Shelton 1st

So, Shelton is a BEAUTIFUL place. I love it! It's a huge area, and we cover several small towns and a couple islands! So that's been way fun so far. It got super humid and super toasty on Thurs-Fri-Sat, but yesterday the clouds rolled in and cooled it down a ton! So that was a tender mercy.

In Elma the stake president felt inspired that we should use all our extra time finding, and in finding he specified knocking, and told the zone that we should spend at least 25 hours knocking a week. I'm sure we'll see amazing things as we do that! We have a few pretty awesome investigators here. We plan to put Sheila and Laticia on date for baptism tonight! Laticia is 17 and her dad won't let her get baptized so she has to wait til she's 18 next year. And Sheila in an older lady who I haven't met but she loves what she's learned so far! 

The ward here is amazing, we have 2 ward mission leaders who are AWESOME, and 10 ward missionaries and they are all working so hard to help people come to and feel welcome and church! The ward is so strong and missionary-focused :)

Sister Thurber and I got a call Thursday night to give talks in church on Sunday! So we did, and it went pretty well. We had extremely limited time to plan, but there was definitely some divine assistance there. 

Sister Thurber is an awesome missionary! She's been out 6 weeks and follow-up training is super fun with her. We have a ton in common and she also loves to work hard so we get along great. It's kind of fun, because I know how she feels taking over an area her 2nd transfer and have so many reminiscing memories of being where she is :) It's crazy to think I've come so far!

Things are going really well and I'm excited to be here! As part of the extra hour of study for training things in the morning, we've been looking at the Book of Mormon a lot and how we can use it more effectively. And it's been super cool! I LOVE the Book of Mormon, and my testimony of it has grown so much this past year. It really is so inspired and I have received so much comfort and revelation by studying it. I hope somebody watched that link to Elder Holland's testimony of the Book of Mormon, because it is so powerful. I add my witness to His that I know it is true! I have come so much closer to my Savior and am learning to trust Him so much more every day. I LOVE this Gospel more than anything! I am so grateful every day that I have here in Washington as a servant of my Lord. He lives! He loves us! 

I love each of you so much and hope you have the greatest week this week and find the little joys in life :)

Sister Wilson

 our last zone pic in Olympia last p-day! I love them!

 so the empty seat in the middle lefthand side? that's mine. I'm playing prelude so you can't see me, but I promise I was there :)

 me and Sister Thurber at our cute little house we live in! (my first actual house!)

 So, in our area we cover a couple islands! We drove out to Harstine Island on Saturday and did some good work out there. It's SO pretty!

 Fun fact - part of our area is in Union, which is also where Bill Gates owns a house.

Rewind pt 2

This has been probably the most fun week of my mission thus far. I've been in a trio with Sister Bigley (from TX) and Sister Kama (from Tonga) and we have just had a blast. We covered my areas of Oly 1 and Oly 5, and their area (and my first area!) of Oly 3! I got to see a lot of my old friends and surprised quite a few on Sunday at church :) (I thought going to 2 wards on Sunday was busy) It has been SO fun and I wish I had time to tell all the crazy / fun stories that have happened, BUT, mortal life. We dropped off Sis Loy in Tacoma to get her new Cambodian-speaker, Sis Johansen, who is way cute.

 

So, we also got transfer calls this week, and much to my surprise, I'm being transferred! So things have been crazy busy not only packing for Sis Kama (who's also being transferred) but trying to run back to my apartment to get my stuff and pack that and leave notes for the sisters coming in. It's gonna be a crazy fun day today! I'm going to Shelton in Elma stake (which borders the ocean, woot woot!) to follow-up train a new missionary, Sister Therber! She's been in the mission 6 weeks and I'll be finishing her training the next 6 weeks, and I'm excited! It will be fun. I met her a couple times and she's super sweet. She plays piano too! So that will be fun. 

 

On Saturday Sara got baptized!!! It was SO great and we had several YSA show up to support and it went really well :) Sis Loy got to come back to see!Her confirmation at church also went great. She is so excited, and doing so well. Her friend didn't end up coming, BUT, her biological family in Guatemala is super supportive of her and is also super interested in the church! They haven't met missionaries before, so when Sara goes there this summer to visit she's going to be a missionary and help them find the church there! :) How awesome is that?!? I am so happy for her, I love her to death!

 

We also got to go to Zion's Camp as a mission this week, and we got to go on Wednesday! It was SO fun, and a great learning experience. 

 

So, things are going so so good. I love every day! It's been a fantastic week and I love being a missionary! I have been so blessed. I know this work is true and that the Spirit is real, and that Jesus Christ truly lives and knows each one of us and everything we go through, ups and downs. This Church is so true. I love it so much and there is no where else I'd rather be right now than right here serving the Lord. I love you all so much and hope you have a beautiful week!

