Monday, July 8, 2013

So we FINALLY  got an email from Sister Wilson that was longer than 3 sentences telling me she didn't have time to email!! Yea! So here is her latest update. Thank you to all those who are writing to her and keeping her posted on your lives and activities. It makes a HUGE difference to get letters!!



July 8, 2013
Sorry that I haven’t emailed you a great email in a few weeks. Lets see transfers.
When I got here (in May) they had all the goldens (greenies) and the trainers meet in the chapel. They had the trainers all introduce themselves and then we all headed to the gym. They had trainers line up on one side and goldens on the other. They would call the trainers name and then make them go out to the middle, then they would call the goldens name. The Elders always end up going first. They are funny because they always run up and hug each other in a big 'bro hug'. Then they do the sisters and were sweet and nice and golf clap, while the elders hoot and holler and are loud. It was fun, I was also picked last! Again. seriously dead last out of all 30 of us. Im always last, should have seen it coming. Then we went into the chapel again and the trainers introduced all the goldens to everyone. It was a fun experience.
When I got my golden ….hey did it a little different, they were trying to cut down on time so we all went into the chapel and they said they would be matching us up in there. Oh and they started with the Elders because President was still matching up the sisters. CRAZY! So we were in the chapel and they called the trainer, you said where you were from and where you were serving and then called the golden. The guys were still kinda rowdy, loud bro hug and a "wheres my boy?!" comment made with each one. Then they finished the elders and excused them so they could start driving.
Well President still wasnt done matching up the sisters. So they invited us trainers to share our experience of the first time we invited someone to be baptized. I talked about our investigator Donna who I invited to be baptized and she said 'I already have been', which lead into a discussion about the Priesthood and how we believe that we have the only true authority from God, that’s always fun to answer the question "So you think my minister is not a man of God?!" Always a big discussion.
But I shared and then the Assistants came in with the list. They called the trainer up, we said where we were from etc. they called the Golden and then instead of hoorahs and yelps from the elders, there were 'awes!' since it was a room full of sisters. I started laughing the first time, as did the assistants.
We ended up staying that night in the mission home since we are kinda far from Montrose in Broomall. Which was nice. I was able to spend a little more time with President and Sister Schafermeyer. I ended up getting to hear the last bit of family prayer that we did with everyone in the home that night because I was in the shower. But I got to hug sis S and shake Presidents hand and say thank you one last time.
And now we have a new mission President Anderson! He is great. They did a mission tour and came around and met everyone, Sister Anderson introduced herself and said "you’ll have to excuse the tears, I have a tender heart" which I love. Im going to start using that, because believe it or not I am a cry baby and I do have a tender heart everyone!!!
My Golden is Sister Oveson, she turned 18 in May, and she is from Nephi Utah. She is super excited and ready to talk to ANYONE. Its  been a great experience so far, she is pushing me already which is good but unexpected.
The 4th if July was fun! Montrose, small little Montrose is the place to be on the 4th! They had shops on the green, which we got to go wander around and talk to people. The Elders came up from Tunkhannock for it as well and they brought signs with them 'free Book of Momon' and 'Free Bible' and they actually passed out almost 18 of them I believe which was good. They talked to a lot of people and had an easier time than we did because people walk up to signs and ask you questions, where as they run away when your wandering around with a name tag and probing questions... we eventually figured out some better approaches but it is hard to walk up to someone and ask them if they want to strengthen their family, or wondered if their marriage could last after they die and they look at you like your crazy. But we figured it out. We also found some people at home that we have been looking for FOREVER which was good. And we got to help some shop keepers take down their tents and they let us teach them a little bit about the restoration and we got their information. They live in New York however so they are in a different mission, but we will pass it along.
What else? Oh Susquehanna! That is where the Aaronic Priesthood was restored. The first time we went and met at the chapel there and played some games ate food and then went and visited the sight.
This past week we went up to have Mud Monday 153 minutes of mud. It was interesting. We played games and ate which was good. Then we went to the site by the river and it was really muddy last time we were there so the Zone Leaders planned to have a mud fight on the bank. And I said heck no! There is no way I am doing that or allowing any of the missionaries I associate with to have a mud fight on the bank of the river where the Baptisms took place. That is a sacred sight and I will not let a group of missionaries desecrate that sight in such a way. And so once I realized what they were planning I stopped and said no. Luckily other missionaries felt the same way. So we took the Goldens to the bank to see the river and then headed back up to find a different spot.
We found one, but it was very wooded and rocky muddy. Which sounded perfect to the ZLs. So they set up the relay in the woody rocky mud. And we were running, army crawling, scooting on your bum, crawling on your hands and knees etc. My leg was the last one, and I had to crawl up this gravelly muddy bank. It was fun, and I did cut up my leg a bit. Not bad but enough to leave a scab. One of our investigators Louie saw it and in the prayer he offered prayed that 'Sister Wilson would stop cutting up her pretty little legs'. He was sweet.
But yeah, thats what we did in Susquehanna. It was a really spiritual experience the first time because we went down quietly and took some time to stop and look and ponder. I got to watch the water of that river rush past and think about everything that has blessed my life because of the events that happened in this county. How lucky I am! Thats why I am out here, to share what I have with others.

