Thirty-first Week in the Field

Hola Everyone!

We didn't really get to go out that much again this week, but I'm starting to feel better overall. The past few days I was really tired and stressed, but that's probably because of everything else going on around me in Moorpark with the other sisters getting sick. Today is a lot better though! I woke up and I was still a little weak, but I didn't have any headaches. I'm really glad that I'm recovering. It's been really sad staying in the apartment and seeing Sister Anderson and occasionally Sister Jones suffering and not being able to do much about it. I'm really excited to start feeling better again and help out where I can. 

These past few days, I've been starting to get depressed because there's hardly any work being done in Moorpark. Sister Anderson and Hermana Shepherd both asked me if I was thinking about going home (they told me I looked horrible), but I look worse than I feel. I can feel my body fighting whatever I have. I've also had a lot of time to think about why I'm in the field and even more specifically in Moorpark. I'm so thrilled that I get to stay here for now five transfers, but I feel like hardly anyone stays in one place for that long. I've decided that the Lord needed me here to help out in Moorpark 1st Ward along with the Branch. With first Sister Appel getting sick and going home and now Sister Anderson going through the same thing, I feel like I've been able to help out so much because I spent three months in that ward. I'm really grateful for this opportunity to help out. This week we're going to hit the ground running.

Yesterday, Sister Jones (Moorpark 2nd Ward), had to go home because of health issues...please pray for her.  Because she went home, Sister Morrison (comps with Sister Anderson in Moorpark 1st) is now companions with Sister Mapa in Moorpark 2nd.  Sister Anderson is now in a tri-panionship with Hermana Shepherd and I for now.  She's probably going to go home this week though too because of illness, so Hermana Shepherd and I will probably end up serving in the branch as well as Moorpark 1st Ward.  Although I'm really sad and upset to see them go, I'm really excited to be able to work with Moorpark 1st again.  

Pablo is doing so great. He's such a sweet and caring old man. Every time we visit him, I can feel his testimony getting stronger and stronger as he's preparing to go to the temple. I've been able to see him get happier and happier over the past six months of working with him. This gospel has truly blessed his life more than anything else has. 

We had Stake Conference this weekend and it was amazing. At the adult session, the Stake Presidency spoke, but during the general Sunday session, we watched a broadcast from Salt Lake City.  The stake presidency and others focused a lot on how the youth can get more involved with hastening the work of salvation. It's so exciting to see the youth of today getting more and more focused and excited in preparing to serve missions and bring others unto Christ. They're such an example to me. I absolutely loved the talk that President Eyring gave too about how to invite family members to come closer unto Christ as well. Even though I don't really have any family that's inactive or not members, it inspired me to reach out to really those I love outside my family even more. They practically are like family and it would be really sad to not have them see the blessings in their life that they can have that we, as members of the church, do. 

I felt like this week I learned a lot about patience in afflictions and trials. I was reading an article in the January 2013 Ensign entitled "Thy Will Be Done." It talked about a young man that was suffering from cancer and the first verse of Doctrine and Covenants 121 popped into his head followed by verses 7-9. It was really inspiring to me how he dealt with his trial even though he ended up passing away. I've had the chance this week (in addition to last week) to study Doctrine and Covenants 121-123 again. They've been such a strength to me and, even though I don't have cancer or am dying, I had the impression that everything would be okay and that the Lord was watching out for me. I know that I have so much more to do here in Moorpark and during the rest of my mission that the Lord will help me through it. 

My companion is doing wonderfully as usual and she is such an inspiration to me.  She loves the work and, although she's going a little stir crazy (me too), we're excited to get back out and working.  

Thanks for all the love and support!  I can feel your prayers helping me get better.  

Con amor, 

Hermana Halliday

 Me mocking a ballerina bush outside the grocery store.

 The district after our first post-transfer district meeting.

 

The Hermanas in my district.  Same as last transfer!

 

Thirtieth Week in the Field

Hola Everyone!!

So....I'll just start out by telling everyone that I'M STAYING!!!! This'll be five transfers here in the wonderful Moorpark!! AND...I'm staying with Hermana Shepherd still!  I get to be the first companion that she's had for two transfers too!!

I'm so grateful for the opportunity to be able to be here another transfer. I feel like I've grown so much from the people here and the experiences that I've had. I'm also so grateful for the chance that I have to be with Hermana Shepherd again. She's taught me so much about patience and what it means to be fully committed. This transfer, we're going to see so many miracles here in Moorpark! I just know it!

