The Lord's Hand In All Things

Family!

Hello! How are you? I am great. So, transfers are tomorrow! I am staying and going to be covering two areas! Which is crazy because I've also been assigned to be a Sister Training Leader - which means we'll be going on exchanges all the time so not be in our area as much. I'm excited! The work is going so well in the branch, honestly I thought we'd be getting another set of missionaries rather than losing one. It will be crazy covering 2/3 of Simi Valley. This area is so ready to harvest. The work is so so busy. So many prepared people EVERYWHERE, all the time. It's amazing!

With this new assignment I feel really humbled and that I now understand all the trials of these last two transfers. Everything the Lord puts in our path prepares us for something greater. The Lord's hand in it is so evident. Some of the lessons I've learned are humility, love and obedience, putting your companion first, the importance of relationships, submissiveness, open mindedness, and confidence in the Lord. I also feel I have a greater understanding of the purpose of missionary work. I feel a lot of peace about everything that has happened. I am so grateful for the counsel of my leaders - especially the leaders of the church who spoke to us this weekend, who sacrifice so much to know the will of the Lord and always guide and direct us, strengthen us, and love us.

Speaking of which, how AMAZING was General Conference?? There is no denying that those men and women are called of God. I know the quality of the experience we have depends a lot more on our preparation than it does on theirs. It really enriches the experience so much when we come prepared. Every single one of my questions was answered. There were even whole talks devoted to those topics. Amazing! I am so grateful for their counsel. Here's some things I loved:

- The message of living gratitude as a way of life - and how it makes life so much sweeter. I'm already seeing the blessings coming from that.

- Love should always flow from righteousness. We can't really love without being obedient, or be obedient without loving - as it's the first commandment.

- I liked how they said listening and understanding is more important than who is more right. 

- Letting your faith show. Be bold. Stand up for righteousness.

- The perspective of eternity - the 4 minutes. It is a lot like a mission.

- I also loved what they said about the whirlwinds. We should see them for what they are, and how they're making our roots stronger. It helped me strengthen my resolve to do so and to not let the whirlwinds beat me down.

So I'm really excited for this transfer! It's going to be great. I'm so grateful for how merciful the Lord is and how he shapes me and changes me. He sees our full potential and helps us along the way to reach it.

Also, Maria is still just as amazing! She is so faithful. She pretty much spent the whole day with us on Saturday. She went to the morning session of Conference, then went to lunch with us and some members, then she went to work for most the day, then she got together with us and some members and our other investigator Ana to rewatch the RS broadcast because they missed it. It was so good, again! Maria said during the video she was thinking about how her daughter and granddaughter and part of the church and making steps and covenants and how she wants to be part of it. Soon enough! I'm sure she'll get baptized this month. She's doing great.

The Figueroa family still needs a lot of prayers. They're so ready for baptism. They're amazing. The husband is ready, but the wife doesn't feel ready. She is though. We're reading from the BOM with her and trying to help her grow her faith so she can feel ready to take that leap of faith.

Also here's two fun member missionary success stories!:

-We had dinner with the Garcia family, and their friends stopped by with her kids. It was great! We talked to them and shared a message after. We watched a Mormon Message and talked about conference. Their friend said she liked it and wants to learn more and get involved! The family invited her to have lunch with them the next day and watch conference in their home. Yay!

-We went to lunch with some members and Maria between General Conference sessions on Saturday. One of the members saw a for sale sign on a car and she's looking to buy one so she went out to talk to the man while we were eating. She came back and asked for a Restoration pamphlet. We gave her one with our contact information on the back. Then she came back for a pen and paper and went out again. When she returned she told us the man selling the car has a nephew who's on a mission. She said she told him about Joseph Smith and General Conference! She gave him them pamphlet and he said he'd read it. She shared her testimony and invited him to pray to know for himself. And then she got his number for us! She's amazing.

We can all find those opportunities to share the gospel! I loved E. Ballard's talk. It's so important to follow up, to make Preach My Gospel a part of all of our lives, to pray for missionary opportunities, and to set goals.

