Thirty-third Week in the Field

Hola Everyone!!

This week has been great! We've been able to get better control on the balance that we want between the ward and the branch. All of the unit leaders have been really understanding and I feel like they've even bumped up their game in regards to helping us out a little bit more. They seem more willing to commit to things that we ask them to do. 

We've been able to work a lot more with Ezra and helping him set a baptismal date. At our appointment on Thursday, we went over with the Bishops wife, Sister Benton, and review the baptismal interview questions with Ezra. He understood almost all of them with the exception of a few terms that we had to clarify and remind him what they meant. His dad came in at the very end and bore such a powerful testimony on what it means to stand as a witness of Jesus Christ and take his name upon us. We were so shocked. For a while he never really had shown much support or interest in getting Ezra baptized. When we asked him what these meant, his response was so powerful. I know that he has a stronger testimony than he's been letting on, which is really good for Ezra to see. We decided to ask Ezra what date he wanted to work for to be baptized and then in coordination with his dad, they decided on either the 8th of February or the 22nd. We were so excited and still are to be helping him prepare for this big step in his life. Unfortunately, Ezra and his family weren't at church on Sunday, so we're helping him work towards just the 22nd now. When we got moved to the ward, I really wanted to help Ezra get baptized this transfer. As I prayed about it, I felt like the 22nd would be the date that would be best for him, but I couldn't tell if it was the Spirit telling me that or if it was just my own desires of wanting to see him baptized. My doubts were confirmed when Hermana Shepherd told me that she felt like the 22nd would be the best date too. It's been amazing to see the hand of the Lord in my life while being here in Moorpark. I have such a greater understanding of what it means to rely on the Lord and realize that I'm really not doing anything and that it's all Him. 

Yesterday, in Sacrament Meeting, one of the Sisters in the ward got up and told about how she gets to work in the temple in the children's area and help them get ready to be sealed to their parents. She went on and on about how all of the little kids are always so happy and she can tell that they feel closer to God there. As she was talking, I had the strongest impression/spiritual creation of Ezra in that room all dressed in white getting ready to be sealed to his parents. It was so powerful that I started tearing up. The spirit bore such a strong testimony to me of eternal families while this Sister bore her testimony. 

This week, as a zone, we've been able to study more about grace and the Atonement. In conjunction with this, we've been able to read "His Grace is Sufficient" by Brad Wilcox. Although I've read it many times before and absolutely love it, I've been able to learn so much more about grace. Being a missionary has definitely impacted my perspective on what grace truly is and simple it really is. There was a quote in the talk by one of Brother Wilcox's friends that said, "A life impacted by grace eventually begins to look like Christ's life." I thought this was so powerful because that's really all grace is. Christ has already paid the price for us. All we have to do is become more like Him.

This week we also had President's interviews!  Every time I talk to him, I always feel so uplifted and feel like he knows exactly what I was thinking.  Every question that I went with was answered.  Also, apparently he was really worried about me because he thought I was seriously thinking about going home.  He told me that he was really concerned and that he wouldn't be able to reconcile with me going home.  He told me that he was really proud of me for being strong and fighting through whatever was going on.  I absolutely love President Castro so much and love being able to serve with him in this great mission.  

Yesterday, at correlation with Brother Seguine, we were talking about grace some more and he said something really profound. He said, "Be accountable for your imperfections, but don't believe for one second that that's who you are."  Nobody's perfect, but we can't forget that we're still all children of God.  We were spiritually created by the most loving and powerful and perfect being in the history of the universe or anything.  

We had another missionary meeting with the stake presidency on Sunday.  Every time we meet with them, I feel so loved and so special to be able to be serving here in the Thousand Oaks Stake.  

Pablo is doing great as usual!  On Friday, we have exchanges and we're going to surprise him with seeing Hermana Romero!  He hasn't seen her since she left in early June, so he'll be so pumped.  

Thanks for all the love and support!  I can believe I'll be half way done this week!  The time is flying by so fast!

Con amor, 

Hermana Halliday

Thirty-second Week in the Field

Hola Everyone,

I don't even know where to begin with this week! So much has happened! To start out....I'm doing a lot better!  Thanks for all the love and prayers.  I don't have headaches all the time anymore.

