FRESNO BEAST ZONE GOES TO THE ZOO.

I've wanted my whole mission to feed the giraffes at the Fresno zoo. Dreams do come true. 

...anyway despite the fact that I've been waiting so long to feed the giraffe's and it actually was super cool here are some things this week that were even better than giraffe feeding. 

-I went on exchanges with Sister Jordan to the good old Kings Canyon Ward. Wow...that ward is something else. It was good to be there again.

-I was just casually greeting people at stake conference and then a member from Mountain View ward walked in. She was baptized when I served there a year ago. It was so fun to see her and then even better we were able to go on team-ups and she worked this area with Sister Sheffield and I for a couple of hours. It was so cool...sharing testimony is a powerful thing. 

-Sister Sheffield and I gave a training at zone conference....and let me tell you at 10:20 on Tuesday night things were not looking so good for us....but it actually turned out SUPER WELL on Wednesday. Our training was on helping members be member missionaries we came up with this catch phrase called 'share your fruit' anyway members benefit from the fruits of our missionary work, we benefit from the fruits of their missionary work. Anyway this whole mission is just going to have dreams of me yelling about sharing fruit and making fruit salad with members. It was so fun though! 

- It's 8:50 on Sunday night and we have found absolutely no investigators this week, and reporting a 0 for the week sounded horrible. So instead of dropping off a thank you note we end up knocking on the door of a part member family we barely know at 8:52. The husband was SO prepared. We taught him a principle he literally asked us for a commitment and we set a return appointment. Heavenly Father was so good to us. 

-We had this regional conference thing...I'm not sure if Utah was a part of it or not. Anyway I guess it turns out that Elder Christopherson of the quorum of the 12 has the gift of discernment from even states away and even when he is talking to literally states full of people. He shared this scripture I super needed to here.

 17 Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed.

The work here is going so well. This area is on FIRE! 

I LOVE YOU ALL, THANKS FOR ALL YOUR PRAYERS AND REMEMBER I AM PRAYING FOR YOU ALWAYS! 

LOVE, 

SISTER RENDON

The cost of a complete mission.

                                                                     

                                     

Well folks.

I had a lot of opportunity to reflect this week.

That legendary Sister Kelly that you heard four months of hearing about returned with honor to her family this week.

She is incredible and has suffered a lot of physical pain for a lot of months on her mission, she prayed months ago that she would be well enough that she could reach her year mark on her mission.

She did hit her year mark last week, the next day she got a call that made it evident that it would be best for her to return home, that same day we had exchanges planned.

As we talked a significant portion of our conversation was the cost of a complete mission.

I've felt so impressed that the cost of a complete mission is NOT 18 months, not even 18 months plus an extension, not 24 months or in reality any amount of time.

However, the cost of a complete mission is ONE whole heart and it is paid to the Lord.

Sister Kelly is an incredible example of serving with all of her heart, might, mind, and strength and I look forward to moving forward as I follow her example of GIVING ALL.

We served in the Orchard as a zone this week and we served in the vineyard. Which means I should probably take this opportunity to share a scripture from Jacob 5 where it talks about trees and a vineyard...but there isn't time for that.

The members here are taking us in so well.

Here are some of the true acts of love they've shown us this week.

-gave us shout outs in all the sacrament meeting prayers.

-gently slapping our shoulders in the 'what a pal' type way

-told us 'too much information' stories...but I guess that means we have their trust.

So many other things too.

We had exchanges.

I continue to be blessed by my revelation from earlier this month, when I was focused on my missionary purpose my Heavenly Father reminded me to remember my missionary motive which is LOVE for Jesus Christ.

He truly is at the center of it all.

I love you all so much.

I know that Jesus Christ and a whole heart given to him is a saving combination.

LOVE YOU.  

Celebrating New Year's day Hmong 2018

Photo's credit- Shannon Moua

A BIG WEEK

 
    This is Sister Rendon's dearest friend Ryanne Saunders Mom Leslie on the cover of the Ensign.

This week I've taken to use the word BIG to describe things that I am super pumped up about....and let me tell you there were sooo many big things this week. 

Hmong new years: So big that it is an actual televised event.....for hmong t.v. and it all happens right here in FRESNO, CA. 

Kenny at the temple: okay..this is an actual real big thing. It was so sweet. He told us that he had felt the small devil man we call Satan working on him for three whole days and when we went to the temple with him and he was at peace. He said it felt so different in there and he is going back with family names. 

Mission Leadership Council: We set big goals for the   year......which I love BAPTISM IS SO BIG IN MY HEART. 

Preparation day: so BIG that this email is going to end here. 

LOVE YOU. ​

HAPPY NEW YEAR.

WOW. 

2017 was the greatest thing. 

I can't even say how much was packed into those twelve months and I loved all of it. 

This week was pretty wild. 

On new years eve Sister Sheffield and I played dominoes with some members, drank some Martinelli's, and were kneeling at our beds in prayer at 10:30 ready to go to bed. 

However, the actual wild things were at church where I spoke in one ward, we did sharing time right after for jr. and sr. primary, taught a gospel principles class (sort of) and then shared a message during young womans. Sundays ARE fun days...but more importantly holy ones too. 

I genuinely hope that each of you take sometime to think about all the Christ-centered goodness in 2017 and set goals for even more of it in 2018. 

#setgoalsandmakeplans

LOVE YOU. 

I'll send pictures of me celebrating new years day hmong style next week.