hola.

So this week has been pretty intense for alot reasons:

1. We spent the first week going to investigators that they had been working with the past few transfers. one just got baptize (see point below) and the rest weren't really progressing, and hadn't been progressing for a long time. last week we ended up essentially dropping all of the investigators that they had been teaching except for Juan, which was really scary, because that meant that after Sunday (yesterday) we wouldn't have anyone to teach. Well, it turns out dropping them was really good because we ended up focusing our time on other things and focusing in other places/ people. We picked up 3 new investigators that are all really promising, and have several more potentials we have to meet with this week. We're really focusing on finding more this week.

2. Turns out planning a baptism includes thinking of alot of little details you'd never think you'd have to worry about, like finding towels for them to dry off after, (small minor detail we didn't think of until 15 minutes before), getting himnarios because no one knows the hymns in english, getting back up speakers in case rides fall through, getting food/ having RS set up food, getting programs printed. getting baptismal clothes, font filled, chairs set up, etc. before. PMG suggests how the program should be run but does not mention the little logisitics you never think of. Anyways, the program was really good. He was so happy and the Spirit was there, no doubt. I'm happy the program is done though and ready to do another one hopefully by the end of the transfer. It's a busy I wouldn't mind having to deal with more.

3. We got a call from the APs last night around 10:15 to let us know that another hermana is coming in TODAY and needs somewhere to go. So we'll be training her. Yes, this is not normal- transfers were 2 weeks ago. the flood is coming in and they don't want missionaries in the MTC if they don't need to have them. the mission is going crazy right now. supposedly next transfer there's supposed to be 8 or 9  new hermanas coming in, which means that essentially every spanish hermana will have to train and/or open new areas. BRING IT ON!

4. The stake I was serving in did mini missions on Saturday, so we had a YW come out with us to see what missionary work is all about. She was really fun. Didn't speak much Spanish, but she did really well. Because we had her with us we were able to meet with a man named Juan (different than the other one). I think I mentioned  him in my last e-mail, but he has a very strong desire to change. He's been addicted to drugs and alchohol for a long time and feels really depressed and is looking for a way out. He's really similar to the recent convert we had. Our lesson was really powerful and simple. It's amazing to think how much power the Gospel has to change us.

5. I've been trying to focus on listening more intently and sincerely this week, especially to investigators and less actives while we teach them. It's so easy to listen on surface level, but it's been interesting to note the difference I feel and the Spirit that I've noticed more when I do that.

It's interesting how many aspects of missionary work there is. You deal with problems you never thought you'd have, you're excited over things you never thought you'd get excited about, you're pushed more than you ever thought you'd be pushed.

And at the end of the day, you feel so happy to be a missionary and you loooove missionary work, and then you feel frustrated and exausted emotionally and anxious about the work and you don't like it so much...and then you go back to loving it. I've never gone through so many ups and downs in one day ever. But at the same time it's the best thing I've ever done. I can't believe I'm almost half way, it freaks me out to think about how little time I have. Never thought it'd go this fast.

Love you and miss you all,

Love Laree/ Hna. LaPierre

me olvide las fotografias. aqui estan.

also- I forgot to mention that we had zone conference this week which was so good. Exactly what I needed to hear. Exactly.

President and Sister Becerra saw your announcement in the church news and they were really excited. He announced it in the zone conference, which was kind of funny. and mildly uncomfortable. but I'm excited too so it's ok.

 

and here are some pictures from the baptism yesterday and from our mini mission (I think I look more like the one that's the young woman sadly, especially since they're both alot taller :)

:)

Hola familia,

 

This week has been good. After 5.5 months in Tujunga, I felt really weird serving somewhere else, but it's a good change. We have an investigator, Juan, that they'd been working with before I got here who is getting baptized next Sunday, so we've been working alot with him. He's amazing- so prepared, so excited and so ready. It's amazing to watch his conversion and commitment to baptism and to the Gospel of Jesus Christ on a whole. We had a really interesting opportunity on Saturday to talk to a man, also named Juan. As we were talking the other Juan came up. We started talking about the changes he's seen in his life through the Gospel and this man's face lit up! He started talking to us about how he's had similar problems, with drinking, drugs, girls, etc. and feels really alone and depressed. He expressed how he wants a change as well. We exchanged contact information and planned to come back yesterday. We missed him when we went back, so he texted us last night to ask when we were coming back. What has impressed me the most is watching how he went from totally turned off when we first started talking to him to seeking after what we have, what the other Juan has found. I realized how much this is really the miracle of the Gospel. This is what we offer people. If only every contact was like that! We're doing everything we can to improve how we contact people so that that happens more. I know that if we can do that at the beginning, teaching becomes so much easier, because they are hungering after the Gospel, and a ready for the Gospel.

