Catching up with Lauren...2 letters.

June 17 letter:

Well, HeY, FAM!!!

Happy Father's Day!! I love you.

Man it has been a long week. Since we last communicated we have had a capture the flag extravaganza, a temple trip, a moving of apartments, transfer calls, and a sweet family who is ACTUALLY PREPARED to listen to us.

News:

Hna Mulliner and I are staying here. Hna Allred is being transferred to a car area, we don't know where but we'll find out Tues morning.

As of Thursday, we are in our NeW ApArTmEnT!!!!! That is how we feel about it. It's a honeymoon. The carpet is just so clean and beige-colored. Not kelly green and scary. Anywayz, it's great.

New Address Reminder:

6835 Laurel Canyon #412

North Hollywood, CA 91605

Haha the only mission stat I have this week is that I got a 67% on the spanish grammar test. That's a pretty high F. And ironically, is about what I got on the ENGLISH grammar test at BYU. Perfect.

OTHER THINGS I HAVE LEARNED:

Steez= style + ease. thanks Hna Hudzz for keeping me sounding so hip and with it.

Par Core is what people do when they jump off of walls and stuff. Not "hard core" like I thought they were saying until last week.

Bel Air is actually a real place, and not just something the producers of Fresh Prince made up. My east coast upbringing was so sheltered. We drove by it on the way to the temple. I had no idea people lived such not-ghetto lives SO CLOSE to us. Crazy.

ALSO CRAZY: My friend Sister Abbot is in the Eng ward in Studio City-- JON HEDER IS THE YOUNG MEN'S PRESIDENT. He lives on the same road  that Miley Cyrus, Steve Carrell, and James Marsden live on. I know this because she saw James Marsden riding his bike with his shirt off. IS THAT EVEN A THING?!????!? (Can you even believe the Lord didn't call me there??)

Something that so pleasantly surprised me about the temple is how the celestial room felt exactly the same as the one in the KY temple. I felt like I was there with all the people from our home ward. That was really nice- I had never been to a big temple before and I liked that the best part wasn't any more special than the one back home. I love that little Kentucky temple. I like that it's small, that the dressing rooms are small, that they let me go into the bride's room every time to borrow the same dress. It just made me appreciate it more, and realize that I really don't care how temples look on the outside. (Give Sister Cotton a hug for me.)

This week we have a million meetings with transfers, 6-week training followup, our movie night we planned for the ward to bring all their friends to, and a mission conference for everyone who will be staying after the split, etc. Cool stuff.

EVERYONE WATCH the broadcast on the 23rd the New Mission President training. It's going to be good.

OKAY so our golden new investigators this week are Luis and Kevin. Teenagers, friends/employees of this guy we know who works at a tire shop on the corner. At first we were super confused because he  sometimes mocks the church, but he basically gave us them (plus Luis' mom) as referrals to teach.

Luis is 15, plays soccer (heads up, Megan) and is just the sweetest thing. He's lived here for 3 years from Honduras- Kevin's only lived here 6 mo. We taught Luis on Sat. night at the tire shop, and he said he would read the book of mormon and pray about it BEFORE WE EVEN ASKED HIM TO. We just handed it to him, explained what it was, and he said, "okay I will read it and pray." ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!??? So yeah- that was the def. highlight of the week.

To answer your Q's about Hna Hudson: She went to BYU-I and then BYU-HI for a semester (She turned 21 in May.) I am talking her into coming to Provo. She is the only one staying in her area this transfer- which is super weird. She was in a trio like me and now she has to show someone else the whole area. We were at their apt last night to sing a song for a Hna who is leaning to go home to El Salvador, so we caught up on all the transfer drama. From what I gather, there were a lot of tears and a lot of silent swearing, but it'll be good. Transfer calls are inspired and Pres. Hall told us these calls have been the most unusual, the most emotional, and the most clear yet. So that will be cool.

LOVE YOU

P.S. I forgot who I've thanked! THANK YOU Grandma & Grandpa for your sweet note- at the distribution center I bought the Legacy soundtrack for $5! I was so excited. Perfect timing :)

AND THANK YOU Chuck, Bets, Charlie, and Hayden for your cookies and pictures!! I have your pictures hanging up by my bed and the cookies were sooo yummy :)) Thanks for taking such good care of your missionary!! <333

xoxoxo

June 24 letter:

HI, EVERYBODY!!!!

