DONKAAY

This week....flew by. How is it that we only have two weeks of the transfer??? I never thought I was going to make it through this seven week transfer, but here we are!

We had the best zone activity ever. We played soccer out on the baseball fields and it was like....barely sprinkling the whole time. Then, the last ten minutes it started DOWN POURING. Like, I have never seen it rain like that in California! Maybe because it just never rains in general! So we kept playing soccer in the pouring rain and it was SO MUCH FUN!! Until we realized all of our phones were getting wet in the dugout so then we wrapped up real quick and saved our phones. Then we went back to the church, chugged some chocolate milk, and hung out in the kitchen. It was perfect! Here's a picture of the girls and I after our game in the rain.

My companion had her last exchange of the transfer as an STL....which means I also had my last exchange with Hermana Harper :(((((( I have loved being able to be her companion again, she is an incredible missionary and training is definitely calling her name. For our last exchange I got to eat with their famous member down in Perris, so of course we took selfies! We also took more pictures, but that will have to wait until next week!

Dinner cancelled on us one night, so we asked what the Sisters had planned for dinner....and it turns out that night they were doing the taco challenge! My older brother Drew had set a record at Sister Brown's house by eating 15 of her tacos.....and no missionary has beat it since. So, of COURSE Sister Ford decided she was going to challenge his record.....AND SHE BEAT IT. That girl ate 16 tacos!!!! #zonepride #SistersRule

p.s. she did not look this happy after her third plate of tacos. 

THEN GUESS WHAT??? I FINALLY SAW THE WILD DONKEYS! Remember when I first got here and I sent a picture of a donkey crossing?? We were driving to dinner and we found a whole herd of them in front of a school! I screamed of pure joy for like 10 minutes. I wanted to go out a pet them...but didn't know if donkeys were aggressive. Are they? Because if they aren't I am so taking a picture with them next time. I love those guys.

Man, I swear I do love missionary work. Here is my email to President for the week....it pretty much sums up my feelings about the work from this week. I love y'all so much!

Man, writing in Spanish takes me twice as long so for this week it will have to be English. Please forgive me! So, two weeks ago I had the most successful week of my mission and this past week I had the least successful week of mission......when it comes to numbers. Throughout my mission I have had a love-hate relationship with numbers because I hate focusing on the numbers. 

I hate getting out of a lesson and the first thought is, "yes, four new investigators right there, now we can hit standard" instead of admiring the fact the Heavenly Father has blessed and trusted us with His precious children. I hate counting how many investigators are at church and the first thought that pops in my head is, "YES, that's enough to hit standard" instead of "look how many investigators are progressing! Look at their desires! I love them so much and I feel overwhelming joy because they have the opportunity to participate in the Sacrament!!" I hate how it has changed my thinking process in that way. Also how at the end of the week if my numbers aren't high I feel like I failed, when in reality I worked super hard and we had a lot of success just in different areas of the work. For example, we had zero new investigators this week. I have never in my entire mission had zero new investigators. So it was really discouraging! However, when I look back at the week I can see that we worked really hard to get four of our investigators to church. Plus we finally got in to see our investigator who had been in Mexico the past month and got her back on date for August 13th. Also, we got in six home visits this week, which is the most home visits we have gotten in a really long time. During one of those home visits, we gained the trust of one of our youth and now she wants us to start teaching this boy she has a "thing" with! 

However, I also love numbers. They push me. They also make me realize where my weaknesses were for the week. Yesterday I prayed all day for a miracle, for us to find new investigators. I felt like my faith was on fire. I just knew that we would find someone. Just one person to teach. We worked our tails off yesterday working until the last minute possible and we ended up defeated as our time ran out. I didn't understand....I had the faith? I prayed so hard? I was a little angry, I am going to be honest. However, when I reflected back on my week I asked myself, "Did I seek with faith for the time that has been asked of me?" We only got in 6.5 hours, and hour short of what the minimum should be. If I am not putting in ALL of my efforts, is it really fair of me to expect miracles? So I really am grateful for numbers because it shows me what I need to change for the next week. How I can improve and work harder so I can be the missionary I have the potential to become. 

Let's see what the next week has in store for Hermana Tonini and Hermana Moran!


Love,
Hermana Tonini

Book Review

An Hermana from our mission wrote this book and I would suggest buying it because she has served in Moreno Valley and talks about families that I am serving around. I don't know, I just feel like it will give you a piece of me and my calling to serve as a Spanish Sister here in Riverside California. All of the members in my ward have bought it :')

It is available at your favorite online bookstore:  Amazon, Google Books, Barnes & Noble, etc.

Who Needs to Hold Babies When There Are Kittens and Puppies?

