Only 99 Days Left!

Well hello from SUNNY California!! Here are the happenings from the week!

1. We went to Goodwill last week and I think I am now loving thrift stores. All of the sudden I see them EVERYWHERE we go and I have been here for 6 months... hahah

2. Our investigator Malachi accepted a baptismal date. He actually brought it up. He is 11 and so in touch with the spirit. And how he has responsibilities here on earth.

3. We went to a part member families this week. LOVE them! The non member husband said we could come back because it was us. His wife was telling us that he has has lesson before and been to church just not ever happened. We shall see. He was pretty open with us and set a return appointment.

4. We got lemon seeds to grow... they aren't growing. BUT We got lemons from a member and made lemonade... SO good!

5. We were out contacting one day and we ran into these 3 ladies. We got into a really nice talk about Jesus Christ and how we have to found and accept him. They weren't interested in learning BUT we offered service and it just so happens two of them are doing work in their homes! HOPEFULLY we can get in and help them feel of the Spirit and want to learn more :]

6. We went to a members home whose son just came off his mission. This father is NOT active and tried to talk him out of going on his mission. We were there when he got released. Wow. The stake president asked him for his name tags. I was about to cry!! My tag is little and just a black thing I clip on every morning... but not. It is so much more. I'm different. And I was thinking about how blessed I am to be here and get to wer this little black tag. I LOVE it!!

7. We FINALLY got to meet with a couple that hasn't been to church in a LONG time. Found out that he is a return missionary and now agnostic and she hasn't been to church but wants to come. Very interesting how that works out. But she wants us to come back. I think she can feel the void in her life without the gospel and gave us the biggest hug when we left. We shared a scripture about ow the spirit wont lie to us... I know she was listening, hopefully he was too.

8. Beverly a less active we teach has not been to church in YEARS and she came on Sunday!!! It was HUGE!!! She came, participated and everything. She told us that her biggest thing was that she has a really close connection with these two families and they ended up moving and she had no one to connect with. She didn't put the effort in BUT hopefully she enjoyed meeting people and we shall see if she will come back next week.

9. Sister Harker and I were welcoming people to church when we met a man who was visiting from Fuller Seminary College. He was there for a class assignment. It was a PERFECT day to come! We had a recent convert and a return missionary speaking. The whole time we were in Sacrament meeting he was nodding and writing a few notes. One of his notes he had written was "children part of service" In my head I was thinking, well duh! Oh well. When we explained to him that no one was paid he was also very shocked. He was able to come to Gospel principles and he was participating and reading scriptures with us... he had said earlier he would stay then he ended up leaving after gospel principles. He was feeling the spirit. Love it!

10. "The Boys" were born!! I am a proud auntie for the 3rd time on the mission and for the 14th time in my life... how lucky am I?!?

11. Favorite scripture this week... well it is a few. I have been studying the words cheer, cheerful, things like that. One of my goals this week was to be happy. Not just look happy but feel happy. Yes, life is hard but there are so many happy and cheerful things we could focus on. SO. Mosiah 24:15 Tells us to submit cheerfully and patiently to the will of the Lord. Not our will, the Lords. Then in 2 Corinthians 9:7 It tell us that Good loves a cheerful giver. Then in D&C 78:18 (new fav) Ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will lead you along.... riches of eternity are yours. We can not bear all things... especially if we try to do it alone! Not happening. But if we let him lead us we can have the riches of eternity... LOVE that blessing. We need to be happy. I know when we teach lessons it is a message of JOY!  Be happy. Life is hard but good.

LOVE YOU ALL!!

Sister Arbogast

Howdy!

The week has been good! Busy and so happy about that!

1. We got lemon seeds in red plastic cups... they were from our lesson on Faith. So we now we also say we have to water our faith. I hope they actually sprout up... I would LOVE a lemon tree!!

2. We had some GREAT lessons this week... with Lydia we talked about Agency and how if we don't know where we want or where we are going, it doesn't matter what we do or path we take. She even had her cousin in town and we read from the Book of Mormon with her too. We read about how the scriptures can bring comfort and closer to Heavenly Father. Our member with us bared really strong testimony and it finally seemed to click with her.

