First Week in Chino Hills!

Hello everyone! 

I made it to beautiful southern California! We left the MTC on Tuesday morning around 4am, took the train to Salt Lake, got to the airport around 6:30 and our flight left around 9am. We flew into Ontario, CA and from the airport went straight to the mission office/church building. There, we were able to chillax in the chapel (they even let us take naps on the pews!!!) and we got interviewed by President and Sister Hobbs. That afternoon, we actually went on splits with missionaries in the area and went tracting! It was pretty fun. They fed us some good food and that night, we all ate at President's home (the mission home). The sisters stayed at their home for the night and the elders stayed with the APs in their apartment. 

 

Wednesday morning we all met at the church building/mission office in Rancho Cucamonga. There we did a little training and met our trainers! My companion is Sister Cromwell. She's super cool and a great missionary. She sure knows what she's doing. Everyone tells me that I got a great trainer! although, Sis Cromwell's last companion cried when she found out they were gonna be companions because Sister Cromwell is known around the mission for bad things happening. I guess she prays for growth, so Heavenly Father has given her many trials. She most recently hit her head and got a concussion. So what I'm saying is, pray for me... ;)

My first few days in the mission were great. Surprisingly I never felt too overwhelmed or inadequate. Sister Cromwell tells me that she got a pre-trained missionary, so that's cool. :) Oh, I failed to mention that my first area is Chino Hills, California. It is almost the most southern part of the mission. So there's like two parts to this particular mission: the valley and the desert. I'm in the valley. Chino Hills is one of the most wealthy areas in the mission, so all the houses & landscapes are gorgeous. But unfortunately, because the area is so wealthy, the people here are pretty prideful so we're not teaching much. Luckily the ward I'm in, Carbon Canyon, is SUPER awesome with fantastic members! Also, really good cooks :) So here my comp and I live with a member. Her name is Sister B, or momma B. She has a 13 year old daughter, Emma. They're THE BEST. 

The weather here has been crazy beautiful! Much better than Michigan from what I hear :) whenever people hear I'm from Michigan they say "I bet you're loving the weather here then" yes. yes I am.

Sorry this email is all over the place, I feel like I have so much to do with so little time. I promise I'll get better at this. I hope everyone has a great week & remember: Heavenly Father knows you & loves you so much. Pray to Him for anything! He wants to help you, you just need to ask.

I'm loving being a missionary. 

love you all!

Real quick note!

"Make it to Sunday & you'll be good".  I can't tell you how many times someone told me that & that is exactly what I've been telling the missionaries that came into the MTC this week. This week FLEW BY. I've learned so much in the short 11 days that I've been here; I can't put it into words. Hopefully in my letters to come I can do a better job at that, but sadly I don't have time today.

I'm super sad to be leaving the MTC tomorrow. I've met some really amazing people here that I know I'll be friends with forever. I am, however, excited to get to California, meet my mission President & wife, meet my trainer, and get to work! I've never prayed so hard & so often in my life. I've never felt the presence of the Lord so strong. I've never loved someone I barely know so easily.

 

Sorry for such a short letter! but I'm doing well, the Lord is on my side. I'm about to be a real live missionary now. but first let me finish my laundry and pack!

First week, first email!

