Eternal Perspective

So this week I have been completely shambocked by a member in our ward. SHe is going through some very difficult things in her life with her husband. I won't tell you all the details but I will tell you whoat I would have liked to do in her situation...Divorce him, remove all visitation rights and never talk with him again. Not even a second chance would I offer. IT is bad....What is this member doing???

Well she has decided that when she was married in the temple that she decided that her marriage was for eternity. That there would be nothing that would stop her from being with him. He has his agency yes, but she believes that as she is patient and assists him in his recovery and loves him that this challenge will pass. She is annoyed with everyone in the church telling her to divorce him. She is very sad that people aren't more supportive of her choices. All she is trying to do is be Christ like and look at the eternal perspective. She talked with us all about her situation and how she was a convert yet many people just believe that divorce is all there is.

 

Now what a humbling situation. I definitely believe that prayer is a huge part to know if divorce is suppose to happen but what a realization. In the Eternal perspective the challenges we all face is but a moment. To give up on people we once loved so quickly to replace eternity is crazy to think about. She has taught me so much with that conversation. No one would judge her for having hard feelings towards her husband but everyone judges her for forgiving and letting go to assist and ask for assistance in letting go. She isn't looking at what he is but what he can become. I admire her and feel very humbled and now have to repent for my not correct beliefs of marriage. ..

 

So this week has been a crazy week. I get to have a new companion! I get 6 weeks more in Whittier I am so excited about it! I love this ward!

 

Got to go but what are your miracles this week?

 

Sister Pendleton 

OH NO!!!!

Well, that is the saddest thing in the world. I hope that you are able to save something from the fires.

  [in Washington] I will just share one thing because I am short on time today. I was in church yesterday, just reflecting on the week and all our efforts with Less actives investigators and people in general. Everyone is going through a hard time it seems like, but as I was getting really sad the spirit was able to come and testify to me that God is more powerful than Satan. That He really is in control that the good does win and that people will change and God is preparing a way for everyone to come closer to him. Well during Church my spirits were lifted and we were able to go later that night and find a street with didn't think exsisted and as well as to find someone who God has been preparing to accept the gospel. It was miraculous! I love the Lord. I know that he is with you all now as you are trying to figure out what to do about Methow. I know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and it is always brighter than what we ever expect.

 

I know that this is super short but I love you all. I can't even believe that all this has appened. I will be praying for you all.

 

Sister Pendleton

This week of crazyness

Hey everyone!

 

So super exciting news! We are teaching someone who I taught when I first came. She needs the gospel and God is guiding us to her and her to us. I can't even tell you how scared I was to go see her again, She is really nice its just I don't know...I was scared which I have come to discover that that is when I need to do things. So we did and she committed to read pray and come to church! Huge step! I am praying like crazy for her now. And we went by a less active that has been on my mind forever and what happened!!! He wants to come back. I love it when they have the desires. I love the miracles that occur. I wasn't quite expecting him to come out and state his desires. He told us some of his dilemas but with prayers and patience he will come back! His family is pretty awesome too. We need to build up the ward. Each week at church it always reminds me how much the ward needs our help and needs members to get over their offenses and support their beliefs. Like Uncle Dick said not let others determine their salvation. Enduring to the end is huge and God really wants to bless us. Why would we stop those blessings from coming just because someone else said something inconsiderate? I am excited for the progress that is happening.

 

Well I will count this as a tender mercy. I was in Lakewood with another sister and we decided to knock on a door. Well the guy is sitting on his couch and he goes to get up...I had a premonition that he might not be dressed....so I look away and stare at Sister Le the guy starts closing the door and says hold on let me put away the dogs...well I had seen enough to know he didn't have a shirt on, and then....3 minutes later he comes to the door with clothes on and the dogs at his side and me and sister Le look down at the dogs and he's like oh they must have gotten out....yep....don't worry the spirit is with us to know how to discern truth and when to look the other way. I don't care that he lied to us about putting the dogs away because the better part is that he was clothed and I wasn't scarred. I do not have a desire to be one of the sister missionaries who had the door answered by a naked person. The end.

 

Love you all! Have are great week! Tell me about the miracles you saw!

 

Sister Pendleton  

Fourth of July

Hey everyone!

 

The Fourth came and went and the Lord was so nice to us. We were suppose to be on exchanges but the sister was sick so we went down to help them a little in their time of need and on the way back up to Whittier we were able to see all of the fireworks celebrating the freedoms we have, the country we live in and it just warmed my heart. There are no fireworks allowed in the city of Whittier so it was only through this small tender mercy that me and my companion were able to see fireworks and boy they were beautiful. They were everywhere. I understand why they aren't allowed in the city of old homes that they want to keep historic, I am just so glad that God knows the little things that make a difference in our lives that we don't realize until it occurs.

