Hello everyone!!!
So, when Sister Yunack and I arrived in Santa Cruz as the first sister missionaries to EVER be in this area, people kept talking about how the people here were so unique and that the city has a definite reputation. WELL! After much observation, I think I am finally seeing what that reputation is! Someone said, "Not everyone you meet in Santa Cruz is completely attached to the earth." THAT SUMS IT UP. Here are some fun things that I've learned about Santa Cruz:
- Hippies are alive and thriving. The 70s never ended.
- The word "gnarly" is still hip here and is mostly used when describing people who can do amazing things near or on the ocean. For example: "I ran a run/swim marathon at 5 in the morning yesterday and it was freezing! I mean, who does that!" "A GNARLY WOMAN, THAT'S WHO!" This was a real conversation that I overheard while helping organize a race on the beach here. After this, I noticed the word "gnarly" many more times, and I think I'll just have to start using it to fit in here!
- You're not a redneck if you don't wear shoes.
While the people here are pretty open and pleasant, they aren't really interested in learning more about God. There are a lot of people here who are just good people, but they aren't interested in being close to Christ. If we talk to about 25 people on average every day, about 3 of those people will actually stop walking to let us say more. So far, we have only found one person from street contacting who told us that they wanted to learn more. But that's okay - there are people out there who need Christ and who are waiting to hear the good news that we have to share. :) There is a reason for why Heavenly Father put 6 missionaries in this area - there is work to do.
Yesterday, I walked into Sacrament in one of the wards that we cover and our zone leader said to me, "Sister Williams, you're giving a talk today?" And I said, "Ha ha, very funny, Elder Pak. Ha ha ha ha." And then I went to sit down. Well, while we were singing the opening hymn, Sister Yunack leaned over to me, and showed me the program. She said, "You're giving a talk today!" I looked at it and it said, "Sister Williams." And I said, "It's THAT (pointing to a lady a few rows up) Sister Williams, not me! They didn't ask me to give a talk!" And she said, "No, I forgot to tell you, they told me last week." And I said, "WHAT!? You're kidding!" And she said, "No, I'm not! I'm serious, that's you!" So......... I didn't even write anything down. I only had 10 minutes before I had to go up anyway. So. I just found a good scripture (Matthew 11:28-30) and a good hymn ("Brightly Beams Our Father's Mercy") and bore my testimony on the following. AND, MOM - I kept it under 10 minutes. :D
I learned something really important this past week: CHRIST is the only one who can help all of the people that I meet. Sister Yunack and I were having a companionship study and she started talking about something. I was listening and then I just started CRYING and I couldn't stop! I just had a breakdown because I was so overwhelmed with everything! I'm sure I shocked my companion, but when she asked what was wrong, I said, "THERE IS JUST SO MUCH TO DO AND SO MUCH TO STUDY AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO!"
Because I have been spending so much time studying the Savior, our Father in Heaven, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I have gained the capacity to love someone the very instant I meet them. And, I don't know what it is, but many of these people share ALL of their hardships with us during our first meeting together. I started to carry around these burdens that all of these people that I loved are carrying. It was REALLY weighing me down because I felt my helplessness in giving them relief from their trials.
I think that God wanted me to learn many things from this: He wanted me to feel the weight of darkness, loneliness, sin, and pain that all of His children carry every day. Since He gave me the gift to love all of my brothers and sisters instantaneously, He also gave me a small portion of empathy to broaden my perspective of humanity. I think that He wanted me to feel these burdens so that I could solidify my testimony in knowing that Christ is the Savior of the world. I cannot save these people. I cannot take away their suffering. But the Savior can.
I have to be honest: I was very burdened by all of the suffering that I have seen since being out here. But. This has just reinforced my testimony that this world NEEDS a Savior. And the great news is - we have one. Our Lord suffered everything so that He can heal us and give us relief. I KNOW that the Savior has the power to lift our burdens because of His Atonement. I know this because I have seen the Atonement working in my life, and it's a miracle. It's a miracle because nothing else can take away guilt and pain and replace it so perfectly with peace and joy. I cannot deny that Jesus is the Christ because of the fire that I have in my heart, and the light that I have seen behind the eyes of so many that we have the opportunity to share the Gospel with.
We met with a woman the other day who is a member of the Mormon church but who hasn't been to church in months. She too was feeling the weight of corruption from the world and was very disillusioned with how people treat each other in the world. She had so much hurt and anger inside of her. Well, we are less than half her age, and so what could we do to help her? We haven't seen the world like she has, so what do we know? All we could do was remind her that Christ has taken on the world. He has taken on the world and has OVERCOME it (John 16:33). Because of this, we may find peace in Him. What an amazing promise after our faith. Our friend slowly started to cheer up after we reminded her of the joy that we CAN have in this life and for the life to come. Then, she came to church with us on Sunday and EVERYONE embraced her right when they met her. Remembering the Savior and following His example brings us to light and happiness, our burdens lifted.
To everyone who reads this, know that I know that God loves His children. He is aware of us and ALL of our struggles. Please pray for those who live in this world without this knowledge, who walk in darkness and loneliness. In the meantime, I am honored to be a full-time servant of the Lord, seeking to share the the light of Christ with anyone I meet. I have never, NEVER felt more fulfilled and joyful than I have since serving the Lord.
