Sister Wilson in Wa-Tac: 6 Weeks

It's true - My final transfer has begun. It's kind of crazy, and it's kind of sad, but I'm coming to peace with it and looking forward for what's to come!

Sister Jones will be leaving this transfer and I'm staying on Bainbridge Island and getting Sister Scheer! She's only one transfer younger than me so she'll probably die here right after me. I'm excited!

This week was really super insane. It was great and normal til Wednesday night when a series of unfortunate events caused us to have to move houses first thing Thursday morning. So basically all day long we were packing and then unpacking (and poor Sis Jones is packing again today) and we're working on getting settled still. It's a nice house we're staying in but space is very limited so it's a struggle but we're grateful to have a nice place to be! One of the beds has a built in massage to it. (Don't know if that's allowed but it's all we got right now and I won't complain haha)

Aside from the craze of moving, that night we went to Tacoma to spend the night with Sis Rasmussen and Harbaugh - 2 of my old companions that I love!! We had so much fun and the next day Ras and Jones went to the temple and I got to spend the day with Harbaugh! It was exactly what we all needed and so great. :)

On Saturday night I got to drive back to Olympia where Ryan Clark, one of the people I taught for over 4 months, was finally baptized! It was so so awesome to see people I love so much and be with Ryan that day! It's been a long road for him and I'm super excited for him now that he has the gift of the Holy Ghost! Happy day!

What I've decided to focus on this year for Christmas is gratitude and my relationship with Christ. Sure we're always working on that relationship, but there's something awesome and special about this time of year and remembering Him even more. (It's my favorite time of year btw) Pres Uchtdorf pointed out in his talk "Grateful in Any Circumstance" :

"...Choose to be like Nephi, whose grateful heart never faltered. When his brothers tied him up on the ship... his ankles and wrists were so sore “they had swollen exceedingly,” and a violent storm threatened to swallow him up in the depths of the sea.“Nevertheless,” Nephi said, “I did look unto my God, and I did praise him all the day long; and I did not murmur against the Lord because of mine afflictions.”

I love the scripture, "let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed.” This takes a whole lot of patience and trust in God, and it's hard. But we are given the scriptures and stories of awesome people like Nephi to help us build that assurance that God will reveal His arm and show the way. There are SO many circumstances in the scriptures (and in my life) where it seems like all is about to fail (or they will be taken over by enemies or killed by angry brothers) but every time God delivers His people. For that we can be grateful always! Our Savior was born and died for us so we can find and maintain true and lasting happiness and peace, and ultimately return to our Father in Heaven who loves us dearly. I am so grateful for that knowledge and peace in my life. I know that God is always there watching over us, even and especially when it seems like all is lost or we feel forgotten.

I love you all so much!!! Thank you for everything!

Sister Wilson

our poor elders .. hahaha

We spent the night in Tacoma (the day that we moved) because Sis Jones and Rasmussen went to the temple with the departing missionaries Friday, so I got to spend the day with Sis Harbaugh!