 

We have made alot of goals for things we want to see accomplished this week- especially contacting people and working on how we approach referrals, members, people on the street, etc. I'm excited to work hard and to see the benefits. I'm starting to realized the importance of really pushing myself to do more than just what's easy, or comes naturally, and I really want to push myself harder than I have before. I've been realizing for real just how lazy I am and I hate it. So I'm working on that.

 

So yesterday, the bishop invited me to go up and introduce myself and bear my testimony in sacrament meeting, since it was my first Sunday. It was weird because he announced it before the sacrament, so I kind of sat there for a little bit until he stopped talking, and the woman behind me told me to go up, so I did. As I was walking back down, I realized we hadn't done the sarament yet, and that, yup, pretty sure I was supposed to do it after!! (super awkward moment right there) What made it even worse was that President Becerra was there giving a talk and as I was walking to the pulpit I could hear someone say something but I didn't hear what they said since I was nervous. I'm sure it was someone telling me not to do it yet. bahaha It's funny now, but I was horrified after!

 

I saw the announcement and I'm sooooooooo excited!! Love you all!

 

miss and love you,

 

-Hna. LaPierre

:)

Mi querida familia,

 

Congratulations mom and dad!! I'm so excited for you! That'll be so fun!   :)

 

We didn't get to e-mail yesterday because of the holiday- the library was closed, and also because...I got transferred. It was a sad Sunday saying goodbye to everyone. I was suuuuper disappointed at first, but it's good. I'm now serving in Rimgrove, which is on the east side of the mission. The work here is pretty slow, so I'm excited to change that. It seems pretty similar to how Tujunga was the first couple transfers I was there. I feel a little out of my element being in a different area, but that'll change soon I'm sure. So far, it seems that much more people speak Spanish here, which is great! (But makes me realize yet again how much work I have to do to improve my Spanish...that always seems to happen right when I think I'm getting it down.) They eat alot more Mexican food here too/ aka there's alot more Mexicans here.

Yesterday was kind of crazy because we were both leaving the area, so we had to clean and pack everything. It was insane. I have to get rid of a lot of stuff. I didn't realize how much I had until I had to pack it all. ugh. not fun. anyways, after a long series of unfortunate events, I finally found my way to Rimgrove. The saddest part of the day was getting a call from one of the members in the ward whose friend (Sonia) we just picked up as a new investigator this week. We had stopped by on Sunday to let her know that we'd be leaving and that there'd be elders coming by and she and her kids were really sad. I was too. We connected with them really quickly and were so excited to teach them. Anyways, we got a call yesterday from her friend, who is a member of the ward and she told us that Sonia didn't want to recieve any other missionaries. NOoooo!!! Ah! I was so sad. We told the elders to stop by last night so hopefully they did and made a really good impression. They're a really special family and they were so excited to learn about God. Her kids were excited about it too!

This past week was a good end to the last transfer. We were able to pick up 2 new investigators and found some really great potentials. One of the best experiences of the week was getting to visit a referral for the second time (Sonia). The first time we went over we said a prayer with them before we left, and so the second time, we were talking to the mom, and her kids kept asking us when we were going to say the prayer. They were so excited to say it. We ended up saying 3 prayers before we left because they each wanted to try! Sonia (the mom), told us that when we came the first time, she felt a weight lift- it's amazing the difference she was able to recognize with us, even before we taught her a full lesson!

I feel so grateful to have been able to serve in Tujunga. I learned alot while I was there, and am excited to put those things into action here in Rimgrove. There's alot of promising potential here. We're really excited to start finding more investigators and can't wait to get things moving.

