Hermana Inman Letter April 2, 2013

Hey Fam Bam

Hello!

 

So, word on the street is that I start training next week. AH! I find out tonight or tomorrow morning. My district leader and zone leaders and lots of other missionaries say that I am... so we'll see! I am definitely nervous! I feel like I just barely got out here. But, if the Lord calls me to it, I know I can. This week is my last week with Hermana Farr- she goes home next week! I will miss her.

 

Thank you for the Easter Package :) it got here right on time. If you could forward my thanks to the Easter Bunny, too, that'd be great.

 

Are you excited for conference?! I'm stoked!! I get to listen in my native language and eat snacks; it's going to be great. What's even better is that Blanca, one of our investigators, will be there with us on Saturday! And it's a miracle because we haven't been able to get her to church, but she is finally going to come. I am sad to say that we are dropping Ernestina. She always cancels our appointments and only wants us over to make their food and clean their house. We don't mind doing those things, but if we aren't helping her come closer to Christ through baptism, we are not fulfilling our purpose and are thus wasting our time. We also found out this last Sunday from our Relief Society president that Ernestina has been with 6 different sets of missionaries, and every single time it ends the same- she meets with the missionaries because she wants free food from the church, and so she's always calling the bishop and relief society president and asking them to give her free food... it was so frustrating when we found that out. We were frustrated with her and with the previous missionaries who didn't write anything about that in her teaching record. It is so important to update teaching records and make it detailed! If that had happened, 6 sets of missionaries and the poor ward council wouldn't have had to deal with this over and over again. So I was thinking about it and was trying to figure out why in the world the Lord had placed Ernestina in our path that day if this was the case, and I think that maybe we had to be the ones to finally write this down on her teaching record so that other missionaries wouldn't have to deal with it again. Maybe there's other reasons too, I don't know. But I know that everything happens for a reason, and I trust the Lord that it was for a wise purpose.

 

We're teaching Tina's neighbor, Andy, and we set a baptismal date with him this past week, and we're super stoked! We gave him a Book of Mormon last week and when we came back the next day for our lesson, he said "I'm sorry, I only got to chapter 8! I tried to read more but I got so busy!" We were like, are you kidding?! You already read through 8 chapters in the Book of Mormon in one day?! What a champ! He's pretty great. A ver que pasa.

 

I'm healthy and happy. I don't need meds right now, but need some socks- the kind to wear with my running shoes, and the kind to wear with flats. Would it be possible to send me some? I might have some in my drawer at home... I don't remember. Also, could you please send me my piano book "hymns made easy"? Hardly anyone here plays the piano and so they always ask the missionaries to play and to lead the music and things like that, but I can't play the regular hymns. I figure I could practice the easy ones though and play them in sacrament meeting. Oh, speaking of sacrament meeting, I've been translating a little bit! We take turns translating the talks from spanish to english for visitors or for kids who don't speak spanish each week. It's hard! It's exciting and rewarding though when you do it :) this girl is learning Spanish! No, I don't have an accent yet haha. That's crazy that Kari is already home! I love that she has an accent. That's my goal for the end of my mission- to have a mexican accent.

 

Anyway, how was everybody's Easter? I'm glad things seem to be going well at home :) I pray for each of you daily. I love and miss you all! Have a great day! Thank you for all that you do for me and for all of your sacrifices. I appreciate it more than you know.

 

Love,

Hermana Inman

Hermana Lacey Inman Letter March 26, 2013

Hola Mis Angeles!

Just so you know, the "subject" at the top of each of my emails each week is something that the members or investigators call us haha. It's great.

 

I'm glad to hear that you are all doing well. When is Torie's audition? Hopefully Ms. Trent is the judge! That'd be awesome!

 

This week our district and the zone leaders went on a blitz in mine and Hermana Farr's area. A blitz is when all of the missionaries in our district take from 1-2 hours to find people to teach in just one missionary's area. Because our area so desperately needed it, the zone leaders were inspired to do this this week. Miracles happened :). In that hour and a half, we picked up one new investigator and had about 13 or so new potencials. We have appointments set with almost every single one of them, and have already gotten another new investigator from this blitz. so, basically, because of the blitz, we picked up 2 new investigators so far and are likely to pick up a couple more this week. It's so exciting and refreshing to have people to teach. Hopefully this lasts for awhile.

