Hermana Inman Letter July 30, 2013

Big week!

We had some awesome experiences this week! The Lord's timing is incredible! This story is pretty serious, but this is one of the most incredible experiences of my mission. I wont give out all the details. I can tell you more about it when I get home or I'll send a copy of my journal entry or something.

The other day we were knocking on some more doors at a trailer park because our other plans fell through. It was earlier in the day, and usually there aren't very man people home that early so we try to avoid knocking on doors at this time.  However, for some reason, the night before when we were planning we felt that knocking this trailer park should be our backup plan.  We knocked on the 3rd door and a lady answered. She just stared at us for a few seconds and gave us a weird look. We told her who we were and she said "I don't have the same belief system as you."  We said, "okay, well is there anything we can do for you today?" She started to cry and said, "shoot me?"  We of course told her that we would never do that and she then continued to tell us that that morning she was just laying in bed, thinking of ways that she could take her own life, that very day. We told her, "Heavenly Father loves you" and she began to cry again and said "I wish I could believe that." She told us about how she tried and tried so hard for years to believe, but she just can't make herself believe in something that she does not already believe. She talked about how science just seems to disprove more and more that there isn't a God, and with so many bad things happening in the world, there can't be a God.  She had so many questions, especially about the plan of salvation, and we had the opportunity to share with her what we know, and she liked it, although she said she did not believe it.  She then continued to tell us about how the park was going to kick her out because she's not keeping up her yard, but she can't because she has back problems from a car accident.  She has lived in this trailer for 20 years and has not had one visitor, no friends or family.  We told her that we'd come over and clean up her yard for her and she smiled in surprise and said "really?" She was so excited, she invited us in and said "I'll tell you what, I'll trade you art work for yard work."  We walked inside and her home is painted in all different colors, each wall with several large canvases. It turns out that she used to be a pretty well known artist (I won't name her, for her own privacy), and she used to be personally invited to art shows by vendors. She had a good name for herself but stopped painting a few years back. They are SO GOOD! She said that she'd trade us any piece of her artwork that we want if we came over and helped her clean up her yard. She is also going to teach us how to paint! How's that for a service project? We would do it no matter what, of course, but I don't mind this at all :). We continued to talk to her and she was so giggly and smiley. She said, "I haven't laughed and smiled in 20 years. You know, I'm not not usually this nice to people that come and knock on my door, but for some reason I was to you today.  I think that maybe you're here to teach me."  She promised to pray to God that night to ask if He was really there; she prays to him every night for other people, just in case she's wrong, which she hopes she is. She had never prayed to know anything, and so she was excited to ask Him if He was there. I'm excited to hear what happened :)  So basically, long story long, the Lord knew we needed to find this lady at that exact time this week to save her physically and spiritually.  After we left her home I felt like a huge burden had been lifted off my shoulders that I didn't even know was there before. It is such a good feeling to see so many miracles and be able to look back and realize divine intervention had taken place. 

 

Adolfo took us out for sushi the other day! That was fun! He's seriously one of the coolest people I have ever met. He's all ready for his baptism this Friday!!! :)) I am SO STOKED!! I'll be sure to send pictures. Keep him in your prayers this week. He's strong, but he still needs lots of prayers, especially the week of his baptism. Yesterday we picked up 4 new investigators! It's a family who lives in the same apartment complex as Adolfo and they're all coming to the baptism! We also picked up another investigator named Sayomy; her family is all Jehova's Witnesses, but she's not because she doesn't want to be.. we set a baptismal date with her for August 31st! But we'll see how that goes because even though she's awesome, we still need to be sure her parents are okay with it because we don't want to cause issues..

 

P-days have been changed to Mondays now, starting next week. 

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!! I hope you have an awesome day today and realize how much you are loved! I'm grateful you were born! :)  I'm also glad that you got your present on time.

 

I'm happy to hear that everyone is doing well. Jake sounds like he had fun at the Dirty Dash! Lucky duck! That sounds like a blast. I'm also jealous of Torie who gets to be at girls camp this week! She'll have so much fun. I hope you're feeling better mom and that you can finish up everything with seminary. It sounds like you've got it all under control. I love you all and hope you have a great week! 

 

I hope this email wasn't too much details and that it's found to be uplifting!

Remember to trust in the Lord's timing, even if you think it doesn't have reason. It does.

 

Love,

Hermana Inman

Hermana Inman Letter July 23, 2013

Buenas tardes a todos!

