December 1, 2014
Dearest family and friends,
Legend has it that 20 years ago, President Gordon B. Hinckley stood in the Longfellow Park Chapel near Harvard Square and prophesied that one day, this mission would baptize 100 people in one month. People laughed.
I'm humbled and happy to report that as of last night, the Massachusetts Boston Mission did just that.
Can you believe the miracles the Lord has poured out on us this month?! Ammon says it best in Alma 26:
I truly cannot say the smallest part, but I will say some of the things I'm grateful for as I reflect on this month and on my mission:
I am so grateful that the Lord allowed me to be an instrument in His hands and to witness such incredible miracles this month and throughout my entire mission.
I am grateful for the lesson on the power of prayer and consecration the Lord taught me as we prayed and worked and sacrificed for our goal of 70 this month.
I am grateful for the way my mission has helped me to more clearly see my weaknesses and learn how to overcome them through the enabling power of the Atonement. The Lord has taken my weaknesses and made them strengths. Remember how PARALYZED I was to talk to people on the street when I first came out?!
I am grateful for the many people I LOVE who are now a part of my life. I cannot imagine my life without them! My leaders, my companions, the members, the people I've had the chance to teach and serve. If I had not come, I would not have had these experiences with them.
I am grateful for the experiences I've had that have taught me how the Spirit feels. How He prompts, directs, warns, comforts, teaches, enlightens, testifies of truth, and gives me words that are not my own.
I am grateful that the Lord has given me experiences to build my faith. I cannot believe He has been willing to use me because I am such a doubter and so afraid, but how can I doubt now after the many miracles I have seen?!
I am grateful for every opportunity I have had to witness conversion. The light that comes into people's faces and the Spirit in those kinds of lessons and experiences is life-changing.
I am grateful for the opportunities I've had to bear others' burdens with them. There is nothing more fulfilling than forgetting yourself and immersing yourself in the needs of others.
I am grateful for the increased knowledge and testimony of the gospel that I now have. I really had no idea what was going on as far as the gospel was concerned before I left! :) That's probably an exaggeration, but there is just no way I would have gained the same testimony without the chance to study and teach it to others and watch it change them.
I am grateful for how much closer I now feel to my Savior and to my Heavenly Father.
I cannot believe this is the end of my mission, but I am so excited to draw from these rich lessons and experiences as I tackle the next chapter of life. This truly is the Restored gospel and church of Jesus Christ. He lives! His Atonement is real and infinitely powerful to change and heal us and help us to become who our Heavenly Father intends us to become. They love us more than we know and see so much more in us than we do. Their Plan of Happiness is real and perfectly designed. How grateful I am for the privilege I've had to testify of these truths. My heart is full.
I love you all and am grateful for YOU! I needed each of you in this experience.
Much love,
Sister Wheeler Jr.
P.S. The attached video of Sister Watts' niece, Tessa, describes perfectly how I feel right now. :) Calm, happy, a little squirmy/nervous, and then...
Legend has it that 20 years ago, President Gordon B. Hinckley stood in the Longfellow Park Chapel near Harvard Square and prophesied that one day, this mission would baptize 100 people in one month. People laughed.
I'm humbled and happy to report that as of last night, the Massachusetts Boston Mission did just that.
Can you believe the miracles the Lord has poured out on us this month?! Ammon says it best in Alma 26:
11 But Ammon said unto him: I do not boast in my own strength, nor in my own wisdom; but behold, my joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God.
12 Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever.
13 Behold, how many thousands of our brethren has he loosed from the pains of hell; and they are brought to sing redeeming love, and this because of the power of his word which is in us, therefore have we not great reason to rejoice?
14 Yea, we have reason to praise him forever, for he is the Most High God, and has loosed our brethren from the chains of hell.
15 Yea, they were encircled about with everlasting darkness and destruction; but behold, he has brought them into his everlasting light, yea, into everlasting salvation; and they are encircled about with the matchless bounty of his love; yea, and we have been instruments in his hands of doing this great and marvelous work.
16 Therefore, let us glory, yea, we will glory in the Lord; yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God forever. Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel.
12 Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever.
13 Behold, how many thousands of our brethren has he loosed from the pains of hell; and they are brought to sing redeeming love, and this because of the power of his word which is in us, therefore have we not great reason to rejoice?
14 Yea, we have reason to praise him forever, for he is the Most High God, and has loosed our brethren from the chains of hell.
15 Yea, they were encircled about with everlasting darkness and destruction; but behold, he has brought them into his everlasting light, yea, into everlasting salvation; and they are encircled about with the matchless bounty of his love; yea, and we have been instruments in his hands of doing this great and marvelous work.
16 Therefore, let us glory, yea, we will glory in the Lord; yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God forever. Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel.
I truly cannot say the smallest part, but I will say some of the things I'm grateful for as I reflect on this month and on my mission:
I am so grateful that the Lord allowed me to be an instrument in His hands and to witness such incredible miracles this month and throughout my entire mission.
I am grateful for the lesson on the power of prayer and consecration the Lord taught me as we prayed and worked and sacrificed for our goal of 70 this month.
I am grateful for the way my mission has helped me to more clearly see my weaknesses and learn how to overcome them through the enabling power of the Atonement. The Lord has taken my weaknesses and made them strengths. Remember how PARALYZED I was to talk to people on the street when I first came out?!
I am grateful for the many people I LOVE who are now a part of my life. I cannot imagine my life without them! My leaders, my companions, the members, the people I've had the chance to teach and serve. If I had not come, I would not have had these experiences with them.
I am grateful for the experiences I've had that have taught me how the Spirit feels. How He prompts, directs, warns, comforts, teaches, enlightens, testifies of truth, and gives me words that are not my own.
I am grateful that the Lord has given me experiences to build my faith. I cannot believe He has been willing to use me because I am such a doubter and so afraid, but how can I doubt now after the many miracles I have seen?!
I am grateful for every opportunity I have had to witness conversion. The light that comes into people's faces and the Spirit in those kinds of lessons and experiences is life-changing.
I am grateful for the opportunities I've had to bear others' burdens with them. There is nothing more fulfilling than forgetting yourself and immersing yourself in the needs of others.
I am grateful for the increased knowledge and testimony of the gospel that I now have. I really had no idea what was going on as far as the gospel was concerned before I left! :) That's probably an exaggeration, but there is just no way I would have gained the same testimony without the chance to study and teach it to others and watch it change them.
I am grateful for how much closer I now feel to my Savior and to my Heavenly Father.
I cannot believe this is the end of my mission, but I am so excited to draw from these rich lessons and experiences as I tackle the next chapter of life. This truly is the Restored gospel and church of Jesus Christ. He lives! His Atonement is real and infinitely powerful to change and heal us and help us to become who our Heavenly Father intends us to become. They love us more than we know and see so much more in us than we do. Their Plan of Happiness is real and perfectly designed. How grateful I am for the privilege I've had to testify of these truths. My heart is full.
I love you all and am grateful for YOU! I needed each of you in this experience.
Much love,
Sister Wheeler Jr.
P.S. The attached video of Sister Watts' niece, Tessa, describes perfectly how I feel right now. :) Calm, happy, a little squirmy/nervous, and then...
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