3. One of our new investigators Liz is great. One of her daughters is in a different stake in the area and her grandson keeps teaching her about the church. She loves the strength of youth pamphlet and we watched the Restoration DVD with her this week. She says that she thinks it could totally happen with Joseph Smith seeing God and Jesus Christ. She "goes" to another church. I asked her conversion and she said she hasn't had one. We can tell that she is intrigued by her grandson and all she keeps telling us is how amazed she is at our dedication at such a young age. We were able to bear testimony to her and it was AWESOME! A little side note on her... the Movies risky business, cheaper by the dozen and some Audi commercial from Christmas apparently where he brings gifts inside and the family goes and takes his car... well they were all filmed in her house... No big! hahahaha AND when I met her the first time I was with Sister Foster... she told us this week she was agonizing over taking up our offer on giving service... she said, "I didn't want the other one here. She is too mousy. She just wouldn't be able to cut it here. I even was thinking if there was a way I could have you come and not her."

4. We got to take Jerry on a tour of the chapel this week and he said he could feel what we were saying could be right but he needed to ask and read. His wife is not interested but he is. Its AWESOME!

5. Orrillius doesn't want to meet with us anymore. Which I was sad about but relived about too. He isn't ready. He said some hurtful things which I was more worried about with my companion BUT we cant force him and we will keep going :]

6. Decora spoke more than EVER in a lesson this week on the 10 commandments... it was amazing! She was all into learning the little hand signs and teaching them back to us. She is progressing for sure.

7. President Becerra came to our district meeting this week and role played with Sister Harker and I. He is a great man! He is so involved with us missionaries and going to lessons with the elders. We might even be going to play basketball with him today... he is awesome.

8. People are starting to ask how long I have been in the ward now since it has been a while. Even people from the other ward we share the building with are asking... its kind of funny hhahaha

8. My favorite scripture this week came from preparing a lesson for a less active on hoe we can study the scriptures. It is in Doctrine and Covenants 131:6-It says that we can NOT be saved in ignorance. I LOVE this. We cant have any excuses of "I didn't know." We can lie to the Lord... He knows. And I have to think about that when people reject our messages even after they have had the spirit testify to them. I'm doing my part, spirit has done his part now its their turn.

Love you all!!

Sister Arbogast

Happenings from the week...

Well... here we go again! Another weekly update for you lovely people!

1. Last Monday we went bowling and it was AWESOME!! It was a zone activity and I was hoping to not make too much of a fool while there. First person up.. me. What happens? STRIKE! Oh yeah!! Only happened one other time and it was a spare from the gutter I did before hahah BUT I broke 100... I got 101! Oh yeah! Thank you online bowling classes :]

2. Our presidents wife came out with us to a couple lessons on Monday night. She came to an FHE we were having with couple who is trying to get back into the swing of church and want to start good habits now while their daughter is young.

3. She also came with us to the Stevens. They are a mother and son who call themselves active but never come to church. I think the whole 6 months I have been here I have seen them at church maybe 4 times and one of the times her son was speaking. We taught about agency and how we have to choose the right. Simple as that. We went over a talk from President Monson, The Three R's of Choice. It was really good. Part of me thinks that Sister Stevens just likes to talk. We shall see.

4. We did some service for the Stevens too... well mainly her non member dad. We cut some trees down and pushed/broke down a gazebo. Kind of fun actually :]

5. Since President gave me the sister specialist (sister zone leader) title I got to go to a REALLY amazing training this week! It was on Wednesday and it was all the zone leaders, president and his wife, and two people from SLC in the missionary department for the church. It was really good for me to just soak in everything. Main two things I got was to be personal to the people we are teaching-DUH! But it just really hit me today. Then the next thing was a quote one of the people from SLC said, )teach your purpose, with purpose, on purpose" We have our purpose that Preach My Gospel tells us and making sure we do all three things with it. I got home and wrote it out on colored paper and put it on our wall by our desks. President said we will be going to the trainings, training the sisters, and going on exchanges. Shall be interesting what happens.

