June 9th

Family!

Thank you or your emails, It is so great to hear from you all and to hear how life is going back home!  

I want you to know that I truly am loving it out here!  I have learned that it is not so much the place as it is the people, and the people are incredible!  I would love to tell you about all of them but for now I will tell you about some that I have gotten to know recently.  

The first person is Mona, Mona just became an investigator last week!!!  We were walking down by the laundry mat in an apt. complex after being dropped by our investigator when a sweet lady called out to us!  She asked if we were looking for something we said no but offered to help her with her laundry, she said no but be proceeded to share with her our message.  She agreed to meet us again and the following day we met with her in her home.  One thing we have started to do is sing in all our lesson! Nothing can invite the spirit more than a song, after we sang for her she thank us.  We began to teach her about Jesus Christ and how we can come to know him, she stopped us and said that is what I need in my life more faith.  Smiling we turned to her and said Mona you have so much faith already but we are going to show you how you can strengthen that faith.  She is a super sweet lady and has gone through a lot of trials in her life. 

One of the hard parts about the mission is seeing the things that people face in their lives, it truly baffles me how much suffering and pain is in the world. Yesterday we had an experience that I will never forget.  We were contacting people at the park and after speaking to a handful of people we headed back to our car for a dinner apt.  As we were walking we saw a man sitting alone under a patio as me and sister Dredge approached him I immediately saw his red eyes and the tears spilling down his cheeks.  Mind you this was a grown man.  Sister Dredge ask him if he was ok in which he replied that it was just allergies.  We began by expressing to him that our father in heaven loved him very much and was aware of the things that he was going through, at that more tear began to fall down his cheeks and my heart just broke for this man who was facing some really dark times in his life.  He expressed that he knew that god loved him and that Jesus Christ had died for him. We then sang for him I am a child of god and told him that God had a plan for him.  We read a little out of the book of Mormon and encouraged him to read the pamphlet on the Plan of Salvation.  We then prayed with him and got up to leave, as we did so I look into his red eyes and said I know god has placed us in your path today.  As we walked away my heart was filled with sadness for the things that people have to face each day in this evil world, but I also knew in my heart that god is mindful of everyone.  He will always be with us, though at times we feel as though there is no light we need to remember that the light will come.

The mission I am learning is a mix of feelings: joy, sorrow, excitement, and sadness. One thing that is constant though God's love!

This picture is of Omar and Catalina Mendoza, they are recent converts to the church and by far the sweetest people I know!   It was Omar's birthday so we celebrated with Chocolate cake and ice cream, we also celebrated him being two weeks smoke free!  unfortunately we found out yesterday in our nightly reading appt. That he started again.  It was hard to here, but we just pointed out to him the difference in his life when he didn't smoke versus when he did.  He did notice the difference and felt really bad, I cant imagine how hard it must be to quit an addiction, we see it a lot out here, but we also see people succeed and they do it through the lord.  

I seen some really cool things out here just in 2 week!  I am excited for the next 18 months!

The sunsets are beautiful out here!!!  I think I am starting to like the desert a little bit more:)  It is still super hot, but I am trucking through it.  Water is the key!  All is good though I am enjoying every moment!!

Thank you all for your love and prayers!

Till next time!

Love,

Sister Rhodes