Something else exciting, we were invited to go to the Baptist church this week. We invited Bud to come to our church and he said Ill come to yours if you come to mine, so we went. I liked it. I have never been to a Baptist church. I knew more people there than I thought from around town. They were really friendly and greeted us and said it was good to have us. They sang a lot, and we stood and sang along with a band which was a different experience. A little louder than the LDS services, but I liked the songs and I caught on quickly and was able to sing along which was fun. Then Pastor Bob talked about communion and how we take communion together and thats why we wait for everyone. Which he shared after the crackers were passed around, and previously consumed by the LDS Missionaries. We were on the front row and didnt see that they were holding their crackers and waiting, I would make a bad Baptist.... But then passed out the juice and we waited for everyone with that one. So we figured it out eventually!
Then Bud came to our services and it was a fast and testimony meeting. Sister Oveson and I both got up and shared our testimonies and Bud thanked us for sharing. Then he came to sunday school class, Sister Oveson taught Gospel Principles on talents and Bud participated a little bit even. After wards I told him he could take one of the manuals and he did so hopefully he will read some of it.
Elder Crump was talking with us and him afterwards and asked what he thought, he said that he had greater respect for the Mormon faith after attending one of our services. And that he had a few friends who expressed they wanted to come so he might come with them. It was really cool to learn and be able to see how an investigator might feel having to walk into a church where they knew no one, and having enough faith in the missionaries to be there and not leave you alone. I felt very out of place walking into the Baptist church, but Sister Oveson walked up and sat second row, so I followed to the front and it was really good to be up there and listening to the Pastor and learning more about their beliefs.
I did get to see the broadcast and my comp was in the Marriot center with everyone, how cool! It was awesome to hear of the changes they are making in missionary work. And the next Sunday was 5th Sunday so we had combined third hour and they talked about technology and LDS.org and the different resources we have and can use.
Is it weird that my mission is converting me to using more and more technology? President Anderson told us that we are going to be getting tablets (like Ipads) to be doing work with to keep our records and use to teach lessons and everything. Ill tell you more about it when I know more. I told Stuart about how FB works, ask about that email and let me know what questions you have.
I love you all and miss you! Thank you everyone for the letters, your support is greatly appreciated and always puts a smile on my face to see/read who is thinking of me. I love you more than I can tell you, the church is true! And thats all I have to say about that.  J Sister Wilson
Something funny…..we were talking to this guy about what we do and that we teach people about church and we swapped info and stuff and just before he walked away he asked: "so after you guys are done with all this stuff what do you do? Do you like to party? Or are you not into that?"
... well someone missed the train there..... he will be an interesting on to teach... if we ever get to. He said "yeah, we can meet up at one of your meetings or something and go from there"... yeah. Promising huh?     But flattering none the less 

LOVE YOU SO MUCH! The Church is true, so go tell your friends!

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