Small and Simple Things

Wow! Week 6 of this transfer went by very fast. 

Here is a picture of all of the missionaries in my District and a picture of me and my companion.

Tuesday was sports night. 

Sports nights are always great because there are a lot of non-members who come and it is a great way for them to be introduced to the Gospel. 

As a mission we have a project going on that we did last year as well. It is an opportunity for the members to pray and think about someone that could really use a Book of Mormon. Then, we get the Book of Mormon with the name of the person they were thinking of engraved on the Book. It's been really nice being able to go to members' homes and introduce this project. We did this project last year and we are really excited to do it again this year. 

This week we got to do service! It was great.

This week we also were working with Gabby. We have been teaching her for about 3 months. She has not been able to come to church and we have tried to set up lessons at the church just so that she can feel the difference at the church. She has never been able to come but Saturday she came for a church tour and she said she felt peace in her heart that she has not felt in a very long time. She also said she would be baptized November 30th! So we are very excited for Gabby! 

This week we found out about our transfers. I am leaving Santa Barbara. I will being staying in the same Zone but will be in Lompoc with Hermana Della-Pianna. 

Also I will be on bikes! I am excited. It should be a really great experience! 

There is a scripture that I love that talks about how the Lord works.

"Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise." 

I have really noticed this week how the Lord works his miracles. The Lord works by the small and simple things which cause great things to happen. This week I have really come to appreciate the small things that add up into big miracles. I know that the Lord works through simplicity so that all can understand Him. 

I am very excited for this next part of my mission! 

**A Note from her Mom - Please pray for her safety as she travels by bike!
She loves getting emails. This is her address:

Email: lily.pita@missionary.org (Don't reply to this blog - it is a public site)

Her mailing address is:

Hermana Lily Pita

California Ventura Mission

3301 W Gonzales Road

Oxnard, CA  93036

This is the direct link to her blog. 

The Whole Armour of God

This week was a great week. I got to go on an exchange with Hermana Parker. We had a really good time together. We started teaching a man who has come to sports night for the past 8 years and is friends with many members of the branch. He never was really interested, but now he is ready to learn. The lessons we have had with him have been really great and we are very excited for him. This is a picture from the end of the exchange day when we were all exchanging back.

Wednesday I hit a year out in the mission which was really crazy. Time is flying by. My companion made me breakfast which was delicious.

For dinner we went to Kyle's Kitchen, which is where we went to dinner on my first night here in Calilfornia.

We had a goal this week to have one person we are teaching make it to church. None of the people we were teaching were able to make it, but as we were about to go into our class, the husband of one of our recent converts walked in. He has a strong desire to be baptized but works every Sunday. It was such a miracle that he came. 

This next week is the last week of the transfer, which always seems to be when lots of miracles come. This week I was reading in the Bible about the power that comes when we follow the words of Christ and act upon them. It compares us following Christ to armour:

"Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand."

As we give everything to God we will be blessed with strength to withstand all that may come into our lives. 

I am excited for this next week. I know it will be a good one. 

A NOTE FROM HER MOM:

She loves getting emails. This is her address:

Email: lily.pita@missionary.org (Don't reply to this blog - it is a public site)

Her mailing address is:

Hermana Lily Pita

California Ventura Mission

3301 W Gonzales Road

Oxnard, CA  93036

This is the direct link to her blog. 

A Beloved Daughter of Heavenly Parents

****A Note From Her Parents - We've heard from her mission president and she, and all the other missionaries, are safe from the current California wildfires. We will talk to her tomorrow and get any updates but for now, all is well. Thanks to everyone for their prayers, support and love on her behalf.

This week was a great week. 

We had interviews with President Nakken which went well. It is always good to be able to meet with him. 

I got to go to Ojai and be with Hermana Wells.

We had a really fun time together. She is an awesome missionary!

While we were together we knocked this door and asked this man if he needed help with anything. He said "Well you could walk my dog". We were like "Okay". He said, "No, I am just kidding". We said "No, we would love to walk your dog.!" He said okay so we got to walk his dog around the block. It was really funny. 

Saturday and Sunday was general conference where the leaders of the church and our Prophet and the Apostles speak. It was great! One of my favorite things was the new theme for young woman. It says:

"I am a beloved daughter of heavenly parents, with a divine nature and eternal destiny.

As a disciple of Jesus Christ, I strive to become like Him. I seek and act upon personal revelation and minister to others in His holy name.

I will stand as a witness of God at all times and in all things and in all places.

As I strive to qualify for exaltation, I cherish the gift of repentance and seek to improve each day. 

With faith, I will strengthen my home and family, make and keep sacred covenants, and receive the ordinances and blessings of the holy temple."

I love this new theme. I love the blessing we can receive as we make promises with God. This was a great week. I am excited for next week!

A NOTE FROM HER MOM:

She loves getting emails. This is her address:

Email: lily.pita@missionary.org (Don't reply to this blog - it is a public site)

Her mailing address is:

Hermana Lily Pita

California Ventura Mission

3301 W Gonzales Road

Oxnard, CA  93036

This is the direct link to her blog. 

Our Faith Becometh Unshaken

Today was the end of a busy week. 

I got to go on exchanges in Lompoc with Hermana Monson. 

We served around each other in my first area so it was fun to be with her again and catch up. We got to be on bikes so it was really fun! 


Sunday we had a baptism! Maria got baptized it was awesome! 

She was so prepared and has loved how much joy and hope the gospel has brought her. It was an awesome experience to see her progress and to see how the Lord continues to help people feel prepared to be baptized.

The Branch, like always, is amazing. Everyone stayed after church for her baptism and it is so great when the missionaries don't have to ask the members to talk with people we are teaching - they just do it. 

After the baptism the branch put on another party with so much food! It was an amazing experience and one that I will never forget but more importantly that Maria will never forget. I feel so lucky and blessed to be a part of the missionary work here in Santa Barbara. 

Sunday was also my Dad's Birthday so I got to call and talk to him and wish him a happy birthday!

Next week is General Conference which is where the prophet and apostles and other leaders of the church speak. There is a scripture I often use when we teach about prophets. This is in Jacob 4:6

"Wherefore, we search the prophets, and we have many revelations and the spirit of prophecy; and having all these witnesses we obtain a hope, and our faith becometh unshaken, insomuch that we truly can command in the name of Jesus and the very trees obey us, or the mountains, or the waves of the sea"

I love that when we listen and act on the words of the prophets, the promise is that we will have unshaken faith. This Saturday and Sunday I am excited to watch conference to hear the words of the prophet and strengthen my faith. 

A NOTE FROM HER MOM:

She loves getting emails. This is her address:

Email: lily.pita@missionary.org (Don't reply to this blog - it is a public site)

Her mailing address is:

Hermana Lily Pita

California Ventura Mission

3301 W Gonzales Road

Oxnard, CA  93036

This is the direct link to her blog.