I love Ojai!

Hey every one!

I love Ojai.. I love being a missionary.. Life couldn't get any better! This place is so great and the work is hastening. Sister Scoresby and I have kept very busy this past week and we have a great week ahead of us.. We have exchanges, interviews AND the Women's broadcast. Then General Conference (Christmas for missionaries) and Easter Sunday.. I can't wait. So many wonderful things ahead! 

We did a lot of member visits this past week and are getting the hang of things here! This ward is great... Most of the members are elderly. They are so wise and sweet.. We had a lot of members come out to our lessons this past week, they have been so willing to serve and help out.

We met with our investigator Mary Alice, ( she goes by M.A.) She is a hoot.. she's the funniest little lady. She's in her 80's and has a color for each day. She wears yellow on Mondays, blue on Tuesdays, orange on Wednesdays.. etc. Gosh I love these people! M.A. came to our relief society birthday dinner and had a blast! She has been investigating for a while now, so she knows a lot of the ladies in the ward. She loves meeting with the missionaries… but won't come to church because it is too early for her. We'll work on that :)

We also met with Ted... he's phenomenal. Unfortunately, he's moving back to Oklahoma this week, but we got his info so that the missionaries can visit him there! Ted is very inspiring, he is a recovering drug addict, and is the perfect example of someone who understands what it means to Change. He's completely changed his life through Jesus Christ and LOVES the Lord. He has so much enthusiasm and he just lights up when he talks about the gospel and the atonement! The thing that is so neat is that he wants to continue to change… he's seeking truth. He's felt the enabling power of the atonement, but has felt that there is more. We taught him the restoration and he was just beaming.. The spirit was working in him and he had so many questions. We felt impressed to talk about baptism by authority and he knew right away that was the key in becoming completely cleansed. He called us the day after we gave him a copy of the Book of Mormon and told us, "Sister's, I can't put this book down.. I know that it is true.".. Ah, it was so powerful. We're bummed that we won't continue to teach him, but I'm so thankful we had the opportunity to meet him and plant that seed.

 

I have so much love for the work of my Savior.. Heavenly Father is so good to me. I'm so grateful for all that he is teaching me and the people that he is placing in my path. I know that if we ask him every day... "Please lead me to someone I can serve and bless today", He will do it. Miracles haven't ceased and our savior lives. I'm so grateful for the opportunity we have to listen to our dear prophet and apostles coming up.. I've been pondering and coming up with questions of my own. I know that they will be answered by the spirit! I invite you all to do the same!
I love you all!

Sister James
3-23-2015

Tree hugger!