T2W1 Bear Creek!

Dear Family,

Thanks, Mom, for your email today. I haven't heard from anyone all week but that's mostly my fault because I didn't get my address to you. I hope everyone is well and I hope, Emma- you tell me about your new job, and Miriam- your trip home and Rae- that boy that you kissed last night. (Editor's note: Rae would like to explain that she did NOT kiss a boy last week, or last night, and that this is an example of Camille's humor.)

Bear Creek is no Louetta but I am growing to like it more. I got really attached to Louetta because it is where I was born and Hermana Draney and I had fun getting to know everyone so quick. Bear Creek is out in Katy, which is far from pretty much everyone else. That means for P-day I don't get to go into the city and play with all the rest of the missionaries like last transfer. Because of that, the Katy zone gets pretty close supposedly. We will go out to the stake center in a bit to meet them. Apparently they play this game called "Poison" every single week. It's like dodge ball I hear. Last P-day we had a district P-day one last time as a district and made salsa, guacamole, played basketball, ate pizza and watched the Work and the Glory.

Wednesday I rode out here to Katy with a few other missionaries that got transferred here. Thursday, Hermana Hollenbaugh and I went up to President's house for breakfast to meet our Greenie. Our new companion is Hermana Dewey. She grew up in Fredricksburg, VA and knows Dustin's friend, Ali. The last couple years in high school her family moved to Chile so she was able to learn Spanish pretty well there. It is definitely different with a trio, especially in training, but we have had some fun times already this transfer. We are in a tiny one bedroom apartment so our beds are all lined up in a row with about an inch between them.

We had two people with baptism dates coming into this transfer and now have one more. I am very excited. All of the investigators we have seem very nice and we are hoping to have some success with them as they pray to receive their confirmation of what we teach them. This one less active family came to church two weeks ago and Hermana Hollenbaugh and McMurtrey setup an appointment with them. We went by to teach and apparently only two of the five are baptized. The whole family came to church again this Sunday and the kids have all agreed to be baptized. The dad is very close! They even came to this activity a couple days ago to watch the Testaments with the ward. It has been a little tough getting started this transfer I think just because we don't have an Hermana Draney who knows everything to lead the way but it is definitely causing me to grow in humility as well as responsibility.

It has been raining so much this week but even in spite of that we were able to find a couple people on the street to help and set appointments up with. I truly believe that everybody needs this message and it is so important we can let one person pass by without giving the the opportunity to listen.

Elder Olive from Kahuku was at the training we received on Thursday morning because he got a greenie this transfer. He is up in College Station in the University ward. I asked him about K. He asked me how I knew him and I responded that we dated a little before my mission. After some hesitation he answered me about how K was doing and he said K's become inactive and does not come to church anymore. It struck me with this immense sadness. I can't believe how this could happen because I always felt like my spirituality level would never reach the greatness of his. Anyways I told Elder Olive to take his greenie, to use my name, and go reactivate him. I really hope he can remember the joy the gospel brings and the importance of enduring to the end.

I love you all. Ciao!

Camille

T1W6 I'm PREGO!!!

Hey Fam-

Can you all believe I am finished with my first transfer in the field already?!? Crazy huh?! The biggest news is that I'm PREGNANT! That means that I'm having a baby- or in other words- I'll be training this transfer!

I found out Friday morning that I'll be going out to this ward, Bear Creek, to be in a trio with Hermana Hollenbaugh and a greenie and we will be training her together. Everyone is so surprised--especially me because we both have only 1 transfer under us and there are several other older sisters in the mission. Hermana Draney is training again this transfer too. The greenie that Hermana Hollenbaugh and I are getting was a surprise and President just found out last week because she did the advanced Spanish class at the MTC. That means the missionary is only in the MTC for 3 weeks bc they already know the language. We hear she is from Chile so I am excited. President says this came as a big surprise to him too- that I would be training- but he says it shows that the Lord has a lot of trust in me and he respects that. It is really unheard of to be training this early on in the mission- I think it is a first. It will also be interesting reliving the Hermana Hollenbaugh sega but I think it will be good- I get a second chance to really start over and have a good relationship. I have been focusing on humility and this is exactly what I was asking for. When we were in the MTC together we taught really well and worked hard so I think we will be able to bring the Spirit to the lessons.

