Avocados EVERYWHERE!!!!!!!!!

I have come to the conclusion that if there were a State Vegetable for California it would, without a doubt, be an avocado. I have never seen people use it so much in my entire life lol. To help you understand why I think it’s so crazy and how I realized California had a serious problem: You can even get it on your stuff at fat food places….whoops, meant*FAST food, but that’s funny and accurate so we’ll keep it :p I’m not complainin’ though….I LOVE AVOCADO NOW. 

Monday- Not too much happened. It was so nice to not have to pack everything up and get transferred.

I LOVE SUNFLOWERS

Good thing that stood out to me this week:

I know that the purpose I have as a missionary is to “Invite other to come unto Christ” but there is another purpose. My purpose is to be so completely converted to the gospel that I never have to worry about falling away. I know that we need ONE convert…ourselves. And everything after that is a success. D&C 18:16 And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!

WE ARE THE ONE SOUL. We can’t convert someone beyond our own conversion, so we must always be working on strengthening our testimony.

Tuesday- We had a BANGUP meal at the Woodys. Homemade fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls, country gravy, pineapple upside down cake..The whole shebang! :) He spoils us. He is so amazing. We came over the other day and he was super tired because he had been up since 4:30 in the morning on lds.org reading talks and such. He even ordered himself a Preach My Gospel during the whole thing. He is adorable. I told him I’m gunna pray to marry a guy like him someday..Sister Woody goes “be careful what you pray for!!!” hahah.

BEST MOMENT OF THE DAY: we went to the church to go to an ASL class and while walking past the gym I look in, make eye contact with two of my favorite elders who I haven’t seen since Chino, so in a blink of an eye we were ALL runnnnnnnnnnnning to meet each other in the foyer without ever saying a word hahah. It was one of those super dramatic moments! We all just started spouting out “what?!? You’re here?!?! I’m here?!?! No way!!! This is a dream come true!!!” hahah we aren’t in the same zone, but we meet at the same building on Sundays so I will see them a ton. They are so much fun. I’m thankful for the friendships I have gained on the mission. :)

Wednesday- We walked and talked a lot to people this day. Sister Treadwell and I decided this week that we since we have been pretty busy the past 2 transfers we’ve gotten out of the habit of talking to everyone, which we are supposed to be doing. So we wanted to really work on doing that more this transfer. Well, we go to Sizzler at 5 to meet this 70 year old woman for dinner, and she kinda falls asleep (we think) and stands us up lol. Like homegirl never showed, so we went over to Flame Broiler to eat. While there a miracle happened!!! Sister Treadwell saw this woman walk in signing and told me, well I was like “UHM. GO TALK TO HER!” but she wanted to wait a little and I was like nooooooooo, we have to go now. I would totally do it myself but I can only speak so much ASL lol. So after annoying her enough we start to talk to them and find out it’s the SON who’s deaf and he went to school with one of our deaf recent converts. His mom asked US for the address to our church so that they can come one day. They were so excited to know we had multiple deaf members. They no joke left like RIGHT after that, never ordered or anything. I was so glad we were able to act on that prompting and talk to them when we did.

Also, Sister Winkler (one of the deaf members here that teaches us ASL every week and who is VERY blunt ) complimented my sign at the deaf event that night. I literally almost started crying lol. We were all in shock that she said something so nice to me about it. It made me feel good :)

Sister Toolan & Sister Treadwell

Thursday- It was just a really nice day out. People were super awkward when we would knock their doors. It was great! Oh, a 5 year old stud kissed my hand hahah. His dad was like “you aren’t allowed to kiss missionaries!!!” and he goes….YES I CAN!!!!

Friday- I got to meet with President Hobbs for a little which was so nice. I love that man. I wish I knew how to express to him my gratitude for allowing my family to come this week, but I have no idea how to. He is so wonderful.

On Fridays all missionaries (here at least) have “Weekly Planning” but since Sister Treadwell and I decided to go outside and lay out (in our skirts and everything obviously) we thought it’d be appropriate to say we had “Weekly Tanning” ;p I got to bond with a 20 year old with autism and Cerebral Palsy and it reminded me how much I ADORE special needs children. Goodness. Talk about soft spot in my heart.

Saturday- We had 2 investigators go to a baptism with us in the morning and one of them even committed to baptism during it!! They loved it and help the spirit for sure. Got to help set up and attend a wedding reception for a couple in our ward that we are super close to. It was such a great time. It was annoying though because it made me all giddy inside about getting married someday lol, I swear everything you do on a mission always leads back to marriage and it gets old! Haha. They looked so happy and the parents of them both looked even happier. It made anxious to see my parents face the day I get sealed to a worthy priesthood holder for time and all eternity. AND TO JUST SEE MY FAMILIES FACES IN LIKE NO TIME!!!

Mr. & Mrs. Rauma

Sunday- It was stressful. Not gunna lie. As a missionary it’s almost impossible to enjoying church because all you’re doing the whole time is freaking out worrying about your investigators that have come. You worry if they are getting fellowshipped or not, if they are bored out of their mind or feeling the spirit, if they will even show up to begin with!! It was nice though because Sister Treadwell and I felt so loved that day. We had so many people coming up to us that had been out of town during transfer craziness who were excited we both stayed, one woman wanted us to come over so she could make us a necklace for keepsake and for us to remember her by, just lots of great things!

Funny moment: I get home and realize me name tag isn’t on..so I start looking around everywhere to find it and I can NOT find it. I start freaking out, like where could I have left that thing!! Come to find out a little stinker 5 year old had stolen off me without me even knowing it at dinner and the mom found it hahah. #jacked. Can’t trust anyone nowadays :p

Bishop Stokes called me to ask if I’d play at a baptism this week, and although I told him a better piano player to ask, I felt honored that he asked and also blessed that I knew enough to where I could have played if it came down to it. I am thankful for my talents even if they aren’t the best and are just having to improve slowly. I am thankful for progress, in worldly, but more importantly spiritual matters.

I can’t wait to update yall on how this week goes. I hit half way on my mission, get sealed to my family, so many big and exciting things!! YAY! Keep smiling :) Be compassionate, a hard worker and optimistic!  Love yall.

-hugs-

Sister Toolan

Muh gurl Rachel