Week 48

Hello Family! 

Well, not a whole ton happened this week, a lot of our investigators are now recent converts! haha But we are still working with some amazing people that we're way excited about :) You already know about Monday, but Tuesday after emailing we had a meet and greet at the church :) Daja came by herself! this is a 9 year old! haha members give her rides, but she is so brave and so cute and outgoing. If that ever happened to me as a 9 year old, I would have just sat there and been shy but not Daja! she's hilarious! :) I love her :) Then we went over to her house and taught her and her mom Nicole the first part of the plan of salvation! They loved it! Daja was on sugar and kept asking so many questions and talking a ton haha I love it! :) Wednesday we had district meeting as always, we taught a few lessons but people are just set in their own ways sometimes, but that night we taught our investigator Faith. Faith was given to us as a referral from the Spanish elders, we went over there and taught her about the BOM and stuff and she came to church once, but we had not been able to teach her because she's busy a lot. She's a personal assistant, and a housekeeper so she's constantly working! But we finally got to go over to teach her! And we started with how God is our loving Heavenly Father. Well, that's all we taught her about because she doesn't really know if God is our loving Heavenly Father. She has been through a lot in her life and she wonders why God hasn't changed her circumstances. Which we told her that He can't change circumstances, He can only change us, but she is searching very hard. She has a desire to believe! :) It was so interesting, this 40 day fast thing really works, I feel like I have felt the spirit more. As she was crying telling us about her trials I just began to have the deepest love for her. It was very sweet. We talked to her about how to grow your faith, this is why I love the BOM because there's people in there that felt the same way Faith feels in Alma 32. The Book of Mormon is for us! :) And at the end she said I just want to have the light in me that you guys have in you! And we promised her that if she kept her commitments that she would. :) On Thursday we did weekly planning and went to the Nursing home! :) It was my last time at the Nursing home and I was so sad! :/ But we sang to them and I just bore my testimony, they were all sad that I was leaving, but I told them I would come back to visit. :) That night we got to go back to Daja and Nicole's and teach them the rest of the plan of salvation! They LOVED IT! :) Nicole likes to say "Celestial" haha they both always take notes during our "bible studies" and they are just so prepared! After teaching the plan, we put both of them on date for the 2nd! yes! the day of the super bowl! Oh my goodness side note, I am now a fan of the Seahawks. :) cuz I’m sure if I wasn't I would be shunned out of Washington! :) haha but anyways, that day is going to be INSANE!!! I don't think President will have us go knocking, but we'll see! It's pretty fun though to have the Seahawks going to the superbowl. :) I am excited! Because if they win, everyone will be in a good mood and then we can baptize them all! haha jk jk :) but they will be in a good mood! :) It's so funny, we knock on doors during football games and their like "don't you know the Seahawks are playing right now?!" and I’m like "don't you read the bible? "no other gods before me!"" :) bahaha anyways it's crazy out here everyone is decked out for the Seahawks! :) anyways after we put them on date we told Nicole she had to stop smoking to get baptized, and she was SO willing! she was like "oh that's perfect I only have one left, this is a sign from God!" haha so we're hoping that she's doing ok with that! :) I Love them both SO much though! I am hoping and praying that I can see them be baptized before I leave!!!!! That would make my life because I love them SO much! :) Friday was an eventful day :) We had Interviews with President weaver in the morning. Ok, I know that I always tell you I love him, but I really do! :) haha I went in there and we said a prayer, and the first thing he says is "so in your prayer you said you wanted to know how you can be better, so how can you be better?" haha and I was like NO that's the question I was going to ask you!!! :) haha so I thought for a second and I told him that I just really want to have more passion and enthusiasm for the gospel every day...and he told me about how I just need to pray about it and basically "fake it til you make it" kind of a thing. :) haha so that's what I’m working on. then he asked me what I needed to do better as a missionary and I didn't really know haha so we went through the day and he asked me if I was obedient with everything and went about doing good which I do and he was like "well there you go" haha! No help! :) but that's ok I found some things I want to work on :) then I told him about the 40 day fast thing and how I sometimes get overwhelmed with all the things I want to work on that I just give up on a few haha and he told me about 2 Nephi 2:21 that talks about how the days of the children of men were prolonged so that they could repent. And he said to take one or two things and work on them for a few weeks and then maintain that but work on something else. So that's good advice :) haha then we talked about how we are one of the "noble and great ones" and basically just told me he loved me and that he was proud of me...but then I asked him how I can prepare for transfer calls. And he told me I am leaving Chambers Creek and I started crying! haha (even though I already knew) and then he started crying with me. And told me if I never would have left Steilacoom I never would have found these amazing people to love in chambers creek. And that my love for them will always be there. Then he said something that is in my patriarchal blessing! CHURCH IS TRUE! :) haha But he told me to look forward with a positive attitude and then he said with tears running down his face "tomorrow, when I stand in front of the transfer board, and pray about you personally, and I promise you that I will make sure that what happens will be what is best for you." So that gave me some peace about transfers. I am actually kind of excited. I am going to absolutely HATE leaving these wonderful people whom I love so much! But I am ready to find more people to love. I'm convinced I'm moving far away from Tacoma and that Sister Esplin will be my companion. I'm probably completely off...but that's my guess :) haha I guess we'll find out on Saturday! :) But I just feel at peace about it. I trust in God. I am grateful for your support and love and prayers though :) I can feel them! :) Chambers Creek will always hold such a special place in my heart. And you guys HAVE to come back and visit with me! You need to meet these people! And see for yourself how amazing they really are! :) After Interviews we drove to Mountain View! And I got to stay there with Sister Cassell and Sister Chipman went to Chambers Creek with Sister Packard and Sister Wilkinson. :) It was such a fun exchange! I absolutely LOVE sister Cassell! We are so alike in a lot of ways and it was just fun :) haha The highlights of the exchange were:

