These
last 18 months have felt like a dream, its hasn’t hit me that I have to leave
behind the best experience that the Lord has blessed me with yet. He has made
this last week absolutely incredible for Sister Holmstead and me!!
Every time we get out of
the car, we see a miracle. On Monday we felt inspired to go work in the Wilson
ward. We get out, talk to a man (who ended up being very rude) but turned
around to see a young woman walking by with her niece and nephew. We walked and
talked with her and taught her the restoration. By the end of the conversation,
she asks "where can I get one of those Book of Mormons?" When we told
her we would give her one for free she got SO excited and went to read it
immediately!
 |
| Bakersfield, CA |
We worked in the Silver
Creek ward and found and over-sized umbrella that had blown onto someone’s
lawn. When we asked the owner of the house whose it was, they said they didn’t
know, so we began our quest to return it to its owner! Sadly, we did not find
them, but it was a great way to strike up conversation! "Hi, do you know
who this belongs to? Oh, you don’t? Well, we're missionaries, yadda yadda
yadda." People thought it was hilarious. we end up going to talk to this
one man who told us to see his neighbor. we went over and she had a no
soliciting sign on her door, but since we were referred to her we were allowed
to knock and talk to her! She said she just moved in and didn’t know how to
take that sign off ha-ha. She ended up being the nicest person EVER and she was
super interested in learning more about the gospel! She said that she wants her
family to come closer together and closer to God. That same day a member
interpreted my handwriting using Jedi mind tricks (and actual psychological
practices) and she said my handwriting says I’m angry, disobedient, hyper,
stubborn, loud and rebellious. So, it looks like I gotta work on that ha-ha!
 |
| LA Temple |
 |
| LA Temple |
We went to the temple on
Tuesday. What an AMAZING experience!! That was the last time I’d be able to go
down to the LA temple for a while and it was such an incredibly peaceful
experience. I am grateful to be able to go to the House of the Lord, it's
another testimony to me of the truthfulness of this gospel and the love God has
for all of us! I feel incomprehensible peace and direction when I am there, and
I felt the power of God with me the rest of the week! that evening we went
caroling with the zone, we hit up a different ward each day of the week leading
up to Christmas! It's so awesome to see people’s faces light up when they find
us on their door! we were able to find some people to teach through that and a
lot of less actives and recent converts cried and whatnot. So it was a success!
 |
| Tehachapi, CA |
 |
| Tehachapi, CA |
On Wednesday, we went up
to Tehachapi in the mountains. It was cold and rainy and BEAUTIFUL!! We did
some service and went out to lunch. I was with Sister Gallacher, whom I love
with all my heart and got to serve with earlier in our missions! A petty thing
that I’ve been sad about is the fact that no one will want to buy me food
anymore after my mission! like, everyone LOVES paying for us and pretty soon I’ll
be a poor starving college student again. WELL, the waitress at the restaurant
we went to give us a HUGE discount on our meals and was super nice! When we
asked why, it wasn’t because we were missionaries but because we were "someone’s
daughters," and she would want people to take care of her son. Just a
cute, tender mercy from the Lord letting me know He will ALWAYS be taking care
of me, whether or not I have a tag on.
We went to College Heights,
my old area, the next day and it was AWESOME!! We went to see a former investigator
who wasn’t home, but we waved down this guy on a bike to talk to him. He said he’s
been meaning to go to church and we told him about the restoration and how Christ
can heal his family. HE invited US to come back and teach his family more so
they can all come to church! Then we went to see this person I just felt
inspired to see and I thought he wouldn’t remember talking to us before. But
when we saw us he got super excited and said he’s been trying to find the
missionaries again for a while!! THEN we went to another former investigator I
only taught once and they weren’t home. But we went and talked to some girls
standing outside. One asked if our church had a toy drive since she couldn’t
afford anything for her kids. I wasn’t sure about that since I haven’t been in
the area for a while but we gave her a Book of Mormon as a Christmas present. She
had such a look of awe, I had never seen anything like it before. We taught
them more about Christ and how the Book of Mormon can help her and she and her
sister invited us back! I taught an old investigator I was really close with as
well and it was the sweetest reunion!
The west half of the
mission got together to watch "It's a Wonderful Life" so I got to see
all of the missionaries I had served with and gotten close with one last time
before I leave! It was a super tender mercy from God, I have loved everyone I
have met out here.
We went to work in Olive
Knolls and we just met the MEANEST people! It was like 5 houses in a row where
we left with such sadness! BUT, we kept going and we ended up finding 3 families
to teach who were prepared! God just makes us push through some disappointments.
Then we went caroling in Stockdale, where I just served, and it was AWESOME!! Legit,
can’t say how many prayers we answered of people who needed a pick me up and
some joy this season.
 |
| Maryland Plates! |
 |
| Skyping on Christmas! |
Christmas day was so
fun! We got to help make this huuge brunch for an awesome family and recent
convert in Berkshire! We skyped home and it was so fun to say "oh I’ll see
you in a couple days!" We went caroling, just the 2 of us, and it was
SUPER awkward! People don’t know what to do when it’s just 2. But we ended up
meeting this family who has connections with some members in the snow ward
here! AND we saw a MARYLAND LICENSE PLATE! It was the first time I’d seen
one my whole mission, and I’ve seen just about every other state! Same miracles
happened during caroling again that evening. God just touched our lives every
time we went out and did something for Him.
I want to leave the
words to one of my favorite Hymns, it's a simple testimony about our savior
Jesus Christ:
I know that my Redeemer
lives.
What comfort this sweet
sentence gives!
He lives, he lives, who
once was dead.
He lives, my ever-living
Head.
He lives to bless me
with his love.
He lives to plead for me
above.
He lives my hungry soul
to feed.
He lives to bless in
time of need.
He lives to grant me
rich supply.
He lives to guide me
with his eye.
He lives to comfort me
when faint.
He lives to hear my
soul's complaint.
He lives to silence all
my fears.
He lives to wipe away my
tears.
He lives to calm my
troubled heart.
He lives all blessings
to impart.
He lives, my kind, wise
heav'nly Friend.
He lives and loves me to
the end.
He lives, and while he
lives, I'll sing.
He lives, my Prophet,
Priest, and King.
He lives and grants me
daily breath.
He lives, and I shall
conquer death.
He lives my mansion to
prepare.
He lives to bring me
safely there.
I have felt a change of
heart. I have seen others give their lives to Christ and have let him heal
them. I have been guided and strengthened by the power of God. I have felt so
close to Him and His son Jesus Christ. I wish I had the words to say how I
feel, but I cannot even begin to express the love and gratitude I have for my
Father in Heaven. I know that He loves me and each one of us and that He wants
to be actively engaged in each one of our lives. I understand how hope comes
from faith and how we can feel peace in a world that offers none. I know that
God can take us and make us something beautiful, even when we have nothing to
give Him but our desire to follow Him. He allows us to walk with Him because we
want to, not because we deserve it. He lets us come to Him and He will never
turn us away, no matter what we've done. He lets us learn and grow and
progress, no matter what we've done. He lets us repent, Christ paid that price,
He takes away fear, He takes away pain. He is sweet and caring and will lift us
up. I leave you all with my witness that God is real, that Christ can change
us, that the Holy Ghost can guide us.
He lives! All glory to
his name!
He lives, my Savior,
still the same.
Oh, sweet the joy this
sentence gives:
"I KNOW THAT MY
REDEEMER LIVES!"
 |
| Christmas in Bakersfield |
 |
| Christmas in Bakersfield |
 |
| Christmas in Bakersfield |
 |
| Christmas in Bakersfield |
