City of Four Seasons

Tehachapi is self-proclaimed as the "City of Four Seasons." At first I thought this was a joke. Yes, I have been told it snows here occasionally, but just because they get more weather variety than the rest of California does not mean that they have four seasons. The winter here isn't real winter. Well, I found out that what it REALLY means (or what it should mean) is that Tehachapi can have four seasons all in one day. Like last Monday, for example. After emailing all of you I went outside and it was snowing. Yes, snow at the end of April. And then we went grocery shopping and came outside again and the sun was shining. Tehachapi weather can't make up its mind.

Occasionally you have investigators who you are not sure if they are really prepared for the Gospel or not, but you still have hope for them. Then they say something that makes it abundantly clear that they are NOT ready. Like the other day, one of our investigators texted us and told us that she wants to read the entire Bible before starting to read the Book of Mormon, and if we want to come over to try to convince her otherwise we SHOULDN'T BOTHER!!. (She was really bitter about it. She sent us probably 4 texts in a row ranting to us about it.) Okay, that's her decision. It's not a bad thing to want to read the Bible. That is obviously a good thing. But she doesn't understand why we asked her to read the Book of Mormon. She probably needs some time. She's not quite ready yet.

In the MTC, one of the things I learned that stuck out to me the most was this: "A person cannot experience the full effects of the Atonement until after they are baptized by the proper authority." (Quote from one of my teachers.) It is so true! Anyone can repent. That is a preparatory step to baptism. But when you are baptized (and it is only truly baptism when it is done with the proper authority), you receive a remission of your sins. Remission of sins is more than just having them washed away. It is a feeling of complete peace and joy. And when you are baptized, you are born again into a new life with Christ. One of the worst thing that people can tell us missionaries is that they are "content" with their life. That is fine. We don't push on them something that they don't want. But they don't realize that they are missing out on greater blessings. They do not realize that Heavenly Father wants so much more for them than what they currently have. But again, that's okay. There are people out there who ARE prepared, and who DO want more. They are the ones that we are sent out to find and teach. Those are the ones that Heavenly Father places in the path of both missionaries and members, so that we can share the joy we have with them. And when we do find those people, it is something to celebrate, because they can come to know Christ so much more through the fullness of his gospel and his restored church!

In other news, our investigator Dru is out of the hospital. It was so sweet—he asked if we would have been able to go teach him the lesson in the hospital if he had had to stay there longer. He is just eating up the Gospel—he loves it so much! But we can tell how devastated he is that his grandma won't give him permission to be baptized. Prayers for him would be much appreciated!

Not much new with our other investigators. Robert (the 9 year old) is excited for his baptism, and Loetta (the 90 year old-bless her heart) is still smoking and still can't see very well. We are waiting for her new glasses to come in, and for a large print copy of the Book of Mormon that we ordered to come in. Until that time, we can read to her, but there's not much else we can do.

I hope you all have a blessed week!

Sister Daelemans