 

Sister Wilson

 our zone made matching t-shirts for zion's camp. because we da best

 me and sister loy wore matching dresses our last day ;) 

 we picked up the new cambode (next to loy) and the 2 sisters next to me are our trio this past week

 We had lunch with Dutch on several occasions while I was there :) 

 I love him so much!

 we took one of my beautiful old yw friends knocking with us!

 These are the Martins - the senior couple that lived in our same complex and took such good care of us. they are transferring to TX because they ran out of family history work to do here! I love them so much and will miss them tons!

 SARA'S BAPTISM <3 <3

 

Fun story - the redhead next to me in this picture is going to be my step-baby! :)

Rewind

So much is going on right now, I love it! 

 

Sara is doing good, her work called her in on an emergency shift so she couldn't go to church yesterday :( but she's still excited to get baptized this Saturday!! We are so excited for her :) 

 

We had one of our musical firesides last night in Chehalis (about 40 min drive south - a part of the mission I'd never seen!) (I've also not seen so much sky since I've been to WA) and it was SO fun! I LOVE our firesides. We sing several songs Wa-Tac style and have some special musical numbers. Last night I got to be the pianist and it went great! I also accompanied a special number and sang in a little sisters acapella group, it was SO fun. And the Spirit is always so strong. I wish everybody could come to one! None of our investigators came :( but the youth in our ward did and we're having another fireside for Oly stake in July :) YAY! I'll probably still be here.. we find out Saturday!

 

Speaking of, Sis Loy leaves me tomorrow :( She gets her Cambodian-speaking baby tomorrow! She's coming a week before transfers, so I get to spend the rest of this week in a trio with Oly 3rd!!! The place of my mission birth! It will be so fun, Sisters Bigley and Kama are the most hilarious couple ever. We're going to have way too much fun :) Also, I will probably be staying in Oly one more transfer, which means I will have spent half of my mission in Oly. It's a little crazy! But I love it so much. 

 

This week we have Zion's Camp!!! We go to this big church-owned camp and have a whole ton of activities and then a devotional, I got to go last year and it is SO fun. I'm way pumped. (And sis loy and her baby get to come with us! YAY) Our zone made matching t-shirts so we're going to be pretty awesome :) 

 

I don't have too much time, we've got some packing to do. But I absolutely love every day of my mission. I LOVE being a missionary. I have never felt so much love and happiness since I have been here serving the Lord. This is the most amazing work. I know this is true! God lives, and He has a plan. Christ's Atonement is so real. He loves us. This is His church, and it was restored to the earth by the prophet Joseph Smith. The Book of Mormon is the word of God, and I know that. I know because I feel it when I read it, and I have gained such a stronger testimony of my Savior Jesus Christ by reading it. I have received strength and comfort and personal revelation by it. I love it so much.  (https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2010-03-08-testimony-of-the-book-of-mormon?lang=eng)

 

I love you all and hope you have the greatest week!

Sister Wilson

 

 We went to Grandpa's Ice Cream (the stake patriarch owns it!) to  celebrate Sister Loy's 1-year-in-the-field mark :)

 June Doyle turned 100 this week! We went to her bday party, which was probably the funniest thing I've ever seen. When she went to blow out her candles all the other old ladies were like, "are your teeth in good there, Junie??" "don't hurt yourself!" and the like.

  This is her and her lil boyfran

PS - she dropped her cane and started dancing after she blew out her candles - like hardcore old lady shakin her hips dancing. it was the funniest thing I've ever seen

 

 

 

June's party

 We made Cambodian food for a lady in the ward!

 

  I helped on egg roll duty. They were SO GOOD.

 Some fireside pictures! Me Loy and Sis Kama

 and Sis Henderson! <3

 Sister Martin is one of the senior missionaries that lives in our apt complex and takes such good care of us :) she brought june to a RS activity

nevermind we all look fat

He prepares a way!

So, we saw several miracles this week! The Tudelas (a RC family who's been struggling and the dad who was baptized Feb 14 is still not confirmed) LET US IN. For the first time since I've been here they let us in their house! We just said a prayer but all of them were there and then the mom said "we want to have you for dinner! Will you come for FHE Monday??" and of course we were stoked. When we left I stood in their driveway staring at the sky thinking What just happened. That was for sure a miracle. Hopefully that happens tonight!

