-Once upon a time I had this huge desire to teach someone in a half-way house (you know half-way between prison and the outside world) before my mission.

Which technically I was able to do that in King's Canyon one time but it's harder than you think to teach someone in a half-way house when they change their phone number and the only option you have left is to try knocking on the steel door that makes sure everyone stays in after curfew. Anyway this week Sister T and I started teaching Shannon and Jesse who live in a sober-living house (a house for newly recovered alcoholics, and it's basically the same thing as a half way house....). They are so cool AND THEY KEEP THE COMMITMENTS WE LEAVE WITH THEM.  I am super happy about teaching them and it's more than likely going to lead to a bunch of other new investigators as well because we teach them in 'the lounge' which is were all the men in the sober-living house hang out. The lounge is a car-port turned into a man cave of sorts because no one there actually owns cars. We have taught them twice so far and it's such a fun experience because we sit and teach them and it's only Shannon and Jesse technically in the lesson but there is normally at least 4 other men sitting on the outskirts of the lounge who are totally listening in on the lesson and throw in their own questions and comments on occasion. 

-KENNY (an investigator I love teaching because he is so sincere) came to church for all three hours this week and texted us after and said he LOVED it and would be back next week. Which is no surprise actually because all of church I was just thinking about how perfect everything was for him....talks about baptism being a fruit of true faith, lessons about the benefits of prophets it was all so good. 

-At church Brother Domantay was ordained to the priesthood and Yang was confirmed and then we taught them the Plan of Salvation again after church and it was so good. I was able to use some great revelation I received from a personal study the other day and taught how for them at this point ENDURING TO THE END is the difference between tasting of the fruit and being filled with the fruit everlastingly in the celestial kingdom. 

..........REALLY WORTH READING.

My heart is so happy. 

I've really loved being a part of the Lord's work this week. (I always do.)

THIS WEEK: 

I've smiled a lot, 

I've loved a lot, 

and I've tried to serve my best. 

It has been so good. 

Here are some bullet points...in no particular order...(except probably they will end up in the order that makes the least amount of sense because that's how Sister Rendon's brain works)

-Based off of the amount of times I've lost my planner it's incredibly inspired they didn't send me to an iPad mission or anything of that sort. Also even if one day they force us to get electronic around here Fresno, California is still my favorite place to serve a mission. 

-I went on exchanges with Sister Kelly and it was so fun. haha. It felt just like old times.....me annoying her by attempting to self-crush my ice.....her stopping mid-word to notify me the millisecond the stoplight turned green. SHE IS SUCH A BLESSING TO ME....and such a hard worker. We taught some awesome lessons together. 

-We taught Dianne....(she's the one we took a selfie with). I love Dianne, she is sooo funny. We taught her about closing prayers and asked her to say one and it went like this....."Heavenly Father.....we finna depart from here. Now shoo angels go....." Then she started shooing us out of her house mid-prayer. 

-This bullet point features a little story....I learned a lot from it though. We went and visited an investigator who should have been at church on Sunday afternoon. She welcomed us in her home and as we sat down she told us how her morning had gone. She woke up feeling like she needed comfort...she'd had a long night. As she sat down she saw The Book of Mormon that we had left her, picked it up, realized she didn't have her reading glasses on, set the Book of Mormon down, then started drinking the Vodka that was right next to it. CHOICES ARE SO IMPORTANT. I'm absolutely positive that we've all had moments like this. In a place where we needed comfort.....seeing ultimately only two options for comfort. 1. The Lord's way. Honestly probably more inconvenient at first, but far more eternal and 2. The World's way. Initially the easier choice but one that wears of quickly and leaves you worse than you began. I promise that when you are looking for comfort....both choices will always be there, and they will always lead to something. I invite you all to be aware of where your choices are leading you....WITH AN ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE. This little story reminded me of talking to an investigator Cindy...in my last area. She had a history-it included drugs. She told us that she turned to them to numb her pain but when she met missionaries and started turning to the Lord and he took away her pain. The ATONEMENT OF JESUS CHRIST IS SO MUCH MORE THAN THE NUMBING EFFECT OF THE WORLD BUT IT IS THE HEALING EFFECT OF THE LORD. 

-WE HAD A BAPTISM. Wow it was so powerful. 

