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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