Pretty Girls Need Bodyguards

So, Tuesday was MEGA CRAZY. During Buscando con Fe, we found SIX referrals between three different sets of missionaries and one for us. It was in a real sketchy part of town and some man drove by with his window down and yelled, "PRETTY GIRLS NEED BODYGUARDS” at us. We also picked up FOUR new investigators. Also, I had a strong impression the past week to go stop by a family in our ward. Usually you would peg them for a family that wasn't really super gung-ho about the Gospel, if that makes sense. However, the mom and daughter had TWO missionary experiences and they were totally willing to go out with us and continue sharing the gospel with their friends!

So in MCM [Missionary Correlation Meeting] we decided that when we have our Obra Misional Sacrament Meeting that our ward mission council is going to sing the intermediate hymn. You should hear us sing. Our little mighty group cannot sing and I lose it every time we sing to open out MCM. It's so bad, I know. I need to work on that. But still. Should be VERY interesting. Also, might have to give a talk that Sunday too. Yikes.

So on Wednesday I took over the area again. And I prayed SO STINKIN HARD for help. For the Gift of Tongues and for the Spirit. And it totally payed off! I feel like the more trust you put in the Lord, the more you can feel His support. We taught Maris the most spiritual lesson ever. Like, Sister DiPietro said that she felt the Spirit stronger than she had ever felt before in a lesson, and she doesn't speak a lick of Spanish. Like, you could visibly SEE the Spirit work on Maria, like in her countenance. It was the coolest thing ever. We got her back on date and she even prayed about baptism in the closing prayer!! Gosh, I love that lady. Then I had a Resto with a potential investigator and I taught the whole Restoration by myself and didn't crash and burn!!! And he kept saying "Lo creo" ["I believe"] throughout the whole lesson! I truly felt the Lord's hand in la obra misional [mission work] that day. Then I got to finish out the day with a home visit with one of my favorite families in the ward. Their son plays baseball and so we always talk about his game highlights!

Friday was a little hard. We had to pass of the MOST ELECT family to the English Elders because the son does not understand Spanish. We were already at the Gospel of Jesus Christ with them too. Love that family with all of my heart and it was really hard not to be selfish and keep teaching them. Like, the mom quite literally threatens to call the missionaries on her 11-year-old when he is being difficult and he stops. Ugh. Miss them.

However, we had another crazy good Buscando con Fe day. Found five referrals for the Elders and one for us! Had a really cool contact with this lady Amanda who quite literally has the cutest family I have ever seen and the Elders are teaching them now!!

Then on Saturday we had a lesson with a member's "friend." They are definitely dating but they both call each other friends. In “How to Begin Teaching,” we asked him if he had any questions and one of them was, "Do I have to be baptized to marry someone in this church?" Still want to tell me you aren't dating her? He is so great though. So elect. I was teaching about Jesus Christ and the Apostles and asked him what he thought happened after the organization and leadership of Christ's church went away? What happened to the church that Jesus Christ had set up? He's all, "Um, a lot of people started their own churches. They started walking in their own ways." Uh, yeah exactly? Like, he knew about the apostasy and the significance of the church of Jesus Christ before we even taught it to him? So he is set to be baptized in June and we are super excited about it!

Also, I was parking by the curb one day and all of a sudden this kid comes ZOOMIN down the driveway on his bike and almost T-boned me!!!! Like, his arm hairs brushed up against our car, that's how last minute he swerved.

During Gospel Principles there was a huge fight. Like someone stormed out of class. SUPER uncomfortable, not to mention it all happened in front of our investigators.

It was the most exhausting week, but it was a good, full week. Can't wait to see what new challenges and blessings are in store for this week.

Love you all!

Love,
Hermana Tonini

Change Release Date to Parents

Dear Brother and Sister Tonini,

I am writing to inform you of a change in the mission release date for Sister Corina Tonini.  For some reason her original release date did not conform to standard transfer days in the California Riverside Mission.  To avoid unnecessary disruption in the mission, her release date is now scheduled as 17 Jul 2018.

We thank you again for sharing Sister Tonini with the California Riverside Mission.  You can be proud of her and the fine work she is doing here in the mission field.  Thank you for your support and prayers in her and our behalf.

Sincerely,

John H. Mullen, President

California Riverside Mission

Buzzed

We went to Bob Davis's Luncheon this week and got some pretty great advice from my district elder who was drying while I was washing dishes. He said, "My mother would always say, 'Wash dishes like a blind person.'" And yes, it was because I missed a spot in the crock pot I was washing. (I swear I know how to wash dishes.)