I am sad to leave Nacho and Alva. I will send some pictures from the Boda. We had it Friday night. Their 4 year old son Angel helped her pick out a dress. It was a fabulous event if I do say so myself. They will be baptized the Sunday after the next and unfortunately I won't be there to see it but when we taught them last night they said they would miss me and have loved having me. I've gotten really close with the kids. We had decorations, a dinner, a huge turn-out, some hoppin latin music with a serious sound system and a huge tres leches tiered cake! The relief society was amazing in volunteering their talents to help us.

The Bear Creek ward has several baptism dates set for the next few weeks when I will be there to "reap the harvest." Even though I am not the one that planted the seed and did the teaching, I know that these baptisms I should embrace with all my heart just as if they were my gators (investigators). Bear Creek is out in Katy which is a town outside the city that is more established and is not pure ghetto like here in Louetta. It will be a new experience.

Last p-day we played raquetball and Hermana Draney was intramural champ at BYU and with my tennis skills we pretty much crushed everyone. Haha. It was fun but we were both sore the next day. We work very hard and have constantly taught 20+ lessons each week all transfer. Today our district is having a salsa competition. I'm a bit scared because their going for spicy and we all know how that goes over with me. This week we ate with a member from Ecuador and she made us bamboo. It was..... interesting. Alva and Nacho also made us this Mexican dish called Menudo which is also something I just had to down without saying anything.

I love this work. What helps me is to think of how I am accountable to the Lord for this little piece of his garden he as entrusted me to tend. At the end of the transfer looking back I know I have done my best and labored without ceasing to bring these souls unto Him.

I hope everyone is well. I love you guys.

Ciao.

Camille

T1W5 Stake Conference!

Dear Family,

The attached pictures is just from my MTC district in the MTC. An elder sent it to me so I thought I'd forward it on. This week flew by. I can't believe it snowed back home. Sounds like things are happening though: Dad's trip, Miriam's trip, Emma's new job etc.. Now we just need Clarissa to get married or something. Haha.

So, the week started off great with a zone p-day at a member's home. It was a lot of fun. They had pool and a movie theater. A pool too but we we can't swim. Haha. (Editor's note: I know, I know, she already said they had a pool, but again, essence of Camille. I'd rather leave it.) We had interviews with the president and his wife. The best part of the interview is the end where he prays. He prayed for me and for the family specifically. It was very sincere and specific that you guys will receive the blessings that come from me serving diligently. The spirit was so powerful as he prayed. He served in Hawaii so he likes to hear me tell him about Clarissa's experiences there. I told him how you've picked up a little bit of pigeon and he busted out in some pigeon. It was pretty hilarious because he's a very polished guy. Anyways, also during the interview he asked if I had any needs--I told him I would like to stay with Hermana Draney so we can see these baptisms happen that are coming up. He explained to me the situation that they have 5 new Spanish sisters coming in this transfer so they need trainers so I might have a "greenie breaker" next week- we'll see!

This week we were teaching a family and the father came in just completely drunk. We were teaching the law of chastity to the mother, asking her to get married to the father of her kids who she lives with and she was explaining to us that she's been thinking of separating from him because he is always drunk. When he walked in I felt this awful sadness. I knew she had desires to raise her family in the Church before but because her husband was always drunk come Sunday morning they could never make it to church. It is hard when that kind of situation comes up. We are not there to break up families but we are hoping to work with the father to overcome the drinking. It is amazing how important the law of chastity is, as well as the word of wisdom.

We had stake conference yesterday which was downtown because we are in a Spanish stake and it covers a huge area. The stake center is down in the Galleria area, which is a really nice part of the city. It reminded me of DC instead of Mexico. Haha. It was a televised conference to the members in Texas, OK, and NM. The speaker was a surprise. It happened to be Quintin Cook, Uchtdorf, and Richard Edgely. President Uchtdorf ironically talked about preparing to serve a mission. He talked about how every home should have Preach My Gospel and try to incorporate something from there in FHE. We were listening to it translated into Spanish. It was great to see so many Hispanic families there. The conference was great and we were able to see all of the Spanish Missionaries and even Spanish Missionaries from the other missions in Houston.

Buenas Noticias! Or Good News! This friday night our investigators Alva and Nacho are getting married!!!! That means that two weeks from then they will be baptized. Hermana Draney and I are sooo excited. Alva is so excited too. She has been waiting for this day (when Nacho's heart would be softened by the Lord) for a long time. He is so ready to be baptized now. He participates in our lessons and has changed his life for the gospel. You can see the change it has made in their family. We read the record from other missionaries that tried to teach them and he was just stubborn and not willing to even listen.

I hope all is well and it is great to hear from everyone. I love you!

Camille