Cornelius, "the Family Town of Oregon"

Mission blog website! http://oregonsalemmission.blogspot.com/

Well, transfer calls were this weekend, and I am STAYING here in Cornelius, Oregon. By the end of the transfer, I would have been here 4 and a half months! Hermana Sorensen is still leaving me on the 24th for ARGENTINA (sadness), so we are going to be in a temporary trio. Today we are picking up the third victim...err, sister.

On P-DAY, we carved pumpkins.Can't remember the last time (or if there was even a last time?) I did that, so it's pretty momumental. Sending pictures.

Tuesday, we had interviews with President Samuelian, which is a huuuge deal. Interviews are only supposed to be 15 minutes long, but mine ended up being 45 minutes long...whoops. But he told me a few things that I will never forget.

He asked me how the Spanish was going. It was a question I was dreading. The truth is, my Sanish isn't going. My hearing isn't that bad....for English. But there are so many things even hearing aids can't fix. I still can't hear hardly a word that is muttered and I can't hold conversations. I can't read their lips, they barely move and when I see it move it's saying a word I don't even know. Hermana Sorensen, who is fluent, had been doing a lot of the speaking, and all I could do was say a few things here and there and bear a simple testimony. So when he asked me how it was going, I began to cry because I felt like such a disappointment. But I managed to mutter bravely and honestly, "I...can't hear them." He looked down for a moment, and I had no idea what he was going to say. I continued and told him how I felt like I was learning two different languages, both lip-reading and verbal Spanish and how I felt like I am holding this area back, and that I don't know what to do. I want to learn SO BAD. But then he looked back up, with tears down his face, and told me, "Hermana Blanchard, do you believe in God?" and I said, "Yes." and he said, "Do you believe that God still performs mracles?" And I said, "according to my faith, yes." And so he gave me a blessing right then and there. He promised me my tongue would be loose and that my ears would hear. He promised me that I don't need to worry about my family, and that they are in the Lord's hands.

No, I am not fluent nor have I made much progression from that day but it's okay. I don't get as discouraged, and I talk whenever I can. That's really all I can do, right? Anway, I really love my mission president. He makes a lot of things so much easier.

Wednesday, we saw our investigator Gloria and invited her to church this weekend! At first she said no way, but then we kinda pushed, and told her how awesome it would be if she came and how important it was, and she agreed. A member picked her up and she stayed for sacrament meeting. Because of her stroke she gets super stiff after sitting for too long, and so she was kinda in pain by the end. But we asked her if she enjoyed it and she said though she was in pain, it was worth every second of it.

Thursday, we went on Splits (Hermana Sorensen went with one member somewhere, I went with another member somehwere else). Like I had mentioned, my Spanish is NOT up to par, and my member-companion wasn't fluent, either. BUT! I managed, with my broken Spanish, to get TWO return appointments, with Mateo and Rolando. Rolando was easy because...he spoke English, but whatever! Mateo didn't understand a lick of English but it didn't matter, I just made sure to flash my pretty smile and speak as much Spanish as would come out, and it worked! Rolando we found because he was looking for his cell phone. After talking with him a few minutes, he's a God-lovin' man and we found out his sister just got baptized in Mexico, and that he'd love for us to teach him!

Friday, we had a FIVE HOUR ZONE MEETING. It was wonderful, but we went in with the sun shining outside and when we left it was setting..

Sister Ferguson is going through the temple! Hermana Sorensen or I will be her escort. I think I've mentioned her before, but her husband died in a tragic accident in 2011. Now she and him can be sealed together, forever.

Saturday, we had a lesson with a member's boyfriend, Clint. it went super well....and do you know why?

Because a member decided to do missionary work!!!!! Sooooooo funny how all these "members are the missionaries" themes come up, isn't it?!!!!?!?

Anyway, that was my crazy week.

Love you all, thanks for all your support!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hermana Blanchard

PS. A shout-out to BETSY KAY BLANCHARD JORGENSEN FOR HER BIRTHDAY THIS SATURDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PPS. Sorry Alex, I forgot to give you a shoutout. But your present was arguable better than Betsy's.

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Anything for Stephanie should now be sent to:
Oregon Salem Mission
Hermana Blanchard

700 Deborah Rd. Suite 260
Newberg, OR 97132