This week wasn't really anything too spectacular, but at the same time I feel like I've grown so much. I still don't feel well, but I can tell that Heavenly Father is trying to help me get better and give me this challenge to learn something at the same time. Earlier this week, my grandparents (Hobbs') sent me the article from the January Ensign entitled "Enduring Well." It was just what I needed this week. I was starting to get really down on myself and discouraged that I couldn't be helping these people here more and I could tell that my companion was practically going crazy from being in the apartment for so long. I know that they were prompted by the spirit to send me it. It talks a lot about when Joseph Smith was in Liberty Jail and when he received the revelations in Doctrine and Covenants 121-123. These are probably my favorite sections in the entire D&C so when I was reading more about the meaning behind them, it comforted me so much. I know that every trial we're given, whether it be big or small is there to help us grow. I'm so grateful for trials and everything I've learned. 

The only downer to it is that I still don't feel well and that Hermana Shepherd has to stay in a lot because of me. I can tell that she's struggling a little from having to stay inside. Fortunately, she's been able to go out with Sister Heslop on occasion and Sister Moure last night. She has such a strong desire to go out and work and serve the people here in Moorpark. She still misses Santa Paula, but Moorpark is finally starting to grow on her. I hope that this transfer, I'll be able to help her fall in love with it like I have. I just feel bad because there's nothing I can do to help her get more exposure to the people here until I get better. 

Pablo is doing so great! He had the anniversary of his wife dying this week, but other than that, he's doing so great! He was depressed a little last week, but this week, he's been a lot happier. He has so much faith and is such a strong example to the branch. I love him so much!!

We've been unable to have to much physical contact with our investigators, but we've tried calling and texting them. Many of them aren't answering us, but we're not going to give up! Hopefully, this week, I'll start feeling better so that we can get out and see them. 

So, Sister Castro told me to go to urgent care yesterday because the headaches were still really bad.  The doctor told me that I just had bad tension headaches.  He prescribed me to take extra strength Ibuprofen and Tylenol switched back and forth.  He also told me to message my neck at night and wear better shoes instead of my flats.  It's weird though because I don't do enough walking in my flats to have caused these headaches.  I just hope that everything will clear up and I can get back to work soon.  I'm going crazy staying in the apartment.  It helps though, that Sister Anderson is sick too, so we have each other!  We've had quite a few adventures while our companions have been out on exchanges.  I absolutely love her and she cracks me up!

District Meeting this week was really good as well.  I ended up giving the talk on what it means to be a successful missionary.  I had a feeling that I was going to give it too.  It went really well!  As I was talking about it, it was a reminder to me of everything that I've learned while out on the mission thus far.

Yesterday, at church, Hermana Shepherd and I didn't end up singing because our branch president forgot.  At first we/I was really bummed (my companion was excited), but now that we're going to stay together, it'll happened at some point this transfer!! I'm pumped!!

Thanks for all the love and support from everyone!  Hopefully, I'll have more to say this coming week cuz we'll be out and about!  Love you all!!

Con amor, 

Hermana Halliday

 

More of me being sick.

 More sickness in our area...

 My Companion, Hermana Shepherd

Twenty-ninth Week in the Field

Hola Everyone!!

This week was interesting. I still was really sick this week with really bad headaches. We only went out to see Pablo (our only two appointments) and to go to various meetings. Every time that I stand up, I get really dizzy and it's hard to focus on anything. Tomorrow, we're going to the chiropractor to see if he can help me figure out what's going on. Hermana Shepherd has been so great about all of this though. She's really very patient and helps me try to forget about the pain. She's such an angel and I know that Heavenly Father needed her to be with me to help me with this. I love her so much. It also really helps that Sister Anderson (one of the sisters we live with) is sick too.  She's having the same sort of symptoms, so we pretty much just lay on the ground together. 

Since we've been staying in most of the week, I've gotten to know Hermana Shepherd really well. I love be able to listen to her tell me stories and tell me about herself. I probably know her better than I know any of my other companions. She's such a sweet person and would do anything to help anyone.

Since we weren't able to go out a lot this week, we were only able to see and visit Pablo. This coming week is the one year anniversary of his wife's death, so this past week he's been really depressed. On Wednesday, when we visited him, he started crying and told us that he wanted to kill himself to end the pain, but he also didn't want to because he still wants to go to the temple to be sealed to her. When we visited him on Saturday, he seemed a lot happier and I helped him tie his three ties he has so he could wear them to church. Yesterday, during fast and testimony meeting, he got up and bore his testimony about the importance of the temple and his knowledge of the Plan of Salvation. He's come such a long way since I first met him. He has so much faith in what Heavenly Father has in store for him. 

