MY LAST WORDS AS A SISTER MISSIONARY!!

Nov 3, 2014

I will not have much time next week, if any at all to email. So this is the last email from Sister Wilson as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. How surreal. See you on November 11th in OREGON!

So this week was pretty good! Everyone is now making death jokes and asking if I have started packing yet etc. Which is fine, when they ask how many days I have left I tell them how many days until my birthday, or until the Temple instead :) But in all reality I am excited to come home. I am excited to meet baby Gene and see how big Clara has gotten and hug everyone! Especially my mom :)

Honestly, I thought this mission would never end. Sometimes it felt like it was going to go on and on and I was stuck in this phase of my life. Other times it felt like it was flying by and I couldn't soak everything in!

But in all reality this year and a half has been quite the ride! Crazy stories, crazy people, people I love, people who will be a part of my life for the rest of eternity, I have found friends I would never have found if I had not come, I have learned so many things I cant even begin to list them. I have had trials and struggles like everyone, I have laughed and cried and felt every emotion in between, sometimes all in one day.

Nothing can prepare you for this experience, but there is also nothing like it.

There is nothing like being able to see someone's life change completely because they now know who they are as a child of God. That they have a Heavenly Father who loves them and is so intimately aware of them, they don't even realize it.

There is nothing like being able to be a part of a family coming back to the gospel and re-learning the simple truths and to feel the change in their home as they do so.

There are so many experiences that you don't understand unless  you have been there. Not always good ones. Sometimes you are out walking around in the rain for hours and cant find a single person who wants to talk to you. Sometimes people who you are pouring your heart out to decide they don't want the happiness you have to give to them, sometimes they struggle and don't make the best choices.

Sometimes you have to step back and realize that we are all human beings having a mortal experience. Everyone has different trials, strengths, experiences, opinions and they make choices differently than we would.

And that is the beauty of it all!

Knowing that we are all different, and are all brought to Earth to have different experiences, but we are all here to learn the same thing. To remember who we are as children of God and to learn how He has given us guidance to return to live with Him and our families after we die.

I am so grateful that I chose to listen to God when He told me I should go on a mission. I cant imagine not having these experiences. And I cant imagine how long it would have taken me to learn the things I have here.

I know that this experience has transformed me and helped me to become more of the person that God wants me to be, more of the person who He needs me to be and I have learned much about how He communicates that with me.

It has been amazing to realize how much the spirit is in our life's. How much guidance we are given through the spirit and how much faster we can learn and understand when we allow Him to be a part of our daily life.

I have learned the importance of going to church. It all starts with missing one Sunday to go on a drive with the family, or to do something that is still good. Spending time with family is exactly what God wants us to do! But there is a time and a place for everything, and church is a place that God needs us EVERY WEEK. Its a place where we need to be EVERY week in order to build ourselves up, and to strengthen others.

Then we need to read our scriptures daily. I have learned from having scripture study planned out into my daily schedule how important that is. The days that we miss study and I don't get to read out of the Book of Mormon are days that could have gone more smoothly or could have been better in some way. It is amazing the difference that is made in your daily life when we allow the study of scriptures to be in them. That is something that I will strive to have in my life everyday for the rest of my life. I have seen the difference in the families and individuals that are reading and studying and learning together, and those that are not. Its something you cannot create. It is something that only comes from a study of the scriptures. And oh how I have come to love them on my mission!

Also prayer. I cant imagine going through a day without talking with my Heavenly Father multiple times. I have made it a goal on my mission to have God be the first person I talk to in the mornings and the last person I talk to at night. As I have had this focus in my evenings I have been able to ponder on what I want to talk to Him about. I have been able to focus on what I really want to tell Father about my day, and what He would enjoy hearing from me.
I have learned how much He truly is aware of me as His daughter. I know that He is aware of each of us because I have had experiences that show me that He is in my everyday. Which is something I have come to love and appreciate.

Lastly, I have learned how much I love the Temple. Not being able to attend for the past 18 months has helped me to truly appreciate what it is like to live so close to one. I am so grateful that we have a Temple so close to home, and that I am able to attend the Temple while I am in Rexburg. I am excited to being able to attend weekly. To have that added strength in my life! That is something that I need and something I am SO excited to have again.