 

Have I ever told you that our church building is next door to a Jehova Witness chapel? It's great. A sister from the Jehova Witness church knocked on our apartment door yesterday not knowing we were missionaries. She invited us to their memorium services they are going to have this weekend... we chatted... it was an interesting experience. Anyway, I know that this church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is true. It brings me so much happiness and I am so grateful for this time of year that we have to celebrate the resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ. The church is launching a special Easter program on mormon.org for the Hispanic community this week up until Easter- if you know any hispanics, let them know about it! What are your Easter plans? We don't have any, just the normal work! Which, I'm totally okay with. I think that doing the Lord's work is the best way I could celebrate Easter right now. I don't know if it's just this city or if it's the Hispanic culture in general, but the people here don't make a big deal out of Easter really.

 

We sang a musical number in an English ward with 4 other sister missionaries on Sunday. We sang Nearer My God to Thee. It was such a neat experience. The spirit was so strong, people were crying, and everybody gave huge compliments afterwards. It truly felt like angels were singing with us. After sacrament people mentioned that they could feel the presence of angels and that they were so touched by the spirit. It's amazing to me because I'm definitely not a performer, I don't have the best singing voice, but I have seen throughout my mission so far that the Lord is helping me to develop my talents to benefit others. As people ask us to do musical numbers (it happens a lot), I have learned that because I take a leap of faith, the Lord will help me to not sound awful, and then I sound decent enough to bring the spirit, and allow others to be blessed from my talents, no matter how small they may be. Talents are not for our own benefit, and we should share them with all.

 

Tina is doing alright. She has such bad health that she is in and out of the hospital during the week. The other night Hna Farr and I went to their house and made spaghetti for the family, then we shared a message. It was fun :). Her grandkids love the gospel and love it when we come over. Oh, and guess what? While we were sharing the message of the restoration, we got to the part about Joseph Smith, and Tina got all excited and started telling her grandkids the story of Joseph Smith and testifying of its truthfulness. I love moments like that.

 

I love you all and hope you have a beautiful Easter. Don't forget the real reason we celebrate. Jesus Christ died on the cross but was then resurrected 3 days later. He lives and blesses with His love. His Atonement allows us to overcome our fallen state, and we too will be resurrected one day.

 

I love you and miss you. Be safe and have a great week. :)

 

Love,

Hermana Inman

Hermana Inman Letter March 19, 2013

Hi!

 

Remember the car lady I told you about? So we passed by her house last Tuesday night, and it turns out she is a former investigator! She's ready to take the lessons again and she wants an answer. Her name is Ernestina (everyone calls her Tina), and she is now our investigator :) what a neat miracle. What makes it even more of a miracle is that Tina has declining health, and because of that, she is not allowed to drive. But, it just so happens, that the one day she decides to drive, is the day that she passed us in the street and was able to contact us! AND, we were on that street at that time as a last minute decision. That my friends is divine intervention and is no coincidence. We have another appointment with Tina tonight and are hoping to set a baptismal date with her.

 

Oh, I forgot to tell you last week that we experienced a tiny earthquake! It was so cool! It only lasted for like one minute, but the whole apartment was shaking and things were moving and yep... it was pretty awesome. Obviously it wasn't serious because it's not on the news and hardly anybody heard about it or even felt it.

 

I'm glad you had a good birthday Torie! Did you get my card? I'm also glad that you guys enjoyed your time with Bob and Marilyn. Mom, I'm so sorry about Uncle Reed :( I know you always looked up to him. It sounds like you're having fun with the garden dad! I'm glad. Hopefully the dogs won't eat it all or dig it up. Those stinkers.. Did you get to see Sandy? Tell her hi for me! I'm excited to see Torie's prom pictures! I'm also anxious to hear what happens with Jesse's schooling. I'll keep praying for him, and for you mom and dad, for Heavenly Father to help you know what would be best for Jesse.

 

Thanks for my meds and the pictures!! Did Jesse grow taller? And Torie looks so pretty! And your hair is so long, too! It's ok about the music, don't stress about it. Jimmy and Lauren sent me some letters with cute notes and pictures from Parker and Linden :) that was fun.