Unfortunately, Sister Anderson ended up going home on Wednesday morning.  I'll miss her a ton, but I'm glad that she'll finally be able to get the treatment that she needs to recover. (We didn't end up finding out what was wrong with her.)  On the upside, Hermana Shepherd and I are now covering Moorpark First Ward again!!! (in addition to the branch!)  We'll definitely be kept busy for the rest of the transfer....which is good.

With both Sister Jones and Sister Anderson going home, getting adjusted has been a little difficult, but not as much as it would have been if I hadn't already served in Moorpark First Ward. I'm so grateful that I'm feeling a lot better too so that it's possible to devote all my heart, might, mind, and strength to the work. I'm also so grateful for the opportunity that I have to serve in the ward again as well as continue in serving in the branch. This week we've been working a lot on finding a good balance in the work between the two units. It's interesting comparing different areas of the two units and which needs more help in each area. For example, the branch has a lot more investigators, but they aren't as solid as the few that the ward has and the ward has a lot more less-active work that needs to be done, but we've been able to have better contact with the less-actives in the branch. Brother Seguine, the ward mission leader in the ward, is helping us to decide what balance would be best in each area especially now with the two units.

District Meeting was really good this week. The zone leaders talked to us about what President Castro talked to them about at MLC.  I really liked the emphasis on stewardship. Sometimes I forget that the small things need to be taken care of before the bigger blessings will come. "By small and simple things are great things brought to pass." (Alma 37:6-7) Hermana Shepherd and are working really hard in trying to keep the apartment cleaner overall so that we can feel the spirit even stronger throughout the week. It got a little out of hand while we were in for the past few weeks. I really like the zone goals and Elder Bostrom and Elder Bate came up with for our zone.

1. Pray for each missionary in our zone daily by name

2. Read an assigned talk on a different aspect of the Atonement each week and then prepare a five minute talk to be given at District Meeting the following week

3. Invite at least five people to be baptized each week (mostly in declaring situations)

4. Use positive affirmations throughout the day to boost our attitudes

Focusing on the Atonement this transfer will not only help me become closer to the Savior and to his work, but as I study it and apply it more, I know that our investigators will be able to feel the atoning love of Christ. Also, as we've been praying for each missionary in our zone by name, I feel like I've been able to get to know them on a more spiritual level and remember that we're all on the same side working towards the same purpose.

Yesterday was crazy, but super spiritual! I forgot how tiring six hours of church is, but also all of the blessings that come from covering two units. When I did that in Paso Robles with Hermana Romero we saw so many miracles and I know that the Lord will start manifesting His hand once again in this coming week because of our efforts to serve Him. Have I mentioned yet that I'm so excited to be back in the ward?! Plus, we have dinner every single night now :)

In the Branch's Sacrament Meeting, Hermana Shepherd and I were able to sing finally! The spirit was really strong. I love how music can invite the spirit like that in almost any setting. I've always loved music and performing, but being on my mission has helped me realize just exactly how much power it has to heal and be a conductor for the love of our Heavenly Father to His children here on earth.

The branch presidency was also reorganized yesterday. President Zeirenberg is the new branch president with Brother Castro and Brother Montoya as his couselors. They're going to do great! President Zeirenberg previously was the second counselor, so we got to know him really well and we're excited to continue working with him.

Throughout this week, we've also had the chance to visit Nancy Valladolid and Brother Levine from the English ward. They're both working on preparing to go to the temple. At first when Nancy was preparing, we think it was a little harder for her to understand since Spanish is her first language, but since we've been in the ward (and able to explain in Spanish if she doesn't understand completely) her progress has excelled and her comprehension has increased. Brother Levine is progressing nicely as well.

Words can't express how grateful I am to be able to work with Ezra Ramirez again! He's such a cute little boy that has such a desire to follow the example of Jesus Christ. The only stumbling block in his progession is his less-active family. I love them so much, but they don't have the necessary fire in them to support Ezra. We're working on trying to get them more fellowship in the ward and hopefully reteach them the lessons. We're also hoping to get Ezra baptized this transfer, but we'll see how his family is moving along.

I absolutely love it here in Moorpark!!  There are so many blessings and miracles that we see everyday and I'm grateful to be a part of that.

Thanks for all the love and support!

Con amor,

Hermana Halliday

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!