I love you so much and am so grateful for all your support! I have the best family in the whole wide world. Thank you for always being there for me.

Con amor,

Hna. Cannon

Suffer The Children

Hello! How are you?

So yesterday we got to do sharing time for all the primary kids and talk about how they can be missionaries now! It was the funnest thing ever. They are SO smart! I can't even believe this generation. And all their answers were, "We can go on a mission!" "We can share the gospel!" "We can invite our friends to church!" When I was in primary we just said we should read our scriptures and pray. I love how they Lord hastening his work is just flowing to all parts of the church. Just imagine what the church will be like in a few more years! Amazing.

Maria is doing so well! She's coming to church each week and reading the Book of Mormon just about every day. She loves it. She has tons of questions and loves the stories. She loves coming to all the activities and getting involved with the sisters. She told us that last Sunday she was sad after church and even cried. We were like, Oh no, why? As she described her feelings she realized that she loves church so much and loves to feel the spirit there, and when she leaves she is so sad because she doesn't have that spirit any more. It was so sweet. We talked about how when she's baptized she can have that spirit with her always, and she's really looking forward to that. She's going to do it when her daughter comes to visit.

The Figueroa family is amazing. We love them. Venancio passed his baptismal interview! He's ready to go. But Ana decided to postpone her interview. She says she doesn't feel ready. They were going to get baptized yesterday. So they are going to wait. We are praying for them a lot. We were sad, but they are so chosen, elect, and just amazing that we know everything will be okay. We know it will work out for them. And we're definitely coming back when they all get sealed some day :)

Also, that Relief Society Broadcast was the best one I've ever seen. I loved it so much. Mom, Cassie, Sarah, Cali I felt so close to you during that! Especially mom at that part when they said to smile at your mother - I smiled at you :) I felt so united with all the sisters of the church. We have such an important purpose here. I loved the message of love. I cannot put into words how real the battle we are in seems to me. And God wants us to fight this battle with love. He is not asking much, just that we love one another. Such a powerful message. That is what we need. I LOVE YOU!

Dad, I love you too!!!! :) :) :)

Well, pictures speak louder than words. So I'm going to send as many as I can.

Have an AMAZING General Conference weekend! I am so excited. We have a living prophet and 12 apostles. And they are going to speak to US. Very worth every moment of preparation to hear their words. 

With love,

Hna. Cannon

Exchanges!

They had us be judges for the "Hunger Games" for mutual. Super fun. Our investigator Sabdi came!!

The field is WHITE!

Hello!

So, we had a week of miracles!

First of all, zone conference was amazing. Second of all, I felt an earthquake! First one ever. So I can check that off my bucket list now.

Let me tell you about some of the AMAZING people we have taught this week.

Maria has a daughter in Mexico who's a member of the church, married in the temple and everything. Maria doesn't have family here and her daughter keeps telling her to look for the church. Maria didn't really know how and has just been hoping and waiting that missionaries would find her. The English elders happened upon her a few weeks ago and referred her to us! We've been teaching her for 2 weeks. She came to church last Sunday and the week before and loved it! She got done up all pretty and just had the biggest smile on her face all day. She asked one of the members to pray that her boss would give her Sundays off so she can stay for all 3 hours! She's been able to stay for 2 1/2 but want to stay the whole time :) she's amazing!

Felipe is SO elect. He's been going through a hard time, and Hno. Pinto invited him to a baptism a couple of week ago and introduced him to us there. He came to church last week and said he really liked everyone there and wants to keep coming. We had our first real lesson with him last Saturday. We taught the Restoration and he loved it and accepted everything. When we read Amos 8:11-12 about people hungering for the truth he was like, "That's how I feel! I want all of these things, but I need someone to guide me and help me find them." It was so cool. He talked about how he has this pain in his heart and he wants to be free from that. We testified how the Savior can ease any burden, and told him how our purpose is to help him get there. He readily agreed to baptism and said he wants to be clean. He so willing to act on the message, he wants to do whatever it takes to follow Jesus Christ and be clean again. When we taught about the Book of Mormon and gave him one, he received it as if we were giving him diamonds. He recognized how precious it is and he was so grateful. He is so prepared by the Lord! He is so grateful to have found this church and to be meeting with us. Felipe wanted the truth but just didn't know where to find it. Imagine if Hno. Pinto had never invited him to that baptism? You never know who of your friends the Lord is preparing. Invite! :)