Can't imagine how excited you must all be right now!

 

Love and miss you.

-Hna. LaPierre

:)

Hola,

 

I got to see mom and dad in the church news yesterday! that was exciting! My mission president said he saw it too! Cute picture mom and dad!

 

This week has been really good. We were able to pick up 2 new really great investigators, a couple from Mexico,who are really sweet and have lots of energy (they'd be a really great addition the ward!). We're excited to start teaching them.

 

This week Hna. Connelly has been sick again, so we were in all day Thursday, and went to the doctors. She's doing good now. It was good for me though because I got to study and think alot about the work and what we can do to improve. I got alot of things done around the house as well. I've been studying and analyzing a case study that's helped me come up with some ideas to get members excited to share with their friends, besides us as missionaries telling them that they should.

 

Sorry, I don't have much more time on here, but just wanted you all to know I'm still alive and kickin'! I love missionary work still and the work is going well.

 

Love you!

 

-Hna. LaPierre

We were blessed with several referrals this week which have kept us very busy, and continue to do so. We've met some cool people, some that we hope to start teaching this week.

 

Actually, funny story- we went to contact a referral and he was really nice, but kind of not sounding super interested. (side note- I hope when I'm in heaven and I'm watching the replay of my life that I don't have to rewatch some door contacts I've had- that'd be super awkward.) Anyways, so we were talking to him, and as the awkward silence started in, I noticed he had some nutrition pamphlets/ vitamins/ protein shake stuff close to the door. Turns out he's a nutrionist. Well, I may not remember most if not anything from my nutrition classes, but it gave us a way to get in the door and it worked!! We ended up talking to he and his wife for about an hour, they have a super interesting story, aside from his nutition stories. He and his wife are from Mexico and moved here because they felt that God had called them to move here (and then we stopped by, no coincidence...just saying, I'll let you know when we baptize them). They became more religious and started changing their lives around. We had a good conversation about who we are and what we teach too. Moy/ Moises (that's his name) just asked us, "so what do you teach?" (probably one of the best questions someone could ask 2 missionaries, so long as they're ready for the flood gates to open), so I tried so hard not to throw out every lesson all at once. it was fun to meet with them for a while, they're a really fun couple.  

 

I was able to go on exchanges in Montebello, which was really good. I learned a ton this weekend. Acually, I made a list, so here you go:

 

1.  trying to use every possible way to find new investigators, trying a little of everything to "cast the nets" to find those ready and prepared.

2. I want to start using more object lessons or visuals to help people understand the principles of the gospel. I really feel that it'll help our investigators to progress.

3. not limiting myself in terms of how to do missionary work. being creative with it and having fun as we teach. I think I've tended in some ways to limit myself in terms of what I can do as a misisonary (in terms of work...not rules), which I think has kept me from finding and teaching like I could and reaching the potential I have.

4. being positive. nothing kills our work like negativity. for sure- this is very true.

5. being mindful of the talents and gifts heavenly father has given each of us. I can't try to be exactly like another missionary and expect the same results. Heavenly Father has given us specific talents and gifts. If I can apply the same principles that bring success to who I am, then He can use me maximally as His instrument.

6. I was able to get alot of ideas on language study ideas to help Hna. Connelly (and me), as well as some ideas on what we can do to find, teach, working with, and gaining the trust of, members, etc. which was really helpful- again with the not limiting myself thing.

 

There were a couple nonmembers and less actives this week at church that haven't been there forever or that we haven't seen for a long time, so we're looking forward to working with them! Especially this one woman, Berta. She's the aunt of one of the members in our ward. Her niece invited her and she said she loooooves it. Our Sunday school class was on the Restoration and Relief Society was on the Plan of Salvation, so it was perfect! It's awesome to watch so many members eager to share the gospel with those around them.

 

miss and love you all,

 

Hna. LaPierre

try #2

due to a rather unfortunate internet disconnection at the family history center yesterday, I wasn't ever able to send out the e-mail I had writted. aqui esta.

 

Mi querida familia, 

I've realized the past couple weeks that I already have less than a year left of my mission. I can't believe it! The time is going by so fast. 

