Week 8

This week was the fastest week of my life! I truly felt like I just winked and it was P-day again. Last Monday we left to San Jose after dinner, traffic was super bad because of construction but we made it to the Sisters' apartment in my trainer's old area. We had a sleep over because I had advanced training early the next morning. It was fun to see how other sisters live and interact. We don't really see other missionaries because we live so far away but at the same time it was nice to come home. It was really weird to be in the city, especially at night. The people in my area are very nice and always say "hi" back so I tried contacting a man on the corner when we were walking to the sisters' apartment at night. My trainer kind of freaked out because this man and the area were sketchy and it could get us in trouble. Oh boy!

 

Advanced orientation was really fun. I got to see some of the missionaries I came out with and hear about their areas and see how much they have changed already. I don't really think I've changed that much but I really hope that by the end of my mission there will be a significant change... hopefully something spiritual and not a widening of the middle.

 

The Spanish program is really fun. I love contacting Spanish speakers, they are super friendly and always wish me blessings when I give them a card and talk about Jesus. It was really freaky when we contacted a little earlier than usual on Thursday and there were a whole bunch of white people on the street. We usually don't see any. They were kind of rude and wouldn't take my card or talk about Jesus!

 

Yesterday we went to Carmel beach again for a zone activity. A whole bunch of missionaries showed up as well as a young man who was released last transfer but came back to visit with his friend. It was so weird to see him without a tag and then I thought of how I'm going to have to take of my tag and that really freaked me out! But then i remember I still have forever and I calm down.

 

I am very grateful for the opportunity to be a missionary in the California San Jose Mission. It is truly the place where I needed to be. Our baptismal date is super excited and even picked out her white dress for her baptism. I see the light in her eyes and I am so thankful for the blessing it is to be able to see that. To see her grow in her desire to come closer to Christ.

 

A big thank you to my family! Hope you all had a wonderful Easter.

 

Hermana Quintana

Procrastination never was happiness!

Last week was Easter. The white handbook tells you that holidays and weekends are great times to find people at home so we should spend most of our time out but that is not true. We knocked on all of our investigators's doors and even our less actives but no one was home and those who were had family over and were too busy to hear a message about Jesus Christ. People, do you hear what you're saying?! We finally humbled ourselves and prayed. We decided to visit an active member. She's a little older and does not have any family near by. She really needed to talk and we really needed to hear what she had to say. Numbers wise it was not a good day but spiritual wise it was just what I needed. That happens a lot out here. Time and time again I am reminded of the importance of people; of teaching people, not lessons.

 

Yesterday I had advanced orientation so we got permision to head to San Jose the night before and spend it at the Sister's apartment. It was really cool to see more sisters because we are in the tip of the mission and have no one but our district Elders for miles and miles. It is kind of overwhelming when there are so many people in white ties or in modest dresses! haha.

 

Anyway, i wanted to tell you about an experience with a man on the street. We were contacting on the street and we offered a man our card but he wouldn't take it. He walked away but yelled back "I've got a bible!" And because I have not yet reached Mission maturity, I yelled back "We've got that too!" Later in the scriptures I read in 2 Nephi 29:6-7 and I thought it was so sad that people really just don't know or don't want more. They have decided for themselves that God has said enough and have cut off any more communication with Him. It breaks my heart to see people so close minded but my trainer reminds me that our job is to INVITE so that's what we do.

 

Thank you for all your support!

Hermana Quintana

Week 6: The Adventures of Rocket Ron the Super Victim

This week was absolutely crazy! We had Zone Training Meeting in Salinas and Farewells in San Jose which meant that our work time was significantly decreased. We were also struggling to reach our lesson goals because so many of the people were not home or did not have time to hear us. Our faith and patience was definately tested. The biggest disappointment were Reyna and Jorge. They were reffered by a less active woman so we dropped by and visited them. It was the first time I led the discussion and I felt the spirit more strongly than I have ever felt it. We bore our testimonies and they, themselves, commented on how they felt a peace and a calmness come over them. They called their children over and Jorge offered the last prayer. In my mind I was celebrating and doing cartwheels because I was so excited but when we returned for our next appointment they would not even let us in. They sent the kids to send us away. My heart dropped and I was really upset. In my pride I had expected another great lesson and had already started planning their baptism but I was brought to the depths of humility and to a remembrance that this is the Lord's work and His timing. But I am so happy that, even thought they might not get baptized while I'm in the area, that the seed has been planted and the spirit can grow and work in them so that when the right missionary comes by they will be ready.

