We had
dinner with the Villanueva family (he's from Honduras and she's from
Ecuador). They reminded me a lot of Grandpa and Grandma Sorensen with all their
fruit trees and gardens. They loaded us up with lemons and oranges.
Even tried "cumquat" (don't know how to spell it but that is how it
sounds if you know what it is). Ha ha.. Such a good family. All the
families here are great.
We've started teaching Part-member families. We
had a lesson with one of the inactive girls (Lupe Lucas) father. We had
originally stopped by to visit her but when she wasn't there we got
talking to the dad and he was very curious about our church. We talked
about the Restoration and Book of Mormon. He had lots of good questions and
realized the only way to answer all of them is to read the Book of Mormon. It was
great visiting with him and we hope it will continue to progress.
I think so far my mission has just been to plant seeds. It's hard
not seeing the results now and at the speed I want, but we are setting
good examples and opening the doors. We went to stop by and drop off a
thank you note to a family in the ward. We couldn't find the apartment
number, so we stopped and asked a group of people outside. Come to find
out one of the gentlemen was baptized. He is hard core NOT a member
right now, but he broke down and cried talking to us. He was born and
raised in Utah and baptized at 8. He felt the church was forced on him
and he didn't like that. He moved here and just became distant even
more. When his son was of age of baptism, he wanted to baptism him.
The Elders informed him he couldn't because he has not been living the
proper life style to baptism him personally. Well he took that harshly
and has put a wall up with all Elders past, present, and future. When
Elders knock on his door he kicks them out. So he was very open with us
and said it's a good thing we were cute sisters and not them Elders or
else we'd be long gone. YIKES!! But it was good to talk to him and let
him open up. He said he'd love for us to come back. He's not spanish
speaking so we are afraid we'll have to give him to the Elders, but
after hearing his experience with Elders, I hope we can get permission
to work with him.
I sure hope all of you are taking the opportunity to help
the missionaries out in what ever they need. I wish I was better at it
before my mission, but I know when I get back I'm going to do all I can
to help them. They help is so appreciated and needed. The
investigators need a steady friendship. A lot of the people here
connected with Missionaries, and of coarse when they are transferred,
they fall away and stop coming. So we are trying to build friendships
and mend hurt feelings.
Saturday we had Love Modesto. We all met downtown as a community
to start the day with free breakfast and to figure out our locations.
Our branch signed up for Airport clean up. We headed over there and
cleaned up all the garbage along the streets and open fields. Lots of
junk! It was disgusting. Hermana Crandall and I headed out early to
help Bro and Sis Ruiz set up for the BBQ afterwards for our branch. It
was a fun day spent with the branch. I didn't want to leave. It was
nice to just relax and get to know everyone. :) The day reminded me a
lot of 4th of July with all the booths, activities, celebrating,
gatherings, and BBQ's.
I love you all!!!!
-hermana Sorensen
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