Week 57: Settling in

June 23, 2014

Dearest family and friends!

Hello from beautiful Amherst! I forgot what countryside looks like! There are so many trees and farms out here (Mom, you would die. If we come back to visit, you may be tempted to settle here). It's so refreshing to have a change of scene, but I am definitely missing Providence!

It's been an exhausting change! Transfers were Wednesday night. It was so fun to see everyone and I can't believe how many people went home. It was a huge transfer! The drive back to Amherst took about 2 hours (our zone is nicknamed "outer darkness" because of the lack of streetlamps), and then a large chunk of Thursday-Saturday was spent cleaning our apartment and moving to a new one. It must be some sort of hazing ritual they do to new missionaries out in the Springfield Zone. :) My new companion is Sister Patterson and she is an absolute sweetheart. She was actually companions with my baby, Sister Slater, for a transfer. It's been fun to get to know each other. She is a hard worker and is so very determined to do her best in everything. And man, she's good at testifying! (For the record, my new district consists of 3 Elders and 6 Sisters. And the Elders go fishing on P-day. So funny! Welcome to the country. Also, it's weird not serving with Elders in the same ward.)

It is so bizarre to be in a ward again. And to meet at a church building. I'm trying to get used to saying "ward" and "bishop" again. :) Speaking of the bishop, he's Canadian. (I JUST LOVE CANADIANS! #trishazemp) Actually, Jord, did you know anyone from the Hatch family in Grand Prairie? Bishop Hatch is from Cold Springs and his wife is from southern Alberta. They have a fantastic family and have made me feel very welcome, along with the rest of the ward. I already love them all! I know I say it all the time, but that continues to be one of my favorite parts of being a missionary- the instant love you feel for the people you serve.

Remember how I had a goal of handing out one Book of Mormon a day? I feel like the Lord is really testing my faith on that one. This new area feels like I leveled up to a more challenging place. It's been uncomfortable to get settled in here and figure out the people (we're not in Providence anymore, Toto) and Amherst is a different animal. In Providence, there were always people on the street and they were usually pretty willing to talk, take a Book of Mormon, and give you their phone number. But Providence is a melting pot of a lot of different cultures and I think I've now moved into true New Englander territory. The crusty, standoffish stereotype appears to be accurate at first glance (I've had a couple of pretty feisty responses). I also think it was easy for me to talk to everyone in Providence because I was comfortable with everything else there. So, it's been a bit difficult and uncomfortable and I'm feeling a little shaky on my faith to find those who've been prepared here, but I know it's good for me! It's helping me to better empathize with members and how it feels to have your invitations rejected. Please pray for me to be better at dealing with people's rejections of my offers for them to learn more about THE MOST IMPORTANT THING EVER. :) 

But you know what? Miracles happen. On Tuesday in Providence, Sister Crane and I met a lovely woman, Nicole, outside the library. She was there with her son and after talking to her for a moment, she mentioned that she lost her mother this last year. We were able to testify of the plan of salvation and give her a Book of Mormon and get her number for the Central Falls Sisters. We felt so jazzed about it!

I've been thinking a bit after talking to an investigator, Dana, in Providence on Wednesday afternoon. He's the one I contacted in the library after seeing him for a lot of months. He was very nice, but it was a difficult lesson. He ended up doing most of the talking and I feel like I witnessed what Korihor calls "a frenzied mind" (Alma 30). Dana is so wrapped up in philosophy that he almost can't function in a normal conversation. He questioned everything we shared (or tried to share) and just couldn't even consider that we have a living Heavenly Father who loves us and has sent us here to grow and progress to become more like Him. He really didn't like the idea that there was a debt that needed to be paid for our mistakes and that our loving Heavenly Father has given us a Savior to make it possible for us to overcome those mistakes as well as the heartaches we experience in life. It was heartbreaking! And Dana realized he wasn't a happy person, but it was like he couldn't escape from the confusion in his mind. It made me really sad and made me really grateful for the clarity and peace the gospel brings.

After talking to Dana and another street contact in Amherst who was pretty defensive, I've been really examining my testimony and figuring out how I know what I'm teaching is real. Sunday morning before going to church, I prayed that I would feel another witness that this is all true. Oh how our Heavenly Father gives liberally to those who ask! While I pondered during sacrament, the answer was overwhelming. (In fact, I was already feeling it before church when we met with our ward mission leader and said an opening prayer. Brother Wilson offered such a sincere prayer and the Spirit brought tears to my eyes.) I realized that a testimony of Jesus Christ is the solution. Did He live? Is He really the Son of God? Does He really have the power to do what He said He would do? President Packard recommended 1 John 1-5 in my last interview when I talked about my desire to gain a more personal relationship with my Savior and during sacrament, I opened to 1 John 4 and was so overwhelmed by the Spirit I felt as I read. And verse 13 helped me to realize that when I feel the Spirit, I can KNOW that it is God's love and presence that I am feeling. There is nothing that can explain or reason away or deny the powerful feelings of peace and love I feel when I feel the Spirit. I know that our Heavenly Father lives. I know we are His children and that He loves us and has a perfect plan for us. I know our Savior lives and loves us and has made eternal life possible for us. These truths are real and I know it because of the Spirit I feel when I bear testimony of them, when I learn of them, and when I hear others testify. How grateful I am for this experience to grow and come closer to my Savior and to help others do the same. It is such a privilege!

I love you all so very much. Sorry this email turned into a novel. :) Thank you for all of your love and support! Our Savior lives! And this is His restored gospel. What a blessing to have it and share it.

Much love,

Sister Wheeler Jr.

P.S. I totally spaced bringing my SD card to the library, but I will send pictures next week.

P.P.S. My new address is: 

390 Northampton Rd Apt. A

Amherst, MA 01002