'Ofa Atu!

Dear Family,

         Okay I have to tell you, there really is no better way to do missionary work than with a Tongan companion! I have been with her for only five days and she has already taught me so much. She has this amazing faith and humility that makes it impossible to not feel the Spirit. We have seen miracles this week!

          We live with our Ward Mission Leader. Brother and Sister Heaps. They are the sweetest family and do so much to help us out. Every morning before we start our routine, we meet with them to say a family prayer. It has been such an amazing way to start the day to pray with our Ward Mission Leader for guidance to find those that are searching. This area is SO much bigger than Loomis. Dry Creek has 6 HUGE areas and in Loomis we had 3 little ones. Without going into too much detail, the work in this area has been.....struggling? We are going to need to work really hard to gain back the trust of the Bishop, Ward Members, and even our Ward Mission Leader. Brother Heaps gave Sister Totau and I a wonderful compliment the other day. He said that it has been a long time since he has felt the spirit in his home the way that he does now with Sister Totau and I. He is such a sweet man and serves so diligently. Missionary work is close to his heart and he is grateful to see that it is also close to ours. I want to strive every day to live up to what he said. To be the kind of missionary that brings that spirit and comfort just by being in the home. I am so very grateful for this gospel and for that tangible peace that comes into your life as you live it and as you reach out to others in unselfish love.

          This area is a much more humble people than those I have previously served. There are many who are without homes or that grew up amidst unsafe situations. I love these people already. You just can't understand it! I just do. When I get down on my knees each night to pray for these people... I feel an overwhelming love for them. I see hope where they may think there is none. I am sooooooooooooooooo excited to be serving here in Dry Creek. It is going to be A LOT of work. But I am excited. Sister Totau and I have been fasting for miracles and I know we are about to see them soon.

          In fact... one of them happened already! This week we had no scheduled appointments so Sister Totau helped me get a little acquainted with the area and we made a list of all of the people we needed to focus on. We found out we have 164 less-active members of our ward. So we got to work. We went out and several doors later...no one had answered. So on that last door, we decided to do something a little different. We just took a walk. As we were walking down the street we saw a group of people and they called us over, "Hey Girls, come tell us what you do." It was a mini-van full of Jehovah Witness members. They were stopped on the street talking to a woman in front of her house. (Who, by the way, had the same shoes as me...) We walked over and had a short discussion. The woman they were talking to seemed a bit overwhelmed and uncomfortable. She was an American woman and looked like she was about 26 years old. The Jehovah Witness man for some reason pointed out that she spoke Chinese. We began to have a conversation (in mandarin) and I used words that I never thought I knew before. She too had spent a year down in Shenzhen and speaks mandarin fluently. The spirit was so strong and we bore testimony of the restoration. The look on her face was curious to me. I felt like I knew her somehow. We went back to see her and now have an appointment to come by next week. That, to me, is just proof that we should never be afraid. If we are honest and humble and speak from our heart, no harm can come to us. I'll be honest.... "Ashley" would never just walk up to a group full of Jehovah Witnesses and bear her testimony of the restoration! That’s scary! But the more I learn about the gospel and the comfort it brings to me. The easier it is to share. I was grateful that we did because I know, no matter what, this young woman needed to hear it. I am so grateful for this gospel and so INCREDIBLY EXCITED to be serving in the Dry Creek ward. It’s going to be awesome!

         Thanks again for all you do and for your support. It means the world to me. On Sunday we were teaching about Missionary Work in church and someone asked me a question. "What was something your parents did that gave you the desire to serve a mission." I didn't have to think twice before I said, " They worked hard, they loved the people they served, and they NEVER forgot about them. To this day my parents still talk about those wonderful people that forever changed their lives." I am so grateful for you two. If you get a chance... I would love if both of you could send me one of your favorite pictures from your mission that I could tape on the wall above my desk. I love you guys! Sometimes when I am having a rough day I just think of Dad doing that weird "tongue-biting fist pump" think every time he gets my email. (Like you said in your letter) Haha. It always makes me laugh and makes me happy to know I have parents that are cheering for us back at home. Have a great week!

Love,

Sister Palangi