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Monday, August 26, 2013

Hermana Inman Letter August 26, 2013

Greetings from Paradise.

I'm still in love with this area and my companion is still so awesome. We saw so many miracles in this past week together. We picked up 5 new investigators- 3 in one day! We set a baptismal date with one of them for September 21st, his name is Daniel and he is golden.  He read the Book of Mormon twice in one month, once in English and once in Spanish. He told us his testimony of the Book of Mormon and how he knows that it is true, and that if people would just read it and look around in the world they would see that it is true, too. How cool is that? We hope to start teaching his fiance soon as well, and we are also teaching his dad Juan. Lucy is our other new investigator that we taught on that same night. She told us "you know, I usually say no to people who want to come teach me, but for some reason, I don't know why, I couldn't say no to you sisters." Then in the lesson as we were talking about the Atonement of Jesus Christ and how we can be cleansed from sin, she opened up to us and told us that that is exactly what she wants in her life right now and she told us what she was going through and why she needs the atonement in her life. It was beautiful. We'll be seeing her later today. Our investigator Jacobo has been praying and reading the Book of Mormon each day, and after an awesome lesson on Thursday about the sabbath day, he promised to ask his boss to have Sundays off from work (he's been too scared to do it for months now, but he finally said he wanted to show his faith and ask, and that he'd pray for it as well). Our other new investigator is Maria, and she has a 2 month old baby, and she was telling us about how she was raised catholic, and she was thinking about baptizing her baby, but that as she and her husband talked about it, they knew that their baby was innocent, and that it was wrong to baptize a baby, so that was cool. 

This area has so much potential and people are so ready to receive the gospel! It's wonderful! The weather is still perfect, just a little warm, but I'm not complaining at all. The ocean is still beautiful. The members here are awesome and have a desire to serve and share the gospel as well. 

I think that is awesome that our ward fasted for strong members and got so many!  Fasting is so powerful! I'm excited to see what happens when you fast for missionary work :). Way to be! That's neat that the Hackney's are a part of the Carlsbad Mission! Where do they live? Congratulations to Alex Hackney for receiving his mission call! 

Embarrassing moment of the week: so the other day we were talking to a guy in his front yard and trying to share the gospel with him (he's probably like 20 years old or so). As we were talking to him he starts getting this smirk on his face, and it keeps getting bigger and bigger. I'm thinking "what in the world is he smirking at? I haven't even said anything weird."  Then I feel a breeze on my thighs... and I look down... and I realize that the wind had been lifting my skirt ever so slightly, and then a gush of wind came. And up went my skirt. HE. SAW. EVERYTHING. I died. I was so embarrassed, and all I could say was "...ummm... hi." hahaha oh man. We just walked away. There was nothing I could say.  Good 'ol ocean breeze...

Jesse's birthday party sounds like it will be fun. Jake sounds like he had an awesome week going to the RODEO?! He's so funny, his emails always make me laugh.  Mom Sister Pendergast sent me a letter telling me about what a wonderful visiting teacher you are to her and that she is so grateful for you for taking care of her :) you are truly an amazing woman. Dad I sent my guesstimated measurements of the paintings in last weeks email. I don't have the exact measurement.  I don't think they would fit in a suit case- they don't fit in my big suitcases, and they're really big. They are probably about 24in.x36in.x3in.... big canvases.
I would absolutely LOVE to go to trek!! Please sign me up! I will gladly go as a big sister! Our whole family could go! (minus Jake.. bummer). That would be so fun! YAY!! I don't even have to think about it, I already know I want to go. 

My address is still the same and will stay the same for the remainder of my mission- everyone's mail goes to the same place no matter where you're serving. 

Thank you so much for all of your love and support! I love and miss you all! Have a great week!

Love,
Hermana Inman

Monday, August 19, 2013

Hermana Inman Letter August 19, 2013

I'm a Carlsbad Missionary!

Sure enough, they moved me over to Oceanside, which covers pretty much ALL of Carlsbad and some of Oceanside. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT HERE!!! Our border is the beach! So we get to drive by the ocean all the time because the road we take to get to the other side of Carlsbad runs alongside the beach. And Legoland is in my area. How awesome is that?! My new companion is Hermana Magana and I love her to death. She is my long lost soul mate haha and is one of the coolest people I have ever met. Sometimes she reminds me a lot of Brittany, just with her mannerisms and how we get along, and she kind of looks like her. Something about hermana Magana: she's 19 and is a convert of a year and a half.  She is the only member in her family and has no support from them at all, whatsoever. She has the strongest testimony and is a powerful missionary. We hit it off right away and I wish she could be my companion for the rest of my mission! She's a native Spanish- Speaker (yet is from Clearfield, Utah) so I'm grateful for that because she can help me with my Spanish.  I want Jake to write her... 