Also, I took over the area for the first time this week because Hermana Chandler was on exchanges! And all of our citas [appointments] fell through! BUT, we stopped by a potential investigator and I taught him the Restauracion [Restoration] all the way through by myself! Because Sister Dipietro is an English sister, I invited him to be baptized and everything! I tried so hard to get a return appointment but he is pretty Catholic and was just being nice because he knew we had been trying to get in with him for like a month now. But hey, it's a seed right?

Also, we got this text from one of our investigators, "Jany (honey) have mucho calor pegando el tile no tienes ganas de una cerveza?" [It is really hot, don't you want a beer?"] Us: "What? " Turns out his cousin saw the text from us and decided to pull a chiste [joke] on us.

So, yesterday was a really good day, which was a nice way to end a long week. We had a cita [appointment] with Irayne from Cuba and she is so elect. Like, she asked so many good questions that most investigators don't even think about. We had dinner with Hermana Fon*** who is the actual mejor [best]. We picked up two new investigators and somehow invited them to read, pray and go to church before even hitting the section of Jesus Christ? Usually doesn't go that way. Then we had an interesting home visit.

So this Hermana is the only member in her family and she invited her son and his girlfriend to listen in. The girlfriend straight up told us that she was a little buzzed. Also, she doesn't speak Spanish so the whole thing was in English. What was cool was...

• She chastised her boyfriend for not wanting to hear the word. "He did all of that for us and you can't even take a little time to hear the word??"
• We invited Hermana to continue sharing her testimony of Jesus Christ and praying for opportunities to do so, so we invited them to do it as well. She was all, "but I don't enough of Jesus Christ to preach about Him!" And Hermana Chandler was all, "Well, what DO you know about Jesus Christ?" Then she shared three statement about what she knows/believes. I was all, "See, that's a testimony!!!" You should have seen her face light up. I felt the Spirit so strong when I heard her simple but strong testimony. It's so neat to hear those core beliefs. 
• She said, "I'll say the prayer even though I'm a little buzzed." In the prayer she said, "Thanks for sending these ladies so I can change and be a better person". 

YESSSSSS. Since she is English, she went to Elder Thompson, our district leader, and Elder Frisbee. However, I am excited to see where things go with them!

(Side note: no, we do not teach drunk people because they are not accountable, but since we were doing a home visit, she just sat in. Since she wasn't technically accountable, we couldn't pick her up as an investigator or set a return apt)

Love and miss you all dearly.

Love,
Hermana Tonini

And the Day Marks Three Months

Sorry, this has to be a short one, I have 0 time.

So last Pday we went to check out a potential, which wasn't even a guy who spoke Spanish. HOWEVER. He wanted to hear a message of Christ and at the end he said his mom died in January and that he sat down with her Bible to look through it for pictures or notes and as soon as he opened it we knocked on his door!!!! We had to send him off to English land though, but it was still way cool!

Also, we had a way successful week! We picked up five new investigators!!! We had so many miracles it's crazy!

So I had a really bad night this week and I prayed that night to feel the peace that we can feel from our Savior. We have been teaching about the Prince of Peace the last two weeks, and I thought to myself, maybe I should practice what I preach. So, I went to the Prince of Peace to calm my troubled soul. The next morning in my studies I decided to study John 14, and the first verse reads "Let not your heart be troubled." First verse. I felt peace like I had never felt before in my life. He truly is the Prince of Peace, we just need to seek Him.

Also, got bashed with a Spanish woman for TWENTY MINUTES! I tried to leave like five times. Like shook her hand three times and everything and she would not let me leave. Patience and love truly are key in a 20-minute bash. The one time I wasn't with Hermana Chandler, and had a temp English comp. Rough.

Also, guess who is designated driver this week? YOU GUESSED IT. Which is weird because Hermana said that usually they only do that if I am going to be staying next transfer. But she just got called to be the STL for the area. So now it is like 50/50 on who is staying here in Hemet next transfer.

On Sunday we had SIX AT CHURCH!!!!! What was hard was trying to get our youth investigator to feel welcomed. The youth were not even trying to talk to her. SO FRUSTRATING. Hindsight is definately 20/20 because I am sure I was the same way.

Also had a crazy strong garage lesson while seeking with faith and the man starting crying while I taught him God is our loving Heavenly Father.

Also here is a pic of Sister Blanchard and I, she left back home and is already at BYUI. Crazy, huh?



Sister Tonini
California Riverside Mission

And She Stays

So looks like I am staying in Hemet! Not really surprised because I am in the middle of training. A lot of people thought I was going to leave though since President is aware of my sort-of in-laws here in Hemet but guess not!

So, I officially finished my first transfer in the field and my three- month mark is coming up!
So uh, a week ago today I had a reaaaaaaaally bad day. Everything had just built up and I just broke down. The Echo Hills Sisters came over and we ate ice cream and Sister Harris convinced me to get a Priesthood blessing from the Elders. So Elder Elderidge gave me a blessing and since then, I have been doing better. A part in the blessing was to lose myself in the work, and that is my focus right now. I am just going to lose myself and hope that everything else comes with time. I just love the Priesthood and I am grateful for it.

