TRANSFER CALLS!!

From March 3

Hola Todos!! 

Well Everyone we received transfer calls this week and guess what??!!!! I am getting transferred!!!!! I knew it was coming but it still doesn't quite seem real. I have packed a little bit and it still doesn't seem real. I said my goodbyes to the branch and it was really hard to say goodbye to some of them. Especially since some of them were in my branch in Bradenton so I have known them my whole mission, almost a year. It was tough but I know that my work here is done and I felt it after a lesson the other day that my work was done in Sarasota, so I was expecting it but at the same time it was still a surprise. I can't really describe it but its super weird. I was able to say goodbye to some of our investigators and it was sad but at the same time I knew I was going to see them again because of course I am going to come back and visit after. 

     Anyway because I felt I was done with this area this past week I really learned how to cherish every moment of the mission even the hard times. Because there are going to be hard times no matter what, whether you are serving a mission or not, there are hard times in life. One thing my dad told me towards the beginning of my mission was that "A mission was never said to be easy, only worth it, and anything worth doing is worth the sacrifice it takes to get it done." And that has helped me through a lot of hard times in my mission. And it can help us through life as well. God gives us things so we can learn and become the people He wants us to become. Sometimes things are thrown at as that sometimes we want to blame God for or maybe think He doesn't care about you or isn't there. Well that is wrong! God lets things happen because He can see the bigger picture. We only see a little snippet of the plan God has for us. But He has the entire plan. He knows what is going to help us. He knows what we need to go through for us to become better and stronger. And thats why we have hard times in life, that is why we have hard times on the mission. So we can better ourselves and really learn to rely on God. We have an investigator that is going through some really really hard times right now, harder times then I could ever imagine going through and she doesn't really know what to do and she is doubting and just struggling immensely. And she might have to go through even harder times in the future but she will come out stronger because of it.We taught her that God has a plan for each of us and that He gives us trials or lets things happen for us to learn and grow. And we encouraged her to keep praying, keep trusting in God and everything would be okay. It may not make the problems go away but with God, He makes things easier, lighter, and strengthens us. God knows us perfectly and loves us infinitely even with our imperfections. He is our Father in Heaven and wants us to be happy and the only way we can be truly happy in this life is by living the gospel and trusting in God because He is all-knowing and knows what is best for each of us. And though its hard for me to leave Sarasota I know that my work is done, I know that I am needed somewhere else and I know that God will put me exactly where I need to be right now. And it may be hard and I may not like it sometimes but I know I will come out stronger, I will become more like the person God wants me to be. And that is the ultimate reward, the knowledge that I am turning into the person God wants me to be. I am so grateful for this chance I have had and am still having to be on a mission; To teach others about the restored gospel and bringing them that joy. And the greatest joy is when you bring one of your brothers and sisters this gospel and see the joy that it brings them in their lives. Its the most incredible thing in the world and its such a blessing and privilege to be out here!!! I am so grateful for my family and the support and love I get from each one of them. I love this gospel and I know with all my heart that it is true and can bless anyones lives as long as they let it. Thank you all so much for your support and love. I hope you all have an amazing week, don't forget to really trust in God because He knows the bigger picture!! :) 

All My Love, Hermana Daines 

P.S. if any of you have mail that you were going to send to me pause the mail and next week I will send you my new address!!! 

HOLA!!! :)

From Feb 24

Hey Everyone,

Well this week has been full of adventure I guess ha ha. Monday was a pretty good day. We went to a less actives house, Fabiola, with a member. And it was amazing!!!! She doesn't even have an excuse for not coming to church, she just chooses not to come. She has a car and she wants to come but she just doesn't. Well we had an incredible lesson with her and she broke down and the member there was incredible and really was just her friend right then. It was really cool and so we were praying so hard that she would come to church on Sunday and then.....she didn't. So we went to go see what happened and she wasn't home. So we are going to keep trying to visit her until she realizes that we love her and we want her to have the blessings that come when she goes to church and for her to recognize that blessings do come, we just have to be obedient. 

