I have learned since being in the field.
I just love my companions. Although I still have to exercise patience (being with two people 24/7 requires it), I just love them. We have so much fun AND we're working hard. My friend, Riley, once told me that if you're not having fun on your mission, you're not doing it right. I would totally agree. There is no way to survive a mission if you don't laugh and joke around. Speaking of joking around, my companions quickly figured out that I am way easy to tease and am super gullible. I think they like having me around ha :) And my companions fart ALL THE TIME. It's half funny/half really really gross but I suppose if that's the worst thing they do, I'm pretty lucky. So I deal with it. I have my shirt covering my nose a lot :)
I am working on becoming more confident in my teaching abilities. I felt like I was semi-oppressed in how or what I taught in Yucaipa for various reasons, so I'm trying to not feel that way. Since we have three in our companionship, we go on splits a lot. I went with a ward member to teach R (who got baptized yesterday) the other day and I taught the lesson by myself! We taught tithing, fast offerings, living the law of the land, and I also had to go over the baptismal interview questions. Certain sins require them to be interviewed by a member of the mission presidency, and since he needed to be interviewed by a member of the mission presidency, I was kinda nervous that he wasn't going to be able to be baptized yesterday but he was! He was so ready and has so much faith in Christ. Sis Boyd and Haycock told me that when they taught him about the word of wisdom he gave up everything...even soda! So now he only drinks water. And when I talked to him about keeping the Sabbath day holy, he told me that he wanted to observe the Sabbath on Saturday AND Sunday because some churches worship on Saturday. I told him that he can do what he feels is best for him, but that he is still human and needs to have fun. Some other single man in the ward invited him to a singles stake dance (he's 40) so we're hoping he can find a cute lady to take to the temple :) All his family came to his baptism, which was so nice.
So before I go, I have to tell you all a cool story (well it's cool to me). Anyways. There is this part member family--the I's. The dad isn't a member. We went over to their house (three kids and the mom was there) and I left the blessing. [It is common for them to ask if they can leave a blessing with those they teach or come in contact with. They call it a "harvesting blessing". They pray specifically for these people and Amanda said this can be very powerful] It was so neat to be able to open my mouth and it be filled with words to speak through the spirit. If we are willing to speak, God will give us the words to say. That scripture (I forget the reference) is so true! I was giving the blessing and as I went to ask for a blessing for one of the sons who is 16, I said that he would be a missionary now, and that he would be the means whereby his friends would come to the gospel, or something to that effect. I definitely wasn't saying that. At the end of the prayer, he was crying. And then he told us a couple of friends that we could leave a blessing with. The mom so desperately wants her family to be an eternal family. We see that a lot. These mothers and wives are just so sad and plead with their Father in Heaven constantly because their spouses are just not willing to give up that pride to know God and become an eternal family. I really think that's a big part of why I am here. To help with these part member and inactive families.
I gotta go, but I love you all. Your support means everything to me. I know that this gospel is true--and that is why I am out here. When we decided to come to the earth and gain a body, I know that I agreed to help certain people to gain salvation through baptism. I know it and believe that so strongly. I’m sorry I have taken forever to write you all back...the letters are coming soon!
Love you all,
Sister Amanda Abby Chase :)
P.S. Watch the Mormon message entitled "Our Eternal Life." SO SO good. Watch it HERE.
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