WeekThirty-Four: Cool Experiences Continue

Hermana Zambrano took this candid shot of me during the week.

 Area: Buena Vista Ward
Companion: Hermana Zambrano

This week was crazy. So many things happened and we were able to have a lot of really cool experiences. This area is a really great place to be and we have been able to see the hand of the Lord multiple times over this past week.

Things are finally cooling down a little bit over here. When we go out running in the mornings, it doesn't feel like we are dying from the heat. I realized that I have been becoming immune to the heat. When it is only 90 degrees outside, I feel like it is a real fall day! It is crazy to believe that it is almost September. The time sure does fly by!

On Tuesday, we had a crazy experience. We were walking down a street in a really sketchy part of our area to get to a return appointment. While we were walking down the street, we saw a giant pit bull walking down the street. I was a little freaked out by it (I guess I have picked up a negative stereotype of pit bulls), but we were close to the house and we decided to keep walking. When we got up to the door of the appointment we had, the pit bull followed us. Then it came up to us and was super nice. I don't think I have ever met a kinder dog! The person who we were meeting wasn't there, so we kept walking down the street. The dog followed us. Suddenly, two massive dogs ran around the corner and went straight for the nice dog. They were attacking it when a man ran out of nowhere and started chasing off the other dogs with a propane tank. The nice dog had an injured leg, so we knocked on all the houses on the street until someone was able to give us the number for animal control. Everything ended up fine! That wasn't the way that we thought we were going to spend our morning! We are now a little more wary in that part of our area.

After our district flour war last Monday.

Funny story for this week. We were in an area to try and meet with a former investigator when I remembered that there was a part member family in the area. I guess that I didn't really tell Hermana Zambrano who we were planning on visiting, so when the nonmember husband opened the door, she started talking to him as if we didn't know who he was (which I suppose she didn't). It was really awkward, so I decided to go along with it and we "found out" that his wife was a member of our ward. It was a little awkward, but not that bad. Then, while we were writing down his phone number, I asked, "Your last name is [his last name], right?" He gave me a super strange look and said that it was. It was then that I realized that if we really had just walked down the street and randomly knocked on his door, we wouldn't know what his last name was. He was a little creeped out after that. We are still going back to see him this week.

We had Zone Conference this week. It was super good! I love listening to President and Sister Layton and receiving direction from them. It really strengthens my testimony that this mission is lead by the Spirit and that we are doing the Lord's work.

Claudia, Jose, and the Tia

We have still been meeting with our really cool investigators, Claudia and Jose. They are really prepared. The other day, they fed us dinner (it was some really yummy Mexican soup). A different night, we had another lesson with them. Claudia's mother was visiting from Los Angeles, so Claudia invited her to sit in on the lesson. After we were done teaching them, the mother started asking us questions about if we worshipped Joseph Smith or not. We were able to explain a little more about the Restoration and Claudia bore her testimony about it as well. Later, she told us that before we came by, she had been praying to find more direction in her life. She said that we were an answer to her prayer. It was such a cool experience for me. Claudia's aunt, who is a member, is went back to Mexico this weekend. Before she left, she thanked us for helping to share the Gospel with her family. It was super sweet!

A fuzzy picture of our new car. They took the truck away. It was a sad day!

That is about it for this week. We have been having a lot of cool experiences and have been learning a lot as a companionship. I can hardly believe that we are already half way through this transfer. I know that this church is true and that we are doing the work of the Lord out here in Bakersfield. I hope that you all have a good week!

Hermana Blau

All of the planners I have used so far on my mission.
I am almost halfway through!