HOLA from Sacramento!

Kelly with President and Sister Huff

May 12th, 2008

So how goes it for everyone? I'm doing GREAT, especially after talking with everyone yesterday! But after talking to you all yesterday on the phone, I realized that I am either A) really bad at talking on the phone B) really bad at talking and telling stories in general C) the Spanish is really having a negative effect on my English or D) all of the above!

So really there isn't much else to report that I didn't yesterday. Last night after we got off the phone, Sister Anderson and I went to some of the other Spanish sister's (sister Bostrom and Bateman) member's home for dinner and we've been officially invited over there every Sunday if we need a dinner appointment. It was really fun and the member is another widow and every Sunday she has a bunch of people over. It was just buffet style with casseroles and salads and what not. Really tasty.

Yeah, Kim go ahead and laugh at my spelling. It really is awful but that's what happens when you have two languages messing with your brain 24/7. All I have to say is that I AM NEVER SPEAKING ENGLISH AGAIN after this. Learning Spanish is hard work, even with help from the Holy Ghost, and I am going to make sure that I always remember it!

It was really funny. I was thinking about this today and how funny it really is. When we get in and sit down to teach people the first lesson, S. Anderson will usually start talking because I have no idea whats going on and then she will look at me when its my turn to teach. If the investigator starts talking back I just nod my head and act like I know whats going on and then look at my companion to answer. It's great! But one thing I forgot to tell you was about that family we taught the other day, Domingo, Sara y Dulce. When we were teaching the lesson, Domingo and his friends were a little bit... I don't know the word but they kept coming back at everything Sister A said, in a friendly having a good time about it way (don't worry mom! lol) about drinking and what not so I hadn't really spoken for a long time. Well after a while I felt prompted to get us back onto subject with the restoration so I nudged Sister A and then she got everyone to quiet down and then I was able to speak.

They had been talking a lot about the God head (she is very religious and believes in the Virgin Mary) and the different churches and which one was true and so on and I remembered the scripture in Ephesians 4 that Joseph Smith read about "One God, one faith, one baptism" so I opened up to it and read it. And like I do with everyone, I apologized for my Spanish and told them I didn't speak perfect Spanish or understand everything but I did know this. And then I started to talk about the restoration and Joseph Smith. We committed them all to read 3 Nephi 11 but we haven't had a chance to go back and visit them and we probably won't tonight either because I guess we are having a Blitz, which is where all the missionaries in a Zone team up and work in a pair of missionaries area. Should be entertaining! Hopefully we will get to see them tomorrow.

So my first day of church came and went. I don't remember if I talked too much about that but I didn't understand much! Oh well, it'll come... I'm not worried. I just need to get cracking on my studies. Speaking of Studies, can you all send me ideas of how you study. I'm still trying to figure out a study routine that REALLY works for me! It's so hard to find a balance of everything and a way of studying that helps me remember everything that I learned. That's probably the hardest part for me!

Last night we taught another lady, Yarida, who we tracted into on Thursday and taught her the First Lesson. She seemed really interested in it all but at the same time Sister A really had to explain things to her because she wasn't very well educated and she was having a hard time understanding our beliefs because she was going to a catholic church in Mexico before coming to the US. We shall see what happens.

I NEVER realized just HOW important the members are in missionary work until going through the MTC, listening to Elder Bednar's talk AND finally getting out into the Mission field. The members are KEY. Our "Standard" is to teach 10 Lessons with a Member present every week. This helps because we have a member's testimony AND also a built in support system at church so the investigators get to know the members. Continue to keep your eyes open for missionary opportunities and to pray sincerely for those opportunities and for the ability to recognize when those opportunities come around! Your help with the Missionary work is more important than you will ever know and the promised blessings that come from doing missionary work are amazing. All I have to do is hear about everything going on at home with my family to know that there truly are GREAT blessings that come from this work!

Since I spoke with you all yesterday, again, I'm only going to email home this week! I'll be sure to write you all next week and save some good stuff for a hand written letter! I love you all and I am so grateful to be a part of our family. You are all truly amazing and wonderful! Thanks for everything you do for me and all your love and support!

Love Always,
Your Hermana Bradfield