I love being a missionary!

Hey every one! :)

Being a missionary is the best thing ever! Gosh, I love it so much. This week was another great one! ) Training has been great! It's been nice having the three of us, so now we can go into our investigators houses without another member! It's been a blast.. it's so important to find joy in this work. We are in the finding phase and focusing on building up our area.. we met a lot of great people and did a whole lot of seed planting. We had some fun experiences.. We spent some time on Haley ST. which is where all the homeless people hang out. I love them. I love them more than wealthy people ;) Humility is everything haha!

Our investigators are doing well! Jim came to church yesterday and the ward is really reaching out to him. We also figured that the best way to help Ben and Natalie at this point is through the ward. Our relief society president (who's awesome and does a lot for us) is really reaching out to her. We met with Paul again! We taught him the Plan of Salvation and he had a lot of questions about the pre-earth.. he's so intelligent, but he does have a lot of faith. We're really focusing on helping our investigators have personal, spiritual experiences. We can try to convince and persuade people all day.. but it comes down to them feeling the spirit manifest to them the truth! .. We had a lot of opportunities to testify of the truth this week.. It's amazing how much my testimony of the restored gospel has grown being in this specific area! There are so many different interpretations of the nature of God and his plan for us.. I've learned how to diligently study here and refine my testimony and to stand firm in what I know to be true.

We had zone meeting this week and we found out that we'll really be focusing on service as a mission and do 10 hours a week. We'll be using an online service called justserve.org.. they're going to talk more about it in zone conference this week, but we're pretty excited about it! Service leads to so many opportunities.

Jimbo only did 8 days! He gave us a call right away! He's making some serious changes in his life and he has come sooo far. It's incredible to see his heart soften by the love of the ward members and the missionaries in this area. He knows he feels the spirit.. he knows this is right, we just have to continue to help him recognize that. He actually said something that touched me in our gospel principles class. We were talking about repentance and he talked about the word "TRY." God doesn't expect perfection.. but he expects that we continually try and do all we can to follow him and utilize the atonement in our lives. He loves us so perfectly and I know we matter to him. I know that if we cleave unto the covenants we have made and remember that we have taken upon ourselves his name.. we will have the desire to make changes and come closer to him. Thanks for the support and prayers! Love you all!

Sister James

Sister Ashworth and Sister James

Temple trip!
 

New companion and training!

Sister James and Jimbo
(holding each other's favorite books)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two companions!

Maddie with "Mr Fredrickson form "UP" ;)

 

 

Family!

 This past week was great!! I love having two companions.. makes the work EVEN better :) Sister Barnes is sooo sweet and loving. Probably the sweetest person I have ever met! She's helping me learn the importance of teaching simply and with love. Sometimes I get caught up in the details and make sharing the gospel more complicated than it needs to be haha. It's important to remember the basics. Teaching is definitely different! Sister Ashworth and I are so used to teaching together already, so it is a conscious effort to let every one have a word (I like to talk a lot haha) and balance how much we each contribute. It has been super fun though and we've seen many miracles already! We've also been using singing to share the gospel.. gotta love" I am a child of God" :)

 Update on our investigators: We are doing a lot of finding, because most of our investigators are either out of town, dropped, or in jail (Jimbo ha!). Jimbo will be in jail for a couple week for some past tickets (he turned himself in), so there is that! He's actually been progressing well. He's softening to the Book of Mormon.. we read Alma's conversion in Alma 36 and he really enjoyed it. We are definitely seeing the change in him and he WANTS to change. I wish you all could meet him.. he's one of a kind! We've been meeting with our investigator, Carlos. He stopped us about two weeks ago on the street and we taught the plan of salvation. He's AWESOME.. I can't remember if I have mentioned him yet? Any way, we know that he would do a lot better with the Elders because of the language barrier, but he wants to meet with us to improve his English. We've tried to explain that the Elders can help him with his english as well, but he's just tooo stubborn haha. He agreed to meet with us AND the elders this week to help him see that he will better be able to understand the Book of Mormon and the message that we share. He's so genuine and has such a desire to change, but we can't help him because we can't even understand him! So hopefully he changes his mind :)

