It all started out on Monday - the last night I was
in Camarillo! Hna Hemingway and I were going to visit someone, and we
decided to try and go talk to some random person we saw. Well, that
random person went back inside, but we ended up seeing someone else that
was unloading bags of cement from their truck! His name was Hector. So
we went to go ask if we could help, and he told us we could come help
paint his house the next day. When we said, "Okay!" He was really
surprised. We set up a time to come and then he said, "Do you want to
come in for dinner?!" We excitedly accepted because we hadn't eaten
anything, and we would get to meet the family! (P.S. I love latinos.
Seriously, who else would randomly invite some strangers in for dinner?)
So we got to teach him, and we soon realized that he was a super
hilarious person. The whole family was all staring at us and he said,
"These are the Hermanas and they want to eat! Seriously - make room for
them!" He asked what church we were from and we said, "The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints." He said, "Oh good! We are from the
First Days." haha except it was in spanish so it was funnier. Anyways,
we ate tostadas with them, and got to know their family. They are
catholic. Like everyone. But Hector is open to learning! As we left we
talked about how perfect the Palma family would be for them who lived on
the next street over. Then we got into our car, and there was a message
from our dinner coordinator telling us that we had dinner with la
familia Palma the next day! No way! So we called to ask if we could
invite Hector to dinner too, and she said, "Of course! We can come help
paint as well if you want!" MIRACLE. I don't know what happened after
that though cause I left... I'll have to ask Hna Hemingway!
Now
for Santa Barbara! We have a really amazing investigator named Efrain.
He has two kids and they all love the church! They have been coming for a
few weeks and are just the most humble people in the world. We taught
them the Restoration last night, and they understood it really well.
They are member referrals. He has a wheelchair, I'm not sure why, and
his kids are 13 and 14. The last Hnas here said they read the BOM during
lunch at school. :) You can definitely tell when an investigator truly
desires to follow Jesus Christ! They are true seekers. We are hoping to
set them all with a baptismal date next week.
We
are also teaching another person named Edgar who is a member referral.
(He is the boyfriend of the branch president's daughter.) He is another
person that really understands the docterine we teach him! We would have
set a baptismal date with him last week, but didn't get to teach him a
second time because he is grounded. This week. Other than that, we are
just trying to get some more solid investigators! Hna Green and I are
expecting miracles to happen this transfer.
We had another miracle on Wednesday
with service! We went to go visit a potential investigator, and we were
just about to get into our car and drive to see someone else when we
noticed a lady come out of her upstairs apartment and limp down the
stairs with a crutch to go talk to the mail man. After the mailman left,
we got out and went to ask her if we could come in and wash her dishes
or do anything because we figured it was hard the way her ankle was. She
started crying, and said that we could come do her dishes. She
immediately took it back and said, "No it'll be fine - I just bought a
stool so that I could do the dishes, so I can do it." But we were
persistent and kept telling her we wanted to come help! She finally let
us come in, and she was just crying the whole time. She eventually told
us that she had just barely received a really rude text from a friend,
and she was going through a really hard time. She was SO grateful that
we would come and do that for her. We were able to testify to her of the
love that Heavenly Father has for her and knowing that she needed that
at that specific time.
So on another note -
my zone leader got me sick. He shook my hand at transfers without
knowing he was sick..I found out a few days later when we both were
sick! Rude. However, I ended up receiving a preisthood blessing because
of it, and it was such a miraculous experience. On Thursday we had stayed in, and on friday
I still felt really weak and unable to stand for long periods of time.
After district meeting, the elders gave me a blessing. I had been
praying that I would have the faith to be healed so that I could go out
and work that day! Literally, as soon as they placed their hands on my
head, I felt different. It didn't go away completely, but I felt
strengthened. I was able to stand and walk around for the rest of the
day just fine! I am still sick and congested, but it was such a miracle
of the priesthood. I am so grateful for that. It is such an incredible
blessing to know that the power of God really is restored to the earth
today, and we have the ability to access it. God loves us so much.
I love you all so much! I hope you have a wonderul week! Expect miracles, and they will come! :)
<3 Hermana Trystan Ricks
Here
is the only picture we took this week: we did service at a charity
place and they have this on the wall. It basically explains the life of a
missionary at all times.
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