Let the Adventures Begin!!

Faja and Momma,

First of all I am staying in Agoura Hills! The crazy thing is that I will no longer be coverering 2 wards. I am staying in one ward and TRAINING A BRAND NEW MISSIONARY while Sister Casper is over the other ward and also training a new missionary. (Dad you are prophetic! You guessed exactly what was going to happen this transfer! YOU ARE AMAZING!)

[FYI, Jeff included a prediction in his e-mail to Melia the night before we received this one from her. He said, "My prediction: Now that you have a 2 bedroom apartment you will get 2 more sisters. Either they will be companions, or you and Sis. Casper will each get one. If my prediction comes true then let it be known that I have marvelous powers." His prediction came true. Way to call it Dad!]

It is going to be an adventure for sure! All four of us will be staying in the same apartment so it will be one big training party. I am so relieved that I am not off on my own though! Sister Casper and I will still be able to see each other every day, so we will be able to help out each other with training and also with our investigators in both wards. Also we will be sharing a car. As of now we have no idea how that is going to happen since sisters are not allowed on bikes in this mission. We will have to figure it out but it looks like we will be doing tons more walking this transfer!

I am a little nervous to be training but I know without a doubt that this calling comes from God and this is what He needs me to do at this time. It is going to be interesting but I know it is possible! Next week I will be sending pictures of some of the people I will miss in the other ward and pictures of my new companion! I am seriously so excited! I am even more excited that Sister Casper will be there for me the whole time! The only thing I am bummed about it that we won't be attending 6 hours of church each Sunday. I never thought I would say that, but it is true!

Welcome to beautiful Agoura Hills!
All day I just say "oh my gosh it is so beautiful here!"
I bet Sister Casper has gotten tired of it by now.

This week was another week of perfect timing. Seriously though, we met some of the best people this week! We met this one man and he is one of the nicest people I have ever met. He was outside working on his motorcycle when we walked by and he talked to us about his love for skateboarding, surfing, and riding motorcycles. He is such a great man and he is simply trying to figure out everything in his life after going through a rough divorce.

We also met with another man this week. He is really good friends with one of the members in the Agoura 2nd ward. He has played on the men's church basketball team and has come to church a few times. I had met him with my previous companions but Sister Casper and I came by his house to contact someone without knowing it was him. Anyways, he invited us in and we were able to teach him the restoration lesson and answer some of his many questions about the church he had. I am excited because he has amazing potential and we could tell that he is  truly searching for the truth. Sister Casper and I also met many incredible people this week so we are excited to see what happens with them.

We also were able to have a family home evening with a less active family and it was great! The father is not a member and the mother has been working on the weekends so the oldest kids have been trying by themselves to bring the younger kids to church every week. This family invited us over for dinner this week so we are very excited for that! Sister Casper and her companion will be the ones going to their house for dinner but I am excited to hear how it goes. 

[A member texted this picture to Jeff shortly after we
received Melia's e-mail. She included this message]
"Hi-  I have your adorable daughter here! 
You have marvelous powers!
Your prediction came true. 
Both she and Sis Casper are staying
and will each get a new missionary to train.

And she wanted to tell you that she loves you!"

We also went to visit a woman that we had contacted a few weeks back. We met her while she was working outside on her yard. We were walking by to visit someone else and we ended up talking to her really quick and we gave her a copy of The Book of Mormon! We had met with her, taught her the about the restoration of the gospel, and found out that she would rather be taught in Spanish. A set of Spanish sisters had met with her and her family but we found out that the hermanas haven't been meeting with them anymore. We decided to stop by again this week and we able to set up an appointment to meet with her and her family! We had a wonderful lesson last night with them and honestly it was the member that came with us that made the biggest difference! The whole lesson had to be completely by the spirit because we weren't sure what they had been taught already. The member has been on a mission in Guatemala so she was able to completely relate to this family and speak Spanish at times. It was absolutely a great meeting and the spirit was so strong it was simply undeniable.
 

Today I am a proud graduate of the missionary 12 week training program!
We just finished my training last night so it looks like I am in the big leagues now!

This transfer I have learned many things. I have definitely leaned how to control times when I feel scared. I feel inadequate and scared at times but this transfer I have learned to be happy and push through those times. I have also made myself do hard things. On a mission I have realized that we are asked to do things that I normally wouldn't want to do. We are asked to talk to everyone (even people that might not like us or are simply rude). We also have to bring up awkward things.  I have realized that when I feel like I really don't want to say or do something, it means that I should probably do it. I have made myself do or say many things that I don't want to. I have truly learned that I am so much stronger than I ever thought. I feel like I am pushing myself every day, then I look back and see how much I have learned so far! I have also learned that I need to focus on my strengths and not be overwhelmed with my shortcomings. I realized I just need to keep working on the things that I am good at and that over time my weaknesses with improve along the way.

It has been a hard 6 weeks, but it has been so worth it! I have grown more than I can express and Sister Casper and I have seen miracles happen every week. I love and respect Sister Casper so much. She is so calm and relaxed. She is a wonderful missionary. Plus, I don't think I have ever laughed so hard in my life than I do when I am with her! Times have been hard over the past few weeks, but we have kept smiles on our faces and have worked very well together. I am so blessed to have her as my trainer and I am so excited that we can still work close with each other this transfer!

I love my mission more than anything, and I know there is no place I would rather be!  Honestly, amazing things are happening out here!

Much Much Love,

Sister Mason