Week 28, Norcross, GA- Spanish Speaking

Black Friday at the Atlanta Temple

 We made a gingerbread house

The District

Hellooo Family!
This week was pretty good. Highlight was definitely the temple.
On Tuesday we had exchanges. Sister Kang came to Norcross with me, and
Sister Van Leuven went to the English Ward with Sister Kuterer (we did
make the connection ;) ).
Sister Kang is from Taiwan. (She has on a teal sweater and striped
dress in the selfie at the temple) She's amazing. Fun fact: so temple
square was low on mandarine speaking missionaries so she and sister pi
(like ), who is also from Taiwan, were sent to temple square for the
summer. They came back in October. Sister Stenquist actually drove
Sister Kang to the mission office, the day that she was also coming to
the mission office to pick me up! Just thought that was cool. And then
Sister Pi is one of my most favorite people ever. In her testimony at
zone conference, she expressed her frustration with rejection: "I come
here, from far away, learned this stupid language (she actually said
that), to give you salvation! You should be grateful I knocked on your
door!" I felt like I related way too much in a first world problem
kind of way.
Having Sister Kang with me for a day was interesting. Thankfully we
wound up teaching a lot of teens that day so she could contribute,
because she doesn't speak Spanish. We did have one lesson though where
we were teaching the kids, then their mom came in and one of them
started translating for their mom, so I started teaching in Spanish
because I can do that, but then we were translating it back into
English for Sister Kang, who was over there writing out mandarine
lettering to explain repentance (which I'll explain in a bit. It's
really cool.) yea, I had no idea what language was really going on at
that point.
That night we had a family home evening with Fanny and Vannessa. I was
trying to think of a game, and "don't eat Shawna" is what came to
mind. So we stopped at a Kroger (big mistake 2 days before
thanksgiving) to go to the bathroom and buy some m&ms. I had $1 left
on my card and the Book of Mormon gives us a 20% discount, which would
reduce the m&m price to $.68, so I figured I had enough. Well, when my
card didn't work, I resorted to change. I was able to find $.31 in
pennies (no wonder I've been so lucky!), and then by a miracle I found
a quarter and a dime! It was seriously a Thanksgiving miracle.
On Wednesday, it was very populated. There were cars, everywhere. I
don't even know where all the people came from! Because on Thursday,
it was as empty as a Sunday morning. There was no traffic. At all. The
whole day.
I woke up feeling really sick on Thursday with a bad head cold. I was
miserable. I have been plain exhausted for the past few weeks, and
waking up sick on top of it made me just want to curl up and cry
myself to sleep. So during language study, I went into the bathroom
and had a heart to heart with the Lord about it, which involved about
30 minutes of crying, and then deciding that I actually have to get
out and work. I called the mission nurse, but she didn't answer. So I
left a detailed message, and we just went out and visited people. We
showed the video, "Thanksgiving Daily"
(https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2010-11-23-thanksgiving-daily?lang=eng)
and then we talked about this great quote from "Is it Still Wonderful
to You?" In the April 2015 General Conference:
"I have often wondered what it would have been like to live at the
time of our Savior. Can you imagine sitting at His feet? feeling His
embrace? witnessing as He ministered to others? And yet so many who
met Him failed to recognize--to “see”--that the very Son of God was
living among them.


       We too are privileged to live in an exceptional time. The prophets
of old saw the work of the Restoration as “a marvelous work … , yea, a
marvelous work and a wonder.” In no previous dispensation have so many
missionaries been called, so many nations been opened for the gospel
message, and so many temples been built throughout the world.


       For us, as Latter-day Saints, wonders also occur in our individual
lives. They include our own personal conversion, the answers we
receive to our prayers, and the tender blessings God showers upon us
daily.


       To marvel at the wonders of the gospel is a sign of faith. It is to
recognize the hand of the Lord in our lives and in everything around
us. Our amazement also produces spiritual strength. It gives us the
energy to remain anchored in our faith and to engage ourselves in the
work of salvation."


How great is it to be alive at a time when we have a living Prophet! A
time of Revelation! A time when we can be a part of the same church
Christ established! This is His church!

We ate dinner with a bunch of families from the branch, because they
are kind of all related to eachother... No tamales, but I had sole
(Hispanic soup) which was a miracle because I felt so sick.