Overall I have learned that life is hard, yes. But we can make it harder, or we can make it easier. The choice is ours, and it is not by doing anything big and grand.

I have learned that it is in the simple, daily and constant decisions we make. It is in the little things that we gain some of the biggest comforts and best guidance. Reading our scriptures, attending church, praying often, and attending the Temple. These are things that we each NEED in our life. They are things that we think we can live without, and honestly, you can.

For a short time.

Then things slip, and life gets hard. We don't have the spirit how we need him in our life and the guidance is lost. It is when we have separated ourselves from God by not doing the simple things that life gets harder.
When we give our focus to God, and do the simple things. When we truly turn to Him in prayer and seek His guidance in reading and church and Temple attendance, that it is there!

That does not mean life is easy when you do the small and little things. But that means that we have the spirit to help us, and we are not trying to carry everything on our own.

We learned from conference this past session that the command "come unto me" from our Savior. Jesus the Christ is the most simple command that has been given.

Come unto me. Some of the most powerful words given to us, and they come with a powerful promise in Matthew chapter 18: 28-30

"28 ¶Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light"

Ye shall find rest unto your souls.

Rest, something we all want and need!

My mission has taught me of the importance of coming unto our Savior! And relying on Him. He is waiting to help us, but we must let Him in.

I know that this is the gospel of Christ once again restored to the Earth. I know that God has called Prophets to lead and guide His church since the beginning of time, and that He has called a Prophet to lead us today.
I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior and Redeemer. He is my advocate with the Father, and it is through Him that I have been given the opportunity to live with my Father again.
I am eternally grateful to my Savior, Jesus Christ, for His example, love, service and support through my life. I know that He lives. I know that He loves me, and I know that God loves me. With a perfect and eternal love, no matter what we do. We cannot change how God feels about us, we can only change how we feel about Him. And it is through the small and simple ways that we come to know Him and love Him. I am so grateful for the opportunity that I have had to teach what I know to my brothers and sisters here in Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland. I know that I have been transformed as I have relied on my Savior and grown closer to God through these past 18 months.

And my time is short remaining. I have one week left, and it is going to be a good one. Because I love being a missionary!

And I will love getting to hug my mom, sisters and friends in just 8 short days.

I love you all! I pray for you daily! I can feel your prayers and love, thank you does not begin to cover my feelings of gratitude, but it will have to do for now.

Love you all!

See you soon!

Much love,

Sister Kindra Wilson

Penn Philadelphia Mission :)

October 27, 2014   ALMOST HER LAST EMAIL HOME!!!

Wow! Lots of fun stuff happening back there in Oregon, no rest for the weary I guess!

I am glad that you got to go to the trunk or treat! How cute Clara looks in her dress :) She looks happy and enjoying the attention and time from Grandma and Keira.

That's too bad that Janie is not coming, but I am glad that everyone is okay with how things will be working out. Hopefully you and Keira will be able to be there and work wont get in the way for Keira, and I hope you find some place for Clara! Im certain you will. Someone should be around! haha, but like you said NOTHING is simple about bringing a baby into this world.

And I am okay with new baby Wilson being there when I get there, or if he wants to wait, that's okay too :) Hey, I wouldn't mind sharing my birthday with him either!! My birthdays aren't big deals anyways anymore. Why not have someone else to celebrate too?! Makes it more fun that way :)

Well sounds like you will have plenty of fire wood this year or maybe for next year if it all so green!!, yeah! And with the weather the way it has been, maybe you wont use a ton either. Winter I think is thinking about coming soon here, and I am okay with it waiting for another week. Hopefully we wont get snow before I leave. Id like to drive to DC and get Temple pictures without snow! but who knows. Apparently President is having to work on getting us all to the Temple, we have the biggest group the mission has sent home! And I was in the biggest group the mission every got! (Thus far in its history). So that is kind of fun.

Lets see, how was my week this week? Pretty good. I am learning a lot about how often teaching opportunities are put in our path, and the fact that we must be ready for it. Always prepared right?! Its neat.

So we met a man at the library and were able to teach him about how the Gospel of Jesus Christ was lost after He was resurrected and after His apostles were killed and died. We were able to teach him about how the Gospel was off the Earth for years! But how it was brought back to the Earth through Joseph Smith being called as a prophet.