6. With our recent convert Cesar we went over the home teaching message for the month, the Abundant life. We were able to read from it and apply the principle to us and how we need to have a better attitude, belief in ourselves and courage. I think he needed it this week too. He was a little down about something. She is still doing great! He has been passing the sacrament and loving his calling as a primary teacher.

7. We have a new investigator, Linda. She is REALLY interested in the Relief Society and the sisterhood of it. We were able to tell her our expectations and really help her feel the love of her heavenly Father. She came on a tour with us and we brought the Relief Society president. She wasn't able to come to church this past Sunday but she said next she would. I hope so. Everything she said she is looking for is within the gospel. Now we get to teach her about it :]

8. Decora come to church!! We went over to have a lesson with her grandma who is already a member and she stayed and said the opening prayer and actually talked when we asked questions... this was HUGE for her. She got a little turned off for a while I think while her brother and his friend were there... but she seems to be back on track.

9. Went to Chinatown yesterday... same as it always is BUT we rode the Metro and it was FUN! We went with a group of missionaries. My companion had never been and wanted to go so bad so we went. She wants to go again too... I dont know about that ahahhaah We will see.

10. My favorite thing that I learned from studies this week was how important questions are. During our district meeting when we talked about questions and then asked a few and critiqued them with each other I was really aware of the importance of how I word my questions and why I ask what I do. I started to think about the questions that I ask myself and how they can be answered with the gospel and so can everyone elses... not just mine. The gospel is so true. I LOVE it!

LOVE YOU!!

Sister Arbogast

Happy New Year!

Well... here are the happenings for the week!


1. We FINALLY went to the taco truck on Fair Oaks... YUM!!! We went with two other elders from the Spanish work. We saw 4 members while we were there too. My companion was so excited to have real Mexican tacos again.
2. One of our investigators whose family and friends ALWAYS bash the church ALWAYS stands up for us! It has been amazing to me how strong she is but when it comes to baptism she says she isn't ready. We taught her this week about obedience and the blessings that come from obeying all the commandments and living the way our Heavenly Father wants us to.
3. We have a new investigator, his name is Malachi. He is in a part member family. His family is not active. His mom is a single mom and struggles. But one if the inactive sons comes now to basketball every week at the church and they came to church Sunday. They woke up and got ready, a 16 and 11 year old. So amazing. We had lessons about the wonderful Restoration. They ask GREAT questions and really love how Joseph Smith said he couldn't deny because he knew that God knew. Such a tender comments from an 11 year old.
4. We met with Brother Brown who is not active but we left him to read in the Book of Mormon and he read! We weren't sure if he would and he did and loved it! We had a great dissucion on Lehi's dream and where we are in it. He said he might come to church next year... so Sunday we shall see.
5. Sharon our less active member... an AWESOME missionary! She brought a friend to meet with us this week. Her friend loved it so much when we invited her back she said yes and that she was bringing another friend! We read with her a talk from President Monson about choice, the great gift of agency :]
6. Orrillius is moving along, hesitant that he isn't ready for baptism yet but that he wants to... Little frustration BUT he had an AMAZING lesson on the Apostasy with him (which was this past weeks topic and role play in District meeting). He really taught us about it as we asked him questions and backed him up with scriptures... I LOVED watching the Spirit just unfold the truth to him.
7. We met with a recent convert that has since gotten into a few hard things and not active. We read from Alma chapter 5 with him... we only got a little into it but I think it is starting to make him think a bit.
8. Happy New Year!!! Sister Zamora and I got Mexican coke in a glass bottle (the best way to drink it apparently) and went to bed at 1040-rebels we stayed up 10 minutes extra. But we woke up again at 12 since our neighbors were firing guns... yep, you read that right. They were doing it randomly till about 1230... then we went back to bed. hahha
9. So transfer calls were this week... but since I am training with a 12 week program we were clear right? NOT!! We got a call... he talks to my companion first and tells her she will be going to "white wash" an area. She they took two elders out and put two sisters in. They talk... then hang up. Uhhh what about me?! I call him back and ask, "Umm you have any news for me?" He goes, "Oh yeah. You will be training again Sister Arbogast. This isn't a normal thing. But President knew that you did such a great job with Sister Zamora that she only needed the 6 weeks and you will be training again." Wait what just happened?! Yes... so here I am... waiting for another new sister... I will pick her up on Wednesday. So I guess you will find more out about her next week! Apparently I am needed in Pasadena since this will be my 5th transfer here, so 6 months down. CRAZY!
10. We gave talks on Sunday!! I spoke about Mark 9:24... my favorite scripture this week :] My companion spoke about Faith proceeds the miracle. She talked about faith and I talked about how we develop faith... afterward I got the BEST reward. A woman came up to me and said that she felt like the talk was written just for her and she was coming back to church and my talk gave her teh little extra that she needed. She also said that her son that I have seen at basketball that our investigators go to who is not active was so engulfed in my talk and thinks that it will help him come to church. Another member said that was the best talk he had ever heard. Now that best part... I remember writing down bullet points to talk about but I hardly remember anything I said in my talk. The spirit is real and I LOVE being able to be a mouth piece for the Lord. WHAT A BLESSING!! I love it!