This week was ironically good. We did absolutely nothing but tracting (knocking on doors and talking to people in parks/streets) all day every day this week. Not usually the best of times, but somehow it was enjoyable and not so bad. And, of course, we had a couple lessons with Adolfo, who will be getting baptized next week on the 2nd of August :). We moved it a day early. He keeps having awesome dreams about the Gospel! These ones make more sense to me haha they're too long though and I don't feel like typing them. As he was telling us about his dreams on Sunday at church, he began to tell us about how much this Gospel means to him and how he feels so good. He began to cry, almost sobbing.  He says that he didn't realize before that he has been searching for something for many years now, and didn't know until now what it was. He was waiting for the gospel and now that he has it, he feels so good and has already seen the fruits of it and is so grateful for this opportunity to change and do something good in his life. :) wow. His family is not in favor of his decision, but I think with time they'll see that it's a good thing and that they'll want it, too. It's impossible to deny the changes Adolfo has made. Anybody can see it. 

 

The investigators that we have been picking up lately are spouses of very inactive members. This is a great opportunity because we get to teach the less actives and our investigators at the same time. They get to learn all over again and feel the strong spirit that comes when we talk about the main principles of the gospel. 

 

Other than that, we haven't been teaching a lot of investigators. A lot of less actives, though, which is just as important, if not more important. It becomes much more serious when somebody has already made the baptismal covenant as is not keeping it than it is for an investigator that is not progressing. If that makes sense.

 

It's been pretty hot over here. Escondido is where we do most of our tracting because that's where all the Hispanics are.. but, I have nothing to complain about because I know you're all melting down there in Arizona! I hope you're swimming and eating popsicles and keeping cool! We got rain on Sunday, and that was really nice :). 

 

I'm glad Jesse had so much fun at scout camp! Congratulations to him for getting those merit badges! He is a scouting master!

 

I'm glad that Torie is enjoying band camp and that the band director is being civil... I'll need to knock on wood so it stays that way! I'm happy to hear that you are feeling a little better mom, keep resting! I've been praying for you to get better! Thanks for your missionary entries dad! And thanks for everything you do. I hope you have a happy birthday! I get to email you that day since it falls on a p-day! That's so exciting that Dom goes to Italy tomorrow and that Gabe enters the MTC! wow! That's exciting :) I like having so many missionaries in our family! what's Dominic's email address? and what's Gabe's? That's also fun that Mark and Pam will be moving down to Sun City! You'll love that mom :) they're good company. 

 

Sorry I don't have much to share this week! I don't have any stories to tell other than Adolfo. Hopefully we'll start teaching some more people sometime soon so that I have more to tell you! (and because it'd be great to teach more, too). 

 

I love you all and hope you have a great week! 

Love,

 

Hermana Inman

 

Celebrating my halfway mark with ice cream!

Hermana Moffitt, Adolfo and Hermana Inman

Here they are again!

 

Hermana Inman Letter July 16, 2013

her she is!

Buenos dias!

This week went by really fast. It was a good one. 

 

I went to Vista on Thursday and Friday, and that was fun! They've changed the areas out there, so I didn't get to see any old investigators, but I did get to eat dinner with one of my favorite families there and see their new baby, and we visited some other members from the ward. It was so nice :) they said, "Hermana Inman! You left us! We thought we'd never see you again! It's so good to see you! You need to stay here!" haha you know how hispanics get all dramatic. It's great! I didn't think they remembered me, let alone my name, so that was nice to know that they remember me and miss me :). I was there with Hermana Whicker, who is best friends with Linsey Shumway (I don't know her new last name..), so that was fun! Small world!

 

Adolfo is the strongest investigator I have ever seen. He comes to every single activity, reads and prays every night, lets us come over like every other night to teach, comes to all 3 hours of church each Sunday, and is best friends with practically every member in the ward. He told us on Sunday that he feels bad that he can't make it to English Class on Tuesday, but he has to do his laundry that day because he doesn't want to do it on the Sabbath Day, and he needs to go to family home evening on Monday. Haha we said we'd let it slide this time :). He asked us a few weeks ago if he could go to church every day. Only a little less than 3 weeks until his baptism!!! We keep meaning to take a picture with him to show you who he is, but we keep forgetting. He keeps telling us that he wants his whole family to join the church,so he's hoping that they'll see his example and notice the changes he's made and want the gospel as well. He talked to his son in law about it, and he wants to take the lessons, too, he just has to get the "ok" from his wife, which is the hardest part. 

 

We haven't been able to see most of our other investigators for a couple weeks :/. We've had daily contact via phone with Carmen, and hopefully we'll be able to see her Friday. It seems like everyone works two jobs or works long hours at their job here because it's so expensive to live in California. And so, it makes it hard to see our investigators when they get home real late at night, or they don't have a regular schedule so we just have to keep stopping by and hope that they're home. It's hit-and-miss. Have I told you about Julio? Julio just turned 21 and the other month asked us to come by and start teaching him the lessons. He's had a rough background with the word of wisdom, but is almost completely off of cigarettes and alcohol. We taught him the word of wisdom and the plan of salvation and committed him to only smoke one cigarette a day, and drink zero alcohol. We passed by a week or so later, and he had not smoked AT ALL the entire week, except for one day, when he only smoke one! He didn't drink at all, either! We were so proud of him! We haven't seen him in about a week, but we are stopping by tonight and pray that he'll be there.  We're working on finding new investigators (we always are, but especially lately) so that we have a teaching pool that we can actually teach on a regular basis! We have several others, but, like I said, we can hardly find them at home. 