 

That's crazy that all of these missionaries are coming home! Time flies! I'm quickly approaching my 6 months and that's crazy to me. I'm a third of the way done! That's insane! I just got here!

 

Are you all excited for conference? You should invite all of your non-member friends to watch it. Less active friends, too.

 

Anyway, I don't have very much news for this week, but it was a good one! The work is moving forward and we are working hard! Thanks for your prayers and letters. :)

 

I love and miss you all. Have a fun and safe week!

 

Love,

Hermana Inman

Hermana Inman Letter March 12, 2013

Hola Preciosas!

Hello to the best family in the universe!!

 

This week was better. Last Tuesday night we had a lesson with a new investigator named Jose (imagine that). The lesson went really well and at the end of the lesson, we still hadn't invited him to be baptized, and I had a strong prompting that we should, so I did. He accepted and we are working towards the end of march/early april. After the end of the lesson hna. farr told me that in the lesson she felt prompted not to invite him to baptize, but now she realizes that for some reason I was the one who needed to invite him. It was a really neat experience :).

 

Remember that man who asked me to marry him? Well guess what? The other day we went over to another lady's house- her name is Francisca and she is a new investigator. When we were in the middle of our lesson, somebody walks in from the kitchen, and who should it be? That's right, that very same creepy man who asked me to marry him. Apparently he rents a room in this lady's house haha. Just my luck. That was a fun experience... pretty funny though. What are the chances.

 

Yesterday we were walking down the street and a lady slowed down and shouted out the window "1108 North Drive, come see me tomorrow!!" And we have no idea who she is, but we're pretty excited to hopefully pick up a new investigator tonight!

 

Thank you so much for the letters and packages :) I have the best parents ever. I love you so much! Mom your letters are so sweet and inspired and thoughtful. They make my day. I loved the package as well. Thank you for sending me Zyrtec, but I need Singulair :/ sorry for the confusion! Thank you dad for ordering that picture of Jesus Christ for me, it is absolutely beautiful and I love it.

 

TAYLYNN IS ENGAGED?! WHAT? TO DOWLIN TAYLOR?!! WHAT IN THE WORLD?! Please tell me her address! Email or house is fine. OH my goodness. What the heck. While I'm at it, what are Morgan, Sydnee, and Brittany's addresses? How are they doing?

 

Happy Birthday this week Torie! I'm sending you a letter in the mail today, I hope you get it on time! Have a wonderful birthday week :). How fun that you're going to prom with Jensen! That will be such a blast! Send me pictures and tell me all about it. When is it? Are you going to mormon prom or school prom?

 

How exciting that Dom celebrated his 1 year baptism anniversary yesterday :) that is so awesome! I am so excited for him to serve a mission, he will be great!

 

That's fun that Bob and Marilyn are coming down to visit you guys! They are welcome to stay in my room.. haha you were probably already planning on it anyway. Have so much fun with them! It's been a long time since we've seen them. How are they?

 

All of the summer camps sound like they are going to be a blast for Jesse and Torie! Their testimonies are going to be so strong! Is Jesse's Ghost Fighters book done yet? I really want to read it. Tell him I still have to work on my Ghost Riders book.

 

I'm glad you were able to have a fun outing to the zoo for mom's bday! That sounds like a blast :) I'm excited to see pictures.

 

That's a cool experience that you had dad, being able to have that lesson with a recent convert the other day. They really are so strong. We're having a hard time with retention in our Spanish wards too, I think it's a cultural thing- so a lot of our work is trying to reactivate less-actives and trying to get the ward to fellowship recent converts. That's also neat that you and Torie were able to have an awesome scriptural discussion the other day. I love those. Torie will be a wonderful missionary.

Mom how are those Armor of God costumes coming? That's a lot of work! You are so dedicated to your callings, always. You are such a wonderful example to me and to many others. I hope you know how special you are and how many lives you bless, and how much you are loved, by me, your family, friends, and especially Heavenly Father, and our Savior Jesus Christ. You are so loved.

 

One of my favorite scriptures this week is Mosiah 24:14-15. The Lord doesn't take away our trials, but he gives us enough strength to overcome them, and he makes our burdens light.