Background on the Domantay family: They are from the Philippines and had a very successful life there.  The parents were doctors and lawyers and Yang -the daughter said that in the Philippines she didn't really know what trials were. They moved to America so they could give Yang an even better life, and here they found trials. They didn't have a car and didn't have a house. Here the parents work as care takers and so they stayed at the homes of those they took care of- moving up to three times a week. In yang's testimony she shared her memories of walking four miles to get to the store with her mom and then four miles back carrying all of the groceries. Now that the family is settled all three of them live in one room and the parents continue to work as care-takers. Yang said that her trials taught her to be grateful.....that when she was walking miles with arms full of groceries...she was grateful she had legs to walk. When she and her parents stay in one room together she was grateful to have a roof over their head. She felt that even though these trials seemed to be dragging her back and it was in reality only to be able to launch her forward....like an arrow. Through it all they have relied on their faith in Christ. Their faith is so strong. Their family is preparing to go to the temple for baptisms for the dead next month, they've started with family history, and they just want to give back to the church by serving everyone. As we were sitting at the baptism and singing the closing song I could not help but wonder why the Lord was choosing to bless me this much. The truth is I have worked hard everyday of my mission, I've always tried to do my best, but despite that I HAVE NEVER FELT that I have worked hard enough to deserve to experience the fullness of joy that I have. I never could work that hard, but the Lord in his infinite mercy has magnified the work that I have done and blessed me in abundance. I love Him for that. 

to my very well loved ones. 

I wish, I wish, I wish, words could say what I feel about this work, but they don't. 

I wish I could say everything that I wanted to, but I can't. I wish you all could experience the joy that I feel, and the good news is you can. 

I need you all to know that 

-I am here for you
-Jesus Christ is there for you

psalms 56:9 When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know.; for God is for me

Fresno State, great, great, great.

                                           Sister Tatakamotonga & Sister Rendon

I would keep up with those local church billboards as subject lines........

but it seems as though my entire area is basically Fresno State University.....and student housing. 

More fun facts about my area....

-A member herself welcomed me into the area by saying....you'll find it's one of those newly weds and nearly dead wards you hear about. She definitely isn't wrong. 

-My companion is Sister Tatakamotonga....but if you run out of breath too quickly you can shorten it to Sister T. 

-We live in apartment complexes that have a great view of the fireworks post Fresno State win of their homecoming football game. (Fresno State is playing BYU this transfer....so that is going to be a grand old time...)

I HAVE NO TIME. SORRY. 

I HAD A GOOD WEEK. 

I LOVE THE SCRIPTURES. 

I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST

       "We're not baskin robbins, but we have good Sundays."

David Hernandez, Matt Demp, Manuel Pompa, Ruben Gonzales, Petra Hernandez, Sister Rendon, Sister Burnside

                           Elder Jones , Sister Burnside, Sister Rendon, and Elder Lilly's forehead.



Well, well, well. What a week. 

It ended with transfer calls. 

I'm leaving and I'm sad about it. 

but of course Ruben came along and made it better.

This is him after we broke the news that I was leaving right before sacrament meeting began......

Brother Hernandez: *shares 'the news'

Ruben: deuces *accompanied by a peace sign. 

Ruben 1/2 a second later: Just kidding we are going to miss you. 

Ruben a little bit later: Sister Rendon what town are you from again.....?

Sister Rendon: Hooper 

Ruben: That's a good name for a son. I could name my son that. (Also Sister Burnside is from highland and he thinks that is a really good name for a girl)

Ruben even more later: Sister Rendon I just wanted to call and say thank you and bear my testimony. 

He did both of those things and it was so incredible. Honestly watching Ruben's conversion has changed my life. If there were words to put it in, I would try but honestly there just isn't . Ruben is walking, breathing, talking, proof that miracles do exist, that the atonement of Christ is real, and that anything is possible with faith in the Lord. 

proof that fasting works: 

This Sunday I had already found out where I was being transferred and President Mackay had told me a little bit about the area. With that information and the extra boost of a new transfer I decided to fast for the focus on BAPTISM. We were in the church parking lot after church and President Cox came out. Tulare ward member. Also former mission president. Also former MTC president. also current member of the Fresno temple presidency. Because of his current calling he doesn't normally attend the tulare ward...which just adds more to this miracle. As I shook his hand I asked just one simple question.....which was..."What is the best advice you have for a missionary." Which led to basically zone conference in the church parking lot. My goodness he got excited about missionary work and wow you can tell he is incredible. When he arrived to Mexico as a mission president his mission was 17th lowest baptizing mission out of 21 missions in Mexico. When he left it was number 1. 

