Week 15, Norcross, GA - Spanish speaking

 Me and Hermana Abram

Sister Martinez outside doing our weekly planning.

So You're never going to believe this, but I am having to learn how to
make my own fun. It's hard, because as you know, I'm not very good at
it. Especially when I'm under a lot of stress... But I am trying. We did our 
weekly planning outside, and I make Hna Martinez dance to MOTAB with
me. Also, I've started singing, because it was a suggestion in
"Adjusting to Missionary Life" (a packet designed to help missionaries
adjust to all of the stresses.)
But it's still hard.
On Tuesday I got to go on exchange with my STL, Hna Abram. She's
actually from Parker! It was a great break! Haha and it helped a lot
because I was able to see how to run a Spanish area.
So what we do is we pick an area where we may have a progressing
investigator or less active and will dedicate an hour or two to that
area. We then have a list of people we can try to see (potentials,
less actives, investigators) if that person falls through. This has
been super successful! We have 2 investigators on date and we have
superseded the standard of excellence- which was super hard to get in
English! Lol. I was so excited!
It's been really cool to see that as we include the Lord in our
plans, how he'll use us. We stopped by our investigator who's on date
to try to see if we could teach the mom, but her little sister
answered the door. She's about 10, and she just looked at us and said,
"Hi guys... There's been a little accident" looking down at her toe,
where a pin in stuck in the tip of her toe. We asked her if her mom
was home, and she said no. Also, our investigator was asleep. So I
told her, "well, let's take that pin out!" She was nervous, but we had
her sit on the couch, and Hna. Martinez distracted her while I took
the pin out. We were then able to clean it and put a band aid on it. I
definitely think the Lord used us for that, because as it turned out,
there was not a band aid in the whole house except for ours, which was
now on her toe....
Sunday we were walking to some apartments to try to contact a
referral and the sweetest miracle happened.
We stopped to talk to this lady. She is older, probably 60s, and
heavily involved in her Baptist church. She said that she is about to
start working in her church's grief program, so we showed her the
video "The Refiner's Fire". 
https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2014-11-010-the-refiners-fire?lang=eng
She really liked it. And it was really fun
to talk to her. As we were saying our good byes, I asked her what her
name was and it was Hope. I know that she was an angel sent by the
Lord. I needed to watch that video. I needed to talk to her. She
reminded me of everything I really enjoy about missionary work. She
gave me hope! I really love talking to people and connecting with them
and helping them see how the gospel is applicable to their life. I
love inviting people to experience the fullness of the gospel. I love
sharing the fullness of the gospel with people.
I needed to watch that video just as much, if not more so than she
did. The mission can be a refining process if I let it be. Some times
are harder than other times. Being here makes me feel like the
temperature of my fire was turned way up (aka this is a hard time).
But I know that with patience, everything will be more amazing than I
could ever imagine.
I know that the Lord is looking out for me and He really does provide
what we need when we fully rely on Him.
The atonement is real. It's only through the atonement, through our
Savior Jesus Christ, that I can do this. He is the way, as stated in 1
Nephi 3:7.
I love you so much. I miss you too.
Love,
Hermana Wallis

Norcross, GA Week 14 - New Area and Spanish Speaking!

 Last time with this district.

 Sister Kafu

 New Companion Hermana Martinez

 Wow!

Driving and Yogurt!

Some may say, “But I have so far to go to become like those you describe.” The good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ is that the desires of our hearts can be transformed and our motives can be educated and refined. When we are baptized into the true fold of God, we begin the process of becoming new creatures (see 2 Corinthians 5:17; Mosiah 27:26). Each time we renew the covenant of baptism by partaking of the sacrament, we are one step closer to that ultimate goal. As we endure in that covenant, we access the strength to mourn with those who mourn and to comfort those who need comfort (see Mosiah 18:9). In that covenant, we find the grace that enables us to serve God and keep His commandments, including loving God with all our hearts and loving our neighbors as ourselves. In that covenant, God and Christ succor us so we can succor those who stand in need of our succor (see Mosiah 4:16; see also verses 11–15)." (Elder Ringwood, "Truly Good without Guile"). 

This makes me happy! 

We met with an investigator who is on date to be baptized! She is 16, and pregnant. She lives with her boyfriend who is less active, and the only member in his family. They are going to get married and he wants his family to have the gospel SO BAD. Her baptism date is September 20. While we were over there I realized something. Hermana Martinez (my new companion) and her past companion found this investigator right before transfers. She will be baptized this transfer. (so long as we get parent permission and they get married! Which is what they want to do...)