-Hearing about all the progress with the recent converts and investigators, I’ve been on an exchange to mt. view 3 times now! So I know a lot of the people there :) and it makes my heart a puddle to hear about those who are doing good! :) 

-Seeing Toni and Aaron, they are recent converts and they are SO sweet! I feel the spirit so strongly in their home, and last time when I was there with Sister Packard they took a picture of us and I made it on their missionary wall! :) They are the most loving people in the world! :) 

-I felt enthusiastic! haha Cassell and I just have a lot of fun! I went on an exchange with her back in October as well and we had a lot of fun, but it was very cool to see the way she has grown! 

- I watched an old lady with no teeth full on make out with her dog....gross...and then she proceeded to tell us about the voices that she hears. (oh the wonderful people you find in Tacoma :) )

-I got a full face lick from a giant dog. 

haha so yes, it was pretty darn fun :) It was good for me, because I felt a lot of love for those people that we went and saw that day, and it made me feel even more ready for transfers because I love people so much. :) Then Saturday we went back to Chambers and I find out that Packard's brother Spencer was in WA! she was freaking out! haha and so excited! So we went over to the Pryor's and met her brother Spencer, cousin Kara, and 2 of her friends Carson and Isaac. And Terrance, Juan, Jon and Kyle came too! It was very fun! They had a little jam session and Jon Cooper played the drums, and Spencer played the guitar and they just picked it up out of nowhere! It was amazing! :) The Packard family is extremely talented! :) It's insane! haha I loved it so much! :) we also that night went and taught Anthony and he is doing so good! He sent his records over to the YSA ward :( and he gave a talk yesterday! He is just movin on up! haha I'm so proud of him! JOY! :) I can't describe it any other way. Sunday was a good day, Terrance finally came to church! He hadn't been in a month, and we tried. But I knew Packard could get him there, so that's part of the reason why she came here :) haha but he came! and he was happy! I haven't seen him smile like that in a while! :) I Love Terrance so much! :) I just hope that he can stay happy. Daja and Nicole also came to church! Daja had already come twice but it was Nicole's first time and she loved it! she was taking notes and everyone said hello and it was so good! :) we are going over there tonight too and I’m way excited! :) That night we finally got to teach the Rodney family again! (the 9 piece family aka 7 from heaven :) )  I love that family so much! haha I feel at home there :) and they're a lot of fun :) They are still wanting to learn more, but I have a feeling they will become strong members of this church! YAY!!! :) Other than that we just did the usual "going about doing good" :) haha This week I have been working on Meekness. I've got the boldness down, but now I’m working on the meekness part :) haha Hey what can I say? sister hall trained me! She's the boldest missionary I know! :) She's also a great example of meekness though, I love this talk from last conference :) 

http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/10/be-meek-and-lowly-of-heart?lang=eng&query=meek

I think a lot of us in this world need to work on meekness :) haha So I just thought it was a good talk :) I just want to end with my testimony. I know that my Savior suffered and died for me, and for all of you. I know that Joseph smith was a prophet and that Thomas S Monson is a prophet of God today. I know that The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints is the Lord's kingdom on the earth today. It's true. every part of it. Last night we knocked on a door and a lady stepped out and told us all about how her dad used to be a Mormon and then he read all these books and blah blah blah, don't look beyond the mark. Because in the end, this is God's way. I know that we can become more like Christ by reading and applying the things in the Bible and the Book of Mormon. I love being a missionary! I will be forever grateful for this opportunity to grow and to love the people here in Washington. I will never be the same. I love you all and hope you have a blessed and wonderful week! :) 

Love always 

Sister Wilkins :)

Ebony and Queen!

Me and Daja! I LOVE LOVE LOVE this little girl so much! Her mom Nicole is in the background :) 

LOVE this girl! :)

Last day at the nursing home :( Ruth, Mary, Elizabeth, and Mable with her baby :) I love them all! :)

This is one of the 2 LDS people in the nursing home :) This is Linda! And she loves it when we come and sing! :) 

The activities director at the Nursing home :) she will be a Mormon one day! :) Me and Emily

Kara (Packard's cousin) Me Chipman Jon                                                     

Terrance Carson and Isaac (Packard's Friends) Spencer (Packard's Brother) Kyle and Juan :) 

Me with all Packard’s friends :) Terrance and Kyle jumped in there too :) haha

Me with the Copeland girls! I love these little ones so much! (they're members :)) They remind me of our family haha

Anthony and his Pizza hat :) 

Week 47

Hello Family! 

