Amy's Adventures in Ventura: I'm done!

Heres a summary of my last 2 weeks as a full time missionary, it’s kind of long but i don’t care since it’ll be the last I write!

- I had an amazing exchange w my STL- I was fired up by her fire and we found 5 people and put 2 on date!! Whaaat

- Vicki the day before her baptism/ wedding was basically like I don’t want to marry Juan anymore. Sooo we postponed the baptism for a 3rd time. It was for the best tho plus our girl wants to go to the temple one day and Juan wasn’t gonna get there anytime soon! So she kicked him out later that week and when we went back the spirit was so much more present in their home and Angela was so much happier!

- Nora loved the Book of Mormon introduction and came to church again WITH her 12 yr old son and a friend!

- We taught our cute happy friend Luis how we can pray before we read the Book of Mormon to receive answers and his reaction was “thats just so cool, thank you girls so much im so happy that you gave me this knowledge how can I ever repay you!?” We were like uhh we’re just happy you love it haha!

- VICKI GOT BAPTIZED YAYAYAYYA on august 17th just a few days before I left. Throughout the day i was kinda expecting to feel this feeling of pride for helping her make that step but i just knew it was allll Jesus Christ, not me. Angela also came and was so happy for her mom! She wants to wait to feel a lil more ready for her baptism, but she’ll be soon;) After i asked Vicki how she felt and she said ohhh hermana the spirit was so beautiful.

- had departing interviews with president and when he told me “thank you for your service,” it all set ini felt good for what I had offered. I was not near a perfect missionary or perfect rule follower. But the Lord knows I gave my best and He made my oferrings complete and whole.

- Pday we decided to go on a hike way out in narnia so I had barely any time to pack or get rid of stuff… so I was like maybe 14 lbs over which is BAD hahah most missionaries are just 2 or 3 over. So I had to leave behind some fallen soldiers at the mission home

- For our last day we went to the Newport Beach temple with President and his wife and the other departing missionaries. The power went out towards the end of the session which was a bummer and chaotic but it came back on right before we were gonna leave and we got to finish!!

- Then we were all up at 3:45 the next day to catch our 7am flight and run into the arms of my family. That was truly a once in a lifetime experience that I will never forget.

My last thoughts as I close my time as a missionary: I am overall so humbled by my experiences- my trials and my growth. I will forever thank the Lord for what I have learned of Him and His gospel. His atonement really saved me throughout my mission. I feel like it didn’t really apply to me until I went through those hard times, deep repentance, and embraced change. I promise the atonement can change every single persons life and if it hasn’t yet- your time will come and you will see the blessings of it if you are seeking for them.

I am so grateful for a Savior that does not leave us comfortless! Jesus Christ was there with me whether I felt Him or not- in all the studies, district prayers, steep bike rides in the hot sun, street contacts, prayers pleading for help, lessons with people who have difficult situations, branch councils, times of contention with my comp, the far too spicy member meals, ALL OF IT! I look back with a smile on my face for it all. Thanks for being along with me on this journey and all of your support.

Hugs and kisses, signing off

Hermana J

Pics:

- members and friends I will miss greatly, and bruno the dog