Week 11 June 7, 2011

San Diego Temple

Dearest Family,

Yes indeed I just got out of the San Diego Temple for the first time and this is a picture of me RIGHT NOW!! Wow, it is so amazing and beautiful. I just had a beautiful thing happen. Right before we were going into the session, Sister Seguin dropped her slip and ended up sitting a few seats over from me. At the end of the session we realized that my slip and the sister (another sister missionary named Sister Tardiff) who was sitting next to me's slip was mother and daughter. I also handpicked the slip that I took! The mom and daughter must have been determined to sit by each other! Isn't that so cute and amazing? This week has been very sacred and special to me. A LOT has happened and I am so grateful every moment that I was called to the San Diego Mission. I was for sure put in this place at this time for a very specific reason and I'm learning that more and more every single day. Can you believe I've already been out here three months!? Crazy eh!? Guess what Mom!? One of the cars we drive is RED! It reminds me of you every time we ride in it and I'll take a picture soon to send to you of it. I knew you would be jealous. :) When Sister Seguin and I were serving at the temple, we went to the Distribution Center to pick up something for a member. We ran into Elder Smith's mom (he was in Costa Rica and got reassigned to a mission closer to home for medical reasons. He assigned to my same ward and is one of my zone leaders so I see him about every day). She was so excited to see us and refused to let us leave until she had bought us something. She was so determined in fact that she bought us a whole week’s worth of garments!!! I love new garments! Also, we've found a weird thing that happens when we are at the Temple "visitor center." It's called the members can't stop spoiling us with food! We are the only companionship that this seems to be happening to as well! So far I've gotten a California Burrito (fries and meat in a tortilla, really good and my first one ever), snickers, water bottles, Chicken in a Biscuit, smoothies, and even a key chain of the San Diego temple. One couple tried taking us out to dinner but Sister Seguin unfortunately declined! This week has been a week of miracles but also a week of storms. We had just had a rough morning and when we arrived at the temple we found a new investigator named Tony waiting for us! He already said that if the church is true that he will be baptized. So cool! Mollie, the girl we have been teaching has been AWOL for a little bit. One day I knew we needed to stop by her apt but she was not there. We were starting to write a note for her when I guy walked around the corner. I started talking to him and he is from Colorado so naturally we debated who has the best snow on the earth. We win of course... But he is interested in learning more and we will be meeting with him really soon. The work is picking up like I have never seen before!!! Random fact for mom, there are ravens all over the place and I'm pretty sure they are following me as well. :) Grandma will be proud about my next story: I was given a plant for my Birthday from a member in our ward named Krystin. She told me that the plant represented her faith so I better not let it die. I put it in the window and I'm afraid I didn't take as good of care of it as I should. Well the plant was getting near its death so I decided to put it outside and plant it in a random place. I got permission from Sister Evans (the wife of the president at the Mormon Battalion, we are no longer allowed to call it the MoBatt... I'm pretty sad about it) to plant it at the Battalion. I found a spot and (this is where grandma will be proud) planted it according to the ways that I have been taught. I told one of the senior couples to check on it to see if they thought it would live. They asked me if I planted it in the correct way and I said, "Of course I did, my grandma taught me well!" They laughed and I will continue to nourish her faith so that is will grow. :) I took mom's advice and started writing down the things that I want to tell you so I hope this is an email that you will appreciate. Let me know if you have any questions! I love you all so much and miss you tons.

Loves,

Sister Haggerty