May 13, 2015

Hola Familia/Amigos

Well, I don't even know where to begin, except with the fact it has
been an insanely good week! As you all know it was Mother's Day, so to
be honest I don't really know what to say, due to the fact that, I think
I told my family everything so I don't want to rewrite what I already
told them all! Ha ha jk, because the entire Skype call was about me
going home!

I have to admit that was super hard, because with so little of time I
have left, and wanting to finish as strong as possible, Skyping didn't
help but make me more trunky! However I have been praying a lot about
it all, and I know that I will be able to finish the way that the Lord
wants me to.

Monday was a wonderful day, with a few small things that happened.
Things that might set me back in life a few steps, however definitely
will not allow it to affect the Lord’s missionary work! Monday was
P-Day and with the new missionaries, and Elders here in the Zone we
went to the Woodland community center to play basketball, now remember
this is after the fact that I had played a full on tennis match that
morning. I happened to have an issue come up where I had to put my
shoulder back into place. Wasn't the funnest thing to do, however it
needed to be done.

That evening Elder Jeske and I had a super wonderful evening! We had a
super good dinner! It was a ton of fun, and I was trying my best to
open up to the sisters who are serving here in the branch! After dinner
is where the fun really began though, we had a family home evening
with the Luna Family in the home of the Rodriguez's! It was awesome!
Everything went super well, even though we had to leave early, to head to another
lesson. However we actually found out they didn't leave until 10 o’clock!

Ha ha they get along super well! Also another miracle that we
saw is that the boyfriend of Hermana Luna's daughter who is 18 came to
live with the Luna family so he could get a job, and save some money
up. He plans to marry their daughter, and he also told us tonight he
wants to be baptized into the same church as the Luna family! So we
set a Baptismal date for the last Saturday of my mission! Please pray
for Victor Correa that he will be able to make it for that baptismal
date, and that all will go well!

We also had a super good lesson, with a less active 21 year old, who
we have been becoming super good friends with! Her name is Cesi and
she is awesome! We are like best friends with her! We have
seen a complete 100% change in her the last few weeks! It's awesome!
She is starting to really figure things out and see the bigger
picture. She wants to go to BYU-Idaho, and also has the desire to
figure out where God wants her in her life right now. Whether it be to serve a
mission or maybe to be the missionary of her family, in helping the rest
of them come back to activity in the church! It's amazing to see how
so much depends on your relationship with less actives, and
investigators that changes so much! It's amazing! I am so happy to see
the work and such that we are doing here, and the changes she is
making in her life to be a better follower of Jesus Christ.

Tuesday was super nice and laid back due to fact that we didn't have
a district meeting because we had Zone conference which happened to be
my last one on Friday! It was super fun, however I definitely got hit
with a reality check when they told me I would be sharing my departing
testimony! It was super good though. I kept it short, and testified
about how much my mission had changed me!

Thursday was a ton of fun, we had the opportunity to go back out to
the ranch where we went last time, and we did the same service! The
weather was a sure lot better his time though, or maybe we were just a
lot better prepared for the sun, and so we didn't get burned as bad as
last time! Elder Choffin and I had a super good time rolling the
tracks, after the rocks had been picked up, and making sure they were
completely ready for races, and such.

Friday was super interesting, we had to drive all the way to
Vacaville, and we're able to have a wonderful Zone conference. As I
mentioned before I had to give my departing testimony but also we had
to go to Vacaville because people from Salt Lake City were
coming to install a device called TIWI. This little device is attached
to the computer in the vehicle and can radar all of our movements as
missionaries! It's super annoying because it will talk to us to, and
let us know if we are speeding, or if we get on the RPMs too much, or
brake too hard! It's absolutely ridiculous! I do not like it at all. We
also have a card we have to scan that is attached to our name, and
keeps record of everything that we do. Also sends notifications to
President Alba, as well as Salt Lake about everything we do wrong!

Saturday was a lot of fun. We spent a lot of time doing
service. From setting up to have our branches Mother's Day party, as well
 as helping set up for Daylin Souza's, birthday party! It was a lot
of fun. Our Mother's Day activity had a pretty good turn out. We
cooked up and ate about 100lbs of Carne Asada. It was super good! We
also had the chance to go and help organize and sort food donations
that came in from the mail trucks, that people were leaving by their
mailboxes. It was amazing to see how much food was donated. The city
of Woodland does that once a week as well.

As you all know Sunday was Mother's Day! It was a ton of fun, and
I was so happy to see my family!

Love you all!