 

Hermana Moffitt and I are doing well. We had some good laughs together this week :). 

We had a cool contact in the street yesterday with an older man who's ancestors crossed the plains with the Mormons.  He knew so much of his family history! When you get a chance, could you forward me some of our family history stories? Our family has such strong pioneer blood and I'd like to know more about our ancestors. I love reading your mission journal entries, dad. You and I are alike in a lot of ways. 

 

I'm excited to hear about Jesse's experiences at Camp Geronimo! I bet he's loving it. I bet Torie is exhausted at band camp, but that's fun, too. How's work going dad? Mom have you got everything ready for seminary? I'm sorry that you've been sick :/ and pray that you will be healed soon and have time to rest. When does school start? How neat that Jesse will be going to seminary! How's Torie and her "friend?" Going on lots of dates? Thank you so much for the card you sent me mom for my 1/2 way mark! It made my week! I seriously have the BEST mom in the ENTIRE world! :). Jake's email cracked me up today, about the Larping or whatever it's called. And his gummy bear sling shot. haha. 

 

I'm healthy and well. I still love being a missionary. I know this church is true, I can feel it in my heart and the spirit testifies to me so strongly that this is right. I can't deny it. Heavenly Father loves each of His children, and no one is forgotten. 

 

I hope you each of you have a great week! Don't forget to feed the missionaries and offer to accompany them to lessons or hold lessons in the home! You will be their heroes! Offer to give rides to investigators, too, that's always awesome.

 

Love,

Hermana Inman

 

 

this was in someone's yard. It's dinner. They go to the pet store, buy guinea pigs, and then kill them and eat them for dinner. It smells so nasty. 

Hermana Whicker! aka bff of Linsey Shumway (and my friend too :))

hermana moffitt and I in our red white and blue on the 4th of july. She likes to take them really high up because she says they're more flattering that way. 

 

Hermana Inman Letter July 9, 2013

halfway done! what?!

Well here it is! My halfway mark! I can and cannot believe it. It really has gone by so fast!

This week was pretty good. We found some new investigators, and 2 less active members who's records were not in our ward for some reason. God's timing is perfect and by listening to the spirit we were able to find them at just the right moment. They both said, "usually we're not home at this time, it's lucky that you found us!" But we know it's not luck, it's part of God's plan. He watches out for each and every one of His children.

 

So we met our new mission president on Wednesday! President Kendrick is SO AWESOME! Every single missionary already loves him to death. He's funny, spiritual, loving, and has some great ideas for this mission. He also makes you feel so much better about yourself than you feel like you're worth. :) He's so great.

 

Here's a fun random fact that President Kendrick told us: the California Carlsbad Mission is the healthiest mission in the United States (and he thinks in the world, too, but he has to double check)! We have the fewest Dr. Calls and injuries, etc. Kind of cool, huh? No matter how much I hate running, I have to admit that it does have it's benefits.  I did get my inhaler, thank you!  

 

We hiked Palomar Mountain today as a district, and that was fun! It's not very big but it's really steep with loose dirt, so we ended up sliding/falling down half the mountain on the way back haha but it's okay, nobody got hurt. We got nice and dirty though :) 

 

I get to go on exchanges this Thursday and Friday, and guess where I get to go? VISTA BABY!!! :D I get to spend 24 hours in Vista and I am STOKED! I'm hoping I get to see Dominick and Alfredo and a few other investigators and members. I am beyond excited. I'll let you  know how it goes. 

 

Adolfo is still doing awesome.  He came to the big Family Home Evening that a few families in our ward hold each week. He already has so many friends and is more active than half our ward. We had a really strong testimony meeting after Hermana Moffitt and I shared the message. We taught a message about testimonies: what it is and how to strengthen it, etc. Elder Schweitzer of the 70 came to our mission awhile ago and shared with us the "7 Basics" of a testimony- what each person should know. 

 

1. God is our loving Heavenly Father

2. Jesus Christ is His Son, and our Redeemer

3. God speaks to man through prophet

4. There is a prophet today

5. The Book of Mormon is evidence of prophets

6. The Priesthood is restored

7. Covenants and commandments enable eternal families.

 

If you have a testimony of these 7 things then you have a solid testimony and will be a solid follower of Jesus Christ and His teachings. If you feel like your testimony is lacking, it may be because you need to strengthen one of these points in your life. Food for thought.