 

I hope you guys have a great week with Marilyn and Bob, Torie's birthday, and St. Patrick's day! What a week! Keep your chins up and remember how much you are loved. Thank you for making me feel so loved. I love and miss each of you.

 

Love,

Hermana Lacey Inman

 

P.S. I am now authorized to email anybody!! So, if you want to talk to me but don't want to send a letter, go ahead and email me.  I won't have time to email back because my time is so short on the computer, but I can print out your email and respond via a letter in the mail. :)

 

Hermana Inman's email address: Lacey.Inman@myldsmail.net

Hermana Inman Letter March 5, 2013

It's Tuesday!!

Hello,

 

That's so exciting and great to hear about everyone's mission calls! This is truly the Lord's work! I'm glad to hear that the Mesa temple won't be closed when the others open :). When will the Gilbert and Phoenix temples open? Do grandma and grandpa know yet if they will be missionaries there? I'm glad you were able to get so much success out of your garden dad! That's awesome! I'm sorry to hear about that story of Torie's band teacher :/ I hope that everything works out and that he apologizes and gets you a new jacket. You do not deserve to be treated like that! I love you Torie! I got your other letter and will reply to it soon. I also got the letters from Mom and Dad, thanks :). I don't know if I am allowed to watch links to youtube videos or not (speaking of the link to Jake & his companion singing a hymn), I'll ask President Cook about it and see. I hope so! I'm excited to hear it! I'm glad you had a great birthday mom :). I'm happy that Jake is doing so well on the mission!

 

Yep, I'm healthy! I do need some singulair though, please. I was wondering if you could send a few church CD's we have at home? Any of them would be fine, we just listen to a ton of church music so it's nice to listen to different cd's.

 

What do you think about the 2013 edition of the scriptures? I think it's pretty exciting! If you haven't heard about it or looked into it there's an article about it on lds.org. Torie, there's a link on lds.org just for young women and how they can know when it's their time to serve, you should check it out :).

 

I read some cool scriptures about missionary work this week: Mormon 9:22, 24, and 31. I like in verse 22 how it says to preach the gospel to every "creature"- meaning teach the gospel to literrally everyone no matter what they look like, smell like, act like, etc. If they're in your path, you teach them. I like verse 24 because it talks about how we won't be hurt if we drink poison haha that's a cool promise. I also like it because it mentions we can "speak with new tongues" aka learn a language, and also it mentions some of the things priesthood holding elders can do, so that's kind of cool. In verse 31 in says that we should learn from the scriptures and the mistakes that people have made in the scriptures so that we may learn to be more wise than they were. The scriptures are for our benefit and guide and direct us today. They give us warnings and upliftment, and help us to know how we may have a better relationship with Christ. The Book of Mormon truly is another testament of of Jesus Christ, and we should share it with everyone we know!

 

You asked when Hermana Farr goes home; she goes home on April 10.

 

This week has been hard and frustrating. It seems like the harder we try and the more effort we put in, the less results we see lately. I know that's not the case, but that's how it feels. Our numbers have been so low for over a transfer now and it's really frustrating. It's not that we're not doing our part or that we're not good missionaries, it's just that for whatever reason nobody ever is there when we set appointments or they cancel them or whatever. We get a lot of fake addresses and phone numbers and that's upsetting as well. Why don't you just say you're not interested instead of lying and wasting our time and getting our hopes up, you know? Blah. I know it's not about the numbers, but still, you can't help but think about them and can't help but be really frustrated when you aren't having lessons. These past few weeks, and especially this last week, was frustrating also because for whatever reason, almost every single man that we talked to or passed by said really derrogatory (?) things and look at us so nasty and you know they're thinking vulgar things. Every single day, all day, every single man (minus like, 3). That's a lot. We just feel so violated and it's annoying when we're trying to do the Lord's work, and we're obviously missionaries and they still ask for our number (not because they want to learn about the gospel) and say really innapropriate things. I'm safe though, the Lord watches out for me and protects me. (I don't know if you want to put this on the blog or not, it's not uplifting or inspiring...) ((Dad: I included it just to show that missionary work doesn't always go the way you think it should, and that it shows how they grow through adversity - it's not always rosie. Also so that others can think of them, pray for them and write encouraging words to them.))

