Monday, July 7, 2014

Week 71


 

Hello family!

I am sorry this is late today! I was at the doctor...now before you start freaking out I am fine! :) haha I saw Bishop Blackner's brother (Bishop Blackner is in Chambers) and he saw me without any co-pay which is super nice! I went to the doctor because after 3 weeks of back pain, I decided to just tell Sister Blatter about it and on Saturday at interviews she asked Sister Boone if I was just a complainer or actually in pain hahaha and so she scheduled an appointment :) They won't let me go to a chiropractor on the mission, they don't pay for it! So I just wanted some kind of medication to help with the pain. it's really frustrating when you're trying to work SO hard, and you're being held back by something! :) So he put me on 2 prescriptions and we're going to see if they work! :) I told him I only have 2 months left, I just want some pain medication and I'll take care of it when I get home! haha so yep, that's why I am late :) It's kind of fun, I can't carry anything around really, so I let Sister Boone do a lot which is good for her because she relies a lot on me. :) But anywho don't worry about me, it's not a big deal :) haha I know you're still going to worry, but I promise that I am being taken care of. the ward members and Sister Blatter are ALL over it! especially the Mcowen's and Falter's :) so no worries! :) haha Dr.Blackner told me I was born with the wrong posture...woops! :) anyways I am learning a really cool lesson from this! it reminded me of Mosiah 24:14-15 where Alma and his brethren are in bondage under Amulon. they couldn't even pray!!! so they prayed in their hearts, and God heard their prayer, and said that he would "ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders that even you cannot feel them on your backs" (something like that) and the people submitted themselves cheerfully and with patience to the will of the Lord. I know God is testing me to see if I am trustworthy, haha He knows that I don't like pain, but I will not rest, or give up! (unless the dr tells me to :P ) So! I am going to submit myself cheerfully and with patience to the will of the Lord. I know that we can do ALL things through Christ. I know that I could never ever do this without Him. He has strengthened me so much, and I am so grateful for His strength. We have 5 people on date to be baptized after this week, and I am just so grateful for all the wonderful miracles I get to see because I am a missionary, and that these wonderful people have the sacred opportunity to enter the waters of baptism and come into the path of eternal life and eternal joy! :) So anyways onto what happened this week, it was another weird week, haha We had a mini zone conference and interviews, so we had some interruptions :) But on Monday we had to say goodbye to J and C. It was literally one of the hardest goodbyes of my mission. ( I think I say that every time though...)  I love them so much! We were there for almost 2 hours helping them move, then I shared D&C 6:36 with C (J had to leave) and then said our goodbyes and I was fine....until we got in the car :) hahaha then I just lost it! I am going to miss them dearly! I already do! haha It's so weird to not go and see them...but luckily I can still keep in touch with them :) C gave us like their whole fridge and freezer full of food, so we are set for life! :) or the end of the transfer. Transfers are on the 22nd btw :) but we don't talk about that...hahaha On Tuesday we got to meet the Blatters. It was good. I like them :) Nothing could ever compare to the Weavers though! It's a hard adjustment for me, but I know the Blatters are servants of the Lord and they are just wonderful! :) and super sweet! :) President Blatter doesn't hug us or even kneel with us so it's weird...haha but they are still way sweet! They are from California, have 6 kids, he's a stock broker...haha We had interviews with them on Saturday and it was good. Very different..haha President Weaver would always cry with me, this time I just felt like I was crying at him! haha I think they are just really nervous and not super sure on how to be really personable. They have 4 boys and 2 girls :) so I don't know if President Blatter is super used to girls crying all the time :) But I really really like them, haha but it is an adjustment from the Weavers. This morning I was thinking of all the "endings" that I am experiencing as my mission draws closer to coming to a close and as my friends move away and such haha and this morning I read a comforting thing from President Ucthdorf:

In light of what we know about our eternal destiny, is it any wonder that whenever we face the bitter endings of life, they seem unacceptable to us? There seems to be something inside of us that resists endings.

Why is this? Because we are made of the stuff of eternity. We are eternal beings, children of the Almighty God, whose name is Endless13 and who promises eternal blessings without number. Endings are not our destiny.

The more we learn about the gospel of Jesus Christ, the more we realize that endings here in mortality are not endings at all. They are merely interruptions—temporary pauses that one day will seem small compared to the eternal joy awaiting the faithful.

How grateful I am to my Heavenly Father that in His plan there are no true endings, only everlasting beginnings.

So that was happy! :) haha

Other than that we are working with a few people. We are working with a girl named C, it was cool how we found her, she was at a bus stop while we were street contacting and she was in a hurry so we just gave her a card, later that day we knocked on her door during 5-7's! and she invited us to come back. So we taught her the Restoration and she wants to be baptized! :) Last night we had a cool experience with 2 other investigators M and J. I actually met J back in April, but he was kinda flaky and wouldn't keep his appointments so we just gave him a little break. Well as you know I've been here for a while so I've started re-knocking things and we found J's brother M! So last night we got to teach them the Restoration. It was really powerful, I kind of sense that both of them are going through some really hard times and seriously NEED this gospel. I love the people we are working with, even though I really miss J and C! hahaha :)

The 4th was fun, I kinda took a break from stressing out and just relaxed a little so my back could stop tensing up. We went to a ward breakfast in the morning, and then the Opdahl's for lunch and the Falters had a big bbq that night :) They wanted us to spend time with members and such so we did! :) We also had to do 2 hours of knocking though, Sister Boone was really mad about that and didn't want to do it. haha but we went and did it anyways! :) So a few of the people were nice, but not interested. Then we knocked on this lady's door and we talked to her for a good hour! Her name is L, and she had a BOM from past missionaries. But she invited us in just to listen to why we believe what we do and how it blesses our lives. And so we told her and she had all sorts of questions, in the end we basically taught her the Plan of Salvation! And she was just crying. She said "out of anyone I've ever met you 2 are the easiest to believe." The spirit was so strong and I was so grateful that we were able to meet L. The saddest thing was that she felt like she wasn't worthy enough to ask God questions. or even if He loves her. She was just crying and I wondered to myself if I hold myself back from having a stronger relationship with God because of my insecurities and not feeling "worthy enough" I think all of us do, because we are imperfect. But I think that most of the time we are just too hard on ourselves. :)

Another cool experience was with a lady named T. Sister Horgesheimer and I found her. But she's way busy and her husband was deployed in Sudan for 2 years she has 2 cute little girls. so we reknocked on her door! haha and she was still there, and still interested. She said she's been looking at churches but none of them feel like "home" so we told her she should come to ours! Then on Thursday night we went to invite her to the ward 4th of July breakfast and she was crying so hard. It was a testament to me that I needed to follow the spirit because at that moment T really needed us and God sent us there to comfort her, but I actually almost didn't go, because I was in a hurry. But the spirit told us to go, and I am SO grateful that I followed it. It's so important to listen to the quiet whisperings of the spirit of God. He knows what we need.

I am just about out of time, but I want all of you to know that I know this gospel is TRUE! I got a letter this week from J C telling me about his road to baptism. He is such an inspiration to me because he has overcome so much, and is one of the best members of the church that I know! And he went from so unhappy to hopeful, and happy! even joyful! Because he decided to let God help him. I know that life is so much easier when we let God in to help us. He will strengthen us and guide us in all things. He will do anything for YOU! and I know that he will never fail or forsake us. He cares so much :) so let Him in! :)  I love you SO much!

 

love always

Sister Wilkins :)

 
 
J AND C!!!! <3  With Sister Boone and Sister Wilkins
 

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