From the Mission Blog: MLC

Training leaders, baptizing, and becoming: essential qualities of successful missionaries in the California Riverside Mission!

At the end of the week of outgoing and incoming missionaries, we began our leadership meetings, first with the Mission Leadership Council (MLC) on Thursday and the District Leader Training on Friday. We were excited to welcome several new zone, district, and sister training leaders. It is incredible to watch the growth and develop of these young people.

Zone and Sister Training Leaders--phenomenal young men and women--
all future leaders of the Church!

The MLC set a new mission baptismal goal for both June and July, very healthy goals that should stretch this mission and each of us. We also spent time on the following subjects: “becoming leaders and examples and establishing and maintaining the Lord’s culture”; “the why of accountability”; “setting up, following through, and assessing goals”; “adjusting to missionary life”; “working with ward councils”; “Preach My Gospel: following patterns” (strengths and weaknesses); “Sacrifice vs. Consecration and Sanctification”; and “expectation of leaders: becoming what we need to become." The Assistants (Elders Sorensen and Briggs), President Norman (Mission Presidency), Sister Hammon, and I were the presenters/facilitators.

Some things we learned about "becoming" what we need to become!

We love baptisms in our mission. They have become one of the highlights we experience.

Hermanas Padilla (who returned), Buitrago, Tonini; Enrique and his wife Isabela;
Hermanas Sorensen, Harper, Esplin, Flores; and Elders Osberg and Baily (kneeling)

Serving and being with missionaries continue to be two incredible privileges for us. As they grow and progress and develop, so do we. Like they are, we are becoming what the Lord wants us to become, and we are enjoying it thoroughly.

PACHANGA

Well, my last first week went as fast as it came. This week was nuts. My baby's name is Hermana  Flores! She is from Texas but she grew up in Temecula which is like just around the river bend from here. Legit, there is a guy in our ward that went to high school with her? Pobrecita. But yeah, she's visa-waiting for Costa Rica and it's so weird that we will be leaving together. It kind of makes it hard because we want to work so hard but by the time we finally get to know the members and less-active and investigators that the Elders were working with, we will be leaving. Kind of the buns, but we are up for the challenge! She has some serious greenie fire and is keeping me on my toes! She's so cute!!

I also had my first MLC which wasn't as bad or scary as I thought it would be. I learned a lot and finally got to partake of the infamous MLC pizza!

We also saw a miracle! So we had um...like two hours of prosyleting this week. The first hour we had, we talked to the first man we saw and he let us teach him! So in like one of the only hours we had, we were able to find an investigator!! The other hour we had was teaching our investigator Guillermo! He was straight up like, yeah, the Elders invited me to be baptized. But I don't want to be baptized. Can't I just go to your church and not have to be baptized? NO. Just kidding, I didn't say that. But we taught and testified of the doctrine and by the end when we talked about his baptism date, he was good with it! It was cool to see his heart soften in such a short time! He said he was going to church.....but he didnt... #missionarylife

ALSO, THE GA*** CLAN WAS BAPTIZED YESTERDAY AHHHHHHHH. I cried like a baby it was SO GOOD. It ended up being a two- hour baptism service because the whole Ga*** family bore their testimony at the end and Daniel cried so hard he started hiccuping! Hermana Ga*** said in hers, "Cuando fui bautizada sentí...no tengo palabras para explicarlo...sentí...pues, LUZ." ["When I was baptized, I felt...I don't have words to explain it..I felt...well...LIGHT."]  All of us missionaries sang Asombro Me Da and I couldn't even sing because I was so overwhelmed by the Spirit. I think that's the first time I have sobbed in....months. So I was still a wreck when I gave a talk on the Holy Ghost afterwards. Then, we had a PACHANGA and Hermano Ga*** played the song he wrote for Sorensen and me for all of us missionaries. It was just perfect.

No Dudéis; No Temáis

WOW WOW WOW.  Samantha's baptism yesterday was INCREDIBLE! during our lesson with her this week we asked her if there was anything she wanted to change to her program before we made and printed it. She decided she wanted to change the closing hymn to a hymn she heard at Stake conference last week that just won't get out of her head......CALLED TO SERVE. So we sang Called to Serve for her baptism! I loved it! Could she be more perfect?

