Well It looks like I did what is called a "1 and done" here in Huntington Beach. Meaning I am getting transferred after only 6 weeks in Harper Park and as Elder Miller's Companion! MY next area will be in the Lakewood YSA (Young Single Adult) Ward With ELDER POLLARD AND ELDER HEYWOOD (BOTH ZONE LEADERS). This means 2 things: 1) I am in a trio with a car and 2) Elder Pollard has now been my District Leader for my entire mission till now (7 months: 6 months in Los Alamitos and 1 month in Harper Park (here) .) And now my Zone Leader and companion!! I have been around the same person for 7 months and now even more! OH and this place is in Long Beach; pretty much covering parts of Compton all the way down to the ocean! and being a YSA Ward, I teach people 18-31 :) yay!
This week I have seen AMAZING things as the Lord is preparing this area for the next transfer (6 weeks). This week's success came greatly to the unity that Elder Miller and I developed this week. When you have unity, oneness, or a common goal Heavenly Father is able to be with you and those you are working with. Also, this shows that the Lord can trust us with his children teaching each of them the restored gospel and to teach the restored gospel you must have the spirit, thus the need for unity.
OTHER EXPERIENCES
1) Twice while at the homes of members in the ward for dinner I had the opportunity to play the violin! One of these times I had the opportunity to play a duet with Elder Stone on the piano. The song was "Love is Spoken here".
2) Now the reason I had the opportunity to play the violin at 2 member's homes was that I was trying out for the Departure Fireside. The Departure Fireside is about an hour long activity/ fireside every 6 weeks for the missionaries that are going home. Oh and I made it into it! I played yesterday with Sister Greathouse, on the piano, and Sister Dunstan, singing, and me on violin. We played 'I Feel My Saviors Love" !!!! YAY MISSION!
TEACHING EXPERIENCES
1) THIS week we followed up with CATHY. She is the lady in her 50's whom we knocked at her house a week after her father died. Yesterday was the last time I will see her and probably Elder Miller since she lives in Redlands California. Overall from this experience she said that she is a very shy and shelter type of person who really does not answer the door. We found out yesterday that there was a different feeling of peace and she did not feel intimidated as we talked with her. I had not truly recognized the reality of the calling until she said this. We really are representatives of Jesus Christ! She says that she has truly enjoyed this time with us and said that we helped her refocus her life when she needed it even around the chaos of her dad passing.
CRAZY EXPERIENCE!
On Friday we had an experience that could never have happened in my mind how we were at the right place at the right time!
We had just finished going by to see if a member was home and she was not so we headed out of the neighborhood. Most of our plans either were done or were people we could not visit at 8 or 8:30. I forget exactly what time it was. Around this time though. We just stopped our bikes on the corner outside at the entrance of the neighborhood to the main road. When out of no where a car is about to go by, sees us, then honks and turns quickly. In the end she, Mary, a member helping out a non-member friend with her husband passing away suddenly and then recently having broken her leg, asked if we could bike to this non members house and give her a blessing! We shared a short message and got her contact info. She and Mary said that they would come to church sometime soon !
Over all, this week's message is that when we are completely open with those we work with and share with them everything and talk about those things that bother you about each other, the Lord will give you the gift of love, unity and the spirit!.
LOVE Elder Van Kammen
This week I have seen AMAZING things as the Lord is preparing this area for the next transfer (6 weeks). This week's success came greatly to the unity that Elder Miller and I developed this week. When you have unity, oneness, or a common goal Heavenly Father is able to be with you and those you are working with. Also, this shows that the Lord can trust us with his children teaching each of them the restored gospel and to teach the restored gospel you must have the spirit, thus the need for unity.
OTHER EXPERIENCES
1) Twice while at the homes of members in the ward for dinner I had the opportunity to play the violin! One of these times I had the opportunity to play a duet with Elder Stone on the piano. The song was "Love is Spoken here".
2) Now the reason I had the opportunity to play the violin at 2 member's homes was that I was trying out for the Departure Fireside. The Departure Fireside is about an hour long activity/ fireside every 6 weeks for the missionaries that are going home. Oh and I made it into it! I played yesterday with Sister Greathouse, on the piano, and Sister Dunstan, singing, and me on violin. We played 'I Feel My Saviors Love" !!!! YAY MISSION!
TEACHING EXPERIENCES
1) THIS week we followed up with CATHY. She is the lady in her 50's whom we knocked at her house a week after her father died. Yesterday was the last time I will see her and probably Elder Miller since she lives in Redlands California. Overall from this experience she said that she is a very shy and shelter type of person who really does not answer the door. We found out yesterday that there was a different feeling of peace and she did not feel intimidated as we talked with her. I had not truly recognized the reality of the calling until she said this. We really are representatives of Jesus Christ! She says that she has truly enjoyed this time with us and said that we helped her refocus her life when she needed it even around the chaos of her dad passing.
CRAZY EXPERIENCE!
On Friday we had an experience that could never have happened in my mind how we were at the right place at the right time!
We had just finished going by to see if a member was home and she was not so we headed out of the neighborhood. Most of our plans either were done or were people we could not visit at 8 or 8:30. I forget exactly what time it was. Around this time though. We just stopped our bikes on the corner outside at the entrance of the neighborhood to the main road. When out of no where a car is about to go by, sees us, then honks and turns quickly. In the end she, Mary, a member helping out a non-member friend with her husband passing away suddenly and then recently having broken her leg, asked if we could bike to this non members house and give her a blessing! We shared a short message and got her contact info. She and Mary said that they would come to church sometime soon !
Over all, this week's message is that when we are completely open with those we work with and share with them everything and talk about those things that bother you about each other, the Lord will give you the gift of love, unity and the spirit!.
LOVE Elder Van Kammen