 

On Sunday we got to go to our district leader and zone leader's farewell. We were scrambling the last few hours because we had a ride but we needed a ticket (an investigator) or we could not go. Also, we needed to get all of our lessons done before 4 o'clock so we could get to the farewell on time. But we did it! It was truly a miracle that we found two young men on the street who had a real interest in listening to us. Sister Lindsay taught a great street lesson while I was struggling to get a word across because the poor guy was so embarrassed (he asked me out and i said no). But we did get their info so we could send the Elders their way.

 

I finally got to see Sister Bair. I was so excited!!! It felt kind of unreal that she was there and I was there and it was all just super crazy. She looks fantastic, as always, and we will see each other again in 6 weeks!!!

 

About the title... This week we got a hold of a VERY less active woman who has two incredible kids. She also has a great imagination and a family that provides her with funny stories. Her twin brother is named Ron and is aparently very ridiculous. He dresses up in a thick leather jacket and rides the dirt streets of Lockwood in a moped. He is very messy and she calls him the Super Victim because he is such a pessimist. He has a bad back so he parks in the handicap place and gets upset when it gets towed. The only thing that would put up with him is a dog. She has a dream of making it into a comic strip and with the stories she tells, she would sell millions.

 

I love you all very much,

 

Hermana Quintana

DON'T BE "THAT" MISSIONARY

DON'T BE "THAT" MISSIONARY:

1. It's ok to have a personality

2. it's ok to have a brain and an opinion

3. Do not, however, be a self righteous know-it-all

4. Do not adopt the district accent (watch the DVDs)

5. Be exactly obedient

6. It is very important to follow the missionary rules but remember to never get so hung up on the letter of the law that you loose the spirit of the law

7. Have fun

8. And above all else, use common sence and let the spirit guide

DON'T BE "THAT" RETURNED MISSIONARY

1. Don't return to your old are and tell the new, assigned missionaries how to run it

2. Do not "forget your Book of Mormon" and use it as an excuse to continue returning and hit on the young, single mother in the ward.

Just a little rant but there are a lot of problems or issues that you run into as a missionary which you never really expected to deal with before. As a missionary you become a psycologist, a counselor, a mediator, a teacher, and a friend. We are not supposed to tell people what to do in personal trials (like having your teenage son go ballistics) but we always have to bring them back to a gospel principle which, in reality, is what will make a profound, lasting difference in their lives.

Things are really different from what i expected but this has helped me to know what I need to do and what I need to change to have a better relationship with God and with my family.

Lots of love,

Hermana Quintana

Week 4: Following the Promptings of the Spirit

Something that has been bothering me for a while is knowing where the line is between the letter of the law and the spirit of the law. Our motto as missionaries is that obedience brings blessings, but exact obedience brings miracles and I have definitely witnessed those in the short weeks I have been here. However, I have had the opportunity to see and experience the stress and weariness some Sisters and Elders put on themselves (it is actually mostly just Sisters). I am just so eternally grateful my trainer knows how to be obedient AND have fun.

She is going home next transfer and I am kind of nervous to find out who my next companion will be and what she is like but I am just so grateful I have 6 whole weeks to enjoy Sister Lindsay's company and wisdom.

We've been discussing the difference between the letter of the law and the spirit of the law a lot and have been reading in Jesus the Christ (awesome book!). We decided that we really wanted to pray to be better at recognizing when the spirit wanted us to do something that the letter might not like and it was amazing how quickly we got an opportunity to put it into action.

Yesterday it rained a lot which is wonderful because of two things: one, we are in a drought, and two, the field workers get sent home early for the day so we can catch them at home. It is also really funny to see California people driving in the rain ... Anyway. We were driving down the street and we saw a little boy with no jacket and no shoes sitting all alone in the street. The handbook says to never be alone with kids or do anything that might look suspicious (like talking to them without their parents) but we were really concerned and felt we needed to help him so we pulled over and tried to talk to him. We couldn't get him to talk so we knocked at a house nearby and found his dad. We also found a new investigator. A young man is living with the parents of the boy and he told us he has been searching for the truth and for a church to join and was really excited to get a copy of the Book of Mormon. He was willing to pay for it even though he didn't have a lot of money.

In the next two hours we picked up three other investigators who were all really interested in the Book of Mormon and in learning more about the church. We pray that they may be able to read and feel the spirit.

We are super excited because we get to go to the temple this next week and we get to watch GENERAL CONFERENCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am super excited and can't wait to hear the words of the prophet!

Lots of love,

Hermana Quintana