Onward to Corona!

Okay.

I honestly don't have very much "missionary work" to write about because it was the last week of the transfer so we had a lot of meetings and activities.

Let's go through the week shall we?

Tuesday: I can't remember.... haha maybe this wasn't a good idea.

Wednesday: We had a Trainer/Trainee meeting so we got to see Sister Packkkkkkkkkkk!!!! It was so much fun :) She is doing great things in Hemet. She was so excited to see us. We were giddy, chatty missionaries the WHOLE time. 

"Reunited at last!"

She said some REALLY funny things. She was asking us about Sister Buckwalter (our homeshare) and Muffy (her tiny dog, who is her child) and we were telling her how she is dog sitting so there are two dogs in the house.

Sister Pack turns to us and says "there were two dogs when I was there" 

Sister Anderson and I were confused because the new dog just got here this week and once she realized we weren't catching on she goes "Yeah muffy and me"...hahaha she HILARIOUS!

Miss her to pieces.

More old friends reunited:
Sister Todd (Nat's mtc companion), Sis Anderson, Sister Pack, Nat and Sister Gambling

Thursday: We had our last weekly planning session together....it was a short one. I honestly can't remember anything special about thursday either...

Friday: My FAVORITE day of the week. We were able to go to the temple!!!!!!!! :) :) :) 

"Wesley's friend from BYU, Elder Schoonmaker, just arrived from the MTC a few weeks ago and is serving in my ward. He's one of the mandarin speaking Elders. We were twinsies for the temple trip."

I love the temple so, so, SO much! 

My favorite place in the whole world let me tell ya. It was exactly what I needed (isn't it always?)  

I love the new improvements! It made it so personal for me and so much more realistic. Our life here on earth is such a blessing. We need to show our gratitude through fulfilling our purpose. Not just magnifying our callings or even fulfilling our purpose as missionaries, but as children of God.

We arrived at the temple an hour and a half early (us missionaries really like to be prepared or something) so we were able to do initiatories before the session. I have really been thinking about the covenants that I have made with my Heavenly Father and if I am striving to keep up my end of the "deal" every day. 

For example, we covenant at baptism to keep God's commandments and to remember Him always and if we do that, along with other things, He will pour His spirit upon us and give us the gift of the Holy Ghost. 

Sometimes I forget that I covenanted that I would do that ALWAYS, not just when it's convenient. 

Just because I have received the gift of the Holy Ghost does not me that I have Him with me always. It's dependent on if I am doing what I promised I would. 

The temple always puts that into perspective for me. I need to do all that has been asked of me so that I am prepared for whatever Heavenly Father has in store for me today, tomorrow, next year or after this life.

Saturday: Transfers. I hate transfer Saturdays. We can get a call from President at anytime during the day. President will call for leadership positions like training or Distict Leader or Sister Training Leader, but if you are just simply being transferred, you find out Saturday night from your Zone Leaders.

That morning we had ZTM (zone training meeting) which was AWESOME!! 

For our training our ZL's blindfolded all of us and lead us into the chapel. We were supposed to put ourselves in the shoes of our investigators and remember what it was like when we felt the spirit for the first time. 

Once we entered the chapel there were hymns playing and then once everyone was seated we listened to a segment from one of the church vidoes of Christ when he suffered the atonement. 

The spirit was so strong and confirmed to me again why I am here. It truly is to invite people to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end. 

After that we went out to lunch with the 2nd ward sisters which is when THEY got their call from President! They are both staying in Eastvale and Sister Todd is training another new missionary! She will serve 1/3 of her mission here which is crazy.

We hurried and checked our phone, but we had nothing!

After dinner, nothing!

President normally calls by zone so we were just waiting for the ZL's to call...

FINALLY, at 9:30 PM President calls!

I answered and he said "well, I'm calling because it's transfer weekend" (he always says that which we all think is funny because it's not like we don't know that) 

Then he told me that I am getting transferred to Corona!! 

It's only about 20 minutes away, but I hear great things about it and I'll be in a car. :)

I will be companions with Sister Jin! :) She is a Korean sister that came out a little before Sister Anderson. I already know her because we served in the same stake for a transfer. She is a hoot! I am SO excited.  I should have some funny stories next week.

President then told me that he is really proud of the work I've done in Eastvale and that the Lord needs me to carry that to Corona.... 

That might be the nicest thing I have ever heard. I love President.

I am so grateful to be here!! I have to go so I can send lots of pictures!!

Peace and blessings,

Sister Nelson

PS. I love and miss you all like crazy!

(email received September 9, 2013)

Nat and Elder Schoonmaker
The english speaking sisters and mandarin speaking elders teach an 
english class together for Chinese people every week

"This is Brynt, a blind boy in the ward. He told me that I am his all time favorite missionary. 

He had to walk out of sacrament meeting when they announced that I was leaving 

because he was crying. :( I love him so much!"