MIRACLE: A lot of the potentials in our area book only have phone numbers because we meet so many people on the street. Well, towards the beginning of my first transfer in Santa Barbara, Sister Xayadeth and I text/ called all the potentials that had phone numbers. We received a reply just last week and met with this man named Paul. He hasn't met with missionaries for over two years.. (planting seeds) and he is soo great! He's read the Book of Mormon and knows so much already. He's very Intellectual and knows the bible extremely well but, he's sincere and has sincere questions. We taught him the restoration and asked, "What would it mean to you to know that this was true?" He goes.. "Well it means I would become a Mormon?!" Haha! He's great.. We really want to get his family involved as well. He has 3 children ages 8,10, and 12!

 

This transfer I'm focusing on the Christ-like attribute of faith IN Jesus Christ. I've been centering my studies on the life of Christ (the new testament)  and studying his atonement.. I've already seen how much it's changed the way I feel about this work and how I feel about those that we meet. It's so important to have the faith that people can change through the atonement and having the faith, that there are people being prepared to receive the gospel! Christ's mission was US.. He is our advocate and I know that his atonement is so personal. He's felt everything that we have felt.. I know that this work is true and I love it more and more every day! I know that If we align our will with his and follow him because we WANT to.. not because we are supposed to, we will see the hand of the Lord in our lives! Thanks for all the support & prayers. Love you all!

 

Sister James

August 18, 2014

 

 

 

Staying in Santa Barbara

Fam and Friends!

Hey everyone! Well, I'm staying in Santa Barbara!! I'm staying with Sister Ashworth.. BUT we're getting a new companion. We're Tri-Pan training.. I'm super excited! It's definitely going to be a different experience.. teaching with TWO companions and doing everything with one more missionary. It will be fun :) I don't know if she's going to be able to handle both Sister Ashworth and I .. we're hooligans.

Anyway, this week was great!! Sister Ashworth's birthday is on Friday, So we had the opportunity to go to the LA temple…it was incredible. (I will attach photos) I missed it so much.. It was really refreshing and especially helped me remember the importance of my covenants. It was definitely different because I feel more in tune spiritually as a missionary and my relationship with God is so much deeper now… It was an unforgettable experience.

We met with Ben and Natalie yesterday... Unfortunately, it didn't go so well. Because of some cultural differences and some other issues they are having, we will be postponing their baptism, but please, please keep them in your prayers! They are so special to us.

I've been thinking a lot about all that I have learned this transfer... I think I've grown the most these past seven weeks. I'm learning what it really means to put these investigators before myself and fulfill my purpose as a missionary in doing all that I can to help them come unto Christ. I have a sure testimony that Heavenly Father hears and answers our prayers. He blesses us in times of confusion and in those times when we need direction. He knows his children so perfectly and truly wants us to have joy in this life. I've also been thinking about TIME and how fast it flies!! .. :) It just shows how short our life is here on this earth.. we have to make the most of it and realize what matters most in the eternal perspective. I love this work and I love my savior Jesus Christ!!

Love
Sister James

Sister Ashworth's birthday

 

Sister James and one of her many gentlemen friends!

 

 

 

Loving life in Santa Barbara!

Hey every one!! :)

It's been a good week!! Santa Barbara was packed for FIESTA, so we did a lot of street contacting! Met some crazy people, and had a lot of interesting experiences.. what's new. We have been working with our investigators (all of them are old men haha) and sadly had to drop a couple this week, but we've seen a lot of miracles and the Lord is blessing us in many ways! Charlie and Jamie went MIA.. We have no way of contacting them, which has been frustrating. But we're hoping and praying we can get in contact with them! Ben and Natalie are doing well :) They came to church yesterday and have been enjoying the Doctrine and Covenants video that we let them borrow. We'll meet with them this week!!

 

We met with our investigator David! He is so sincere & genuine.. and has such a desire to follow Christ. We talked about sincere prayer and scripture study.. and he talked about how prayer is his "spiritual weakness" and how he knows that will bring him closer to God. He's already in 1 Nephi 8 and loves the Book of Mormon.. he had a lot of questions about the time line and the geography. He's praying about baptism and every thing we are teaching him. He said the prayer at the end of our lesson.. so powerful. Unfortunately, he will be in San Diego for surgery for a couple months! We're trying to get him hooked up with missionaries there because he's so great!!

