Lancaster Greenie, Part 2

This week was a wonderful adventure. I am training is the area where I was trained! How crazy. I'm not sure what Sister Evans, my new companion, really thinks of the mission field, but I thought it was a pretty fun week. We went tracting her first day here, so she could get a feel for what it's like to go and talk to people. We had some guy chew us out for about 20 minutes about how the Bible was written to keep slaves subject to their masters, and so that was fun. Not really. But it was so ridiculous and we're also pretty sure he was high on weed, so we just laughed about it later. Later in the week we had some good experiences tracting where we got to teach some people who were really interested, so that was good. I think she already has a pretty good idea of the ups and downs of being a missionary. Sister Evans is from Spanish Fork Utah, she is the youngest of 3 girls, she has 2 dogs at home, and she really likes bikes (as in, motorcycles) so she's pretty much awesome!

We had a pretty crazy day on Wednesday. Some members of the ward took us out to have lunch, but it was taking forever and we were going to be late for our next appointment where we play bingo at the senior home, so we had them just drop us off there instead of taking us home to where our car was. But then after bingo, we had to get back to where our next appointment was, so we walked! Really far. I guess in other missions where missionaries don't have cars at all it would have been normal, but for us it was quite a change of pace. Our mission president has been telling us recently to use our car like a bus, which means to drive it to our area but then get out and walk to whatever particular street or house we are going to, that way we can talk to a lot of people along the way. But, since we passed several bus stops along the way, I guess you could say that we were just forgetting the car-as-a-bus thing completely, and using our feet as a bus instead.

On Wednesday there was also a worldwide missionary broadcast, where we got to hear from Elder Bednar and Elder Oaks and the other members of the church's missionary council. It was really good, and they also announced some important changes to our schedule. We still have to get up at 6:30, but we now have more time to get ready in the morning. And we can go to bed at 9:30 instead of 10:30 if we want to, so we get to more sleep! It is wonderful. So far I am really liking the way things are going.

On Sunday they had a combined 3rd hour Priesthood and Relief Society meeting that was all about member missionary work! And the Bishop asked us and the ward mission leader to do a little presentation at the beginning. It was so fun and went really well – we made the whole ward role-play with each other what they might say to share the gospel with other people! We thought it would be a good idea since so often people don't share the gospel because they just don't know what to say to people. But if there's one thing I've learned on my mission about talking to people it's that the more you do it, the easier it gets. So we made them practice and hopefully that will help them in the future to be able to feel more comfortable opening their mouth and sharing even a simple testimony with those around them. Sharing the gospel is so fun!

Have a great week everyone!

Sister Daelemans

Goodbye Trio Life

We got transfer news, and the trio is ending :( We had a lot of fun though, it was a great transfer! So, now for our fate, drum roll please .,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,. I am staying in Lancaster 1st and will be training a new missionary. HA! EVEN AFTER 15 MONTHS I STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M DOING! But that's ok, I trust the Lord. I probably won't ever know what I'm doing, but things still seem to turn out fine somehow. That is one of the biggest things that has strengthened my testimony of this work and shown me that the Lord is completely in charge, because somehow I still haven't messed anything up yet, haha.

Sister Breinholt and Sister Crowley are both staying within the Lancaster Stake, so I'll still get to see them, which makes me very happy!

I don't have much time to say anything else. But I know that this is the Lord's work and that we are blessed to be a part of it! :D

Much Love,

Sister Daelemans

Here is a picture of us with some random old people. :)

Fabulous Hats and Dead Cats

This week I learned I need to trust less in myself and more in the Lord. There were several times when I really thought I knew what I was doing, and then the Lord was like "Nope, not quite. Let's do it my way." He's always right. It seems like I have to learn this lesson over and over again, but that's ok I guess. As long as I keep learning!