So yes! Things are good! Also, we transferred those golden boys last week to the Hnas in Van Nuys and when we saw them yesterday at the broadcast they said they had seen them that day at set baptismal dates with them!!! I screamed a reverent little missionary scream. I am SO excited for their family; they are just the best. Megan you can marry Luis and I'm not even kidding. (He reminds me of the Italian soccer boys from "Kicking & Screaming" only with a heart of gold.)

 THE BROADCAST!!!

Did you watch it?!?!? If you didn't that's okay because I watched it in Spanish!! Just go to lds.org and click "the Work of Salvation" thing and check it out! It is the coolest.

It was cool as a missionary because it reminds you that there actually is a flood of missionary work going down right now. Sometimes you just feel like a little drop trying to water a whole desert. But it floods one drop at a time. It was just really cool and reassuring to see that there IS a bigger picture, and that the work really is going forward.

It was cool just as a member of this Church because you get the sense that things are changing for everyone, not just missionaries. That the work is hastening for everyone, and everyone has a part to play.

OKAY, HERE I AM GOING TO SAY SOME MISSIONARYISH CHALLENGEY THINGS, BUT YOU BETTER LISTEN BECAUSE IT'S NOT LIKE I DO THIS EVERY LETTER, SLASH EVER BUT I AM NOW BECAUSE THESE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT:

The people who stick with the missionary lessons are the ones who have family or friends in the Church. The people who we, as missionaries, give lots of second chances to when we decide who to visit and such are the people who have family or friends in the Church. Missionaries are not sent out to convert strangers. Maybe that's how it used to be, but that's not how it is now. The Church is strong enough that we have a network of love to work from. Missionaries are sent out to help your friends and family members.

Do the Lord a favor and commit within your heart to share the gospel in whatever way is most natural and normal for you. He doesn't want you to be freaky about it- so don't go crazy. But invite people into your home or invite your friends to stake dances or girls camp or do whatever you feel good about. Feeling good about something= feeling the Spirit. Missionary work is not overwhelming; it's lots of good normal, little things that help people come closer to Jesus Christ.

Something I wish I would have done better before I went away to BYU where everyone was Mormon was been more honest about how happy the Church makes me. Speaking as a human being, not just as a missionary, I cannot think of anything that would make me happier that someone I love accepting the gospel. Getting to be a part of that is just an extra plus. Sharing the gospel will make you the most happy as you give someone the best thing you could possibly give them. Don't let anyone else steal your thunder! YOU can be the one who gets that awesome experience!! If you pray for opportunities to share the gospel, specifically within your circle of family and friends, I promise as a representative of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that you will receive them.

Alright, people. Everybody be good this week. Go forth and do!!

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Hna Simpson

P.S. Mission Stat: Number of concerts that Hna Mulliner and I attended together before our stars aligned: 2. Isn't that crazy? Haha rooftop Imagine Dragons and stadium of fire Miley Cyrus. good times, good times…

She had more time in the library so she wrote another letter yesterday.

So I am telling you more things:

This Thurs we have a mission conference (technically it's a zone conf but the only zones going are the ones who will be staying here after the mission split.) Should be cool!!

I got your scripture masterys!!! That is so cool. I bet that whole new curriculum thing is awesome. I want to work on memorizing those in Spanish... I wish I had one of those cards with all of them on there in Spanish to put in my sciptures. (So many things I could have bought in the MTC and didn't!!)

Hna Hudson stayed in the same building. Our goal is to be Exchange Hnas or Sister Training Leaders at the end of the mission- basically the calling where you have sleepovers with lots of different missionaries and learn things together. We've had a couple sleepovers in their apt now when ours was filled with gas or chemicals and we couldn't sleep in ours, so we're getting really good at them haha.

Things are good.

Did you know that in our area there are lots of storage places for studio sets? Outside there are these big lots filled with fake trees, rocks, snow piles, etc. It's really cool. Studio City is actually very close to us, even though white california outside of our Latino block feels like a different world.

Now that Hna Allred is gone I have suddenly become the local pianist. It's kind of a joke, but in spanish wards the standard is a lot lower, so I'm cool with it. Haha our district is quickly learning that this means I will be picking the hymns for everything.

LOVE LOVE <33

Hna Simpson

P.S. Hope Tyler is studying his scriptures every day, because you are going to need those hahaha

Hugs to the ward! Haha I really do feel like Crestwood 2nd is my home ward. Love them.