This area is amazing and we have already seen so many miracles this past week. We picked up a couple new investigators who are so prepared to receive the Gospel. Guess what else?! Hermana McBride (my MTC companion) is in my district over here!! There are 6 missionaries in our ward and she is one of them!! How cool and exciting is that?! She jumped and screamed when she saw me and gave me the biggest hug ever haha. I recorded it. She was telling everyone before transfers "fast for Inman! Bring Inman back from transfers! Pray for Inman!" she's funny. 

Random fun facts: we have an investigator named Jacobo (Jacob, in spanish) and my Ward Mission Leader's name is Eric. 

As for my things and the paintings.. I dropped them off at Hermana Tippitt's house before I left Escondido. I checked out prices, but for each painting it would cost around $15 to send home- and I have 4. I also have a small cardboard box of my things there. It's probably 7x13x7? I actually have no idea, but that sounds like it could be approximately that size.  She maybe could take it over to the mission office.. Or we could ask the Zone Leaders down there to do it. I didn't realize you would be flying dad, I thought you'd just be driving. Sorry!
I don't have much time left to email today, sorry. But, I am doing wonderful and love my new area and my new companion. Thanks for everything :) I love you and miss you all!

Love,
Hermana Inman

"Ocean!" Hermana Inman in Carlsbad, CA

Monday, August 12, 2013

Hermana Inman Letter August 12, 2013

Transfer Week!

They're kicking me out tomorrow! Hermana Moffitt will be staying here and they're moving me somewhere else, I don't know where. Everyone is saying Oceanside, but we'll see! I'm excited about it and happy about the change. I'll miss Adolfo and the other friends we've made here, including many of the awesome members, but since we only live like 6 hours away I'll have plenty of opportunities to visit them after the mission. You really do get attached to the people you teach and the members you work with, and they get even more attached than we do. As I've been saying good byes there's been a few people who cried, and it makes me feel bad! They say things like "don't ever forget about us, please wright to me, promise to visit after your mission." How could a missionary ever forget the people they meet on their mission? These people are our pride and joy!!

We taught Adolfo about the Priesthood again and he started crying because he was so happy and so excited that he could hold the Priesthood :) he has his interview on Wednesday and so will most likely receive it on Sunday- I'm so excited for him!!! I'm bummed that I won't be here to see that. He told us he wants to be bishop someday haha I just laughed and told him he'd change his mind.

This past week a super strong recent convert (Alfredo) from the other hermanas moved into our area, as well as their investigator (Luis) who is getting baptized on the 31st of this month. We're super excited about that. They love the gospel so much and just want to know everything right now. Adolfo has been assisting lessons with us as a member, and he is wonderful! He has a strong desire to share his testimony with literally everyone, and in lessons he can relate so well to our investigators because not too long ago he was in their same situation. He blows my mind more and more every day.

Last Monday night when Hermana Moffitt and I got home for the day, we opened the front door and as soon as we did a super loud, high-pitched, constant ring started to sound off. We couldn't figure out where it was coming from and took out the batteries of the fire alarm but it wasn't that, and then we found that it was our carbon monoxide detector going off. We told President and he told us to go sleep over at the other hermana's apartment in Escondido for the night. That was a fun adventure. Nothing real crazy but it kind of freaked us out. It turns out that the detector had just gotten bumped or something so it was a false alarm.

We've been visiting with our trailer park friend and helping her around her house some more. She keeps telling us of all the "strange occurances" that keep happening (aka MIRACLES). She took us out for lunch on Thursday and started asking us about church services: where they are and what time they start. We said "are you thinking about coming to church?!" She said "oh, I don't know, maybe. I'm still an athiest!!! But I might just go." We told her we all know that she is not an athiest, and she just laughed. She told us "you two really have no idea how much power your kindness and your goodness have. That morning when you came by I was literally making plans to "check out" when you knocked on my door.  You two have made me so happy and have motivated me to change my life around and hpe for a better future." When we went back to her house we helped her put up some sun reflectors in her windows and afterwards she gave us both several of her canvases! That she painted!! She's such a good artist! I'm going to fed ex today to see how much money it will be to ship them home because I can't move them around with me on the mission, but if they're too expensive to ship, there is a lady in the ward here who will let me keep them there until I can pick them up. Dad, you'll be in San Diego in September, do you think you could swing by Escondido and pick up the paintings and a few of my other things from the hermana when you come up here for your conference? That would be wonderful because I've got a few things that here that I can't use or that I don't use anymore that I need to send home but haven't had the chance to do it.

I'm glad Torie and Jesse are both enjoying seminary this year! Good for them! I miss seminary! Congratulations to Emily Hatch and her mission call! I'm glad to hear that the Lord's work is moving forward at a very steady and fast pace :).