We had 4 investigators come to church this week! That is the most I've ever seen come to church in one week while on my mission!! :D Super awesome! This made up for the first part of church being super duper stressful. This old man came up to us after ward council and was like "Can you teach this class that's in a hour?" And in my head I'm like "Why are you asking us, we have so many things to do in church already." And then before I could tell him this, my companions were like "Sure!" Turns out that was not a good idea. We are already covering 2 wards, so our Sundays are already spent running around trying to be in 2 places at once. So, sorry Sir, being in 3 places at once is actually impossible, even in a trio. It was a class full of teenagers who pretty much refused to talk, so that was fun. But our investigators showing up really made up for all my annoyance and stress. We also had 3 less active people show up! Which was super awesome. :) So it was a pretty fantastic Sunday.

We started teaching a little 9 year old this week, who is the daughter of a member. Her name is Melissa and she is hilarious.

Sister Breinholt: "We're going to use this pamphlet because it has pictures, and pictures are really great!"

Melissa: "Yeah, like my pictures of my dead cats."

Also,

"When I get married, I need a man who listens to me, so he can understand my problems."

Other things that this week included were awkward Law of Chastity lessons, an old lady adopting us as her new daughters, playing soccer and volleyball with some recent converts and other missionaries, and trying on some fabulous hats at Target.

Have a great week!

Sister Daelemans

This is a lame weekly email

This week was good. I think. I honestly can't remember all the things that happened since I sent my email last Monday, but I'm sure it was all good. :)

We had interviews with President Layton this week. Talking to him is always great, he has a way of STARING INTO YOUR SOUL. And then you end up telling him things that you didn't even know you were thinking or feeling. It's a gift.

We went to visit Richard this week. We decided to try watching the Joseph Smith, Prophet of the Restoration movie with him. We watched the movie with him last year, but.....he kept falling asleep throughout the movie. (Last year we also tried to watch Meet the Mormons with him one time, and he was literally out within 2 minutes.) So I wasn't too sure how long he would last before conking out, but we decided that he seemed awake enough to put it in. He didn't fall asleep at all this time, and he actually loved it! He was so entranced as we watched about the life of Joseph Smith. Richard LOVES Joseph Smith so much. He always would tell us, "Joseph Smith was just as much a prophet as Moses." We had to leave before the movie was over but we will finish it next week.

Those are literally the only things I can think to include this week. Sorry this email is so lame. Hope you all have a fantastic week!

Sister Daelemans

Happy New Years!

I always feel like the week after Christmas is pretty depressing, because you know that January is coming soon, and January is pretty much the worst thing ever. Nothing ever happens in January other than failed news year resolutions and cold weather and getting sick. BUT the good thing is that I will be a missionary which always makes everything better because doing to the work of the Lord brings you happiness and JOY! so.....WOO! HAPPY JANUARY EVERYONE! 

But yeah, the week had a lot of ups and downs. Here is a summary of the week:

Monday - Took a super long nap during P-Day. It was glorious.

Tuesday - Got into an argument over text with a random man who lives in Idaho who wanted to tell us that we were wrong and the Book of Mormon is wrong and EVERYTHING IS WRONG. Except the only thing actually wrong was him. Which he will hopefully realize some day.

Wednesday - Played BINGO with a bunch of old people. They were sassy.

Thursday - Taught tons of lessons and it was literally the BEST DAY EVER!

Friday - Drove out to the middle of nowhere only to find that the people we were going to see weren't home.

Saturday - Went home early and planned and had a jolly time going to bed early.

Sunday - Someone randomly showed up to church and told us he wants to be baptized!

On new years eve, I was reflecting on 2016, and realized that I spent the entire year as a missionary. I have learned and grown so much in the last year. I do not even feel like the same person. 2016 really has been pretty great!

I hope the new year will be a good one! If 2017 is anything like 2016, it is going to be pretty fantastic! 

