Dear Family,
The sun has been shining in Georgia and it has been great. For the past 2 weeks before last, it was raining non- stop. I blame that for any melancholy I may have expressed in my previous 2 letters.
We have been working so hard. We can tell because we are exhausted. It was actually kind of funny this week because at Zone Meeting, they took all of our numbers and put up our averages on a big screen and then had each companionship talk about their numbers and what they had been doing in their area. (Accountability!) Naturally I was promising myself that we were going to work harder this transfer and yaddayada being too hard on myself because our numbers were actually great compared to everyone else's! They even gave us stars because our averages superseded the standard for the mission. No wonder our district leader, zone leaders, and president kept on telling us we are doing fine! Not that it's all about numbers, because it most certainly is not, it was just interesting to see our work measured and to see that we weren't doing that bad! Hermana Martinez and I laugh because we think that last transfer we were both under so much stress from adjusting that we had just worked super hard to cope. It can be frustrating at times because we have had hard time helping people commit to baptism, but we are just doing our best to help people increase their faith in Christ and repent by keeping commitments.
The sun has been shining in Georgia and it has been great. For the past 2 weeks before last, it was raining non- stop. I blame that for any melancholy I may have expressed in my previous 2 letters.
We have been working so hard. We can tell because we are exhausted. It was actually kind of funny this week because at Zone Meeting, they took all of our numbers and put up our averages on a big screen and then had each companionship talk about their numbers and what they had been doing in their area. (Accountability!) Naturally I was promising myself that we were going to work harder this transfer and yaddayada being too hard on myself because our numbers were actually great compared to everyone else's! They even gave us stars because our averages superseded the standard for the mission. No wonder our district leader, zone leaders, and president kept on telling us we are doing fine! Not that it's all about numbers, because it most certainly is not, it was just interesting to see our work measured and to see that we weren't doing that bad! Hermana Martinez and I laugh because we think that last transfer we were both under so much stress from adjusting that we had just worked super hard to cope. It can be frustrating at times because we have had hard time helping people commit to baptism, but we are just doing our best to help people increase their faith in Christ and repent by keeping commitments.
Last night we were able to do service for this one lady who we just let us into her home a few weeks ago. We taught her the restoration, and she agreed with everything until we got to Joseph Smith. She immediately started arguing "I've never heard of him before! He's not in my bible!" (You'd think we weren't here to teach new information) She then refused to read the Book of Mormon or pray to know if our message was true. So we left with a prayer and that was that. Last night we were trying to visit a potential who lived catty corner to her. When she saw us she immediately opened her door to let us in. Not wanting to waste the Lords time or accidentally get caught in a bible bash, we politely refused. She then tried to leave to go for a walk/ pretend to be busy. When our potential said she was too busy, we asked the lady if there was anything we could do for her. Typically no one can think of anything, but she had us change her curtains for her! It was neat because I'm hoping the more we serve her, or just the people in general, that we will be recognized as servants of God here to preach the truth!
I am so grateful to be here and continuously humbled by this calling to just serve the Lord by serving His children. I loved Elder Ballard's testimony from his talk "The Atonement and the Value of One Soul":
"I believe that if we could truly understand the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ, we would realize how precious is one son or daughter of God. I believe our Heavenly Father’s everlasting purpose for His children is generally achieved by the small and simple things we do for one another. At the heart of the English word atonement is the word one. If all mankind understood this, there would never be anyone with whom we would not be concerned, regardless of age, race, gender, religion, or social or economic standing. We would strive to emulate the Savior and would never be unkind, indifferent, disrespectful, or insensitive to others. If we truly understood the Atonement and the eternal value of each soul, we would seek out the wayward boy and girl and every other wayward child of God. We would help them to know of the love Christ has for them. We would do all that we can to help prepare them to receive the saving ordinances of the gospel."
I am so grateful for this time that I have devote everything I have to helping others receive the atonement in their lives by "Coming unto Christ". I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer and that He lives. He knows and loves each of us.
I love Him and am so humbled to serve Him.
I love and miss you!!!
Love,
Hermana Wallis
all things work together for good to them that love God to them who
are called according to His purpose." Hermana Martinez' is ether 12: 4
Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better
world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh
of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them
sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to
glorify God.
I LOVE YOU!!!
Madeleine
P.S.S. We went to the pet store today. (For Hermana Martinez. She LOVES
animals.) did you know you can have a pet rat. I found it disgusting.
There was also neon fish! And then 2 minnows died, and Hermana
Martinez saw one die.... It was very traumatic....
Last week we went to Costco with a member I also included a picture of
me in their car. Because I just realized I don't have any recent
pictures of me....
