Week 7 Givin away Books of Mormon

Hello all! 

This week was fantastic. 

We were at the Olsens house to teach Lynnea on Tuesday We've been teaching these people for a while now and they are so amazing. Well, they just barely decided to show me an absolutely gorgeous car that they just had sitting in their garage this whole time! They have a 1996 cherry red mustang that they restored. All of the interior leather is red, and she replaced the speakers and got an old school looking stereo that's actually Bluetooth and holy cow. I love this car. It's so pretty. 

I GAVE AWAY A BOOK OF MORMON ALL BY MYSELF. It probably doesn't sound like that big of a deal, but it definitely is. We were on the bus, I started a conversation all by myself, and gave her a Book of Mormon. Is was so nervous. I didn't even ask her name but it's all good, I'm spreading the gospel. 

Our car died on Friday. We were in a lesson, we were running late for curfew, we go to start the car and it's super dead. I checked the battery, everything was screwed on tight. That sucker was not starting. So we decided to say a prayer, I said Heavenly Father, If you want us home on time so we can be exactly obedient like we're supposed to, this car is going to need to start. It started right up. #miracles. 

On Saturday we took the car into a car shop and we had to get the battery replaced because it wouldn't hold a charge. It was a bummer that we had to pay someone to fix the car. I was not a fan. It's all good though. On Saturday night we had the trunk or treat! We dropped of so many invitations to less actives this week and so many of them showed up! It was the coolest! So exciting to meet all of these awesome people! Also, who doesn't want to just watch all of these adorable little children in costumes run around and to get candy??they were so adorable. This one family dressed their son up like Calvin from Calvin and Hobbes and gave him a little tiger and then they were his parents, I was dying. It was the cutest.

I think that's all folks! 

Eventually I'll get better at taking pictures during the week. 

Until then, here's a picture of sister Gillman emailing. 

And a picture of our animal socks. 

Week 6, 100 Degrees and Sunny

Here's a selfie with my cute scripture case

Hello! This week went by so fast, I feel like I just emailed! It was a pretty uneventful week, we've been trying to work with members so we mostly did a lot of visiting members and sharing messages. We had zone conference on Wednesday which was awesome. Elder Dyches from the 70 was there and he talked to us forever at least it seemed like a really long time, it was only 4 or 5 hours. 

HOLY MOLY I ALMOST FORGOT. We biked on Thursday. I think I was trying to erase it from my memory. Just kidding it wasn't THAT terrible, but it was pretty hard. It didn't help that it was super hot and we've been riding in a car and the first time we biked, was up all of these massive hills. I really tried to be positive, but I don't think I've ever prayed like I did on Thursday. Apparently we're biking again on Wednesday so that'll be interesting. Will report back later. 

On Friday we taught the Olsen family and they're so cool. Brother Olsen is a member and Sister Olsen and her daughter aren't. Lynnae (her daughter) is 9 I think? Anyway, they've been teaching them since before I got here and Lynnae's dad has been saying no to letting her get baptized. Sister Olsen invited him to dinner and he said yes because he really just wanted to learn more about the religion, especially the Book of Mormon! (Golden) so we taught the restoration and he said it made sense! Awesome guy, we'll see what happens I guess?

On Saturday we went to visit a ward member and after finding out I was from Utah continued with, "the reason I really don't like Utah Mormons is because they all think that the church started in Utah, but I really like to remind them that it didn't." It was all kind of downhill after that. I was mostly silent. On Saturday night we met with Steven who had a baptism date set for November 4, but because of some word of wisdom difficulties, we had to postpone it and he wasn't sure when he'd be ready. Super sad. 

Sunday was so good! We had a bunch of investigators come to church which was absolutely stellar because it was the primary program! I mean, how could anyone not like the primary program?? It was great. Such a good sacrament meeting. We even had a couple of surprise investigators come and say that they wanted to come again! God is so so good!

Bless your heart if you've made it this far, I hope you're all doing well! If you'd like to send mail my address is 

614 w foothills Blvd

Arcadia CA

91006

If writing a letter down is too much, my email is 

riley.dorrance@myldsmail.net

Have a happy week!

Love, Sister Dorrance

WEEK 5 - I'M A WHOLE MONTH OLD

On top of a random roof with a pretty view

WOOT WOOT

I never know how to start these things. 

Last Tuesday after emailing we taught Steven, who my companions have been teaching for a while. And I extended my first baptism invitation! He's such a cool guy and he said yes to getting baptized on November 4th! Holy cow guys. I was stoked. I'm still stoked. Then on Wednesday we went on exchanges with the Sister Training Leaders! We knocked so many doors that day. We got rejected so many times. It was crazy. BUT we made some contacts and met a couple potential investigators. It's really difficult to find people here in the East Pasadena ward, because nobody really wants to talk to us, and the members are so so great, but we haven't gotten a lot of referrals. But it's okay because we're making these people mega-ready for the next missionaries. 

Basically Thursday-saturday was a whole lot of rejection and a little bit of make yourself feel better frozen yogurt. But on Friday we did meet with this guy named Enrique who is so so smart and he's a member of maybe 2 or 3 years, but I think he just likes to talk to the missionaries. Pretty weird guy, but we had an awesome talk about the Book of Mormon. 

I TURNED A WHOLE MONTH OLD ON FRIDAY. SUPER WEIRD. I FEEL LIKE I'VE BEEN HERE FOR TWO DAYS AND 80 YEARS ALL AT THE SAME TIME. But it's pretty cool. 

