WEEK 13: ¿¿Month Tres??

Hello hello!!

I have a singular item of housekeeping that I need to clear up. Last week I titled my email as Week 11. It was, in fact, Week 12. So that's why this week's number jumped from 11 to 13... My apologies, I simply can't count. But let's just move right along, shall we?

First of all, I hit 3 months on my mission!! It's flying by so quickly. I love being a missionary!

If you remember my last email, I was pretty excited about the people that came to church last weekend! They were in our list of the people who are learning and progressing the fastest, and we had high hopes for all of them. Well, between Sunday and Monday night, we lost half of that list. Megan and Cheryll are part of a family we're teaching, but they recently moved and we had to pass them off to the elders in their new area on Monday. Roy came to church, but when we called to ask him how he liked it on Sunday, he said he didn't like it, doesn't want to keep reading the Book of Mormon, and doesn't want us to come back anymore. Our friend Alex quickly became very pushy, aggressive, and disrespectful towards us, so we had to block him on our phone... We put him in contact with the elders who cover the YSA, but it all kind of turned into a mess and no one is in contact either him anymore. So that was unfortunate. Our list of progressing people in Area Book took some hits in that 24 hour span, and it was really disappointing.

BUT. Never fear, the Lord always provides. We had Zone Conference this week, where we received training from President specifically on how to find people who will progress in our areas! The timing could not have been more perfect. President and Sister Rodarte are AMAZING leaders, and they teach with so much boldness and love. It was a great Conference! The missionaries in leadership positions here are also incredible. I definitely admire their examples and appreciate the work they do! We had time to council with our Zone during Zone Conference to evaluate our goals for September, set new goals for October, and create an action plan. It was a very prayerful meeting. The Zone had 3, maybe 4 people total on date for baptism before the end of this month. We really felt the desire to plan for a miracle baptism, so we adjusted our goal to 5 convert baptisms before the end of the month. We also set a goal for October. The end of September is quickly approaching, but we really wanted to reach 5 baptisms. We decided that part of our action plan would be to fast as a Zone the next day. Fasting is prayerfully going without something, usually food and water, as an act of faith to recieve more spiritual strength and become closer to God. Our Zone gathered together on Zoom Tuesday night and began our fast with a prayer.

Wednesday was an amazing day, and knowing that the Zone was united together in faith and sacrifice gave me the strength to make it through the day. Our district was a little discouraged at District Council on Wednesday, most likely because we were all a little hangry from fasting. But the week immediately picked up after we ended our fast wednesday night, and each companionship has seen so much success in our areas since then! On Thursday we received news that a companionship in our Zone had just put someone on date for Saturday! The rest of the week was AMAZING for our district. Sister Van and I found 8 people and had quite a few people get referred to us, our Zone Leaders found 6 people and put someone on date all in the same day, and three companionships in our Zone had a baptisms on Saturday! There are miracles absolutely everywhere. It's been an AMAZING week.

I feel very lucky, humbled, and grateful to be where I am right now. I was terrified to come to this area, and it was a little hard at the start of this transfer. But the missionaries that I am serving with here are incredible, and I'm finally feeling like I understand my role here. I feel like I'm settling into a good rhythm as a missionary, and I feel like I actually know what I'm doing now. I'm seeing a lot of personal growth and it's really exciting and encouraging. Sister Van is wonderful, our roommates are so fun, and the missionaries here are all great examples to me. I know that this is exactly where I am supposed to be right now! And to all of you reading this, you're exactly where you're meant to be, too. God's looking out for you. He's preparing a way for you to succeed. He loves you and is so proud of you!

"Yea, verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me. Behold, I am Jesus Christ the Son of God. I created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are. I was with the Father from the beginning. I am in the Father, and the Father in me; and in me hath the Father glorified his name." 3 Nephi 9:14-15

I invite everyone to find a way this week to take Christ's extended arm of mercy this week! He is always reaching towards us, but how often to we reach out to Him? So, take a few seconds to think about something you can adjust in your life this week to take His Hand. And then do it!!! You will feel a difference, I promise. If you don't believe me, read the scripture again because those are literally Jesus Christ's words!!

Love you all!!

Sister Malmstrom

2110 Los Feliz St #1004, Las Vegas, NV

Pictures:

- Monarch butterfly!

- District picture at Zone Conference. 

- Painting activity as a district. #bobrossvibes

- Beautiful artwork I found this week.

- We saw another scorpion this week. It was outside this time, but still a bummer.

- Comp picture:)

- Temple!

- Saw a dog having a photoshoot from across the park.