YoungLuv: General Conference WOW!!!!

Can I just say how AMAZING General Conference was?!?! I have never enjoyed conference as much as I did this past weekend! There were so many things said that I really needed to hear. It was incredible! But more on that later.

To start off... Thanks to Sister LuBean for her card! It made me smile :) And Happy Birthday to Grandma Wheatley and Nik and Erin's son, Austin yesterday! Also Grandma and Grandpa Wheatley's anniversary last week! Love you Grandma and Grandpa!

Lunch at Red Robin (YUM)

Ok, so this last week was a very good one! On Monday the 1st, Sister Carrell and I went out to lunch with Rachel Hendertilo and Cody Laursen. Rachel and Cody are both preparing for their missions. Cody leaves on Wednesday and Rachel leaves in November. Rachel is in the YSA ward but comes and hangs out with us on Pdays and Cody is in the ward I'm serving in. We went to Red Robin (YUM!!) And it was just that, YUM! And we had so much fun! Then Rachel spent the whole day with us as we went out and worked! It was so much fun! Rachel is going to be an incredible missionary! She has such a strong testimony!

Then on Tuesday the 2nd, Sister Carrell and I went to visit a less-active lady in our ward, Sister Bell. She hasn't been to church since they started the block schedule and she has a visiting teacher but we wanted to go see her. We ended up spending over an hour there! It was so much fun! She has been all over the world and so it was fun to talk to her about that because traveling the world is something I really want to do. And we talked about so much other stuff as well. It was just so much fun!

Redlands Temple - October 3, 2012

Then on Wednesday the 3rd, we had Temple/Pday! I was so excited to go to the temple. I have been wanting to go for so long! We went with Sister Williams and as we were driving, she almost just took the I-15 exit to SLC LOL Her son and daughter in-law are going to BYU so she wanted to just keep going and since we live there, darn haha But we decided it'd be better if we made our 7am session at the temple ;)

Sister Carrell.Sister Williams.Sister Wheatley at Redlands Temple
October 3, 2012

On Thursday the 4th, we had a really good Zone Training meeting. President Becerra has started this new thing where we have Zone Training once a month and it has really been good! This last week we talked a lot about accountability and faith. As missionaries we keep a daily number of how many lessons, less actives, recent converts, members, etc. that we talk to each day. We are told not to focus on numbers and to focus on finding God's children but at the same time, the numbers are important. So this week we talked about how we really need to pray when we are setting our daily goals and that we need to try our hardest to make those goals. And they said that when we aren't accomplishing them, what's something we need to change to meet them. So I always knew that making these goals was important but this training meeting really hit me hard and has made me think a little more about how important meeting our daily goals really is.

Then came Saturday the 6th and Sunday the 7th. OHMYGOODNESS!!!!!!! Can I just say how amazing General Conference was?!?! I learned so much! Some of my favorite talks on Saturday were: when President Monson announced the age change for missionaries, "Ask the missionaries" by Elder Nelson, Not a race but a journey by President Uchtdorf, and Protecting our Faith by Elder Anderson, Pavilions by President Eyring, Let down your nets by Elder Holland (my very favorite), Never postpone a feeling by President Monson, and Testimony vs. Conversion by Elder Bednar. First of all, I thnk it is so cool that the missionary age has changed! This just means that the work needs to more forward my quickly! Just think about it! There are so many young men and young women who would usually go to school, date, get married, etc. by the time they are 19 or 21 but now, they get to go right after high school! I think it's amazing!!! (I thought last night about all the soon-to-be or already 18-19 yr. olds in the Wheatley side of the family that can start mission papers and if we all go, there would be 9 of us out on missions by June/July of next year! How crazy would that be to have NINE of us out?! So cool!)

Then Elder Nelson's talk, I just couldn't stop laughing! I think I need to make a list of all the things people can "Ask the missionaries" about and study up on them ;)

I loved Pres. Uchtdorf's talk because I love quotes that talk about life being a journey not a race. It just reminds me that I need to enjoy things a lot more!

I loved Pres. Eyring's talk because sometimes, even as a missionary, I have pavilions that are up that are blocking my view or other things. I can't let one small thing get in my way. I need to have a clear view of heaven and a direct path for my prayers.

President Monson's talk was amazing because sometimes I feel like my feelings aren't really my feelings but one thing that I need to do is just act on those feelings and if they are right, they will work out. If they are wrong, Heavenly Father will put something in my way to where I'll know it's not right.

Elder Bednar's was amazing because President Becerra uses that a lot and I have always loved the story of the 10 virgins!

And finally, Elder Holland's talk!!! OHMYGOSH!!!!!!!! It was just so dang powerful! He said some amazing things in it! I need to really let down some nets that I have been holding on to and let the work progress here. If I don't let down these nets, I will never be successful as a missionary. I'm so thankful for that talk! It was something that I really needed to hear! I can't wait to have the Ensign come out next month! I'm sure it will be marked up in two days! haha

Well, on Saturday night, Sister Carrell and I drove out to Arcadia to meet up with her aunt for dinner. Sister Carrell got special permission for this and it was really fun! Her aunt it super nice and we had an enjoyable time! Aunt Susan went on a mission when she was 21 years old and so it was nice to be able to talk about her mission and just all these other things. We had a very good time!

Hermana Whitney Wilcox

And on Sunday night, we went to a baptism for one of Sister Carrell's investigators from her last area and Elder McKee told me that there's a Sister in a trio with Sister Filimoehala and Sister Harker who's from Provo. He told me her name was Hermana Wilcox. I know that Whitney Wilcox from high school was going on a mission and I thought it might be her and sure enough, she walks in and it was her! haha It was fun to get to talk to her and see her! It was a total surprise to see someone from home LOL

Well, that's about all that happened this last week! I'm just still in complete awe over conference! I just soaked it all up! It was amazing! I hope that everyone else enjoyed it as much as I did!

I gotta run but l love you all! Have a great week! (PS- I won't be emailing again until Tuesday because we have a mission conference on Monday...)

Love always,

Sister Rachel Wheatley