Tuesday was interesting. We did a lot of street contacting and then we went to our english class. We were super worried no one was going to show up because it was 7 and nobody was there. Well 5 minutes later the first counselor comes over to us with this lady, saying she wants to learn english. And I was thinking...umm...ok..... because this lady was full on chinese and knew zero spanish. And it turns out she is actually renting out a room for a less active member that we visit and he told her about the english class. So this chinese lady is there wanting to learn english. Ha ha it was really......interesting trying to teach her ha ha cause we didn't know her language. But it turned out to be really good. And then a hispanic showed up and so we kind of taught 2 seperate classes. And one thing I learned that night is that I am very grateful I did not get sent somewhere to speak chinese. That spanish is perfect for me and that I should not be complaining about learning it because there are way harder languages in this world, such as chinese. ha ha 

The rest of this week has been just as interesting. We don't have very many investigators right now. So we have been trying to find except we still can't tract so its a little difficult. So for about 2 days straight we got on our bikes and contacted people in the street and just tried so hard to find people to teach. And we didn't find "new investigator" but we did find a few potentials. So thats good and even though we didn't have complete "success" it was super super fun. It was really nice not having to worry about where we needed to be or who was next or set appointments at all. It literally didn't matter what street we turned down or if we didn't know where we were exactly. It was soooooo fun and it was such a good experience. It was honestly less stressful!! And we will probably be doing the same thing in the week to come. It is the last week of the transfer and so we are going to try really really hard to make it the best week ever and really find investigators. 

Transfer calls are Saturday and I am a little bit nervous. I feel like I am getting transferred, but I don't know for sure, we never know exactly what will happen until it happens but I almost have this feeling that my work in Sarasota is done and it might be me just being crazy but I have this feeling that I am getting transferred. But again I'm probably just crazy!! ha ha :) One dream though I have is to get transferred down to Naples because Naples is like the land of milk and honey. Its just always booming and its literally every spanish sisters dream to get sent down there. My MTC companion Hermana Lewis is down there right now and I could totally get sent down there to be with her, that would be cool. Anyway just some transfer dreams and predictions, ha ha. None of that will probably happen but I still have the dream of going down there. 

One major thing I learned this week is that I have a serious pride problem, ha ha ha. For real though! When you go on a mission your weaknesses are literally put on full blast and this week thats the one that was put on full blast the most. I realized that even over little things that don't really matter I have a pride problem with. And then me having that pride turns into anger. So I read a talk called " Slow to Anger" And it was incredible! I really needed to read that and it helped me realize I need to just let things go. I also read a talk called "Come what may, and love it" and that was perfect too. It talked about how we need to laugh about things instead of getting mad or angry about them. Things are going to happen but if we laugh about them instead of arguing or getting mad it is so much better and you will just be happier because of it. I have such amazing companions that have so much patience with me. I know I am not perfect and have many problems but they just love me anyway, pride and all, ha ha. I am really grateful for them and I am especially grateful for the Atonement, for if we didn't have the atonement you and I wouldn't be able to repent or be forgiven or improve our lives. I am so grateful for that wonderful chance to always become better and really turn to Christ for help because we can't change without Him and so we must rely on Him. So goal of this week is "let things go"!!!!! :) And with Christ it is possible!!! :) 

I hope you all have an amazing week and may you laugh more instead of choosing anger or frustration. Its just a better way to live!! :) :) 

All My Love, Hermana Daines 

Week of IPADS!!

From Feb 17
Hey Everyone!!!!!

Wow! This week has been really awesome but at the same time a little
crazy. Some great news is that we all received iPads! And yes I am
doing my email on my iPad!!!! Super legit right? It's super fun and
really useful. Studies are super cool on my iPad and now I have every
talk ever given by general authorities. Also there is a translator on
here which is super handy, our area book and planner is on here,
pretty much everything is on here..... Well missionary work wise. It's
super awesome but it has been really stressful also. The program they
have on here for our planner is a little complicated but we will work
out the kinks eventually. And we have to plug in everything from our a
Area book which is taking forever but that's ok. It's going to be a
really helpful tool to use during lessons. We have already been able
to show videos/Mormon messages during lessons. It's just super
cool!!!! :) :) estamos muy feliz!!!!!