Wow this whole week has been absolutely amazing! I love being a missionary so much!!!! Sorry for the delay on the e-mail MLK day is big here :) haha But luckily we get to talk to you today! My heart has been bursting while I waited to e-mail because this week was literally one of the greatest weeks of my mission! I realize I say that a lot...but it's just because being a missionary is the greatest thing ever! Living the gospel is the greatest thing ever! It brings GIANT miracles and so much joy into my life! :) And I just love it :) I am reminded of Alma 26 this week... which states exactly many of my feelings at this moment :) "I cannot say the smallest part which I feel...Many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise His name forever...This is my life and my light, my joy and my salvation....I will give thanks unto my God forever." I've read this chapter over and over this week and my heart is full of joy and gratitude as I think of the way I have grown, the things I've learned and the miracles I have seen over my whole life, but especially over the past 11 months. Many mighty miracles have been wrought in this blessed land of the WA-TAC and I know with my whole soul that this is where I’m meant to be. I trust in my God because He has always seen the bigger picture. He has always taken care of me. And as the transfer calls approach I know that he will send me to a place where I am needed and where I can grow even more! I do not want to leave this place, for there are many people here that I love dearly...but I will trust in God and lean on Him forever. :) This week was great! As i said, Last Monday we went to the mission office after e-mailing like we always do and President gets down on his hands and knees under his desk and pulls out 2 swords that he has repossessed from elders :) haha! And then he had a bunch of us missionaries sign it! It was fun :) I felt special :) haha Then we had the opportunity to go over to Elder and Sister Call's for dinner. And Elder call showed us some of his mission pictures! He went to Germany and they had this thing called the family home evening band and he dressed up as a clown and played the drums!!! haha it was pretty funny :) I didn't expect that, but we have fun as missionaries :) (as you could probably tell from the pics and videos I sent home :) ) (you got both memory cards right?? ) So as part of my 40 day fast thing I am trying to stay away from worldly songs...and guess what Satan did last week? He put a Demi Lovato song on the radio! SO RUDE!!! then it was stuck in my head for days! haha Satan sure knows how to make it difficult for someone to become better! :) But I'm doing pretty well with it I think :) Many blessings have come because I am trying to be better. It's not always easy to become more like Christ, but it is SO worth it! :) Tuesday was awesome :) we went and saw Michael Brandon and set up a time for his baptismal interview with President and then we went to Luis and Timothy's and they had their baptismal interview and it went SO good! :) we got to be in the interview this time (which i never have been before) and it was so cool to see them bear their testimony and tell our district leader Elder Hughes that they believed in this gospel :) it was amazing!!! Then we took them over to the Stake patriarch's house to have dinner! haha and it was so awesome! Luis said "I’m ready to gain a testimony so I can share it with others" and it was so precious! and they were just saying how they were so excited and ready to be baptized! :) AHsjkfhdasjkrhuierhsjkdfhseerfwmcfirhqjfhjsayclneruiewiqhrjdkhfajksdlahf!~!!!!! I was so excited! :) haha Then we went and taught Daja and Nicole! Daja is our cute cute 9 year old that wants to be baptized SO badly! and so we're teaching her and her mom :) They love it! we taught them the restoration and they were taking notes and everything! haha they're great! :) I love these people so much! :) we put Daja on date for the 25th and we are hoping she can get baptized this weekend, we might have to push it back a week, she's come to church twice but only been taught one lesson! :) but she's so prepared and ready! She LOVES it! :) On Wednesday we were so pumped and excited! we love missionary work! :) we had district meeting! it was way fun! we have lunch together before and I got a subway sandwich and it was so good! Over roasted chicken with ranch and siracha sauce is SO good! :) Then we were all talking about our crazy dreams and Elder Pedersen told us how president and sister weaver guest star in his dreams all the time! It was hilarious....we have a lot of fun as missionaries :) :D Sister chipman and I got to do a training on finding... we like finding! Wait...those words just came out of my mouth?! haha I hated finding at the beginning of my mission :) But now I think it's fun :) we just go crazy and are way enthusiastic :) it makes it fun! Then we went to Daja's school for an assembly she said she was going to be in and it was this huge MLK assembly. They went all out! haha MLK day is big here. :) haha but they had this choir and they were singing these songs "dr king dr king was a civilized leader dr king had a dream!" It was very soulful! haha it was awesome :) when we went finding, we met this guy who told us "my hair is my doll" at first, i wasn't sure if he was telling us that his hair was from a doll's head or if he just took really good care of it...I’m still not really sure, but it was way funny :) we meet the most interesting people...That night was Michael Brandon's baptismal interview! And we were all a little nervous...but it went great! :) and he felt so ready! which was cool because every time we asked him if he wanted to be baptized he said yes but he wasn't ready yet... :) but now he was ready! :) YAY!!! :) Thursday was park day so we just walked all over Tacoma :) haha but during weekly planning sister chipman was stressed as always when it came to companionship inventory! haha I just laughed....some people don't like conflict :D We also met an old 91 year old lady that told us to "eat right, think right, and don't do anything bad" so that we can live til we're 91 too :) haha :) Park day is always a little slower...then on Friday we did exchanges with the sisters in our district :) Sister Clayson and Sister Baird. Sister Clayson came to be with me in Chambers. and Chipman went with her twin to soundview. :) haha Chipman and Baird  look and act so much alike! it's crazy! :) but it was a way fun exchange! I love sister Clayson! she's from Brigham city and went to USU and is 21 like me! she's awesome :) way great missionary! :) I made this really good lunch...It was veggies on noodles with salad dressing and bbq sauce :) ..I’ll have to make it for you when i get home, but It was so good! :) Then we got to talk to Michael again and he was so ready for his baptism and way excited! :) and then we had a lesson with Luis and Timothy at the Hartzell's and you could tell they were nervous but way excited :) all their questions had been answered and they were just ready! haha then we went knocking and we met the craziest guy. We went to a trailer park (don't worry clayson had pepper spray :) ) and we go to knock on this door and this tall scary lookin dude opens the door. It was scary....haha and he tells us his name is Shigung! These are some treasures from our conversation with him:

