FAIR WEEK

It was a Many-a-door^step-and-Mexican-TIENDA-lessons kinda week :)

We met a girl named Isabel a few weeks back, and we're able to teach her the restoration this week! It went really well, so spiritual and so much unity :) another appointment tomorrow! She fed us afterwards, [see picture] I LOVE HISPANICS:) 

There's not a ton going on with our investigators, we've had a slow couple weeks trying to find, this past week we have had luck and been blessed to find a couple!:) hopefully this week we'll be able to go back and visit with them, I love finding people! Knocking til my knuckles crack :) being able to share our testimonies on the porch step really brings the spirit, i am really grateful for that. We'll keep workin hard this week, being diligent and faithful in our callings to bring the gospel to all nations!:) 

I've learned how important it is to believe in the lord, whose work this is, but also that we need to believe in ourselves. Yes we see our weaknesses and we're very aware that we're not perfect, but that does not have to stop us, or even slow us down! We need to believe in ourselves, and believe in the power of our Saviors atonement, he can change us and strengthen us in ways we can't do alone. I am so grateful for him, and the strength I receive. If I've learned anything, it's that I Know we have a loving Heavenly Father, and the

At he truly knows us by name, and loves us. Unconditionally. He hears and answers our prayers. I know that to be true. I love love love being a missionary. 

McMinnville is so country. <3 

We have this goal of FEAR NO MAN. Which aka just trying to be like every other good missionary in the world and talk to everyone, no matter if it's awkward or uncomfortable but just being bold and doing it!:) I've taken this goal to the lord, and I KNEW he would give me chances to be tested, of course. 

Which brings us to the fair! We and the elders took turns manning the booth the church has, giving out candies and pamphlets and books and things :) it was really fun! Definitely serving in the south. The fair is so huge here!:) cassadee pope from the voice performed on Thursday, idk who she is but my companion loves her so that was fun! So exciting :) 

LOVE YALLL have a fabulous week!

HIGHLIGHT(s):

Funnel cakes.

Fried cookie dough. 

Fried Oreos.

Friend snickers.

And yes, Fried twinkles. 

#south.

Alooooooooha

Soooo this week. Pues.

It's starting to cool off this weekend :) yay! 

On Tuesday we met with this woman, Patricia, (my favorite kind of person: complete southerner) who a couple weeks ago we had given her a Book of Mormon. She said, I want to return the book, I don't want it. 

And she said that, my heart dropped. I was so sad! 

We sat and talked for a minute, and I wouldn't take the book back.l.hermana Sorensen did, and we continued talking. All I could do was try to give her the Book of Mormon back,I'm just testified boldly and sincerely, and said, Patricia I truly know this book can change your life, because it has changed mine. 

And I mean that. I've always wondered about that, how everyone says the Book of Mormon can changes one's life...it's so real. To think of the person I was two years ago, I am completely changed. Because of the Book of Mormon. I truly do know and understand my savior better, and I am so grateful for the comfort I feel when I read those words :) 

Ps She accepted the book back :) yes!

Wednesday, a less active lady called us, that we had been searching for all last transfer! We were able to meet her on Thursday and wowwwww her story. She is ready to come back! She has 5 kids, all ready to come to church and be taught the lessons, we are so excited, so much hope for her and her family! Please pray for the Lopez family.

Monserrat and her family weren't able to go to church yesterday ):  we invited them to be baptized last Friday! And they have been reading the Book of Mormon :) they are nervous, but said they'll read more and and pray some more about it. We feel so good about them,  they're our transfer miracle! We know it can happen,theyre so prepared :) please keep Monserrat and her family in your prayers as well:) 

Saturday. Oh Saturday....such a hard day.. no tengo palabras.

Here's all I have to say, or better, here's what our dear friend Elder Holland has to say,

"When you struggle, when you are rejected, when you are spit upon and cast out and made a hiss and a byword, you are standing with the best life this world has ever known, the only pure and perfect life ever lived. You have reason to stand tall and be grateful that the Living Son of the Living God knows all about your sorrows and afflictions. The only way to salvation is through Gethsemane and on to Calvary. The only way to eternity is through Him--the Way, the Truth, and the Life."

I am so grateful for my savior Jesus Christ. I know as he was in the garden, he experienced every single moment of my life. I know as he walked to Calvary, he walked in my shoes. He died for me on the cross, so I can be brought back and live with him and our father in heaven once again, with my sweet family. I know as we struggle, and take up his cross, if we turn to him, think about him just a little more, we will be strengthened, and braver, and happier. 

I am so happy to be a missionary, to struggle, and to work hard, to come to know my savior and to be able to represent him, and share the joyful news of the gospel. I love him. I want everyone to come to know their savior as I know him, and i am going to work hard for that :) 

Here's to a new week! Full of miracles waiting to happen, lives waiting to be changed, prepared people waiting to be found, and the warren county fair waiting to happen :D

Con amor, 

Hermana Eastwood ️

Here's some funny facts:

-"Is yours the religion who is so annoying and knocks on everyone's doors?!"a friend of one of our members...

