Happy Summer!!

Happy official day of Summer!! YAY! :) The weather here is GORGEOUS. I cant get enough of it. The heat does bring out the city smells with it but it's all the Oakland experience. This week was a whole lot better than last week!! All of your thoughts and words and prayers and love helped me a ton. Heavenly Father, the scriptures, and prayer helped the most though. There is a peace that comes from prayer that you cant find anywhere else. I have found myself turning to prayer multiple times a day, even if it's just a quick prayer like, "Please help me," or "I can't do this on my own." He answers our prayers, the silent pleas of our heart.

Our mission President gave us some advice about dropping investigators. He said that we need to focus on finding those that are prepared so if we have investigators that we are just holding onto forever and they are not progressing, MOVE ON! We took his advice and we are dropping Earnest and Davion. They arent progressing or showing any desire or commitment. It is hard and sad, but we have faith that we will find those who are truly prepared. One day this week, we had 5 lessons set up with potential investigators and planned on finding 8 new investigators. We set awesome goals and prayed so hard and had so much faith!!! The first persons house we went to didnt exist. When we called him, he didnt pick up. So we went to the next house and found that she wasnt in our area. So we passed her off to the elders. Then the next one we had the wrong address so we finally got a hold of her and she told us the right address, which was also in the elders area. We split the area with them. It was a family of 5 from South Africa who had come into the Visitors Center wanting to learn more. I just burst into tears. We were working SO hard and I was trying SO hard to have faith, but everything was failing. Everything. How are you supposed to have faith when it feels like there have been so many disappointments? I was feeling a huge mix of emotions. I was mostly sad and told Sister Taylor, "I just want to teach someone." I have always had someone to teach on my mission so this is helping me learn and grow and love and have patience. I know there are people and blessings up ahead. The gospel allows us to have faith when it feels like there is none. One of our lessons did work out with a man named Jimmy!! He is from Vietnam and he is very prepared. He wants to find out the truth, he prayed for us in our first lesson, and he wants to know the purpose of life. I cant wait to meet with him again. We havent been able to schedule something with Magnus and we found out that that Indian lady is going back to India in a few weeks, but her family might be interested!! So much potential!

The man I have been keeping in touch with at the Visitors Center over email, David, said he is going to fight with his busy schedule and Satan to meet with the missionaries!! YAY!!! He asked me about Satan's tools and I got the chance to research this topic. We shouldnt dwell on Satan or study him, but it is important to find out how he works and what tools he uses so we can DISCERN! All of our negative thoughts come from him and once we realize that, we will be quicker to push these thoughts out, which takes away his power.

Interesting discussion we had:

"And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." Ether 12:27

When we come unto Christ, we are trying to become more like Him. To become like Jesus Christ, we have to overcome our weakness. This requires humility. He wants to help us to become like Him, so He shows us where we need to improve. He shows us our weaknesses. On a mission and as a missionary, we represent Jesus Christ. We come closer to Christ than we ever have before. This means more and more of our weaknesses are being revealed because He is putting us through the refiners fire. He shows us our weakness so we can become more like Him!!! He shows us what we need to work on, then helps us. We have to be humble. We have to let Him change us, change our hearts. When we distance ourselves from Him and don't want to change/improve/become like Him, we think we are fine how we are. It's because we haven't come to Him with a willing heart, sincere about change. He's not going to point out our weakness or help us if we don't want Him to. We turn to Him, He turns to us. I am grateful for a Savior who wants to help me grow, improve, change, progress, and succeed.

Take some time to just watch the clouds.

Listen to what the Spirit has to say to you after you pray.

Feel the peace the gospel brings.

Turn to the Lord.

be BRAVE enough to ask to see your weakness!!

He will show you, believe me. He just keeps on showing me haha

I love you

I love the Bay Area

Warriors lost the championship