Hello
Family!
Wow! This week has
been AWESOME!!! :) Very busy, I'm exhausted as always but I LOVE It! :) I don't
even care how tired I am because I love this work and I love these people so
much that I would give up sleep! :) haha President might have to make me take a
nap soon though :P haha jk :) But Wow! :) I hope y'all had an Amazing
thanksgiving btw! :) I know I did! But we'll talk about that later! :)
So this week was SO
busy! Along with Thanksgiving we had to do 2 exchanges because we didn't do any
while Fabis was here. But we are behind! :) So we have to do 2 this next week
as well! So on Tuesday Sister Esplin came to Chambers Creek with me! It was a
lot of fun! Sister Esplin is from Springville and I went to school with her
older Sister Heather! I believe Sister Esplin (Dani) is friends with Katherine!
(My cousin :) ) So that's cool! Anyways she came out the Transfer before me and
she is a very great missionary! :) We had a ton of fun! I laughed so hard I
broke my kidney :) (hehehe get it? my kidney...) It was great! And we worked so
hard! I was very satisfied because I felt like we used our time wisely! Yay!
That's one of the hardest things as a missionary is figuring out the BEST thing
to do with your time! :) But it was just a good day all around :)
Anyways, so that was
awesome! On Wednesday we got back with our companions and had zone meeting
which was kind of uneventful, we read the restoration pamphlet :) But after
that we had a bunch of lessons and put 2 people on date!!! Woohoo!!! :) haha
It's awesome because, well, the church is true. But also, I love it when people
UNDERSTAND! If everyone understood what we believed everyone would be a member.
And even if every member understood what we believe they would be better too!
:) But it was a FILLED day! Which I love! Because, if the day after exchanges
is not filled you kinda drag sometimes because the exchanges always take it out
of you :)
We are teaching this
Family their names are Brandon and Jaliesa and they have THE CUTEST little baby
that I’ve ever seen in my entire life! He’s adorable! His name is king and I
want to take him home with me! :) He is 1 and he throws a football like an
athlete! haha so funny! I love it! :) But we saw them Wednesday night and got
to teach them about the book of Mormon and Jaliesa is on date for the 14th! :)
Now for Thanksgiving! Holy food! :) haha well
first we went to the Nursing home! :) It was so sweet and very humbling. We
visited with Victor for a bit and he's doing well, he was going to go to his nieces
house for dinner and he was so excited! :) He is the sweetest man! He just
loves it when we come and makes us feel like a million bucks! He is just such a
blessing "all are uplifted and edified" when we go and see him :)
Then we had some food with everyone else! It was so fun! We got to serve them
and help them eat and just talk to them and the food was actually really good!
:) I sat next to this lady named Iola the poor lady was so lonely but I loved
sitting next to her and talking to her. :) She was precious!
After that we went and
ran around an apartment complex and put sticky notes on people's doors that
said "Happy thanksgiving we love you! Love the sister missionaries!"
we couldn't really bug anyone so we just left a little note :) But we did stop
by Juan’s and say hi! :) Then we went to George and Alice's! (George is our
recent convert and Alice is getting there still :) ) They are the sweetest
couple in the entire world and man was I stuffed like a turkey after their
house! Sister Chipman and I went, and then since they live out of our area they
go to the Stadium ward and so the Stadium Elders that helped us teach them came,
and then sister Packard and her companion Sister Casselle got to come as well!
It was a thanksgiving FEAST! :) We all went around the table and said what we
were grateful for and it was awesome :) We all cried a little :) haha!
Then Sister Chipman
and I went to the Flemming's home (members that come to our ward, but live in
stadium area) and Sister Flemming gave us this cake that had nutella and
strawberries and it was SO delicious! :) Elder Smart was there! (Your friends
son) I see him quite a bit and he likes to brag about how we know each other
haha :) it's quite funny! Then we got to sing I am a child of God for them! They
have the cutest little girls and that's their favorite song :)
After that we went to
President and Sister Weavers!!! They had all of Tacoma West, Tacoma East and
Lakewood zones come to the mission home (these are the perks of being so close
:D) And it was SO much fun! :) Hey there's another Missionary here from
Springville she's Cambodian speaking, her name is sister walker. I also went to
school with her older sister :) haha just a random fact :) But we just played
games and hung out for a while I was at the piano with elder Hughes and Sister
Dunster and we were singing all sorts of songs! :) Then we decorated a
Christmas tree and Played Catchphrase with about 70 missionaries! It was so
hilarious! :) haha then we went around and said something we're grateful for.
