Pictures:

This is beautiful Dana Point!!!!

Sister Cooper, Katie White (awesome member who just left for mission in Idaho), Me

Another awesome week has gone by. Erik is still doing great. He loves meeting with us and decided to read the Book of Mormon in two weeks which means he has to read 40 pages a day. He is pretty busy in the Marines but stays up late with a flashlight under his covers so he can read! He is from Hawaii so I'm pretty excited to have that new connection! Mitzi got a job and is still doing awesome. She felt the spirit pretty strongly again on Sunday and is continually progressing and changing. She told us on Sunday night that she wants to get baptized. We still have some things to clear up first but how awesome is that? Also, Dallin, who lives with Rocky and the gang and is less-active came to church on Sunday and liked it. He has been so much happier lately and he's almost 50 days sober!!!! Miracles are happening and the gospel is changing lives. It's pretty cool. Sister Cooper and I are interesting. We really are a lot different yet similar in so many ways. We are having fun together and have become really good buds with Mitzi. We ate last night with Joseph and Christina, a less-active and his girlfriend. They made carne asada which is my favorite and it was so super duper yummy! I love all of the good food here!

We had family home evening last night at Rocky's and I was asked to clog for them. I did a little jig which was fun, I sure miss clogging. I also got to play fetch last night with an old man's dog for awhile while we talked to him. It was fun! I love how beautiful it is here next to the ocean. School is starting and all of the vacationers are going home so it will be interesting to see how things change.

How are all of you? Well, I love you all lots and lots! Have a great day!

Love Sister London

Miracles

1. Sister Cooper, Mitzi, me and Arnie in the back of Rocky's pickup having a lesson one night

2. Arnie's baptism Sister Harrison (old companion from Mira Mesa) came so it was fun to see her

3. Arnie's baptism with Mitzi, Rocky, and Bob Cowan (Arnie's bud)

4. Me and Sister Denney. No worries, I haven't changed that much!

How is going back to school everyone? I must say that I am not jealous at all. This is the first summer in 16 years that hasn't ended with me going to school! I love it!

So, my new companion is Sister Cooper from Apple Valley California which is only two hours north! That's weird but she loves California so it all works out. It has been a great week we have just dug our feet in and got a lot accomplished. We get along well but just have different views on almost everything so it's fun. We have had a lot of luck talking to people throughout the day who are willing to meet with us which has been cool because that hasn't been the case for awhile. There are probably two highlights to the week: Mitzi and Erik

Mitzi is doing awesome. She has been meeting with us almost everyday since Arnie's baptism. Her heart has been softening gradually and she has sincerely been praying and reading and guess what!!!! She received her answer about the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and assurance that Joseph Smith is a prophet. This was her third week at church and after sacrament meeting she came up to me and told me she'd felt weird during one of the talks.....that she got goosebumps and couldn't keep tears from falling. I asked her what she thought that meant and she and I agreed that was her answer. That it was the spirit confirming truth to her. It was really awesome. She has changed so much from the depressed and sad girl I met 2 months ago to the happy and glowing girl she is now. It is so great! The best part about all of it is that the ward has really befriended her. We introduced her to a few girls and they invited her to a ward beach day and the next day at church she was hugging and saying hi to more people than I even know. She loves coming to church and going to activities. It is so awesome and it is going to change her life. On Sunday she took out all of her face piercings, not because we told her she needed to or even mentioned it but because she felt she should and couldn't explain why. Miracles are happening because a week ago she would have freaked out if we'd even mentioned anything about the piercings. She also keeps making comments about how she needs new clothes so she can be more modest. A transforation is happening!!!!

Erik is another miracle. He is a 20 year old Marine who was dating a mormon girl who is the daughter of one of our mission presidency members. He's gone to church in another ward for 3 months and never met with the missionaries. He got our number and called us! The first lesson was incredible and he committed to be baptized on September 25th but we are moving it up because he will be ready in less time than that. He calls us "his missionaries" and loves meeting with us. It's fun to have a fan club. He commited last night to read the Book of Mormon in two weeks which means reading around 40 pages/day. He is so excited about it and asked for additional homework on top of that! It is at times like these that you can't help but love being a missionary.

Another awesome thing this week was watching Arnie break the bread for the sacrament. He had the biggest grin on his face! He also got a calling as a ward missionary and is super excited!

Also this week me and Samantha, an investigator's 11 year old daughter flew a kite with dental floss as string- it worked great! My new zone leader is the elder who drove me the most crazy in the mtc so that is fun- luckily we've both changed a little. The less-actives we are working with are doing really awesome. Juan, Bryce, and Joe. Joe is my buddy. He has become my adoptive big brother so family....you'll most likely meet him someday. Well, gotta go but I hope you are all doing really well. I love you all lots and lots! Have an awesome week!