Raquel is Ana's mom, (of Ana and Venancio who are preparing to be baptized this Saturday. *prayers please!!!!* the adversary's working hard on them). Raquel is visiting from Mexico and going back home on Tuesday. She said she's been wanting to come to the states to visit Ana for a while but it just hasn't been working out. She prayed to God that if He wanted her to come, that He would make everything possible so that she could come - and He did. She said that she knows the reason why now. She knows she was meant to come at this time to find the church. She said there should only be one flock and one shepherd. She's been reading the Book of Mormon and knows it's true. She said if she didn't have to go to Mexico she'd be baptized with Ana and Venancio this weekend! But she's going to contact the missionaries when she gets back to Mexico. Which is amazing because their whole family's there, and she's the grandma and the example to everyone, so she can share the gospel with all of them too! Amazing. The Lord is hastening his work so much. And it's all because a 16 year old member of the church invited Manny (Ana and Venancio's son) to mutual and seminary and he joined the church. Then his 14 year old sister Carolina got baptized, and now it's spreading to the whole family. Absolutely incredible.

Also this week I've been learning a lot about love and obedience. I've been told that I talk a lot about obedience in these letters - sorry if it gets old haha. But I've learned something new this week. I've learned that obedience should never get in the way of loving someone. Likewise, loving someone should never keep you from being obedient. Obedience has taken on a new meaning for me. The first commandment is to love. That's what is the very most important thing to God. If I am not obedient to that commandment, all of the other commandments don't mean as much. It was a really good lesson for me to refocus on what's most important. Love and obedience are one in the same, "if ye love me, keep my commandments." They should always go together.

I love you all so much! Have an amazing week!

Hna. Cannon

Here's some cute members we had dinner with at the park :)

The Way

Hello!

Well, in spite of how happy this email will probably sound - I have never struggled so much in my mission as I have this past week. I definitely never been through something as difficult as this in my mission. I didn't even know where I would get the strength to move forward. But after some wise counsel yesterday I feel SO much better. I love Pres. Castro. He is so amazing and so inspired and I am so grateful.

I will not get in to all the sad things, I will just tell you what I have learned.

Oh, and instead of sending me a new companion, they had Hna. Moure be my companion, and they brought in a new English sister for Sis. Stoker. We were shocked! We're adjusting.

I've learned how important it is to rest and not run faster than you have strength.

I've learned that we can always rely on obedience. Sometimes that's all we have. We need those blessings from the Lord. I needed them so desperately this week. The only way I am entitled to ask for them is if I am obedient. Obedience is what gets me through trials - every time. I am so grateful for those blessings from the Lord. He has granted me strength this past month. He has especially granted me strength this past week, as I have none left of my own. He will replenish us.

I've learned how important our personal growth is as missionaries. Our reason for serving a mission is for other people, but the reason the Lord has us serve a mission is for us. He can do His work on His own - but we are His work too, that's why He lets us be a part of it. He knows that we grow so much from learning to live for others. Because he that abaseth himself will be exalted, but he that exalteth himself will be abased. I've learned the true meaning of losing ourselves in the work. We do it for others, but our personal growth is essential. I must make sure I'm living the gospel in every sense. This is just as much for me as it is for them. That is a new concept for me.

I feel so much gratitude. The Lord is so merciful. He will always deliver us.

Redemption can come only in and through our Savior, Jesus Christ. His gospel is perfect. It is the way. All of the answers are in the gospel. No matter what you are going through, you will find all of the answers by coming to Christ through faith, repentance, baptism (and honoring your covenants, receive the Holy Ghost and following His promptings and all times, and enduring to the end.

I am so grateful these truths have been restored to the earth today. This church is the Lord's kingdom on the earth. I know by experience that all of this is true.

