Tuesday the 5th was a pretty good day. We did A LOT of
walking but it felt so good! I can't wait til it gets even better weather and
we walk more. But I'm not looking for the heat of the summer. That's the bummer
with being in California, only a couple weeks of PERFECT weather... Anyway, we
had a good day and meeting with our new investigator Jen. She wanted to read 11
chapters of 1st Nephi by the time we met but didn't get that far. So we just
talked about what she was able to read and then we talked about what she was
going to read next. It was a pretty good lesson. Then we just did tons more
walking and didn't have a ton of people outside to talk to but that's ok.
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| Having fun with my teddy bear |
The sad thing though about that day is that we were supposed
to have a lesson with the Moon family but we haven't been able to go over in three
weeks. They never answered last Monday when we asked if we could come over on
Tuesday so we just thought we'd stop by but no one was home :( We were really
sad. They were progressing so well and then it just stopped. I don't know what
happened but hopefully we can get back into their home and help them progress
again.
Then Wednesday the 6th we had a lesson with our investigator
Mackenzie. We talked about the Plan of Salvation and she really knew a lot
about it. She basically taught us about it. So that was cool! And while we were
meeting with her, we talked about her baptism on the 24th and asked who she
wanted to baptize her and give the talks. We had told her earlier that her
father could baptize her (if he started coming back to church) and she, without
hesitation, said she wanted her dad to baptize her. So we said we would talk to
the bishop and she had to talk to her dad about it. And that was cool because
she started to cry a little when she said she wanted her dad to baptize her.
She also told us that she wanted her grandmother and aunt in the Glendora 1st
ward to give the talks. Well, to keep this a little short, that night we went
over to her grandmothers house and talked to them about it. Turns out, they
didn't even know Mackenzie was taking the missionary lessons until that
afternoon. Apparently she likes to surprise people haha So we had a nice talk
with them and found out that Mackenzie's father stopped going to church when he
was 14 years old. That was a shocker to us because we thought he went til he
was at least 18 so he could baptize her. But nope.... So then we had a little
more work to do in order to get Mackenzie to be baptized by her father but we
were up for the "challenge." (Will come back to this later...)
Then that night we went to mutual at the church because we
thought Mackenzie would be there but she ended up not being able to go. Well,
while there the YM/YW were putting together a video for the stake and the YW
president asked if we could be in it. So we went around while all the youth
were doing the Harlem Shake (haven't seen the original but their version was
pretty awesome so I'm sure it is funny!) and we shook all the youth's hands.
They didn't really understand why we were doing it because they were being loud
when the YW leader told them what we were doing but that's ok... It was just a
little awkward... But it was fun to watch this. Now I just want to see the
original Harlem Shake. Plus, we are part of the program when all the youth in
the stake show their videos so we get to go watch all these. We are pretty
stoked! haha
Then Thursday the 7th was MY YEAR MARK!!!! We got up at 5:45
am and got ready because we were teaching seminary for Brother and Sister
Stowell in the ward. And that was fun. I don't like waking up that early anymore
but it was fun to go to seminary. I've always loved going to seminary and
institute and going to help out as a missionary reminds me of how fun it was in
high school.
We had zone meeting that day also and that was tons of fun.
We learned a lot about how to contact people on the street and to teach them
doctrine when we first talk to them (after getting to know them a little of
course...) But that's something that we're really working on as a mission. And
it was good!
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| About to burn my skirt as a tradition for meeting my one year mark! |
Oh, before I forget a couple things. The zone leaders had a
couple announcements for us that day and some of them were kinda "yeah, we
knew that" announcements but there were two that were good and sad... Good
news! We are now able to email ANYONE we want (as long as it's not someone of the
opposite gender within mission boundaries without permission from President
Becerra...) and we can email for as long as we want on Pdays as long as our
companions are ok with emailing for just as long! haha That made us
missionaries happy! But the sad news... Starting July 1, 2013, the Chino zone
will no longer be in the California Arcadia mission :( It will now be part of
the Rancho Cucamonga (sp??) mission. So I was sad to hear that since I served
there. But to add to that, there will be between 12-16 missionaries from the
Arcadia mission that President Becerra will be sending to the new Rancho
mission in July. He said he is going to hand pick them, not even help from the
Assistants on this one. I know that I shouldn't pray to keep me here but I have
been. I know that no matter what, I will be put wherever I'm needed but I will
be sad if I have to leave the Arcadia mission. By the time this happens, I'll
only have two transfers left and so I don't want to leave. But I guess I
shouldn't dwell on it because I know President Becerra will pray about it and
he won't move anyone unless he is told by the Spirit to do so. I know I've been
in Chino already but that doesn't mean it keeps me safe from the move. But
we'll see what happens...
Then we did service at the Salisbury's that day and it was
fun! We always love going over to their house :) And that night we went to the
Hyer's to talk to Sister Hyer about an inactive lady that lives up the street
from them who Brother Hyer home teaches. And while we were there we talked
about Pam and Amanda and found out that Pam's mother passed away suddenly so
that made us sad. We have come to love Pam and Amanda and it was just sad to
hear that. And we talked about a lot of other things and we shed tears of joy
and while talking the Spirit was there. I just love going over to the Hyer's
because I can always count on leaving with a smile on my face and to have felt
the Spirit at some point in our conversation, no matter what we talked about.