The Lord chose Hermana Martinez and I to teach and baptize her. He chose US to be her missionaries! *wow*

At church, I spent the whole three hours with a recent convert's grandmother. This recent convert just moved into the area. She was baptized a month ago. She has three kids- a 7 yr old, a 2 yr old, and an 8 month old. She is not married- she left her boyfriend to be baptized. I just sat with her grandmother in every meeting. I would try to show her the talk they were using in Relief society. I sang the hymns with her, and would occasionally put my arm around her chair to help her feel included. After the meetings she was talking to me and her granddaughter. All I kept on hearing was "Bautismo". I thought that she was upset the missionaries (aka me, because Hna Martinez translates the whole thing into english for english speakers) had followed her everywhere and she thought that all I was trying to do was baptize her and she felt too much pressure and wanted to try out different churches in the area. Then Hna Martinez came up to us and she got really excited and gave her a hug. In the car she told me I had done such a great job! Which left me really confused because all I had done the whole meeting was sit with a recent convert's grandma. Who I thought now hated the church because the missionaries kept on following her. She then explained to me that in reality, what she was saying was that SHE DOES WANT TO GET BAPTIZED!!! She was saying that she thought that she wanted to wait until she went home to Columbia, but instead she wants to do it as soon as possible! So she will also be baptized this transfer. THE LORD CHOSE HNA MARTINEZ AND I TO BAPTIZE HER. 

I realized that there is work here that the Lord needs ME and HNA MARTINEZ to complete. He has selected us. *wow* 

AS for the language:

The members LOVE my accent. They are always asking me to pray and read the Book of Mormon to listen to me speak. 

Hna Martinez told me that the Lord calls us in the language we are able to testify the strongest in. 

*wow*. I feel so blessed to be able to testify in 2 languages! One of them does not supersede the other!

and I must remember that the spirit has no language. During sacrament meeting, a member leaned over to me and asked if I could understand everything. I just replied to her, "El espiritu no tiene idoma". She thought about it, smiled and then nodded.

I'm not sure if that was grammatically correct, but really, the spirit has no language. The spirit teaches and testifies. Any time we testify, we are inviting the spirit, and that's really what matters. Because it's the spirit that converts, not the missionaries. 

As for other things:

I still have talents to share! They have me play the piano, and they let me select the Hymns!

and my love for the abuela was enough. 

Sister Kafu had a really neat experience in regards to feeling inadequate. She said that when Elder Zwick came for Zone conference a few transfers back, he asked to speak with her and her companion. She was super nervous. But he just told her that she had a really pure spirit and he told her she could ask him whatever she wanted. She asked him when she will ever feel adequate as a missionary. His response was that inadequacy isn't a spiritual weakness, but in fact a spiritual strength. He then talked about how inadequate Elder Eyring actually feels to be in the first presidency of the church. 

This has been the most humbling week of my life. But I am so grateful for that. I am grateful for the chance the Lord has given me to have to fully rely on Him. I am grateful for the opportunity He has given me to learn how to be strong enough to choose Him, and to choose to be happy. 

Every night now, I list 20 things I am grateful for. Here are 20 from the week:

1. I was able to see Miss Donna and Harland again

2. I got to hold a snake while we were getting the car fixed!

3. We get amazing mexican food. 

4. We have been able to eat with the Solis de Mexico family 2x this week! They know and love Elder Bacon. They are some of the members who love to hear my accent. 

5. Our investigators love us and are always wanting to feed us. I GOT PIZZA!

6. I will never run out of tacos here. 

7. I live in a Member's home!!! In the basement!!! 

8. No weird feelings in my new home!!!

9 . No creepy guys in the new home!!!

10. I can jump to exercise because we are on ground level!!!

11. My STL was able to give me a copy of the 4th missionary

12 . While Having a melt down The lord placed a Race Trac (has frozen yogurt) and a Sonic in my path. He knows and loves me. (I just was able to get a large sonic water. HELLO ICE!!!)

13. My companion is going to bike next to me while I run!

14. There is a TRADER JOES HERE!!!

15. PEOPLE ARE ASKING TO GET BAPTIZED!!!

16. The Branch President is awesome and gave us a list of people to work with!!!

17. WE HAVE A CAR!!!! 

18. I CAN DRIVE!!!!

19. Hermana Martinez and I love and adore each other!

20. Hermana Martinez is my companion!

The power of the atonement is clear and abundant in my life. I have a purpose!

