In the strength of the Lord

Hello!

This has been a great week! We've been working on building the trust of our bishop (there's been some missionary issues in the past) and this week he gave us some really good referrals to go see, so we're way excited about that. It's going good in the ward.

LARRY came to church!!! :) He got a priesthood blessing this past week to help him live the word of wisdom, and he's coming along "slowly but surely" in his words. But he's starting to get the "glow" in his countenance, which is way awesome. In church yesterday we talked about missionary work - (backstory: Our ward mission leader used to be a baptist preacher, and is a car salesman, and teaches our gospel essentials class. So, as you can imagine, it's pretty entertaining. In talking about his conversion..) While he and his wife (a member) were dating he asked about baptisms for the dead and she completely straight faced said "you dig em, we dunk em" and he was like "alriiight! where's a shovel!?" and we were all laughing way hard, and then I turned to Larry and said, don't worry, that's not actually a thing, and he was like "I was ready to start diggin too!" and it was waay funny. Prayers for him will be much appreciated!

 

Laticia is doing good too, she should be going to girls camp! Yay!

We went knocking for 6 hours on Saturday, it was intense. We did get a referral from a member for an elderly couple who said we can come back in a few weeks, and found a guy Sam who said he would love to learn about our church and took a Book of Mormon! We're excited to go see him. 

I was reading this week about Alma and Amulek (take a moment to recognize how awesome they are) and something stuck out to me. It talks about Amulek's sacrifices, "Amulek having forsaken all his gold, and silver, and his precious things.. for the word of God, he being rejected by those who were once his friends and also by his father and his kindred" and when nobody would listen, Alma took him aside for a while and "did administer unto him in his tribulations, and strengthened him in the Lord." I love that last part, that he "strengthened him in the Lord." It wasn't in himself, he didn't say, "Amulek, you're awesome. You can do it. You've got it." because true strength doesn't rely within us. True strength lies within our Savior. Alma strengthened him in the Lord, because when He is on our side, we cannot fail. (see Alma 2:35 and Alma 17:37) We find true success, true happiness, true peace, true strength when we put our faith and trust in Him, and put our life in His hands. That is not an easy thing to do, let me tell you, haha, but I know that I have felt more of those things than I have before when I learn to place my trust and my life in my Savior's hands, and rely on His strength. I am convinced that when we do anything in the strength of the Lord, we can do all things and overcome every thing. I love my Savior. I am forever grateful for the privilege of being a missionary - it is the most amazing thing I have ever experienced. I love every day. 

I love each of you so much and wish you the best of weeks!

Sister Wilson

Spider count: 

Wilson - 28 (plus the additionals we found in the shed - video is being sent home) ;)

Thurber - 7.5 (half being because she deserved some credit for sticking it out in the shed with me while I explored)

 

 You can pick blackberries on the side of the road while we walk/knock. It's Thurber's new favorite thing :)

 The sign entering Shelton: Christmas town (several houses have teeny subtle Christmas decor still up year round and there's lil "Christmas villages"

 We got imported to Lakewood for the fireside last night cause they had nobody to do music, and got stuck in traffic for 2 and a half hours... But it was some pretty amazing views! (you can see the Narrows Bridge in the distance)

 I got to see LOY <3 at the fireside last night!! best day ever. It was way fun. 

(I played piano for everything and got to sing in a special number - woo!)

 So we have this shed on our property that we've never gone in and this morning I wanted to explore (we heard there was a beehive in it?) but instead, we found nests on nests on nests on nests of spiders. You could have a lil zoo in there

  I'll include our favorite find: Monstro (who went missing after about 5 minutes, and that is when we left)

 Also - zone conference pictures from the blog

1960's vintage

This has been one of the fastest-passing weeks I've ever lived.

Last Monday we got to go to Ocean Shores and play at the beach! It was way fun and the weather was perfect! It's been a while since I've seen the Pacific, I loved it. 

We went to the doctor in Olympia for Sis Thurber's leg (she's ok no worries), and Thursday we had Zone Conference in Olympia! So it's been way fun going back so often this week (after the fireside in Oly on Sunday night too :)

Zone Conference was an amazing experience and I learned a lot. We talked a lot about planning, and how important that is. Our perfect example is our Heavenly Father, who created our plan, the Plan of Happiness, for us. He started out with a goal (Moses 1:39) and he perfectly and meticulously planned everything. He planned us, our lives, our experiences, the earth, everything. It's comforting to me to know that my life is in His hands and if I trust in Him and His perfect plan, I can have eternal happiness promised to us. So we cannot be effective or efficient without effective and efficient planning in missionary work. 