On Friday we got to go to the temple! And we had interviews. I love
President Bennion. He's great. Due to the MTC time change, I am now
presented with the option of either going home in October or on
November 29. The only thing about going home November 29 is that I
miss another Thanksgiving. But I think I'll just chose that date
because I don't know of anything better I could be doing than serving
the Lord.

And the temple was wonderful. I wish we could have just spent all day there.

Our 16 year olds want to repent! On Tuesday I took sister Kang over
there, and we were talking about repentance. She said that in Chinese,
the characters for repentance are "Heart" + "daily" so it's "a daily
change of heart". Which was really cool. It was very evident though
that they didn't understand the atonement and what Christ did for us.
So we've started to show them the Bible videos that make up the
atonement, starting with the Last supper, for each lesson. When we
showed Christ suffered in Getsemane (https://www.lds.org/bible-videos/videos/the-savior-suffers-in-gethsemane?lang=eng), it changed everything. Our

investigator just looked at us and said, "Did this really happen?" When
we told her yes, she told us that she wanted to be baptized. So she's on
date for December 26! We read D&C 19:15-19 with the less active:
"15 Therefore I command you to repent--repent, lest I smite you by the
rod of my mouth, and by my wrath, and by my anger, and your sufferings
be sore--how sore you know not, how exquisite you know not, yea, how
hard to bear you know not.

16 For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they
might not suffer if they would repent;

17 But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I;

18 Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to
tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer
both body and spirit--and would that I might not drink the bitter cup,
and shrink--

19 Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my
preparations unto the children of men."

And it changed everything. He told us about how he needs to repent.
The investigator came to church on her own! She found a ride and
everything! And then the lessons were on the law of chastity, and
fasting. It was perfect. She even went and talked with the Branch
President on her own too! Miracles are real.
I just kept on thinking about the promise from the Handbook:
"As we come to understand and believe these truths and gain a firm
testimony of Jesus Christ, we strive to obey His commandments and want
to share our blessings with our family and others (see 1 Nephi
8:9–37). With this secure foundation of testimony, other elements of
Church activity follow naturally.'

I know that Jesus Christ lives. I know that he walked this earth and
lived a "matchless life"; He went about only doing good. I know that
He suffered everything for us. He is our Savior. I am so excited for this Christmas season, a time when everyone can unite in celebrating His Birth, because He is the Savior of the world. (http://christmas.mormon.org) I love Him. 

I know that this is His restored church. That the Book of Mormon is another

testament of Him. That we do have a living Prophet that testifies of
Him and His atonement and that the Lord's authority is back on the
earth. We can have complete and total access to the atonement of Jesus
Christ  because of the restoration.

I love this work so much!
I love and miss you!
Love,
Hermana Wallis

Week 27, Norcross, GA- Spanish Speaking

New District

Hermana Wallis and Sister Hanks an old companion, both excited to be in the same district!

Dear Family,
Sometimes as a missionary you try to think about your week and quite
honestly so much happened, it is difficult to summarize.