I love you all so much. I miss you. Thank you so much for all of your prayers.  This week was especially challenging. I really love my area. I love the people we work with. I am excited to have so many baptisms! 

I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!!

Love always,

Hermana Wallis

Kennesaw, GA Week 13- last week here...

Hello!
So, I am being transferred! I am moving to the Northcross branch in Roswell.
I don't know my address yet... I will see how I can get that to you...
I am really sad to be leaving Sister Kafu and Sister Castleton. I love
them so much.

Sister Kafu and Sister Castleton are staying together as a trio with
Sister Kafu's trainee.

The best part about this transfer I think was really that we all had
our hearts focused on the Lord. We all worked hard together to be
exactly obedient, and we saw so many miracles because of at. This week
we finally met the Standard of Excellence! We had 3 lessons with a
member present, 2 investigators at church, one investigator on date
for baptism and 3 new investigators!
It was a great way to end a transfer.
I have loved this area so much! I don't want it to end! It has
gone by so fast. I can't believe it!
This will be a good thing though. School starts again today. Last
Saturday we went on campus to go contacting, and it was so weird.
There were all of these sorority and fraternity recruiters and a few
tried to recruit me... "Uh... I'm actually a missionary... Can I
recruit you to the restored gospel of Jesus Christ?!" 

It's interesting how this past weekend I feel like we've found new
investigators I feel like they aren't meant for me to teach or that I
feel like my place isn't on campus anymore.
I have no idea what's coming next transfer. And it terrifies me. I
have been so nervous, just because I didn't think I would know anyone 
in the zone!
But I found out that Sister Robinson will be in my zone and Elder
Santos is going to be in my branch! So I will have friends!
I am so happy as a missionary! Honestly! I can't remember when
I've been happier!!!
I know that it's only through living the Lord's will that we can be
truly happy. When Sister Stenquist was emergency transferred,
President Bennion told me "The Lord knows you can handle adversity at
this time. Romans 8:28"
I have learned to love that scripture. I was reading it a lot this
morning, because I really don't want to leave my companions. 
I decided to just memorize Romans 8:28. "And we
know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to
them that are called according to His purpose."
The Lord knows what He's doing. I just pray that I will love my future
companion and district just as much as I've loved my companions here.
I pray that I will be just as happy, if not even happier and that I
will still have fun.
I love being a missionary. Nothing could make me happier than doing
the Lord's work right now. It's so neat to be a missionary. He is in
charge of everything when you're a missionary. He's in charge of who's
your companion, what area you're in, everything. As you completely
rely on Him and are specific in your prayers, (such as praying, "we
will be at this place at this time..." Etc) every person you come in
contact with, you just know the Lord placed them there for you!
Because you've relied on Him to make your plans!
Life as a missionary really is amazing because of that. I love it!
I love and miss you all as well! I pray for you! I pray that you have
a wonderful first week at school! And I am so proud of you and your
camping adventures!
Love,
Hermana Wallis

Kennesaw, GA Week 12

A sign we found...



