Amy's Adventures in Ventura: July 2024

Monday, July 29, 2024

We like bikes

- had my last zone conference and had to give sis parr a few last goodbye hugs and kisses hehe

- had exchanges w sis wilde! We did a lottt of biking but then biked home to receive a ton of mexican vanilla ice cream, gatorade, sunny d, and uncrustables from ted

Something she told me her brother learned on his mission is that there's a difference between having fun and having joy on the mission. Definitely true, being obedient might not always be the most fun, but it does bring the most joy.

- on Saturday our mission focused on inviting everyyyybody to church and we had a lil miracle man come! His name is amador and when we told him he could go in and sit down he went and kneeled and started praying. Very precious

Vicky and Juan came but angela didnt:( Vicky said she's not as excited about baptism anymore so please pray for her!! We're still planning on the wedding and vicki getting baptized this saturday but we're hoping Angela gains back the excitement she had.

- we had a mission gospel discussion over zoom abt grace. It's such a good topic that has so many different meanings to each person individually but i loved this video we watched talking about how a belayer saved a rockclimbers life when he fell. He didn't know how to pay back that person who saved him other than always remembering for what he did. What about our Savior who saved all of us? We must always remember Him. We cannot forget what He's done for us, especially since we covenant not to every Sunday during the sacrament

Hugs and kisses!

Hermana j

Monday, July 22, 2024

I got that dog in me

- lesson w vicki on Tuesday, she's been getting over word of wisdom problems this whole time and we had no idea even tho we taught it twice lol. So bodaptism (boda= wedding) is now postponed for next saturday. Buuut her boyfriend was put on date by the elders for the same day so now they all getting baptized wooo!

- Had a cool lesson with a facebook referall Emilio, he was blown away abt how we baptize like Jesus was. The next day we last minute invited him to a baptism in Ventura and he came! He loved it and wanted to see the chapel after and someone was in there playing beautiful piano as if it was set up and he loveddd the peace in there.

- sorted through green beans at service and i never knew they came covered in white fluff! Tasted kinda like mold though so I like the normal ones better

- had an awesome amazing visit with vicki later in the week where she just really discovered her testimony. She grew up being told God punishes us and then in this lesson she kept repeating thats shes a miracle of Jesus Christ and that He is love. She is just so prepared and already knows this is the true church, so much easier on us! Shes such a good example to her daughters and made us all tear uppp

- One day on the ride up the hill to the church "You raise me up" by Josh Groban played on my airpods and i thought of the scene in 17 miracles where those that had died helped push the carts. I wasnt even super tired but i thought of how they could be pushing my bike and helping me to carry the same mesage they crossed the plains for.

- listened to this really good talk and getting ready is a perfect time to listen to a talk so you should listen to it tomorrow as you do that. Christ is not only a physical healer, also a spiritual one.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2021/10/33nielson?lang=eng

Hugs and loves and see you in a quick month!

- hermana j

Pics:

- spent the majority of my time with dogs instead of cats this week. 4/10

- the new district + queen Martha (presidents wife)

- ventura views

- spiky cactus:1, me biking: 0

- flight cafe

Monday, July 15, 2024

🚵‍♀️👩‍🍼super awesome biking missionary mom

I've officially entered into my last transfer and you'll never believe my news. I'm trunky training on bikes haha whaaat! It's been really good though- my trainee is so sweet, being a trainer helps me want to be a better missionary, and we get to talk to even more people.

We passed this one guy and he shouted "Jesucristo?" And we were like heck ya, and it's just much easier to get in the mindset of talking to everyone. Just a littleee tricky since we're the only sisters in the district so we can't get rides anywhere

Angela and Vicki are still doing awesome. Fingers crossed we can pull off this wedding/ baptism on Saturday. Lots of prayers needed this week please!

On the bike ride home one night i caught a wiff of fabuloso cleaner and it reminded me of almost every latino house ive had a lesson in. I had a bittersweet moment of thinking about how ill be done with this soon.

I love the sacrament and the peace and quiet there is, I like to picture Jesus sitting next to me. One of the top moments of the week for sure.

Hugs and kisses!

hermana j

Monday, July 8, 2024

endure👎 enJOY to the end

Happy 4th of Lujy! Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.

- watched fireworks from the church roof (I just now realized that this was prolly against the rules whoops.)

- had an exchange with a sister in her first transfer and it was very refreshing. I was a lil rusty in my solo spanish teaching but we had some bomb lessons. Vicki continues to amaze me- she already knows church is so important and it's not something you can just skip. She came this week even though she was sick and had to work right after. We're now planning on her and angela to get baptized next saturday!

- on a mission zoom this week our president said something about enjoying to the end instead of enduring. It reminded me of something in my cousin Stephen dutchers homecoming talk that he probably doesn't even know impressed me so much but he talked about the same kinda thing. We shouldn't just endure through our life and drag our feet- we should be happily skipping to the end, smiling to the end, and enjoying it.

- transfer news will be received tomorrow morning for the last time ever