I think this week was the most successful week of my mission. I hit my new PR with nine new investigators this week. We also got in a ton of home visits and recent convert/ less active lessons. We finally got the family we are working with on date and the whole family came to church on Sunday. We have a FHE set with them for tomorrow and they are really progressing. Got in a church tour with D*** and he even came to the stake activity this week as well! Let's just say I am just completely exhausted. And I am not going to stop being exhausted because then I know I will just be limiting myself from the blessings that Heavenly Father has in store for me and the work here in Moreno Valley.

I also feel like this week was an emotional roller coaster and maybe it's because I am just so darn tired. I'ave probably laughed more than I ever have on my mission this week. Hermana Moran is like the love of my life and we have overcome our different personalities and become super good friends. However, I also had a day where a lesson made me SUPER angry and all I wanted to do was cry because I was so frustrated. Then I had waves of despair from everything that is going on at home right now. So yeah, you could say a roller coaster of emotions. However, I know without a shadow of a doubt that I made it through the week because of the enabling power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

Sorry that's all I have for the week...I will make up for it with photos?

Love,
Hermana Tonini

If you have ever interacted with Tiwi you will understand and appreciate our creation

Por que no?

So man. I keep running out of time. So, I have attached my letter to my mission president because it was the highlight of my week and I don't have time to rewrite it again in English, so just stick it in Google translate. Except that I don't have have a Spanish keyboard so only half of the things that need accents have one. Whoops.

The other highlight of my week was with our investigator D***. I had the most SPIRITUAL baptism invite ever. I could just feel the Spirit surging through me. Once I invited him to be baptized you want to know what he said? Por que no? Why not?

Best acception to baptism of my entire mission. I mean why not? Why wouldn't one want to follow the example of Jesus Christ by being baptized by someone that has the authority of god?

Also, I hit my six month mark today! Time is flying!!! I love you all!

"En esta carta, yo quiero compartir una experiencia con usted. He tenido una incitación por un tiempo al buscar con fe en una área porque siempre la pasamos en nuestro camino a la iglesia y nunca he caminado allá. Entonces, un día, decidimos buscar con fe por la calle Gifford aunque gastaría muchos millas. Pero, cuando llegamos a la hora para buscar con fe, hablamos y decidimos que no tuvimos millas suficientes para manejar por allá. Entonces, decidimos a buscar con fe en un vecindario acerca del vecindario de la ultima persona que íbamos a pasar por la noche. Cuando empece a manejar, pasmaos una familia latina MUY GRANDE, y estaban trabajando afuera de la casa. Recibí una incitación para estacionar. Y una otra. Otra vez. Eventualmente, estacione rápidamente y en la ultima segunda. Ofrecí una oración antes de salir alegando con el Señor. Alegando que hubo una razón que estacione. La familia por quien paramos? No tuvo interés. Pero, todavía tuve fe que hubo una razón. En nuestro camino a nuestro carro estacionado en Gentian, hablamos con MUCHAS personas. Tuvimos dos potenciales con mucha promesa y tuvimos una oportunidad al enseñar a Reyna. Gastamos DOS HORAS en una calle. Sola una. Y recibimos dos potenciales, una referencia para los Elderes, y una nueva investigadora. Sé que no es un milagro de TAN tamaño, pero en mis ojos, fue un gran milagro. También, me enseñó una lección de gran importancia. Necesite seguir MUCHOS de los susurros de El Espiritu Santo. Primero, Gifford. Segundo, cambiar nuestras planes y buscar en un diferente vecindario cual nos guió a manejar pasando esta familia.  Tercera, estacionar y hablar con la familia. El Señor estaba  preguntándome, "Quiere esto? Que va a hacer para tener los milagros que esta alegando? Va a tener paciencia? Va a tener fe?" 

Tuve la fe y la paciencia y vimos milagros por la calle Gentian. Cuando pongamos nuestra confianza en el Señor veremos milagros. Lo sé." 

**GOOGLE TRANSLATION**

In this letter, I want to share an experience with you. I've had an urge for a while to search faithfully in an area because we always pass it on our way to church and have never walked there. Then, one day, we decided to search faithfully for Gifford Street even though it would spend many miles. But when we arrived at the time to search with faith, we talked and decided that we did not have enough miles to drive there. So we decided to search faithfully in a neighborhood about the neighborhood of the last person we were going to spend at night. When I started driving, I was stunned by a VERY LARGE Latino family, and they were working outside the house. I received a prompting to park. And another one. Again. Eventually, park quickly and on the last second. I offered a prayer before going out pleading with the Lord. Claiming that there was a reason to park. The family we stopped for? He had no interest. But, I still had faith that there was a reason. On our way to our car parked in Gentian, we talked to MANY people. We had two potentials with a lot of promise and we had a chance to teach Reyna. We spent TWO HOURS on a street. Only one. And we received two potentials, a reference for the Elders, and a new investigator. I know it is not a BIG miracle, but in my eyes, it was a great miracle. Also, he taught me a lesson of great importance. Need to follow MANY of the Whispers of The Holy Spirit. First, Gifford. Second, change our plans and look in a different neighborhood that guided us to drive past this family. Third, park and talk with family. The Lord was asking me, "Do you want this? What will you do to have the miracles you are claiming? Will you have patience? Will you have faith?"

