Choose Your Own Adventure

Guess what?!?!?! I had a miracle FILLED week. It was such an answer to prayers. I really got to see the hand of the Lord this week. He reminded me that this is His work & that He is actively involved in it. So I couldn't pick which miracle I want to share so I figured you could just pick for yourselves!! Agency!!

If you want to hear about our "post 3 knock" find, go to #4

If you want to hear about our stoplight miracle, go to #1

If you want to hear about our long lost member, go to #3

If you want to hear about my Ukrainian friend, go to #2

If you want to hear about miracles in Sketchville, go to #5

#1 Okay so I play this game where I hold up a Book of Mormon as we drive and try to see how many people I can get to look. At a stoplight this week, the guy next to us looked! We rolled down our window and started a brief convo. But then the light turned green and the truck behind us honked so we went on our way. But then he caught up to us and shouted through his window, "so are you going to tell me about your book?" I said "of courseeeeee" so we pulled over and taught Mr. DEZ!!

#2 There's this lady who comes to church every week. She doesn't speak spanish. She doesn't speak English. She speaks Russian. She's from Ukraine. I don't even know her name. But she's my friend. I sit next to her and help her find the hymns in the English songbook so she can kind of sing along. What an amazing faithful lady, who just comes to take the sacrament even when she doesn't know what anyone is saying. I love her. 

#3 We set up a lesson with a member we had never seen before. We confirmed and everything. But when we got there, she wasn't home... ugh. BUT you know who was home? Her daughter who is also a member but hasn't been in years. And our visit was to her a reminder that God knows her and loves her and wants her to stay close. What an amazing thing!!!

#4 We found José after we knocked on a members door 3 times with no answer. And as we were standing there writing a note he answered because he wondered what we were doing lol. And turns out he's been taught before and wants to be taught again!!!!!! Wooohooooo!!

#5 Sunnyside is the sketchy part of our area. But on exchanges this week I went up there and met some people that the English sisters are teaching. And we found a long lost soul and the next day 4 people came to church!!! The real miracle was that I felt totally safe singing "called to serve" to myself as I walked down the street. 

All in all, this work is the Lord's work. I studied lots about faith this week and if you haven't read Hebrews 11, I'd recommend it. By faith, miracles happen. 

Much love🤟

Hermana Eastman

Choose God

Hey everyone!!! If you're still sticking around with this, go you. Happy to have you here. 

This week my goal has been to choose God more often. Specifically to listen to promptings and go through with them. So I'll share two of those experiences.

Leivi

This is someone I taught in Alvin! But she told us her life was a little too crazy for us back in December. So we hadn't seen her since. Well, I went on an exchange back in Alvin this week!! (So fun to be with Hna Jo again) and after one of our lessons fell through I had the feeling to go visit her. But.. she lives in my literal least favorite trailer park. I always feel so anxious there. But I remembered my goal and I thought to myself "I'll do it for Jesus." So we went. And she was home! And after we talked to her we found out something really hard had happened to her and her family. Our hearts were broken for her and we got to have a sweet moment talking about the Savior. So even though her wild dog definitely peed on my shoe, it was worth it to follow that prompting.

Ana Maria

Back up here in Manvel, as we were driving to a lesson. We passed by the house of someone we were teaching, someone we hadn't had contact with. I hadn't even met her. But Hna Jensen kind of in passing said "thats where Ana Maria lives." And I felt something in my chest that said "go visit her." I kind of thought to myself "that's weird, huh" (hard headed I know) and then Hna Jensen suggested maybe we just go stop by. I agreed. Well we knocked 3 times. Nothing. No lights on either. And then as we were walking away, a truck pulls up. And Ana Maria gets out. And we got to talk to her!! She actually started to go back to her other church so it's not a bit obvious miracle, but we did get to give her a Book of Mormon. And I know the Spirit was there. 

Feeling like I got to be a little answer to someone's prayer literally fills me up with happiness. I love it. And so that's what I'm going to try to do. I encourage you to try to do the same:)

Hna Eastman

ps we found some chicken feet inside our church building this week.... fun little surprise!

I Moved Again.

Who's surprised? Not me. Ladies and gentlemen we are going on area number 7 for me. Kinda cool!! But so much packing and unpacking. 

I'm in the Manvel Ward! It's a Spanish ward which is fun for me, get to exercise my spanish muscles. At church on Sunday I actually had to give a TALK. What an initiation. It was only for 3 minutes but it was a surprise to me. 