Love you all!!


Sister Arbogast


OH PS!! I went to the Rose Parade!!! hence the pictures :] It was AMAZING!!!! SOOOO awesome!! I was like in the front as much as I could be!! We even got into where they decorate them on Friday... for free, no big! Smelled SOO good!!

Merry Christmas Again!

Well HELLO!! Merry Christmas to all!! Here are the happenings in the area!


1. Last Monday it was a sisters birthday so we went to the stake center by the mission office to play games and what not. While there the elders were playing basketball and of course i wanted to play but I didn't say anything... THEN they invited me... apparently I'm moving up in the world! I get invited to play ball with elders hahaha THEN President Becerra comes in... get a little nervous but he untuckes his white shirt and tie and PLAYS! It was the best! President truly is the BEST example to us about how to work hard, listen and act with the spirit and have fun.
2. We had dinner with a recent convert this week and he is just amazing! You would NEVER guess that he has only been a member for only 4 and a half months. He is so in tune with the spirit and making sure that his life is in line with what the Lord wants and he is willing to do so. I think we all could follow that example.
3. We got to teach our Gospel discussion class this week. It started out as a new member class but now investigators, new members and less actives come. We got to teach about goals and how we need to set goals to work on becoming more Christlike. Sister Becerra came to the class as well. At the end everyone was so thankful. I LOVE teaching. 
4. We had a lesson with a less active who is coming back to church, Chris. We talked about the temple. He goes once a month to do baptisms. We talked about the spirit that is there and how we need to keep that spirit with us always. He commented on that since our bodies are temples we are little holy places and should stay such. Good thought. I know our bodies are temples but putting the two together like that was a nice new way to look at it.
5. With Sharon this week we talked about agency. We talked about how wonderful it is to be given such a gift. She also used that gift in a weak moment and had a cigarette. BUT she is back on the count! 3 days and going! 
6. We finally got to meet with Brother Vasquez this week. With crazy schedules and such it was been a while. But we had a great lesson on obedience. He knows what he needs to do. They shared with us that she is pregnant which is a miracle and we played off of that how we need to be obedient for blessings. During his prayer he thanked his Heavenly Father for the blessings he has been given, including "this little guy you have blessed us with." He even came to church yesterday! He had a Sunday off and he came! It was SO nice to see the whole family there!
7.We watched, "On the Lords Errand" with Cesar this week at a members home and I was the only one who ad seen it before. At the end and even 3 days later we were all talking about how amazing it was and the wonderful perspective it gives about a prophet of God. You know he is called of God and is prepared to be the President of the church.
8. This week my companion and I took advantage of the season and went to Old Pasadena on Friday night with 100 rolled up Living Christ testimonies. We put a little note in each other with our number and Mormon.org on them. We handed out about 80 of them in an hour and only got bashed on about 5 times. We are hoping we get some feedback. If anything, they now have heard of the website and have our number.
9. Our Christmas Eve dinner cancelled and so we ended up getting to go to the Standings. It is a mother and daughter. A son is on a mission in Idaho. We had ham and cheese omelets and TONS of laughs! We got to meet a few less active member's and get to know them which was REALLY helpful!
10. Christmas was GREAT! We woke up, prayed, read the Christmas story in Luke and then opened our presents. I got lots of fun gifts and a BEAUTIFUL ring from mom and dad! Black hills Gold. Lucky me!! Then we got to skype home... CRAZINESS! I LOVED it! It is so fun to actually see anyone and talk! But it hit me that I will be home before the next chance I get to call home... by then I will be talking to them all in REAL LIFE! hahaha
11. Favorite scripture... well it was reading about Christ on Christmas morning. It was a nice way to set the mood for the whole day. It makes you remember to think about Christ first. It was even calmer opening gifts and being so much more grateful for them. I just think about how blessed we are to be able to have the truth of all things. To be able to know about Jesus Christ and to know about the plan about where we came from, why we are here, where we are going afterwards and how to use ALL the resources that our Heavenly Father has been to us. I LOVE it!! I love being able to share my love with those I come in contact with. It is such a blessing.


