Missionary Maren: 3/2

Hey hey!!!

So much happened this week and I don't have a lot of time so I hope I can get everything in!!

Monday-- We played some sports for Pday and then we had interviews with President and Sister Wilson! They came up to Bishop and it was so good to talk with them. Love them both sooo much!

Then we found out it was Elder Rawlin's birthday so we got him donuts and surprised him! What a good man!

Tuesday-- We had a good day trying to contact people. We got a referral to go see someone but didn't have an exact address, just same vague directions. We prayed really hard before going out and looking for him and while we were knocking on a door a lady came out of a neighboring trailer and asked if we were looking for anyone. She said she knew everyone in the trailer park and could tell us where they lived!!! MIRACLE! So we told her the name and she directed us to the right now! Sadly the person we were referred to wasn't interested at this time.. but Heavenly Father totally led that woman outside to help us out and it was such a blessing! Then we had a really good lesson with Sarah, she was meeting with some missionaries about a year ago and we talked to her all about the importance of the Plan of Salvation. She had to leave so we set up another appointment for later in the week, and she ended up cancelling it with us. But we are going to meet with her this week. Her mom just passed away from the cancer that she had.. it was super sad when she told us about it. But we are confident that the knowledge of the Plan of Salvation will help her so much.

Then we had a good lesson with Bob Lujan! He is doing great! We then went to the Spencer's to talk about the lesson she was coming to that night with us. She invited us to stay for dinner and we had some German Goop as she called it haha it was her family's recipe and it was so good! I'll have to make it sometime, it is way easy! Then we had an awesome lesson at the Romero's with Sister Spencer about Charity and serving others. We made plans to serve Sister McLaughlin some how and so that is what we are going to do with them this coming week!

Then we tried to contact Rosio, we haven't been able to meet her yet, but we met her boyfriend and her son! So that was good. I then fell off of their porch.. hahaha grace is my middle name! ;) always tripping on things I swear. Stinkin' porch. No injuries though, all is well. Hahaha

Wednesday-- We helped at City Hall and then later that day we had a great lesson reading the Book of Mormon with Bob Shay. He is my favorite person ever hahaha. Always cracking me up. Then we went to the Smith's for dinner and they are doing alright!

Thursday-- Not too much happened, but we did make some amazing enchiladas! :) The Steedles cancelled our lesson that night so we weren't able to see them. But we did go to Book of Mormon class and that was great!

Friday-- We had Zone Training Meeting in Lone Pine! It was SOOO GOOD! The spirit was so strong and we set some goals as a zone to work on and it was just an awesome ZTM. Loved it! We went to Coppertop! A famous BBQ place in Big Pine.. I know Lone Pine, Big Pine... so many Piney places up here haha ;) It was really delicious though!

Then we helped Ron Romero sand his table! It was so fun just getting down and working really hard! Then we went to Sister Wilson's for dinner and to help her with some Relief Society stuff for the dinner this coming week. We then stopped by Bob Lujan's and just checked how everything is going for him. He is doing great!

Saturday-- We went and took some left over enchiladas to Mitch and Angie :) They are my favorite. We read about the Sacrament in the Book of Mormon with them and that was good!

We talked to a lot of people but not too many were home or interested that we had planned to see. We had planned to see this less active family that has been on our list to go visit forever. We went and knocked on their door to find a not so kind woman telling us they didn't live there and that she had lived there for over 7 years.. we were really confused about why we felt so strongly to go see them. We were walking back to the car and saw a sign on their neighbors house that said the Denaults.. Sister Dodson remembered that name being on our ward list too so we checked and sure enough they were! But we didn't have an address for them so we hadn't been able to find them to visit them! So we went to go knock on their door and then this man comes riding his bike down the drive way. We asked him if he knew who Michelle was and he said that it was his mom but she wasn't home right then. We then continued to talk to him and got to know him a little bit more. He then began to tell us how he has felt lost for the last six months, how lost custody of his six year old daughter (now she is staying with his parents) and how he is suffering from some really intense addictions. We bore our testimony that there is hope in this life, that he can change and be forgiven for those things he has done. Sister Dodson gave him a Book of Mormon and told him about the story of Alma the younger and his conversion story and his experience of being forgiven of all of the awful things he had done. He said he would read it and that going to church right now would probably be the best thing for him. We agreed :) He didn't end up coming to church, but I know for a fact that Heavenly Father put us in that specific spot, had us check on the less active member so that we would run into Bill. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be an instrument in the Lord's hands. It is humbling and the most amazing thing I've ever experienced. We got Bill's phone number and we are planning to see him this coming week.

Then we went to the Romero's for their FHE and Ron taught and he did so well! :) It was on not being selfish! It was a good reminder for me to let go of worldly things and worries and just serve the Lord with all I've got. Afterwards we went to this benefit dinner with Ron for the fire that happened a few weeks ago. All of the proceeds went to helping the families that lost their homes. It was really cool!

Sunday-- Church was so great! All of the meetings were so amazing. I just love the Sacrament and I'm so grateful we have the opportunity to take it every week. The power that it can have in our lives is so profound and amazing. We taught Sunday School and it went really well! After church we had a lesson with Bob and Brother Steve Howe (from Lone Pine-- he is the one that gave us Bob's name to go see!) The spirit was so strong and Brother Howe's testimony was SO powerful. Bob had some concerns, but after that lesson he is set on being baptized!!! :) He asked Brother Howe to baptize him! Happy dayyy! It is this coming Friday at 6! Please pray for Bob this week!!! Satan is trying so hard to make him doubt the things he knows already.

The best thing that also happened was that we got a text from President Wilson saying he had met Robert Miller (I taught him in Golden Hills! and he is getting baptized on April 11th!) at Stake Conference and Robert asked if there was any way that I could go! (what a champ :) So happy he asked president that) President then explained he told them the rule on not crossing our zone boundaries to go to baptisms after we have left an area.. and then president told us that if I was on exchanges in Bear Valley with our STL's that weekend that then he would let me go to the baptism!!!!!! SO PRAY THAT I STAY HERE AND THAT ALL WORKS OUT BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE THE MOST LEGIT THING IN THE WORLD!! :) Also Sister Kay is planning on coming back for his baptism!! THE HAPPIEST OF REUNIONS!! :) Totally made my week, and my mission! I just pray that it will work out!

Then we visited the Steedles.. they are just struggling to get to church. We are trying our best! We love them soooo much. They are such a great family :)

Then we had a really good fireside on Patriarchal Blessings with Elder Rawlins! It was awesome! and lots of people from the ward came :)

Then we went to Mitch and Angie's ohhh how I love those two crazies. Hahaha they are the best! We had a good chat with them.

This week was so long, but oh so amazing!! So many of my prayers were answered!!! I am so grateful to see so many miracles!! :) Heavenly Father is so aware of us, we just need to ask for some help, and those miracles come!!!

Hope you all had an amazing week! I love you all and appreciate the love and support I feel from you guys! Thanks for everything!