 

We met with Jim a couple times.. he always says, "no one walks the walk! There are no real Christians. No one helps me with any thing.." (He's kind of a grumpy old man, but we love him any way). So we showed up in our service clothes and cleaned his house.. We always express to him that we're not there to persuade or convince, but help him feel the love and joy of the gospel. He meets with JW's as well.. every week. The first copy of the Book of Mormon we gave him "exited itself" from his home, so we gave him another and he promised that he would read and pray. haha. He came to church yesterday and even came to the 2nd hour. Him and Jimbo together in sunday school was a reaaal treat!

Jimbo.. so we met with him twice this week. I don't even know how to explain how these lessons go.. he always says.. "No rules, no regulations. We're saved by grace alone" So we talked about the atonement of Jesus Christ and WHY we have commandments. Then the second time we met with him.. we knew it was going to be the "do or die" lesson kind of thing because we really didn't know how to help him progress.. yeah, He brought all these Anti internet articles.. (they were absolutely ridiculous.. completely taken out of context). We had to ask him what's your intent? You're never going to come to know that these things are true, if you're looking at this..  After an intense meeting he told us that he needed to "stop searching for his answers and start listening.." And that he realized we have helped him come closer to God and helped him soften his heart.. he apologized and told us that he would continue to meet with us.. so hopefully, thing will go better. I read this quote by Robert D. Hales after we had met with him. (This talk is so good). He said, "Our aim should be to help others understand the truth, not defend our egos or score points in a theological debate. Our heartfelt testimonies are the most powerful answer we can give our accusers. And such testimonies can only be borne in love and meekness."

 

I know that I was called here for a reason.. my testimony and faith is being refined every day.. I can never deny the truthfulness or power of this gospel. I know that this gospel is real.. I also know that the adversary is real and active.. he will do anything to twist.. to manipulate, but we can always overcome. The lord wants nothing but happiness for us.. We can always rely on him! I love this work!!! I love you all!

 

3 Nephi 5:13

Sister James

August 4, 2014

 

July 28, 2014

Fam and Friends!

 

I hope everyone is doing well!! We had a great week!! Ever since the beginning of the transfer, Sister Ashworth and I have been praying very specifically to witness a baptism in this area by the end of August. We've been working hard to find and to teach.. and have kind of been expecting this big miracle to arise.. from including this in each of our prayers. Well, we met with Ben and Natalie yesterday and they've been investigating since November.. they come to church every week and they can meet every other week. Yesterday in our lesson.. we invited them to be baptized on SEPT. 13th and they asked if they could do it earlier.. AH, what?! It's incredible to see how their testimonies have grown.. how Natalie has overcome her concerns through prayer and now they feel that they are ready to receive the blessings from baptism! We realized that it was them all along and that we should focus on these people that the Lord has ALREADY blessed us with to teach. It's been extremely humbling to see the Lord's hand in this work and that he truly does answer our prayers when we ask in faith, but in his timing. They are praying about AUG.30th and want to receive a firmer testimony of the Book of Mormon as they prepare :)

 

We had a very interesting experience this week! We met with Jimbo at a member's home and they also invited one of our other investigator's who they introduced to the church.. Sean. Jimbo loves the bible.. hates the Book of Mormon. And Sean Loves the Book of Mormon and hates the bible. Haha.. so you can imagine how fun that was! We watched the restoration video.. which is so powerful. But Jimbo brought up his same concerns.. We're really stuck with him because he reads, he prays, he comes to church, but he's not progressing in the sense that he's really opening his heart and mind to the fullness of the gospel. We've shared with him scriptures and insights and emphasized that the Book of Mormon really is the tangible evidence of the Restoration.. Joseph Smith and every thing. We can testify all day and we can only do so much.. it comes down to HIS faith and desire.

 

AH it's so frustrating, because we love him so much.