I love you :)

Hna. Cannon

Amanda with her new companion, Sister Moure from Texas, born in Mexico. She was a convert, baptized two years ago. She is a powerful missionary. She is doing so much good in this mission.

Last night with Sister Hamlin

Bowling with the district! Yay P day!

Our district! :)

Enduring Well :)

I don't really know how to start this email, but I will just tell you the news. My companion, Hna. Hamlin with be going home this week. She has been inside for four weeks and has not been able to recover. She is going to go home so that she can heal, and then come back out. I heard stories of this happening to people on their missions, and I never really thought it was a big deal. I see now how much of a trial that is for all the missionaries who go through it, as well as their companions. I am very sad to see Hna. Hamlin go. I will miss her very much. But I trust in the Lord and know it is His will. I know that everything happens for a reason. I can see the Lord's hand in me being here with Hna. Hamlin, and living with Sis. Moure and Sis. Hancock - then Hna. Hancock going home, and Sis. Stoker coming in. The Lord puts us in each other's lives right when it's needed.

 

He's taught me a lot this week about how to endure well. We are here as missionaries to lose ourselves in His service. In doing so, He takes care of us. He gives us investigators with needs that we ourselves may have. He lets us learn with them. This week we taught a single dad who's daughter has been in the hospital for 10 months and got a heart transplant this morning. He also has an autistic son. His positive attitude was outstanding. All he ever wants to talk about is how much God always answers his prayers and how much the Savior has changed and strengthened him. It was so uplifting for me to hear that. I have felt sort of like a single parent lately, as I have been single in my stewardship. But seeing his faith and trust strengthened mine. If he can be positive, cheerful, and patient in the face of adversity I know I can. This week involved a lot of fasting and prayer, and I feel redeemed from my struggles.

I know this is the Lord's work. There is no doubt about that. Throughout these struggles I have done my very best to take care of Hna. Hamlin as well as our area. The Lord knows I am doing all I can, and His grace is sufficient for me. It has been incredible to see the blessings and miracles in our area. It is such a testament that this is the Lord's work - He can do it on His own, and He will - if we consecrate ourselves to His service.

 

Our area is booming! The Lord is really taking care of this part of His vineyard. When we have appointments I either switch with the sisters we live with or have one member stay with Hna. Hamlin and one come out with me. Whenever I leave the apartment, it's just miracles the whole time. In order to make up for all the time I spend in the apartment with Hna. Hamlin, the Lord just makes the time I have out of the apartment be super super productive.

 

The Figueroa family is doing so well. Last Monday we taught the Gospel (faith, repentance, baptism, Holy Ghost, ETTE -- that's Endure to the End) and invited Ana and Venancio to be baptized. They both said yes! Then we invited them to be baptized on Mar. 29. There were gasps, eye brow raises and huge smiles from the two kids who are already members. They thought it seemed soon, but we bore testimony and invited them to pray to know for themselves when God would have them be baptized. We all prayed together at the end of the lesson to know. It was powerful. They came to a Branch FHE that night where they taught the same lesson - the gospel - and they took that for their answer! Such a miracle. They all came to church again yesterday and it was great. Then on a later lesson this week Ana told us her mom is here from Mexico and is leaving on the 25th, and she wants her mom to be there for her baptism, so now they are thinking of being baptized a week sooner! So exciting. We will see what date they end up deciding.

 

Carina - we found her this week. She was babysitting for the kids of some of our other investigators who we stopped by to see. We started teaching her about how Jesus Christ's church has been restored to the earth. We talked about reading and praying and coming to church so she can know for herself if it's true, and preparing to be baptized. She said she wants to do all of that and she was actually already looking to be baptized! She already knows it's what she needs to do to follow Christ. So prepared by the Lord.

 

I love you all so much! Thank you for your support.

Hna. Cannon

What a week!