I love all of you and pray for you daily. :)
Love,
Sister Williams
So, when Sister Yunack and I arrived in Santa Cruz as the first sister missionaries to EVER be in this area, people kept talking about how the people here were so unique and that the city has a definite reputation. WELL! After much observation, I think I am finally seeing what that reputation is! Someone said, "Not everyone you meet in Santa Cruz is completely attached to the earth." THAT SUMS IT UP. Here are some fun things that I've learned about Santa Cruz:
- Hippies are alive and thriving. The 70s never ended.
- The word "gnarly" is still hip here and is mostly used when describing people who can do amazing things near or on the ocean. For example: "I ran a run/swim marathon at 5 in the morning yesterday and it was freezing! I mean, who does that!" "A GNARLY WOMAN, THAT'S WHO!" This was a real conversation that I overheard while helping organize a race on the beach here. After this, I noticed the word "gnarly" many more times, and I think I'll just have to start using it to fit in here!
- You're not a redneck if you don't wear shoes.
While the people here are pretty open and pleasant, they aren't really interested in learning more about God. There are a lot of people here who are just good people, but they aren't interested in being close to Christ. If we talk to about 25 people on average every day, about 3 of those people will actually stop walking to let us say more. So far, we have only found one person from street contacting who told us that they wanted to learn more. But that's okay - there are people out there who need Christ and who are waiting to hear the good news that we have to share. :) There is a reason for why Heavenly Father put 6 missionaries in this area - there is work to do.
Yesterday, I walked into Sacrament in one of the wards that we cover and our zone leader said to me, "Sister Williams, you're giving a talk today?" And I said, "Ha ha, very funny, Elder Pak. Ha ha ha ha." And then I went to sit down. Well, while we were singing the opening hymn, Sister Yunack leaned over to me, and showed me the program. She said, "You're giving a talk today!" I looked at it and it said, "Sister Williams." And I said, "It's THAT (pointing to a lady a few rows up) Sister Williams, not me! They didn't ask me to give a talk!" And she said, "No, I forgot to tell you, they told me last week." And I said, "WHAT!? You're kidding!" And she said, "No, I'm not! I'm serious, that's you!" So......... I didn't even write anything down. I only had 10 minutes before I had to go up anyway. So. I just found a good scripture (Matthew 11:28-30) and a good hymn ("Brightly Beams Our Father's Mercy") and bore my testimony on the following. AND, MOM - I kept it under 10 minutes. :D
I learned something really important this past week: CHRIST is the only one who can help all of the people that I meet. Sister Yunack and I were having a companionship study and she started talking about something. I was listening and then I just started CRYING and I couldn't stop! I just had a breakdown because I was so overwhelmed with everything! I'm sure I shocked my companion, but when she asked what was wrong, I said, "THERE IS JUST SO MUCH TO DO AND SO MUCH TO STUDY AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO!"
Because I have been spending so much time studying the Savior, our Father in Heaven, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I have gained the capacity to love someone the very instant I meet them. And, I don't know what it is, but many of these people share ALL of their hardships with us during our first meeting together. I started to carry around these burdens that all of these people that I loved are carrying. It was REALLY weighing me down because I felt my helplessness in giving them relief from their trials.
I think that God wanted me to learn many things from this: He wanted me to feel the weight of darkness, loneliness, sin, and pain that all of His children carry every day. Since He gave me the gift to love all of my brothers and sisters instantaneously, He also gave me a small portion of empathy to broaden my perspective of humanity. I think that He wanted me to feel these burdens so that I could solidify my testimony in knowing that Christ is the Savior of the world. I cannot save these people. I cannot take away their suffering. But the Savior can.
I have to be honest: I was very burdened by all of the suffering that I have seen since being out here. But. This has just reinforced my testimony that this world NEEDS a Savior. And the great news is - we have one. Our Lord suffered everything so that He can heal us and give us relief. I KNOW that the Savior has the power to lift our burdens because of His Atonement. I know this because I have seen the Atonement working in my life, and it's a miracle. It's a miracle because nothing else can take away guilt and pain and replace it so perfectly with peace and joy. I cannot deny that Jesus is the Christ because of the fire that I have in my heart, and the light that I have seen behind the eyes of so many that we have the opportunity to share the Gospel with.
We met with a woman the other day who is a member of the Mormon church but who hasn't been to church in months. She too was feeling the weight of corruption from the world and was very disillusioned with how people treat each other in the world. She had so much hurt and anger inside of her. Well, we are less than half her age, and so what could we do to help her? We haven't seen the world like she has, so what do we know? All we could do was remind her that Christ has taken on the world. He has taken on the world and has OVERCOME it (John 16:33). Because of this, we may find peace in Him. What an amazing promise after our faith. Our friend slowly started to cheer up after we reminded her of the joy that we CAN have in this life and for the life to come. Then, she came to church with us on Sunday and EVERYONE embraced her right when they met her. Remembering the Savior and following His example brings us to light and happiness, our burdens lifted.
To everyone who reads this, know that I know that God loves His children. He is aware of us and ALL of our struggles. Please pray for those who live in this world without this knowledge, who walk in darkness and loneliness. In the meantime, I am honored to be a full-time servant of the Lord, seeking to share the the light of Christ with anyone I meet. I have never, NEVER felt more fulfilled and joyful than I have since serving the Lord.
I love all of you and pray for you daily. :)
Love,
Sister Williams
