Sister Wilson in Wa-Tac: 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 :)