Hello everyone! I hope y'all didn't forget about me since I wasn't
able to send a mass email last week. I ran out of time, but it sounds
like my cute mother was able to pull the least embarrassing parts I
sent from her email, and make a mini mass one!
This week has been SO BUSY! So many wonderful things have happened, I
am so blessed. On Tuesday, we had companion exchanges and I was able
to spend Tuesday-Wednesday late morning with one of my Sister Training
Leaders. (When I send pics, she's the one with the blue
cardigan/black & white chevron skirt.) Her name is Sister Hardman,
and she is adorable; I love her. I was able to learn so much from
being companions with her. During the exchange, it was my job to lead
out the day and lessons for the first time. I was so nervous you
guys, this was so new to me. We had a lesson with one of our
progressing investigators named, Carlos. The lesson went absolutely
amazing. I tried to follow the Spirit to lead out the lesson and say
what Carlos needed to hear, and it was such a Spiritual time. I asked
Carlos to be baptized, and he said yes! We had an amazing lesson
about the importance of putting our Heavenly Father and this gospel as
our number one priority in life. Sister Hardman and I- and more
importantly Carlos- felt the Spirit so strongly. I was so thankful
for the opportunity to learn and grow as a missionary. We are excited
to continue to work with Carlos, and help him to continue to progress
towards baptism! Heavenly Father has prepared him so much.
On Wednesday we had our weekly District Meeting, and I had to lead out
the TSAM purpose statement which I can finally say I have memorized.😎
So that was a neat experience for me! I've learned a lot about the
importance of working with members! Members help the work more than
words can even describe! The area that I'm currently serving in right
now (Palo Alto-YSA) is amazing with helping the missionaries. We have
members coming out with us AT LEAST 4 nights a week, and they are
working with their less-active/non-member friends to feel the Light of
Christ in their lives. The members are so great, I just love everyone
here at Palo Alto! I am truly learning what it means when people say
"Love the People". I have so much love for everyone here. Each
member, investigator, less-active, recent convert, etc. I have so
much love for in my heart. I want to share the gospel because I love
them- and want them to have this indescribable joy that The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints brings to me. There is no greater
Light, than the Light of our Savior, Jesus Christ. I testify of this
to be true; I have seen the Lord's hand in the work and in my life
more times than I can count. This mission has changed me, and I will
forever be grateful to my Father in Heaven.
On Thursday during the day, my companion and I had our weekly planning
which is just amazing. That evening, we were able to go out and visit
a few less actives, and have a lesson with Carlos. While we were
walking from one apartment to another, we saw a lady out walking with
her dog. We stopped to talk to her, and tell her who we were. We
introduced ourselves, and started to share a little message. When she
flipped the little card we gave her over, and saw the word "Mormon",
she goes: "Wait! Y'all are Mormon. Is it weird?" We just kind of
stood there for a second in shock, like did she really just say that?
😂 We explained to her that it is in fact not weird, and that we love
it. She wasn't really interested, so we said farewells and went our
separate ways. We've heard people tell us that we're weird, but we've
never had someone ask us if we thought we're weird until that point!
It was a funny little experience.
Friday. Oh my goodness Friday was an interesting day. So we had a
member signed up on our dinner calendar for Friday night. And on
Monday night, we saw a less-active at FHE (Family Home Evening) and asked if we could stop
by at 7 on Friday night! This less-active, texted us on Tuesday night
and said, "Do y'all have a dinner for Friday night? I could make some
tasty enchiladas for you if not!" We being missionaries-not wanting
to offend anyone-decided to tell him that we'd love to have enchiladas
for dinner! My companion assured me that the member who signed up for
on the dinner calendar to feed us, didn't usually give us a lot of
food, so it would be fine to just have two dinners that night; we
really didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings. Well. We show up to our
first dinner appointment, and the member pulls a 9x11 pan of lasagna
out of the oven. Cuts the lasagna into 4 corners. AND GIVES US EACH
A CORNER! Then sprinkles extra meat that she made over the top of it.
THEN pulls out Olive Garden breadsticks. Me and my companion look at
each other (knowing that we had a second dinner to go to in about an 2
hours) with wide eyes. The PILES of lasagna were placed in front of
us, and we just had to eat😂 We couldn't offend, so we had to eat the
whole thing! My companion does thing thing where she'll hiccup when
she's full; literally every time she's full! After like 6 bites of
this lasagna she started hiccuping, and I knew we were in trouble.😂
WE HAD SO MUCH LASAGNA! After we finished and left, I had never been
so full in my life! We had to go to the next appointment though, we
had already committed and confirmed! We knocked on dinner #2's door,
and smelled the Enchiladas right away. We walk in, and he says, "I
hope you're hungry!" At this point, my companion and I were trying
not to laugh because this funny situation was completely our own
fault. We sit down at the table, which was beautifully set with our
1ST COURSE- a Caesar salad. He then brings the enchiladas to the
table and says, "There's another pan in the oven, so eat up!" Ok.
You guys. I thought I was going to die. I only had one enchilada,
and told him I was so full! But they were so good. He was a really
funny, cool guy- so I think it was fine! He then brings out DESSERT!
After we left, my companion and I pretty much just rolled out to the
car. We had a member with us at the second dinner, and she was like,
"Why didn't you guys want more enchiladas?!" Once we told her the
story she was dying. My companion and I literally felt like slugs. I
cannot describe to you how full I was! It was crazy, but we think
it's a hilarious story now!
Saturday was busy, we had lessons all throughout the day! And
yesterday was my 3rd Sunday being in the mission field. I gave my 2nd
talk. That's how you know you're a missionary! It's ok though, I
loved it!
Unfortunately I have to wrap things up, I'm running out of time! I
love writing letters, so if y'all could please send your home
addresses, I'd love to send some out! I also love receiving mail
because I'm a missionary, and that's typical;). But thank you all for
all the prayers and support, I love each and every one of you. I pray
for you daily. I am so thankful for this blessed opportunity I have
to serve this mission in the TSAM. I know this church is true. I
know The Book of Mormon is true. If you feel like something is
missing in your life, just open the book. I promise we can receive
revelation and answers from our Father in Heaven through reading the
book. Thank you all again, and I hope you have the best week! I
can't believe I'll be home in exactly 16 months from today, the time
is FLYING! **Also tomorrow is my Dad's birthday, so don't forget to
wish him a Happy Birthday! He's the best, and deserves the best day
ever!;)
Con amor,
Hermana Freeman
(P.S. The B&W pic is from Friday afternoon. We did service in a muddy
field picking onions in the Texas sun, it was great😉 And the one of
me with the 1 cake, is our Branch Mission Leader brought us a two
weeks ago- because I had been in Texas for a 1 week, and my companion
had been on the mission for exactly 1 year! It was so thoughtful.)
