Great Week of Thanksgiving!

So I have come to realize that I think I write you so much each week but in all reality I don't do I??? Someone needs to respond back so that way I know if I need to extend my emails at all or not. I haven't heard any complaints so I guess I will continue to write as I usually do.

 

So my life is very interesting. We have found a man that believes that he is a son fo perdition. That was so unexpected when he said that. Really our member was trying not to laugh out right when he told us this. It was so sad. I can't even believ that he thinks he is such a bad person. well we know he isn't because he has come closer to God throughout his life time and really becoming a son of perdition is quite hard from our understanding. Even Lamen and Lemuel aren't sons of Perdition are they? I just read in Jacob about a man who might have been. But I really don't know. He won't believe us but He knows that the Book of Mormon is True and that Joseph Smith Saw what He saw and has known for most of his life but won't commit to anything because he doesn't feel worthy and truely believs that he committed this sin. I can't even believe that saten has such grasp of his heart to believe that he isn't worthy of forgiveness. He came to church and is such a nice guy. He knows a lot. He quotes scriptures to us all the time. I am so impressed with his knowledge. He tithes and talks about the blessings that comes from it. I think that if we can help him see that if the restored gospel is here on the earth then he couldn't be a son of perdition because He hasn't experianced the Gift of the Holy Ghost and he doesn't have the Priesthood and all these other things. Also that God won't reveal any further truth to those who are sons of perdition because they already knew it all. Very interesting. Just another way that saten works.

 

Yesterday we went on splits and We met with Lori and went over the baptismal questions. She is so solid. She believes the things that wehave taught her and she loves church and she totally is dedicated. She is working on quitting smoking and once she has that down she will be baptized. Kathryn is so dedicated. Her sister is trying to dissuade her belief in the Book of Mormon but she holds true and she won't let her son go to a different church because she knows ours is true. She has come such a long way. It is so cool to see how the gospel changes our lives. This upcoming week we are going to tryout to sing at the departure fireside "O Holy Night". I am so nervous and excited. If we get to play then it will be infront of 200+ people and it will be amazing but I shake and I am playing the guitar as well. I need prayers for that if you would like to pray for me :) We have gone around the ward and took a lot of pictures. I love this place with all my heart. This upcoming week is transfers and we will find out if I am staying. If so it will be a whole year in one area. The ward might be sick of me....It is actually funny because with the way that the next transfer is falling I might stay. It is a 50-50 thing. It is really funny. There are 11 new sisters coming and like 7 or more sisters leaving. So it will double the amout of sisters coming in and they need trainers and yeah, it is so interesting! Anyways. Hope all of you enjoy Thanksgiving! I love you all :)

 

Sister Pendleton

What's New????

So I am here to tell you all about what is new in my life. What California is like and everything. well Let me tell you that the weather is only 65-75 degrees and pretty much I need a sweater. I am rediculously acclimated and it is pathetic about how cold I get. I am pretty shocked at my self but you know whatever. I will just come home in April and be grateful that we are going into summer before another winter occurs. But I do have to say it is nice that it is cooling down and that it is reminding me of winter. I like to pretend especially since Thanksgiving is next week. I am so excited. We get to go to some of my most favorite places that day. Our investigators who are coming to church want us to come spend some time at their houses and it is just so exciting.

So this past week we have been working so hard. And I wanted to tell you about this guy that we have been doing service for for the past year. Sister Folsom is someone who continued to keep doing service and she was truly inspired of God. Louis is his name and he has kinda wanted to learn more about what we believe because he loves the Mormon people so much but hasn't ever really understood the doctrine. I gave up trying to teach him because it always ended badly. Well he approached us last week and wanted us to teach him. We taught him yesterday and I have to say that it was such a privilege to teach him. He has a lot of questions and I don't know that he will ever accept the message but there was a spirit about teaching him yesterday that I have never felt with him before. It was as though walls had come down and he wanted to know. It was the coolest experience that I am going to treasure. It was so cool to see God soften someones heart that much. God is in the details that is for sure.

Other than that not much has really happened. It was Sister Andersons birthday and that was a lot of fun. We had great members help us out in making it so great!