We went in exchanges this week with the YSA sisters, which they are
absolutely amazing missionaries! Sister Halversen and I went to their
area while Sister Nadauld took over the are for a day with one if the
YSA sisters. And the YSA serve in he whole stake and so they serve in
Bradenton which is pretty much my area and teach most of the people I
taught. So we went to Bradenton on exchanges. It was super weird but
at the same time it felt normal like I had never left. I saw Abi, who
is a recent convert, who I taught for a while. She isn't my convert
but after she got baptized we taught her for a little while. She is 18
and is an amazing member of the church. Super strong and is an
incredible example to her family. I love her so much! Next we saw a
couple less actives they had never met. Then we saw an investigator
named Fernie. We taught him when we were in Bradenton and now they are
going to try to teach him again. He seemed way more receptive and open
to talking then ever before. It was pretty cool and they set a return
appointment. I'm excited about him, he is super positive and has tons
of friends that are members. The. We saw the Santos family. There are
3 young men that were baptized almost a year ago in a few months. They
are super awesome and such good good men. It was really fun to see
them again. Then the best part of the night happened. My recent
convert, Pamela, that got baptized at the beginning of my mission will
be turning 18 in a couple weeks and will be going to the YSA branch.
So we went to see her. AHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! It was so awesome and so so
so good to see her. She seemed more happy that day then I had seen her
before. It was so awesome. She has changed so much in the amount of
time I have known her, for the better of course. It literally just
made my night to be able to see her for myself and see how she really
is doing. Ah it was dang amazing!! The best exchange ever!!!!!    :)

One thing that I read in personal study this morning was absolutely
amazing. I was reading a talk by President Uchtdorf called "You Matter
to Him". Most times we do not realize the potential we have as sons
and daughters of God. Sometimes we think the universe is so huge and
you are right it's huge compared to us. But God made the universe
specifically for us. This is probably my favorite part in the whole
talk. It helps me realize the potential I have and that we all have.
"Brothers and sisters, the most powerful Being in the universe is the
Father of your spirit. He knows you. He loves you with a perfect love.
God sees you not only as a mortal being on a small planet who lives
for a brief season--He sees you as His child. He sees you as the being
you are capable and designed to become. He wants you to know that you
matter to Him. May we ever believe, trust, and align our lives so that
we will understand our true eternal worth and potential. May we be
worthy of the precious blessings our Heavenly Father has in store for
us.."

Is love this gospel and am so grateful to be a missionary. May we help
others see their potential. Thank you all so much for you prayers and
kindness! You are all amazing! :) have an incredible week!!! :)

All My Love, Hermana Daines

Hello!!!!

From Feb 10

Hey Everyone!! 

This week has been pretty....interesting and good!!! We started out the week pretty good. We went on exchanges with the YSA sisters in our zone and it was super super fun. They are just a blast. One of the sisters came to our area with Sister Nadauld and I and we had a member dinner with some of our investigators. It was super awesome and tons of fun. That is the way to go to do missionary work!! It's not awkward and its not as formal as a normal lesson and so the investigator feels a lot more comfortable. Its way awesome!! :) We then met up with Hermana Halversen and the other sister and we went and did some mall contacting together and it was super fun. One of the sisters had a huge fear of contacting people and we helped her totally overcome that and now she is a professional contacter, ha ha. Her companion is awesome and we were stopped in rush hour traffic and she got out of the car to hand out a pass along card to the car next to us. It was sooooo AWESOME!!! We switched back and we went over to Victoria's house. We talked about if she had received her answer yet because she only had about 4 days left of her Commitment to live the Gospel list. And she said she isn't sure but she was going to do a special fast that sunday but that she thinks a baptism will be soon. And sunday came and Sister Halversen sits on the stand because she is the only one who plays the piano, so she plays for the branch. So she can see everyone. Well she of course is watching Victoria and she is just as happy and smiley as can be. Which she usually isn't and then one of the speakers was talking on baptism and she started crying during the talk. We are going to try to see her as soon as possible because we KNOW that she received her answer and that she is going to get baptized. We are super super super excited!!! :) And way proud of her. :) :) :) 

We also had an extended MLC, which is for the leaders and stuff and it was INCREDIBLE!!!! President Donaldson who was the Mission president in San Diego when the movies "The District" was filmed. Which we watch as missionaries to learn and grow from how the missionaries in the movie do things. Well lets just say President Donaldson is a BOSS!!! He is an incredible teacher and knows so much!!! We learned so many new ways of teaching and his focus was really on being personal with people and really being natural. It was the coolest meeting I have ever been to. I learned so much. Its always so fun to learn new ways of teaching and making the work better. Speaking of which we will be getting our Ipads this week. We are super stoked and its literally going to be a whole new way of missionary work. We are 1 mission out of 30 missions in the world that are getting Ipads. We are really excited. :) Its going to change the way we do things soooo much!!! :) We won't have planners or area books it will all just be in our ipad. Isn't that crazy? I think so but I am really stoked. 