Saying goodbye to Alvin was sad but I'm happy I got to be there for a little bit. You can't "scatter sunshine" if you don't get "scattered" around the mission am I right? 

Im not sad to leave the trailer park with the dogs that follow me around. We name them. This is Taffeta. Notice the apparent fear on my face.

This week I realized again how much I love the Book of Mormon. It's so good. And I can't imagine who I would be without it. It's been such a comfort to me. The Spirit is there if you read that book with an open heart. 

Anyway, keep trying your best to be good. 

Hermana Eastman

I'm Still Alive

Sneak peak into the life of Hermana Eastman...

"Purpose" by Justin Bieber is keeping my spirits up.

We squashed a massive mosquito eater inside our car and it's still there to this day. 

I figured out that the evil goat is scared of water.

The Olivas are so close to understanding the truth!

I had some evil tacos that wrecked me.

I had some decent lengua tacos.

The little children in our branch are so precious.

I met some obnoxious children who bit me.

Scripture power is real. I love the scriptures.

Hermana Eastman

Week 1

First week of the transfer! We had so many new members and friends to meet. Except we didn't get any of their contact info to update in our area book until halfway through the week. So that was interesting. 

We went to the dog shelter on Friday and got to walk some dogs:) some of them don't have names so I like to name them just for fun. But my most favorite dog actually has a name. Her name is Sadie and she's the sweetest pitbull on this planet. We became friends a few weeks ago and then she was back at the shelter this week. But she's getting adopted!! So happy for her.

Hna Johansen and I found ourselves at Bucees twice this week🤷‍♀️ it's like Disneyland. 

This week my favorite scripture has been Deuteronomy 8:2 "And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no." Heavenly Father gives us opportunities for us to show Him what we really care about, and how far we will go for Him. Good reflection stuff right there.

Hermana Eastman

Hi dad!

I thought I'd send you an email since I don't get to talk to you much. Won't it be fun when I come home and we can just spend time together! We can talk about all our spiritual findings and watch Super 8 or something. I'm pretty sure spring training starts next month so I hope you are looking forward to that. 

This week I felt like the little bumps on my path seemed so hard. For example:

I accidentally almost gave a member a seizure because I flicked the lights on and off at our ward fhe to get everyone to be quiet and apparently she has epilepsy.. so that caused a scene. 

We knocked on the door of someone the sisters had been teaching and the apartment manager came out and told us that this was an apartment complex for mentally ill people and we should leave and not take advantage of them.. so once again little bump that seemed so hard.

This man quizzed me on where Jesus was born because apparently some other missionaries told him He was born in America (which I don't believe is actually true) and so he doubted that I knew the correct answer and asked me over and over like 5 times after I said BETHLEHEM. Anyway.

Not to seem trodden down but man idk how Heavenly Father deals with all of us down here. He only has imperfect people to deal with. So I'm very grateful He hasn't given up on me yet. 

I'm fairly certain this is the hardest thing I've ever done. But I'm pretty sure I've grown a lot. If anything, I've grown to love the scriptures a lot more. So I'm going to keep going and hope that something good will come out of this. That in the end my faith will actually be stronger than it was before. 

I hope you have a good week at work! Don't forget to take time to recharge physically and spiritually.

I thought of a really good birthday present for you!! But it's going to cost like 5000 dollars so I'll have to give it to you in a couple of years. 

Love you!!

Emma

Otra Semana!

Happy full week of January! 

This week we unintentionally had SEVEN members present at one of our lessons... we all squished it and did our best to invite the Spirit!

Transfers are today and my companion and I are taking over the English ward as well as the Spanish branch! Very busy, very good. 

Also I had the most DELICIOUS tacos this week and I've officially decided that tacos are my favorite food.

Anyway sigue adelante!

Hermana Eastman

A Very 2020 End to 2021

Well everyone this will be a short email.

I had covid!! So my days consisted of tissues and quarantine and studying and sleeping. Pretty exciting!

But the day after our quarantine ended we met with our friend Yazmin and she's accepted a baptismal date of February 5th!! She wants the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost and we're going to help her get there:) 

Well, happy new year! I never thought I would make it to 2022 but here we are. Happy to be here:)

Enjoy this picture of me with my positive covid test.

Hermana Eastman