Sister Brittany Ann Wilkins: 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!!