So here is a story about transfer meeting. We get there at about 10:40, thinking we'd have about 20 min. to wait and spiritually prepare. There were tons of cars and no one was outisde and we were really confused. We go in and they were in the middle of the meeting - turns out it had started at 10, and we were like, NO! It was super sad to miss so much of it, the testimonies of all the departing missionaries and everything. And, being late to any sort of mission thing is just about the biggest shame a missionary can have. So we sat in the foyer and listened to Pres. Castro's concluding comments. He was talking about adversity and the different things we go through on our missions. He talked about how we can still be steadfast and have the strength to conquer those trials. He said, "There is a missionary who's testimony I would like you all to hear. Hna. Cannon, will you please come up. Where is she?" I jumped up from the couch and headed in. He says, "Is Hna. Hamlin with you?" She comes in too and he has us walk up to the podium and tell our story of the past few weeks and share our testimonies. Haha it was such a big surprise. We definitely got caught from coming in late. But it was good to share our experience with all the missionaries. Afterwards many of them came up to us and told us it was just what the needed to hear, and helped them with what they're going through.

 

Hna. Hamlin is still recovering from surgery, and then BAM! She gets an awful throat infection and her throat is bleeding. She is super down. They gave her an anti-biotic then she started getting this awful pain in her appendix area. We're going to the doctor tomorrow to find out what it is. I really hope she doesn't have to get that out too - one surgery is hard enough. I know the Lord has a plan for her, but it's just like, really? Wow. Just so many trials all at once. She is definitely learning and growing though, but it is hard.

 

Meanwhile, I am taking care of my poor companion, and also trying to take care of our area by myself. She can't leave the apartment, so I do a lot of coordinating to find members or the sisters we live with to switch with us so I can work and someone can stay with Hna. Hamlin. The time we have to proselyte each day is very small. But even so, it is amazing the miracles we have seen. I have seen how the Lord can do His own work. We are giving all of our heart, might, mind, and strength, even if it's from the apartment. We are both fighting in our own ways. Because He knows we're doing all we can, He has blessed us so much. Here's some of the miracles we've seen this week:

 

We went to a baptism on Saturday and a member had brought two friends and introduced us to them. They both were in our area, loved the baptism, and agreed to let us visit them! Their names are Jorge and Felipe. We're excited to meet with them!

 

Figueroa Family - they ALL came to church on Sunday and brought 2 non member friends! So exciting. The gospel principles lesson was on the Holy Ghost and it was perfect for them. I was sitting next to Ana (the mom) during sacrament meeting and she was crying. After the meeting she said, "That was so beautiful. All of it. It's like they were saying in the first class today, sometimes you don't know what it is, but you can feel it. It's the spirit." So great. We are going to try to set them with a baptismal date tonight.

 

Savdi - 16 years old - AMAZING. We taught the Plan of Salvation and she loved it - she said it answered so many questions she had. She also said she loves how our church is the same wherever you go, she thinks it's really important that we have priesthood authority. She also thinks a prophet is really necessary in the world of today. She believes this church is true and wants to be baptized. The only problem is her parents are not supportive at all. We are praying they soften their hearts, and if they do she will be baptized on Mar. 29!

Ruben - is not a member and his wife is a returning member. They both want to come to church together. She was really sick on Sunday though, but he came anyway by himself! He loved it, and the members were so good at fellowshipping him. They're in their 60s, and after church Ruben said, "I loved church today. I feel like I've missed out on so much by not coming for so long. I am so grateful to be here at last." I'm sure he'll get baptized. He's amazing. What's also cool about him is that Elder Nalder, who was my District Leader in Solvang, taught him a year ago when he began his mission in Simi Valley. And E. Nalder just got transferred back here last week! So it was fun for he and Ruben to see each other at church.

 

Antonio - a new investigator. We met him last week and he said he'd read our pamphlet and if it was interesting to him we could come back and teach him. We went back this week and he read it and said he thought it was beautiful. I was holding a Book of Mormon and he said, what's that book? We told him and he asked if he could have one. Then he asked,"Is this about eternal life? Do you teach about how I can have eternal life?" We said yes and explained how you start by making promises with God like baptism. Then he said, "A ver cuando me bautice en tu iglesia." Which is basically, let's see when I get baptized in your church! So awesome.

