Sorry this is so late - way too many things to do right now! She should
write again today as it is after 2 am Monday already!
HI EVERYONE!
Whew what a week!
Thanksgiving was just so good!
Last Monday for family home evening, the branch got together for a Thanksgiving
dinner. We wrote thankful notes to Heavenly Father, put them on balloons, and
sent them on up. precious, I know. I just love these people.
Thursday
itself was quite festive. Our car was in the shop, so we had the elders' car
(obvi, we put them on bikes). Their football was in the trunk, so for the last
10 minutes of our exercise time we threw the ol' football around in our classy
alley. We then had pumpkin waffles for breakfast. #thankyoueggo Thursday is our
weekly planning day, so we stayed in for a few hours to do our usual planning.
We then had a delicious dinner at the Cuevas home. Brother Cuevas is the first
counselor in the branch presidency. Both of their kids are on missions, so we
got to be their kids for dinner. I just love them. Pray for Sister Cuevas. And
my mom. It's not exactly easy to be so far away from your kids with only a
weekly email as a connection. (We went over to Sister Cuevas for our lunch break
this week and she taught us how to make ceviche. I told her my future children
are grateful.) Anywho, we then made a ton of hand turkeys and went and taped
them on less active members' doors. We decided we could start the Christmas
season immediately after dinner, so obviously we put Santa hats on and I belted
Joy to the World at the top of my lungs in the car. It didn't last long though.
Sister Perry shut down my belting pretty hard, haha. People really get into
Christmas lights here which is super fun. I never really thought of palm trees
with Christmas lights. Seems like an oxymoron with me. Tis the season to be
jolly! Oh our Thanksgiving night ended with Pascual (my Mexican father and ice
cream truck neighbor)'s daughters bringing lots of leftovers to us. Our fridge
is still full. Speaking of, Pascual talked to us for a little this morning about
all the changes he has seen in his 17-yr old daughter (the one meeting with the
Spanish elders) in the past few weeks. The gospel just changes people! It is so
real and you can tell it in every aspect of their lives (Art even had a glow
that we all commented about in our last lesson :) he's read everyday this week
and turned in lots of job applications ) His daughter wants to get baptized in 2
weeks, but Pascual wants her to wait until she's 18 (not for another year), so
pray for that situation for us. (Her name is Mina). Thanks for all the prayers!
If you could pray for us, the branch, Chris, Art, and Joyce this week, that'd be
much appreciated :)
We went on two exchanges this week. I just
love that calling and I love the sisters. I went to the Lawndale area for one of
them. When we exchange we just usually use the other sisters' bikes and
everything for 24 hrs. Anyways the night before, they texted us and told me to
bring my own helmet since the sister whose spot I was taking uses a child size
helmet. And we all know an Atkinson head cannot fit in one of those. They failed
to mention to bring my own bike as well, since she USES A CHILD-SIZED BIKE. can
we all take a moment to think about my 5'9" self on a child bike? Hardest thigh
workout of my mission. The whole time I thought dad was going to drive by at any
moment and yell out the window "Hey Ali, nice midget bike". It was quite
comical. Can't lie. Also, on exchanges I taught my first children! (I've been in
young single adult wards my entire mission). The kids were so cute. The family
was seriously like the Herdmans from The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. It was
awesome. They were so pure. Alsoooo on exchanges we did service for a hoarder.
Like a straight up hoarder. Like the house and back yard should be on the show.
It was shocking. The health department was coming this week, so they had to
clean up at least their driveway. So we helped for an hour. All I'm going to say
is BLACK WIDOW SPIDERS. It was very traumatic. Also, I don't think I will ever
collect anything after being there. But it was really nice to see their faces
light up while we were there. I just love being a missionary.
A
couple of our investigators both struggled with the concept of being completely
forgiven for something in their past this week. It was really powerful for me to
reflect on the gift of repentance and the atonement.
Joyce is a new golden
investigator that just fell in our lap! She is the ex-girlfriend of a recent
convert, so the family ward sisters referred her to us. She is so cute and came
to church on Sunday and is so elect. I really do think we will have at least 3
baptisms in this area in January. Transfers are the week before Christmas.
TUMULTUOUS. I would love to stay to see the progress continue here. And this is
my home away from home and I think Christmas would be a little awful in another
area. But I've also been here for 6 months and some days feel like God needs me
to have a new adventure. Meh, I have 2 weeks, so I'll just stop worrying about
that and leave it up to Heavenly Father. He always seems to have everything
under control, haha.
Oh we have a new Michael, haha. He just just
happened to be a YSA that happens to live in an apartment that a less active on
our records used to live at and we just happened to run into him and he happened
to accept a return appointment. See things like that just happen all the time
and I never know how to convey them all to you. Have miracles ceased? I say unto
you Nay. Duh.
We said hi to someone on the street as always
and they looked us up and down and said "You all don't look like you're from
around here" and straight up laughed for 90 seconds. Can he respect me? I totes
look Hispanic.
Oh. Nathaniel. Ugh. This was one randomly one of
the most awful moments of my mission. We were in my favorite South Central this
week. And we approached these two YSA guys. One stops to talk to us, the other
says heck no and walks away. We talk to the one for a good 7 minutes, so his
friend decides to wander back down the street. Anyways, his name was Nathaniel.
He is a handsome guy and super smart, but not educated. Young 20s. He definitely
has been involved in gangs. He said his dad is dead and his mom is gone and he
lives on the streets. I have met a lot of people here in LA and a lot who have
been through more than I thought imaginable, but Nathaniel was by far the most
bitter, lonely, sad, and hateful person I've ever met. But for whatever reason I
just loved the kid. I just wanted him SO badly to believe in God. Have hope for
something. Wish for something more than $100. I tried to testify with everything
I had to him, but he still ripped up the card I gave him and threw it on the
ground (obviously, I picked it up and it's in my scrapbook, haha). I just can't
convey the experience the way I want to. Sometimes I take a step back and
realize I am a missionary. Like getting made fun of or having doors slammed in
my face is a real life thing. But there is nothing in the world more rewarding
that I've done so far in my life than being a missionary. The gospel is just SO
real. I read a talk a couple days after the Nathaniel experience. It's from
general conference and it's about "do we realize what we have?" Nathaniel's hard
face was in my mind the entire time. Do we realize what we have on the earth
today? Do we realize that we have a Savior? Do we realize that we have
repentance? temples? families? scriptures? prophets? the priesthood? It really
is overwhelming. I am so blessed. No matter what happens in this life, the
Savior is a constant. And Heaven knows I need Him everyday, or this work would
be impossible and I wouldn't have the motivation or strength I need.
Thanks for the prayers, support, letters, and love. it really means so much
to me. Make it a great and happy week friends!
All my love,
Sister Atkinson
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