One thing I learned this week is that sometimes being a leader is hard. Sometimes you have to be the bad guy and realize that we can't just "make friends" out here even though that is fun but we need to help these missionaries realize their potential and what they can become if they are just obedient. And that the missionary may not like you in the moment but that they will appreciate what you did for them in the future. I also learned from this experience that obedience is HUGE and helping missionaries realize what they can have and see if they are just obedient is amazing. We can bring down the powers of heaven upon us if we are just obedient. And it was incredible to show that to the missionaries that we are over. And its worth being "the bad guy" when they come to you after and say thank you I needed that and I am grateful for you and your example. Thats when everything you do for them is worth it. I love it even though it is super hard!! 

I am super grateful to be out here and to be able to have this amazing opportunity to be a missionary in this time to really see the work HASTEN. I love this gospel and am so grateful for it in my life and really happiness it brings to anyone who LIVES IT. Thats the secret to life. If we live the gospel we will be happy its a promise. So if you have this happiness and love this gospel as much as I do then SHARE IT. Share what you know because you never know when one of your friends or family members is ready for the gospel. But you have to do your part and INVITE them. And you don't have to do more then you already do, you have activities as families, as your ward, just invite people to those. Its so easy!! And for those of you who are too scared to open your mouth, all you need is 20 seconds of courage. That is it, 10 seconds to walk up to someone and 10 to open your mouth. Don't be afraid of what to say because God will put the words in your mouth and don't be afraid of rejection because you will have done your part. There is no "waiting for the right time" the right time is NOW!!!! I love this gospel, it brings more joy then anything else in the world!! SO SHARE IT!!!! 

I love you all and hope you have an incredible week of missionary experiences!!!! :) 

All My Love, Hermana Daines 

Full week of GROWTH!!!!

From Feb 3
Hey Everyone!! 

Sorry you didn't really get an update last week. I just had zero time and I apologize. But don't worry this email will be extra long now, ha ha. 

Hmm... where do I even begin! Well as you all know Hermana Halversen and I were going to receive a trainee. We were excited but super nervous, of course. And I was a little nervous because trios aren't the funnest things in the world and this will have been my 7th transfer in a trio. Anyway, so Hermana Halversen and I received the call and the AP's said that we also needed to pack a bag for 3 days and to bring good walking shoes. So in other words we were going to be street contacting in Tampa for 3 days with our new trainee. I'm not going to lie I was not very thrilled about doing this. So we drove up to Tampa on Tuesday and received our new trainee. Her name is Hermana Nadauld, she is from Oregon and is 19 yrs old and is super stoked about doing missionary work, and isn't shy at all. PERFECT! :) Thats how we like them, ha ha. So after transfer meeting we got right to work and went out and started walking around the streets of Tampa. For those of you who have been missionaries you know that that first person you try to talk to is always the hardest and most awkward but after that it gets better. So we had Hermana Nadauld do the first one, well on the way to contact we get a call from the zone leaders telling us we were also the Sister Training Leaders. So not only were we training but we are now the sister training leaders. A lot of weight on us ok. For the first few minutes we thought the zone leaders were pulling a prank on us but nope it was for reals. So we continued on and started to contact. It was hard and we weren't very good at it. But we kept trying. Well that night we went on splits with the sisters who are full time street contacting and we really learned how to do it where its not awkward and it was really cool. We were handing mormon.org's out to everyone! Runners, people on the phone, just everyone and it was really cool to learn from these Sisters. They are brilliant at it! So the next day, day 2, was super cool. We met people from all over the world; Egypt, Albania, Columbia, Israel, England etc. My favorite were the people from England and their accent of course was awesome. We ran into them twice in the 3 days we were there. But they were Atheist and not interested but they were super cool. They helped me with my accent and now my accent is so good. Thats for you Hermana Binks, ha ha. Well anyway day 2 was super cold like 40's and we were all just freezing. Well the Sisters picked us up to go mall contacting instead. And let me just say THAT is HARD. We had no idea how to do it. We didn't want to get kicked out of the mall or people to get mad at us. We decided to say a prayer for someone to come to us. Literally right after I ended my prayer I heard someone speaking spanish. For some reason its a lot easier to start talking to someone in spanish then in english for me for some reason. I just feel more comfortable and they are a lot nicer too, ha ha. Anyway for a few minutes I was second guessing that I heard this woman speaking spanish and then finally I said another quick silent prayer and just got up off them bench we were sitting on and walked straight up to her. And started talking with her. And she was the sweetest lady ever. I gave her amormon.org card and told her to check it out. It was really awesome. And though someone didn't necessarily come straight up to us and talk to us God gave us someone to talk to that we feel more comfortable around. It was really cool and then after that The Hermana's that are 100% full time street contacters in Tampa came in and we just did role play after role play in the mall and that was another answer to our prayers. Now we are professional street contacters and mall contacters. It was really fun and I learned so much. Literally these 3 days in Tampa were a HUGE turning point in my mission. I realized what it really feels like to talk to EVERYONE you see and that you pass by. I felt accomplished and just 100% that I was fulfulling my purpose as a missionary. It was the most incredible 3 days EVER!!! That was the most I learned on my mission since the MTC it was the most incredible experience!! Huge turning point in my mission. I mean I have had a lot of turning points but this one was a big one. It was just super super awesome to talk to so many people!! Those 3 days we invited 400 people to come unto Christ. Isn't that super LEGIT!!! 

