Old.

Hello loves!

Subject line explanation:  I just ran 10 miles (...ish...we don't actually know for sure) and my knees feel 90 years old. Time to buy new shoes. And to never try that again probably.

The other subject line explanation:  I'm kind of an old missionary. "Experienced" "Responsible" "Masterful Teacher" ...ha.  I'm learning how to accept the Sister Wells that Heavenly Father had in mind when He sent me here. It's been a kind of profound process.  But I like it. Remind me to tell you about the puzzle piece analogy sometime. And to send you all sorts of perhaps-laughable "wise missionary advice". (especially to the missionaries from the ward, Dad. I could do better at that. Sorry I'm slackin'.)

Anyway, there are miracles below. I love you all a great deal. You can make fun of the way I said "a great deal" if you want. I kinda did too.

...And...

That's it, I think. Mostly 'cause it's already 4:01pm and the other VC sistas need some time on this thing.

I LOVE MISSIONARY WORK! More than ever :)

Love,

Sister Wells

P.S. ***** IS GETTING BAPTIZED ON SATURDAY. Remember him? No? We met him in a laundromat last week and the elders started teaching him a few days later?...I'll send pics next week. Sigh. I love Persians :)

P.P.S. Does someone want to send me some decent pens? I keep buying cheap ones and I keep losing the few decent ones I steal from other VC sisters. Ahem. Borrow from other VC sisters. Also, do you have any extra BareMinerals Mineral Veil lying around, mom? If so, send it when it's convenient. If not, I can buy some here so no worries. 

Hello President!

It's been a great week! 

Things to report on:

12 week program: We're almost right on track!  We've had some great insights come about because of it, as usual--especially from the Family History section.

Online "Adjusting to Missionary Life":  Technically, I came out as Yellow. But I really think I'm more of a Green right now. I just have a hard time hitting the "Always" and "Never" buttons...b/c I'm an overanalytical thinker and overanalytical thinkers have a hard time with Absolute statements.

My companion: Thriving. Her spanish is improving rapidly. She is incredibly dedicated to her language study, and she is wonderfully patient with her sometimes scatter-brained trainer. She's great at "going with the flow," but I'm trying to give her more opportunities to take the lead.  This is where I have to nix my subconscious pride in the roots. It's the ugliest part of myself, and I hate when I start to notice its exposure.  But, as Sister Ellis and I like to say, "We're workin' on it..." :)

My goals: To set less goals and to follow up better. I only let myself make 4 personal goals this week (as opposed to 10-12). We'll see how I do!

Miracles:

We gave a tour to a family on Saturday night at the VC--grandfather, mother, and daughter. (Mother and daughter are visiting from Provo). The mother asked Sister Ellis & I to show them "just a few things" b/c her very inactive (like, baptized 50 years ago and never really went to church status) father was very impatient and didn't really want to be there. But she wanted him to see the Joseph Smith movie. So we decided to them the Christus and God's Plan first.  As normal, everyone was tearful at the end of God's Plan.  But beyond that, it was in this room that the grandfather finally began to open up.  He said it was a lovely movie to show what "could be" with families, but that sometimes it was just too late...

...My heart always has a very reaction to that "too late" statement. Because if there is anything I have a testimony of, President, it is the unfaltering power of the Atonement in families--and its perfect ability to heal every relationship at whatever stage it may be in. It is never too late. Never past the "point of no return." Never a lost tomato. ...However you or any of the general authorities want to put it. And I LOVE that. Heavenly Father loves us too much and His families are too important to him to not give us every opportunity to allow His Son to heal them. 

And so I'm testifying my sincerest, most heartfelt guts out. And then Sis Ellis joins. And then the mother tearfully begins to testify of the same...and more particularly, how she, as a single mother, knows God has a perfect plan for her to have every opportunity for all of His blessings. And the daughter (who also served a mission) seconds that testimony. 

...so, it was just a typically powerful moment in the VC, (Miracle 1) from which everyone left without giving us any contact info. Unfortunately.

BUT FORTUNATELY...

The mother and daughter walk into our ward the next morning, which is the ward that the inactive grandfather belongs to. (Miracle 2) 

Mother and daughter begin telling us about what an impact that Family movie made on the grandfather, and how it facilitated a lot of really important conversations (that they had been praying for) later that evening. (Miracle 3)

They thanked us for helping them to create the miracle (Miracle 4)

And then they gave us the contact information of their grandfather (Miracle 5)

This all happened right before two new investigators walked in, after taking 2 buses and walking 2 LONG blocks to get there (Miracle 6).

...They loved church, of course, because Mar Vista is specially built for investigators. The work is taking off, President! We are so blessed. The faith of our leadership and ward members is being rewarded with miracles. 

Long story short, Mar Vista could probably use another set of missionaries soon...or at least, would we be okay to go on splits with some of the ward missionaries occasionally? 

Thank you for all you do! You're in our prayers.

Sister Wells

 

When I wrote "YES" on ***'s TR before he actually came to church...Making dinner at Sister **********'s house (remind me to tell you all about those incredible people sometime)...super cool guy I followed around at this VC event last week (remind me to tell you about him sometime too)...Lunch w/ *****. Hilarious. Again, I'll tell you someday :) Ugh! He's so GREAT!