It was neat. I think one of my favorite moments on my mission was seeing Ed listen to Elder Jones (the senior couple we were teaching with) tell Ed that Christ knows who HE is and loves him. Ed was listening, and you could tell the very moment he felt the spirit because we grinned ear to ear. It was so neat to see someone soooo happy and to know the spirit was working with him.

Then Ed came to church yesterday! It was awesome! We weren't expecting him to come because we didn't talk to him after he cancelled the second appointment that week and we were going to set up another one, but we weren't able to yet. He showed up and luckily sister Jones saw him and motioned for him to come and sit with them.

We were sitting with John and his parents. John was baptized last week and yesterday he was confirmed as a member of the church and given the gift of the Holy Ghost. It was neat to be able to see him and his parents enjoying the service together and knowing that he is officially a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

SO COOL!

Then after sacrament meeting I stood up and turned around and guess what? I saw Sister Stevenson who drove down from Souderton ward to see me! I love her! SOOO much!

She was baptized in May, and we had started teaching her the lessons after baptism. she fed us every Thursday and we love going to see her! So you can imagine my surprise when she showed up and brought a little gift for me. A key chain that says "love you to the moon" I love it.

And it was AWESOME that she was there, because she was able to talk with Ed after church and between the baptism and things about her experience and helping him want to stay and watch. We were busy helping the Elders because their investigator was baptized yesterday! And they asked us right before the service if we would teach the message of the Restoration during the time that everyone would be changing.

Sure, give us 10 minutes heads up.... awesome planning! But we did it.

And it was neat because there were a ton of primary kids there, last week we showed the movie about the Restoration and so we thought that would be a lot to show to the ward twice... so they asked us if we would teach. Well we did it more through questions and answers to keep the kids entertained, in their seats and involved. It was right after church so they were ready to eat and run around, but we somehow got their attention. I have to say, I have never taught like that before, but it was neat. And I was greatful for the opportunity to teach the Restoration at Annabelles baptism, one more time before I leave! I loved it, no notice or nothing, it was great.

Its neat to have the opportunity to really be in sync with your companion and listening to the spirit to help teach others and helping them learn. We had a hand full of non-members in the audience, but I think most of them spoke Spanish. I hope they could at least feel what we were talking about! I did end with my testimony of the Book of Mormon and how excited we are for Annabelle.

Man. Life is great!

In other news, this week Elder Jones and I lost at the infamous marble game he loves to sister Maybury and sister Jones. But that's okay. We might be able to play once more and re-deem ourselves. We shall see.

Also we got chased away from a house by a dog. Closest encounter on my mission, and it was not even close. Which I am fine with! Ill leave it that way. The dog was just loose in the yard, but it was quite a steep long driveway and the dog definitely had the advantage on us! So we left.

Also the Relief Society president made us an Apple pie :) Delicious! Even for a not so pie lover like myself!

Lots of finding, teaching, bingo, facebook, service, dinners <-- love those! The Flygares took us to Olive garden :) Only time Ive been there on my mission! And life is grand!

And guess what? 10 days until I get to go to the Washington DC Temple :) LOVE that!

also doing a trial pack today... don't love that. But I need to de-junk and we are going to try and go to Philly next week since sis Maybury has never been. We shall see what happens.

Anyhow. Life is grand! 9 days until my birthday, 10 days until Temple and 15 until I hug YOU.

The work is moving along and we are making good progress. Life is great! Missionary work is exhausting, and I am enjoying every minute of it! Well... okay I am enjoying the rest of my time. There are still things that are not enjoyable about missionary work, but it is well worth the sacrifices!

Love you all!

Thank you for your letters and love and prayers and all your support! I love and pray for you all.

Love you tons!

Sister Kindra Wilson :)

Oct 20, 2014

I will probably be sending all the books and manuals I have home, since they are heavy and annoying to pack. We shall see, I think they make us do a trial run soon, so we shall see what the weight is at, and then I will probably send stuff home from there.

We are getting some beautiful fall colors this year! They were taking their sweet time getting here, and we got a cold patch, and then an Indian summer so its been quite warm these past few weeks. But Sunday might have been the turn to boots, scarf and jackets. We shall see if it stays. I would be okay with it staying now! Its about time it felt like fall! I kept dressing for what it looked like outside, COLD, but then it would be 75 and I would be in a sweater, stockings and boots. It made for some warm days! So hopefully it will turn and stay that way!

