5 kids. It's like I'm Mormon or something.
Mormon. Barefoot. Pregnant. And old.
If you don't get the analogy, don't worry about it. Basically, I'm training again. And I'm actually really excited about it :)
But still. Pray for me.
Love you all so much!
Sincerely,
Sister Wells
P.S.
Mom, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PACKAGE. That's good stuff. I'm going to
divvy it out and deliver presents these next few days. I'm so excited
:)
I'm so glad you enjoy my letters as much as I do. I have sort of treated this time as my "accountability to self" time as well as "accountability to President" time...and I talk to myself a LOT. Which is part of why they're so long. It's just a nice opportunity to reflect. So, thank you.
For example...as you're well aware, I'm training again. I can't help but wonder if this is a direct answer to my most recent e-mail/prayers in which I complained about becoming an old, "stale" missionary. Either way, I'm grateful and nervous and excited all at once. I'm starting to love her already. Of course I will sorely miss Sister Fthough. She is so solidly GOOD and great all at once. She'd be a great leader/trainer.
...as you're also aware, I won't be working with Sis. L as Visitor's Center Sister Trainer anymore. This was the more shocking surprise of transfers. I'm sad and nervous and excited for the change.
Sidenote: Sister L told me about how she found out she was being released, and for the record, I find the ambiguous & confusing "thank you for your service as VC Sister Trainer" release phone call completely amusing. Don't be afraid to be bold, President. We can take it. :)
As always, thank you for being inspired and prayerful about all of these changes. This is probably the most surprising transfer any of us imagined, which means it has to be from a higher source.
This week:
We're working with two part-member families on very different levels. One, ***** (age 9), has a baptismal date for February, and is the cutest investigator I have ever had. She has such a genuine desire to read the Book of Mormon and come to church every week. We're working on helping her family to be a little more active--which is largely through the fellowship of other families in the ward who have kids the same age. We're hoping to plan a combined FHE for next week. The other part member family may be more of a long-term project. Technically the wife is a new investigator because we taught her some of the principles from PMG and she invited us to come back next week (which, we discovered from the sisters in her previous ward, is a big deal for her)...however, she said that she's not interested in the lessons right now. The lesson we had with them was powerful stuff. I feel her trust in us, and we have high hopes and faith that our relationship with turn into something more.
We haven't been able to contact a few of our other investigators, which is always sad, but I look forward to doing some faithful finding with my new companion this week. We'll let you know how it goes.
Another neat miracle this week was the lesson we were able to teach in Relief Society. We were called and invited to teach on Sunday morning, and though it was an intimidating prospect, we were grateful for the chance to serve and get to know our Relief Society sisters better. After as much prayer and preparation as the few hours we had would allow, the lesson turned out pretty well! I feel more trust from the members now.
I went on exchanges with Sister O this week, which I attribute many of our miracles to (we had 2 member presents and 1 LA lesson that night! It was very fulfilling). One of our member present lessons was with a new Chinese investigator (it was a transition lesson), and though he seemed a little intimidated by the 6 of his on his doorstep (2 sets of missionaries and 2 members), it turned out beautifully. Everyone taught and testified and I feel that the faith of every person present was deepened.
Ironically enough, my favorite night of miracles was on the night of Friday the 13th. And it's funny because I was sort of having an off day until darkness fell and the Visitor's Center became packed. There was a non-member Latino couple that came into the center and wanted to be shown some of the exhibits about Christ. The wife remembered coming there 10 years ago w/ a friend and when her husband was having a bad night, she surprised him by bringing him here. I had the chance to show them the Christus and Savior of the World, and Jesus (the husband) was crying through both exhibits. He wanted to feel clean. He wanted to be healed. After teaching briefly about the Restoration, I testified of how we can experience True and complete cleanliness and healing through Jesus Christ. They accepted a missionary visit and a copy of El Libro de Mormon.
So, I was happy about that. That I got to be the one to testify and be apart of this incredible miracle was a miracle in and of itself. I literally felt Christ healing and calming my anxious heart as I invited others to allow Him to do the same. (Again, it's almost silly how well He meets all of our needs at once).
But THEN...I had 2 more miraculous experiences. One with a non-member family who was about to leave the center. Two older-ish parents (probably late 30's) and a young boy in a pirate's costume. It was a brief conversation, but they told me about how much they love being parents and how they had put it off for so long because they never knew what a joy it would be. The father had left the house in a pirate's hat that morning just because "there are only a few years of your life where you can do that" and he didn't want to miss out. It turns out they have been meeting w/ missionaries here and there and found out about the church through one of their member friends. They're still "on the fence" but they said they would most certainly be coming back. I told them that this is a place where they can get answers. ...I'm not sure why that was such a miracle to me. But it was.
And THEN...I talked to a couple who had both been recently reactivated. The girl was about to serve a mission, and over the course of our conversation, we were able to create a personal mission plan for her and two of her non-member friends. And same with him. I was able to share some personal experiences with them about how all of their past experiences--mistakes and trials and weaknesses included--could be consecrated for the Lord's purposes. Alma the Younger status. It was just a great MOMENT you know? It was so easy and natural and I felt the Lord consecrating my experiences for THEIR good, and...I don't know. It's just all so TRUE and love-filled.
I love the Gospel. I love my mission. I love you and Sister Weidman. Thanks for everything!
Sincerely,
Sister Wells
Sister E and I in the Christus. Good friend who's on her way home...
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