Anna's Arizona Adventures: It was a little hectic, there was a lot going on!

Hi!!

Training is going good. And we do get along really well. The work is going good :) we are really emphasizing building member trust (which can be hard at times) and we are going to start working with the youth to get them excited about missionary work. We are just both so new to the area that a lot of change is happening and it’s cool. I feel like I will be here at least another transfer and train sis Hendrick in the area and then I will go :) but really I will go wherever the lord needs me and I feel the same. I know that I wouldn’t be happier any other place. Even Hawaii ;) but It will be good since we are both very new to the area we have a goal of meeting one member family a day. Last night we saw a miracle. we were tracting a street in our Creekside ward and we knocked on this members door who we had sat by in relief society and so we were talking and getting to know her and she asked where we were from and she freaked out and asked if I knew the Cunningham’s (I went to school with them) so I said yes and she showed me pictures and I totally knew them!! It was really cool to make that connection! Then I felt prompted to share my favorite scripture with her which right now is 3 Nephi 11:14 and after I bore testimony, she just smiled and said, thank you... thank you, I really needed that. So we definitely built a friendship with her. :) It was just really cool :)

And I will give you the down low on all the investigators in like 5 seconds.

But I really do feel like a mission has changed/upgraded me. I really have seen how the atonement can apply to ever little situation. I wouldn’t have learned as much as I have if I hadn’t come on a mission. I am grateful every day that I have the opportunity to serve the lord and to bring souls to him. Even though the work is slow sometimes and even though it can be hard, it is so worth it. The blessings that are rained down upon you guys and upon other missionaries and members, is so incredible. It really is a special privilege to witness someone changing their life to come closer to Christ.

It’s been a little rough with having to drop some investigators and having no one to teach besides less actives. Bobby still isn’t baptized even though he should have the weekend after we met him (he is that prepared...). Satan’s trying to put thoughts in my mind about me breaking the area and not being good enough to train... and sometimes it’s hard. I never have a thought about coming home but I am not going to lie about it being hard because we all have personal challenges and concerns and I KNOW that with the strength of the lord, I can do hard things. I know that he is the one who helps me bike out in the 117 degree heat. I know that without Christ and the enabling power of the atonement, nothing would ever get done in our area. I know that his work will go forth until it has been spread across the whole earth. I know it. I know this church is true and there is no way that I could deny that. I love The Book of Mormon. I am learning more and more each day and I don’t know if I shared this scripture with you last time or not, but Mormon 8:22 describes this perfectly.

Okay so here is the down low on exchanges this past week....... Me and sister Stastny were supposed to go on exchanges cause she is my STL (Sister training leader) and her two other comps would have stayed in their area (my greenie area with Jennifer and Clint) and my comp would go with them. but one of her comps got super sick and nervous and stressed about leading out the area so I got to take one of her newbie companions with me to my area. Mind you while we are exchanging, a storm is blowing in and we are exchanging in the dark, in a haboob. So that was awesome. Then we were driving home (Sister Farrer and me) and it starts POURING rain. Just buckets. So I am having a hard time seeing and we are wondering if we should pull over but everyone around us kept going so we were driving really slowly. And then we went through a light, and there was a median on our left, and a full on tree was in the road blocking it and so I have to break really fast and stop. Cars start coming towards me and I freak out. But they somehow figure out a way around the tree and then a guy came up to my window and asked if we were okay, I told him that I just freaked and he let us go in front of him. So that was a miracle and eventually we made it home okay and the car wasn’t damaged. There was really sweet lightning so that’s always good but it was a little hectic. There was a lot going on.

NOW I can give you the down low on all our current investigators.
Morales family: Rafael, Martha, Yahir, and Aziz. Mexican family. They feed us every Friday and they have been talking with the missionaries for a while. Not really showing any progression besides Martha... so that stinks.

Bobby Hansen: wanted to be baptized from the get go. Still not baptized. They are newlyweds and are sometimes really gross in a kind of cute newlywed kind of way...: P but very nice guy. Super solid. Pray for his father in law to be able to come down and baptize him soon!!!!

Louise: our iffy investigator. She isn’t interested in joining just info. Really sweet Lutheran lady though! Always welcomes us in and gives us water. She was praying about The Book of Mormon but not reading it...?!?!?! Like what???

So we emphasized that with her. Hopefully we will get some progression from her.

Michael is a 9 year old foster kid. He calls us dr pepper and sprite because I like dr pepper and she likes sprite... I guess Sister is just not cool enough for him but he is full of sass. His foster parents are less active but are coming back! Yay! Sweetest family :)

Christian is another 9 year old that comes from a really poor family. The mom is very inactive because her husband (a Jehovah witness) doesn’t want her coming to church :( but we are teaching him in private. He hides his Book of Mormon under the couch. It’s really cute :) he also wants to be baptized but would need his dad’s permission.

Brittany and Asia are roommates and we recently dropped Brittany because she would never let us in and our return apts. never went through. But Asia seems nice enough I hope we can get in with her :)

Bryan is a father of 5 who is married to an inactive woman. She loves the principles of the gospel but I guess she doesn’t feel comfortable at church. We recently saw a miracle with him and sis Hendrick got him interested and curious about The Book of Mormon! We are starting to teach him :) he is really cool!

And that’s all folks! Wow... sorry that it is such a long email... I also have pictures to send! But I love you and am sending all my love your way!!!! Tell everyone I say hi!!!! I love you and miss you mommy!!!

-- With Love,

-Sister Anna Haymond