 

We also met with David again this week! He's doing Awesome! When he first met us he told us that he has always felt close to God, and has felt the spirit, but in recent years.. has felt that feeling has been missing. We taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ and really emphasized the gift of the Holy Ghost and that he will have that constant companionship.. I'm realizing what a blessing that is, especially as a missionary. We'll be meeting with him and his girl friend this week!

 

I read a talk this week by Tad R. Callister, "Joseph Smith- The prophet of the restoration".. so good. It's such a blessing to know these truths and that the fullness of the gospel has been restored. The Lord is so involved in our lives.. I can't imagine that he wouldn't provide us with the guidance that we need. We have that guidance through living day prophets.. the Book of Mormon and the bible. This is something so hard for people to understand and yet they know that he is all loving and that He is the same yesterday, today and forever. God is unchangeable and his work is not yet finished. We can easily get caught up in doubt, but if we just hold on to what we know and read we will only draw closer to him and His Son. It seems so simple.. but this really can make all the difference!

 

I love you all!!

 

Sister James

July 28, 2014

Sister James in beautiful Santa Barbara!

 

Santa Barbara chapel

Sister Ashworth and Sister James

July 21, 2014

Family and friends!!

 

We've had another wonderful week in SB! We've been keeping very busy with a lot of appointments and the work is really moving forward in this area. We have been meeting with our new investigators and kind of weeding them out or seeing who really has that desire to learn and to know if our message is true.

 

SO, Jimbo came to our Book of Mormon class on Tuesday night and we were all able to talk to him about where his desires lay and basically what keeps drawing him to come back! He promised that he would stop looking up "mormon" on the internet and go to the source.. lds.org and mormon.org. We met with him on Wednesday and he told us that he had been reflecting on the question Sister Brown, Sister Casper, Sister Ashworth and I had asked him the previous night. He said, "I keep coming back because I feel loved here.. you care about me and I feel that the Lord loves me." We then had an awesome lesson on the spirit and recognizing the spirit.. we also taught the Plan of Salvation (we meet with him 2-3 times a week). We are slowly seeing that change in him and his heart is definitely softening.. he even prayed with us! Which he has been avoiding. We really do love him and care for him and we were happy to know that he feels that and that through that sincere love and charity.. he's being drawn to the gospel!

 

5 of our investigators came to church, which was such a blessing! The topic was perfect.. Brother Nelson gave a talk on the importance of prayer and that when we ask Heavenly Father with faith.. direct questions, we receive direct answers. Each of these individuals are praying to know if the Book of Mormon is true.. to know if Joseph Smith is a prophet and praying about baptism, so it was definitely inspired. One of our new investigators David is doing AWESOME! We taught him

the Plan of Salvation this week and he has been reading the Book of Mormon. He's very genuine and sincere and truly seeking for the truth.. he's been to several churches, but always felt like something was missing in each of them. He really enjoyed church and is progressing well! Another new investigator, Jim came to church and he was just soaking it all up. He loved it!!

 

We haven't been able to get a hold of Jamie and Charlie, but we hope to this week! We have a great week ahead of us!! I came across a quote in Preach my gospel in my studies this week that I really like. I'm not sure if I have already shared it before.. President David O. Mckay says, "True Christianity is love in action. There is no better way to manifest love for God than to show an unselfish love for your fellow men. THIS is the spirit of missionary work." I KNOW that hearts are changed when we develop that sincere love for others and see them as Heavenly Father would. It's about developing that love for them. I do love these people.. they are so special to me! I know that this is Christ's church and it has been restored. Keep praying for the opportunity to share your testimony and your light with others.. When we pray directly, we receive direct answers. He listens.. he loves us all!

 

Funny story: Sister Ashworth and I walked up to this guy and after talking for a bit.. we realized that he wasn't all there. He told us he composed the music in Braveheart and all these crazy things that obviously weren't true haha He then told us he got released from jail two weeks ago. We were trying to head out because he started making some weeeeird comments. THEN he leaned in and tried to kiss me!!! I dodged, but then he grabbed sis. Ashworth's hand and kissed it and then we started running and he CHASED us! He finally gave up. Haha don't worry mom, we were safe. You never know what you're gonna get in Santa Barbara..Have a good week every one :)

 

Sister James

July 21, 2014