Week 71: 25 Ways in 25 Days!

Elle and Sister Wilding (Mission Presidents wife)
Repping their Utah gear.

I don't even know where to start because I feel like I just wrote a big email like this yesterday. This last week flew by so fast, not sure what to do about that one though. I am very grateful to be on my mission and I am making sure that I am enjoying the good and the bad. ;) 

On Tuesday we got a call from one of the Sisters that we are serving and she was not having a good day/week. So we talked to her on the phone for a little bit and decided after a lengthy conversation that we needed to do splits that day. So we ended our lunch early and drove to Mt. Erie where we exchanged and drove back to our area for the appointments that we had set up. On a side note, I am so glad that we ended up walking a couple weeks back because we used a lot of miles that day from driving back and forth on Tuesday. So I came back to Oak Harbor with one of the Sisters and we went to our appointments. We got back a little late and so we ended up being a little late to everything and it felt like we were running around like a chicken with its head cut off. If someone ever says that miracle don't happen on "exchanges" they are not telling the truth. We went to our second appointment with our investigator Kendra; low and behold she had her friend Henry there. We were teaching the Plan of Salvation. So it was cool to see Henry through the lesson because he was standoffish at the beginning but as the lesson went on he was touched by the spirit and he was asking questions and answering the questions. At the end of the lesson we invited him to come to church and to learn more, he said that it is something that he would be interested in, so honestly it was all I could do not to jump up for joy right then and there. Henry is 18 years old and so we will be passing him off to the YSA Elders, which is okay because he is going to have the chance to learn more and to have that eternal peace and joy that comes with the Gospel as you have a broken heart and a contrite spirit!! It was fun to because the Sister who I was with was able to get excited about Missionary work again and was almost "reenergized" to go and experience those things for herself! So I think that it was a successful day all around. 

Elle and Sister Lindsay in the back of the car.

The next day we had a lot of people that we needed to go and see but the Assistants called and asked us if we would instruct at MLC, so then we had to rearrange everything so that we could instruct at MLC. I am not about to turn that down, to not plan and prepare and instruction where President Wilding is going to be present. But thankfully Heavenly Father LOVES us and helped us be able to get everything done that we needed to! Right before dinner we were going to see our investigator Savannah but she ended up being really sick and so her mom Amber who is also learning asked us if we would give her a blessing. So we called the Elders in their ward and they were able to meet us there. Savannah and Amber are in Oak Harbor 2nd Ward but because of some things we are teaching them. This is cool with me because that means I get to teach two more people. So we went to meet the Elders there but I looked down and realized that I didn't have my tag on me anymore.....that is like the saddest/scariest moment because.....who am I? I don't know because I don't have a name tag. So we drove back to our last appointment that was the opposite ways and luckily it was in their house and so I just had to grab it and then we ran. We get there, and how was I supposed to remember, the Elders needed a third male to be able to go in and give the blessing. So Sister Lindsay and I went and started to knock on random doors in the complex and we were finally able to find a male that would come....we knocked into a member!! Blessings!!! So we got her the blessing and then Amber's neighbor is a member and she came over and has been sick too and so she asked for a blessing. The spirit was so strong and I was very grateful that we have the Priesthood here on the earth to be able to administer to the sick and afflicted. Then we ran to dinner because we were late. Luckily it was with Brother Beatty and he was very kind about it! Another blessing!! 

Service project with missionaries after MLC.

Thursday was MLC and also was December 1st!! So we had to get up at 5:20 am to be able to make it to our meeting on time. We got down there went through a fast forward version of MLC because we had to make it to a service at the park so we could kick off the 25 ways in 25 days!! It was awesome. There were a lot of new faces in MLC which was good because we were able to get new ideas and things like that. At the service project I ran into one of the workers whose name is Greg Larsen, he is in the Alderwood ward. Greg is so cool and has the most amazing story. He has come a long way from where he was at and will now be receiving the Melchizedek Priesthood this next year, then hopefully he'll be able to leave on a mission not too much later. It was a lot of fun to be able to catch up with him and see how life had been and what he was doing. I am very thankful for the opportunity that I have to make so many good friends and that I was able to be a part of their life in one way or another. 

Elle and Sister Lindsay

Also we took the coolest picture of some of us missionaries from Utah and the schools that we represent! Sister Wilding and I were the coolest...that is just a fact and how it is! 

Missionaries from Utah and the schools they represent.

Saturday we attended a funeral for the husband of a member in our ward. I am so grateful that my family are members of the church and we know of the Plan of Salvation, it was so sad to be there, and sad for the family to not know about the Plan that our Father in Heaven has for us; or even for those who know about it and not to fully understand what it is and why it is important for us. I am glad that we were able to go and support the family and help them in any way that we can. Even when creepy non-members hug us..... Then after that we got to go and help Sister Glade set up her Christmas tree. That is one fun thing about this time of year is that for service everyone is asking if we will come and help them set up their Christmas tree! One of the best services ever!! I feel as though I have said that about a lot of things but this is a very true statement.

Goofy picture time.

I love fast Sunday! I am so grateful for it and the opportunity to be able to partake of the sacrament and remember my Savior Jesus Christ and what he has done for me! Then later that night we were able to watch the Christmas Devotional! IT WAS SOOO GOOD!!! If you didn't get to see it you should make time and watch it because it will get you into the Christmas spirit! I love this time of year and I love my Savior and the gospel and I love that I get to be a missionary!

I love you all and hope that you have an amazing blessed week!