Something my dear trainer (who goes home in just 2 weeks) Sister Julien said really stuck out to me this week. She told the story of a stake president where she served who's wife loved and grew Dahlia flowers. So he would follow her to the shows and whatnot, and one guy came up to him one day at a show while he was standing against the back wall and said, "Aren't dahlias so beautiful?" and he replied, "no." Confused, the man asked "then why are you here?" And his reply was, "Evelyn loves dahlias. And I love Evelyn. And that is why I am here." She related it to our missions, and that ultimately the reason she came here was because she loves our Heavenly Father. Missionary work is not easy, and some days are better than others. But we go forward every day with a smile on my face and in my heart because I love my God. I love my Heavenly Father. There is no where else in the world I would rather be than in His service. I feel so incredibly blessed to be here and to have the gospel in my life. 

We had a cool experience a few days ago where we picked a place to go knocking for 5-7's, and got there and there was no houses -_- So we went to our backup spot, which turned out to have what seemed one house that was a member, but I saw someone picking weeds behind the fence and thought I saw another long driveway. But being already a few minutes late, we decided to go to the next street down the road. But I felt prompted to go back and talk to that lady I saw picking weeds. We debated it for a few minutes but I still felt really prompted to go back. So we turned around and went back, and as we walked up to this lady she got this grin on her face and said "are you sisters??" and turns out that this lady, Gerri, had been excommunicated about 30 years ago. She is now married to a nonmember and she has been really thinking lately about coming back to the church. She said, "I don't know why we're not baptized yet." I felt prompted to tell her that now is the time, and the story of us turning around and coming back to see her and that this is God poking her, now is the time to come back. She got choked up and we had a really powerful experience with her, and we got her information and will be going back! :) 

Things are going good here in Shelton, it finally cooled down and should be in high 70's this week. Yay! I love missionary work, and I love my Savior Jesus Christ. I know that He lives, and that He loves us. I love you all so much and hope you have the best day!

Sister Wilson

Spider count: Wilson - 21 Thurber - 5 

PS - as far as the title of this letter goes, in the heat of the summer day this week we met a sweet elderly 88 year old fellow sporting his 1960's vintage hipster speedo, and let me tell you firsthand I believe there's a reason people don't wear those anymore. The things you experience knocking doors are beyond compare. 

 Ocean Shores beach trip!

 There were tons of jellyfish and massive crab corpses washed up

 just some beautiful view of western WA!

 Doctor visits

 gettin crafty with the camera

 We knocked into a member's nonmemeber sister who gave us the grand tour of her "toys". They have 3 really super nice super awesome super old cars. She let us take a picture :) 

Some of my favorite people at the fireside last Sunday 

 we sat in the walmart parking lot so I could open my package asap :)

 THE PRETZEL BUNS DOE <3 <3 <3 

 These are the most ridiculous and most COMFY pants I have ever owned.

 And my new fav shirt ;)

 and my new fav sunglasses! (THANKS!)

Quick note!

I super apologize but I have no time today! We're going to the beach in ocean shores today and I have approximately 10 minutes to email. We had a good week though! And we had a fireside last night in Olympia, where I saw so many people I love. Sister Thurber and I are the only people that can really play piano in the mission now, and we were either playing or singing in every musical number last night, and we get to go to central in a couple weeks to the Lakewood fireside cause nobody can play! :) woo! So excited. I also arranged a acapella version of Nearer, My God, to Thee, which turned out pretty good considering we only had 30 minutes to learn it.

Laticia and Sheila and Larry and Kim are all super awesome investigators we're working with right now, prayers their way would be appreciated :) Laticia is so amazingly golden it's crazy. We're praying her family will be softened so she will be baptized sooner than her 18th birthday, she's been trying to learn for 2 years and her dad just barely gave in to letting her at least learn but she can't get baptized yet. This gospel is the most amazing thing! I'll write more next week! I love you all so much and hope you have an awesome week!!

Sister Wilson

 we made a pie we found in our freezer and got DQ to celebrate my first mission birthday

 I love Shelton!