He said so many incredible things and gave us lots of great advice like. 

"When you kneel down to pray you say, 'Heavenly Father we are here to baptize.' "

"You write baptism on a paper and you put it above your bed. You put it in front of your study desk." 

"Sisters you commit to a baptismal date on the 2nd lesson. When I see your investigators I won't be afraid to ask them what their date is." 

honestly I could go on and on and on about the advice he gave us, because he went on and on and on while he was giving it to us. It was honestly so enjoyable though. I left the parking lot with a wildfire going on in my bones. It was incredible as he was talking to us he taught us about all phases of missionary work...finding, teaching, baptizing, retaining. 

IT WAS SUCH A BLESSING. 

leaving tulare is going to be hard. just like leaving any other area....but I'm excited to see what the future holds. plus I got a lot of invitations to find people on facebook so that was a blessing. 

I LOVE YOU ALL. 

thanks for everything. 

if you have any problems, read the Book of Mormon. 

I love you!!! 

"Hey fiendstien dogma lives loudly here."

In staying loyal to my subject lines plagiarized from the local church buildings here....the only way this one applies...is that Sister Burnside and I are both at a loss for what it means...and we talk about it sometimes. So if anyone has any insight...please share. 

HERE ARE SOME THINGS ABOUT THE WEEK. 

-We spent an awful lot of time in Visailia this week on account of our car being worked on. We did our weekly planning in Blaze pizza...which was actually wayyy more effective than I thought it could be. Here is a fun story featuring the busiest street in Visailia.....So we had dropped off our car at pep boys (for an oil change....and then a surprise set of new tires) and we were walking to blaze pizza for lunch. We started talking to a man at the crosswalk....having what I thought to be a genuinely pleasant conversation...when he looks at us and says 'I'm going to go now." and proceeds to jaywalk across literally the busiest street in Visailia because apparently that was more bearable than the thought of waiting at the cross walk with us. Sister Burnside and I were just in total shock about the whole thing....and then when he made it across safely we laughed a whole lot. Sometimes I wonder if I'm a persistent enough missionary.....now I know. haha  

-We asked Ruben if we could watch general conference with him on Saturday. He told us he had made some plans for all day on Saturday with an old friend. We were a little bit upset until the next day when the YSA sisters texted us and told us that Ruben was with all the young single adult's watching conference. Apparently the old friend was a member bishop sent to go meet Ruben and the plans were watching general conference. He used to hate the idea of YSA but now he is super excited about it. Sister Burnside and I a little bit feel like a mom sending a son off to college.....but good thing the church is true no matter what ward you visit it in. ALSO WE ARE TEACHING RUBEN'S PARENTS NOW. WE ARE SO EXCITED.  

SOME OF MY FAVORITE GENERAL CONFERENCE THINGS. 

These are things I had in my notebook...so I really can't be sure if they are direct quotes....or personal revelation....but take it for what you will. 

-It is not only the character of God that is revealed in the restored gospel, but also our divine potential. 

-The cost of getting better is giving your best. 

-Although not everything that happens to us is a choice- how we respond to it is. 

-TRUTH MANDATES OUR HIGHEST ALLEGIANCE. 

-the knowledge of the restoration is the most shareable blessing of the gospel 

-God's fingerprints are all over The Book of Mormon

-HARD IS GOOD 

-It is often through our extremities that we come to know God

-Love without service is like faith without works. It is there, and it is dead. 

-The most perfect Man experienced the most painful suffering 

-seeking Holiness in our day to day life, will bring a wholeness to our day to day life. 

WHAT I FELT TO BE THE THEME OF THE CONFERENCE. 

-Although it feels like we are millions of miles from the stature of the fulness of Christ- It is important to remember that the LOVE OF CHRIST stretches every inch of every one of those miles. 

(there was so so so so so so so so so so much more to be learned. do me a solid and go back and WATCH/READ THEM ALL AGAIN