-catfish is good. Frog legs, however, are not...

 -I've never been honked at so much in my life than here in TN.

-that awkward moment when you find yourself falling asleep more often on your knees than in your bed. #ItsAllGood

Hola from McMinnville!

The spirit you feel when you have a family home evening and the end of the night you pray on your knees..unbeatable.

Monserrat and her family are doing great!:) were planning on asking them to be baptized for October tenth this week! /tonight!:) they came to church yesterday and the week before, the branch LOVES them and they love the church too!:)! 

this week we got transfer calls An investigator decided to invite us to his restaurant to buy us dinner, so we went anddddd it was delicious and only slightly awkward cause he asked who was les I got and we said NO ONE. 

Hermana Sorensen and I are staying together for 6 more weeks here! It'll be fun, we have been thinking about goals and trying to find those who are R E A D Y. We see a lot of potential, but we know what we have to do to help them see their potential.

This week has been a good one, andd a little discouraging at times. This is how I've received yet another confirmation from the spirit that this is the Lords work, and the scriptures are true :) 

We've been working so hard, and we're doing all we can to share the gospel clearly and boldly. We find so many people were so excited about, with so much potential, and then they fall off the face of the earth and were sad and eat Mexican ice cream...[see photo;) ]

But throughout my studies this week, what has stuck out to me has been diligently doing your task. 

I know I am doing my part, I am giving the lord everything I have, and I have to trust that is enough. I am doing what he's called me to do, and the rest is in his hands, and according to the agency of his beloved children. 

Sometimes It's discouraging, but I know our Heavenly Father has a plan for each one of us, and I know he has blessed us with the spirit, the comforter, to strengthen us and inspire us, and to carry us. I am so grateful for my savior, and this time I have to be his representative and preach his Gospel.

Love,
Hermana Eastwood 

Time is going by so fast!

Time is literally going by so fast. 

We've done something cool this week, we began last Sunday and did a full week of Gratitude-Only prayers! It was so cool! A real faith tester and builder, to not ask for anything. But knowing that my Heavenly Father knows the desires of my heart, and he already knows what I need, and he knows better how to help me. So to go for a week without asking anything, I know we truly did his will, completely. It was amazing. Plus with us being so sick this week, he blessed us immensely with the energy and strength we've needed to do his work!

We have been finding some really cool people! 

We have a girl named Monserrat, and her mom-Yolanda, and her mom -rosa, and her mom-....something Hispanicky..#4GENERATIONS. They know two members, Monserrat works with them, and we've started teaching them!:) they walked into church yesterday!!!!! They loved it! And the second lesson we had with them, Yolanda asked about baptism! Oh my gosh earlier that day we were talking and praying about setting a date. We're thinking October 3rd :) never lose the faith that people are prepared by his hand :)

Something I've learned/realized this week is that we need to treat everyone we meet not only as Jesus would, but as we would treat Jesus Christ himself. I've been thinking a lot about that, and His Atonement. I know he suffered and died for me personally, because he loves me. I know his atonement paid for every single one of us, out of his never ending love for us.

Also, I know yall are not tired yet of our never ending adventures with bikes and rain.. Literally biked through a river this week. Life is so good. 

Ps tender mercies: an Hermana from the branch gave us a HUGE jar of peanut butter, (crunchy ;) ) AND NUTELLA. S/o to you sweet girl Hermana Kilgore!;) #GodBlessAmerica

We took our friend Joselyn (baptized last year) out with us on Friday night, and we were running around for 2 hours finding people to teach, she was so sweet though! Says going out with the missionaries makes her excited to serve! She's 16! So sweet:) we ended the night with ice cream, the only reasonable explanation to a very sick week haha. We smart. 

I've realized we only learn as we struggle, we only grow when we fall. This week I had an interesting experience. We were contacting a referral, AWESOME FAMILY from Puerto Rico, we're so excited about them. And we taught them about the restoration, and I was just OFF. I was not feeling like a good missionary or teacher, and I could not understand how I had been doing this for so long...satan was getting to me so strongly. I felt bad, and looked down at my restoration pamphlet and saw the picture of Jesus holding the sheep, and I just felt so much love, and his tender arms around me. After the lesson I expressed how I was feeling, and after I calmed down a little bit, we got to teach a recently baptized family and teach them. It's amazing how bad I was feeling, and once I gave it to the Lord, he helped me so much. He truly carried me that day. 

I love this work, I love growing and learning and struggling and teaching and doing my best. I know when I struggle, I am in his hands, and I know I can't let him down cause I'm doing my best. And I know my weaknesses will not slow down his work, because he is a God of miracles! I am honored to represent his son Jesus Christ, and I know it is him who is working these miracles, not me. I am simply his instrument :)

Hope yall have a happy week (: 

Love,

Hermana Eastwood