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

Love,
Hermana Inman

Monday, August 5, 2013

Hermana Inman Letter August 5, 2013

Tengo gozo en mi alma hoy!
(There is joy in my soul today)

Thanks so much for the package!!! That made my day! Those were just the things I needed :). Tell Jesse that he picked a great candle haha :). You all are always so thoughtful. The Rio Vista YSA ward also sent me something, so that was fun!

Adolfo's baptism was absolutely beautiful.  It was by far the most spiritual baptism I have ever been to in my entire life.  I think it's also safe to say that it was probably the happiest moment of my entire mission thus far. His family came, which is a huge step for them because they didn't really want to have anything to do with the church let alone a baptism, and you could tell they felt the spirit.  Hermano Parra, his fellow-shipper and friend who is in the bishopric baptized him, and as soon as he was brought back up out of the water Adolfo started sobbing uncontrollably. We all filed back into the relief society room as we waited for them to get dressed and Hermana Moffitt and I gave a brief presentation/lesson about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the importance of baptism, which brought the spirit strongly.  Then, Hna. Moffitt played the violin as Elder Peterson played the piano and the rest of us missionaries (there are 12 in our ward) sang How Great Thou Art. The entire room was crying their eyes out by the end of the song, and I almost lost it up there singing, too! But I kept myself together. And THEN, Adolfo bore his testimony, (crying through the whole thing, again).  After the baptism people were basically lining up to tell hermana moffitt and I that that was the most spiritual baptism they have ever been too and they thanked us for inviting them.  President Kendrick came and he even said that was the best baptism of HIS entire life! He's a middle aged man and a mission president! It was seriously the best feeling in the world. We did work hard to teach Adolfo and to plan this baptism, but I think what made it so spiritual is Adolfo and the spirit that he has about him. He told us after the baptism that he felt like he was the only one there at his baptism, because he just blocked everyone out: it was just him, the speakers, and the spirit.  He then called us at 2am and left a message saying that he couldn't sleep because he feels like he's floating in the air haha and that he still could not stop crying.  He was confirmed in church yesterday and lost it again up on the stand haha he's been so emotional lately, but in a good way. He says he feels so good and has never felt this way before in his life. This weekend was just all around a beautiful spiritual experience.  
 
That's the biggest news I have to share today. We've still just been knocking on doors or talking to people in the park, or spending time with less active members.  Our friend that we met last week has done a total 360. We went by her house the other day and all of her blinds were open, she had cleaned her kitchen, she was dressed, and all smiles :) we helped her clean her house a little bit more and then she fed us lunch/snacks. We'll be seeing her again tomorrow to clean up more of her house- there's LOTS to do. We had a zone activity today and played wiffle ball, that was fun. Transfers are next week, I find out on Saturday if I leave or stay. I hit 10 months this Saturday! Time is flying by so much faster now, especially in these past 4 weeks or so. 
 
That's awesome that you got a free trap set! You'll all be pros by the time I get home so you'll have to put on a concert. That is seriously so awesome!  What a pleasant surprise :). I'm glad that the seminary fireside went well, I'm sure mom did awesome as always. How did the first week of seminary go? That's so wonderful that so many teenagers are enrolled and want to come! The youth of this generation are so strong and need to stay that way and be an example for those who are not.
 
That's crazy about Jake's companion and the visa situation and identity theft?! Wow. And then a miracle at the same time that he could randomly get it back within a matter of a few hours. How did Torie's first week of her senior year go?! It's hard to believe that she's already that old- it seems like I was just a senior not too long ago. Those are exciting times.  I'm glad things are going well at home.  Thanks for your missionary experiences dad, I can definitely relate to them. I'm trying really hard to write in my journal as often as I can. It seems like there's never any time, but whenever I make time and write I feel so much better. Are you all still writing in your journals? 
 
I was reading in Gospel Principles this morning about "our celestial family" (I think that's how it translates into english..), and I was reminded that each of has a very specific purpose here on this earth, and it's up to us to find that purpose and fulfill it. We can do that by studying the scriptures and our patriarchal blessings, and through prayer.  I still sometimes wonder what mine is but find such comfort in the words of the Lord which always guide me.  I encourage each of you to study your patriarchal blessings this week and pray to ask heavenly father what he would have you do here.  If you are not a member of this church, you can still study the scriptures and pray to heavenly father to know His will for you. 
 
I love you all and pray for you each day! Have a fun, exciting week at school and at work! When is your seminar dad? Where is it? 
 
Thanks for giving my letters to Brittany and Taylynn.  I only had Morgan's address, so I sent her her letter. 
 
1 Nefi 19:22-23, be like Nephi and study the scriptures with the family, and apply them to your lives.

-Hermana Inman