OH GUESS WHAT? Hermana Chandler got called to be a Sister Training Leader (STL). Kind of a little stressed out about it because that means a lot more extra preparation for when she goes on exchanges every week and it means me taking over the area because my half companion doesn't know Spanish. Yeah. I feel like there will be some real growth though. Also, her mom reads my mission blog, how cute is that? She sent my comp an excerpt form the blog!!

Okay so here is my story for the week. We have been teaching the Du*** Family. I may or may not have mentioned how we found this family but if not here it is again. So, the Zone Leaders street contacted a lady who is visiting from Tia Juana and she is actually investing down in Mexico! Like her daughter just got baptized!!! So she had us come teach her niece and nephew and we picked them up. However, now that she is in Mexico, we can't teach without permission form the parents so we met with the mom and she was totally in! So now we picked her up as an investigator! Then we finally had a lesson with her and her two children and she was trying to teach them what she learned and everything! Like, she was even using the folletos [pamphlet]! Like she so badly wants her children to know the truth and follow the right path, it is so beautiful to see. She even said at the end "You are going to read the Book of Mormon because these girls left their family and lives and everything behind to teach US. US." Then, get this. The Ramona Elders were seeking with faith and met this man and his girlfriend happened to be taking lessons. Like she was all "are you going to give them a Book of Mormon?" Can you guess who the lady was? THE AUNT FROM MEXICO! The reason she comes up here a lot is because her best friend and family lives here! This lady is the perfect fellowshipper and SHE ISN'T EVEN A MEMBER. We are going to baptize this whole family, us and the Ramona Elders!!!!! We are so excited about it!

Also had a lesson with a guy who read the entire Book of Mormon in jail? Trying to get a return apt currently.

Also had a lesson with a lady who got here four months ago from Cuba who was living on the streets about one week ago. A member is taking her in for a bit so that is how we met her, and we get to teach her tomorrow!

Crazy crazy stuff going on over here.

Also, we went to a Mexican party for one of our dinner appointments and there was legit a mechanical bull. We were definitely the only gringas there. AND I HAD COW BRAIN TACOS AND ALMOST THREW UP BUT I HAD TO TRY THEM FOR THE EXPERIENCE (the other tacos were divine).

We taught the Palabra de Sabiduria [Word of Wisdom] to Maria and she had ZERO ZERO ZERO problems with it! Like, she even eats healthier than I do! #diabeticinvestigators We are trying to get her to feel the Spirit more because when she reads the Livro De Mormon she worries about every little detail. At least she is reading though!!!

We also started teaching a nine-year old who hasn't been baptized yet so that should be happening in a couple of months!

Love,

Hermana Tonini

This Never Gets Old

When you serve in the same mission that your brother did, there is a lot of name recognition.  This week, we received a selfie from a member in the Diamond Valley Ward who knew Elder Tonini and his in-laws (who still live in the stake).  The Diamond Valley and Ramona Wards (where Hermana Tonini is serving) meet in the same building.

Zika Virus Email

Dear Brother and Sister Tonini,

In October of 2016, the Brethren requested that all missionaries throughout the world be protected by insect repellent containing DEET, a well-known mosquito repellent. The foresight of that request is now becoming apparent.

As you may have heard, the California Department of Public Health released a March 31 report that two invasive mosquito species known to carry the Zika virus have been found in 10 California counties, including Riverside. This does not mean that Zika has been transmitted to humans in California. The only documented U.S. cases of viral transmission from a mosquito to a human took place in South Florida and Brownsville, Texas last year. However, the possibility exists now that the mosquitos that carry this disease are in the state.

That same report indicated that a total of 529 cases of Zika infections have been confirmed in California. These are “laboratory confirmed” cases, but they occurred when residents of the state traveled abroad. Zika is generally a mild disease, causing symptoms in only 18% of people who get the illness. Most often those who have symptoms experience mild flu-like fever, joint pain, muscle pain, headache and red eyes. Again, there have been no mosquito-to-human transmissions in California. The Missionary Department continues to monitor the situation for any change.

Because of the counsel received, the mission took precautions last October to protect the elders and sisters. The repellent they have has a concentration sufficient to be effective during the time our missionaries are out. We have strongly counseled them to be faithful in applying it whenever they are outside and intend to follow up on compliance. Please add your encouragement to ours!

We express our gratitude for sharing Sister Tonini with us in the missionary work of the California Riverside Mission and want you to know that her safety is our highest priority.

Faithfully yours,



President John H. Mullen and Sister Jana L. Mullen