We had a few miracles this week! We were at the library when this guy named Ed asked us if we were nuns. We explained who we were and he then started talking about how he was trying to find a church and the truth.... WE CAN HELP! It was awesome! We invited him to church and he gave us his info, he wasn't able to make it yesterday but we set up an appointment for tonight, hopefully he gets home in time for it and he doesn't get called in this evening. So keep Ed in your prayers! We are going to teach him the gospel for sure!

We got to go on exchanges this week with our Sister Training Leaders which was fun! My last exchange! Sister Sagers came to Broomall with me so it was fun to be out working again like we had done in Souderton. I am still fairly new with Broomall area so it almost felt like we had doubled into our sisters area for the day or something! haha.

But it was really helpful to talk with her about the change of pace from Souderton to Broomall. Its been kind of a hard change. Going from being a Sister training Leader and running around never having enough time, to here where we have too much time and not enough work.

We have been trying to get to know some of our less active families and who we can strengthen and trying to find people who we can teach. Its amazing what happens when you just get out there and talk to people! They find you in the most random places, like the library! haha. Its been good.

Oh we went and volunteered at the old folks home to help them with Bingo and there was almost a fight that broke out! Words only of course, they don't move fast enough to get to each other before help could prevent it... and they know it.

So John the investigator, who we have been teaching, moved in with his dad. Which is great! A better situation than what he was in, but his dad lives in New Jersey... so now he has to commute 45 minutes to church, and we have to teach him over Skype.

He talked with Bishop about the situation and they worked it out so he can still come and be a part of our ward.... somehow not quite sure how it works. But we just keep teaching until we are told we cant! So we have been teaching John over Skype and Facetime, which is quite the adventure! Its been a lot of fun actually. We are able to go and meet at a members home and teach with them over the devices we have. Its amazing the blessings that have been given to us to reach out to so many people!

I am so grateful to be a part of the work at this time. So many miracles and help!

And the most exciting thing of the week:

JOHN WAS BAPTIZED!

It was awesome! The room was packed, we did the service right after the block of church meetings, and lots of people stayed. John bore a beautiful testimony, we showed the Restoration movie which was really touching to both of his parents, and there were great talks and words shared.

Then we had refreshments of course, you cant hold a Mormon function without food.

And the elders have an investigator being baptized next week as well, so its an exciting time in Broomall!

Well, sorry its short this week. I had to email some stuff to the office, and I checked my school stuff, all the holds are gone! YEAH! So now I will just have to ask President if I can register or if he wants family to do it for us. We shall see.

Anyhow, 18 days until my birthday everyone :) Yeah! And that means 19 days until I get to go to the D.C. Temple! HUZZAH!!! I am SO excited to go to the Temple again! I miss it SOOOO much! Its a place that I truly do love!

P.S. this may sound self absorbed or something, but PLEASE don't send anything for my birthday that I will have to turn around and pack to bring home 4 days later. Candy or cards are perfectly fine! But nothing that I will want to keep please, I have WAY too much junk that I need to get rid of already and I am hoping to not just leave everything in my apartment.

I hope that wasn't presumptuous of me, but yeah. We can just celebrate my birthday with lemon chicken and scotcheroos upon my return :)

LOVE YOU! More than you know! I will talk to you again next week, know that I love you and I am thinking of and praying for you daily!

Love, Sister Wilson

October 13, 2014

Oh how this time is flying. I feel like I was just emailing you. And I probably say that every week... Sorry. But it's true. This time is flying by! But the end is surreal. It won't ever actually end... This is my life. And that's fine.

Broomall is turning out to be a pretty good area. 

Our investigator John is doing wonderfully! His dad came to church with him this week and then they stayed for the ward potluck. After the potluck John had his baptismal interview and we got to talk with his father which was awesome! We talked with him about the Temple, we gave him a Book of Mormon and shared some scriptures with him. Then I invited him to come and be a part of the reteaching, when after John is baptized we teach him the lessons again so he can learn more and feel more comfortable with the doctrine. 

This will be a great opportunity for him to learn and understand the things that John is learning and experiencing.

