CHINO IT IS!

Just received an email from Rachel's mission president. She has been assigned to CHINO, California. Please keep her in your prayers that her adjustment will be easy and she will have a great first experience in the mission field! Oh, yeh, and SEND LETTERS :)

A MUCH NEEDED LETTER FROM SISTER WHEATLEY

This last week has been very long, waiting to hear from Rachel...well, a few minutes ago, this sweet letter popped up in my inbox and I couldn't have been more excited! I know she was struggling a bit last week, so I was praying that things would turn around and she would have a good experience with the MTC this week... well, although she had her share of struggles, you can tell just by reading this email that she has caught the vision and she even made me smile when she said, "I have really enjoyed the MTC and all the learning that's been going on but it's time to leave and teach people in California about the gospel. Even though I'm a little scared, I'm so excited! It will be wonderful!" She made her Mom VERY happy with that statement. I then knew she would be ok -- so, without further adieu, here is her letter:


Hello to all!
Can you believe this is my last week in the MTC??? I leave
on Tuesday! It's going by so fast! Sister Lehman and I were talking this
morning and there's only like 75 or so weeks til I come home LOL It sounds like
a long time but only 17 months left! haha

Just a couple things that happened this week! We got our
travel plans last Thursday! We have to be at the travel office at 5am on the
27th! So early! But I'm getting excited! I'm also kind of sad because I have
really enjoyed the MTC and all the learning that's been going on but it's time
to leave and teach people in California about the gospel. Even though I'm a
little scared, I'm so excited! It will be wonderful!

For the last two weeks we've been teaching this lady,
Lawanna, who's investigating the church. She's really tough and it's hard to
teach her because she never says anything or asks questions. She just sits
there. Last Thursday we were teaching her (I can't remember what we were
teaching her) and when we were done she asked how we thought we did. Well, we
thought we did fine... Turns out she wants us to TEACH her... Umm... what does
she mean by that? I thought we were... We were trying to teach by the spirit
and give personal examples and make it relate to her but in the end apparently
it wasn't working. And all she kept saying the whole time was I want you to
T.E.A.C.H. me. I was getting so frustrated! I didn't understand! She wasn't
explaining herself. Then Sister Lehman started to cry so than I started to cry
and it was just horrible from there. Turns out she's been a member of the
church for 4 years but she comes and does these things to help the missionaries
learn. But I was so frustrated by the end of the meeting with her because she
didn't explain what she wanted. Anyway, it was hard to go back yesterday just
because we didn't know what to teach her now that we know she's a member. So we
just talked to her and got to know her a little better and it was so much
easier to talk to her this time around! We have one more time with her so we'll
figure out what to teach her! She's a nice lady but she's a hard investigator!
haha

We are also teaching two other investigators, James and
Daniel. They are being portrayed by Brother Nate and Brother Pinnock but they
are playing these investigators that they had while they were on their
missions. It's really hard but fun! On Saturday we were teaching James and we
were teaching him about prayer and the spirit was so strong! It was amazing! We
even got him to pray at the end of our lesson! Sadly, Sister Lehman and I both
felt like we should ask him to be baptized but for some stupid reason, neither
of us asked him! We were so mad when we left! I've been thinking about it all
weekend and hopefully today the same spirit will be there and we won't miss our
chance to ask him again!

Yesterday at our devotional we were lucky enough to have
Elder Dallin H. Oaks and his wife come speak to us! It was amazing! The spirit
the second he walked in was incredible! We were singing prelude songs and all
of a sudden we all stood up. I couldn't tell who it was but obviously with us
standing up it was a general authority and the spirit was just so awesome! He
talked about the Holy Ghost and about the sacrament. It really made me think
about how I take a sacrament each week. This next week I will for sure change
the way I take the sacrament! I feel so lucky that we were able to have a
general authority come before we leave! It made me so happy!

Well, I don't have much time left on the computer so I will
have to end now and write a letter and send it off asap.
But first, Happy Birthday to Brooklyn on the 25th, Maria and
Jazmine McKee on the 30th. And I know that last week I forgot birthdays for
Michael IV, Aunt Kate, Gabriel Tharp, and baby Lillian! And also happy birthday
to Celeste last Sunday! And Happy Birthday to Margo tomorrow, and Laura and
YaeJin this coming week! I think that's everyone! If I forgot anyone, I'm sorry
and Happy Birthday to you!!

