Saturday, September 17, 2011

Friends From Around The World

July 26, 2011

Heyo familia!

How are you all doing? How's summer ending up?

Big news! We are getting two new sisters at the Battalion today which means that this week for the rest of the week Sister Newman and I get to be full proselyting!!!! (I'm not excited at all clearly.... ha-ha) The sisters in charge of the Battalion (basically zone leaders of the Battalion) called us and asked if we would be OK with going full proselyting for a week and I attempted to contain my excitement ha-ha, and be charitable. I seriously am really excited. I love the Battalion. There are miracles that happen in that building, on those tours, and talking to the wonderful people that go through, but I LOVE proselyting. And I am praying for miracles to happen in these next five days that we have to fully proselyte. =)

One really cool thing at the Battalion that's been happening is that at our group meeting  Sister Smith challenged us to leave every single person that comes through the Battalion with a commitment, either member or non member, and its been super cool to see the results from trying to be 100% obedient to that suggestion. In Preach My Gospel it talks about how rarely if ever should you leave a teaching appointment without leaving a commitment, and every tour is a teaching appointment. So I've had to repent and do lots better and there have been awesome things that have happened in the last week. =) I met these two family's, both men had served missions and they were so amused by the fact that I was committing them to things. They said they'd do it too, and report back to the family that lives in San Diego, to report back to their missionaries to report to me. I'm expecting a report ha-ha.

This week has been really awesome. I know I say that every single week.... but its true... I just love being here in San Diego. It's really tough to be in a place with perfect weather, no humidity, and lots of amazing people, but I'm sacrificing and it’s working out =P. We've been working a lot with an investigator named Michael, and he knows the Church is true, and we know he's going to be baptized eventually, but he just won't accept a date because he just "got divorced" from the Catholic religion and is trying to get his life back in order. He was SO excited about living the word of wisdom though and seeing the difference that it made in his life. He told us yesterday that he might never drink coffee again. He's one of my favorite people. He's trying to really follow the example of Jesus Christ - we just are trying to make him understand that 100% following Jesus Christ means getting baptized. We'll keep working on him ha-ha.

I just want you to know how much I truly love you all. Teri, Patrick Mom and Dad - you really are all such good examples to me of being positive, happy and loving. I couldn't ask for a better family. The Lord certainly knew who I needed in my family and he gave me you =) I love you because you put up with me, you're funny, loyal, strong, competitive, sarcastic =) and just my favorite people in the world. Keep being awesome, and know how much I love you.

The bishop also gave us a person named Steven in the mobile home park where we've been painting Blanca’s house - while trying to contact him again we added another investigator. That place is gold mine my friends! And all we do is just talk to people. Also - can I just say, street contacting is AWESOME. I love just going up to people and talking to them about the Book of Mormon and Mormons and the blessings they can receive as they learn more about our church. We're trying to build up our investigator pool. The more the merrier. =) We've had some good experiences with street contacting... and some less productive experiences with street contacting... but regardless, serving the Lord is bueno.

We were able to contact Ricarda again! She's so golden. She's looking for a new church. We gave her the Book of Mormon and committed her to read it, but she wouldn't set a return appointment. She told us she would call us if she had questions. Conveniently we remembered that we forgot to invite her and her son to the Mormon Battalion so we'll go back in a week or so and invite her and see how she's doing. =)

Also Luis's wife doesn't want us to go over anymore which is so sad because Luis is ready to hear the gospel. We gave him a Book of Mormon in Spanish and in English and committed him to read about it. We know he can feel the Spirit while we meet and that he wants to learn more, but he wants to make his wife happy. If he hasn't called us to tell us whether his wife is OK with us coming back one more time in about a week or so we'll just cold knock his door and see how he's doing. He's a really good man.

We went to the temple grounds last week for the last time in a while because the temple is closed now. And Sister Newman is BALLER at getting member referrals. She's the best member worker person I’ve ever seen. I'm excited to see how we can help the members in our area fulfill missionary responsibility and grow closer to Christ. =) Also at the temple I met these two girls from Chula

Today at the laundry mat we were able to get some referrals too for the Old Town area. Two Chinese people and a girl named Melanie who has a lot of Mormon friends but never learned about the Church. It’s really awesome how the Lord works, and how he can bring people together that need to meet and touch each other's lives.

Any who! That's a snap shot of my week. I've met some really amazing people. Seen specific prayers answered (cool story - I'll tell you that one later maybe? Or maybe now, we went to this place where people NEVER answer they're doors and we prayed that if they were home they'd answer... and every single person did. Miracle) God answers prayers. He helps us in our afflictions. (Mosiah 24) He truly knows us and knows how to lighten the burdens that have been placed on our shoulders. I know that he loves you so much. His Gospel is the way that he can touch each of us individually and collectively. Recently I've really been striving to be the type of person that can truly say that I've never asked the Lord for anything he hasn't given me because of faith, and by being really in tune to what the Spirit is telling me I can receive. I don't know if that makes sense but I read a talk about priesthood blessings, and how this woman was really sick, but never asked for a blessing of healing, and the priesthood blessing never mentioned health - but it did mention comfort, peace and rest. I know that he fulfills all his promises, and it’s His will, not ours.

I love you so much!

You are in my prayers!

SMILE!!!!!!

Love,

Sister Tardiff

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