Exchanges, Reactivation, and Service

Mom and Dad,

It's been another wonderful week here in Agoura Hills. We had exchanges with the Sister Training Leaders this week and it was such a wonderful experience! I had the pleasure to stay in Ventura this week with Sister Burwell. I had a great experience and learned so much from her. She is such a great missionary and she taught me how to be a little bit more persistent. I noticed that she tried to leave something with every person we met. Even if a person walking their dog hurried past, she would stop them and at least hand them a mormon.org card. She is a wonderful example and she just showed me other ways to be a better missionary.
 

Me and one of our wonderful Sister Training Leaders Sister Burwell!

Sister Burwell made missionary work look so easy and flawless so it was great to work with her for a whole day. We saw some wonderful miracles in Ventura that day. It was actually very strange to be in a place where the people we talk to actually want to hear what we have to say. In Agoura it seems like most of the time we are trying to convince people why they want to listen to us and why they would want us to come back, so it was a breath of fresh air to talk to many people on the streets who were really interested in what we had to say. Back in Agoura Sister Mapa and Sister Bennett had great success and were able to find two new investigators for us that day! It was just a wonderful exchange overall!
 

During exchanges I tried to work on listening. I have realized that I am not a very good listener, plus I don't have the best memory either. That has been sad for me to realize, so I really wanted to work on listening better (especially listening for people's concerns).
 

One day this week was so cold and rainy that
we had to break out the rain coats and tights!

This week we were able to meet with many people, but one of my favorites is a less-active member I'll call J. I think I have told you about her before. We found her name on the ward list about a month ago and decided to go visit her. She is the sweetest woman and we found out that she was baptized a few years ago, but soon after her baptism she went inactive. We have been teaching her almost every week and she is making great progress! We decided to teach her like an investigator and go through the missionary lessons again with her. Yesterday we met with her and taught her The Plan of Salvation and a wonderful sister from the ward came with us. Sister Ray was wonderful in our lesson and really reached out to J to fellowship her.
 

We found out that J has been regularly reading the Book of Mormon and that she watched General Conference last week! She also said that she is going to come back to church this Sunday, so we are so excited! We realized that she wasn't fully converted when she was baptized, but now she is really taking the time for herself to find out if this gospel is true. She is such a sweet woman and she is definitely one of the best miracles I have seen while I've been here. We will see if she comes to church this week, because if she comes this will be the first time in about 6 years that she has been to church! We also told her that Sister Mapa and I are speaking in church this Sunday, so hopefully that sealed the deal for her!
 

The members have really been wonderful this week at inviting people to come over when they feed us for dinner. It has been great to see them reaching out to people!
 

Overall it has been an average but great week! We have really been begging people for service opportunities, so it was great to do more service this week. We were able to do some service for one of our former investigator's by walking their dogs. They are all rescue dogs. It was definitely a sight to see when we first walked them. One of them had diabetes, one had two broken legs, and the other is just hyper and kind of strange looking. Two of the dogs only made it to the house next door before they wanted to go home, so we only ended up walking one of them. Hahah, the things we do for service here!
 

One of the dogs we are starting to walk

By this time next week I will know what is happening for transfers! I am excited to know what is going to happen this transfer. I am starting to think that I will never leave Agoura Hills. I love it so much here, but if I am here another transfer I will have been here for 6 months! That is a third of my mission! Where in the world has the time gone? I am hoping (a little bit) that I will be transferred, but we will see. I also realized that next transfer will include Halloween and Thanksgiving!
 

Exciting times are coming up. but even more amazing things are happening here in the great California Ventura Mission!!
 

Thank you for being the best missionary parents ever!

I love you so so so so much! 

Sister Mason