We had a couple really great lessons with some investigators this week. We were able to have 3 investigators attend services during stake conference, which was great. They had a meeting right before the general session for recent converts, returning less actives, and investigators. We had 2 investigators there and when it first started, I was a little nervous to see how the meeting would go. It ended up being really really good. They had some temple missionaries teach for a little bit and I think it was right on with what the 2 of them (our investigators) needed to hear. I had felt that maybe we should focus on the temple with them, so I think it reinforced some of that. We also had an investigator come to the general session too, it was his first time ever coming to church, so it was kind of weird trying to explain to him why this meeting was different from how we had explained the normal services. The meeting was really great and despite the really distracting family sitting in the rowright in front of us, he told us he really liked it (...prayer works!).

This man is really interesting. He is open and receptive to us, and the principles we teach, but focuses alot on and has alot of questions about deeper doctrinal questions, that don't usually relate very well to what we're trying to teach. He's open to us turning the conversation back to our message, but it takes some time. He and his daughter really love talking religion and soak up everything we give them. We gave his daughter an Ensign that had a couple articles about Joseph Smith for her to read and he told us that she's been studying from that.  He has been progressing though and keeps every commitment, and reads alot from the Book of Mormon, both he and his daughter.

Something I've been realizing this week is the importance of both being bold and "aggressive", but also being gentle and loving as well. Sometimes I think I focus more on getting people to do something because I want them to do it, for stats, or whatever, in stead of focusing on the why we commit them to do it. So, I'm trying to remind myself why we actually commit people to do something and focus on how I can help them to accomplish them so that they can see and feel the blessings of the Gospel, and especially the Atonement, in their individual lives.  

Hope you're all doing well.

Miss and love you,

-Hna. LaPierre

try #2

due to a rather unfortunate internet disconnection at the family history center yesterday, I wasn't ever able to send out the e-mail I had writted. aqui esta.

Mi querida familia, 

I've realized the past couple weeks that I already have less than a year left of my mission. I can't believe it! The time is going by so fast. 

We had a couple really great lessons with some investigators this week. We were able to have 3 investigators attend services during stake conference, which was great. They had a meeting right before the general session for recent converts, returning less actives, and investigators. We had 2 investigators there and when it first started, I was a little nervous to see how the meeting would go. It ended up being really really good. They had some temple missionaries teach for a little bit and I think it was right on with what the 2 of them (our investigators) needed to hear. I had felt that maybe we should focus on the temple with them, so I think it reinforced some of that. We also had an investigator come to the general session too, it was his first time ever coming to church, so it was kind of weird trying to explain to him why this meeting was different from how we had explained the normal services. The meeting was really great and despite the really distracting family sitting in the rowright in front of us, he told us he really liked it (...prayer works!).

This man is really interesting. He is open and receptive to us, and the principles we teach, but focuses alot on and has alot of questions about deeper doctrinal questions, that don't usually relate very well to what we're trying to teach. He's open to us turning the conversation back to our message, but it takes some time. He and his daughter really love talking religion and soak up everything we give them. We gave his daughter an Ensign that had a couple articles about Joseph Smith for her to read and he told us that she's been studying from that.  He has been progressing though and keeps every commitment, and reads alot from the Book of Mormon, both he and his daughter.

Something I've been realizing this week is the importance of both being bold and "aggressive", but also being gentle and loving as well. Sometimes I think I focus more on getting people to do something because I want them to do it, for stats, or whatever, in stead of focusing on the why we commit them to do it. So, I'm trying to remind myself why we actually commit people to do something and focus on how I can help them to accomplish them so that they can see and feel the blessings of the Gospel, and especially the Atonement, in their individual lives.  

Hope you're all doing well.

Miss and love you,

-Hna. LaPierre

Lovin Southern California

Buenos Dias,

I'm back to loving Southern California, it's been 70s and 80s all week. Perfect weather. I love it, it doesn't feel like January at all. 

As far as the work goes, we've been focusing more on referrals, and contacting and following up on referrals than we have with going to former, etc. in order to find new investigators this week. It's made the work alot easier and more fun. We had been visiting and revisiting the same people for a long time, and it had made things drag alot. Having referrals is great because it's helped us to keep on moving, and keeps the work changing. If they aren't there after so many times, then we move on to other referrals, which helps the work flow more and us to be more efficient. 

