Week 2 & 3

On Feb 17, 2015, at 11:20 AM, Ciera Bradley <ciera.bradley@myldsmail.net> wrote:

     I'm so sorry it's taken me forever to get an email out! When I left the MTC we sadly were unable to write that week! And then of course yesterday had to be a holiday, so today is my P-day for this week! So yeah!! I'm in California!! Saying goodbye to everyone in the MTC was really sad! But here I am! I am currently serving in the Palomar YSA in the Escondido area! So basically I'm an LDS missionary and a pro matchmaker....! Haha! So much drama! But really, I love serving here!!! We are more inland and it is GORGEOUS!! We live in beautiful apartments RIGHT next to Cal State!! Which is perfect for finding young single people! Our apartments look like you're walking down the streets of Venice!

     Ohh! My trainer is Sister Edgecomb~ She's the coolest! She's been out for about 9 months now so she really knows what she's doing!! She's like a little librarian, literally... That's what she wants to do when she gets home!! Cool, huh?! :)

     Well, I have to admit this is quite different than I expected... It's also a ton different than theMTC, so there's that..! We have had some really cool things happen so far. I can't share them all but I'll share a few of my favorites!!

     First, I've been CRAZY sick, which has been rough! On the second or third night I was here I woke up at like 3 just so sick, but our sweet Elders came and gave me a blessing which was the coolest, because the spirit works through them to say exactly what I needed to hear! So hopefully I'll continue to feel better!!

     Another cool miracle... Sister Edgecomb and I like to "heart attack" peoples doors,(less-actives, recent converts, investigators). Anyway, we were trying to leave some on one of our recent converts door but her apartments have these huge gates to go through and we didn't have a way in. So we parked our car and walked over to try and go through the man-gate, but that was locked as well. So we decided to pray and ask for someone to come or for a car to pull up and open it. And no lie, the SECOND we opened our eyes the gate opened!!! But no one was around... No car, nothing!! Oh, man it was so cool! And we both got chills, it was so amazing!

     A kind of sad story, I met my first basher Friday night... We were out contacting and the saddest thing to me was that this little girl couldn't have been more that 15 or 16... But oh man, I was insane to feel how quickly the spirit left... It made me want to cry, because I hadn't been without the spirit in so long, to have him leave like that was truly terrible... So basically we bore testimony that God loved her and got the heck outta there!!

     Saturday night we had stake conference adult session and Elder Nelsen came and talked! It's funny though, so before the meeting even started this man came and was talking to me. And I, being naive, was nice and carried on this conversation and guys, let's mention that he's probably 32 or something, so I'm just like, whatever! NO!! Wrong!! So much for the badge being a repellent for men..! I couldn't get away from this dude all night! And he wasn't some creepy looking older dude, he  just kept talking and was flirting so much! I mean, COME ON DUDE!! I'm single, I've chosen to be single! I'm content in my single-ness!! Haha! It was quite hilarious though, SisterEdgecomb and I got a good laugh out of that one!!

     OH MY HEAVENS!!!! Also Saturday night, we were getting ready for bed when we heard noise outside so we were hiding on our balcony and we watch TEN cops with heavy duty weapons and gear take down this guy, RIGHT outside out apartments!!! We were hiding so they couldn't see us but it was AWESOME!! Almost like living in a Castle episode or something!! :)

     Sunday was great too! We blew a tire and had to have our DL's come help us change it! Then during the stake conference Elder Nelsen had all the primary kids stand and sing 'I am a Child of God'. The spirit was SO strong!

     Last night we went tracting and it was my first time!! So scary!! Haha. But really. It was pretty cool!

     And today's our P-day, which is the best thing ever!! We're going bowling later with the Elders and a few members from our ward! I'm excited!

     Anyway, I love and miss you all and hope everyone is doing well!! Just so everyone knows, hand-written letters are the best way to write me if you want a response!! I've got to go now, I hope you all have a great week!

 

Love always,

Sister Bradley

Moroni 8:3

Getting ready to leave the MTC

There is so much to write and so little time to write it! I honestly don't know where to start! I guess I should mention that I am alive! and I'm doing well! Last Wednesday I entered the MTC!! How crazy i that?! It has been quite insane trying to settle in here! And I'll do my best to explain what I've been up to, but you'll just have to forgive me for the things I know I'll forget! Anyway, I guess one of the most important things is my companion!! Her name is Sister Day, we get along so well!! I'll add pictures, but pretty much she's the best! In my district there are 5 Elders and 4 Sisters; Elder Major, Elder Burandt, Elder Ricks, Elder Shiver, Elder Milliner, Sister Day, Sister Masangkay, Sister Lundholm, and myself!! But MAN do I have a story with those Elders...! I'll get to that though... So Sister Day and I are rooming with 4 Hermanas who are serving in Argentina! They are the sweetest! We're trying to learn some Spanish while we're with them... It's not going too well.. We always just end up saying 'lo siento' in response to everything they say...! Haha! Okay, so for that crazy story... One of our companion sets of Elders got into a "huge" fight, really about nothing... Anyway, it ended up with all of our Elders switching companions, (with approval, of course). It was really dumb and caused a lot of unnecessary tension in our district for a few days. But it's getting better now.. My advice on the matter to everyone though is, YOU WILL NOT ALWAYS GET ALONG WITH YOUR COMPANIONS!!!! I can promise that, but you have to learn how to work together anyway... One way a teacher explained it to us was, to read 1 Nephi 3:7 as, "I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded for I know that the Lord giveth no COMPANION unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them." Guys, I TESTIFY that is true!! Missions are not easy, nor are they as glamorous as some may thing, but even in just this short week that I've been out here, I can tell you, they are SOO worth it!! I wish I could share all of the beautiful spiritual experiences I've had so far, but I cannot, because there are just too many, so I'm just going to share one. Last Friday, Sister Day and I taught our first investigator, Debi! At the conclusion of our lesson we both testified that the things we had taught her were true and all three of us were so overwhelmed with the Spirit that we began to cry. (My first time crying since being here, by the way!). Anyway, it was so incredible to watch Debi as she began to believe the words we were teaching. And we've taught her a few times since and every time the spirit is with us, truly testifying to her of the truthfulness! It's wonderful! Anyway, for something fun, last night Sister Day and I had a sleepover with Sister Lundholm and Sister Masangkay because they will be getting new roommates today.. It was so much fun! We laughted all night long!! Then we were able to go to the temple today and the four of us did initiatories! Those are my absolute favorite! If you haven't done them recently, go do them!! :) 

Well, I love you guys and hope you have an incredible week! I don't know when I'll be able to write next because we're off to California Tuesday morning!! Yay!! 

Love you all, 

Sister Bradley xoxo.

And so it begins . . .

I am so excited to be leaving for the Carlsbad California Mission on Wednesday! I hope that this blog can be a way to record experiences I have on my mission and share them with friends and family.