"Star trek is reality!"

"Mary was artificially inseminated by aliens and Jesus is a hybrid!" 

"I'm on the waiting list to space, they're building a huge space station up there!" 

"The Aztecs, Incas and myans-they can't find their remains because they went home!" (to space)

"Muslims are the best star trekkers"

"Abraham, Moses, etc. they all got beamed up! Like on star trek!"

Oh it was a very interesting conversation...probably the best I’ve had on my mission so far :) It was a great exchange. I learned to get out of my head and enjoy the moment :) actually that's what she told me she learned but I liked it and am applying it to myself :) haha Then the day came! It was Saturday!!! :) dsahjkfhjkalsheruithejafhasdjeurh I was jumping up and down like a crazy person! SO excited!! I can't even explain it! :) But in the morning we got to go to the new Gig harbor stake center (it still smells so new!) :) for a fireside practice! and I got to see Sister Hall and Sister Thompson! I LOVE them so much! and i was just so filled with energy and it was so fun to sing with all the missionaries and it was awesome :) Then it was time for the baptism! OH MY GOODNESS! IT WAS AMAZING!!!! everyone was so excited and ready and Sister Packard was able to come back (she taught Michael and Luis with me) and It was the biggest miracle. I cried my eyes out! The Spirit was so strong! President and Sister Weaver came because it was one of the coolest baptisms ever! MIRACLE!!! Some of my favorite men all dressed in white! Completely changed and ready to take on a new life! Anthony (who was just baptized in December) baptized Michael Brandon and Jon (who was baptized in August) baptized Luis and Timothy! It was truly amazing and the spirit was SO strong. Recent converts baptizing investigators! SO special! :) It was just so cool because of the leaps and bounds each of these men have made! This is the miracle of the Atonement. This is why it's worth it. I cannot say the smallest part which I feel! I am just so grateful God let me be a part of it and be a missionary. I'll knock on a bajillion doors if it means bringing some soul unto God. because it's amazing. and it's a miracle. I love it so much! After the baptism Luis and Timothy were bearing their testimonies to an investigator that was there! They are such amazing men! MY heart us going to burst! because I just can't say what I want to....but This is my joy, light, life and salvation and I will praise God forever for these mighty miracles. I am so grateful. so humbled. so joyful. I can't even express my feelings to you. But it was absolutely amazing. That night we had a very yummy dinner at the pryors and our spirits were exhausted! Sunday was a great day too! Luis and Timothy and Michael were confirmed members of the church of Jesus Christ of latter-day saints. and that night Luis timothy Juan Jon Kyle and Anthony came to the fireside in Gig harbor. I wish you could experience these firesides. They are absolutely amazing and so filled with the spirit. for some reason this one was especially powerful. Especially when we sang "amazing grace" all of the missionaries were singing as loud as we possibly could and there was not a dry eye in the church. The spirit was so strong. And sister Hall bore her testimony and made me cry! Seriously that girl is amazing! I miss her tons! haha All I can say is that my heart is a puddle! :) And I got a letter from president. He is so sweet. I'm so happy I get to have him as my mission president for 6ish more months :) I just have to say I LOVE the recent converts! They are family to me! All of the ones in Steilacoom, and all of the ones in Chambers Creek. they will forever hold a very special place in my heart. Missionary work is so worth it. The worth of every soul is great in the sight of God, and then when we get to help some soul come unto him how our joy is great. Greater than I could have ever imagined without being here! :) It's AMAZING! I am so grateful to be a missionary! we went to bed that night and couldn't sleep because we were so happy and giddy! :) Yesterday we went to this place called Gyro zone and no i did not eat lamb i got a chicken shawarma but it was way good! all the sisters but 2 came then me clayson chipman and baird went to the point defiance Zoo/Aquarium! It was way fun! I felt like a child again :) and I think it was just so cool because It was crazy to think that God created those things! It was SO MUCH FUN! :) haha and It was a nice day! the sun was shining and it was beautiful :) we went on a drive around the park and there were trees everywhere. Washington is so truly beautiful! :) I Love it here! :) And I love being a missionary! I'm glad I have a little more time because I wanted to tell you the story of Luis and Timothy and Michael :) hopefully I can get through it all before time runs out! :) So October 1st 2013 was the first night of Sister Packard and my transfer together. It was right after transfer meeting and we were so pumped and felt like we had wings on our feet! we were working so hard and being diligent and already working in unity. We came to this door and knocked on it and a guy opens it and we start our little "hi we're sisters from..." and he closed the door!!! So sad! but then he opened the door back up and he was like "no I’m just playin" we find out this guy is named Luis. He is agnostic, but he has an open mind. He looked tired, and had a gun on his hip. but I didn't feel threatened by him at all. I was so excited! we had found a new! so we gave him a book of Mormon and told him to read Alma 32 and HE said the prayer when we left! so some time went by and we were supposed to have a lesson with him but we forgot to get fellowship! so we were going to reschedule but he had gotten us pizza! so we were calling EVERYONE! and finally I call someone who I don't know at all and he says he can come :) So we go to try to teach Luis the plan of salvation and the fellowship was playing with and talking on the phone and then his wife called and he just left us in the house with Luis! Worst lesson ever! haha we thought Luis would never let us come back! but a few weeks later Sister Packard felt like we should go see him so we did and he was happy to see us! :) He told us his wife was getting back from Afghanistan and so we invited him to church. And he came! He walked in and sat by us and he just broke into tears! I asked him what was wrong and all he could get out through his tears was "my wife" I shared Mosiah 24:14 with him and tried to console him but he just cried the whole time. His wife came back, but wasn't going to be with him. He was broken. Later we invited him for a lesson at the church and he came and was so sad. So we talked to him about the atonement and how it can heal all things. and he was so sad :( Then chipman came along and we started teaching him the lessons again and tried to put him on date but he would just say he wanted to learn more. :) haha then on November 27th I was on an exchange with Sister Esplin ( I love her :) ) and we were supposed to have a lesson with Luis but he didn't show up, so we drove to his house and that's when we met his roommate Timothy! :) Timothy was going into the military as a Chaplin’s assistant and he of course wanted to learn more! So we invited both him and Luis to the Hartzell's home and we just started over with Luis and taught them the first 3 lessons with the Hartzells. It was always a very spiritual experience. Bro and sis hartzell have such strong testimonies and their house is like a temple! haha Luis and timothy were loving it! they asked a million questions and they ate it up! During this whole time we saw them change and grow. Their countenance was shining and different. It was purely amazing. Then we went on an exchange again. Sister Esplin came to Chambers again but with chipman this time and they got to put Luis and Timothy on date finally! :) Later we went and taught the commandments and they loved them! They committed to all of them and were so excited to live them. It was SO cool! Then the 14th they had their interview and it was amazing to see how much their testimonies had changed and grown. They were so ready. Then on January 18th 2014 they both entered in to the waters of baptism. And it was absolutely amazing. :) These people I love them so much! :) it is truly one of my favorite things to get to see people change and grow and become closer to their Savior and feel the love of their Heavenly Father. It is truly priceless. I will have to tell you about Michael’s story next week because I’m out of time! But the coolest thing was we found Michael the day after we found Anthony and Anthony baptized Michael!! haha Crazy! Missionary work is the greatest of all! I am so grateful to be a missionary! I know that this gospel is true. I know that it's all that we need in life. It is the source of our joy, and everything else we needsome people we work with feel so lonely and lost. and don't want to be a "churchy people" because they want to have fun. What they can't seem to understand is that everything they are searching for can be found through living the gospel. This is joy, peace, love, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith. The source of all that is good. Everything you are searching for can be found in the gospel. Know it, Live it, Love it. I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!! :) I am out of time! But just keep swimming! :) 

Love Always 

Sister Wilkins :) <3

GIANT PUDDLE! MY HEART IS A GIANT PUDDLE!!!! HDFJSHLAJHREUARHJSAHFCNUWERYQJLHJSRLMXUHWEQYLETJAFHLNWERUIYDN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)  Jon was still changing :( so he's not in his picture! I love to see them all dressed in white! :) It's AMAZING!!

LOVE LOVE LOVE :)

Lots of pictures :) my heart is bursting with happiness :) 

:) I love them so much!

Some amazing people :) 

After the baptism :) 

MISSIONARIES!!!

timothy and Luis :) they're pretty cool... :)

<3

My favorite people at the fireside :) I LOVE THEM!! :) Luis timothy Jon Anthony Juan Kyle chipman me Packard hall :D

YAY! at point defiance! :) 

Me :) 

in the bamboo! :) 

Me and the Elephant :) 

Chipman and I with Tiger in the background :) 

Pretty Tiger :) 

cuddling monkeys :)

In front of the fish tank :) 

creepy eels :)

way cool tank filled with all sorts of fishes!