Well what was your miracle this past week?

Love y'all

Sister Pendleton

All in God's hand

Okay so this week has been a great week of miracles that I can't even think of how to express. First off we had 6 investigators at church which increased our congregation by about 15% which is crazy but so exciting. They all have baptismal dates and are reading the Book of Mormon and are just excited to be at church. They are seeing a difference and it is intense. Last week with one of the investigators we fasted for work and this week she has gotten called in for work more. She is getting more work and we are seeing her prayers answer. She is reading and feeling the spirit. Our other investigator Kathryn finished the Book of Mormon and she is teaching her son Calvin who is 11 all about how the Book of Mormon has great strength to help them through anything and can get rid of demons from you. Her desires to smoke has pretty much gone away. She is developing talents and it is so great! Her sister Liza is now taking lessons and she came to church. She loved it but it was long is what she said. Her sister is encouraging though and wants her to love it just as much as she does. Rose is Liza's daughter and she is queitly sitting back and loving it all but doesn't want to admit that she loves it either. Then we had Gloria who we are meeting with and now she wants to be baptized and wants to see her prayers more answered but she is seeing the blessings of God. She want's the spirit with her so much more. Then we have been taking people out with us all hours of the day and God is just placing people all around us helping us and guiding us. He is even prompting members to come out with us! It is so great. I love the Lord. Our mission has changed its focus and we all pray at 630am and at 10 at night for miracles and we are just seeing them left and right. It is so wonderful! I love Him so much. I don't think that I have seen so much progression ever. 

I don't even know what miracle was the greatest this week but there were so many and I always feel a greater increase of Faith when I look back and see God's hand throughout the day. He loves us and keeps us safe and I love the prayers that you say for us. That is what keeps me going I know. 

Sister Anderson has had a rough week because she injured her knee all because I wanted to run up a mountain and well yeah. It was a little too much for her I guess. But it was fun to run up the mountain and I am so excited when I can do that again!!! 

Well here are some pictures I hope you enjoy them!

What miracles did you see in your life this week???

Sister Pendleton
 

Last picture was when it rained!!!!!!!!!!! We loved it! Our member actually caught us dancing and playing in it :) She thought it was funny.

Past Halloween

Well I have so much to tell everyone but by the time I get to emailing I always forget what to talk about. Just so you all know our investigators are amazing! I love them a lot. They are showing greater faith than I have ever seen. It inspires me. We have a ward who support us and help us out weekly. I have never been so happy before. Despite the ups and downs. I love this place. I am going to have to work a little harder in doing better and strengthening my faith.

 

So really my life is interesting. Our zone isn't very unified at all. It is aweful yet I love it. We are the only two sisters in the zone and it has 14 elders. Sometimes they forget that we are there and they are a little too boyish and then other times It is very interesting in the fact that the only reason that they are even kind to each other is because we are there. Me and my comp have noticed that we are like the glue that holds them together. They have been having a hard time with becoming number chasing people. I think that what it really comes down to is that they forget the reason why they come out to serve a mission. We record the number of lessons we teach we record the number of people we are teaching so we are accountable for our time and to the Lord and if we begin to struggle the people around us are better able to understand that we are struggling with the work and fix the wound before the infection spreads. I have watched as one Elder complained about how the numbers are not representing people at all and people only care about numbers to the point of division in our zone which was getting almost detrimental. As a result they are all struggling with finding people to teach which means they are not happpy all because one person was leading everyone astray. It reminds me of Amalakiah who lead so many people astray and caused a split. Me and my companion work hard and accomplish a lot and it is because we know that we are serving God and that these are people out there that need Him in their lives. That God wants us to teach multiple people. He has told us that the field is White already to harvest. That there is great work to be done. We just need to do it. I am seeing the power of just one person who can gain such followers who aren't following God causing a lack of faith and happiness. I have to stop and think of the times throughout my life that I have lead others astray and have to think about what I say. I don't wnat to be that person ever. I hope you all feel the same way.

 

Well that is it fore the day! Love you all! What are the miracles of the week??? Ours is that we were able to teach in a members home 2 times!!! It was the best thing ever!

 

SIster Pendleton