9/27/2016 4:50 PM

Oh goodness. 

So sorry for short emails, or your welcome for short emails. Whichever applies. 

So here is hopefully a good one. 

ummmm. 

So we moved. It was great. Now we have a guard bird. His name is Bob and he says hi and bye.

 He also has this human laugh and some Elders were helping us move and then they tripped on this merry-go-round thing and Bob started laughing at them. It was hilarious. 

He is however a little camera shy so I couldn't capture all this madness 

So here is how crazy this week was. It was incredible. 

We moved in a jiffy that was fun. We love Bob. 

We had the privilege of being judge's of the youth's cupcake wars night. So many cupcakes. It was delicious (and also not so delicious sometimes) . 

Wednesday was incredible. We put on a missionary night for the youth and it was AMAZING. 

We had them go 'knocking on doors' and we had the YSA Elders help us out with a Question and Answer session. 

We also had some of their recent converts share their conversion stories with the youth. Cough Cough** We also may or may not have rapped about missionary work. **Cough Cough 

The spirit was so strong and it was incredible to just take a step back and realize how much I love missionary work. I'm so glad that I made the decision to serve...my life has been so blessed, humbled, privileged. All of the above. 

Another super incredible thing we got to do was help out with a breakfast at a Syrian Refugee Walk. 

So long story short things are great here. 

I am seriously in awe at the fact that I have been allowed the privilege to do this work. It is AMAZING. 

Sister Murray and I are desperate for people to teach and ready to work. 

I can't believe that it's been an entire transfer. 

MISSIONARY WORK IS INCREDIBLE. 

Alma 26:12 

READ IT. 

9/19/2016 3:02 PM

Today I was actually planning on writing a good email.

But then we found out two seconds ago that we are going to move at 9 a.m. tomorrow...so we don't really have a lot of time.

We are teaching this man named Chris and we had an incredible lesson on Wednesday. He basically committed himself to submit to the will of God. Which is literally the most amazing thing that a person could do. 99.9999999999999999999% of people are still trying to figure that one out. Including me. Also later in the week Sister Murray and I saw him walking down the street while we were driving and then we got in the car and started to chase him down (literally. this is not even a little bit of a figurative statement.) and then we decided it was way to awkward. So we got back in the car and chased him down in the car. Then we decided that was to awkward. So we just parked in front of his house and when he got there we told him how hard he is to chase down. Chris is amazing though.

I have to go move now.

I love you all.

This week was great. The work is great. The atonement of Jesus Christ is incredible and I am so grateful for the role it plays in my life.

You have to read the whole E-mail.

I felt all sorts of bad about not sending a good email last week and then I get on this week to get approximately half an email. So I don't feel that bad anymore...come on humans. You can do better than this;)

This week was something else. Ha missionary work is insane and I love it. 

Super sorry about last week still though, here is the email I sent my mission president about the realest miracle that happened last week. 

This week was incredible! Sister Murray and I had been working hard and for awhile it seemed like to no avail. However, our Heavenly Father blessed us to witness some miracles this week! My favorite thing that happened was yesterday when Sister Murray and I had felt prompted to visit a former investigator. He was shocked at the timing, when he had been taught last time it was a very difficult time for him because he was in the middle of recovering from a brain injury. This time Sister missionaries stopped by days after his wife had been diagnosed with breast cancer. He told us he needed proof to believe in God and when I asked him if he had been praying that day (based on a prompting) he told me he had been praying that day more than ever. I told him he could look at Sister Murray and I showing up as good luck or he could accept that it was proof that the God he had been praying to did exist and was preparing him to learn something. I am so excited to continue working with him and I will strive consistently to be worthy to feel the spirit working through me the way that it did on this occasion! This week boosted my motivation to do the Lord's work and reminded me of the immense privilege it is to be able to do this work! My prayers are with you and Sister Clark!

I'm just going to talk about this week now, but in backwards order if that makes sense. 

Preparation day as missionary is great. Shopping is really just trying to avoid worldly influences in the grocery store. Which means Sister Murray and I have riveting conversations about candy bars instead of looking at magazines and I say a lot of prayers that no One Direction songs go on over the loudspeaker. 