 

Something cool that I have really come to appreciate as a missionary is how people confide in us. People tell us their life stories, their struggles, desires, fears, hopes, everything.  Even without really knowing us. To me it shows hope in the Atonement of Jesus Christ- they see our name tags and recognize us as someone who works for Christ, and hope that somehow we can help them, or that they can trust us. It's really neat. 

 

Congratulations to Taylor for being ordained to an Elder! He's such a stud. Tell him hi for me! And congratulations to Gabe! Another missionary in the family! Woo hoo!!! :) He'll be awesome! Let me know how his farewell goes, I'm sure it will be awesome.

 

Thank you dad for sharing your journal entries with me, I look forward to them every week.  They help me realize that this work is exactly that- work. And I need to appreciate every moment.  Thank you also for taking the time to answer my question from last week, that helps a lot. Hopefully we'll be able to see Carmen soon and share some of it with her. 

 

Well I love you all and miss you! I'm glad you had a nice 4th of July and that everyone enjoyed Torie's concert! I have no doubt that she was the best one there.

 

Don't forget to share the gospel with everyone!

 

Love,

Hermana Inman

Hermana Inman Letter July 2, 2013

Happy 4th of July!

Thanks for your emails!

I'm glad that the family reunion went well and that everybody was safe and enjoyed themselves! Torie sounds like she's doing great at band camp. She's a superstar and I'm so proud of her! Jake sounds like he's doing awesome as well... his emails always surprise me, because so much of what he does (even with permission from president) is not in accordance with the missionary handbook.. haha they are breaking so many rules with president's permission! It's crazy! Staying out until 11 for firework shows, going to member endowment sessions, driving out of your area, etc. Our mission is pretttyyyy strict on the rules over here.

 

They divided the mission last Tuesday (that's why my email was early, because we didn't have P-day on Tuesday due to the conference which lasted all day; my P-days are still on Tuesdays).  Only a few of my friends got sent to the Irvine Mission.  Most of them stayed here in Carlsbad with me.  

 

We have a new mission president now, President Kendrick.  The Cooks are back home in Utah now. 

We set a baptismal date with Adolfo!!!!!  He'll be baptized on August 3rd! He had a couple dreams :) the first one: he was in the army, in training, and all of the sudden somebody shouted out for all the men to fire, and they were all firing at him, and he couldn't go anywhere because he was surrounded. But then, he realized that all the bullets were just fake, and that they weren't really hurting him.  He related this to baptism because he's scared of baptism and there's no escape.  But, he realized that he just needs to face it and it wont hurt him. He just needs to get over his fear... I'm not sure how he pulled that one out, but hey! it works for me! The second dream: he was driving on the freeway but was blind. That was his whole dream. Apparently that dream meant that he just needs to move forward with baptism and trust in the Lord to guide him. Like I said, works for me! 

 

Yesterday we were knocking doors and as we approached this mans door, he starts yelling "take a hike! not interested! need water? find it somewhere else!" and so we walked off and he was still yelling.  We could still hear him yelling a few doors down. So then, on the last door of the street, after we knocked, we turned around and that same man was waiting for us at the bottom of this driveway. He apologized to us for being so rude and then gave us each a drumstick ice cream cone. That was cool. 

 

I had a cool experience at the post office the other day. There was a hispanic lady next to me in line and we started talking a little bit (in Spanish!).  Then it was her turn, and the worker at the counter was getting really frustrated because he couldn't speak Spanish, and she was frustrated because she couldn't speak English. The worker asked "does anybody here speak Spanish?" And I was able to say "I do!" and I got to translate their transaction :) it was pretty neat! They were both grateful and I was grateful for the opportunity.

 

I got your letter mom, thank you :) I'll write back as soon as I can! You are so inspired! You know what's funny is that same morning that I got your letter I was reading over the same thing. 

I have a question that maybe you can answer mom or dad? Where is the doctrine that says that a mother can raise her baby in heaven if it dies in infancy? And, how is that possible when spirits are all in adult form? I was reading about it in Gospel Essentials this morning, but the more I study anything the more I realize I don't understand and then I have a million questions. Carmen was asking about it the other week and we didn't know what to tell her. 

 

What are you guys doing for the 4th of July? Have fun and be safe!! We won't be doing anything to celebrate, really.  We'll be working the same as any other day :) but that means a lot of people will be at the park, which is the perfect contacting opportunity. 

 

Have a great week and stay cool! Don't forget the sunscreen! Light a sparkler for me or something haha.

 

I love you and miss you all!  Thanks for all of your support and love!

 

Love,

Hermana Inman

 

P.S. next week is my halfway mark of my mission... can you believe that?