Brother Boyd, my favorite member in the branch, came up to us when we were setting everything up and told me something that brought me to tears. He said that in Elders' Quorum they were talking about divine design....and he asked Daniel (Samantha's boyfriend who is 19 and wasn't planning on serving) if Samantha's conversion and her getting baptized was done by divine design....he said yes....so he then asked if it changes anything about him serving a mission and he said he thinks it does. What a miracle. It's been so neat to see Daniel's part in this whole process and watch him grow just as much as Samantha has grown. He pretty much taught her all of the lessons before we did...he made our job easy! I truly believe that his role as a member missionary is what will get him out on his mission and he is going to change so many lives. I just can't wait. Sister Loranger came up from Hemet to do the Restoration presentation which was really nice because she was also baptized when she was 18 and her family was not supportive....she told us that Samantha told her she is considering going on a mission! If these two go out on missions that would mean everything. Nothing could possible ring me greater joy.

I think my favorite part of the whole baptism was actually right after it happened. She got out of the water and I BOLTED. (with my companion in tow of course) I ran to the bathroom and told her to come out of the stall before she got dressed and she was in tears. We embraced, both in tears, as we soaked in what this all meant for her. This has been a long journey for her....the trials never ceased. Even Sunday morning her and her dad got in another argument..but it never stopped her. She never doubted. She never feared. All she wanted was to enter into a covenant with her Heavenly Father and nothing was going to get in the way of that. Oh how I love that girl, and I am excited to anhelosamente look forward to going to the temple with her this transfer. That's actually what she chose for her program cover....a picture of the temple. Good things will happen here in Anza/Idyllwild with Sister Bryant this transfer. We are ready  and pumped for round two!

Hermana Tonini

White all around

Ummm, I couldn't even tell you what happened this week. We had Multi-Zones and exchanges....so it was a really packed week. So, since I can't seem to remember anything....let's talk about what went down this weekend.

So we had Stake Conference and it was SO GOOD. Elder Jay D. Pimentel spoke about what it means when the scriptures talk about a broken heart. He used a baseball analogy so of course it was fantastic. Having a broken heart isn't like a teenager who doesn't have a date to the Prom or who didn't get a text back from her crush, implying that it needs to be fixed.....it's more like breaking in a baseball glove. He explained how to break in a baseball glove and of course I could say the process along with him. (Aren't you proud of me, Dad?) So here's the thing. If you don't break in your glove, you will have a very difficult time trying to catch it....because it will just fall right out of your glove. Once you do the whole process of breaking it in, the ball stays exactly where it needs to be. He compared it to us...that we are the glove. When we have a broken heart we allow God's hand to work in our lives. He tells us to "Hold to to this. Let go of that. Hold to this. Let go of that." It's all about humility.

We also heard from Elder Taniela B. Wakolo who was INCREDIBLE!!!!  I can't even express into words what the Spirit taught us through his talks. He is such a powerhouse and it was cool to be able to shake his hand as I walked off the stage after translating.

Samantha was able to meet President Hammon which was really good for her! She told us she is good to go with next Sunday! She told her parents she was going to be baptized next Sunday since she will be 18, and they were a little more supportive this time!!! We don't know if her dad will be going to the baptism, but at least there's no more turmoil in her home. So she had her baptism interview last minute right after conference...AND SHE WAS FOUND WORTHY!!!!! SHE IS GETTING BAPTIZED NEXT SUNDAY!!!!!!! Man, it was so good. And then we had Ada's fireside bc she leaves for her mission to Germany in a couple of weeks. She had Samantha bear her testimony.....in front of  a TON of people and she killed it! We cried so hard. It was so precious to not only hear her strong testimony but to also hear her gratitude for missionary work and how it has changed her life. We, as sister missionaries, also bore our testimonies and the Spirit was so strong. It was one of the most Spiritual firesides I have been to in my whole life. Ada's outgoing testimony was so powerful.....lots and lots of tears were shed. It was truly a perfect day.

I love y'all so much. I love this work. I love my Savior. The Lord is truly hastening His work, and what a blessing it is to play a part.

Con amor,

Hermana Tonini

p.s. it snowed for like one day in Anza and it was fun while it lasted!

p.p.s. We get transfer calls on Saturday and who knows what will happen with us honestly.

#birthdaybaptism

WOW WOW WOW, WHAT A WEEK!!!!!

First of all, Elder Keetch came and did a mission tour, which was AWESOME! I want to share all of my insights and thoughts about what he shared, but then it ended up into my own little general conference talk and I don't have time for that. I will share one little story though:

Elder and Sister Keetch went up to Northern California after all of the fires and they said that there was nothing left of some homes.....just ashes. However, they found a small pot that had survived the flames that was just sitting in the middle of ashes. Why had the pot survived when everything inside the house disintegrated? Because pottery goes through the kiln, it has already been through the heat so therefore it was able to withstand the raging flames when they came. The refiner's fire, this kiln, not only shapes us into something beautiful but it PREPARES us for bigger flames to come.