Yesterday was Sunday and because we are in two wards Sister Murray and I get the pleasure of six hours of church. Which really is great because you always get two chances to learn the same thing and the people are so great. I am genuinely being real about this, sometimes one time is just not enough and you get to hear insight from twice the people. It truly is great! I am also super grateful for mints which are essentially breakfast, lunch, and dinner on Sundays. 

Saturday: Here in the CFM there is a church owned vineyard so we literally got to labor in the Lord's Vineyard on Saturday. Reason #3967 the Church is true- This vineyard is enormous and all of the grapes are dried out and made into raisins and then used for humanitarian efforts all over the world! It was incredible. Something I LOVE about being a missionary is that you truly learn how to serve with all of your heart, might, mind, and strength. Wickedness never was happiness, but serving others truly is happiness. Also...perks of literally serving in the Lord's Vineyard: All you can eat grapes.;) 

Friday: Friday is weekly planning. Which means we spend a large portion of time planning for people to receive the restored gospel. If your going to plan for anything you might as well plan for that...right? yes. Then we went about meeting great people. 

Thursday: THURSDAY WAS INSANITY. Here's the thing we had a lesson with a anti-mormon in a golden investigators clothing (a spin on the wolf in sheep's clothing thing). It was really a fairly intense situation and here is the thing that I think everyone needs to know about this experience... The Lord IS with his missionaries. He has provided strength to me far beyond my own. It has been truly been mesmerizing how much he has done for you, me, and every human being that ever did, or will live. I will never be able to put into words what he has done for me, or how much I love him, or how much he loves me, or how much he loves you. However, "The Living Christ" does a pretty good job about putting something that can't be put into words, into words. 

Wednesday: Wednesday was Zone conference. I loved it. We focused on teaching from the heart. I know it's hard to believe because the message of the restored gospel is the most incredible/life changing news a person can ever receive....but sometimes it gets difficult to teach from the heart. President and Sister Clark are so incredible and the assistants are fantastic as well. 

Tuesday: I went on exchanges. Which means I left my area, I loved it but I also would be okay if I served in my area for the next eighteen months. I LOVE IT HERE. 

I love you. I love you. Read your scriptures. Say your prayers. You will be blessed. 

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2011-05-01-they-gave-up-their-christmas?lang=eng

Have a great week!

Also last week I got sick of not being able to speak spanish to people so I just decided to give it a try.....great news. The man told me he would read about the plan of salvation that night in his house, and his boss is mormon. Go ahead and call me Hermana Rendon;)

****I just found out this Elder in my district was a Serbian model, how great is that.*********

FAMILY. FRIENDS. LOVED ONES.

FAMILY. FRIENDS. LOVED ONES. 

Miracles are real. 

This place is incredible. I LOVE the California Fresno Mission!

It is kind of like being on the drill team all over again though. 

Waking up early, running in the mornings, and this week I found out that if any missionaries are late to mission meetings...then ALL missionaries plank while singing called to serve. IT'S THE BEST. 

Please don't hate me. 

I'll write a long one next week;)

I have super incredible spiritual/miracle things to tell you about. 

This is just a preview. 

Short but good!

HELLO. I can't even prepare you for how random this e-mail is. 

So here's the thing you guys. 

I'm serving in the Shepherd and Dry Creek Wards and here's what people keep saying about this place...

-People really aren't compelled to be humble here

and it's been mentioned that Clovis is the 'Bible Belt' of Fresno California

Which is really just a fancy way of saying that most people here already have a church, and those who don't have one don't really feel the need to have one. 

And that's really just a fancy way of saying that it is hard to find people to teach and baptize..

But that is okay. Because hard is not the same as impossible and Sister Murray and I are determined to find people who need this message in their lives. We've got faith in the Lord but we could also use your prayers to get the ball rolling! 

Also.........

I taught my first lesson. 

Here's who was there.....also please remember this was my first lesson. 

One assistant to the mission president, one zone leader, one ward mission leader, one trainer, one of the smartest men I have ever met (the investigator)

All of these people were there because it was a pass-along lesson, One companionship was introducing us to Chris. 