Cool jelly fish :) 

Lots of fun :) 

Having fun at the aquarium :)

Scary shark :) there was a giant one and they let people into the shark tank in a cage so do eye to eye diving...SCARY! :)

I pet this sting ray! :)

Peacock :) 

GIANT WALRUS'

There he is :)

How I and sister Clayson measure up to the polar bear :) 

Sister Baird, me, clayson, chipman with the reindeer :) 

Week 46

Hello Family! :) 

Well it was a great week as always! :) I feel a little sad today for some reason....I think I’m realizing how much I love Chambers Creek! It's always so sad to leave after 6 months of being somewhere. Especially when you love the people here! I never thought there would be another place I loved as much as I loved Steilacoom..Steilacoom is where I gained my testimony and really grew and stuff and the people there became like family to me. But Chambers is different, and just as special. It's where I've become a leader, and really fortified my character etc. and people here have also become like family to me. Both areas will mean something to me forever! I can't even express it. I literally want to cry right now even thinking of leaving! Which, I have like 3 weeks left, but it will go by so fast! haha I guess I’m just in a reminiscing mood at the moment :) It's probably because I always write a letter to President Weaver before I come to e-mail y'all and I was talking about the exchanges we went on this week and how much I just love being an STL because I just care about these sisters so much and get to be able to help them at least a little bit, but that will all change in 3 weeks! It's so crazy. I still don't like change, or surprises haha but I do trust that God knows what's best for me. But I think it just hit me while I was writing to President that I am leaving this place in 3 weeks. Man oh man! I am just emotional today :) haha But anyways I also would like to point out that in 39 days I’ll have been gone for a whole year! CRAZINESS! time flies so fast...But enough reminiscing and I'll get to the week now :) So this week was the week where I almost got eaten by dogs like every night during tracting! haha I hate dogs...I have never been so irritated by them in my life :D But sister chipman is like deathly afraid of animals haha so it's actually quite funny :) Monday night we were tracting and it gets very dark around 5 here still, so we had our flashlights and I was walking down this driveway and at the end of the driveway there was something big and black and it scared the living daylights out of me (who even really knows what that means? ) and I jumped back and sister chipman screamed and ran away :) haha It was SO funny! And it was circling around us and growling and I just stood there laughing my head off while Chipman prayed and cried :) haha it was pretty funny :) On Tuesday we did exchanges with Sister Esplin and Sister Everett in highland hills. HH is not a very fruitful area. There are a lot of less actives and a lot of old people...haha :) But I got to go there with Sister Everett. She's way cute! :) I love her and it was a lot of fun :) We saw a lot of formers and less actives and stuff :) It was just good :) She had some way good music though! It was way good. A song called "the hardest thing i ever loved to do" SO good! It made me cry :) here are the lyrics :) 

The hardest thing I ever loved to do

was letting go of everything I ever knew

nineteen years of dreams left in my room

as I buttoned up the jacket of my suit

The hardest word I’ve ever loved to say

was goodbye to my mom and walk away

choking on my tie and on my tears

as I walked down the hall into those years

the sweetest song I’ve ever loved to sing

filled the MTC on angel’s wings

the chorus filled my soul 5000 strong

and I wished it would just go on and on

the firmest hand I’ve ever loved to shake

was my trainer’s with that big grin on his face

he grabbed my bag and put his arm ‘round me

and whispered

"I’m gonna work those Mr. Macs right off your feet"

The hardest words I’ve ever anguished for

came just before some lady slammed her door

my trainer left me hanging out to dry

and a minute of painful silence rolled right by

but the hardest tears I ever loved to cry

fell as I opened up my mouth and testified

between the tiny walls of a stranger’s living room

the Spirit told their hearts my words were true

the most wonderful sound I’ve ever heard

is the sound of water running in the church

as someone I’d come to love got dressed in white

my eyes saw their first glimpse of Heaven’s light

the hardest thing I’ve ever come to see

is a man down on his knees in agony

a drop of blood falls down on olive leaves

and for a moment he suffers there for me

the hardest thing I’ve ever loved to do

was getting on this plane and coming home to you

in a million ways completely torn apart

as a land so far away still owns my heart

in the most sincere prayer I’ve ever prayed

I thank my God for each and every day

for the blessing of the man I’ve come to be

as I walk up and kiss my mama’s cheek.

Ah! It just sums up missionary work so well! I haven't come home yet, but I am going to feel the same way! I have just become a different person, so much stronger, and happier. I Just love this gospel. 

       Anyways on Wednesday I went back to Chambers with Chipman :) We had Zone meeting this week and President and Sister Weaver came and they talked about us keeping an eye single to the glory of God. Haha President said "the rumor around the mission is that if you're in Tacoma I like you, well I want you to believe that while you're here." haha he's so funny! But they just talked about how we are at the heart of the mission and we have the responsibility to kind of set the standard for the rest of the mission and so he challenged us to focus on our area. That's probably why I have all of the sudden realized how much I love it here. This transfer my goal was to make this place my home. And i think I’ve accomplished that :) That night Sister Chipman and I had a lot of fun during tracting. It has been SO rainy and SO windy and miserable so we embraced it and made up a rap during knocking :) haha! It goes like this: 