      Last Monday we had an emergency MLC which the zone leaders, sister training leaders, Assistants and President get together and talk. Well President pretty much told us that everyone in this mission needs to step up their obedience level to even higher. That it is on us leaders if they aren't obedient. So even though I thought I was being obedient Im stepping it up even higher all the way down to the little small things. We ARE going to be a more obedient mission and we ARE going to pull down the powers of Heaven and this work IS going to Hasten and it is going to be amazing to see. I am so excited to be a missionary at this time and to really be a part of this work hastening. Its absolutely the BEST thing in the whole world. I have never been so happy in my life and anyone who wants this happiness BE A MISSIONARY and you WILL feel this amazing happiness. This work is incredible and I LOVE it. I never want to stop being a missionary. Its literally the Best. Just like that scripture in Doctrine and Covenants that says how great shall be your joy if you shall bring one soul unto me... and how great shall be your joy if you shall bring many souls unto me. This work is the best thing in the whole world we could be doing right now. And the most important work in the World!! :) :) 

      So this week has been great. We have had some awesome lessons this week. You all remember Victoria right? Well she came to church again and stayed all 3 hours. She loved it. Her 2 kids also came and loved it. Its so incredible to see the gospel really change people and see the happiness in their eyes. We had a lesson with a recent convert who is best friends with Victoria and her family. The recent converts wife is not a member and we have been working hard with her as well. Yesterday we had an awesome lesson with them and Margarita really opened up to us and told us she will get baptized when Victoria gets baptized!!! Also Sergio, the recent convert, told us that Victoria's husband, Pascual, said that Victoria is preparing for baptism!!!!! She herself hasn't told us but we can feel it. She is definitely getting baptized this transfer. She only has a week and a couple days till her month of living the gospel is up and we just know that she will get baptized after that. It is INCREDIBLE!!!!! :) I am the happiest I have ever been and I am just so grateful to be here. 

      So yesterday we had 9 investigators at church!! It was literally a full day of miracles. A less active and his wife who isn't a member came to church. Victoria and her family came to church, another investigator that we weren't expecting came and then Margarita came which is Sergio's wife. It was literally just incredible day yesterday!!! I can't express to you enough how amazingly happy I am and though I miss home and my family a lot I wouldn't change where I am at and what I am doing for the world. This is literally THE MOST IMPORTANT WORK ON EARTH and I get this wonderful privilege to be a part of it. 

       I love you all so much and am so grateful for you love and prayers. Thank you so much!! Remember that when we follow God's plan we WILL be HAPPY!!! I love you and hope you have an incredible week!!! :) 

ALL MY LOVE, HERMANA DAINES :) :) :) 

New Apt!

As Marisa said on Jan 13, she is in a new apt, #102, the rest of the address is still the same. I updated it on the address widget.

Back from Dec 9!

This is from Dec 9!!

Just a little note. We just got a call saying that we actually aren't staying bradenton. We are moving down to sarasota. So if any of you have letters or packages to send, send it to 2566 10th St Apt.207 sarasota fl 34237  instead of my other address. thanks so much!