Too many title possibilities...

...to make a short subject line so I thought I would just write it all right here.

-Transfer #12, Area #2, Ward #4

-Heavenly Father's sense of humor

-Sister Trainer

-12 week program

-"Foster mom"

So there we go. All these crazy titles I could have named this. And yes, they are all true. I am staying in Glendora but was transferred to a different ward. But guess what... I'm staying in the same house and church building. I'm still not totally sure what my feelings are. I'm happy because I wanted to be transferred even though I love the Glendora 5th and YSA wards. I just needed something different and Heavenly Father definitely has a sense of humor because He sent me to the next ward. I can't stop laughing at His awesome humor. I'm sure He was laughing at me when I got the call from Elder Bangerter. But that's ok because it will be fun.

District picture: (L to R): Sisters Carrell and Denney; Elders Kappen and Gracia and Sisters Wheatley and Staker

I am also the new "Sister trainer" or whatever the new title is that they use. So basically I'm like a zone leader but I'm not an Elder so I can't be a ZL. I just get to go on exchanges with the Sisters so that's awesome! And I get to go to the leadership training councils and I've been hoping and praying for that because when Davo was sister trainer, she'd come home with all these sweet awesome things to tell me and I just wanted to be apart of those councils. So that will be super awesome! And it's cool that Heavenly Father trusts me enough to be a sister trainer.

Sister Salisbury and Rachel

I am on my 12-week program now :( So sad! I can't believe that I only have 12-weeks left. I was able to bare my testimony in the YSA ward yesterday and I just started to cry. Then at one point I remember saying, "I don't want this to be over. I'm not ready to go home." And it's true. I love my mission. It has really been a blessing. Everyone makes fun of me for being so trunky but yesterday at church while baring my testimony, I didn't expect to say that but I did. I just realized how amazing this missionary work is!

And my last title, I am a "foster mom." I finished training Sister Staker and now she's training!!! But now I'm finish training Sister Denney. She had two trainers in her first 6 weeks and now me. So she doesn't have a "mission mom." So it will be fun to have her as a companion. She's been in my district the last 5 weeks or so. She's a good missionary and I'm looking forward to it.

Rachel with Mike and Becky

Ok, now on to my real email... Lot's of possible unnecessary information for everyone haha :)

Monday the 17th was a good day! We had to cut our Pday short because we had a lesson with a potential investigator for the YSA ward at 3:30pm. It was a lunch appointment with this kid, Kamran and two recent converts, Andy and Hailey. It was super good! He knows who Christ is but doesn't have a firm foundation of Christ and His life and our life before we came to earth. So it'll be good for Sister Staker and her newbie companion. It was really cool to have this lesson. It was a sacrifice because it took away from our Pday but it was a sacrifice well worth it!

Tuesday the 18th we had a good day! We spent the day with a YSA member and had some awesome experiences! We had a last minute lesson with another potential investigator. It was just awesome! And to end the night, we were about to visit a less active member when the AP's called... SCARY!!!! haha I answered the phone and it was Elder Nielson. He asked to talk to Sister Staker and then he said, "After prayerful consideration, President Becerra has called you to be a trainer this next transfer." WHAT THE COOL!!!! Sister Staker is going to be training just three months after she's been on her mission. So happy for her! But when she got that call that's when I knew for positive that I was leaving the 5th and YSA wards. I was really sad even though I knew for sure that it was coming. A very bitter-sweet phone call and it wasn't even for me! hehe

Thursday the 20th was good! We had a very good district council where we talked about the importance of members. It really made me realize how important members are in missionary work. So everyone who reads this DO MISSIONARY WORK!!!! It's that important!

Saturday the 22nd was a fun day! We did service at the Gibson's to help them pack to move. They are a part-member family in the ward and they are just moving to a house in the ward. But it was fun to be able to help them. It was a packing party! We did four hours of service. It was crazy fun! And after that, we had to move back to the Whitworth's (we had to leave for the week because their son came home until Saturday night.) Plus Sister Staker wasn't feeling well that day so we didn't get a whole ton done that night because of it. But we did have a super awesome lesson with a less active member, Lora. It's been a very long time since we saw her and an Elder serving in the Heritage ward lives by Lora and he text us and wanted us to go by to see her because he used to serve in the 5th ward. We always put her name on our schedule but we hadn't been able to go over. But Saturday night I felt strongly that we needed to go and she was there! It was awesome because it's been at least 3 months since seeing her. The lesson/message that we left with her was so spirit filled. I feel like it was exactly what she needed.

Then that night, TRANSFER CALLS!!!! We got together as a district and we actually got our calls earlier than I've ever got them! It was only 9:20 pm when they came! I knew it was coming but when Elder Bangerter called, I was numb when he said I was being transferred to the Glendora 2nd ward. Like I said above, the 2nd ward meets in the same building as the 5th ward. So I'm excited. Sunday I thought I would be crying but I think the fact that I'll more than likely see many members of the 5th ward every Sunday, I didn't cry.

Then Sunday the 23rd was awesome!!!! Church was amazing! Becky came to church! In the YSA ward, I bore my testimony because Bishop Hatch was not too excited that I was being transferred. But it was good! Plus the YSA ward got out early and we as missionaries had to go out to El Monte to watch the AMAZING world-wide broadcast for new mission Presidents. OHMYGOSH!!!!! It was so incredible! I just could not believe all that was being said. I knew a lot was and is going to happen in the mission field but I just loved all the council that they gave us. I know that good things will come from that broadcast. I know that member missionary work is so important! So I hope that all those who watched it will help with missionary work! It really is important. It's not easy to do this work without members. Just like the quote that President Hinckley said that was used in the broadcast yesterday about how tracting/knocking on doors is not the most effective way. We need members! So please help with missionary work! Even if you live in Utah. It's interesting because the Provo mission is the highest baptizing mission in the church, go figure! So basically, there is still work to do even in Utah. If there is work to do in Utah, there is work to do everywhere! It's incredible!!! I never thought I would be this much into missionary work. But I am and it's so cool! I feel like I'm barely "getting" it. So basically, JUST DO MISSIONARY WORK!!!! Please :)

Rachel with the Hyers and Bramschriebers

Ok, now to finish yesterday. Because Sister Staker is done with her 12-week program, we got to go to the missionary farewell in Arcadia. And I was so excited to go! There were many people going home that I have served around. So I think that I wanted to go more for me because Sister Staker, I don't know how into it she really was but that's ok because I liked it! The funniest testimony was Elder Lindsay. He is the comedian of the mission. I loved his testimony because not only was it funny but it was also very spiritual. And it was exactly what I needed. Some things he said was that things don't just "hit" us. Then he gave an analogyish type thing about a cake. He said, "Quit opening the oven to see the cake because you'll have a flat cake in the end." And yes, that's exactly how it is for a mission. And it's exactly what I needed to hear! Gosh dang, he really made me think about the next 12-weeks of my mission. He then said something in the end that just made me cry. He was talking about how things don't just hit us and then he stopped talking for a minute, looked down, looked back up and was crying and said, "It just hit me." Oh my gosh, I cried! I realized how soon that moment is coming up for me. When I first got out here, I never thought it was going to come but now that it's so close, I'm freaking out! But I'm done talking about that! I'm ready to work super hard in the Glendora 2nd ward! This is going to be the best three months of my mission!

Well, we have to run back to Arcadia because Sister Denney left some things in her old car and we need them for tonight or we'll be in trouble with our lessons... And I have to still write President... yikes!

Love you all so much!

-Sister Rachel Wheatley