This is the most intimidating thing of my life, but good news...I SURVIVED. The man we were teaching was asking all sorts of questions, most of them included words I had never even heard. I kind of sat there in awe while the assistant to the president did an amazing job teaching him. I did add my two cents in a couple of times though and my heart didn't quite beat all the way out of my chest..but it was close..;) 

Another thing that happened this week....we had an appointment with a member of the bishopric. 

So Sister Murray and I walk to the door and we hear this music pounding and this member of the bishopric opens the door and pokes his head out and says, "I promise we don't vape." lol. We walked in and they had been practicing for a stake dance and so these disco lights had been going and there is so much fog because of the fog machine..but now the music is off. So I'm pretty sure that was a once in a lifetime experience. This was the Walker family and they are so incredible we shared lots of laughs and love for the gospel...

I'm kind of giving up on telling you guys about my week..because it is just not coming out very smoothly...but it was so good and I love it here. 

I can't thank you enough for all of your kind words of love and encouragement. THEY TRULY TRULY TRULY mean the world to me. 

The most important thing I realized this week was the following...

It is not so much learning new things about the Gospel, but more fully understanding the fundamental things that we have already been taught. 

We don't need to know a thing about Kolob, or outer darkness, or any of that jazz to know that the church is true. 

As we more fully understand the centrality of the atonement we will more fully understand that any thing else related to the Gospel is just an appendage to that atonement. 

The Church is true. This e-mail is a mess. I hope that you are all doing well. I LOVE YOU. HEAVENLY FATHER LOVES YOU. 

A little note from Sister Murray: 

Hey y'all! Thanks for Sister Rendon, she's the best! I kind of don't know what she wants but... have a good week!

Sister Rendon

okay. I am literally using every ounce of self control to not write this entire email in all caps, because I am so passionate about everything I have to say. 

My hands are shaking because I love you all so much and reading the emails I had received this week had like 18 months worth of good new in it. 

I HAVE SO MUCH TO SAY. 

okay so my district in the MTC. 

Saying goodbye to them was sooooo hard. The Elders were so sweet and gave us all priesthood blessings before we left and all the Sisters were crying and it was incredible and I'm so grateful for them and their priesthood. 

When you spend essentially every waking moment with the same people for three weeks, you tend to get to know them pretty well. THEY ARE SO INCREDIBLE. 

Also

I'm in California. 

It was so weird to be out of the MTC. People kept talking about how the MTC and jail were very different places, because in jail you can get visitors. 

haha. so true. but I LOVED THE MTC. 

(In the attachments my lovely district and MTC teachers are pictured. And me carrying around a million books because I was never really sure what I wanted to study.)

So here's the story. They set you apart as a missionary and then they surround you with all these other missionaries for three-straight weeks and then they put you back into the normal world and then your not really sure how to live. All of a sudden you are literally called to act as Jesus Christ would (which actually it's been this way since you have been set apart but now it actually feels real) and it's an intimidating task. BUT OH SO WORTH IT. 

The plane ride over was great. I'm convinced the lady sitting next to me on the plane is going to get baptized. I TAUGHT HER THE RESTORATION AND SHE LET ME TAKE HER ADDRESS SO WE COULD SEND MISSIONARIES TO HER. She is amazing. 

Then we got of the plane and all these departing missionaries were there to congratulate us. Then we met President and Sister Clark and they are wonderful. They also know how to pronounce Hooper, and you can never be too far away from Hooper if someone near you knows how to pronounce it.

So Sister Murray is my trainer she is from Kansas City, Missouri and amazing. We were DOUBLED INTO OUR AREA. Which means that we are both new to the area. The missionaries who were serving there are the assistants to the president. and we have to wards to work with. So this all a little intimidating but I am up for the task and Sister Murray is my trainer and incredible and I'm fresh from the MTC and fired up and above all we have the Lord on our side...so all is well. 

SOOOO because we are both new to the area we moved into an apartment that Elders just moved out of and they didn't leave us ANY toilet paper. So kind of them. 

Anyway, I made a joke out of this and told a ward member and all of a sudden I have an entire months worth of toilet paper and also food. I am telling you this to make the point of how incredible the members here are. I have never met people this amazing and it inspires me to work hard because they deserve to have amazing missionaries working in their area. I LOVE THEM. 