I had faith and patience and saw miracles down Gentian Street. When we put our trust in the Lord we will see miracles. I know it.

Love,
Hermana Tonini

P.S.  Please enjoy my free garage sale dress from a less active family we stopped by this week. I love it. It has pockets.

Watermelon Queen

I don't have a lot of time...sorry!!

Fourth of July was incredible!! We spent time together  as a zone and it was so much fun! We played kickball...then had a competition of who could eat a watermelon slice the fastest....without hands.....and I got second place behind Elder Whiting who is an animal and destroyed his slice.

Then we competed between Sisters and Elders to see who could get a watermelon to explode first by putting 500 rubber bands around it. The Elders won, but we won in a different way. Ours exploded and a chunk flew up and uppercut me right in the jaw. Couldn't feel my jaw for a little bit but that's okay :) Anyway, it was a perfect day and I love my zone <3

Oh, we also were parade marshals in the morning for the community!!

And the night before Arian, our recent convert, popped fireworks for us!!

We met our new mission president and his wife this week! They are so cutie!!! I love them so much!! Also this week I got to spend the day with Hermana Harper in Menifee and it was so nice to be her comp again, even if it was only for a day!!

The family we are working with came to church on Sunday! I am so excited to see where things go with them! I have never taught a whole family before, only single men or children, so I am excited because the gospel truly is for families!! Well, for everyone no matter what situation, but you know what I mean!!

Love you all! Sorry this is so short!

Hermana Tonini

#momsrule

So, on the way over here my companion told me that I talked in my sleep....AGAIN last night and that I said: "I don't have time for this." "I got to get to work!" and "I WANT TO GO GET *whispers* ice cream." Those three statement pretty much describe my whole mission.

Oh yeah, by the way, I am still here in Moreno Valley but I did get a new companion! Hermana Moran was born in El Salvador but she grew up in Utah! She has the biggest heart ever! I feel like she is going to soften me up because we all know I am not a...hm....flower power girl? I don't know how to explain it :') But, I feel like I am going to learn a lot from her and I love her so much already! She also got called to be an STL, so this is my THIRD transfer as an STL companion....and I miss that RPM life for sure. However......MY HALF COMPANION IS FLIPPING HERMANA HARPER AHHHHHHHHH! The first exchange is this week and I get to go spend a whole day with my fav bad girl in Menifee! So excited!

We had a great week!! We picked up a lot of investigators, but the one I really want to talk about is Destiny. So, in the referral system someone requested a Bible and it said they were a less active family. So we went over and met Liz and her kids destiny and Aaron. Liz was baptized when she was 9, but is inactive now. She wants her kids to grow up in the Church and have the same experiences she had growing up. So we are now starting to help her 10 year old get ready for baptism!! I love teaching 9/10 year olds. I look forward to each lesson and finding new ways to teach them so they can understand the gospel. Liz and Destiny came to church on Sunday and they have progressed SO MUCH and we haven't even known them for a week! As they were sitting next to me, Liz reached over and grabbed Destiny's hand and it just reminded me of how my mom used to do that when we sat together at church. Working with them and with Monse and Hna Ayala, I have loved being able to watch these mothers come back to activity and helping their daughters progress in the Gospel. Mothers just have this crazy strong influence that you can't find anywhere else, and I am so grateful for my mother, because without her, I wouldn't be sitting here writing this email right now. #momsruletheworld

We had a cita with Arian this week....OH YEAH HE WAS CONFIRMED ON SUNDAY SO PROUD OF HIM LOVE THAT GUY....and I felt the Spirit so strong at one point. He asked kind of a difficult question that one of his friends had asked him, and I had no idea how to answer it. Then, I could quite literally feel the Spirit surge through me and I just started talking....and talking...and part of my personal study a couple days back helped me to answer the question and yeah. Like, I can't even explain it.  It was just cool how not only the Spirit brought things to my remembrance but worked through me so I could help Arian. I LOVE THE HOLY GHOST.

Also, I got home one night to a package on my doorstep....that wasn't even taped shut. So like, it was a hand-delivered package. FROM MY BROTHER. Like I recognized his pen chicken scratch on the cardboard box. Drew and Shavaun and Zowie were like....at my apt. How crazy is that??? I opened up a frozen container to find my FAV CAKE:  almond poppy seed cake and I legit cried. (this is also why I love my mother because she is an angel and sends me hand-delivered cake from NoDak).

Well, I love you all and keep up the hard work!

Love,
Hermana Tonini