LOVE YOU ALL!!


Sister Arbogast

Merry Christmas

Only 6 days till CHRISTMAS! Love it! Here are the happenings for the week that looking back on felt like a MONTH! So busy and I LOVE it!
1. We have been having meals with members and it has been really fun! This week my companion and I both got sick from a members cooking that I got sick AGAIN from a different member... what are they trying to do to us?! hahah
2. We had our mission Christmas party this week... AWESOME!! They asked us to share a talent and so it was in two parts. One part in the chapel with spiritual talents like singing a Christmas song or hymn, playing piano and such. Then the next part was in the gym with the stage after lunch WHICH was like a legit Christmas dinner with turkey, potatoes and everything. It was a really nice way to get the Christmas spirit and have fun and laugh with each other. I was part of a group talent. We lip synced Oh Happy Day from Sister Act 2 and the I hope they call me on a mission from Popcorn Boppin' CD. It has a rap in that part... i was one of the rappers. Sister Olsen and I were.  SOOO nervous but we looked AWESOME! I have a video. People told us all after us that it was so unexpected and best of the day when we just came out.
3. We watched the Prophet of the Restoration DVD with Sharon this week. She LOVED it! She was all teary eyed and afterwards she just kept saying that she was going to be thinking about that all night and how much he went through. Next time we met with her she just told us how it just confirms to her how we all go through trials and how real Joseph Smith is. I LOVE it!
4. While teaching Orrillius the word of wisdom I was a little nervous. I knew he drank coffee before. As we were having the lesson and we asked him to live it he just goes, "Its the word of God, I have to live it. Yes I will live the word of wisdom" Our next lesson we went over his baptismal date again and again he said yes. It is December 25th. A white Christmas here in Pasadena! I'm so happy for him. His countenance has changed and he is so happy. We talked more about his mother and her feelings about it and he was telling us that he cant deny what the spirit is telling him. Love that faith!!
5. It is amazing to me how much our investigators are helping bring their friends to lessons and such more than members are. makes me feel bad for all the times I could have and didn't. But I am now! :] We were able to get two new investigators from one current investigator. Amazing.
6. I was able to go on exchanges this week... LOVED it! I was with Sister Filimoehala. She is so sensitive and full of the spirit. Love her! We stayed up till 130 talking... 630 came WAY too quick hhaha
7. As we met with Lydia this week, we watched the Restoration DVD with her. We had taught about Joseph Smith but we weren't sure she was fully understanding. She LOVED being able to watch it and seeing it unfold. She told us how she could feel that he was real. She is really starting to open up and ask questions she has or about things she has heard. She is really good. The kids are still all excited and happy coming to church and church activities.
8. I got TWO new pillows!! The Ronald McDonald house lady we work with Vicki gets 10 new pillows every quarter. But this time she got 30. She told us, "Please take one or two!" So we did. I got a temperpetic one and a down feather one with an air thing to make it firm or not... SOOO nice! My pillows were dying.
9. Yesterday was President Becerras birthday and we got invited over for ice cream and cake. We went over and it was the senior missionaries from the office and 3 other sets of missionaries. One of the sets were the assistance to the president... of course they were there. We ate cake... talked then about 9 when we are usually supposed to be home we sat down for a question and answer time with president... it was AWESOME! It was so personal and a good discussion with all of us, president and his wife and two kids. We left their home at 1045... lights out are supposed to be 1030 hahah We got home at 11 and fell into bed happy and blessed.
10. My favorite scripture this week... is really a few. In the beginning of Matthew 2 it talks about the 3 wise men out to find baby Jesus and how they followed the star. And as they got to him the presented their gifts. As our spiritual thought the past week we have been sharing a story about the true meaning of Christmas and the symbols that are all around us and how they all have a true meaning. And as I thought about the star I think about how the light is what we should ALWAYS be going to. As I read the scripture in Matthew though I thought about as we go to judgement and present ourselves... will it be enough? Our gift. I want to make sure that I am doing all I can so it will be enough.
 