 

Other kind of sad things: Our awesome Sanchez family we've been teaching just moved just outside of our area! So we can't teach them anymore :( we were heart broken. When I told them over the phone the wife said she and her family are so sad. But the elders will take care of them - they told us they'd make us proud :)

 

Also, Dora, a golden investigator in our area is ready to be baptized, but just moved into the elder's area. Haha.

It is sad but honestly, these people are so prepared and need to be baptized. The Lord knows we have too many investigators to handle right now, so He found a way to take care of them. It's all for the best.

 

Love you!

Hna. Cannon

If you thought last week was exciting...

So remember how last week my companion had to get her gall bladder taken out? And that we've been switching out with the sisters we live with? Well, last Thursday morning one of those sisters went home - leaving us in a tripanionship for the rest of the transfer. We were all so sad that day - we miss her so much. She was an amazing missionary and was such a fighter will everything she's had to face. We were all heart broken to see her go, but we felt a lot of peace about it and we knew it was right.

 

So we were a tripan! It was SO fun. Oh my goodness. I love LOVE both of my companions, Hna. Hamlin and Sis. Moure. We had such a great time together. Our personalities, strengths, and weaknesses just go so well together and we just help each other be at our best.

 

It's been amazing to see the Lord's hand in it. The way that everything worked out - you cannot deny that it was in God's plans all along. Sis. Moure is Mexican and she was called English speaking. That is so rare in the mission. It was a miracle having her with us. We would have a member stay with Hna. Hamlin while she recovered, and Sis. Moure and I would go out and cover two area - both hers and mine. It was insane. We had appointments and scheduled things all day long. And when there were schedule conflicts, the Lord just made everything work out in the end. We've been doing everything we can, even though we've been limited. The Lord knows we've only gotten to put in half the time in each area - so He has really been taking care of our area for us. We've seen more miracles this week than any other week of the transfer.

 

The Figueroa family is a part member family we've been teaching. With Sis. Moure, everything just finally clicked with them, and they are doing so well now! We've had 3 great lessons with them this week. At the end of the first, the dad (investigator) said the prayer and started to cry. The spirit was so strong. We were also able to connect with the wife. She needs a lot of support right now. We've got such a great fellowshipper that is such a great friend to her - and we are all having lunch together this week. Then the whole fmaily came to a baptism yesterday! The oldest son is 16 and a recent convert, along with his 14 year old sister, and he bore his testimony. It was so great to have them there and have them having fun afterwards and talking with the members. The 2 kids think both of their parents will be baptized this transfer. Let's hope so! They're getting there, and doing so well.

 

The Sanchez family is another part member we're working with. The dad (investigator) is doing so well! He's been coming to church for years and sees it's a good thing. He told his wife he wants his kids to go on missions and get married in the temple. So she asked him, "And what are you going to do, wait outside?" Haha. So now he's taking the lessons, and wants to know for himself whether it's true. He said he'll be baptized once he does.

 

Savdi - an amazing member referral! She is 16 yrs old, best friends with a member. We had such a great restoration lesson with her. She is so smart, and has so much real intent. When we invited her to be baptized if she knew it were true she agreed without hesitation. She loves what she's seen about our church, how it's the same everywhere, and how everyone is like a fmaily. The only problem is that her family is not supportive. But hopefully that will change. When we gave her the BOM she looked so hungry for it - she immediately started flipping through it. We are excited for her!

 

Jorge and Alma - Alma is amazing! She is so prepared. She is so sensitive to the spirit and really wants to know the truth. She wants to be part of Jesus Christ's true church. Jorge is more learning for curiosity - but hopefully the spirit will touch his heart too.

 

This is going to be a great transfer! I'm excited to get to stay here with Hna. Hamlin. Pres. Castro told me he had other plans for me, but he sees the Lord had something else in mind. I have such a strong testimony that the Lord spiritually creates our missions - and lives. Everything happens exactly the way it needs to. He puts us all in each others lives right when we're needed.

 

I love you! Have a great week!

Hna. Cannon

"Tripanionship" Sister Hamlin, Amanda & Sister Moure

All the missionaries in Amanda's branch in Simi Valley, plus a few members.