2/25/13

Bienvenidos a North Hollywood!

"When obedience ceases to be an irritant and becomes our quest, in that moment God will endow us with power." Think bout it.

 

Well I got called to open an area here in North Hollywood 4th, training Hna Sanders from Utah, on NOT my big black stallion, but this purple elder's bike. haha well I'm out in the world again and have no idea where I am. It's great. Real great. All you have to do is rely on God and do your best and see what comes from it. Guess WHAT?!?!?!?!?! I get to live with HNA HIGELY!!!!! YAY!!!! Back together again...kinda. She is training too! Her companion is Hna Allred. Both her and Hna Sanders are waiting for their visas to be ready so they can go to Peru. They will probably leave in a month if everything works out how it should. We'll see!

 

The first 2 days we didn't have bikes, but we did walk to the furthest point of our area (I would) and it took about an hour. North Hollywood is kind of like my first area in Canoga Park. The church isn't in our area and we have to leave for church at 6:45 am to be at a meeting at 9am. Hna Zepeda is in my ward and she gives us rides! So I basically have the best of both worlds with hna higely y zepeda again. :-)

 

It was really hard leaving my old area. There are people there that I love so much and will deeply miss but I know that I have been called to this new big responsibility. I'll send some pictures. At transfer meetering, President told us he only picks the best of the best missionaries to be trainers. My first transfer when I first got here, I never thought I'd make it to where I am now. (I mean sure I knew I wasn't going to die, but it's humbling to see where I was when I first started, and who God has made me throughout this last year.) I grateful to serve. President said that all month they had been planning and arranging to have 11 missionaries come in, 2 sisters and the rest elders. On Wed, the mtc called to say they had 89 visa waiters and needed to get reassigned to go somewhere to wait visas. 29 missionaries came into the field that weren't scheduled. Seriously, they were all freaking out trying to get everything done. President said that at the end end of deciding who goes with who and where, he felt an assurance and peace and knew it was exactly what God wanted. Then he made the calls for training on last monday. They opened 13 new areas all on bici. It's crazy!!!! But it's all happeneing!!

What an exciting time to be a representative of Jesucristo! 

 

We were going to go out knocking doors and we both had the confirmation with the same person that came to head, "Let's go see a potentila Maria." I though great all the way over on the other side of our area and it's getting dark, I HOPE I DON't GET LOST! Was what I was thinking actually. Anyway we both knew we had to go there and we went. After about 30 mins of rejection, I told hna Sanders that God knows we are trying and we are showing our faith by working. Before we had left the apt I had prayed that we would find 1 woman that was prepared to receive the gospel that night. I told her we have to have the faith that it was going. The next door opened and the 30 yrs woman kindly let us in. She began to say that she didn't know what it was, but that she began to feel this peace. We sang and taught the Restoration. We committed her to be baptized. When I was thinking about the date, the one date that I had in my mind...was NOT what came out when I said it. I said april 7. She said yes and how that was a very special day for her because that was when her 7 year old son would turn 8. She was so happy and said that there was a feeling in her heart that she didn't know how to describe but that it didn't fit. I was so grateful to have that experience. I wanted to bawl the whole time knowing that God answers specific prayers with specific answers. She ended with a prayer and cried the whole time. Her name is maribel, and she was an answer to our prayer. She isn't married though...so we need to work on that challenge.

 

Other time, we had contacted someone and wanted to end with a prayer at her door. I really was doing all I could to get in, and we weren't. Then, when we asked to say a prayer to leave, she invited us in. After the prayer, she just looked at me with this look that I will never forget. she sighed and said "wow" and rubbed my arm in amazement. The spirit had born to her that what we have is true. We were knocking to help the elders find people so she wasn't in our area, but it was powerful. I love that hna sanders is able to have these experiences. It's amazing for her and for me. She started crying becasue she said that she didn't think God would answer our prayers so fast. 

 

Well I pray you all have a wonderful week! Stay strong and smile. We have it so good. Let's not frown. That's lame.

 

I love you!

Hna Arguello 

 

 

ps this computer can't send pics or something. :-( next time :-(

the email from pres

 

Dear Sisters and Elders of the Great California San Fernando Mission,

What an amazing time to be involved in missionary work!

This past week we welcomed 28 new missionaries to the Great California San Fernando Mission and I will pick up Elder Morales, number 29, today from the airport! Of the 29, we would like to welcome 13 missionaries that are waiting for VISAs to go to Mexico, Peru and Brazil. This last week we opened thirteen new areas, bought 15 new beds, and have reached the limit of what we can house without opening new apartments! We are at a total of 205 missionaries on our way to 250! To all of you, we extend a warm welcome to the greatest mission of the Church!

This great and marvelous missionary work is rolling forward! This weekend, The Church announced that some of the 347 existing missions will be divided to form an additional 58 missions. The new missions will function in the same areas covered by existing missions. No new countries or territories are opening to missionary work. These creations will bring the total number of Church missions to 405. Amazing!

Thank you all for your continued focus on Finding with faith. I have been truly humbled by the faith exercised by the missionaries in this great mission as we Love to Find. The Lord has been especially kind in opening the windows of heaven and working miracles as we seek to find Cornelius. Keep focusing on the Standard of Excellence of 4 New Investigators and 5 Investigators Attending Sacrament Meeting. I know that the Lord will continue to support us in this effort.

I am also greatly looking forward to visiting with each of you in the upcoming interviews. For those of you who were in the mission when Elder Clarke was here, please come prepared to discuss your goals that you set and wrote down on the 3x5 cards. I am very excited to see the progress that you have made over the last three months!

Elder Clarke also sends his warm regards and encouragement to everyone in the mission. Sister Hall and I had the opportunity to visit with him this weekend as he was assigned to preside over the Granada Hills stake conference. He looks forward to hear of our continued success.

We love you and pray for you each and every day,

President and Sister Hall