 

Well we went to the temple today and that is why I am writing a day later than usual. I am so grateful for that opportunity. I am blessed. This past week I had a super huge spiritual moment. Margaret, a member Sister Folsom and I started working with when I first came out had had a rough week and knew she needed help. She needed an up lift. While we were visitin I asked her if she wanted to bare her testimony the next day in sacrement and she said yes. So I helped her write out a brief testimony. She can't really speak. She has cerebral palsy. so She was going to go up and stand next to me while I shared her feelings. What a great opportunity it was for me to be apart of this experiance. I was so touched. The spirit was super strong testifying of her simple beliefs. I will definitely hold that experiance close to me forever.

 

I loved the miracles you all shared with me. Thanks Ken for sharing that experiance with me from Uncle Dick. That is so cool.

 

D&C 35 talks about how We are all meant for something greater than we can comprehend. Don't let anything else stop you from accomplishing it.

 

Love you all! What was your miracle this week?

 

Sister Pendleton

What Next?

Hey everyone!

 

Well this week has been exhausting and well I am just glad that it will be a new week. Sister Folsom goes home tomorrow and then it will just be me and SIster Youngberg for the next 4. We were able to go eat dinner with the mission president and his wife since Sister Folsom is going home. It was nice. Nice an cozy.

 

The biggest miracle of the week was that we found another person who came to church! Trust me going to church is the hardest thing to get a person to do. IF they can come to church than they will be the people who remain active in the church which is what we want right! The guy who went last week decided that he didn't want to come again. I know he will be prepared for a later time to accept the gospel. So James came to church after meeting us on the street. We were able to teach him and he was able to see how God has been an active role in his life but he doesn't understand why he is going through all the things he has gone through. He is one of the most humble people I know. I pray that he will continue to have his heart softened and will feel God's presence more fully in his life. He stayed for all 3 hours of church and seemed to enjoy it. We will find out next week though. We had many miracles this week but James is one of the more memorable ones. Although I really enjoy the small little tender mercies that GOd gives us. We were in meetings for 4 of the days last week and so total only 2 whole days to work but we were able to accomplish so much! I am so amazed at what God helps us to do!

 

WEll I hope that everyone is doing well. What are the miracles that you have seen this past week?

 

Love you all!

 

SIster Pendleton

no subject

I wish that I could just paste my journal entrys sometimes because that way you could have an idea of how many miracles we have seen this past week and how much love I have felt from God this last week. It was exhausting week but God was with us helping us the whole way. We went out to work Friday and we needed to teach someone and were praying so hard knowing that we couldn't teach if God didn't provide. All our plans had fallen through and it was just acting on faith. So we prayed dilligently and God provided. We went and tried a less active whom we had never met before and found someone who is looking for the truth. He came to church yesterday and is so open. I know that God lead us to him. I don't really have much time either so believe me when I say it was a miracle!

SIster Youngberg is our third comp until sister Folsom goes home next week. I am so sad about this but excited for her at the same time.  Sister Youngberg goes home at the end of this transfer and boy oh boy it is so weird to know a majority of the missionaries who are going home. It makes me realize that I really am not a new missionary any more. It is different. Time flys.

Well what miracles have you all seen thiss week? Love you all!

Sister Pendleton

Trio!

Hey Everyone!

So this past week we found out about transfers....I am staying with Sister Folsom for her last two weeks of her mission and Sister Youngberg is joining us tomorrow. I am really excited about it all. We get to do 5 exchanges in the next two weeks and 3 this week. It is going to be a crazy week. I am excited to go see different areas though. I really love seeing different areas.

Well things continue to go well with all of our investigators. We taught the lady we found two or 3 weeks ago again. We hadn't been able to meet with her for a week or so and turns out she is getting grief from her family but the coolest part about it is that she is like "well I don't find any problems with it so far, and frankly I don't really care what the past is of the church....." she continues to tell us how she thinks it is so exciting that God speaks to us modernly. She is going to keep reading the Book of Mormon (which she is on 2Nephi) and learn more. We had DeeDee who is the recent Convert that Sister Folsom and I taught when I first came to Whittier. She is AWESOME! She told her how everyone gave her grief over learning but it has changed her and now everyone tells her that she is doing good things. Her temper is better and everything. Yep...The Gospel of Jesus Christ really helps everyone so much! I love it!
So in the very hispanic areas they have the street vendors selling corn and shaved ice. Sister Folsom and I tried the corn with everything on it. It was actually really good. I was impressed. We found a new person to teach as we got one too. I thought it worked out well.

What's new in your part of the world???
Oh funny joke, kinda. So When Sister Folsom and I first came to Whittier we were told it was the hottest place in the mission during the summer...we were both really glad cause we would both be gone by summer...hahah that is the joke cause I will be here for the next 3 months at least right during summer. Good thing I love Whittier!

Love you all!

Sister Pendleton