"For, behold, I have refined thee, I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction." 2 Nephi 20:10

So there's my spiritual nugget for the week. My birthday was AWESOME!! We did four hours of service in the morning and the Ga*** kids were baptized! It was an incredible baptism service.....I felt the Spirit stronger than I ever had at a baptism. We were able to do a musical number at the end with the parents and we sang "Mas cerca, dios, de ti" and there were very few dry eyes in the room. I love this family SO MUCH. I told them the other day that I am planning on coming back when Diana gets married and sealed in the temple and when Daniel leaves for his mission. (He said he wants to serve in Mexico (': )

Oh how I love this work. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else in the world than here.

Three Geneations

Diana and Daniel

Big 20

I hit ten months, what is going on?

Ummm...uh.....

I feel like ever since training started I can't remember anything that happens in the week. Like, I know we did a crap ton of stuff but it just flies by so fast I can't keep up. Sorry my emails aren't going to be much the following ten weeks!

We did have Stake Conference this week and I wanted to share what the ward mission leader from the Corona shared:

He talked about how he tried having a gospel conversation every week and shared his experiences:

"The Gospel is such a big part of our lives, yet when people ask about our lives, we bypass right by it.

"Did I ask him if he wanted a BOM? No. did I ask him if we wanted to get baptized? No. But I shared a bit of the gospel.

"We don't have to make missionary work so difficult.

"Think of your routine. Who would be open to having a conversation deeper than the scores of the last football game? Prayerfully prepare for them and find out how you can squeeze something about the gospel and the church into a conversation with them this week."

I really want to implement this when I get home. You don't just have to invite people to meet with the missionaries. Just sharing bits of your life like about ward camp-outs...or Scouts....or how you watched General Conference last weekend....sharing the Gospel becomes so much easier! I regret not letting people know about my beliefs back home. When they eventually found out I was a member, there shock made me feel so guilty. People in my life would go MONTHS before knowing I was a member of the Church. Just sharing parts of our life that include the gospel is such an easier way :)

This week was just filled with us still trying to meet all of the investigators...picking up new ones...and trying to meet families in the ward. Poco a poco we will somewhat be able to breathe.

OH! I went back to Moreno Valley for Destiny's baptism! I was so honored to give the talk on baptism and the Holy Ghost and of course started crying at the end. That day had been the end (and beginning) of a very long journey. I am so proud of this girl and everything she has done.

Love my little nugget. After this picture I said, "I love you dude." And she went, "I'm not a dude, I'm a girl!"

Hermana Ber*** did not send me home empty handed, but with lactose-free horchata <3

I LOVE MY GIRLS <3









Love,
Hermana Tonini

No Sharks + No Peanuts = Baptism

Oh man, where to begin....maybe with the beginning of the week? On Pday, we went to get sushi to celebrate our last time together as Sisters because we knew Sister Ford was leaving...AND SHE IS GOING TO ANZA WITH MY TRAINER WHO IS TEMP ENGLISH MISSIONARY....so here is a picture of uncivilized Hermana Tonini trying to eat sushi. (And yes, it was delicious.)

This week with studies was super neat. I felt like this week the scriptures and conference talks were just speaking to me. I wish I could just write for hours all of the spiritual experiences I am having on the mission but there just isn't TIME.

We got transfer calls and Hna Moran and I are the only ones in the zone staying together!!!! I am super happy to get to work another six weeks with my best friend and kick trash this transfer.

We had a ton of lessons with Monserrath this week because it was the week of her baptism. In one of the lessons we asked if she was still scared for her baptism and she said she was only a little tiny bit scared because on YouTube she saw a video of a shark coming up out of the water and she was afraid there was going to be a shark in the font. Or jellyfish...or anything dangerous. So I whipped out my planner and made a list of things I needed to check for and things that were okay to leave in the font.

Acceptable:

• sea turtles
• dolphins
• fish

Super duper not acceptable:

• sharks
• jellyfish
• sting rays
• piranhas
• anacondas
• bombs
• cracks (the font would fall apart and she would die....duh.)

So yesterday I whipped out the checklist and we double certified the font was danger-free for Monse.