There is this one family called the Clevelands and I am lowkey trying to get an invitation to their family reunion in 18 months. The Grandma is incredible and has raised two sons that grew up to be mission presidents and her grandson is my Ward Mission Leader (the toilet paper supplier) and he and his wife are incredible with two cute kids. I can't get over this family. 

I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH. 

So here it is brothers and sisters. 

Do you want to know why you are on Earth? 

To...Repent. 

Which sounds a little intimidating, but another word for repent is change. 

You are here to progress. You are here to change. You are here to prepare to meet God. You are here to become like God. 

And that's going to take some repentance. 

Also. REVELATION IS REAL. 

I KNOW THAT I AM SUPPOSED TO BE IN THE SHEPHERD AND DRY CREEK WARDS. I know that someone needed Sister missionaries in this area, specifically Sister Rendon and Sister Murray and I WILL find them. And I am so grateful for President Clark's ability to receive revelation. 

I LOVE IT HERE. 

Also sorry this e-mail is such a mess. I had so much to say and I just kind of ended up this way. 

I didn't say nearly as much as I've wanted, but you've probably already read way more than you wanted...but all that is really important is that Jesus Christ atoned for your sins and because of that you can return to your Father in Heaven. That's all you ever really need to know. 

Thanks for all of your love and support.

Hey folks it's Sister Rendon....

Hey folks it's Sister Rendon....

First of all THANK YOU for all the love and the letters and the prayers and reading my e-mails;)

Also on that note I kind of put anyone who ever said anything about wanting to be on my group emails here, so if you want to take your name off the subscription list I won't be offended...;) Also I can add folks too if they desire:)

So as of the last week

-I studied a lot. broken up by a few trips to the lunch room. 

UPDATE ON THE ORANGE JUICE: It's not fine. 

-Also I have made a game out of matching people's outfits...sometimes it's planned...sometimes it's not. 

Attached to this email you'll see a 'who wore it best' MTC version. No worries, I already know the clear answer is Sister Linford. 

-My district has become family at this point. All except for the fact that shaking hands is the only sign of affection we give. They are great and bring me lots of laughs and spiritual insights. This week especially they have been the Lord's number 1 tool for answering all my prayers. I'm already heartbroken that I have to leave them!

-I got to host new missionaries yesterday. It was incredible...it's hard to believe it was only two weeks ago that I was being dropped off. I can already tell that this is the best thing I ever could have done. 

MORE GREAT NEWS. 

-Elder Neil L. Anderson came to the MTC on Tuesday and man oh man his message was so true. The punch line of his talk was 'Missionary work is not complex, but it is not easy.' How true is that. I know exactly what I need to do to be a successful missionary but developing the faith and strength to do it is the difficult part. I am trying though...my favorite scripture I've found during this MTC stay is Mosiah 2:21...'I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another- I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants.' 

That is so true...there will never be a day that I can repay my Heavenly Father..or a day that I can pay my debts to the Lord...but if that's true I don't want to spend an ounce of my time serving with less than my whole soul. So ONWARD EVER ONWARD AS WE GLORY IN OUR KING. 

Another focus of this last week was Joseph Smith. Holy cow that man didn't only give his life in the end, but every second of it before. He's an inspiration, and a latter-day prophet. To study his life is an amazing thing and it truly has helped me realize the immeasurable value of the Gospel. 

The MTC is fabulous...and I only have a week left..so I'm going to buckle down, study hard, and get ready for Fresno California. My sweet mission president sent me an email this week...and I'm not exactly sure when I'll chat with you guys again it could be next Monday...!

I love you all. 

P.S.-To my family at the fair...they are doing construction here at the MTC and sometimes it smells like sawdust...and I think of you and smile:) GOOD LUCK THIS WEEK. 

A little note from Sister Padilla: 

Sister Rendon is the most amazing companion I love her personality and how she likes to talk and introduce herself to everyone, because I am always worried to approach people, but she cares about everyone, and I just love and appreciate her so much, and her ability to play sports. Just lifts my spirits everytime I see her,

^^^^^^^^^^^

She's making fun of my volleyball playing abilities here. 

HEY, HEY, HEY.