So that's great! We have been able to meet some interesting people, and we have had some really nice people. The people here are pretty receptive and open to the messages we share which is nice!

This week we had ZONE CONFERENCES! It was awesome because we got to view 'meet the mormons' movie before it was in theaters! Which was sweet. That was requested by the first presidency so that we can encourage our investigators and members to watch it, and we aren't allowed to go with them. But it was really good! I am not sure how many of you got to see it, or how long it will. Be in Oregon, but if you get the chance to! It was neat to see the members in Costa Rica and in Nepal and how religion influenced their lives! It was really neat. I enjoyed it. I hope you get to take ode friends to see it, they will enjoy it I am sure. It was really well done.

Then I got to bare my dying testimony... They have all of the departing missionaries bare their testimony at the end of Zone Conferences and it was harder than I thought it would be! But it was neat. I was grateful I was able to share about the change of heart I have experienced from being on my mission and seeing the Lord work in my life.

I am so grateful for His hand in this experience of mine! I would not have been able to make it this far, and I would not make it to the end without my Father in Heaven! But I have, and I will because I know that God has given me everything that I have, and the time that I have to dedicate my life to Him wholly is little remaining. 

We had a lesson with a man who is schizophrenic and it was a hard lesson. He said that he wants to be in agreement with himself before he is baptized. It's rather heart breaking and hard to witness. But it was nice to be able to teach him and help him see how the gospel will bless his life. He comes to church every week! Which is commendable and a lot more than others give so he is doing pretty well all this considered. 

Oh on Wednesday we woke up after the alarm was supposed to go off, and we had no power. And we had a meeting we had to be at, so we showered and did makeup by candle light... It would have been quite romantic if we hadn't been two sister missionaries trying to get out the door and praying that the fire truck who showed up in the parking lot was not going to come and pound our door since the fire alarm likes to go off from the shower steam... It had gone off three or four times. But it's always an adventure! 

We went and volunteered at bingo this week again and there was a swearing match between two 

Residents which was lovely. But the people I was sitting with won several rounds so they were happy.

We had a lesson with a less active named Andrew, he was wearing a sword on his back when we showed up. It was kinda funny, the member asked him why and he said for personal protection. But we had a great lesson with him about Christ and repentance and the gospel of Jesus Christ. We talked about how we are each able to return to live with Heavenly Father because of Jesus Christ but that we are the ones who must take the action. We are the ones who must accept His sacrifice and then act on it.

Repentance changes us. It helps us to live life on a higher plane and to know and become what God wants us to become.

Well that's all for this week. Not a ton of exciting things, mostly just still living the life! We are hanging out in the mission office today emails since the libraries are celebrating Columbus Day like the post offices and no one else. So it's fun :) we are here with the Jones and the Ballards and the assistants and the service elders. It's a fun time. 

But I must go. Loves to all!

Also there is a frog that lives in our parking lot and comes out at night. He's rather large more like a toad, and we are friends :) he doesn't know it but I help him not get run over by cars!

Love you guys!

Sister Kindra Wilson 

Pennsylvania Philadelphia Mission

721 Paxon Hollow Road suite B

Broomall PA 19008

October 6, 2014

So I was transferred and I am now in Broomall PA. Which is where the
mission home and mission office are. We drive past Presidents house
almost daily, which is new and I don't know that I will ever be used
to that haha. But Broomall is good thus far.
We have an investigator John who is scheduled to be baptized in two
weeks. We are teaching him and his fiancée is a member we are working
with too. They are awesome. I am excited to be working with them, we
see them several times a week. We got to read the Book of Mormon with
John last night and it was neat. He was telling us about some stresses
in his life, and we can't tell anyone what to do, but the member that
was with us said pray. And as we read that was what stood out many
times in chapter. It was awesome! So neat to see that the Book of
Mormon answers questions and resolves concerns.
Man life is good here!
We have closets from Heaven in our apt too, which is nice :)
Oh and my comp is Sister Mayburry. She is from Utah and she is a hoot.
We laugh a lot! And we both have a sweet tooth... So that's unifying
:) and fattening... But all is good! I have a work out video from Sis
Shaia that I am doing everyday this transfer.
I have lots of dying goals: finish the Book of Mormon once more,
finish Preach my Gospel once more, be caught up in my journal before
going home, work out GOOD EVERYDAY - pray for that one for me will
you? Sister Sagers was the first comp to get me to really exercise and
to work out good. We ran almost everyday for two transfers so I know
it's possible. Now I just gotta do it!

