Uma Grande Semana de Milgres!!!!

September 2, 2013

Oi Minha Querida Familia e Amigos!!!

SoooooooOOOOOoooooo much has happened this week! I don't even know where to start!!! Well first off, the first transfer just ended and guess what........ .I never would have guessed. But I Sister Jensen-Coon is getting transferred to Henderson!!! She leaves tomorrow morning!!!  So weird.... we had ONE transfer together!! and now i'm staying here with another sister and finishing my training with her and so it's weird cause i'll be training her on the area and she'll be training me on missionary work... so strange.  I don't know what to do. IM SO NERVOUS because I barely know the area, myself and now it's basically--or feels like--it's all on me. I KNOW this is definitely inspired because I have definitely been feeling myself hiding behind Sister Jensen-Coon's knowledge of the area and experience with these people. Right before we found out about the transfers, I had a feeling/thought of "Man, I need to be more open and get to know these people more!" ... and now I know why ): It's gonna be suuuuper hard, but I know this is exactly the kind of challenges that Heavenly Father gives and will give me throughout my mission to help me grow and be the person he wants me to be. I just have to trust in that and keep it in mind as I struggle through this next transfer haha.

It's also really sad cause Sister Jensen-Coon and I have just BARELY finally been able to get in sync.   It's still been a challenge, but we were finally able to really get to be friends and open up and talk and stuff, and dang, now it's like WOOP, okay! Good job now here's someone NEW! ): I'm suuuuuper nervous. Companions are the hardest thing for me just cause i have such a hard time in opening up, especially with people who are not really compatible with me haha. I know this is definitely one of the things Heavenly Father wants me to change. It'll be one of the hardest.

So Sister Jensen-Coon is going to Henderson!!! and she'll be in Green Valley in a YSA ward. Which ward is Uncle Jimmy in??  I know not YSA, but just curious haha.

Sooooo miracle of the week!!! of the MISSION!!!! AHH!

Helen!!!!!! I loooooove Helen!! OMG. so I mentioned we met her again last week on exchanges--(I realize was another preparation for me taking over this area)--and it was amazing! So we saw her again several times this week, and when we saw her, we talked about baptism and what it meant, how it would help her, etc. We had her pray about it and said we'd come back in a few days to see her again. She agreed and we left.  The next day, we drove past her house to a dinner appt and saw the garage door open and immediately, we both said "Helen!". we turned in and no one was there, so we ran in and knocked on the garage door and she came out and was genuinely shocked! We explained that we had a feeling to come and stop by and she was crying and said she'd been praying allllll day and really torn up and thinking about what we talked about. She had been praying and asking and didn't get an answer. She said she felt in her soul an dher heart that she wanted to be baptized, but she didn't want to be Mormon. haha. We explained that by being baptized she would be automatically a member and didn't have to like fill out papers or applications or anything to be Mormon.  We talked about what happens after baptism, like going to church, continuing the sacrament, prayer, reading, etc. and said she's not Obligated to do this, but when she is baptized and understands all this, she will naturally WANT to do this because of the importance to her. She was very relieved cause she didn't want to be forced to do anything--she's very big on being self reliant and independent. She said she'd been having this debate and turmoil all day in her head--coming up with reasons not to go to church, etc, by herself and then we showed up and she just cried saying "How wonderful, how marvelous, the power of God, the power of Prayer!" She recognized that Heavenly Father had answered her sincere prayers of whether or not to be baptized, through us! She was so relieved and amazed that her answer came so fast! By the time we left, she was so excited and happy and kept saying okay! I'll go to church tomorrow!  Can I be baptized as soon as possible!  It was amazing.... We left, walking on clouds! I truly felt sooooo full! it was amazing! I suddenly realized what Travis talks about every week about being the answer to someone's prayer and sometimes Heavenly Father's tender mercies allow me to see how I've answered their prayers. It was the most amazing tender mercy and I just can't imagine feeling any happier!!

She's been in and out of the hospital so she hasn't been able to go to church yet, but she is so sincere and so determined its amazing. she keeps asking us why she gets her prayers answered now when no one else does and we keep reminding her that when she prays to her Father in Heaven, because she prays so fervently and sincerely, her prayers were and are answered. It's so amazing to see how such a sincere prayer can truly make the difference. We're working on getting her baptism set up for the end of this month.  Oh wow, what a blessing.

On another note--about Howard and Diane, the Priest and his wife who wanted to "cast the demons out of us, Mormons" haha. They dropped us. We had suuuuch an awesome first lesson with them and he decided to start reading the BoM, but then when we saw them again, it was on exhcanges and with a member. I think having those two new people threw them off a bit, and the member was very knowledgable on the  Bible, which we thought would hlep, but I guess it really was a bad idea. it turned more into a bible bash ): I kept having to jump in and calm it down. It was bad..... but we ended well and He said he would give us a call when he finished the book of mormon and was done with school cause he's too busy and stuff. So we bore testimony and assigned a chapter to read and said we'd love to come by and check on them every so often to just say hi and he agreed. So at least we left on good terms. but mannnnnn he just kept slamming on things that made no sense haha. I honestly felt so sad afterward just htinking about how quick he was to dismiss the evidence of the Book of Mormon in the bible and I just hope and PRAY one day he'll allow the missioanries to really teach him and he'll see just how amazing and COMPLETE this gospel really is.

OH! I forgot! Dad, Diane Pherigo and Jim Pherigo are investigators of ours and is literally like our Kingman family here! They are AMAZING!!! They took us to Golden Corral and took a pic of us and tried to send it to you on Facebook haha. Idk if you got it but check for her. She's so cool and they are so amazing. they were 7th Day adventists and have realized how similar our beliefs are. We showed them the Restoration video and (Joseph Smith is a huge block for her) they loved it. They want to see the Full movie and want to know more about it. succcch an amazing step for them! I'm sooo excited about them! :)))

So anyway, How did Emily's talk go??? That's so cool that Kelsey came! How is senior year going?? :) Tell emily to check her email haha. Thanks for the emails and addresses!!!

How is the Ward mission plan going?? Sounds like some CRAZYY stuff! I'm a little disappointed cause our bishop is suuuuper nice and amazing but he is so worried about the members that he doesn't want to burden them at all. and it's understandable but if we are to progress as a ward and as missionaries, we need to be pushed!  It's hard. But I know he definitely is meant to be the bishop so we will just work with him until we can find a happy medium :) haha. we'll see.

Anyway, How is everyone else doing?!?! I miss Rusty!! so many dogs here): none as cool as Rusty! :) Well yeah. I can't remember what else I wanted to say. Well I'll hope to write later. letters. Love you alll!!!

Ps. I found some people who went to Brazil! woooh! hope to have dinner with them or something to practice Portuguese!! i'm LOSING IT AHHH!!! :(

Amo Voces!!!!
-Sister Yoshimoto