Love, Sister London

Arnie's Baptism

Well, another transfer is going to start today. Sister Denney is getting transfered which means that some other blessed sister will get to come to the best area!!! I really do love Dana Point. It is beautiful, nice and breezy, usually under 90 degrees, and the people are great! This was a great week. Arnie got baptized and it was incredible. There were a ton of people there and not a dry eye. Arnie's been waiting almost 2 years for this so he was more than ready for it and the spirit was there to confirm to him that he really did make the right decision. It was the most spiritual baptism I've ever seen. When he came up out of the water he had the biggest smile on his face and tears running down his cheeks. His sister Mitzi even got teary eyed and his uncle Gustavo asked us to start teaching him!! So many people are going to hear the gospel because of Arnie! His confirmation was powerful too and his priesthood ordination. This is what it is all about! It is crazy because immediately after he recieved the Holy Ghost I could tell a difference like he didn't need us really anymore like before. I don't know how to explain it but I know he will be ok on his own now because he's a part of a great ward who love him. Of course we'll still be around for him especially because things with Mitzi are going so well! Mizti is a lot of fun and we're becoming great friends. I'm sad Sister Denney is leaving but I'm starting to love change on my mission- it comes when it is needed and I am excited to dig my feet in and get to work in this area. There is a ton more that could be done and I can't wait to start. I am doing well besides being a little freaked out that my half way mark passed this week (sister Denney informed me). Well, I'll just keep doing what I'm doing and pray for time to slow down. I love you all so much. I hope starting school this week goes really well. Be smart and don't forget that I love you all lots and lots. Thanks for everything,

Love, Sister London

Pictures

Hello Family:

Exciting things this week: Arnie's baptism and Brian is back from jail so we can teach him again!!!! Yay!!!! Also, Arnie's sister Mitzi is now taking the lessons too. She came to church with a friend and asked us during relief society if she could have the lessons! We love when that happens- miracles everywhere. Hope all is well with you all, I love you lots and lots. Hope you enjoy the pictures.

Some Pictures:

Mike's baptism (he is the one with dark hair next to the blond girl)

Khris's baptism- she is the little one!

The other picture is a group of us at Arnie's house. His mom made a yummy mexican soup and homemade real strawberry lemonade. These are some of my favorite people. The young girl sitting next to Arnie is Mitzi.

Sister London

New Frigde!!

We got a new fridge! Today we got a new fridge because while attempting to defrost ours this week we hit a tube we shouldn't have and so we needed a new fridge. It was pretty exciting because after a week of not having one we realized how much we rely on simple things like a way to keep our food cold.

Khris got confirmed this week which was great. She is a really sweet girl. It was so cool because right after she spoke in sacrament and the once shy/quiet girl acted like it was completely natural for her to be up there talking. It was so cool becasue it was just a 5 minute transformation that happened just after she received the gift of the Holy Ghost. It was a testimony builder for me. The gospel is so cool. Mike got the priesthood this week too which is super cool. I'm going to miss him. He is leaving for Rice University in Texas this week for school. I am still loving it. I love this area. Transfers are in two week so we'll see how much longer I get to stay in paradise.

There are some really cool guys in the singles ward who are just coming back to church and it is so cool to see how happy doing what is right makes them. It is a really neat thing. It's cool because one of them, Joe, is like the brother I never had. He is so much fun and pumped up about the gospel. We have so much fun reading a cool scripture and then high fiving because it is so cool- we get pretty excited. I'm making a lot of great lifetime friends. I still am amazed by how many people I have come in contact with from around the world. We are now teaching Franz. He is from South Africa and the boyfriend of a recent convert. He is so awesome and has had a ton of really cool spiritual experiences in his lifetime. People really are being prepared to hear the gospel. I love that I get to be the mouthpiece that is there at the right time and right place. The weather here in Dana Point is perfect but I'm sad to admit that I'm not getting much of a tan. It really isn't ever that hot here. But believe me, I'm not complaining becasue I love it and I could be somewhere inland where it is 20-30 degrees hotter. I can't believe school is almost starting again. That is crazy. My companion keeps making fun of me because I jump everytime I see a little lizard run across the sidewalk...they are everywhere. Hey at least I can keep her entertained. Sister Early left to go back to Belgium so she will be missed. I learned a lot from her. Well, family....I hope you enjoy the last few days of summer vacation. I hope you all got a chance to slip n slide this year!

