Happy Tuesday!

Hi wonderful, talented, favoritest family of mine! Happy Tuesday!

Yep, you guessed right. Due to MLK day we are having P-day on Tuesday this week. Sorry I didn't mention that last week, I guess I forgot. Larry Mazur is Brother Mazur; we live with the Mazurs. So that "nice house" is where I live. We are definitely spoiled, but that will only last another week.

At (the Mazur) home with Hermana Painter

Their son is coming home in February so we are for sure moving out this week at transfers, whether we get transferred or not. We will be switching with the English Elders, which will actually put us in a more convenient location and we will be living in the same complex as our WML (Ward Mission Leader), so that's fun. Sister Painter thinks she's staying, I think she's going, but we'll see. Either way is very likely, I'd say it's 50/50. I will most likely stay here though, until I die. I was actually really hoping I would be training my last two transfers, but rumor has it that no Spanish Sisters are coming out this transfer, so that's a bummer. I had a dream last week that I would be getting a visa-waiter part way through the transfer to train, so let's hope that it's prophetic.

So, I was incorrect (wasn't the first time, won't be the last). We had two trainers from SLC come for the MLC (Mission Leadership Council) meeting, not any general authorities. And for our Stake Conference, it was a regional, combined video broadcast from SLC, which was broadcast to all of Southern California. We had our individual Saturday evening Adult/Youth sessions, and that is where Sister Painter and I spoke. Yes, we spoke together, just like missionaries do everything together. Pres. Whittier (Stake Pres.) originally asked just me to speak, but then changed his mind and asked if we could speak together. It was really great actually. I wrote out the meat of the talk (all the doctrine and stuff) and Sister Painter wrote out the intro and shared her experience of her conversion, which was very touching. It worked out well. We spoke about every other paragraph and our members really liked it. Stake Pres. said that we "exceeded his expectations" and we received many compliments after the meeting.

 I actually loved stake conference! All the talks were so great and focused on either missionary work or family history/temple work, as the theme was hastening the work of salvation. They started out with a simple video from LDS.org - I had seen the video before and to be honest, I thought it a little bit cheesy when I first watched it, but for some reason, on Saturday, it touched. I was a little embarrassed to be up on the stand and to find myself the only one crying in the whole congregation it seemed. The Spirit was very strong the whole meeting though. Sunday broadcast was also great. We had one of the Seventy, Sister Burton, Elder Andersen, and Pres. Eyring all speak to us. We watched in the Spanish room, so I understood almost everything, but missed a little bit here and there. The topic was actually completely different. The main focus was going after lost sheep, to keep trying to share the gospel, and not give up on family and friends who perhaps we have invited before. They discussed having "compassion for the sinner", and like Christ, loving everyone and not judging. To sum up the main message of the whole broadcast I would say: RESCUE. That word was used a lot, and seemed to be the focus behind every talk, along with lots of other beautiful doctrine.

As for the MLC, it was great! Brother Littlefield and President Strong (?) ...I think? Sorry, I can't think right now, nor do I have my notes on me. Anyway, they are both former mission presidents and gave us individual trainings, and we also received a training from Pres. Kendrick. They focused on a lot on the basics, like helping our investigators to read, pray, and come to church. Basic things we know, but help significantly in the work when reinforced and reemphasized.

Consecration was also discussed and helping (vs. hoping) the work to progress. It was a great meeting and we will be passing the training on to the rest of our missionaries in all the district meetings this week. Luckily, I don't have to do any of the training though, that all goes to Elder Olvera, our district leader J

Things are going all right. We keep busy and there are always things to do, but we struggle to help our investigators really progress. Luis will be baptized in two weeks, but I wish we could help him gain a deeper testimony. He knows it's true and wants to be baptized, but hopefully with time, he will become truly converted. We are wanting so badly to put into practice everything that we learned from the SLC trainers!...but our investigators keep cancelling. Keep the Lopez family in your prayers, and Luis, of course.

Oh yeah, I was sick with...the cold? Not sure. We have mission nurses and doctors, but the Mazur's (whom we live with) are a nurse and an ER doctor, so we don't really call them that much. I just had some sinus issues and headaches and lost my voice and had a pretty bad cough, but I'm fine now. It never kept me down, so it really wasn't that bad. Hma Painter is still having issues with her esophagus, but we still haven't pin-pointed the problem. She has been talking with the Mazur's and the mission nurse though, so hopefully we figure it out soon. She's a trooper though.

I don't know if I could get it (a box) to a member's home in Escondido...maybe. But it would be a little tricky. I could definitely leave it at a member's home here in Murrieta near the freeway, and MAYBE at a member's home in Temecula, but it would also be tricky. I can't just drive over or call anyone outside of my area, so it wouldn't be ideal. If they can't pick it up, it's not the end of the world, but if they're willing to stop by Murrieta, that'd be great. If not, tell them thank you so much, but not to worry about it. Ariana can take it in April, or I can even just ship it home if I have to.

Sorry to hear about the plumbing issue. So what is it that was actually leaking. And you have to buy new a washer and dryer? Aren't ours pretty new? Well, I'm probably out of time. Tell Ariana and Christopher to write me. Tell Grandma and Grandpa I love them. I love you all tons and tons!  I accidentally spent 45 min. of my personal study this morning getting sucked into Jesus the Christ, and then spent half of companionship study sharing with Hermana Painter everything I learned. I love it because as great as the scriptures are, when I study them with Jesus The Christ, I feel so much more understanding and connection with my Savior Jesus Christ and with the details of what actually happened. I know He is the Christ and He does love us and that peace comes from following His example and living His teachings.

I love you and hope you have a great week!

Hermana Alyssa Nicole Escalante