Have a wonderful week!
Love Elder Albertson

May 12, 2015

Dear Family,
   We did not get an email from Parker this week since he had the opportunity on Tuesday the 12th to go one last time to the Sacramento temple with his District.  We as a family knew this would be the case since we got to Face Time with him on Sunday for Mother's day.
    Our visit with him on Sunday was wonderful!  How could it not be? Right?  The time flew by and felt like only a couple of minutes when it was all said and done.  Elder Albertson is doing fantastic!  He is happy and healthy and loving every minute he has spent serving the people in the California Santa Rosa mission.  We spoke to him about each area he had the opportunity to serve in and he had nothing but positive things to say.  There were people, both investigators and members that have touched his heart in every area.   These "Special" people have left their mark on Parker's life forever.  How fortunate he is to be able to someday go back and see and visit the people there that he has grown to love so much.
    Some of our conversation included what his plans and goals are for when he gets home.  I could sense some apprehension in his voice as well as the expression on his face that he isn't really sure how he feels about getting thrown into the life of adulthood.  He has a lot of big decisions to make in the near future and although he is apprehensive, he also knows that he will be guided in the decision making process, the same as he has been guided by the Holy Ghost, while on his mission.
    It was so fun to hear Parker and Abe speak back and forth to each other in Spanish.  I am still so amazed at how these young men learn these languages and can speak so fluently in such a short time.  We are so grateful that Parker got to experience the Lord's hand in helping him to become the missionary he needed to be to do the work necessary.
    One thing that people ask me a lot is if we are nervous to see him again because of how he might have changed.  Will he be weird and awkward for awhile?  I can honestly say with confidence that Parker is still our Parker.  He still acts the same and jokes the same and uses the same innuendo's that he has always used.  What is noticeably different is how his face has changed.  He doesn't look like a little boy anymore and has taken on a more grown up, non baby face, chiseled appearance.  I don't have a little boy anymore!!  I am officially the mother of a "Man" Ugh!
    Parker has also changed spiritually.  We could see that in his expressions when he spoke about the people who have influenced him the most on his mission.  You could see his sadness and concern when talking about his dear friend that he baptized in Santa Rosa who is struggling in the gospel right now.   Those moments for a Mother are priceless and nothing can compare.  You realize all at once that your child finally "gets" it.  All on his own he understands the gift that the Gospel truly can bring to us all and his desire to share that becomes of utmost importance to them.
    Our family cannot wait to see this young man again.  We are literally counting down the days before we can wrap him up in our arms and welcome him home.  His return will bring a much needed "positive" experience and distraction to us all.  We can hardly stand how excited we all are.
    Below are some pictures that were sent to me by Sister Souza.   We had the privilege to meet her and these two darling little boys that have taken such a liking to Parker.   The little guy was permanently attached to Parker 85% of the time we were Face timing with him.

 Parker's little buddies!

 Attached to the hip during our call!  We LOVED it!

Last Family photo through the Computer!!

May 4, 2015

Hola Familia/Amigos

    Wow! It’s been a week of nothing but time flying by! Looking back right
now is making me super nervous for my last 5 weeks as a missionary!
I have this feeling that the time is going to go so fast that
I'm not going to know where it even went, or anything! All I know is that
the time is coming to an end quickly, and that I need to work as hard
as I can these last few weeks so I can say at the end that I gave it
my all!

    This past week wasn't nearly as exciting or crazy

as the last one, with all the bike stuff! However, we are still
trying to get ourselves out of the apartment we are currently in
due to the fact that they still might know where we live, so we just
feel it would be better for us to move out either way!

   We had a pretty successful week though! Sacrament attendance was a
lot higher this past Sunday than the weeks before! Yesterday we
actually made it into the 80’s in sacrament meeting! Super awesome!
The past few weeks we have been in the high 40’s or low 50s!

     Yesterday was awesome! I had the opportunity yesterday, to

participate in a babies blessing! It was a super cool experience to
be able to have a member ask me as a missionary to be a part of their
babies blessing! I can’t even imagine how amazing and great of an
experience that will be, when I have the chance to bless one of my own
children!

     This week we found a new family to teach. We are super excited to work
with them. Hopefully this is the family being prepared to be
baptized before I come home.

      With transfers being this past week, we had a great time. While
everyone was at transfers, Elder Choffin, Jeske and I had a great time
going over to the Souza families, to do some service. It was a ton of fun.

 I love that family. They are so amazing. And so much fun!
Brother Souza is hilarious, he is non stop joking around, and acts and
thinks he is still young, even though he is quite an "Old Man" ha ha!

     We had a great time being able to cook for the homeless here is Woodland.

We cooked spaghetti, for between 200 and 300 homeless people here In the city of
Woodland! It is awesome. I had a great experience.

    We are really enjoying our time here in Woodland! Thank you all so
much for your support! Prayers are wonderful. I truly can feel them as
a missionary!

Love you all!
Elder Albertson

Ps: Can't wait to speak to you all next week! :)

 Being fed Pizza by Sister Souza for all our hard work!

 Service over at the Souza's 

 Yes!  This swimming pool is sooo Tempting!

Elder Jeske and I after doing our "Chores"