LOVE YOU ALL!!
 
Sister Arbogast

'Tis the Season

Well is doesn't really feel like Christmas BUT it is the season... Here are the happenings for the past week...
 
1. We got to decorate GIANT gingerbread men! They are about a foot tall. A member invited us over and it was the first time Sister Zamora had EVER done it! LOVE creating memories hahah
2. Members at lessons are usually the BEST!!! If the missionaries ask you to go... GO! We meet with Lydia this week with a sister from the ward and it was a HUGE difference! We had a member with us before but it hadn't clicked so much like this with Lydia. We read from the Book of Mormon with her and her family. They are so great and really want God in their life.
3. An investigator Decora came to other lessons with us to less active members. She was really excited to come and afterwards she really liked it. We taught her the Plan of Salvation and talked about what we need to do in this life to get to the Celestial Kingdom. We invited her to be baptized and she said yes! I hope we can keep being her guide to help her see the light.
4. We found out one of the less active men, Blake, was ordained an Elder but never went to the temple. He went less active about 4 years after he was ordained. He really seems like he wants to come back though and that is REALLY important!
5. Orrillius is still amazing! We went over this week and he told us he "wasn't feeling this. Any of this" We got to talking and his mother is very against him joining the church. He is 54 but loves his mom and respects her. We started to read and he said he would just listen. By the end he was discussing how true the chapter was and reading and involved. He is so amazing. He still has a baptismal date set for Christmas... hopefully he will be able to keep it.
6. David, Orrillius' roommate we are also teaching. He is young, party type but still very open to learning and reading the Book of Mormon. I never cease to be amazed at how much joy it brings me to see the light come to people. David had read the chapter we left for him at our last visit and came to the next visit saying it was confusing. We prayed and then read... he answered his own questions he had about it. We pointed out the only real difference was it was read AFTER we prayed for the spirit of understanding. He knew it.
7. Saw the Southern California Mormon Choir again this week... it was their Christmas program... WOW! It was AWESOME!! I felt like I was getting blasted out of the chapel but the music and everything was great! And two investigators came and they LOVED it! Guess thats all that really mattered hahaha
8. Sister Zamora and I got to go to the temple Saturday! Our Relief Society was having a "White Christmas in the Temple" activity. Either endowments, baptisms, or just visiting the visitors center. Then a box lunch salad afterwards in the temple apartments here. WOW! They had a chapel session first, which I have never been to but it was AMAZING! The temple president and his wife came and spoke to us, they are in our ward :] They spoke to us about covenants and how important it is to not just make them but to KEEP them! She said she wishes instead of telling her kids to remember who they were as they went out the door to say, "Keep your covenants!" How true. We made them when we were baptized. Going to the temple lead me to my favorite scripture this week. I was studying covenants and Mosiah 5 hit home for me. The joy we find in the gospel leads us to want to make and keep covenants. Its truly the simple as that.
 
LOVE YOU ALL!!
 
Sister Arbogast