CHINO WEEK 1 !!!

Well, for the rest of my days here in chino I will be known as the cow missionary I am pretty sure. Yesterday I got up to the pulpit to bear my testimony and, well, you know me, I don't always think before I talk. So I said that I was excited to be here and blah blah blah and then I was like "And! This area is really really different and special because it is the only ward in the mission that has cows! So. I am SUPER excited to be here!". And that's how my little introduction thingy ended. Well, it kind of sounded like I was calling the members of the ward cows. Everyone knew that's not what I meant, but after sacrament meeting everyone I talked to had a story about cows to tell me and laughed at me a bit. The sad thing is, it's not a language barrier, it's just a brain lack of social skills barrier haha. Nah, but I like to be known as the cow missionary! I told them all that I was going to preach to anyone who would listen to me even the cows as well haha, so they better bring me friends who are human to teach. At least now they will remember me haha!

 

But yea, Chino is pretty cool. Definitely the most organized ward I've been in thus far on my mission. It feels like an English ward. The members are awesome. They all participate in ward functions and everything. Like there is a family history class every Wednesday and this ward is just pumping out names to the temple. I talked to one lady yesterday who has 27 names she needs to send in to the temple. It's soooooo cool to have members who are actually excited about the gospel and especially about temple work. That really is the most important service we can do. And it is also one of the reasons this church is SO true. No other church even claims to have anything like it. It is so beautiful how we can perform these saving ordenances for everyone who ever lived so that they also have the chance to accept the gospel. And it is even more beautiful how we can seal families together for all eternity, because heaven just wouldn't be heaven if I couldn't steal my old daddy-os tea bottle every day of it haha. So yea, I am super excited to work with that and use that excitement our ward has about it to share the gospel with other people.

 

My companion is Hermana Connelly. She is pretty cool. She is a sister trainer. So was Hermana Duran. And now Hermana Lopez is. I think President is trying to keep an eye on me or something. He always has to put me with the sister trainers to make sure I don't run off and do something crazy. Like just ride busses all day or something.

 

As far as investigators and stuff go here in Chino... well... we aren't really teaching anyone at the moment. This area is just starting to pull itself out of a rough patch. But everything's turning around. We are finding people, and lots of them, good families too. We are going to baptize a family in December. I'm not sure who yet... but it's going to happen. Pray for that. All the missionaries here are really really good obedient missionaries who just needed a little jolt of energy to turn things around. I think President kind of thinks of me as a little energizer bunny battery. He just sticks me anywhere that needs a jolt of energy. I kind of have a lot of energy, did you ever notice? This morning I did half of companionship study upsidedown in a headstand on the couch. Yea...

 

Also, it's getting really cold some days. Chino is also the only place in the mission where it snows I hear. And since I just got here I am probably going to be here over the whole winter.  I might need you to send me the rest of my scarves and my gloves and stuff and maybe my nice looking long coat. Not sure about the coat, so hold off on that, but I am pretty sure about the scarves and gloves. Either that or I will probably just buy some here.

 

Well, The church is true, missionary work is awesome, chino is awesome, life is good, I still love the mission. It is crazy I have been out 5 months almost. Doesn't feel like it. It's so weird to think that fall semester at BYU is already starting to come to a close. Weird.

 

Love

Hermana Bardsley

 

P.S. Tell Shayne I am sending her a letter for her birthday. Not exactly sure when it'll get there.

 

P.P.S. I have this gigantic mound of chocolate on my desk and I am downing it at an alarming rate. It is the best thing ever. Thanks again to you my mama and to Jesse for contributing to the fund.