Week 8 (I give up on the fun subjects...)

What’s up everybody?! Glad to be back!

Exchanges

This week we had exchanges (this is when we become companions with sister training leaders of the zone for 24 hours). It was so much fun! Felt like a little road trip for the day. I got to go all the way across the Columbia river to Wenatchee and tag along with Sister Smith for the day. Sister Smith is an incredible missionary and I learned so much from just the one day with her. She has so much confidence when talking with everyone, and she testifies in each lesson which was so powerful. We taught 8 lessons, some of which were Spanish so that was kinda cool. I am starting to pick up on a few phrases here and there! It was great though because I felt like a real missionary. Instead of just trying to talk to people who aren’t really wanting to talk to me, I was able to bear my testimony to so many friends that really are wanting to learn more and are working towards baptism.

Hard Moments

I’m just gonna be real honest, there were a few really hard days this week. We’ve been doing a ton of finding in parking lots, just going up to people and asking them if they want to come to church, and that alone is way out of my comfort zone. It’s just hard to talk to people when you know that they really don’t want to talk to you. Most of the people will lie and walk the other direction to avoid talking to you. We were mainly at just one parking lot this week, and probably 80% of the people there only speak Spanish. I’ve been struggling to understand why I was not called as a Spanish speaking missionary, but I’ve been trying to find the positives and things to be grateful for about being just english.

Stacie Miracle

So our first time on the bus we met a girl named Stacie. There’s no way to say it gently, but Stacie is goth. Super nice and friendly, but goth nonetheless. So that first day she said that she actually wanted to come to church, so we gave her our number but never heard from her again. Well, this week we got on the bus and there is Stacie! We start talking with her and she tells us that she had texted us asking for the address of the church, but we had never got anything. We find out that she had typed in the wrong number, so we gave her the correct number because she still wants to go to church with us!! Super cool right! Well, after she gets off the bus she immediately texts us and says how she thinks we were meant to meet again! We tell her that we think she’s right and that God definitely put her in our path. So we set up a lesson for Sunday, and Sunday afternoon we get a text from her. She says how she doesn’t think she wants to come anymore and how sometimes she’s just too nice and doesn’t know how to say no, and how she was never actually interested. We text her back and just remind her that she knew that she met us for a reason and sometimes Satan will try to stop us from doing the things we really need to do. Anyway, she actually shows up for the lesson at the church!!! We were so excited! This is the first time that one of our friends has actually been excited about meeting. We had a great lesson with her and she brought up that she wants to come to church next week!

Temple Dedication

My heart has been filled! As soon as we walked into the church building for the Moses Lake temple dedication, I was overcome with that same spirit I feel walking into the temple. It was so beautiful and peaceful and exactly what I needed. The dedication was perfect. One of my favorite things that was said, and I can’t remember the name of the guy who said it, but he said that we should refer to the temple more frequently as The House of the Lord, rather than just the temple. He said that by doing this it keeps everything focused on Christ. He is the center of it all, and when we are inside the temple everything points to Him, so when we are outside the temple, we should help others see that everything points to Him too.

Spiritual Thought

I went on an exchange this week with one of the STL’s, Sister Smith, and she said something that I have really been contemplating. She said “I love feeling weak”... now just think about that. That goes against everything the natural man wants to feel. The natural man wants to feel strong, capable, perfect, and that we can handle it completely on our own. Why do we often feel the need to prove our strength? And that proving our strength means we do it on our own? When we have that outlook and attitude, we aren’t open to Christ. We are saying, “No, it’s ok, I can handle it on my own”, when we should be looking to Christ in every thought, and turning to him in every struggle. He is always there with his arms outstretched. We just have to humble ourselves and accept the fact that we are weak, that we can’t do it on our own, that we need Christ to help us through every aspect of our lives. I think that true strength is turning to Christ and not doing it alone, because that takes trust. Sometimes a lot of trust. It takes courage to let go of the control and the desire we have to do it on our own so everything will end up how we want it. But that isn’t how it works. No matter how hard we try to control the outcome of things, we have no control, it is completely in the hands of God. So build a relationship with your Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Build a relationship with them so you can accept your weaknesses and turn to them. Ether 12:27-28 explains it perfectly “And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them. Behold, I will show unto the Gentiles their weakness, and I will show unto them that faith, hope and charity bringeth unto me—the fountain of all righteousness.” I know that it is hard to accept our weaknesses. Since being on my mission I have already been humbled more than I would expect, and it’s really hard. It’s really hard to realize where I’m falling short. But as I strive to turn to Christ in those times of weakness, I am filled with love for myself and my Savior's love.

Sorry for such a long email! Bonus points to those of you who actually made it through the whole thing haha!

I love you all, remember to always rely on the Savior for your strength instead of things and people of this world.

Sister Wanlass

OH! Also, this is my last Pday on Monday, starting next week they will now be on Wednesday... so, if you don't get an email from me on Monday, that is the reason why, and I still love you!