I love Friendswood so much. I shed a lot of tears saying goodbye to those people I've been with for 10 months and also to our recent converts. They'll forever be a part of who I am. It has been so incredible to be here. This area has really solidified my testimony and belief in why I was called to Houston, Texas to serve my mission.
Last night, we visited John Teate and we sat in his backyard on his picnic table with him and his daughter. He brought out some sheets of paper that he had written on and told me that he wrote me a letter and it included his testimony. I read it and BAWLED my eyes out. He and his daughter are my family. They always have been since before this world and they always will be. I really am soooo eternally grateful that I was able to be one of the missionaries the Lord used during his conversion process. He was crying so much, too, but we know it's not goodbye, just a "see you later." I love them so much. Friendswood has changed my life. The Atonement has changed who I am and allowed me to serve as hard as I can. I love this work.
I bore my testimony in Sacrament meeting this past Sunday to thank the ward for all the members have done for me. I talked about how I always wanted to change before the mission and I didn't know how so the Lord inspired me to do something that was way out of my comfort zone and that was to go on a mission. I remember being so scared I brushed off the decision multiple times, but ultimately, I accepted and it has forever changed who I am. I thanked them for all their help with the work, for their fellowship to our recent converts and for their love as my family. It was so nice to thank them for all they do and their righteous example.
Sister Andersen, my old companion/6-week mini missionary, got her mission call! We were able to drive down to Houston to be there when she opened it and it was AMAZING. I cried, like usual, as she read the famous words. "You have been called to serve as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the Nevada, Reno mission"! It was awesome! I told her that on my 14-hour drive up to BYU-I, I'll try to take her to lunch after my mission. Ha, ha. I love her tons.
Anyway, this week was great. There's so much in store for the last hoorah of my mission! I'm so excited.
P.S. Our member, Brother Tilton, found out I was leaving, so he called and invited us to dinner. He drove us there in his 1929 Model A, Roadster. IT WAS AWESOME. Top down and everything. When we got to the food place a boy approached asking if he could take a picture with the car. Brother Tilton said yes and then his friend runs up and says to us, "You're Mormons?" And we said, "Yes." She proceeded to tell us she was less active and we told her to go back to church. Ha, ha. Then, the waiter at the restaurant asked us, "How do you like your missions?" With a confused look on my face, I asked, "How do you know about missions?" He said, "I'm a Mormon." Ha, ha, ha. So we told him to go back to church, too. AND THEN, Brother Tilton invited a non-member to dinner and we taught her the Restoration and then gave her a Book of Mormon and she said, "I already have one. I went to the church before"! So we told her to go back, too! Ha, ha, ha. It was really cool. It was an awesome Labor Day treat. (:
Love y'all.
Send any mail to the mission office address since I'll be moving.
602 Eldridge Rd.
Sugar Land, TX. 77578
Sister Sanchez
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| Fern, our recent convert |
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