I have one minute left so I better go! But I challenge you
all this week to memorize the sacrament prayers. Elder Oaks mentioned that we
should all have it memorized so I challenge you all to memorize it!

Gotta go!
Love you all!
Sister Rachel Wheatley

FIRST E-MAIL FROM SISTER RACHEL WHEATLEY!

Hello to all!!!

Right now we are in the laundry room doing our laundry haha :) It's so weird to do laundry with so many people around especially since I'm the only one that ever really used the laundry room upstairs at home!

Things are pretty good here!! It's been a real adjustment this last week. With a very packed shedule of classes, workshops and meals. I'm not used to having to be so scheduled with things.  But it is all good!

This weekend was a little hard for me. I kind of had a breakdown because we were learning to much and I'm kind of a perfectionist that not being able to get understand things is hard for me. But I'm lucky that I have a great companion who is there for me and we were able to talk to one of my teachers, Brother Nate, and he really helped me as well.  And then last night we had a devotional and Craig A. Cardon of the Seventy spoke and it was really good! The one comment he made that really hit me and helped me with what happened this weekend was "I am here because of what I felt, not because of what I know."  And that is totally true for me! I may not know a lot but I know that I am here for a reason and if I try my hardest, God will help me and this mission will be a success.

Also on Sunday at the devotional, no mom we did not have a General Authority, but Richard I. Heaton spoke, he's the administrative director here at the MTC.  He said something I like and I hope that I write it how he said it.... "Missionary work is a "perhaps" goal. It may or may not happen, but I do my best because I know this is what I'm suppose to do and the rest I leave up to God."  So both Elder Cardon and Richard Heaton gave really good advice that will help me through these 18 months.

And the classes are good! My main teachers are Brother Nate and Brother Pinnock (Bro. Pinnock served in the Netherlands like 2 years ago I think he said...) And they are super good teachers! They really love what they teach and that really helps!

I feel so loved to have gotten packages this week and so many letters from home! Almost everyone else wonders if they are going to get something everyday and thanks to mom I know that I will get something and I feel so blessed! I love recieving letters! They make my day!  And also a package from Shellie the first day I got there! I haven't been able to write her a thank you yet but I will soon! But I thought I better mention something here :) And also Bekkah and Jen at DearElder! I love getting packages from you guys! They make me smile so much! I love you guys and miss working with you!

I only have 10 min left so I better hurry....

We got started right away with learning how to teach investigators. We are teaching James (aka Bro. Nate) and Daniel (aka Bro. Pinnock) and things are going ok... It's really hard for me to do role play but I'm trying.... We got both of them to read the BoM and James is really taking to it. Daniel on the other hand is a deep thinker so it's a little harder to teach him. Plus for both of them our first time teaching them was a total fail! It was HORRIBLE!! But it was our first time and that's why we are at a training center, it will get better!  Then yesterday we started teaching in the TRC and teaching a real investigator (or at least we think she is...) And she totally called us out on all the bad that we did. It was horrible and depressing. But I know that if we try our best, and trust in the Lord, we will be able to teach her what she needs to learn!

Just a couple things before I have to get off and then I'll write you a letter during the week on other things you asked me about or things I want to tell you.. The thing about the $4000 freeze-dried meats/cheese order, SO cool! That's a lot of stuff! So happy for the ward and all they are doing to get prepared!

Dad, Sister Lehman's mom served in Holland in 1981.... I'm trying to remember when you were there? When was that?

Mom, Sister Erickson is from Cedar City and Sister Debruin is from Sacramento. And in case mom, you didn't put up my other letter LOL for everyone else, my companions name is Sister Lehman. She is from a town in Florida that I've never heard of LOL She reminds me SOOO much of Emily Sabins!

Well, I better go. Time is ending quickly! Like I said, I will try to write a letter during the week with other things that I've been thinking about.

I love you all and I'm so thankful for all the love and support and prayers that I feel! Thank you!

Love,

Sister Rachel Wheatley :)