Yesterday we went and talked to a bunch of less active members to see how they were doing and we ended up at this couple's house for maybe 45 minutes. Let me tell you about the Jeanmaries. He is this little man from the carribean and she is a small asian lady. Both have thick accents from where they're from, and both of them talk like you wouldn't believe. I understood less than half of that whole conversation and by the end we left with two grocery bags of food and a stuffed animal for all three of us. It made my whole week I think. She kept telling me that since I'm the newest one, if I ever get homesick to just go over to her house and she'll put me right to work and I'll forget all about it. 

Yesterday was stake conference too, it was awesome! We had Elder Dyches from the 70 presiding, and he gave an awesome talk about building up families and building up testimonies. He said, "keep it simple, build it strong, and make it work." 

Today we had our zone activity and we played Wilson ball which is basically dogeball, but every man for himself. It's pretty intense. The elders all started racing each other in the parking lot, and this one elder who I'm pretty sure is 7 ft tall lost pretty much every time. 

Missionary work is super difficult, but I love love love being a missionary and getting rejected isn't really that bad. Especially when we get yelled at in Spanish and I don't actually understand what they're saying. But I am learning Spanish, it's just going to take about 5 years at the rate I'm going. Anyway, I love being a missionary and I miss fall in Utah. It's 90 degrees and sunny here. 

Love, Sister Dorrance

With our signs because sister Arriola turned 1 year on Thursday!

Random roof part 

Week 4 habla Espanol

our whole apartment at the LA temple this morning.

Left to right: yours truly, Sister Arriola, Sister Gillman, Sister Luke, and Sister Allen

One week down! Holy moly guys. This week has been so so crazy. We woke up at 3 am last Tuesday to get to our flight on time and we got to California at about 9:30 our time. Then we were at the mission office all day and they told us a bunch of information that I can't remember. I'm sure it wasn't THAT important. The mission office is attached to a church building so we took naps on the pews in the chapel. Then we got our companions! I'm in a trio with sister Allen and Sister Arriola! We are in the East Pasadena ward!

We've done a whole bunch of door knocking, walking around, and  so much studying. They were teaching a guy named Steven before I got here and he is so funny. He met with the elders before us but he says that the sisters are better. Ha. He also came to church on Sunday! It takes him a while to understand things, so all of our lessons move really slowly. That's okay though, it makes us think about what we say and we really have to know our stuff because he asks a lot of questions. He's awesome. 

We found three and a half new investigators this week! We found Karina on Friday; her mom met with the missionaries forever ago and we went to go and see her again just to chat so we went over to her house and she wasn't home. We were on Backus street which is full of a lot of run down sort of houses and a guy with a fruit cart! So we knocked on the house next door and Karina answered! She's the sweetest lady ever! We've got an appointment with her this Thursday. Then after that we walked down Backus street and Christina was out playing with her dog. We walked up to her, talked to her about her dog for a while, and started talking about the church. She already believes in Jesus Christ (holla) so we talked about that and we were going to go back last night, but she had to babysit. It's all good, though, we're planting seeds. 

Then yesterday we were knocking doors up and down a street and we found Daisy! Shes this sweet Hispanic woman that started comparing her beliefs with ours and they're basically the same! Aside from the fact that she doesn't have the fullness of the gospel but that's another story. So we went in her house and she had a neighbor visiting so we taught her too! So Grace Joy is our half an investigator. If she shows up to our return appointment, then we'll invite her to come unto Christ as well!

I've decided that I have to learn Spanish. That's really it, if anyone has any pointers that would be great. Sister Arriola is fluent so I can say the name of the church but that's as far as we've gotten. We're working on it though! 

We're in a driving area so I don't use my fancy bike but I think we might start to a little anyway because it's cooling down. 

It's not that difficult to eat gluten free, all of the members are super helpful and it's also a conversation topic which is pretty good because I'm awkward. 

Today we got to go to the LA temple which was BEAUTIFUL. Holy smokes. It took almost two hours to get there at 5:30 in the morning. Usually it would take 30 minutes. Traffic is the worst. But The temple is the best. 

I think I'm done, if anyone's made it this far then bless your heart. 

- Sister Dorrance 

New address for mail

614 West Foothill Blvd

Arcadia California

91006

Week 3 - California!

Notes sent over the last 24 hours:

Holy smokes. I'm in Arcadia. I'm exhausted. We've been told so many things and I don't even remember any of them. I ended up having to use my duffel bag which I'm sooooo glad that I brought it. It's only 3:45 here and I'm probably not going to get to my new apartment until 6:30 or so. I'm seriously delirious. But it's fine because the church is true and all is well! We are currently about to take a nap in the chapel which is attached to the mission office. Also, attached are pictures of sister Gillman sleeping, and the sky when we flew into Arcadia. Coolest flight ever. I love you all! I'm so glad I got to talk to you and dad and Syd today. I miss you a ton!

Love, 

Sister Dorrance 

Heyo!

I was told to email again but I'm not sure why so here's an email. I'm grand, we moved into our pad (aka apartment apparently) and it's a cute little townhouse. There's five of us living there and Sister Gillman is living there too which is stellar. I'm in a trio, my trainers are sister Arriola from new jersey and Sister Allen from Florida! I was up for 20 hours yesterday and I slept so well. Figuring out what to study for an hour was difficult, but I didn't fall asleep so I consider it a win! Now we're sitting outside a members house to use their WiFi because we don't have any. But we're doing things today! I'm not really sure what because I was mostly confused during daily planning, but all is well!

I love you!

Love, Sister Dorrance