 

this was us coming home from the fireside... SO. MUCH. TIRED.

1 Year !?

It's amazing the things you take for granted in life. I was hoping to have a "foreign" experience when I came on a mission, and looking back, it's actually really funny how "foreign" it's been. The weather in itself is a whole different spectrum, aside from the fact that I've never seen so much green. Green grows out of everything, even road signs. and weeds grow on rooftops. I've had (countless) spiders (several the size of my hand) invade our apartment, I've been lost in the jungle when it's foggy and pouring rain and no light to be had except from our dying flashlight and chased by dogs (and people) and many other things I wasn't expecting. I even learned some Cambodian. This week we added the "no showers" factor.

And it's only been a year :)

(happy 1 year to me!) 

So, this has just been a crazy week. Aside from not being able to shower half the week, I also got a sinus infection (which is much better now) that just caused some crazy headaches. We had a lot of dropped appointments and it's been super toasty, but things are going so good! I love being in Shelton! It's one of the most beautiful places I've seen. So green and lots of views of the Olympic mountains and waterfronts. Our zone goes out to the ocean, so we'll be taking some beach trips! 

We met with a boy, Colby, who just barely turned 10 and got baptized a couple months ago. His dad isn't a member but we had a really good talk with him. (He builds fullblown hovercrafts. No joke. That's his career.) Anyhoo, we were teaching Colby the plan of salvation and I slipped and said something about "heaven and hell" and he stopped me and said "we don't say that word in my house!" and made me repent. hahaha It was a humbling experience. 

We're teaching a 84 year old lady Sheila who is the sweetest. I love her! We're going to be setting a date for baptism for her today! We're also teaching a 17 year old Laticia who's family doesn't speak English but her dad won't let the Elders teach her and she wants to learn in English anyway. She is SO amazing and we set a date for her to be baptized the day after she turns 18! She's so excited. Now we just have to wait for next May. But she's planning on going to girls camp and came to church on Sunday! She loves it! We are trying to teach Jared, who just got engaged to a girl in the spanish branch, but he's been busy while she's in town.

4th of July was super hot and there was lots of parties, but one lady told us "The Mormons are the only reason America is still here." HA. We had fun hanging out with the sisters in Elma for a couple hours and watched Meet the Mormons and had lots of food and good fun. 

Things are going good. I love Sister Thurber, and training is really fun. I think she's more training me than I'm training her. We're working hard and having a good time. The work of the Lord is an amazing thing to be a part of. The power of the Spirit is so real. Our Heavenly Father loves us so much. I know that this is the Church of Jesus Christ. He is guiding it, and He will guide us if we listen. My testimony of the Book of Mormon has grown so much. Read it! Every day! It is truly divine and I have come so much closer to my Savior and my faith and trust in Him has grown more than I can say, and it continues to. I love my Savior Jesus Christ! I know that He lives, and because He does, we can become clean from guilt, shame, and sin. We can become better and change our lives and our hearts. His power and His Priesthood are real, and you can feel it as you read and study the Book of Mormon and experience the change personally. I love this Gospel and there is no where else I'd rather be than serving my Lord. I love you all and hope you have the best week!

Sister Wilson

PS - To make this spider season fun, Sister Thurber and I started a competition of who can kill the most. 
This week's score: Wilson - 14. Thurber - 2.

 I. Love. Washington.

 So, fun story. 

It's been ridiculously warm and humid this week which led for particularly uncomfortably sweaty days. Alas, on Monday night, we realized the drain in our shower had quit draining and it took 3+ hours to get a gallon down the drain. We called lots of people, and tried plumber and wire hangers and every kind of solution to no avail. TRAGEDY. We couldn't shower (I tried) and especially after having chemicals sitting in it couldn't do anything. SO. On the third day (Thursday) and after much trial and nastiness and dry shampoo and prayers, a member in the ward let us come over and use their shower. GLORY HALLELUJAH. And then, a few hours later someone finally called us back and a guy from another ward came and fixed our drain! BLESSED DAY! I have never been so grateful to be clean. This is why I'm in America.

 4th of July! We totally coordinated and people enjoyed it :)

We got to hang out with the sisters in Elma for a couple hours before going home! (we had to be in by 8 but weren't allowed to proselyte, so we got permission to have an activity!) It was way fun