These people are why I'm here

So this week was rough. 

Emotionally rough. 

There have been lots of tears and let me tell you why...

This is sort of backwards, but we had transfer calls on Saturday and I've decided...I DO NOT LIKE TRANSFERS CALLS! This is the first time I've had to do them (because we had that transfer party last time) and it was awful! 

We were just waiting all day for the phone to ring, checking it every two minutes. 

Seriously, I felt like I was 16 again waiting for a boy to text me. It was ridiculous.

But, finally at 3:30 PM President Smart called. Panicky Packie had the phone and tossed it to me to answer. 

I did and President said "How are you liking Eastvale?" 

I told him that "I love it VERY much" which he replied "good, because I want you to stay there and train a new missionary. Are you willing to be a trainer this transfer?" 

"Yes, I am!" :)

Then he told me information about a training I have to go to and that Sister Anderson gets to stay with me! (Thank goodness because I couldn't do this alone.) 

Then he asked to speak to Sister Pack...she was freaking out! Sister Anderson and I had our ears right up against the phone trying to hear where President was transferring her... 

She is going to Hemet which is really awesome because Hemet is the GHETTO! Just a few days ago our zone leaders were telling us about all the crazy things that have happened to Elders there and for us not to worry because they would never have sisters in Hemet again (they took out sisters a while ago because it was too dangerous).

Guess again Elders...Sister Pack is going to be training a new missionary in the Hemet Eco Hills ward. She will cover half of that ward and half of the YSA ward (which is fun because there hasn't been sisters serve in a YSA ward in our mission before. She got a nice long talk about flirting. So funny.) 

Needless to say, it was quite an emotional weekend. We have accepted it now, but transfers aren't my favorite part of the mission. Sister Pack will ride with us to the trainer/trainee meeting tomorrow then she will leave there with her new companion in a different car. :(

"All of my girls from two zones the day before transfers"

That covers 50% of the tears this week. But, I had an OYM this week that changed my life...

We were on our way to an appointment and arrived a little early so we rode our bikes around trying to get some OYM's. It was my turn when we saw a big family outside on their front porch. These sort of OYM's are not my favorite because it's extremely awkward trying to talk to so many people at once. 

There were 12 kids, 18 and younger and 4 adults. It was one big Hispanic family, but it was a little odd because they weren't very loud, just quietly talking to each other.

I asked them if they wanted a blessing and everyone just stared at me until one of the older girls said "let me go get Anna." (The adults didn't say anything so I assumed they spoke Spanish.) 

Anna came out and so I offered the blessing again and she said "yes." 

So, we got off our bikes and walked to the front porch. Sister Pack was the one who was going to leave the blessing so she started with the little ones asking their names and what they wanted/needed at this time. 

Most of them said "help with school" or that they are really happy with their life and can't think of anything they need except for the blessings to keep coming. Super sweet, nice kids...I loved them immediately. 

Probably after we had gone through 7 kids we got to a boy named Wesley :) 

Natalie and her brother, Wesley, June 2012

He is a cute little Mexican boy who is only 10 years old. He looked at Sister Pack with the sweetest face and said "I want my dad to go to heaven." 

The whole dynamic changed. It got really quiet and the spirit was moving in. A few girls started to get a little teary eyed, but it wasn't something we were going to ask more about. 

So, Sister Pack continued until she had written everyone's name down and what they needed from Heavenly Father. 
  

(Right before we leave the blessing, we always talk about the spirit and how it will be present and to pay attention to the feelings in your heart and the thoughts in your mind.) 

Then Sister Pack started to pray. This blessing was longer than most so we could hear the kids getting a little impatient as it went on. The front door was opening and closing, but when I peeked (I know, I know) people were coming out of the house to pray, not leaving and going back in.

Finally, Sister Pack got to Wesley's blessing...she asked that Heavenly Father watch over his dad and that He give his family the comfort they need.  She also prayed that they will know that he is happy and that they will be with him again. 

Now, when we pray for things like this I almost always peek (I know, I know) because it helps me to understand what the family really needs. 

Wesley was crying first. Not too hard, just tears rolling down his cheeks (which of course, made me start crying) but then I noticed that there were two others (Wesley's brother who is 14 and his sister who is 16) also had tears flowing. As the blessing went on the tears started to get worse to the point where you didn't have to peek to know if anyone was crying because you could hear them.

Sister Pack closed the prayer and didn't say anything for a while. EVERYONE was crying. I was still wiping away tears so that I could get myself together before I bore testimony. 

Sister Pack then asked "what were the feelings in your heart as I was leaving the blessing?" 

No one said anything for a minute, then Alex (20, who was crying to the point where he was holding his breath) said "we actually lost someone very important to us today and it came out of nowhere. We're sorry we didn't say anything before, but we didn't want to throw that on you."  

Everyone started to cry. I mean REALLY cry. 

Jeffery, Wesley's brother, walked to the side with Alex and cried into his chest yelling "why did this have to happen? Why couldn't anyone save him?? Why was it my dad?" 

I have never witnessed anything like it. I stood there sobbing and bearing testimony about the plan of salvation and how Heavenly Father sent us here to show them that He loves them and is mindful of them. 

All of the adults and older kids stepped back a little trying to get their tears under control, but Wesley stood right in front of us looking at us and crying with a face just yearning for answers. My heart still breaks and I start to cry every time I think about it.

We stood there and testified, gave them a pass a long card with our phone number, hugged them and then left. 

None of us wanted to leave, but there was nothing more we could do. 

As we walked our bikes down the street still crying, we could hear Jeffery crying "Papi! Papi! Why?! Papi please!".

We turned the corner in silence, then I said "can we pray or something?" 

We huddled together and I offered a prayer. I can honestly say that I have never cried so hard and said a more sincere prayer in my whole life.

These people are why I'm here. I don't know what I can do to help them except pray for them right now, but I know that they are prepared for us. I know that this gospel is true happiness. It gives us purpose and answers.

Please pray for the people that I contact every day. We are all children of God.

I love you all so much,

Sister Nelson

(email received July 29, 2013)