Gold Mines

Dear Friends and Family,

Thanks for your help and support! I need a lot of it!

Did you like #LightTheWorld??? It's back again! Just think of how great it's going to be to spread the light twice as far! Everyone who saw it last year is already on board, so share! Share! Share! We have to get the word out! You know me and math, You might think that twice the number of people will see it this year, but if we all share the video in every way possible, it'll be exponential!! (I can feel you all rolling your eyes). But seriously, this is such a door opener for the restored gospel. Besides that, it's a great opportunity to let your own life be lit up by the example of our Savior. Please, please! Light the world! In 25 ways, over 25 days.

Story time!

Yesterday, we were expecting Martin to come to church, but he didn't show. He had worked 30 hours over the last 2 days and he couldn't get up for church. We were also expecting Lexi and her siblings. No show. But count your many blessings! The Elders OYM'ed to someone that lives in our area, and he came to church for the second week in a row, even though we haven't been able to make contact with him! His name is Mario, but he's different from the Mario in the next story.

We had an appointment set with this Gold Mine and a church tour for right after. Hermana Penalosa was going to pick us up from Mario's house to a church tour with Martin. Well, when we got to the house, Mario wasn't there, but his member wife was. We started sharing a message with her and then he came! And listened! And we invited him to the church tour, and he came! Martin didn't, but Mario did! He told us about how he had had a bad experience once upon a time when a member told him he couldn't go to gospel doctrine because he wasn't baptized. He hasn't been back to the church in years. He wouldn't commit to come on Sunday. Then when we took him home, he said, "Maybe I'll come on Sunday." Then he came! His heart had been softened by the Spirit. 

On Saturday we tried to get into a goldmine's complex, but couldn't. We even tried carding the door, but there was a witness in his driveway across the street and we didn't want to look suspicious. So we talked to him! That's how we met Edwin. He's super awesome. That's all I want to say about him.

We played this fun game all week where you make a turkey with your hands(one hand is the feathers, one is the body) and you could 5 things you're thankful for and then the turkey gobbles. You say "Gobble! Gobble! Gobble!" and wiggle your fingers. It's only fun in larger groups because everyone gobbles differently and we all just laugh. 

Love you all so much! Have a great week! #LIGHTTHE WORLD!!!

Otra familia!

Dear Friends and Family,

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanks for everything!

Guess what's just around the corner! The Christmas initiative!! Yay!! Remember how great last year's Christmas initiative was?  I encourage you to reflect a bit in the coming days on how #LightTheWorld was a blessing in your life and the lives of those around you. Then, on the 24th, check out mormon.org to spread the Christmas message for 2017! I know that the Holidays are a busy time and a time for giving a lot of everything to others. I hope that each of you is able to take a few moments and be still each day. Give a few minutes to God by reading and praying. 

What's new!

We decided to knock a few more doors after KO because we had gotten a late start and everything had fallen through. They let us in!! (that was a trainwreck because a member was around the corner to drop off dinner). We got an appointment for the next day with a member present and they asked lots of questions as we shared about the Book of Mormon. We're having another lesson with them tomorrow! Their names are Lucia and Santos.

Also we've been trying to contact gold mines, and even though we don't have any investigators, the members came to the activity (that's one family) and church (that's another), so I see investigators right around the corner! 

Love you! Thanks for all that you do! Enjoy your holiday!

All the hermanas were allowed to attend a baptism in Valencia and sing as a "girl band" (as much as can be for church). It was a fun time together. Pretty sure Carmen's comp, Hermana Maw is in the middle next to her. 

Sin mapa

Dear friends and family,

Thanks for the love and support! I'm thankful that you remember me:) 

I was pondering this morning losing ourselves in the work (back story: We got to the brand new area on Tuesday. They pulled a phone out of storage. No contacts, nothing. We put everything we needed on it. I lost it yesterday. :/ Record fast time for losing my phone. 5 days. Nice one, Hermana Sleight.) I was walking along with 3 other sisters, thinking about how between the 4 of us, we have one phone, and how my phone number has changed 6 times on the mission and my family hasn't had any of them. I really am not myself here. In a perfect world, I would be 100% a representative of Jesus Christ, and Carmen would just disappear for 18 months. Thanks for not forgetting me.

Stories! 

Hermana Maw is from Rexburg and I like her a lot. We opened this new area, but it has a lot of investigators already in it, which is awesome. We started with no map, no phone charger, no binder to put our new area book in, no proselyting materials, etc. Plus, you know me, I had lost my planner at transfer meeting. But we drew our own map! Our leaders helped us get by on materials, including a new planner for me, we got the phone number for the bishop, and boom! We're working. We love it here!

I finally got started on that goal I mentioned 2 general conferences ago, memorizing the Living Christ in Spanish. I am fascinated by it! His name is so much more frequently on my mind and lips. I encourage you all to do the same in the language of your choice.

God has not yet taken away the great sense of direction He has blessed me with, even though he has taken away my ability to remember names and faces. With a hand drawn map, I've figured out the area pretty quick. Twice now, we have gotten onto our bikes, and I have told Hna Maw where the name of the next person we were going to visit, and then refused to tell her anything else. She gets kind of frustrated, but she kind of likes the challenge I think:) Both times we had to backtrack a bit, but we got there just fine. Last night on the same bike ride where I lost the phone, she got to the edge of our area, looked up at the sign, and said, "Wait, this is OXNARD??" She looked at me all mad. "You let me ride across our area?" I couldn't keep it together. It was so funny! Maybe I'm mean. We worked it out.

Love you! Have a great week!

Love,

Hermana Sleight

PS Sorry no pictures I was counting on a nicer computer with an SD card reader.

Una familia!

Dear Friends and Family,

Thanks for the love and support! Your prayers on our behalf are always answered.

As I was reading 1 Nephi 3-4 this week, I asked myself why the Lord let Nephi and his brothers try and fail twice before they were able to get the plates. One reason might have been that they hadn't yet asked for help. Another might be that they needed to learn to bounce back from hard times. Sometimes, the Lord lets us all try and fail a few times, but He still expects us to try again. This is especially true for our family and friends accepting the gospel. It's not very often that people are interested the first time we bring it up. Sometimes they chase us out with 50 men. But if we follow the Spirit and go back, eventually, God will help everything fall into its perfect place.

Stories!

Yesterday at KO, we found a family!! It's a missionary's goal to find and teach families. They are going through a hard time because their son was just in a car accident, and they need a lot of help and comfort. Car accidents are stressful... We were right in their path, and they specifically chose a return appointment time when they'd all be around. I love it!!

This wonderful little woman named Leonor ordered a Book of Mormon by calling the number on the back of the card we left on her door! Missionary friends: leave cards on every door you knock. You never know!! She was so happy to get a Book of Mormon and asked for a Bible too. She is amazing! She has raised her 7 kids and 9 grandkids! She loves it. She understands the messages we've shared, and she wants to know if she should be baptized! The actually understands prayer. We didn't even have to tell her about it. I love it!

Yesterday we surprised Luis's family by stopping by and both of his parents listened while we helped Luis share what he had learned about the iron rod being the word of God with them. It was awesome! I love Luis. He always tells us about how he knows that God is a Mormon.

Thanks for all of your love and support! You're awesome! 

Love,

Hermana Sleight

Crystal got baptized! 

Hermanas left to right Penaranda, Rogers, Arenas, Pfeil, Lizama, McGlinchy, Juarez, Johnson, Figueroa, Sleight, Talbert, Johnson, Henrie​

P.S. from Mom, Carmen will be transferred to North Hollywood this week. She will be only one area short of covering the whole mission at that point!