Much Love,

Sister Daelemans

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone! It was such a wonderful Christmas this year! It made me so happy to be in the same ward I was last Christmas, and to be able to spend it with my 2 awesome companions who I love dearly! And I also got to Skype my family which was such a huge blessing! :)

We got to go to the LA Temple this week and it was so much fun! I love going to the temple. There is such a spirit of peace inside, and I can always feel Heavenly Father's love for me there so strongly. It's like he is telling me "It's ok. I am here and I love you, and you don't need to worry so much about everything else. Just trust in me and everything will work out the way it needs to."

Here is a picture of us in front of the biggest Christmas tree I have ever seen.

On Christmas we went to go visit Richard and we ended up playing pool with him. He is super good at pool! He was also very sassy, it was hilarious! 

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One year ago today is also the day that he got baptized!! It makes me so happy to know that he is still active and that he still loves the Gospel so much. He seems to be so much happier than he used to be, it really has shown me how the Gospel can help people even when they are already living Christ-like lives. So many people think they are satisfied with life,and that they already have a good enough relationship with Christ, but they don't know that there is so much MORE happiness that the Lord wants to give them, which can only be found in the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ!

Love you all!

Sister Daelemans

The Circle of (mission) Life

I am back in Lancaster! I thought it would feel like constant Deja Vu, but it really just feels comfortable, like I never left. It is a pretty cool feeling!

I am in a trio with Sister Breinholt, who has been out for about 11 months, and Sister Crowley, who has been out for 6 weeks! Sister Crowley is super fresh on the mission, so she is filled with enthusiasm about everything! It's pretty great :) We are having a BLAST! Sister Crowley was already in Lancaster 1st, and Sister Breinholt was in Juniper ward (which meets in the same church building) but the person who was supposed to be her companion in Juniper went home right before transfers because she was sick, so that is why we are in a trio. It ALSO means that we are covering both wards. THIS WAS THE BUSIEST WEEK I HAVE EVER HAD ON MY WHOLE MISSION! It was both wonderful and super stressful. I am also super exhausted. We have so many investigators right now, but so far most of them seem super flaky, but that's ok because there are also a couple of gems that I'm sure are going to get baptized! But Nobody came to church (hence the flakiness) but WE WILL GET THEM TO CHURCH IF IT'S THE LAST THING I DO!

I was so excited this week because I got to see all 3 of my recent converts who I taught and who got baptized while I was here a year ago.

-Richard: The other sisters had told him that I was coming back, so he greated me and said he was glad to see me again, but I don't think he actually recognized me, because at one point he mixed up me and Sister Breinholt. But that's ok, he is 81 now and already had a bad memory when I was here before, so I was prepared for it. He is just as sweet as ever, and he now has a calling in the ward as the one who greets people at church and passes out the programs!

-Levi: His family actually moved out of the area to the other side of town, but the Dasslers (his grandparents) invited us over for dinner when they were having a family Christmas get-together, so I got to see him! He said "It's been so long since I saw you!" Haha, he told me he forgot what my name was but I told him it was ok. He was excited to see me and told me all about how he is now in the 4th grade and all his classmate are his friends. :)

-Rita: Rita has not been going to church the past couple of months. I left her a note saying that I was back and then we texted her and texted her a time to come over. I guess she forgot my name as well (lol, nobody can say my name or remember it, but that's ok) because when she opened the door when we came for our appointment she was super surprised! She was so happy to see me though and we talked for a while about why she stopped coming to church. We are going to start visiting her again and hopefully get her back to church.

There are a ton of other things that happened this week, with the investigators we found, but I am running out of computer time! (Being in Tehachapi really spoiled me because there were enough computers there for all of the missionaries, but in Lancaster we have assigned email times and there are currently some elders hanging around breathing down our necks, waiting for us to be done with the computers. :P )

This week is going to be so awesome. We have lots of people to go teach and we are going to the LA Temple on Wednesday and of course.......CHRISTMAS!!!!

Love you all! Have a very Merry Christmas!

Sister Daelemans