During that same lesson, she still hadn't decided if she wanted Elder Dew or Elder Spittle to baptize her, so we decided to say everything we knew about the two of them to see if that would help her decide. After going through sports, where they came from, random facts we know like how Elder Dew's sister is getting married and Elder Spittle's sister and dad served in the same mission, I said, "OH I GOT ONE. Elder Spittle is allergic to peanuts!" then Monse's eyes got real big and she goes, "I HATE PEANUTS!"

And that my friends is how we decided who was going to baptize Monse.

Her baptism was incredible, mainly because of what happened the day before her baptism. So their family was gone to Mexico for a whole month this summer because Monse's grandma was dying. Well, on Friday they found out that her grandma passed away and her dad left for Mexico immediately. So her dad wasn't going to be in town for the baptism. Plus her grandma just passed away. On Saturday we were on sick exchanges because Hna Moran is still currently very sick and Sister Mackley wasn't feeling that hot either. So I went with Sister Ford over to the Ayala's house not knowing what I was walking into. One of my strengths is that I am really good at listening when someone breaks down....but usually I never know what to say. I think it is because I am more of a listen and comfort physically instead of comforting through my words. Well, Sister Ford doesn't speak Spanish so it was all up to me. By the end of the lesson, however, Hermana Ayala and I were both in tears. the Spirit just surged through me and I somehow found the words. I was able to share with Monse how I felt when my grandpa died when I was about her age and be able to share the story of Camie and how her dad passed right before her baptism as well. Most of all, I had the opportunity to testify of the Plan of Salvation and of eternal families. Where would we be without our knowledge of the Plan of Salvation? Without knowing that we can see our loved ones again? I truly am grateful for my Savior, because He is central to that perfect plan. Nothing would be possible without Him. I testify that He lives. He loves us. He is our Redeemer and Prince of Peace.

Love,
Hermana Tonini

Scrapbook email

This week during my studies I have been focusing on the section Jesus Christ, Exemplar. I have learned so much about what it means to follow His example and try to become more like Him. I learned a lot about sacrificing. What are we willing to sacrifice to follow the Savior? With Arian's baptism, my testimony grew of this. He flipped his whole life around the follow the Savior and His teachings. When we follow the Savior it brings us so much JOY. He sent us a text after his baptism saying he has never smiled so much in his whole life.  When we invite people to follow the example of Jesus Christ by being baptized, they truly are following His example. I feel so blessed to be able to follow His example by being a missionary while teaching repentance and baptizing converts. The Gospel of Jesus Christ truly does change lives and offers so much hope and joy. I love this work, there truly is nothing else like it out there.

I have so many pictures form the past two weeks that all I am going to do is send pictures for my mass email with a  few comments.

HIKE! We hiked all the way up to the M!! It was exhausting but so worth it. Hermana and I took a whole bunch of pretty pics with the city in the background, but this one is my fav because my comp is such a cutie and laughing.

Service pictures from the Air Force Base

The old car we cleaned rat poop out of

The plane we pushed by hand

The vehicle I drove the other week out to the plane we painted

the plane we painted

When my comp makes my buy a hat because I burn

Baptisms!

Vicky T

NAPOLEON!!!! THE MYTH THE LEGEND!!!!

Arian featured Hna Soto who is our abuela in MoVal.

Baptizing [Father] Converts

WOW WOW WOW this week was full of miracles. First off, we had SEVEN new investigators this week. That may not be a lot compared to other missionaries, but for me, it truly was a miracle because of all of the people Heavenly Father put in our path.

Okay also, service at the Air Force museum was so cool. We physically moved an airplane by hand and we also cleaned RAT POOP out of an old car they are restoring. Then the week before, we got to help repaint an airplane!!! And I got to drive an air force like....cart kind of thing out to the site. I love service here. Especially since my grandpa was stationed here, it just makes it even more special. Pics to come of this.

Multizones were this week and I got to see one of my fav humans Hna Harper.

On Thursday we had the craziest miracle. So, we were at dinner with the Ten***'s, and they have their sister-in-law who lives with them, Vicky. She took lessons like years ago, but never got baptized. She comes to work in primary as like a service calling every Sunday. Well, the hnos were all like, "She just needs a little push and she is there." So we got her to sit in on the dinner lesson and once she saw it wasn't crazy intimidating she agreed to take lessons again! However, we had an appointment to get to after dinner so we had the Elders teach her for us. We got a call from them after they taught her the Resto saying they invited her to baptism and put her on date...but that she asked them, "Why can't I just get baptized on Saturday?" Like, in two days. And she did. So on Friday, we officially picked her up as our investigator and took an hour and a half just to review all of the lessons with her. Like the Plan of Salvation and Gospel of Jesus Christ plus all of the commandments. It was exhausting, but we somehow taught it all. So she legit was our investigator for less than 24 HOURS before her baptism. Like, stories like this don't happen to me. Like, why is Heavenly Father blessing me so much? Her baptism was beautiful and we are so happy for the family. Man, I don't ever want to go home.