It was so awesome and spiritual! Then we sang Christmas songs and danced around
and it was just fun and hilarious. It was a really GREAT Thanksgiving! I loved
every second! Plus I didn't have to watch boring football! :D ;)
On Friday I got to go to Mountain View with
SISTER PACKARD! Ah! It was a great day!!! :) haha I was PUMPED for this
exchange! And I will tell you details because I loved it :) first we went to
this recent convert’s house (Tony and Aaron) and had a lesson with their
investigator named Dean! Dean is awesome! He has a few struggles that are
keeping him from getting baptized, but he is getting there! Hopefully this
weekend! But it was an AMAZING lesson. I miss teaching with Sister Packard so
much. It's crazy how in Sync we are and we just feed off each other’s spirits
and it's awesome. But it was a very powerful lesson. We talked about the Gospel
and how through Christ we can be cleansed from sin and then faith and
repentance. Sister Packard read a story in Luke and it was beautiful. it was
the one about the woman who was a sinner but she knew that Jesus was going to
be close so she takes this box of ointment and she washes Christ's feet with
her tears, and wipes them with her hair and them anoints His feet. And Sister
Packard says "there's only a few people I know that can cry enough to fill
a bowl to wash someone’s feet and Sister Wilkins is one of them" haha It's
literally INSANE how much I have cried on my mission! haha pretty sure everyone
I know has seen me cry :P but it's fine! Here’s the story:
37 And,
behold, a awoman in
the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat
at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster bbox of
ointment,
38 And
stood at his feet behind him weeping,
and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his
feet, and aanointed them with the
ointment.
39 Now
when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake
within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who
and what manner of woman this is that
toucheth him: for she is a sinner.
40 And
Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he
saith, Master, say on.
41 There
was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred apence, and the
other fifty.
42 And
when they had nothing to pay, he frankly aforgave them
both. bTell me therefore, which of them will love him most?
43 Simon
answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he
forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.
44 And he
turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into
thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet
with tears, and wipedthem with the hairs of her
head.
47 Wherefore
I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, areaforgiven; for
she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth
little.
49 And
they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this
that aforgiveth sins also?
It's such a great
story! So we read that and just bore testimony and talked to Dean about what he
struggled with and how God would help him. And I just started crying! (Of
course :) ) The spirit was so strong. And I testified of the power of the Book
of Mormon. I LOVE The Book of Mormon! So much! It really is such a powerful
thing to have in our lives! It can help us with so many things! It truly is a
holy book! And it's crazy how fast I loved Dean and Tony and Aaron. I felt at
home right away. And then after the lesson of course we sang! haha Sister
Packard and I sang "more holiness give me" it was very sweet :)
Then we were driving
and on the side of the road we see this little old lady and a younger girl
picking up leaves! So we stop and joined them! :) (Somehow I always get dirt
under my fingernails when I'm with Sister Packard) Miss Fay is 80 years old and
she cleans the sidewalks and gutters every day! It drives her crazy to have
dirty sidewalks and gutters. She was the cutest little old lady! and then Jamarah
is 16 and she say Fay and decided to stop and help! So I told Jamarah about the
restoration while we were picking up leaves and she thought it was interesting.
We spent about an hour cleaning up these leaves and it was just fun! Afterwards
we set up an appointment with them and said a prayer. :) The appointment with
Fay was that night :)
During tracting we had
a lot of fun and found 6 new! awhhh yeea!!! haha I'm serious, Sister Packard
and I work so well together sometimes! haha we just like working hard! But it
was really fun! I asked her about Virtue because that is what I really want to
work and focus on. I don't want to be someone who comes home and forgets what I’ve
learned on my mission. I know my behavior has changed but I’m making 100% sure
that my nature is changed! :) Which it has in A LOT of ways! :) but we also
accidently knocked on a member's door and she let us come in and use the
bathroom and stuff and then Sister Packard and I got to sing "Joseph
Smiths First Prayer" for her! Holy cow! It was so fun! :) haha I'm not
boasting by saying this I really feel like the spirit just whooshes in when we
sing together and it's the craziest thing because we are so in sync. When one
goes slower or faster the other does the same when one gets louder or softer
the other does the same. It's so much fun!!! :) haha
After that we went to
Fay's house for our lesson. We walked in the house and I almost fell on the
ground laughing my head off. Her whole house is COVERED head to toe with DOLLS!