Just do it!

That's my new motto. Not exercising? Just do it! Not journaling? Just
do it! Not reading..... JUST DO IT EVERYONE! I do not ask, tell,
invite or talk about you doing things I have not done or am not doing
myself. I don't know how else I can say it but reading, praying and
attending church are vital! More so than I ever realized.

That is one thing I will change when I get home. I need to be better
at studying my scriptures everyday, not just reading a verse before
bed to get rid of my guilty conscious. Anyhow, that is one thing that
will change for the rest of my life.

I did get your box mom, thanks for the taffy :) Glad you got to enjoy
your time at the coast :) sounds like things are going along crazy as
normal. I'm glad your able to be spending time with Karen and Deanna.
And that your enjoying some time after being released.

I was released as a sister training leader, I had a feeling I would be
so I was semi preparing for it, but you never really know with
transfers what will happen!
But I am enjoying it. I didn't realize how much time it really took to
hold such a calling, and I am enjoying having the evenings to talk
with Sis Maybury, journal, or just sit for a few minutes and do
absolutely nothing! I literally haven't had five minutes to sit and do
nothing in 6 months. It's nice to have a little bit of time for myself
again.

Well life is grand here. We are working and living and loving life.
Oh by the way a random man came to the chapel during conference and he
lived in Beaverton area for a while. He asked if he could get your
phone number to call you and tell you that he saw me... So I gave it
to him, so you will probably be getting a phone call from a random old
man if he has not called yet.
Sorry.

Hum, well life is grand. We still have to do laundry so I jump off so
we can head out soon. I love you all! Thanks for your continued love, prayers and support!

Oh and as for mail, we are at the mission office quite frequently as
of lately so you can send all packages there. Letters you can send
either place to the office or to:
my apartment address till Nov 10^th!!

15 Dougherty Blvd N-4
Glen Mills PA 19342

Or the mission office is listed below.

Love you all! Thanks for your love and prayers, keep em up! I still
need them all :)
Sister Kindra Wilson

Pennsylvania Philadelphia Mission
721 Paxon Hollow Road suite B
Broomall PA 19008

SEPTEMBER 29, 2014

Well, it seems like so much has happened this week! I hope I can remember everything, because at the same time I feel like I was just sitting here at this computer last week...

Well last Monday we went to Philly and it was so fun! We got to see the Liberty Bell because the line was all but non-existent this week. Which was awesome! Last time it wrapped around the building almost. So we got to spend some time walking through the hall reading the history of it, and listening to the 'Liberty Bell March' by Sousa. I love that song, we played it every year at Mountain View.

We also got to see one of the original printed copies of the Declaration of Independence owned by Washington, and we walked past the house where it was written and man there is a lot of History down town there. We didn’t go to the Temple because we already saw it just a few days before, we still haven’t seen the Rocky steps because they are pretty far from everything else in Philly. But I have gotten to see a lot of the other things which is cool. 

We also ate in Reading Terminal Market again, SO GOOD. We got Amish pretzels at Miller's Twist, a MUST eat when visiting the market. And we got cheese steaks, I love steaks! They are delicious, so I am eating them all up :)

But you should all be proud of us! We correctly boarded two trains and even used the subway to get to one of them! I am honestly terrible with ANY and ALL public transportation and navigation of it. But we were given directions and I was the one who remembered them so I was in charge of getting us on our correct train. And I did it!

Sounds dumb right? But it was a big accomplishment. Trust me! :)

Then we were on our way to our dinner appointment when this guy asked us what our tags were all about. So we shared with him all about what we do as missionaries and he has been trying to start some inter-faith groups in the area. It’s the elders portion of the ward but it will be an awesome opportunity for the elders to get involved in the area and get the name of the church out there! You never know where or when you are going to meet someone, being a missionary is sooo amazing.

We have been meeting a lot of people as we are out exercising too. People always ask us what our badges say when we are out walking around. Its amazing how friendly people are at 6:30am. So I ALWAYS wear my badge for exercise, some missionaries don’t and I just don’t get that. You only have 18 months to wear that badge, so DO IT!