Yesterday I spoke in church. When you're a missionary, it's funny to
speak in church. Because, you still get nervous and have the same
feelings speaking from the pulpit as you did from before your mission.
Then when it's all said and done, you kind of expect those you care
about most to say something, like I expected Fanny to say something,
but she didn't. Then I realized that I was technically kind of her
minister, so hearing gospel insight from me, really wasn't all that
rare or different. It was probably more like, "of course you spoke in
church! You taught me the gospel!" Oh. I guess I was actually there
for that. But let's just clarify- the spirit is the one who taught you
everything. I was just used as a vessel.
Haha, the branch President said what I said was perfect, so that made
me feel good. His opinion was really the only one I cared about.
On Saturday night, the branch had another activity. They had a
Thanksgiving dinner! It was great because Fanny brought one of the
other grandmothers of her great Grandchildren. She is from Peru, so
the family that was from Peru came up and started talking to her, and
then the mom was showing her the Book of Mormon and was explaining it
to her. She got really excited so she showed and explained the
pictures in the front, and then when we gave her the book, she
couldn't believe it! I love what I do.
This area is honestly booming. The Lord's hand is so prevalent in this
area. It's kind of funny because between Spanish and English
missionaries, we have 10-12 missionaries covering our area. Once when
I was on an exchange with another sister here, we saw 7 other
missionaries in he span of about an hour. It's kind of fun and really
nice as we'll cross paths going from neighborhood to neighborhood,
because we are quickly able to refer each other to Spanish and English
homes where we visited. The Lord is definitely hastening His work
because I can't think of a time when I ever saw missionaries out and
about before my mission. (Except when I was in Spain because I'm
convinced Brad Wilcox is a missionary magnet. As soon as he left the
continent, I never saw another missionary for the last 2 weeks).
Other quick news: the 16 year olds that ran away, THEY'RE BACK! I
don't know if they're wanted by the police still, but we are focusing
on the law of chastity and obey and honor the law. They read Mathew 24
on their own and have been sufficiently freaked out about the second
coming. We are hoping this humbles them. She knows they need to
repent, he is still in denial, which is kind of ironic because he is a
member. But still. We are kind of freaking out about how to call
someone to repentance. We have been leaving them with pretty blunt
scriptures to read.
2 weeks ago we found 3 new investigators all on the same street,
that all live right next to each other. When we went to go teach them
this Thursday, one of them was talking to this kid, who is about 18.
We were following up to see if He (our original investigator) had done
the reading assignment we asked from the Book of Mormon, and
recognizing that there was another person here who didn't know what
the Book of Mormon was, we began to explain it to him. Our
investigator said he likes us because we tell people to read the book
and then pray about it. He then had to go inside for something and
just left us saying, "Teach him!"
So we taught him the restoration and he was really intrigued. We
emphasized the importance of reading the Book of Mormon and praying
about it to know for himself that it is true. When he was a little
confused about what we mean, we showed him the video "Origen"
(https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2013-06-002-origin?lang=eng)
He was then so excited. He knodded and just said, "¡sí!" To everything
we said. He was so excited when we gave him a copy of the Book of
Mormon.
The Book of Mormon is crucial. It's either true or it's not. The only
way to find out if it is true is by following the promise in Moroni
10:3-5. By reading it, pondering about it, and praying about it,
because our Heavenly Father is all knowing, and He is not going to
lie.
I know that the Book of Mormon is true. It is another testament of our
Savior Jesus Christ. What a privilege it is to have a part in His
work. I love it.
I love and miss you!!!
Love,
Hermana Wallis

Ps: So Thanksgiving. Yea, that's an American thing. But thankfully
it's a big enough deal that it's what convinced Fanny to move her
baptism up. Haha, she originally wanted to be baptized November 28,
but, "apparently it's Thanksgiving or whatever you people do and
that's a really big day, so I think it would be better if I got
baptized sooner". I love her.
We are eating with a family. I'm not sure much is going to change
other than the fact that I am in Atlanta suburbs over Thanksgiving and
on Black Friday we are going to actual Atlanta to go to the temple
so.... One word: Traffic. Or in chile as they would call it: Taco. 🌮
Also, here is my talk/ outline of my talk. It's in Spanish, for
obvious reasons... But the subject was on becoming a disciple of Jesus
Christ, and I loved it.

A medida que pierde su vida al servicio del Padre que está en los
niños cielos, las tentaciones de Satanás pierden poder en su vida.

Hola Hermanos,
Soy Hermana Wallis. Yo soy su misionera con hna Van Leuven. Yo tengo 6
meses en la misión. Sirví 3 meses en una rama en inglés, y 3 meses en
español aquí con ustedes. Gracias por su apoyo en la obra del Señor.

"Los principios fundamentales de nuestra religión son el testimonio de
los apóstoles y de los profetas concernientes a Jesucristo: que murió,
fue sepultado, se levantó al tercer día y ascendió a los cielos; y
todas las otras cosas que pertenecen a nuestra religión son únicamente
apéndices de eso"- José Smith

1 Nephi 19:9

Hoy yo voy a hablar sobre de cómo podemos ser discípulos de
JesuCristo. A ser un discípulo significa a ser una persona que recibe
enseñanzas y una persona que sigue las ideas, doctrina, y métodos de
un maestro.
Hermanos y Hermanas, JesuCristo es nuestro maestro. ¡Que grande es a
oportunidad que tenemos a ser su discípulo si solo seguimos su ejemplo
y sus enseñanzas!