Sister Hyer just brings the Spirit so strongly! Love her!
Then that night after we went home and planned, I grabbed
one of my favorite skirts that has always been too big for me but I still wear
it and I cut it up and burned it! I always wanted to burn a piece of clothing
on my mission! It's the thing to do! haha So I was very excited! But I was
scared at the same time... All I could think of was something going very wrong
and the house burning down while Sister Beck was in Argentina... But luckily I
have a companion who has burned plenty of things back home that she knew what
to do and how I wouldn't burn down the house (we did it outside on the sidewalk
but I was still scared something would go horribly wrong.) But it was tons of
fun! haha And that's how I celebrated my year mark :)
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| My fingernail burned in this picture! |
Then that afternoon we had another lesson with Mackenzie. We
talked to her about the commandments and other things. Then we asked if she had
talked to her dad and she said no. So we talked to her a little more about that
and after our lesson, her mom picked her up and we talked to her for a second.
Vanessa was wondering about what she had to do for the baptism so we just told
her some basic things but that she didn't really have to do anything for it.
But we did tell her that Mackenzie wants her dad to baptize her and that
requires some things on Tommy's part. So we talked to Vanessa and she said she
would talk to Tommy as well, after Mackenzie talked to her.
Then Saturday the 9th we did weekly planning (we didn't have
the chance to do it on Friday.) It was a very long weekly planning session. I
can't go into much details because I've been asked not to but there were some
things that were holding Sister Amataga back and we spent a long time talking
about it and trying to help her. To be honest, I always felt like something was
holding the both of us back from being even better missionaries and the
"comp inventory" that we had, really helped to let these things out.
Then the rest of the night we went to dinner, had a recent
convert lesson with Henry and Peter, visited a couple less-active members and
then went home and made cookies. (I owed the Elders recent convert cookies
again because the last batch I made were way too dry. But these ones I made
turned out good! The only thing was that they were too flat for my liking, but
tasted like they are supposed to when I make them at home...)
Then to the part about Tommy and Mackenzie that I said I'd
get back to... Sunday the 10th was a very good day! We had a very good ward
council meeting and then a really good sacrament meeting! As Sister Amataga and
I were sitting on the back bench, we were by the doors and all of a sudden
Mackenzie comes in WITH HER DAD!!!!!!!!!!!! I got this HUGE smile on my face
and I almost started crying. We had told Mackenzie that if she wanted her dad
to baptize her, he'd need to come back to church and talk to the bishop and he
did! After sacrament meeting I went up to Bishop Whitworth and told him that
Tommy was there and then they went into bishop's office and had a little
meeting. We don't know what happened or what was said but OH MY GOSH!!!! HE WAS
AT CHURCH!!!! And to me that means something! Whether he's able to baptize her
in two weeks or not, the fact that Tommy came to church means something! I was
just so happy all day! That is such a big miracle! It's one of those big
miracles but I know that Heavenly Father is there! It's the thing that makes my
mission worth it! I just am so happy, still!
And yeah, I'll end right there on that happy note. I know
that this church is true. I have seen so many miracles because of the gospel of
Jesus Christ and it makes me happy to know that I'm lucky enough to be apart of
this gospel. I have had so many opportunities to share my testimony since being
on my mission and it makes me so happy. I never took advantage of bearing my
testimony like I should have when I was home but now I will. I need to share it
in as many ways as possible. And one thing I challenge you all to do is to
share your testimony with family, friends, co-workers, anyone. Maybe not one
like you would share in fast and testimony meeting but find a way to share it
with someone, whether they're members or not, less-active or fully active.
Sharing your testimony with others is a great way to strengthen yours and to
help others strengthen theirs as well. I know that our Father in Heaven is
there helping each one of us in all that we do and that He will never leave us
alone. He's always there listening when we need someone to talk to. He's the
best listening ear! I have gotten down on my knees many times and each time,
He's there. And he will be for each of us if we go to Him. I know that Jesus
Christ came to this earth to suffer and die for each of us so that we can
return to Him and our Father in Heaven again. He knows how each of us feel at
all times and He is also always there. Whenever we feel like we can't go on any
longer, we can because Christ died for each and everyone of us. I know that
though Joseph Smith was only 14 years old, he was chosen to restore the gospel
of Jesus Christ and that President Thomas S. Monson is the prophet today. And I
can't wait to hear from him and the other apostles in a few weeks at General
Conference. I look forward to hearing the words they have for us that have come
from Heavenly Father. I'm thankful for my family and friends, each one of you.
Without each of you in my life, whether I've known you for a long time or a
short time, without you, I would not be who I am today. I have been molded to
who I am because of all of you. Thank you!
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| The remains of my burning skirt |
Love you all so much!
Love always,
Sister Rachel Wheatley
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