Just my two cents...

We have had some really awesome lessons this week with the people we are working with, recent converts, less actives and a fun one with our investigator. We have really been able to connect and enjoy the time we share together. I am sad to go, but I know that Sister Sagers and her new companion are going to continue to make changes in the lives of these amazing people. I am just so lucky to be able to have been a part of their journey!

Sister Hammons came to church again this week which was SO AWESOME! We felt bad because there were 6 missionaries in the Doylestown sacrament meeting because the elders brought their investigator there too... so we are going to have to talk about that and see what we can do. Its kind of confusing for the ward to have so many missionaries in the congregation...

But as we were leaving Sister Hammons asked if I was going to call her, I told her I could not call her but we could be pin pals and she was so excited! I am so lucky to have meet so many wonderful people I love here! There are a lot of letters coming up when I get home :) So that will be good too.

Well the funny story from the week was when our investigator gave us snacks after the lesson... and I was 100% on the word of wisdom before my mission...

So she is 83 years old, and we have not taught her about the word of wisdom yet (the commandment that talks about why we do not smoke, drink or use drugs etc.). Just keep that in mind.

So after we taught the plan of Salvation she offered us some cookies and juice. Harmless right? Until she pulled out a gallon of apple cider that was quite fermented. Well I did not know that fermented apple juice became alcohol. I do not know the process of making anything of the sort right?

Well she pulls it out and we have to shake it up to get all the sentiment in the bottom redistributed into the juice. kind gross, and its bulging... like about to burst. Which is kinda gross, so I am super excited (rolls eyes) at this point and thinking this is going to be lovely.

So we pour the juice and I just start drinking mine because I know she is not letting us leave the house without finishing it, it tasted like apple cider vinegar so it was kind of strong and really not pleasant any more.

So I am half way done when the relief society president who is with us makes a comment about it being slightly alcoholic. I thought she was joking, so I finish mine because its gross.

Then she asks if Sister Sagers is driving... and I thought, wait, was she serious? She was I guess. Come to find out she was a waiter and she said she knows what alcohol tastes like and it was becoming alcoholic. 

Which explains why it was gross. So then I say I am taking mine to the sink, and as I pass by sister Sagers I grab her glass from her and dump it in the sink so she doesn’t have to drink it. 

Then we said good bye to our investigator because we had to take our car into the auto shop to get checked out, and as we were hugging her the Relief society president was able to dump hers down the sink. 

I know it was not actually strong alcohol but it was becoming more than just juice... so they will be teaching her the word of wisdom next time to explain why we were trying to explain to her that we really did not want the juice. And why we didnt let the kids drink it.

So there you go.

The adventures of the missionaries and our lack of knowledge of worldly things. So now we joke about the alcoholic missionary I am.... and how ridiculous it all was.

So anyhow. Well I dont know if I actually spelled it out, but I am being transferred tomorrow. It will be my last area and my last companion. I am feeling as though I will be released as a Sister Training Leader, and we shall see where I end up. Maybe in Jersey? Maybe an area I have been in before? Who knows! I could end up in Broomall at the mission office! Anything is possible :)

I love you all! Thank you for everything you have, are and will do for me. I really appreciate it, and I can feel all of the prayers being sent my way. Love you! And I hope to be able to write back to some of you soon. Know I think of you often and love you dearly! And hopefully next week I will be able to write some letters. Today we have to go wash the car, grocery shop, laundry, clean and pack.

huzzah! Gotta love missionary prep day! Its the bestest ever!

Love you! 

Sister Wilson

SEPTEMBER  22, 2014

Well I I am glad to hear that everyone is doing well. Life is moving along for everyone and that's what I like to hear. I'm glad Stuart was able to be laughing about the harassment from the CO. Hopefully he keeps that lightheartedness about him. He is such a great example and I hope he enjoys his experience with the Air Force.

Garret got his slow poke computer, well that's good to hear! Glad he will have access to more people and things to do. Even if it came by boat to China! Haha. That's awesome.

Clara is a dancer huh? Well that sounds like Heaven! How long is the class? I hope I get to see her dance once, that would be so fun to see! And thanks for the pictures! They are so cute! Little girls dancing and having fun. Hopefully Clara and Kennedy will become good friends :) that would be fun for her to have. Friend her age whenever she comes to grandmas house! 