 

Scott, our miracle investigator who was so awesome, dropped us. My heart shattered into a billion pieces but I know we did all we can to bring him back and it's up to him now. Sara didn't get baptized, but she's on date for June 20 when her friend will be coming up from Idaho to be there for her. She's doing good, but extra prayers her way would be much appreciated to stay strong for 2 weeks. We had plans to give our other investigators dates to work towards baptism but Satan was a lil snot and those lessons all fell through. But we are not discouraged! I know that God blesses us when we are obedient. It's hard to get out of member dinners on time to go knocking, but we tried extra hard this past week and saw miracles because of it. We found a new investigator Sharla who is letting us come back later this week! She has a new baby and wants to know how the gospel can bless them. We're excited for her. 

 

I've realized deeper this week as I study that sacrifice is a big part of our conversion. We need to give up our old life, our habits, our activities or lifestyle that is not in agreement with God's teachings in order to truly change. Truly changing ourselves and coming unto Christ requires sacrifice of some sort - be it of time, effort, money for gas to get to church, etc. But one thing I know for sure is that there is ALWAYS an associated blessing with that sacrifice. The Lord tells us to try Him, see if He doesn't bless you. Heavenly Father is so aware of each of us and recognizes our efforts. Giving Him all we have, our whole hearts, all our soul, is how we can really find joy in our journey. I love Him so much and I feel so blessed to be where I am and have the life I do. I love each of you so much and hope you have the best week and remember how much you are cared for by your Father in Heaven! He knows you :)

Sister Wilson

PS - We have one of our special missionary firesides this Sunday night in Centralia! I was asked to be the pianist, so I'm playing for all the songs (one of which is particularly difficult and prayers I can do it would be appreciated), and I am accompanying someone else singing, and then I'm going to be part of a little a capella sisters number which I'm super excited about :) I LOVE our firesides. The Spirit is so so strong.  

 

 we did service for this family one day in doing all their barn chores and cleaning after horses. when we took a pic with the flash they all ran away, so this is just me with the weeds.

 All thru downtown there was rainbow flags hanging up. Not sure why. But. Oly.

 Zone activity last week! smallest zone in the mission and we have the most fun

 just a cute mailbox we found tracting

 These are some of the Tudelas! (the RC family I may have told you about?)

 

There are 2 kinds of people...

"There are 2 kinds of people in this world. Those you love, and those you don't know yet" :) Sis Loy has a little missionary quote book I've been obsessing over lately and that was one of my favorites that I loved! 

 

Things are going great here! I told you a bit about Scott last week - and we met with him this past week! He is SO awesome. We had the most amazing lesson and the spirit was SO strong - he came to church yesterday and brought his friend! He would've stayed all 3 hours but his friend wanted to leave.. bummer. but he is so great. He was a math professor at a Texas institute/university/something and so his "logical mind" he says makes it hard to have faith. But I know he will get an answer when he is so sincerely searching. :) I'm so excited for him.

 

Sara is getting baptized this Friday!! YAY! We are so excited!!! We are praying and hoping her mom comes. (her mom wasn't thrilled). We were way bummed yesterday that Ryan couldn't come to church because it was the perfect lesson for him.. #missionarylife. But he's still doing good. 

 

We had interviews with President this week, which were way good. I love interviews and every chance to see President and Sister Blatter! They're the sweetest most wonderful people in the world. I love them to death. I always get such a spiritual boost with them. We also got the confirmation that Sis Loy is really leaving this time - a new Cambodian-speaking missionary is coming in and she's going to train her! So, she actually is leaving June 16 when transfers isn't til June 23, so I'm going to be put in a trio for a week! President asked us where would be a good spot and both of us said Oly 3rd... so I may get to go back there for a week! :)) YAY! I hope so. Either way it will be a fun experience, but I'm super sad to have Loy leave. I can count to 20 and do a door approach and small conversation in Khmer, so she's leaving a good Cambodian-feel here :) I'm picking up on her cooking skills and even bought some things from the Asian market today! (We're also making a Cambodian lunch for district meeting Wednesday, fun!) So. Things are good. Life is great. Being a missionary is my favorite thing in the whole world. This church is so true, the Gospel is such a blessing. I love it more and more every day. I know this is Jesus Christ's Church and that He leads it, and He will lead us if we let Him! He answers prayers and loves us more than we will ever know. I love you all so much! Have the greatest week!!

 

Sister Wilson

 

 

 

 we're not allowed to wear these in public (headbands), so we had fun in the apartment instead

 That's an electric fence. Don't touch it. It hurts.

 these are some things you will find in an Asian market.

(pork blood, duck heads, ox tails, pig feet, chicken feet (buy one talon get 6 free!), fish heads, pig tails, tendons, chicken hearts and gizzards, and more!)

 I'm in love with Mt Rainier

 If you ever wanted to know, this is what "California" looks like in Khmer.

 Sister Loy taught me how to make leaf-necklaces

 I love the harbor!