Love Sister London

The truth changes people

I love the people here that we teach. I love the change that I am seeing. I don't know how to explain it, but it's true what they say....the truth changes people. This week Mike (19) got baptized. He is incredible. He is a very shy guy who just graduated from high school. His girlfriend is a year older and home from byu for the summer. He found out about church from her but was never really interested until one day it just happened that he was so we began teaching him and now about a month or so later he got baptized. He is still awkward and shy but he has opened up and there really is a light that comes off of him. We will be friends forever- literally and I love that. His dad wasn't super supportive but he showed up though he wasn't going to and I saw both of his parents get teary-eyed. They felt the spirit and his dad, who never really supported any of his activities (band concerts, ect) was proud of his son. Mike got up and bore his testimony. He was so nervous walking up to the front but once he started talking he was fine. He gave a really powerful testimony and I think his parents were a little shocked by his honest and sincere conviction. It was so neat! Khris also got baptized this week and she too has changed a lot. Her boyfriend is a less active who is coming back and there were a lot of things they both had to stop doing in order for her to be baptized and they did and she is now a member and getting the holy ghost on sunday. I don't think I ever realized the importance of the gospel and how lucky we really are. Once people find the answers it changes their lives. I can't imaging not having come on my mission. How could I have gone through life not having this perspective. It is changing me and I love it. Now for the most exciting news of the week. Arnie met with President Cook on Sunday night. The intention of the meeting was to see if we could get an exception from SLC so Arnie could be baptized because his probation was restarted for another 2 years because of a mistake the court made which would prevent him from getting baptized. Arnie has been waiting 1.5 years. That is a long time to wait. He met with President while Rocky, Early, Sister D. and I all went into a classroom to pray. It was a cool experience. We all prayed out loud for Arnie and President Cook and for God's will to be done. We came out and President Cook told us that arnie's probation is for a misdemeanor and not a felony so he saw no reason why Arnie couldn't be baptized. We all started hugging each other and were super excited but Arnie was no where to be found. He came around the corner and ran and clicked his heels together he was so excited. It was incredible the smile on his face. I've never seen anyone so happy. Real happiness!!!!! Love ya, Sister London

Hi

This weeks happenings:

Well, turns out Jerusalem man didn't show for our lesson and when we called to find out why he said that he wasn't interested in meeting unless it was one on one because he doesn't like too many opinions being thrown around. Well, that isn't the way it works for missionaries- no meeting with creepy guys one on one- We told him we could arrange for him to meet with someone from the ward but he declined and said he might be interested at another time when we could meet one on one. Needless to say that is not really going to happen. Then later in the week, we went to check on a potential investigator who lives with his girlfriends mom while looking for his own place. Well, he wasn't home we found out quickly, but his girlfriends mom was. She answered the door in her underwear and it was quite traumatic!!! We asked if we could talk to her for a few minutes because she'd been asking the church to send some ladies over instead of Elders because there were things she just couldn't talk to the Elders about. She is basically like a TV preacher who yells praises to the Lord randomly every so often just to make sure you're not falling asleep. She kept telling us we were angels sent to her which could be true but she was pretty off the wall. She told us that our names meant things and that we shouldn't ever change our names because that would be detrimental to our salvation. She told us all about her crazy life and thoughts about Bible passages. My favorite part however, was when she stood up and sang us an entire song in an opera voice- actions included!!!!. It was such a great mission experience. I wish you could have been there just to see how nuts it was. However, it was fairly entertaining and gave us a good laugh. We told her that we couldn't come back because she isn't in our family ward area and she was pretty bummed because there was so much more she wanted to get our opinions about. So we thought we'd avoided her for the most part after being very nice about it. So we come around the corner at church the next day and guess who we see. We ducked into a classroom as quickly as we could because we heard her calling our names to find us. It was a hoot. Normally, I don't hide from potential investigators but she scares us a little and we weren't sure what would happen. So we escape and apparently she left but at the end of church the Bishop tells us that she left a present for us in his office. We went to check it out and she had bought us a karaoke machine!!! It is super hardcore too. Why a karaoke machine? ??? We have no idea. It was an expensive one too. I couldn't stop laughing about it. She must have recognized that we'd be good karaoeke folk! She also included a folder of poems and a note to us telling us more about our names and I can't forget the article about her family from the National Enquirer!!! So now we have a karaoke machine that we can't use until after our missions- we'll probably donate it to the ward. It was so funny and random. I'm sure there will be more to add to that story soon! It's pretty random but so fun. I love all of the great people I am meeting. Sister London

Picture:

Me and Dominique Rublecava (member) feeding each other ice cream yummy. Her dad is the ward mission leader and so we hang out a lot