Family and friends!
It's been another lovely (and slightly ghetto) week in Providence! :) We were helping our branch mission leader make a map of all the people who have cars in our branch and when we pulled up the satellite image of Providence, there was absolutely zero green on our side of town. So nasty.
It has been SO nice to have a car! We were able to help our ward clerk with a bunch of inactive/unknown names on Saturday and we felt so productive! The highlight was that we were able to visit with a recent move-in, Thelma Cooper, who has been inactive for a few years and she told us she wants her 3 daughters baptized, so we'll probably start teaching them this week. So exciting!
Also, the General Women's Meeting was so great! Makes me so excited for Conference. I was so touched by the simple and powerful truths that were shared in the meeting. I couldn't even keep my composure while we all sang "I Am a Child of God". I think along with Jord, I've been realizing that the gospel really is so simple and simplicity is the key to being a powerful missionary and teacher. (I've discovered on my mission that over-complicating things is one of my weaknesses. Such a creativity block!) It was such a wonderful reminder. I especially loved what Sister Oscarson said about self-imposed barriers and the importance of loving each other more and better. The meeting made me think a lot of my nieces and I'm determined to take each of them out on one-on-one dates when I get back. I can't wait to learn from the growth they've experienced in our time apart. And I just want to get to know them each better. :)
We had a rough week and weren't able to meet with any of our investigators (that flu is going around and a lot of them were sick), but like I said, we're excited to start meeting with Thelma Cooper and her daughters. And our branch mission leader continues to be wonderful. He went with us to visit some inactive recent converts and I learned so much from his example of how to teach simply and how to extend commitments lovingly and boldly. He also has really helped us to focus and plan specifically for how to approach part-member families in our branch. Speaking of which, we're going with him to visit the Washingtons on Friday to talk about the Plan of Salvation. Brother Washington's grandfather recently passed away and he may be more open to the gospel now. Please pray for him this week! I want more than anything for that family to be sealed in the temple! THEY ARE AMAZING!
We were also able to help a former investigator, Sara Maroto, clean her house on Saturday, which softened her heart to meeting with us again. When we first called her on Thursday to ask if she would want to meet again, she said she was really busy and stressed, so we offered to come help her clean because she just had her 3rd back surgery and she was so grateful. When we got done cleaning and were headed out the door, she said we could meet again and talk about "The Book". :) She said that because we had made time for her, she could make time for us. Service for the win! #ammonstyle #notganghamstyle :)
Also, we had an awesome dinner with the Justiniano family on Sunday. They told us about how they had started a "family group" (ie, just their family had church in their home) in Bolivia that grew into a group of 50 members before they moved to America. Amazing! There are now several stakes in their area. Stories like that make me want to work even harder to find those who are searching! I feel like I lack so much faith that I can be part of something that miraculous, but I'm working on that. :)
I am so excited for General Conference! What a blessing it is to have living prophets on the earth today! I know that as we approach this weekend prayerfully and listen with the Spirit, we will be taught by the Spirit personally. We will be taught specifically what our Heavenly Father wants us individually to know and feel. Our Heavenly Father loves us and does not leave us on our own to learn and grow here on earth. His plan is so perfect! And our Savior, who is central to that plan, lives and loves us and knows us perfectly. I am so grateful for his sacrifice and for the promise of the resurrection and eternal life. Like Jacob, I feel, "O how great the goodness of our God, who prepareth a way for our escape from the grasp of this awful monster; yea, that monster, death and hell, which I call the death of the body, and also the death of the spirit..... O how great the plan of our God!" (2 Nephi 9:10,13) I am so grateful for the Book of Mormon. It is such a gift and it is true.
And how grateful I am for all of you! I love you all so much! Thank you for all of your love and support.
Much love,
Sister Wheeler Jr.
Please pray for!
Aaron Washington
Kalyn Waite
Mychelle Briggs
Sherri and Chantel Newton
Maya Johnson
Sara Maroto
Amanda Rezendes
P.S. Hobo story of the week: Some guy named Troy stumbled into Gospel Principles on Sunday. He was wearing pj pants and 3D glasses that were upside down. He sat in the back and did not participate in the lesson. I'm pretty sure he was high. #sketchy #onlyinprovidence #sofunny :)
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