Week 8 Chico/Orland CA

Hey mom!!

Well this week was kinda a weird one... We had lots of plans, but most of them fell through... It was very sad... But the plans that didn't fall through ended up being super awesome!!

On Thursday we had an exchange with the Corning sisters! It was a strange exchange though, because we both just spent the whole day in Corning! So it kinda just felt like a big sleepover where we hung out with different people. But it was a good time! I was with Sister Curtis, and she is super awesome! She is from Meridian, Idaho, so I want to see if I can get her to go to Boise State with me... But we had a good time! She was teaching me to be a sister training leader, and I feel like I learned a lot! But we also mostly just had a good time doing missionary work together! It was kinda funny and different though, because we did Spanish work all day, but she doesn't speak any Spanish... So it was kinda just me talking the whole time which is what usually happens, haha. I've found that I like to talk... But it's a good time.

But on that exchange, we had an AMAZING lesson with Rodolfo and Angelica. I realize I talk about them a lot, but I just love them so much!! They are so awesome! And they are really looking for truth in their life! So it's awesome to be able to share the truth I have in my life! The cool part of this last lesson was that we went to follow up to see if they had a question in mind when they went to watch the prophet speak last week. Rodolfo had a question about which job he should take, and he was able to receive an answer! Angelica had a question to see if this really was the true church. Because she said she doesn't want to get baptized unless she knows that this really is the true church. She said she was baptized in a christian church, and doesn't want to keep flipping around. So that was so cool to see her real intent! And I liked that they had a spiritual and temporal question. It shows that this gospel really does help with all aspects of life! But they are super awesome and I love them!!

The other awesome lesson we had this week was with a little girl named Deanna. This is only the second lesson we have had with her, and when we walked in they ran up and gave us a huge hug. It was so cute! It was cool to see the love they had for us! But we had an awesome lesson about the plan of salvation, and she is reading her scriptures every day with her brother, and sometimes they fight about who gets to pray that night. It is so awesome!! We love her so much! and it is also fun to teach kids, because they have great questions and they are just fun lessons! They an get to be all over the place, but they are always a good time!

We also had a zone service this week! That was super fun! We were moving boxes (one of our specialty skills) to load a truck with medical supplies going to Liberia. It was fun to do! It's awesome to be able to be involved in helping people not only in this community, but also all around the world! That and it is a great time being with the zone! We have some awesome missionaries here! And we got to go out for zone brunch after, so we all ate at a sandwich shop in Chico (It's called fast Eddie's and it is SO GOOD!!! 10/10 would recommend).

One thing that is being pushed in the mission is really opening our mouths and talking to everyone and inviting everyone around us to come unto Christ. So we do what we call are "ITL''s (Invitation to Learn). So hermana carter and I were trying to find this one lady we talked to last week, so we went to her house. But outside of her house was a group of teenage boys playing basketball. We were both like, oh great, this will be so awkward walking up to their house and all... but then I remembered when I told hermana Carter the last week, that I really wanted to use basketball to talk to someone and to find someone. So then I remembered that and I got super excited and I threw off my coat and we walked outside and asked if the lady was home. They said that she wasn't. So then I asked if I could shoot with them a bit! They obviously said yes, and so we all got to shoot around for a bit and it was a good time! The one kid was a Lakers fan, and I told him I liked the Sixers and then he informed me they had a close loss against the Thunder the night before... But they were also super impressed that I could actually shoot. I guess it makes sense though. Most people walking around in a skirt with pink flowers on it you wouldn't think can ball out. But then I started telling the that we were missionaries and what we believe and gave them a card that had a download for the Book of Mormon. I don't know if they will actually download it, but I can hope! At the very least, it was a fun time to play basketball!!

Some weird random things though:

- I ate fake snow Hermana Abbott's mom sent, and it was not a good idea... but hey I'm still alive

- The other sisters put frozen turkey feet outside of our door. yum... (we're looking to get back at them this week)

But it was a good week! Next week I will be going down to Gridley for a leadership conference, so I am excited for that! I'll be able to see all my hermanas! And other mission friends.

I love you so so much and love to heard from you!! I keep you in my prayers and hope all is going well!! MISS YOU AND LOVE YOU!!!

Kiley

Hermana Atkinson