We were able to pick up 4 new investigators this week and picked up a couple more the week earlier from referrals, and through other ways as well (talking to a neighbor of an investigator, etc.). We began teaching a former investigator, who called us up last Sunday and told us that he had been involved in some "bad things" and had been hanging around with the wrong group of people. He expressed to us his strong desire to change and recognized that he needs God in his life. We had a really nice lesson with him this week and we all felt the Spirit testify of the atoning power of Christ and His Gospel. Our other new investigators are also doing well. One woman, we just met and had a lesson with her, she only speaks English, so we'll teach her enough to pass her off to the English elders soon. We also met Roberto and his daughter Susan, who are religious as well, and open to learning. He has alot of questions, especially about the "Rapture" (as far as I understand, it's pretty much similar to our belief about the resurrection, hopefully I'm not agreeing to false doctrine though).As far as his questions, he's kind of intimidating. In our last lesson, he was talking about the rapture and all of these random Bible scriptures that talk about the Rapture, etc. and kept talking.We barely got a word in! He's really interesting to listen to though, but it wasn't really going anywhere as far as our message. Finally, we talked about the Book of Mormon, and how that's our purpose and message. There's alot of things that we can talk about and beliefs we can compare and discuss, but in all reality, it's not really our purpose there. We invite people to read the Book of Mormon, because that's where the answers are. If anyone wants to learn about our beliefs, the best place to go is the Book of Mormon. As soon as the conversation shifted to the simple truths, the spirit was strong in the room and they were listening really intently. It was amazing. They are both really sweet. 

There are so many interesting, random people we've talked to this week. While we were contacting referrals, we met this one man, who used to race cars and his apartment was FULL of pictures, and certificates, and awards and his old license plates. He reminded me of Doc Hudson on Cars. We also met this man from Australia who came over to the U.S. a while ago, he used to be a drunk, but through his wife's example, started going to church to change his life around (not interested in our church unfortunately, but it was still super interesting to listen and talk to). He's kind of a closet cat person, he was talking for almost half an hour about each one of his cats and how they got them. I never thought you could talk about any animal for that amount of time, but I've been lucky to meet several people on my mission who can. 

We have a less active that we're working with that keeps asking us about the Avenging Angel. I have no idea what that is, something about in the early church history, it was an angel that killed people that prosecuted the church.  He says he saw it on a video and swears that it's true. I have no idea what to tell him other than that it's probably not true and that alot of people like to skew our beliefs to confuse people. He's so interesting. He's another talker and I don't think he really likes to be taught, he likes being the teacher. So alot of our lesson ends up being him talking and then us trying to steer the lesson a certain way, it not working out so well, and then him continuing to talk, and eventually, somehow he kind of comes to some conclusion himself. Last week we learned that he loves the Book of Mormon and believes it's the word of God, but doesn't believe that Joseph Smith was a prophet, so that's given us something to try to work with with him. He and Roberto are teaching me to be more patient, I think because it is so hard for me to listen to people when I feel like it's going off topic and when they won't let me control the conversation. I just want them to get back on track and so I start to tune out on what they're saying. I get really frustrated really fast with that, so maybe it's good for me to be teaching them. 

Anyways hope you're doing well. I'm still alive and kickin', so things are good. 

Miss you and love you,

Hermana LaPierre

Hola familia,

the b2 bomber that flew by during the rose parade. It was soooooo cool. loved it. 

me and Hna. Duran after exchanges. she was my companion for the dayour

district last transfer

This week was good. I got to go to San Gabriel on Tuesday and it was AWESOME! I loved it so much. It's alot different than Tujunga- there's alot more space, less apartments and it's flat, but it was really fun. The work there is going really well. We taught almost every hour, which was really nice. I really loved being there, I learned alot that I want to apply to our area. 