Speaking of home, I hit my FIVE MONTH MARK this week. Crazy, huh?

Another miracle was on Sunday my investigator Napoleon was baptized! It was so special to be at the baptism of not only a father but a grandfather as well. I love him so much. He has such a special spirit. As I sat next to him for a couple of minutes before the program started I went back to the first lesson I had with him. How he kept saying "Lo creo. Lo creo." He truly does believe. And it was incredible to be with him from day one to the day of him opening up the door to so many blessing and other covenants to make with Heavenly Father. Every baptism is a miracle.

In spite of having TWO baptisms this week, oh, and having our investigator Arian being found worthy of baptism for next Sunday, there was one miracle that beat them all. This miracle was a prayer. We are working with a less active family and their daughter Monse is on date. Her date has been pushed back because we are trying to get her father reactivated and have him receive the Priesthood so he can baptize his daughter. However, he is very stubborn and doesn't really want anything to do with the church. (He had some bad experiences in the past) Like, he refuses to even pray. Nothing. It was almost difficult to even give Monse the opportunity to be baptized. However, after each visit we can see his heart softening. And when we went by and taught Monse, his wife and daughter tried getting him to pray at the end....like they do every time. Except this time, HE PRAYED. He humbled himself and let his 8 year old daughter teach him how to pray and he prayed. His prayer was beautiful. I have never been touched by the Spirit before in a prayer like that. It was so strong tears streamed down my face during his prayer. He prayed, and that was the grandest miracle yet.

Want to end with a quote from a RM I met from Norway, or one of those countries, this week. He said,

"It was an honor to get spit on and cast out like He was."

It truly is an honor to walk in the Savior's footsteps by being one of His missionaries. To teach and love and sometimes, yes, be rejected like He was. However, I know that miracles do happen today. Miracles have not yet ceased. My love for the Savior has grown so much this week as I have witnessed all of these miracles. I know my Savior lives. Without a shadow of a doubt.

Love,
Hermana Tonini

ps I had to email at the library so pics will just have to come next week sorry!!!

A White Summer

Is every week this transfer a crazy week? I feel like I haven't missionary'd all week and all transfer long. We had back-to-back exchanges this week and next week we have the last exchange for the transfer PLUS multi-zone conferences PLUS another STL/DL meeting. I miss just being able to go find all of the people and teach them Restorations left and right. The work is slow right now, but that's okay. My companion is getting a little frustrated at times, but how I see it, is that I am just going to work hard and be obedient and have faith. And I KNOW these people will come. It just may take more time than we want. 

We had our last interviews with our mission president this week, how crazy is that?? 

Our investigator here is doing great. He is still smoke-free and his interview is this week! He texts us every day to ask us how we are doing and if we are having a good day. He is INCREDIBLE and we love being able to go over and teach him and help him through his hurdles right now. 

Also, I got to go back to Hemet yesterday!!! Ruben was baptized! WOW, LIKE WOW. That was seriously the best part of my whole mission. He had five sister missionaries in there who all played a part in his conversion. I was sitting behind him and  before his service started his eyes were closed as he sat there in humble prayer. He understood the covenant he was about to make. He knew how sacred that moment was. When he stepped into the water in the font, tears immediately sprang in my eyes. Wow. Like words can't explain. The Spirit was strong and no one in that room could deny it. Also, during the baptism our other investigator, Napoleon, was interviewed and was found worthy to be baptized!!!!!! So I am going back to Hemet next Sunday for his baptism! I just feel SO SO SO blessed to be a part of this work. Like, I am already looking forward to being with Ruben when he goes through the temple. I just love these precious souls and la obra misional truly is humbling. My love has increased so much. Whether it be with my companion or investigators or members. This transfer I have learned so much about charity and what it truly feels like to LOVE. 

Here are pictures from the week. Sorry I look terrible in the pictures from the baptism? I look like a straight nugget. Oh well. Also we got chik-fil-a last p-day and I felt true bliss with chicken and waffle fries in hand. 

Voy a regresar...OTRA VEZ

Holy moly this week flew by. And I don't have much to say, so sorry!