Wow. A lot has happened this past week.
On Monday night we walked through campus. We try to talk to everyone,
and there was a kid sitting on a bench listening to music. We went to
talk to him and it turns out he speaks mandarin and is from China,
here to study English. (I think KSU has an English program, So we
showed him the "because he lives" video (visual with written words,
easier to understand) and he was so happy! It was so cool. We met with
him later in the week and it's just so neat. We have to teach super
simply, but I think that's good. Simplify and intensify.
On Tuesday we went on another biking adventure... Aka biking for 3
hours to try to find a less active. It was so funny, we were stopped
and weren't sure what street we were on when this older man comes
pouting/stomping up the middle of the road glaring at us. He looked at
sister Kafu across the street and then squinted at me and sister
Castleton. When we opened our mouths to say hi and ask him what street
we were on, he threw up his hands and just yelled "NO! NOPE. NO!" I
honestly feel embarrassed for some people sometimes. It was hilarious.
On Wednesday we moved! Our new apartment is SO NICE!!! We feel so blessed!
On Thursday Sister Castleton got to go to the temple with a member to
see a convert go through. So it was just me and Sister Kafu. We told
the other sisters, and the elders that she had been emergency
transferred. It was pretty funny. We had the elders come bless our
apartment. Which was really good because I had just been waking up
paranoid at night. And that's really just more annoying than anything
else. (I haven't since!)On Saturday we finally got the car! We drove around to find less
actives, and we did the same on Sunday after church. At one less
active's this older lady saw us and immediately just said "no. Nope.
No. I'm not interested!" So we went up and knocked again to ask if she
knew the less active, to which she yelled at us, "GO AWAY!" Like a
hormonal teenager yelling at her mom. I'm honestly embarrassed for
some people. It's just funny how I don't think people realize they are
acting like 2 year olds when they treat us like that...
We found 2 other investigators this week though! And then today, we
were at a gas station getting frozen yogurt, and everyone was leaving
when I, naturally, decided to go to the bathroom again. So sister
Castleton and I went in, and is employee followed us in. She was
pretending to play on her phone, and I could tell she obviously just
wanted to talk to us, so I started talking to her, and sure enough!
Sister Kafu had talked to her earlier and she wanted to talk more
about the Book of Mormon, so we gave one to her and asked her if there
was a time we could meet. At first she was hesitant, but then she
said, "well, I can make time!" Miracles come from going to he
bathroom, family. Miracles. 😉
Today we also went bowling and then to the store. We split up because
someone wanted toothpaste and others wanted kitchen utensils. So
sister Kafu and I went to go get toothpaste, then we could not find
sister Castleton and sister Kafoa and sister Patterson for the life of
us! So we decided to just check out and have them called to the front
over the loudspeaker. They almost died. It was hilarious.
This week I've been thinking a lot about pride and humility and how
any form of sin or transgression really stems from pride, but anything
good, or of God, or Christlike, stems from humility. So we should
always be focusing on being humble in all that we do, and really, any
sort of blessing we receive should be humbling because it's just proof
of how much the Lord is in charge of our lives. And it's when we are
humble, that God's grace is able to work in our lives. James 4:6.
On Tuesday, while we were biking back home, there was an elderly lady 

working in the yard I thought about talking
to her, but decided not to because we are YSA and were headed home. So
when sister Kafu started talking to her, I was immediately riddled
with embarrassment. I felt so bad. We have been counseled to talk to
EVERYONE and here I was singling people out! I then struggled on the
bike the whole way home, until I repented and committed to talking to
EVERYONE again. While I know that struggling wasn't a punishment, I do
believe that I just missed out on the blessings of a smooth ride
because I wasn't 100% obedient.
I love you so much! I love your emails! It is honestly so fun out
here. I think that what we do is actually so cool. I love all the
sisters I work with and the people. It really is just fun to serve!
I love you!
Sister Wallis

Our Zone

 P-day bowling

Sister Robinson

Kennesaw, GA Week 11

This week has been great!
We are working a lot with less actives still. So far we've had 2 come
to church! One was just totally on board! When we meet with them, we
share a message about keeping the Sabbath day holy, since that's
really being emphasized in the church right now, and it's a great way
to commit them to coming to church. One of them is actually one of our
branch missionaries. He's awesome! Some people just need a kick in the
pants, or a gentle reminder :). On Wednesday the Murdock's (branch
president and his wife- they know Emee and Papa) took us to Cracker
Barrel to go over the roster. Our mission president has had us
classify everyone as either active, less active, or part member, and
then prioritize them  on High Priority, Medium, or Low list. We have
been trying to contact everyone on the High Priority list. Some of the
people are names no one has ever even heard of! So we call it "The
Hunt" whenever we are looking for these less actives. So
Tuesday-Thursday we don't have the car. So we try to schedule all of
our appointments on those days. We meet with people in our branch
building (which is just an un-dedicated office building with church
pictures and furniture... It sometimes makes us feel like we are the
spiritual doctors... Especially when people show up early while we are
meeting with another less active or investigator, because then when
we're ready it has an awkward, "You're turn! Come step into our
office!" feel. But it's nice because of the windows so we can meet
with guys, and there's another woman who works in the front desk
office place (CES), and it's AC. So we're happy. :) ) Then on the
weekends we try to do our "Hunt" and if they're not there, we then
track around their address. Elder Zwick, who is a general authority,
came last may (before I was a missionary), and made this mission a
promise that if we track 5 doors around a less active, that we will
find someone to teach. So yesterday, while we were on our "Hunt" we
did that and we walked away with 2 new investigators! And that
literally is a true miracle because 18-30 year olds make up only so
much of the population, especially in rural Georgia! and Our teaching
pool literally tripled! (We only had 1, and he's on vacation with his
dad right now...).
So we actually aren't moving today. But we will be moving this week!
We are super excited because our new apartments are so nice! I think
it's so funny how nice I thought our current apartment was, until I
saw what other missionaries stay in. Either way, I'm always just
grateful to have some AC, a toilet, and food, because it could always
be worse. :)
I love and miss you!
Sister Wallis