The missionaries at your door we wanna tell you a little more about the gospel of Jesus Christ that will bring that peace into your life. we'll tell you about the love of God and lead you to the iron rod. we'll start with a story about a boy named Joe what church to join is what he wanted to know. he read in the Epistle of James 1:5 and the scripture just came alive. He went out to a grove of trees knelt down and said "Lord, help me please!" what happened next is in the books you'll find out if you take a look. The book of Mormon will help you see the person God wants you to be. If you read and pray and ponder too, God will help you know all this is true. The next step is to have desire to be baptized by water and fire! This will bring you more joy than ever before so please don't slam your door! :) 

   I thought it was pretty clever :) haha I think I'll sing it the next time we have to do skits. :) We also during tracting found someone who had the largest pet pig! It was nasty!!! haha we also got attacked by a dog again :) It started running toward us and for some reason my natural inclination was to run toward him and then he ran away :) Oh! I also found out when I came back that Luis and Timothy are on date for the 18th!!! YAY!!! we'll get back to that in a moment :) Thursday we had weekly planning. And during weekly planning I got a call from a sister who was struggling and my heart is just wrenching. I never realized that anyone looked up to me for help, but these sisters just struggle sometimes and for some reason they come to me...haha but I just feel so bad when they're struggling! I want to hug them and make them realize how amazing they are! I love being an STL though, because I really do care about the sisters here. :) Haha we also got the chance to finally teach an investigator named Jessica and it was the craziest lesson. She has a 5 year old who has a ton of energy. So basically I babysat while Chipman taught the Restoration, haha :) but at the end Kailub (the 5 year old) said the sweetest prayer! :) It was so sweet! Recently we've been reading the New Testament as a mission and I love how in Matthew you see so many instances where Christ talks about the little children or helps the little children or whatever. There's a song that says "When he had a world to save, he had a world of time to stop and hold a little child." Children, no matter how crazy they are, are angels! :) And I love them so much! :) haha oh man so for our relief society activity we did Zumba!!!! And we got to go and now my nickname is "Sister Shake it Wilkins" bahahaha! :) I haven't done it my whole mission and I miss it :) It was a lot of fun though :) On Friday we got to teach this kid named Elijah and it was way cool we knocked into him like a week ago and then we went back and taught him the Restoration and it was super spiritual even though he doesn't know what he believes. I promised him boldly that if he would read the book of Mormon he would know that this message was true. And he said that he had already kinda received an answer because before we knocked on his door he was praying for help, and then we showed up that night. CRAZY right?! It is literally amazing how mindful God is of all His children. sad thing is that Elijah is 19 so we had to give him to the YSA elders :P but he went to church yesterday so that's sweet! :) We also got to go to the nursing home and sing again :) I love those people there :) It's great! Then we got to go see Luis and Timothy and we taught them the commandments and they committed to all of them! YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D I'm so excited they're totally going to get baptize this Saturday! Sister Chipman and I have a goal of 3 baptisms this weekend so this week will be a busy week! :) I"M SO EXCITED! :) We have Luis and Timothy and they're going to have their interview on Tuesday and then Michael Brandon is finally committing! and he's having his interview on Thursday! So keep them in your prayers :) It's so cool because Sister Packard and I found Luis the very first day of our transfer together, he was agnostic and looked sad, and then his wife got back from Afghanistan (who knows how to spell that) and left him :( so sad...but then he opened up his house for other people to come live and that's how we found Timothy! :) Timothy is a Chaplin’s assistant in the army! So he wanted to learn more, and now they're hopefully going to be baptized on Saturday! :) YAY!!! :) Michael Brandon referred himself onmormon.org and so we got it back when Packard and I were companions and now he's finally ready! :) I'm just so excited! :) It's fun to see how many people have come so far in the last 6 months and changed so much. It's amazing. On Saturday morning we got a call from President saying that half the mission had lost power and some had trees fallen down in front of their apartments, but we were just perfectly fine :) But he called to check up on us! ain't that sweet? :) I love him! :) it was a hard work day because everyone was going to or watching the Seahawks game! But Juan invited us to his house and we had a little dinner with Juan Jon and Kyle! I love them so much! I could've stayed there forever because they're my best friends! They asked a bunch of questions about the gospel and it was awesome! Ajsahgjkeyruewahfrksjahfuieyrfeuwhafj dsaI I  just love them so much! I wish i could explain it. We also met this little family that the YSA Elders knocked into and found for us! Nicole and Daja! Daja is the cutest little 9 year old of my whole life! She loves church, she loves the bible and she's so smart and sweet! She's very mature too. I love love love her! :) Sunday was an AWESOME day! :) we had 6 investigators at church :) Daja came and loved it! Then Myk was there as always :) I love her :) Luis and Timothy came and Michael Brandon with his boys again and then an investigator named Faith with her 4 year old grandson! and we also got a less active (he hasn't been to church for 10 years) to come! :) so it was so busy! We were running around trying to get everyone to class and it was amazing! :) I think that's why I realized I love this area so much. I seriously love these Investigators and Recent converts with my whole heart! :) Also yesterday was the day when I have 40 days left until my year mark. So I started this thing called the 40 day fast. Where the first day you fast and pray about things that poke at the spirit and God helps you know what you need to get rid of to help you feel the spirit more! And at the end of the 40 days I’ll hopefully have different habits and be  more worthy and effective servant of the Lord. I've decided this 7 months of my mission are going to be the greatest of my young life!!! :) Which will be hard because I’ve had a pretty amazing mission so far! :) But I really just want to grow, I really just want to change. And I want these amazing miracles to continue to happen. Because living the gospel is the most intelligent thing to do. You don't have to be upset or not know who you are or whatever. I seriously wish that I could just give everyone my heart and help them see how amazing your life can be when you live the gospel! My heart is sick when I think of people who do dumb things because they don't know who they are or they just don't know who God is when it's SO easy to learn and to follow. Sink this scripture in your hearts!  28 ¶^aCome unto me, all ye that ^blabour and are heavy laden, and I will give you ^crest.