Jessica's mom here. We were so excited to receive our first email of Jessica's mission today, so I'm posting it here. I'm sure you'll be able to feel the Spirit as well as feel of HER spirit as you read her words. Nothing terribly personal in today's email, so I'm publishing it in its entirety.  I've shortened the names she mentions for privacy reasons.   Hello everyone!! Sister Viraldo here, reporting live from the MTC in Provo, Utah.    This first week has been the longest week of my life. I'm being 100% serious when I say that time in the MTC is exponentially different than time outside. We're truly on the Lord's timing. I've been here, what, almost 6 days?? It literally feels like it's been a month. I've learned SO much and grown a lot. I've learned to rely on the spirit; to trust in the Lord in all things. I've learned that I am not the teacher. The holy ghost is the one who truly touches people's hearts and makes their testimony grow. I am simply an instrument in the Lord's hands. I have been humbled. This work is not about me. It's not about what I will do, where I will go, what I will wear, or what I will say. If I am in tune with the Spirit then I will know what to say and when to say it. It's hard. I've heard people say that missionary work is the hardest thing you'll ever do, and they couldn't have been more right. It's also so worth it. The schedule is crazy long every single day. I'm not used to 16 hour days FULL of learning. Every hour of every day is planned out. I've never been more exhausted in my life; not physically exhausted, but spiritually and mentally, and even sometimes emotionally. I've heard different things about the MTC from everyone. Some love it, some hate it. For me, I love seeing all the missionaries here. Seeing so many young men & women who came to serve the Lord for 18-24 months is amazing to me. I love the MTC because of the love that everyone has & the light of Christ they have with them. The spirit felt here is so real. I cannot deny that this church is Christ's church. He knows us & loves us. Christ is the perfect example of selflessness. When the natural man's tendency is to turn inward and think "me, me, me" Christ is always found turning outward; helping, teaching, serving, and loving.  The first 3 or so days here were awesome, I was feeling SO good. Then Saturday rolled around and everyone's patience was being tested, tensions were rising, and heads were butting. We learned to be honest with our feelings because that is the only way to resolve conflicts. Then it was Sunday. Sunday is the best day (close call to p-day). Sunday was so crucial to rejuvenating our minds. We still had our schedule, but it was different. Less class time, more devotional type things. My ward consists of my district & another district. together that is our zone. I sang in Sacrament meeting "I know that my redeemer lives" just from the hymn book. I wanted to do the efy arrangement I did for my farewell, but the sister who was playing the piano didn't have enough time to learn it. I joined the choir!!!! I was really on the edge of joining because it cut into dinner time & I love meal times. but that decision was the best I've made thus far. We're singing "Praise to the Man". After that we had a devotional from Elder & Sister Condie. They are so awesome. I didn't have a notebook to take notes so unfortunately I can't quite remember what they spoke about, but it's not what they say that will be remembered, it's what you feel. After that each district got to pick what film they wanted to go see a couple options were a talk by Elder Holland, Legacy, and one that our Branch Pres told us is "lifechanging". It was a talk by Elder Bednar given at the MTC many years ago on Characteristics of Christ. It truly was life changing. Again, I didn't have a notebook.... but Christ never turns inward, always outward; loving & serving. Elder Bednar said that many of the missionaries in 5/6 years will be less active. The reason for that is because they simply have a testimony. We need to have more than a testimony. We need to be truly converted to the Lord.  My companion is Sister D. She has a really sweet spirit & is super happy pretty much all the time. I'm trying my very best to truly love her as Christ does. Our personalities are so different, though. The other sisters in my district(also going to Rancho) are Sister M & Sister S (who is from Jake & Marie's ward in Lafayette!! We both remembered each other from when I'd go to YW and sunday school! super weird huh?) I love them both!! The elders in my district are pretty cool. A couple need to grow up & mature, but we're discussing issues and they're trying to be better. I met all the elders going to Rancho and they're pretty awesome! I've met some really awesome people and made really good friends. It'll be hard to leave for that reason. The food isn't bad. Not everything is good, but it's not bad. The first few days I didn't eat much, but I don't know if it was because I was nervous. I don't think it was. Maybe a little stressed, but not nervous. Also, I'm really into socializing at meal times because it's one of the few times a day we're real people. I've been eating better lately, but don't ask my sisters (comp & roommates), they'll say all I eat is fruit. They're taking care of me :) My teachers here at the MTC are Sister F & Brother F. They're really cool. So this week my comp & I met an investigator named Andres (bro f is acting as Andres, all situations are real though). Even though it's a role play, the spirit that can be felt in those lessons is real. It's been hard figuring out what we need to teach Andres, what he needs in his life, but we're trying to learn to rely on the spirit, because He is the real teacher, not us. We are simply instruments in the Lord's hands.  Today's p-day!! I'm sooo happy. This day is much needed. We get to do laundry, go to the temple, and hopefully take a nap!!! I'm so excited for choir practice tonight. Tonight's the devotional that we sing at. Not sure which general authority will be here, but I guess I'll let you know next week! Well, I don't have much time left. I'll try to figure out how to send pictures.... I'm doing good. Don't worry about me.  LOVE YOU ALL!!!