We had a lesson at a member's home with an investigator that we've been working with for a while. We taught the plan of salvation. She was a little preoccupied with her daughter, so it made teaching her a little difficult, but it was still really good. She got to feel the Spirit in their home and see what a real family is like. It was really funny, when we began, I asked the 10 year old girl (who is a member) what the Plan of Salvation is, she said something like when all the cows died, and then started talking about grasshoppers. I don't know what was funnier- my expression, her parents', or our investigator's. I guess she got confused with the circle of life, and the 7 plagues in the story of Moses, which she's learning about in school. It was a good ice breaker and made everyone laugh, so it was good. 

I've been a little frustrated with one of our investigators this week because she agrees alot to what we say, she'll read a little of what we assign her to do, she sometimes keeps appointments, but I don't really see that she has really taken responsibility herself. We've been wanting to teach her the law of Chasity for a couple weeks now (she and her boyfriend live together) and each time we go to teach her, for some reason it falls through (can I just say how much I hate Satan?!) For the most part, it's all things legitimate, but it keeps her from us being able to teach it to her. She has also not been attending church. Every week she says she'll try to be there, but something gets in the way every time. She has a strong desire to continue learning and she says she feels herself coming closer to God, but at the same time, she's not really taking responsibility for herself. 

Besides her, we don't have many investigators yet, but we've set a really high goal for referrals this week and we want to focus on that and on contacting referrals this week. We also had a former investigator call us yesterday to set up an appointment this week, which was really really exciting. 

Transfer calls were on Saturday and we didn't get a call so I'll be here for at least another 5 weeks! (this transfer is one week shorter than normal). I'm excited, I just hope that I've learned what I needed to learn these past 3 transfers to get the work moving here. I make mistakes all. the. time. and it drives me crazy, but at the same time, I've learned and am learning alot. I really love missionary work. I've been focusing alot on praying more for things this week. Especially for praying for specific things, for me as a missionary, for our investigators, and as a companionship. It's been opening up alot of really good opportunities for us and for the work. 

I love you all. 

Love, 

 Me. 

hey!!

Hola familia, 

This week was good. The missionaries in our zone got to go to the Rose Parade this week, which was awesome!!! Apparently Elder Cook was across the street from us, but we didn't go over to talk to him,some of the elders did though. 

This week, we received a few referrals from members in the ward and made really good contact with one and are still trying to get in contact with the other 2. We've had some good contacts with former investigators, neighbors of less actives, and street contacts. In fact, several of the people we've talked to the past couple weeks have strong connections to the church already (they have extended family that are members, etc.). One thing that I've been trying to learn is how to get our pool of potential investigators to become investigators, and when to stop chasing them down, so we can move the work forward rather than always going to the same people who are not progressing. This past transfer has taught me alot. It's been very challenging, but also a huge blessing, a good challenge. I love missionary work.

We were supposed to have exchanges last week, but the night before, Hna. Connelly was up all night sick (literally all night) and it wasn't a very good night for either of us, so we ended up having to reschedule exchanges. We spent pretty much all day at home and then went out for one lesson that night. I felt so bad for her. We'll be doing exchanges tomorrow now, so I'll get to go to East LA (San Gabriel) for a day. I'm excited!

There are alot of little miracles happening here still. We had a great lesson with a LA family we've been working with. When we first came, they were really reluctant to do anything, but a couple lessons ago, we invited them to read the scriptures as a family and the next time we came back they told us that they had! In our last lesson with the father and one of their daughters, both of them said a kneeling prayer at the end of the lesson! Slowly, they are making the steps to let Christ in their home. Another exciting thing was that we finally got to start meeting with Isis again, an investigator we've been teaching for a couple months. We committed her to baptism last Tuesday and she said yes to a date. Originally, we had given her a date of January 13th, but the next couple days neither of us felt good about that date. We've decided to change the date to the 27th. I think she can be prepared that day. We're going to be focusing alot on her these next few weeks to prepare her for baptism. 

I love working with Hna. Connelly. We are very united and both are dedicated to working hard. Sometimes, I get worried that I'm not doing everything right as a trainer, but we're learning together, and I am learning a ton as we go. We had a funny experience last night as we were sleeping, somehow we had started talking about one of our less actives in our sleep and slowly came too as we were talking about how we could help her! (We really are united!)

Hope you're all doing well. I love you!!

-Hna LaPierre