Transfers and Jamaal Williams

HELLO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How's it going? Can you believe it's MARCH?!

Well, TRANSFERS are this week!!! We usually get an email on Sunday night saying where we are going, and I was sooooo anxious yesterday because I just wanted to know! It's kind of like when you audition/apply for something and you just want to know if you made it or not. And I knew I was leaving (I just felt it) I just didn't know where, so I was just so anxious to find out.

Drum roll please! I'm going to......

REDLANDS!!!!!! Ahhhhh I am so STOKED!!!! Everyone who has served in Redlands has said that they love it, so I am just so excited. I will be serving in the Smiley Ward. Yeah, that's literally the name of the ward! Haha.

Fun facts about the Smiley Ward:

- that's where Sister Jamsa just came from!!! I have heard nothing but good things about it from her.

- it's where the Dixons (mission president and his wife) are living, so I will be in their ward!

- it's in REDLANDS! WOO! I already mentioned that, but it's fine. I'm excited.

- I will be serving there with Sister Marstella (sister Jamsa's last companion haha) who I've met once a couple months ago on an exchange, and she is from KAYSVILLE! What a small world. The smallest of worlds. So cool. She is such a sweetheart, it will be great serving with her.

- I hear the members are AWESOME and there's not a day that we won't be fed. I'm gonna gain weight. here we go.

I am so excited. I am so sad to leave the Oleander Ward and Sister Jamsa, I seriously love it here, but I am excited to have new experiences! It's gonna be so great!

Anyways, other news of this past week ummmmmm gosh I'm so bad at remembering little things and telling you all about the people we are working with and the things we do from day to day. I usually only talk about the highlights soooo sorry about that haha.

Ohhhh on Saturday we tried going to the Swap Meet as a finding activity, but it turned out to be unsuccessful and unproductive because everyone spoke Spanish so there wasn't much we could do. So we left, a little bit discouraged, and went to go see a referral that we've been trying to get in contact with. It was SO cool, because there was a party going on at his house at the time with TONS of people there! All non members. We met so many nice people. They were so eager to feed us, they gave us each HUGE plates of food. And they were SO FUNNY. Seriously, HILARIOUS. So fun to talk to. I just love when people are funny. The ones we mainly talked to were named Jerome and his cousin Monica. And, cool story, Jerome happened to be Jamaal Williams' (used to be the running back for the BYU football team I believe) high school football coach! Jamaal Williams grew up in FONTANA!!! What the heck?! So random and cool! We got a picture with everyone, and Jerome even air-dropped us a picture that he took of Jamaal a few months ago. So cool!

Anyways, they were all so nice and really appreciate what we do as missionaries. They brought out like six teenage girls in front of us and told them, "stand here, these girls are going to teach you about Jesus". Hahaha it was awesome! A few of them seemed really prepared! It was just cool to have such an amazing experience after feeling a little discouraged. God is so aware of us!

I came across an amazing quote in PMG the other day that I'm sure many of you have heard: “There is neither man or woman in this Church who is not on a mission. That mission will last as long as they live, and it is to do good, to promote righteousness, to teach the principles of truth, and to prevail upon themselves and everybody around them to live those principles that they may obtain eternal life”

We are all on missions!!! How cool is that?! I will be a missionary my whole life! What an amazing thing! If you have a knowledge of the truth, you have a great responsibility to share it with others. I invite you each to think of one way you can reach out and share the gospel with someone this week. You can do it! God is on your side! How cool is it that we are alive in this dispensation, when the gospel will never leave the earth?! Were all here until the glorious finish when Christ comes again. Let's prepare the earth for his coming! Allllrrriiiiight! WOO!

I can't wait to share my experiences with you all next week of transferring to Redlands! It's gonna be great! LOVE YOU ALLLLLLLL

Sister Carina Brown

California Redlands Mission

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