All of the missionaries in our zone had a meeting with the Stake Presidency and President Castro on Sunday.  It went really well!  They talked to us about how we can better involve the leaders and other members of the ward we serve in.  I love the Stake Presidency and I've really enjoyed being able to hear from them during various occasions during these past 6 months. I can tell that they really are trying to get the wards more excited about hastening the work of salvation. I have such a testimony of working hard with the leaders in the ward or branch where I've served. Missionaries can only do so much and the leaders and other members of the ward are so crucial in the progression of bringing others unto Christ.  President Castro is so inspired as well,  I just love listening to him talk. 

This coming week on Sunday, Hermana Shepherd and I are going to be singing a duet ("Mas Cerca Dios de Ti" aka "Nearer, My God to Thee") in Sacrament Meeting. The branch loves music and we love helping them feel the Spirit, so I'm sure it'll go really well. I've been trying to help Hermana Shepherd get out of her comfort zone when it comes to singing, so this is a big step. It's even better because she's the one that suggested that we sing! I'm so proud of her. 

So, the most hilarious thing happened this week....not to us, but the sisters that we live with.  Even though they hardly went out, this still happened when they did...

On Tuesday, they went to visit one of their less actives (one that I didn't know when I was in the ward) and her nonmember son.  This family is struggling a lot with financial issues and they aren't really all there, but they're really sweet.  I met them at the Christmas concert earlier this transfer.  When they sat down at their appointment, the mom (Carol) was acting a little weird.  William (the son) was in his room the entire time.  She started out by crying and complaining about their financial situation (which is apparently somewhat normal for her).  She then switches to telling them that William has grown "quite fond" of both of them and that "he knows that it's wrong to love two women."  They thought that she was just crazy, but then she asked them if they would consider marrying him!  I'm dead serious. Carol seriously proposed to them for William.  In the words of our zone leader, Elder Bostrom, it was a "proxy proposal."  I was dying when they were telling me this, but it gets better.....They explained that they were missionaries and couldn't date or just get married while on the mission.  She then said, "No, no, no, he researched it.  You can be honorably released."  No one could believe that she actually said this.  I almost died.  The sisters then decided to say that they would pray about it.  That night they would both scared to pray because they didn't want to get a yes.  The whole time they were telling us this, I was dying inside.  The next day when they went back to give their answers (No's), Carol thought that it was a yes from both of them because they returned.  They had to break it to them softly, but Carol took it pretty hard.  Even though this story's pretty funny, I feel really bad for Carol and William because of their living situation. 

On Thursday, we had a Spanish Training Meeting.  It helped me think of new ways to make my language study more effective. Sometimes I think that I don't utilize it as well as I should, but hopefully now I'll be able to be more consistent every day. Of course, President and Sister Castro are both so inspiring.  It was pretty funny because I could almost understand them better in Spanish than English because they have an accent when they speak in English.  I love them both!

On Wednesday, we had an amazing district meeting.  It was all about teaching who you are and not what you know.  It was interesting to think about my teaching strategies in that way and what I can do to help people know who I am.  The spirit was really strong the entire time.  Hermana Shepherd and I were in charge of the EDPEP (role play activity) and we focused on the importance of bearing testimony when extending commitments.  It was different than what we would normally do for an EDPEP, but it was really edifying.  Hermana Shepherd gave the talk and talked a lot about how to be a successful missionary too which made the meeting even better. 

After district meeting, I asked one of my zone leaders (Elder Bostrom) and my district leader (Elder Atkin) for a blessing to help me get over my headaches.  It was a really amazing experience that helped me realize why I'm here and gave me a lot of comfort.  I absolutely love the priesthood.  It's helped me through so much on my mission. 

After we got back from the Spanish Training Meeting, Elder Bostrom and Elder Driggs (on exchanges) stopped by our apartment and gave us all ice cream and told us that if we ate it, we had to get better.  The elders in this zone are really thoughtful and are trying to help us recover as quickly as possible.  Almost all the sisters in Moorpark are sick and unable to proselyte. 

On Friday, Sister Barker from Moorpark 1st ward, brought us dinner at our apartment because she heard that two of us were sick.  She's so sweet.

I found out that Sister Jones (one of the sisters serving in Moorparkr 2nd ward) is from Castle Rock.  She's in the Castle Pines ward.  CRAZY small world!

Thanks for all the love and support from everyone!  Your prayers are helping me get better!

Con amor,

Hermana Halliday

 Hermana Shepherd and I at Denny's on New Years Day

Hermana Anderson and I dying on the floor together.