En la Biblia, Juan 13:34-35, Él nos dice:
"34 Un mandamiento nuevo os doy: Que os améis unos a otros; como yo os
he amado, que también os améis los unos a los otros.

35 En esto conocerán todos que sois mis discípulos, si tenéis amor los
unos por los otros."

 Este amor no es normal. Es la caridad. Moroni 7:47 dice
"pero la caridad es el amor puro de Cristo, y permanece para siempre;
y a quien la posea en el postrer día, le irá bien."
Luego nos dice
"48  Por consiguiente, amados hermanos míos, pedid al Padre con toda
la energía de vuestros corazones, que seáis llenos de este amor que él
ha otorgado a todos los que son discípulos verdaderos de su Hijo
Jesucristo; para que lleguéis a ser hijos de Dios; para que cuando él
aparezca, seamos semejantes a él, porque lo veremos tal como es; para
que tengamos esta esperanza; para que seamos purificados así como él
es puro. Amén."
Para empezar nuestro camino a ser un discípulo de JesuCristo, podemos
empezar con oración para la caridad. También en el discurso
"Verdaderamente bueno y sin engaño" Elder Ringwood nos dice:
"Las buenas nuevas del evangelio de Jesucristo son que los deseos de
nuestro corazón se pueden cambiar y que es posible educar y refinar
nuestros motivos. Cuando nos bautizamos para entrar al verdadero redil
de Dios, comenzamos el proceso de convertirnos en nuevas criaturas
(véanse 2 Corintios 5:17; Mosíah 27:26); y cada vez que renovamos el
convenio del bautismo al tomar la Santa Cena, avanzamos un paso hacia
esa meta suprema y final. Al perseverar en ese convenio, obtenemos la
fortaleza para llorar con los que lloran y consolar a los que
necesitan consuelo (véase Mosíah 18:9). En ese convenio encontramos la
gracia que nos habilita para servir a Dios y guardar Sus mandamientos,
incluso los de amarlo a Él con todo nuestro corazón y amar al prójimo
como a nosotros mismos. En ese convenio, Dios y Cristo nos socorren a
fin de que nosotros podamos socorrer a aquellos que necesiten auxilio
(véase Mosíah 4:16; véanse también los versículos 11–15)."

El primer piso en a ser un Discípulo de JesuCristo es a hacer
convenios con Dios para que él puede cambiarnos. Luego, podemos ayudar
a otros a recibir sus convenios. En el discurso de Elder Hugo Montoya,
él dice
"El Salvador dijo: “… y a cualquiera que te obligue a llevar carga por
una milla, ve con él dos”. Por ejemplo se nos pide ir al templo de
acuerdo a nuestras posibilidades. El asistir al templo requiere
sacrificio de tiempo y recursos, especialmente para aquellos que deben
viajar una distancia larga. Sin embargo ese sacrificio podría ser
considerado la primera milla.


                                Empezamos a recorrer la segunda milla cuando entendemos las
palabras: “encontrar, llevar, enseñar”; cuando investigamos y
preparamos los nombres de nuestros antepasados para realizar sus
ordenanzas; cuando ayudamos en indexación; cuando servimos como
obreros en el templo; y cuando estamos atentos a las necesidades de
nuestro prójimo y le ayudamos a tener experiencias significativas en
el templo.


                                Una estaca de las que yo supervisaba como Setenta de Área
participó en una excursión numerosa al templo. El templo es pequeño y
hubo miembros que a pesar de hacer el largo viaje de doce horas se
quedaron sin entrar, pues se sobrepasó la capacidad del día del
templo.


                                Días después visité esa estaca y le pedí al presidente que me
permitiera entrevistar a algunos de esos miembros, que ese día, se
quedaron sin entrar. Al entrevistar a un hermano, él dijo: “Élder, no
se preocupe, yo estuve en la casa del Señor, me senté en una banca en
el jardín y medité en las ordenanzas. Tuve la oportunidad de entrar,
pero cedí el lugar a un hermano que entró al templo por primera vez
para sellarse con su esposa, para que ellos tuvieran la oportunidad de
asistir a dos sesiones. El Señor me conoce, me ha bendecido y estamos
bien”.

