Santa Barbara!

FAMILY!!
 

I'm glad you guys are FINALLY in the new house haha! It sounds like every one is doing great!! I'm getting transferred to Santa Barbara!! I'm STOKED. I have loved serving in Ventura though.. I love it so much here, but the Lord knows what he's doing and I can't wait to see what it will bring. It was a great week to end this transfer and time spent in Ventura! I have been so blessed to serve here and with two wonderful companions.
Sister Morrison taught me so much about what it means to have that genuine love for the people we teach. She's become one of my closest friends.. We're kind of bummed we only served together for one transfer, but I hear my new companion is really great!! Oh and Cris and Morg.. she's a bit older than you ;) hahaha

We had a lesson with Robert this week and taught part of the Gospel Of Jesus Christ with the Overton's. He has been thinking A LOT about his baptism and says he wants to be baptized, no later than the first week of August, but he will continue to pray about it. He's so prepared.. He has such a solid testimony and firm foundation. He attended church yesterday and loved it! Something that I've learned from my time meeting with him is he really has that sincere desire to know if this really is true.. not for educational purposes. He keeps his commitments.. he reads the Book Of Mormon and prays with that real intent. It's been awesome to see how far he has come and how much his faith and humility is affecting my testimony.

We also met with a woman named Pat that the other sister's  had met. She has a lot of health issues and has a hard time walking, but has such an optimistic attitude and always turns to God. She is very interested in what we have to teach and loves visiting with us! She wanted to come to church and bring her grand son as well, but they were not able to make it. Her grandson, Patrick is also very open to hearing what we share as missionaries! She really wants that foundation for him and wants him to have those standards that will keep him safe and close to the Lord!!

We have been meeting with Shirley for a couple weeks now.. she was a referral from Sister Belisle and she is always open to us coming over. Usually we only taught at the doorstep, but this week she let us in and we had the opportunity to teach the whole restoration. She asked a lot of good questions.. We focused a lot on the priesthood and the importance of having that proper authority to baptize. She was a little unsure of it , but we invited her to sincerely pray to know if Joseph Smith really was a prophet..  because she has a hard time with that.

On Saturday we had the opportunity to set up a booth at the Swap Meet they hold at Ventura College. Such an effective way to do missionary work!! We met sooo many wonderful people who were sincerely interested and we had a lesson as well!! 85% of the people only spoke Spanish, but we still made it work haha!

Welll, I have loved serving here in Ventura.. it has changed my life. I can't wait to see what Santa Barbara will bring!! Thank you for all the support and prayers.. I feel them every day. Keep finding ways to draw closer to our Savior.. He loves us and he's in the details of our lives. I love this gospel and I love you guysss!!!

Sister James