Week 78: Play it again, Primary Program!

November 17, 2014

Dearest family and friends,

It's been a tough and great week! (Funny how missionary life can be such a roller coaster...)

We had a couple of wonderful lessons with Fannie. I just can't believe how strong and solid Maggie's (recent convert) testimony is- when we first got here, she seemed so young in her testimony and now she is just so solid! And she testifies so clearly and powerfully. It's awesome to watch her teach Fannie. And we brought a struggling/returning member to the lesson on Monday night and they all really benefited from each other. And then on Wednesday, we brought the incredible Sister Nowlin to our lesson and it was wonderful. But, it just seems like Fannie really wants to take her own time on finding her answer... and I kind of feel like she doesn't feel like there's much we can teach her. :/ BUT! She came to church! Mostly because Maggie's kids were in the Primary Program.

INTERRUPTION: Can we just talk about how much I love the Primary Program?! Why don't we do it EVERY week?! The Spirit was so powerful and I feel like all of the missionary lessons were taught so simply in less than an hour. It was so perfect for all the investigators and non-members there!

So yes, that's Fannie. And she's leaving town this week. :( And Yana, the Russian investigator who we LOVE, just got moved to a new place for work, so we're transferring her to the missionaries there. I'm so sad we won't get to keep teaching her, but I'm happy I get to keep in touch with her. #gratefulfortechnology

Speaking of gratitude, I feel like I learned some important lessons on that this week. I've been in the beginning of the Book of Mormon looking for tender mercies and MAN, Nephi is so good at that! He is so good at teaching us to REMEMBER all the miracles the Lord has done for our ancestors and for us. As I've been reflecting more on my mission and taking the time to remember the many miracles the Lord has let me be a small part of on my mission, I have been overwhelmed. I have a testimony of the incredible Spirit that comes into our lives when we live in a spirit of gratitude and always remember what the Lord has done for us. It is so healing and purifying and peaceful. There is no better way to live!

Update on our mission's 70 baptisms goal: Going splendidly! The mission baptized 19 people yesterday, so we're at 39 baptisms for the month! AMAZING. The Elders in Cromwell set a baptismal date with Barry Phelps for Nov. 29th, so we're all excited about that! We share the same teaching pool (but we haven't taught Barry yet), so their success is ours, but my pride makes me feel like WE should be setting a date with someone, too. I'm happy to play whatever role the Lord needs me to play, though. And I'm so grateful to be here this last month full of energy and miracles!

So with two of our main investigators moving, the Sisters of Cromwell are back to the drawing board! But, hopefully we'll be teaching Barry more, as well as Nikki and her son Alex (two more people the Elders started teaching and set a baptismal date with). We've actually got some really cool potentials that we'll be working more on this week. Pray for Marlo Thomas and Jenny!

Oh, and we met THE coolest family! Some members from our ward just moved out and before they moved, they met the Hopkins family and shared a Book of Mormon with them and the Hopkins are TOTALLY searching. We stopped by to invite them to the Primary Program and they were very appreciative and very interested! They should be coming to church in a few weeks! SO EXCITED! And the Oeser family is SO COOL for finding and teaching them! MEMBERS MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE!!!

Oh! And Zahra brought a friend to church. SO COOL!

LOVE YOU ALL!!!

Love,

Sister Wheeler Jr.

P.S. LAURANA! I am so proud of you!!!!!!
P.P.S. Mom, I am dying laughing at how obsessed you are with cleaning missionary apartments. :)