 

Anyway, sorry this email was so depressing. This week was just hard, but I can't expect it to be easy! I know things will get better and this is just a trial of my faith. Regardless of how hard it gets I still love being a missionary and wouldn't trade it for anything. I have no regrets in my decision to serve. I pray for each of you every day and know the Lord is watching out for you. He loves you very much :). Thank you for all that you do and for the sacrifices each of you are making to help Jake and I be missionaries. I love you family! I hope you have a great week and that you're happy!

 

Love,

Hermana Inman

Hermana Inman Letter February 26, 2013

Greenie No More!!

I'm a normal missionary!! Woo hoo!! haha however the only thing that has changed is one hour less of companionship study. Hermana Farr and I are staying together for another transfer here in Vista. We're both excited about it :) this is her last 6 weeks in the mission! Both of our roommates are staying as well, and we love them to death so that's fun.

 

We're getting 35 new missionaries today and 10 new areas are opening! How crazy is that. One of the areas opening is part of my area, so I will no longer be working in Fallbrook ( we had 2 areas). Did you hear the news about 58 new missions are being opened due to the influx of missionaries? There's going to be 2 new ones in Arizona! Gilbert and Scottsdale missions!! The northernmost part of our mission will be taken out for the Irvine California mission (did you know Will Smith lives somewhere near Irvine...? we're amongst superstars!).

 

I'm glad you got my pictures and that mom got her birthday card & message :). I didn't have time to write a description of what the pictures were of, but if you send the card back with the pictures on it I can send it back with a description (if you want). Did you have a happy birthday mom? I sure hope so. I was thinking about you all day yesterday and praying for you. I realize that I look fat in those pictures... it's because I am haha. I've gained a few pounds here because these people just feed us and feed us and it never stops! And when we decline 2nds or 3rds they look at us like we're crazy and then they make fun of the white girls who eat like little kids. And it doesn't help that the food is SO GOOD! But, don't you worry, I'm working on it, and my roommates and I are on a weight-loss plan haha. So rediculous.

 

This week Oscar and LuLu came to church!!! :) we were so so excited! They loved it. We have a lesson with them later this week and we're hoping that this time they'll accept the baptismal invite. We set a baptismal date with Adriana for the 16 of March :) however we haven't been able to see her because she's almost never home, so we will probably have to push her date back. But we taught her the Restoration and she was so intensely focused, especially when we recited the first vision, and she understood the significance of it and the necesity of the priesthood. So good!

 

I'm glad to hear that Jake is doing so well and loving his mission! What a champ. What is Dom's address? How are Jesse and Torie doing? I am going to try my very best to write Torie a letter today.

Dad have you had a chance to do zumba lately? Or even just a chance to rest? I hope so! How are you? Still healthy?

 

I am so excited to hear that grandma and grandpa might be missionaries at the Phoenix Temple!! That's awesome!! I know grandpa always wanted to serve a mission with grandma. When does the temple open? I'm also so so happy to hear that grandma can get a new kidney so soon :) that is truly a miracle.

 

So, I am 100% convinced that every animal living in Southern California is evil. Every single dog on the block barks at us until they can't see us anymore, and these streets are long, so they bark for a long long time. And once one dog barks, the whole street of dogs bark (everyone has at least one dog). Luckily, most of the dogs are fenced in, but sometimes they're not, and when they're not, you betcha they chase after us and try to bite our ankles. And then there's the cats. I've always hated cats anyways, but the ones here follow us everywhere and they hiss at us and look like they're going to pounce on us at any given second. Sometimes they do pounce, and sometimes I do hit them really hard with my bag. I don't even feel bad about it.

 

Anyway, I still love being a missionary and I still love this area. Hispanic people are so kind and giving, and I love their culture :). The music, the food, the crazy personalities, dramatic goodbyes even when you'll see them next week, finding any reason to throw a party, it's just all so great.

 

I hope you are all still happy and healthy! Have a great week and remember to read the scriptures and pray everyday :)

 

I love you and miss you very much.

 

Love,

Hermana Inman

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