3 Months Say What?????

I cannot believe that today I have THREE MONTHS left on my mission!! It is just going by so dang fast! Too fast in some ways. Where is the time going?!

Well, I guess I'll write about my week and see where it actually did go :)

Monday the 10th we had a pretty good day! Got a lot done even when we had to go to the doctors for Sister Staker. Then that night we did exchanges with Sister Harker and Sister George! YAY!!!!

Sisters Staker, Harker, George and Wheatley

So Tuesday the 11th I spent the day with Sister Harker in Temple City! It was so much fun! I love Sister Harker :) I learned so much from her. And I loved Temple City! If I could be transferred there for my last three months, I would be very happy! We got to talk to a lot of members (the Sisters "pink washed" Temple City so they are barely getting to know the members.) We met a potential investigator and set up a service opportunity for them for the next day. I was sad because I wasn't going to be there to do the service and it looked like tons of fun and the lady was super nice!

We met up with the Elders later that day and had a lesson with one of their investigators and had a lesson on faith. Elder Howell was there on exchanges also and he did an object lesson using a mouse trap. They asked the son to put his hand on the trap and he was super scared. I was too! I had no clue what the heck was happening! I had never seen this one before and I was worried the kids hand would get cut off! Scary!! But it actually turned out super good. It was awesome! It's a much better object lesson then my tea bag lesson but I could never do it because I'd be scared I'd mess up.

Then Wednesday the 12th we had an after baptism lesson with Anthony. It was a very awesome! Then we had a tour get cancelled which was so sad! We really thought he would come and I thought he was really interested. We were totally bummed! It's not fun when we set up appointments and they don't show up. We were so excited! But that didn't get us down, we kept going throughout the day and had a couple really good lessons the rest of the day!

Saturday the 15th we had a memorial service in the morning for a Sister in the ward, her son. Then we left and went to do service at Becky and Mike's. We painted! It was so fun! I love painting! And we also had a really good recent convert lesson with Mackenzie! She taught us about the Word of Wisdom, the Restoration, and the Plan of Salvation. It was really cool to see her teach us from what she knows. Then we taught a couple of the commandments to her. At the end of the lesson, I was baring my testimony to her and telling her that I'm 99.9999% positive that I'm being transferred next Monday. Then she gave the closing prayer and at the very end she started to bawl! It broke my heart to see her cry. I have loved teaching her and helping her enter the waters of baptism and make those covenants. She is an incredible young women.



A peacock with its beautiful tail wide open

Then Sunday the 16th, that was a very good and emotional day! I was at church all emotional over it being Father's Day (everyone kept coming up to us asking, "So why don't you get to call home on Mother's Day and not Father's Day?) So I was a little bummed that I couldn't call home and also, I know that it was one of my last Sundays in the Glendora 5th ward that I have come to call home and so that made me sad.

Then in the YSA ward, Anthony got confirmed a member of the church and he got this AMAZING blessing from Bishop Hatch! The Spirit was so strong. When we had a lesson with him on Tuesday, he wasn't expecting anything amazing but he got up and his eyes were so wet! It was amazing! Plus, one of the speakers in sacrament was sick so they asked him before church started if he would feel comfortable bearing his testimony and so he did. It was one of the most amazing testimonies ever! The Spirit was just so incredibly strong! I couldn't believe how much Anthony has changed from when I first met him in January. The gospel of Jesus Christ really does change people for the better. It was just awesome! Something that I can't even describe!

Sister George and I

Another thing that happened at the 5th ward... I was sitting next to Sister Pocock who came to lessons we had with Jose. I was asking if she was going to be home this week because I wanted to stop by and say hi, or bye. .. She told me she wasn't going to be home and she asked why. I told her I was more than likely leaving and she started to cry. She told me that I opened up the gospel in a new light for her. She is changing a couple things in her life to bring her closer to the Lord and we both just started crying! It's funny because I came on my mission to bring others into the waters of baptism and here I am changing members lives. I have often wondered why I came on my mission. I don't feel like I have done a whole ton to bring others into the gospel but the more people I meet, the more I see why I did come. I don't have to baptize every month (even though it would be nice to baptize that often) because I'm helping others in ways I never thought I could! I am making a difference in peoples lives whether I know it or not.
I was trying to figure out what I could do to make the last three months of my mission worth it and something I wouldn't regret. But after yesterday, all I can think of to do is continue to be myself. I know I need to talk to more people and bear my testimony more and bring others into the waters of baptism, but if I just continue to be myself and love others for who they really are, I know that I'm changing lives whether I see it or not.

I know this church is true! There's no doubt in my mind. I know that Joseph Smith was called of God to restore the church. I know the Thomas S. Monson is the prophet today. I am so blessed to be here in California right now. I have made memories and friends for eternity! I never thought I would be here but now that I am, I can't imagine not being here.

Sister Harker and I

To whoever is questioning the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, I promise you with every fiber of my being that it is true. You will never regret joining the church! You have nothing to lose but everything to gain. To those who have strayed, come back! There's no better way in this life to make it back to our loving Heavenly Father then through the blessings of the gospel and the blessings of the temple. Let this gospel change your lives like it has changed mine! In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Love always,

Sister Rachel Wheatley

PS - Thanks to mom for the cookie package (the Elders are picking up my other package today when they go to the office...), and Renata and Jessie for your letters and pictures!!

Sisters Staker, Denney, Amataga and I