So we do a TON of service here in MoVal and we had the opportunity to pick up a million and five American Flags at the Riverside National Cemetery after Memorial Day. Plus, when I was up in Riverside one day this week we threw away old food at Feeding America which was disgusting but fun to be with the missionaries up there.

Then at MFAM, or March Field Air Force Museum, I got to work on building these metal fort thingies. Like legit I was drilling in sheets of metal. They have a couple of these metal covers and missionaries have built all of them!  So there's some pics from some of the service we did this week. Sister Palmer, my half comp, has a ton of pics from this week so I will send them later once she gets them to me. I actually spent half of the week with Sister Palmer because there were THREE exchanges this week. Having a five-week transfer is rough because your STL comp has more exchanges to cram in each week. Like, we had one Wednesday, Thursday was MLC so I was with Palmer for half of the day, and then we had back-to-back Friday and Saturday. AKA I didn't see my companion at all this week.

OH ALSO, here is a picture of Hermana Hernandez Sanchez and I wearing each other's black dresses. Isn't she so cutie?

So, as a mission we are still sharing the Prince of Peace video, and a comment that was made after the video was, "It's incredible how he performed so many miracles and that they haven't stopped. We still see His miracles today, in our own personal lives." Isn't that so true? Well, yesterday we had a little miracle. We role played in the morning, and it was supposed to role play to invite to church. Well, I accidentally goofed and invited Hermana to be baptized instead. Well, while we were doing a little seeking with the little time we had left in the day, a man let us teach him for fifteen minutes, and the lesson went EXACTLY like the role play. Like his concerns were the exact same as Hermana's fake concerns in the role play. So not only was it a miracle that we found a new investigator at the last second possible of the week, but we were prepared! I know without a doubt that if we are prepared then we WILL see miracles in our every day lives, especially here on the mission.

Also, I got a call from Hermana Chandler this week saying that they had a lesson with our investigator Ruben. They were going to change the date of his baptism because there wasn't enough time to teach everything by his date because we could only get in like once a week maybe twice. You want to know what he said? NO. He refused to change his date!!!!! He said he would do whatever it takes to get baptized the 11th. I legit cried when I heard this. And his interview was yesterday and he was found worthy!!!! So Ruben is getting baptized this Sunday and I get to go back for it! I have such an overwhelming love for him, and my joy cannot be described. This work is so rewarding and I just can't get over it. So stay tuned until next week for pictures!

Also, here is the picture of us after Jacki's baptism with her cute little mini quincenera dress.

Love y'all.

Hermana Tonini

Donkey and Baptism Crossing

So, I am in Moreno Valley!!! I love my new companion Hermana Hernandez Sanchez with all of my heart. She's like the Hispanic version of me. She's also teaching me ALL of the appropriate Spanish slang since she is fluent in Spanish. We somehow didn't take a picture together this week? The only picture we have together is the one Ken took on Sunday and sent to my parents, so at least they know what my comp looks like. (Ken is my brother's convert who goes to church in the same building as me) Until next week my friends, and I will have more pictures. Just know that I love her to death and it's always a party. We're always laughing. But we are going to work hard too.

However, work was difficult this week. Had to take the car in twice this week, plus DDM, plus Hna had to go to Riverside for a meeting because she's an STL, two service activities, baptism in Hemet........yeah. It was a VERY long week and it felt very unproductive. Like, we only taught the Restoration ONCE this week. So we only picked up two new investigators. However, hopefully this week will be better. We are going to work flippin' hard and get stuff done. Hna has another meeting in Riverside this week and we have to take the car in for a whole day this week BUT we are going to try and be as successful as we can.

The one Restoration we taught though was the COOLEST Restoration I have ever taught! I have never felt so EXCITED to teach the Restoration. I could physically feel the Spirit surging through my body. My Spanish just flowed. Like, it was awesome.

JACKI'S BAPTISM!!!!!!!! My first investigator got baptized on Saturday and it was so incredible! I love that little girl so much and my heart was so filled to walk into the room and see her dressed in white. Man, I love being a missionary. Also this picture is so gross but we got there like 5 minutes late and had to rush to get this pic in. Han chandler has a pic of her in her nice dress afterwards with us, and she will be sending it to me.)

I love the two investigators we are working with right now. They are both pretty much ready for baptism, they just each have one single obstacle standing in their way. I love being able to be part of bringing souls unto Him in two different areas. My investigators back in Hemet are still progressing and I love being able to get updates about them.

Also, did you know that there are wild donkeys here in MoVal?

Well, that's really it. Love you all.

Love,
Hermana Tonini