It's been cold here too (for California standards). It's been chilly and rainy the last couple days. I do kinda miss normal seasons haha.
I don't really get frustrated very easily, but it is a little disappointing that no one is progressing. But as long as I'm doing my part and following the spirit and giving it my all, I feel happy and complete. God has given each of us the opportunity to choose for ourself so, as long as I'm doing my part, even if people choose to reject the gospel, I know Heavenly Father is pleased with me and my efforts. :) that's one thing I've learned here on my mission too, that God has a hand in everything and things will happen the way they should if we're keeping his commandments and following the guidance of the spirit.
Yeah, sometimes missionary experiences and opportunities don't just fall in our lap, we have to be seeking them and really praying and relying on the spirit to know when and how to share the gospel. One really big thing I've learned is to not think up in my head a written out script or be thinking ahead of time what I'm going to say to someone. If we first get to know someone and really listen to what they're saying, we'll always notice a need they have and be able to apply and testify of some sort of gospel principle. There's a quote in Preach My Gospel by elder Holland that applies to this that I really like.
"More important than speaking is listening. These people are not lifeless objects disguised as a baptismal statistic. They are children of God, our brothers and sisters, and they need what we have. Be genuine. Reach out sincerely. Ask these friends what matters most to them. What do they cherish, and what do they hold dear? And then listen. If the setting is right, you may ask what their fears are, what they yearn for, or what they feel is missing in their lives. I promise you that something in what they say will always highlight a truth of the gospel about which you can bear testimony and about which you can then offer more. . . . If we listen with love, we won't need to wonder what to say. It will be given to us--by the Spirit and your friends." (Witness Unto Me, ensign, May 2001).
We don't usually give a lot of book of Mormons away. I've problem given away like 3 in mission. I guess when we teach investigators about the Book of Mormon we give them one but just giving them away to people, not a lot. But we do have a free download pass along card that is for the BOM app. But we haven't started using them yet. The 12 year old girl we've been teaching, isn't really progressing a lot. She's still fighting a lot with her parents, mostly because she wants to go to this one school that her friends go to and her parents won't let her because it doesn't have a good reputation and its further away. And she just doesn't understand them. We talked to just her mom the other day and she said that her daughter has been telling them she doesn't want to be baptized.
We've picked up quite a few new investigators. Some formers, some are people we just met but most of our appointments to see them again are next week.
I'm not sure if I explained exchanges very well. I guess exchanges is kind like splits? We just go with the sister trainer leaders once every transfer. One of us stays here with one of the sister training leaders and the other with the other trainer leader in her area. It was supposed to be Hermana Westergard leaving and me staying with Hermana Beckett, but last second her companion Hermana Martinez decided she wanted to get out of the area. So she came here and Hermana Westergard stayed. It's just like a regular 24 hour exchange. So I was supposed to stay and be leading with Hermana Beckett there since its our area, but instead I went with her to their area. I dot think it has anything to really do with weither I'm transferring or not but I'm not sure.
I'm guessing Hermana Westergard will transfer and I'll stay here and take over this area, because Hermana Westergard has been here for almost 4 transfers now. And I guess Hermana Beckett was saying we're only getting one new Hermana for Spanish work so if I end up training, I'd be the only Hermana training at that time. But who knows what will happen. :)
For our service project we cleaned up a members yard for them. We do service every week here at a retirement home for 2 hours.
For stake conference we had a member of the seventy come by special assignment to speak to our stake.