Week Two in Da Hood 10/19/2015

The branch in Lompoc is awesome. The branch president is so excited about missionary work, and so is the ward council! All of the investigators it looks like have just been chased down by missionaries and don't actually want them to come. Most of the people in the potential investigators section are from the same group of apartments that multiple churches go to and go tracting, and so I haven't seen any success in going there so far. I feel bad because I came in and so many things missionaries have been doing weren't okay like service at a children's club, dancing at a retirement home to crazy music (okay not really that crazy, but music we aren't allowed to listen to - let alone dance in front of a crowd of people to it!), spending way too much time at members homes without even sharing a message, and just a bunch of empty teaching efforts. I try not to come into new areas and judge everything, because I think a lot of missionaries do that before they really understand. But I gave it long enough to know that my first impression was right! So as far as investigators go, we feel like we have to basically start over. Hopefully we will find lots of people! Pray for us to be guided to where we are suppose to go. 

Okay I'll stop complaining now. :) Lompoc really is awesome!! I love the branch so much, and the members are so great. The branch president especially... he da best! And I love my companion so much as well. She radiates with the spirit, and she follows the promptings that she receives. She asked me the other day to let her know what she can do better and said, "I am here to improve." I love her! 

ALSO!!! Guess who got to go on exchanges again with the one and only Hermana Jeronimo?! MEEE!!!!! It was so fun. :) We stayed here in Lompoc...she got the same impression of our whole investigator pool situation as I did... and we had so much fun. Except we totally forgot to take any pictures... But we had a great Experience  teaching one of the counselors in the bishopric the Restoration. When we recited the first vision he teared up and said he felt the same way the first time he found out that it was true. I learned a lot from Hermana Jeronimo! She is such a hard working missionary. Something she does that I want to do as well is testify every single time I open my mouth. I am pretty sure every time she responded to something that the investigators said she started with, "I know..." or "We know..." or "I have seen in my life..." I have especially been learning lately the importance of testifying, because all of the logical things that we try to use as missionaries doesn't work! That isn't what brings the spirit, and other churches use those same arguments anyways. So why would those prove our message is true? They don't.

The only thing that works is testifying. Hna J is really good at beginning each doctrine she teaches with a testimony. 

Random fact:President Felix has asked that we elevate our mission through the music we listen to. He explained that "if it makes you bob your head, it probably doesn't bring the spirit." and that "EFY music is for youth, and we are not youth." So I will now say goodbye to my efy cd's and nashville tribute CD's for the next 8 months...I decided a good way for me to decide if it's good to listen to is if I can still talk to my companion. If I have to stop the conversation to sing along then it is distracting.

Also random fact I forgot to tell you last week - A rocket landed near our apartment at like 3 in the morning and it felt like we were in an earthquake! I looked out the window and saw this flaming red triangle flying through the sky, and then I fell back asleep. It was super cool. :)

Also! I learned how to make Tamales yesterday! We stopped by a members and she was making them and her kids weren't helping (Sorry mom... reminds me of when I would make you make mashed potatoes and then go take a nap...) So we helped her! And now I am a professional tamal maker. :)

I have gained a testimony of the atonement this week and of the sacrament! I am so grateful to be able to take the sacrament and have a fresh new start. I definitely struggle with so many things that I thought be 10 months I'd be over by now, but I am still so weak. I am so grateful for a savior who literally saves me from all of the faults that I have, and who allows me to because stronger. 

Have a great week everyone! Read the Book of Mormon - it is true!