HEY, HEY, HEY. 

Sister Rendon coming at ya live. 

It's only been eight days and I'm already a seasoned MTC professional. (By this I mean I can get to the cafeteria and back without getting lost;) )

*I lowkey feel like I should start this email with a prayer, because that's how you start everything at the MTC.*

So we were watching this 'how not to be stressed' video and this Elder said...

"The first few days at the MTC are like trying to drink out of a fire hydrant. You get some water, buy you mostly hurt your face."

SO TRUE. 

If you guys want to know how mentally exhausted we were just know that this is a true story. 

So like Day three we get done with exercise time and everyone is heading back to the classroom. AFTER the opening hymn our teacher turns to an Elder and asks...'What's in your hair?'

He was so tired that he had literally stopped combing his hair halfway through and forgotten the comb in the middle of his head. NONE OF US EVEN NOTICED. Funniest moment of my life. 

Also true story about me. Like five days into this thing I see a companionship of Elders walking towards us and in my head I was like. HEY, IT'S THE MISSIONARIES. Wow. Hey meeting the Lord's servants does not get boring. 

HERE ARE THE ANSWERS TO SOME OF YOUR QUESTIONS. 

-So I'm not learning a language here at the MTC, but I did have to learn my companions name. DENOUEMENT ECCO FELICITY PADILLA. You don't even have to say that five times fast for me to be impressed, one time slow is sufficient. I just call her Sister Padilla though;) She is so cute to me. One of the first things she told me was...hey you might have to explain jokes to me because I don't understand them. So I explain to her jokes and she teaches me about how skunk traps have to be short so they can't lift up their tail and spray you. I REALLY DO LOVE HER. SHE IS WONDERFUL AND KIND AND TAKING GREAT CARE OF ME. 

-You guys thought that I would have a hard time waking up at 6:30..but I'm actually an avid participant in the optional 6 A.M. aerobics class for sisters. This is my favorite because I got to do yoga to celtic music, which I love. We also did kickboxing the other day which was awesome. I mean it was kind of like dancing except a lot less pleasing to the eye. I was actually literally laughing at myself the whole time. 

-The man who invented cafeteria food would be proud to see what his creation is today at the MTC. The orange juice is fine. I think. lol. 

There is literally so much to say...but let's get to the IMPORTANT STUFF. 

You guys this place is cooler than Hogwarts...I'm being serious. 

We were told that when Elder Holland dedicated the MTC he commanded that there be an angel at every window, every door, and beside every missionary. I am safe here and I am helping you guys so much more by being here than I ever could by being at home. 

The most powerful thing I've ever heard was a talk all you MTC veterans should know. The Character of Christ. (If you want to hear this talk.....go on a mission. You can only listen to it at the MTC) It truly is amazing and guess what IT GAVE THE KEY TO HAPPINESS. 

I am not kidding you guys..if you want to live a happy life pay very close attention to the next part. 

THE KEY TO BEING HAPPY IS TO....

 -forget about yourself. 

The one thing that Jesus Christ ALWAYS did was to turn outward. He was never worried about himself, always worried about others, and the most perfect man that ever lived. 

This principle is tried, tested, and true. I've experienced it for myself. 

If your feeling down stop thinking about yourself and go do something for anyone else. 

The Lord will bless you beyond measure for your service. 

Except there is a catch. 

If the only intention that you have for doing something kind for someone else to help yourself...it won't work. 

You can not trick God. Turn outward, help other people, FORGET ABOUT YOURSELF, and you will be blessed and happier than you ever could be otherwise. IT'S TRUE. 

Another wayyyyyyy important thing that I learned because of the talk is...

*******The Church is true because the Savior is true. ****************

I did not sign up to teach people about a church for the next 18 months. I signed up to teach people about Jesus Christ, who happened to set up a church as a way for us to have access to the blessings he could provide. 

EVERYTHING YOU HAVE AND EVERYTHING YOU ARE IS BECAUSE OF JESUS CHRIST. I hope that I can spend the next 18 months teaching people that and hoping that they come unto him as a result of that knowledge. 

I love you. I love Jesus. I love being a missionary. And Heavenly Father loves you too. 

-SISTER RENDON