That's fun that you got to work in the Temple. How neat! I am excited to be able to go to the Temple when I get home :) that is a blessing I need in my life! Especially when it is so close to home! I am still hoping to be able to go to the Temple with Ashley, we shall see when the Temple prep classes get started... I hope soon! 

Well transfer calls come this week. So we will know who is leaving and who is staying for our last transfer. I am hoping sister Sagers gets to stay and be with these people we love. She is such a hard worker and loves these people so purely, it would be nice for her to get to stay and train someone else to take over the area.

We shall see what happens with me. Maybe I will die a STL? Maybe I'll become a trainer for a golden, maybe I'll be companions with someone who is struggling, maybe I'll get sent back to Scranton and die up there. Anything could happen really! 

Okay my week:

MIRACLE!

Last Monday as we were doing our laundry we talked to a man named Justo, and gave him a pamphlet, invited him to church and to the Chilli cook off, and swapped information. 

Pheasant text us on Saturday to say he couldn't come to the chilli activity but that he could come an hour into church. We told him it started at 9 but if he couldn't come until 10 that would be okay too.

Well we got through Sacrament meeting with no sign of him. So we waited for. Few minutes before going to Sunday school, but after a while we figured they weren't coming and went to class. After all we hadn't even taught them yet and no one comes to church without at least a discussion....

And then THEY CAME! It was a miracle!

A brother came and grabbed us out of English Sunday school and said here was a Spanish couple looking for us. So we went to Spanish Sunday school and there they were. Justo and his wife Ana came to church,

HUZZAH!

And they stayed for the third hour, even though she had just met us, and they were in different classes and they don't speak very good English, they stayed!

We had sister Amaya translate during RS for her so she could understand what was going on. It was awesome! 

Ana said she wants to come and see the women's meeting on Saturday too, so that's awesome! I am soooo excited for them! 

 Bunch of the Spanish members were starting to fellowship them without us even asking. It was awesome! 

So we are excited for Justo and Ana :) we are trying to set something up to teach them tomorrow, we shall see what happens. When you need a translator things get more complicated...

Sorry for the terrible spelling errors. We are typing from our iPads as we are going to Philly today so we are trying to double task...

Also we had the chilli cook off. We had two not as solid investigators come, but they loved it! And they beat us to the building so our members were great in helping them find everything they were needing.

We had a bunch of non members and less actives at the activity which was awesome! A Lutheran woman came with one of the members, and she does not know much at all about our faith.

She asked if we believed in marriage...

GOLDEN QUESTION!

So we talked about eternal marriage through the authority of God and being able one together forever. She loved it and said that her husband died 3 years ago and her minister or pastor told her they would not know each other in the next life... Which she said doesn't make sense. And she is right! Because that doesn't make sense... Why would God give us families here just to take them away when we die? God makes sense, and that does not!

So then we got to talk about how it is in Temples and through the Priesthood authority that we are able to be sealed together for time and all eternity. It was really neat!

Our member is going to try and set up dinner with all of us so we can continue our conversation. 

Miracles are happening!

We also got to go on exchanges this week. Last 2 for the transfer! And our sisters are awesome. We ended up exchanging back together in Philly at the Temple sight. It was so fun! On Wednesdays the sister that is called to be a missionary at the Temple sight (her husband is the over seer for the Temple construction) bakes and then gives cookies to the Temple workers as they come off the sight for lunch. 

So we got to help with that which was so much fun! It was neat to be able to thank them for their service. We got to talk to one of he workers and ask what he did and thank him. He started asking about what the building was so we were able to teach him a LOT about the church, it was awesome, us 4 missionaries were able to answer questions, teach and testify together.

Man. I am such a spoiled rotten missionary! I love it :)

Well as I I said we are going to Philly again today, so I'm gotta run. But thank you for your emails and support! I love you all and am so great flu to be here serving The Lord at this time. Thank you for your prayers, love and support. I live, miss and pray for you all constantly.

Love,

Sister Kindra Wilson 

Pennsylvania Philadelphia Mission

721 Paxon Hollow Road suite B

Broomall PA 19008