Trials and Promises

This week has been a real eye opener for me.

This is the first time in the mission where I have 6 days in a row of 20 conversations. I say conversations because we talk to and give out cards to more than that but we have had 20 meaningful conversations. Sister Uele is really great at contacting. I have already learned a lot from her as far as that goes. We have met some really awesome people and heard some really cool experiences. The only problem we are having is that when we set return appointments, they always fall through. We are trying to find ways that we can turn these people into investigators.

We extended 2 baptismal invitations this week to our investigators and they both said that they needed more time. I guess the Lord is testing my patience. But I waited for Abuelita so I'm sure I can wait a little more. Our other investigator is in Mexico and won't be back until next week.

We have restarted teaching a couple who have been coming to English classes. During district meeting we prayed about who could be baptized this month from our area and we felt that they could. So we have been focusing on them. She has had almost all the lessons but never came to church. They recently returned to English classes but it still took them a while to warm up. We went over and taught them 2 times and they came to church. Everything was going great!  They arrived before us and we mingling with the members. But then tragedy struck. After the first hour we searched all around the church-inside and out, to find the husband and we couldn't find him anywhere. When we finally found him he was in the wrong Sunday school class but we figured it would be ok. By the time we walked around to the other door. He had been told he was in the wrong class, and was headed out the door. As we tried to take him to his class he got mad and basically said something like this "I don't want to go in there, this is my first time and people are kicking me out of classes and telling me I can't be there, I'm so embarrassed and this is my first time so I don't know where to go and I'm leaving and never coming back to this church again" I tried to get him to stay because the wife wanted to stay but I couldn't get him to stay. In that moment my heart sank. I was holding back the tears. His wife had told us the night before that he had doubts and then he had a bad experience at church. I felt so helpless. He literally disappeared. We checked all the rooms, the whole parking lot, and even after that he left. I have never felt so awful at church in my whole life. I'm not really sure what we are going to do. Right now our plan is to just stop by and  try to explain and asking him to try again. They just have so much potential!!

Almost all of our appointments have fallen through this week so we have just been contacting like crazy to find more people to teach. Hopefully at least one or two of the 120+ we talked to this week will decide to have the lessons. But we received a promise from President Weidman that if we had 20 conversations for 14 days we would have more than we have ever had before. We are halfway there.

Also yesterday I was able to go on exchanges with a recent convert and one of my new very best friends from Los Angeles. Sister Uele had a baptism in her old area but we had appointments and it was during church so I got permission to have a member companion for the day. It was so awesome! I loved it! All of our appointments fell through but we were able to street contact a lot of people and it was awesome! I also got to help them with girls camp stuff. It was great. I love her so much!

We have zone conference this week. I love zone conference! It is always so good.

It has been so hot here!!! I have seriously been melting. The other day the bottom of my shoe melted.
Sorry I don't have time for much else but I love it here and hopefully we will find new people soon!!

Hope you all have a good week! Happy Cinco de Mayo!!
Hermana Montgomery

GREAT Week :)

WOW this week has been SOO busy!

Last Monday we went on a hike. Our destination was the Hollywood sign. After hiking for a while down what we thought was the right trail we hit a dead end. But the view was so gorgeous. So we turned around and decided that we would hike to the observatory. It was so much fun! It was super hot but no importa (as Emma would say). We went with Chris, Stephanie, Josiie, and Alicia. The hike down was downright hilarious. I haven't laughed that much in a long time!!

Other good news!!! ABUELITA AND J GOT BAPTIZED AND CONFIRMED!!!!! This was by far the happiest day of my mission. Words cannot describe how much love I felt for them, especially for Abuelita. I love her so much. She is like another grandma to me. I was able to be at her side most of the day and just hold her hand and walk her around. She is one of the most special people I have met so far. Their baptism was so good and we had food afterward. It was really awesome. All the missionaries who had taught them came back. It was so special. They are incredible!

This week I also got to go the temple again. I love the temple so much. I was able to see a proposal, engagement, and sealing all at once. It was really cool! We also had a special meeting before and got to listen to some really good talks. We also had Hermana Monroy's farewell. It was super awesome. I got to translate for Hermana Petra. I was really nervous at the beginning but the words were just there. After I finished I was just filled with the spirit and I knew that I would be able to handle myself in Spanish. I am grateful that Sister Monroy asked me to translate.

So transfer news!!! I'm staying in Hollywood! :) My new companion will be Hermana Ulele. She is from Tonga. She is super awesome! She is coming back to the Spanish program. She has been serving in the Tonga program for a while now. I am really excited to work with her. I will be picking her up tomorrow morning. I also am in charge of driving some other sisters to their apartment. Who knew 3 months in I would be driving around LA like a pro! :) I actually love driving here. Weird right?!?

This is just the highlights of this crazy week! I hope everyone is doing great. I love you all so much and am grateful for your support and your prayers.

Love, Hermana Montgomery