April 30, 2013!!

Hi People whom I love!

Wow, my beloved cousins! What am I to do with them? I'm glad to hear that Emily is doing well. Please send her my love! I miss her mucho! And oh my goodness, I can't believe Kirsten! I am just so glad to hear that she was blessed and protected and nothing worse happened to her. I hope she recovers well and quickly and I'm glad to hear that she didn't have to stay in the hospital for long.

Thank you for the picture of my BEAUTIFUL niece (Vanessa)! Wow, she is just darling. I can't wait to see pictures of her baby brother. J As for Mother's day...I still haven't figured that out yet. Sorry. I'm kind of awful like that. It's the 12th, right? I'm thinking we'll go to the Morgan's after church, so we'll be calling around 4:30pm California time. I'll let you know next week for sure though.

Say "Hola" to the Newell’s for me! Oh! I miss those beautiful people! I am definitely going to go visit them in Mexico after my mission (if they're okay with that) - I want to go to Mexico so bad! Did I tell you I'm Mexican now? Just FYI. That's what I always tell people, and sometimes they even believe me, thinking I'm from one of the white colonies down there. It's pretty funny. (I love Mexicans and Mexican food so much).

Hi Brudder! It was fun to get your personalized message! Thanks again for the CDs - they're awesome. When are you expecting to go to Cali? Please tell Kimi I really do love her even though I'm a terrible friend and never write her, though I'll try to email her today. Tell Kemma and friends that I love and miss them too! J

Wow mama, it sounds like your life is as busy as a missionary! ;) I don't know how you do it all. I hope all goes well with grading and the new baby and flying out to New Haven (what day is Michael graduating?) and exercising and every else that you do! You are one busy woman.

This week has been packed though. Lots going on. We have something called "Sister Trainer Leaders" now...or something like that. And guess who mine is? Hermana Schwegler! YES! I am so blessed. I love that girl and am so stoked to be able to train with her more. So the new STLs will be going to all the leadership meetings, receiving and helping us to implement trainings, going on exchanges with us regularly, and helping us with goals/whatever we struggle with. It's so awesome. All the attention that the Elders get from the DLs and ZLs, we'll now be getting too! (Instead of just being left on our own in the dark). It's going to be awesome.

We also went on Intercambios this week with the Hermana's from Vista and it was great. Hermana Eskeets is awesome. Not only did we work well together, we just get along really well, which was really nice, as I haven't really clicked with any of the sister missionaries I've worked with - personality wise. Even Hermana Schwegler, whom I adore and respect greatly, it's not the same as just really getting along well with them, you know? Anyway, Hermana Eskeets is a great missionary and super cool. I am REALLY hoping I get transferred to Vista in 3 weeks to serve with her. That would be awesome. We would "tear it up"!

Intercambios

Tearing it Up!?

We also had Zone Training yesterday, which was really great. We learned a lot about working with our Member Leaders, as well as planning and goal setting (really learning to use our time wisely).  It was very helpful, and Hermana Jones and I now have a lot of goals we are working on to improve planning, goal setting, and working with the leadership in our area. We definitely need to communicate better with our Branch Mission Leader and coordinate better with the Branch Counsel. We realize we don't know everything and we have to start small, but we are making the baby steps so that we can better the work every day. It was very beneficial and awesome. Our Zone Leaders might be the very best!

So, we had a goal as a mission to reach 300 baptisms before the end of June, but the Leadership Council rethought the goal, prayed about it, and came up with the new goal of 235 baptisms before the end of June. Our mission has never had that many before June (ever, in the history of this mission) so it is still a great goal, but also one that we will be able to achieve. J To present the new goal, the Zone Leaders (Elder Roundy and Elder Holmes) came up with a great idea. As they were talking about the meeting they had, suddenly they started pulling off their jackets, whipping off their ties, they jumped on their chairs, and (literally) ripped open their shirts, to reveal the numbers 235! Ha-ha, it was so hilarious and epic. They are the best. 

Cleaning checks are on Thursday so any spare minute I have been cleaning (and trying to convince Hermana Jones to do the same) and it has been even busier than usual. I have had absolutely no time to write letters, so I'm sorry to those of you who are waiting. I love you anyway, but it might take me a little while longer. Sorry! 

Our investigators are doing well and we are mostly focusing on Patricia as she has a baptismal date for the 18th. The only trick is working with her husband as he wants nothing to do with religion, but he has been supportive for the most part. We have been picking up several new investigators, so we'll see how things go with them this week. ;)  Rene is still being stubborn and Priscilla has been having more health problems so they haven't been to church and it's hard to get a lesson in with them. They are doing well for the most part though and we love them very much.

Hermana Jones is doing well and I think she learned a lot from Intercambios, though we are both learning patience from each other every day as we try to work together in unity, though sometimes it's hard. I am learning a lot from her though, and just from training in general. The work is great. I really do love it, even when it's hard. I know this is the Gospel of Christ that we preach, and it is the truth. Our Savior lives - nuestro Señor vive!

Con amor,
Hermana Alyssa Nicole Escalante    

P.S. I'm out of time and don't have time to write about the Vielma's, but just know that I love Hermana Vielma very much. She is the best!...probably because she is Mexican. ;) Jaja