May 5- My LA Mission

May 5-

First, thank you so much for taking me to the airport, Jason, Mom, Lisa and Jessica and the kids the first time. I got my release date it is 4/28/15 so I hope you will all be ready when I come home lol. Don't worry it will go by so fast I am sure!

Let me start by telling you about my mission.

• It is the smallest mission geographically! 
• We speak 8 different languages. 
• We have our own temple square literally (it has the temple, visitor center, family history library, temple housing, the mission presidents house, and temple presidents house). So no joke, little temple square.
• I love it!

The temple was so pretty our first night here. We did a temple walk and walked around it. The first night here, I stayed in a mansion in Beverly Hills with a member. (That might explain some of the pictures I took). It was super nice and they were such a great family.

On Tuesday, I woke up early and went to my first transfer meeting and got my two companions!!! Hermana Y and Hermana J! Hermana Y is from Salt Lake and Hermana J is from Arizona! They are two great sisters and we are having such a blast together. We get along so great and see miracles because of our obedience! Something fun we are doing this transfer (6weeks) is we are celebrating all of the holidays in 6 weeks. So yesterday was the 4th of July and today is Cinco de Mayo!! Doesn't sound like so much fun! I can't wait to have Christmas in May. Why not!!??? Oh, we also live in a little house that is nice, me and Hermana Y share a bunk bed, love it! I got the bottom bunk. For the first 3 nights we all sleep in the living room and I slept on the
couch. It's the mission life. :)

I got assigned to an area called BG. There are 3 sets of missionaries including us for this one ward which
is a Spanish Ward. It is so great and we have so much find locating the less active members and helping them get back to church. We are in a car because trio-companionship can't be on bikes. So we go running
every morning to make up for that.

Well, I will not ever second guess my decision to serve because Los Angeles is where I am supposed to be. I know it because we see so many miracles daily and I MEAN daily. My first day I meet the most amazing man named Leo. He told us that he felt like his sadness was being lifted as we talked to him about the Plan of Salvation. You could just see the hope in his eyes light up. I am not sure what will happen with him but I know that the Lord prepared him to talk to us. He even said it himself, there was something that was holding me back from leaving and going home, and I didn't know what it was until I talked with you. It was so great to practice and talk with people and build that confidence that I needed to find again so that I could get back out
here and do the work.

Hermana Y, Hermana J and I were tracking on Wednesday night and we tracked into a man named Rico, who was a studying minister. He started to ask us questions about who was Joseph Smith and what we thought the qualifications were to get into heaven. He told us what he believed and as he talked I kind of feared talking to
him. He already knew so much and what was it that he wanted to hear is what I kept asking myself in my head. Little by little I could feel the spirit leaving but then I prayed to Heavenly Father, I asked him to help me to gain my confidence and get back to the basics. I asked him to help me to feel his power so that I could bear my testimony of what I know is true and in a way that he could understand. When I did that, that fear left. Then that same night I read D&C 84:88, which says "... whoso receiveth you, there I will go also..." It was such a testimony to me that I need to remember that the LORD is with me wherever I go and that as I speak with confidence and bear my testimony that I don't need to be afraid. I just need to put my trust in him.

I also experienced my first person walking up to us and asking if we sent him a text message, which I at first thought was super weird but then I looked at his phone and realized that a set of missionaries sent him a text message from Mosiah 18:13 and he saw our name badges and wanted to know if we had sent it. We told him it wasn't us but that it was the missionaries. We asked him if we could get his information so we could send the missionaries to his house. It was so amazing and gave use a great way to help our investigators even when we can't see them everyday because they cancel on us or have to work. So this week we are going to start sending spiritual thoughts to them on a daily basis. To let them know we love them.

My amazing family this first week has been amazing. I am so thankful for this mission, and the time I have to serve the LORD!

Hermana Weller