 29 Take my ^ayoke upon you, and ^blearn of me; for I am ^cmeek and^dlowly in ^eheart: and ye shall find ^frest unto your souls.

 30 For my yoke is ^aeasy, and my burden is light.

Come unto Christ. Learn of Him. And you will have rest unto your souls. I wish everyone understood how true this is. Not just this scripture, but this gospel. At the center of the gospel is the Atonement. All that is wrong or unfair about life can be made right through the Atonement. We just have to keep going, we have to keep enduring 

20 Wherefore, ye must press forward with a ^asteadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of ^bhope, and a ^clove of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and ^dendure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have ^eeternal life.

This week Sister Chipman and I gave a training on hope. and I wanted to share my thoughts with you. Hope is to desire with expectation of fulfillment. And Ultimately we should hope for eternal life. God's purpose is to bring to pass "the immortality and eternal life of man" Aka we are in God's hands! There was a story from the relief society broadcast this past conference that I loved by Linda S Reeves:

Almost three years ago a devastating fire gutted the interior of the beloved, historic tabernacle in Provo, Utah. Its loss was deemed a great tragedy by both the community and Church members. Many wondered, “Why did the Lord let this happen? Surely He could have prevented the fire or stopped its destruction.”

Ten months later, during the October 2011 general conference, there was an audible gasp when President Thomas S. Monson announced that the nearly destroyed tabernacle was to become a holy temple—a house of the Lord! Suddenly we could see what the Lord had always known! He didn’t cause the fire, but He allowed the fire to strip away the interior. He saw the tabernacle as a magnificent temple—a permanent home for making sacred, eternal covenants.⁴

My dear sisters, the Lord allows us to be tried and tested, sometimes to our maximum capacity. We have seen the lives of loved ones—and maybe our own—figuratively burned to the ground and have wondered why a loving and caring Heavenly Father would allow such things to happen. But He does not leave us in the ashes; He stands with open arms, eagerly inviting us to come to Him. He is building our lives into magnificent temples where His Spirit can dwell eternally.

In Doctrine and Covenants 58:3–4, the Lord tells us:

“Ye cannot behold with your natural eyes, for the present time, the design of your God concerning those things which shall come hereafter, and the glory which shall follow after much tribulation.

“For after much tribulation come the blessings. Wherefore the day cometh that ye shall be crowned with much glory.”

Sisters, I testify that the Lord has a plan for each of our lives. Nothing that happens is a shock or a surprise to Him. He is all-knowing and all-loving. He is eager to help us, to comfort us, and to ease our pain as we rely on the power of the Atonement and honor our covenants. The trials and tribulation that we experience may be the very things that guide us to come unto Him and cling to our covenants so that we might return to His presence and receive all that the Father hath

Sometimes we are refined, and sometimes those refining fires are hot and we lose our way and we don't know why we have to go through these hard things, but God is just helping us fill the measure of our creation. He is turning us into temples. He is helping prepare us for immortality and eternal life. D&C 136:31

31 My people must be ^atried in all things, that they may be prepared to receive the ^bglory that I have for them, even the glory of Zion; and he that will not ^cbear chastisement is not worthy of my kingdom.

 The Lord knows better than we do, but we must endure these things well! 

 7 My son, ^apeace be unto thy soul; thine ^badversity and thine afflictions shall be but a ^csmall moment;

 8 And then, if thou ^aendure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy ^bfoes.

So have hope! The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, the second best time is now! So live the gospel, do what's right, and trust in God. He will direct you paths. You can succeed, you can have immortality and eternal life! 

 41 But that ye have ^apatience, and bear with those ^bafflictions, with a firm hope that ye shall one day rest from all your afflictions.

I Testify that Christ lives. I know that His Gospel is true and it is the way we can make it back safely and happily to our Heavenly Father. No this life is not for us to be completely miserable. We have much reason to REJOICE! So count your blessings :) And remember that I love you very very much! :) times up! gotta go! Love you so much! :) 

Love always

Sister Wilkins :) 

This is what I do at night! :) Read talks while sprawling out on the couch and eating candy out of my box :) haha!

This was last week when we helped Terry move :)

Terry and Jayden

Me and George! at the Nursing home :) George is not a member but he comes to hear us sing every week :) He is my favorite old man :)