They were stacked nicely but the only room on the floor was a pathway from Fays
chair to the door. She sleeps in her chair, she only has a radio and books and
she's lonely. It was SO sad! She told us about how her life and she is just a
sad and angry old lady. So we talked to her about Christ and church and it made
her feel a little better. But seriously guys, I’ve never felt more humbled in
my entire life. I am so lucky! I was born into the gospel and a pretty good
family I guess (haha jokes! I LOVE you guys like crazy! ) but I’m so spoiled.
It was very sad. So afterwards we tried to put it out of our minds and we went
home for the night and had some "girl talk" and shared take aways
before bed. It was really cool because we both recognized how we've grown in
the past 3 weeks of not being companions. My confidence has grown a ton and
I've changed a lot in the past 3 weeks. And it's funny because Sister Packard
helped me with the processes of changing things and then she got to see the
finished project :) haha But really. I don't think y'all understand how much
she helped me change. First of all she helped me be more positive, about past
present and future! Ah! She helped me have more hope! :) She helped me with my
confidence, my gospel knowledge, Charity, virtue, joy; basically she just
helped me to come closer to my Savior! And that is why she is my best friend!
:) She enabled me to change myself because she just loved me. No matter how
many times I messed up, she helped me see why I was messing up and helped me
get up over that weakness. :) I've had many angels in my life including all
y'all and it's a beautiful thing, to be able to have people around me that love
me and enable me to become better and strengthen my relationship with my
Savior! :) I AM BLESSED! :) Ah I just love you guys :) haha but anyways :) it
was an awesome exchange :) In the morning we got ready and such, during companionship
study I was so amazed. I forgot somehow about how much Sister Packard
understands. Literally she has so much wisdom! I could listen to her talk about
the gospel for DAYS!!! haha so it was a lot of fun and I hated leaving. :) But
she is needed in Mountain View! She's doing so many amazing things there! :)
It's just cool....haha I love missions so much!!!! AH! :)
Saturday night the
SWEETEST thing of my entire life happened. Juan called us and told us to come
by so we do and Juan, Jon and Kyle come out with this basket full of goodies
and big smiles on their faces! I wanted to hug them! They are the NICEST people
I’ve ever met in my entire life! I love them SO MUCH!!! :) And I didn't even do
anything to deserve it. We have the best recent converts ever. I can't believe
how much I love them! All the ones in Steilacoom and all the ones in chambers
creek! :) I LOVE THEM SO MUCH!!!! My heart might burst by the end of my mission
because I love so many people :) haha I love love :) how on earth did I get so
lucky?
Literally, God has
blessed me with so much and I am so grateful I could cry! Blessings really do
come to those who try to live worthy! And I believe that my blessings are my
favorite people! Which are all y'all! :) I love you so much! I am so excited to
hug the crap out of you in 9 months and a day! :) Prepare yourselves :D anyways
I should probably end this e-mail before my heart bursts with all sorts of
emotions :) But, THE CHURCH IS TRUE!!! :) I love this gospel because it's true.
I share this message because it's true; I love the book of Mormon and the bible
because they're true. I love the Prophet because he's a true prophet of God. I
love my Savior Jesus Christ because He lives! And He walks with me every day! I
have no idea how I’m so lucky to have this knowledge but I’m going to go shout
it off the rooftop right NOW! :) Anyone care to join?! :)
Love you and miss you
like CRAZY! :)
Love always
Sister Wilkins
p.s. WE FOUND
FELISHA!!! :)
By the way! I LOVE sister
Chipman! :) haha she is so great and we have a ton of fun together! :) She's a
hard worker and likes to be obedient like me! :) haha So we are doing super
well together :D
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| Not a very good picture but hey, it works! Sister Packard and I on Thanksgiving. I was seriously tripped out by her straight hair! :) haha |
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| President explaining how in the world we will play catchphrase with 70 missionaries :D |
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| Funny Pictures |
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| More Funny Pictures |
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| Cool view in mountain view :) |
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| Sister Packard made me breakfast :) <3 |
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| My brothers! :) |
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| aren't they just the sweetest things?! |
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| Sock Monkey, Chocolate covered strawberries, chocolate, and a cinnamon roll cooking thing! :) |
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| Sister Packard always called me a sock monkey...does anyone see a resemblance??? : |
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| My study desk |
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| This one is very sweet :) This is from Sister Hall. The very first night of my mission i was afraid and i was crawling into bed overwhelmed by thinking "what the heck am I doing?" and Sister Hall says "goodnight my little angel!" And I felt lots better! :) so sweet! and she says it all the time :) and then she left it on the ceiling of our room when she left chambers creek :) |
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| Kyle colored this for me! SO sweet! |