Aquí, Yo conozco una mujer quien maneja un grupo de hermanas al templo
cada semana para que ellas pueden entrar; conozco una hermana quien
traiga una otra hermana quien no puede manejar a la iglesia cada
semana para que ellas puede recibir la Santa cena. Dios sabe que
ustedes hacen y somos agradecidos para sus sacrificios para ayudar a
otros en la obra del señor. Moisés 1:39
"39  Porque, he aquí, ésta es mi obra y mi gloria:  Llevar a cabo la
inmortalidad y la vida eterna del hombre"
Y Si no podemos entrar al templo o participar en la Santa cena, a
ayudar a otros a hacerlo puede prepararnos para la Día cuando podemos
participar en estés ordenanzas.

También podemos ser discípulos de JesuCristo cuando estamos sirviendo
a otros. En el articulo "El Servicio y La Vida Eterna" del Liahona
Marzo 2014, Presidente Eyring Dice:
"Jesús fue entre la gente enseñando el Evangelio y haciendo el bien
(véase Hechos 10:38). Él sanó al enfermo, levantó a los muertos, y con
Su poder alimentó a miles cuando estuvieron hambrientos y sin comida
(véanse Mateo 14:14–21; Juan 6:2–13). Después de Su resurrección, dio
de comer a varios de Sus apóstoles cuando llegaron a la costa del mar
de Galilea (véase Juan 21:12–13). En las Américas, sanó al enfermo y
bendijo a los niños uno por uno (véase 3 Nefi 17:7–9, 21)." Todo que
JesuCristo hizo fuera para los otros, para nosotros. Seríamos bien
para seguir a él y su ejemplo.
En Doctrinas y convenios 52:40 dice:
"40  Y recordad en todas las cosas a los pobres y a los necesitados, a
los enfermos y a los afligidos, porque el que no hace estas cosas no
es mi discípulo."

El primer modo en que podemos ayudar a los pobres y a los necesitados
es ayunar y dar una ofrenda cada mes. En el discurso “¿No es [éste]
más bien el ayuno que yo escogí?” Presidente Eyring nos dice una
historia de una hermana se llama Abbie Turray, "de Sierra Leona, donde
una guerra civil que se desencadenó en 1991 azotó el país durante
años." Durante la guerra ella recibió "una camisa de rayas blancas y
azules [que recibió] en un paquete de ropa usada [donada por miembros
de la Iglesia], y una frazada que ahora está gastada y llena de
agujeros”. Ella dice: “Esta camisa es la primera… prenda de vestir que
[recibí]… Me la ponía para ir a trabajar --era muy buena. [Me hacía
sentir muy hermosa]. Yo no tenía otra ropa”.
                                        “Esta frazada nos mantuvo abrigados a mí y a mis hijos durante la
guerra. Cuando los rebeldes [vinieron] a atacarnos, esto fue lo único
que [pude] agarrar [al huir hacia los arbustos para ocultarnos]; así
que la [llevábamos] con nosotros, nos mantenía abrigados y a salvo de
los mosquitos”.

Presidente Eyring continúa:
                                        "donaciones de ofrendas de ayuno de personas como ustedes,
permitió a los santos comprar alimentos que la mayoría de los
habitantes del país no podían adquirir.
Luego Él nos dice:
Un visitante de los Estados Unidos estuvo con Abie recientemente.
Mientras estaba con ella “notó un juego de Escrituras sobre la mesa”.
Tomó las Escrituras en la “mano y dio vuelta a las páginas con
delicadeza. Al [hacerlo, halló una] copia amarilla de un formulario de
donativos y pudo ver cómo, en un país donde un [dólar vale su] peso en
oro, Abie Turay había pagado un dólar de diezmo, un dólar al fondo
misional y un dólar como ofrenda de ayuno para quienes, en sus propias
palabras, eran ‘realmente pobres’”.

A ayunar y pagar la ofrenda es una moda muy simple en que podemos
servir cada mes.

También podemos orar para que podemos recoger oportunidades a servir a
otros. "El élder M. Russell Ballard, del Quórum de los Doce Apóstoles,
nos ha animado a orar por oportunidades de servicio en su Discurso
"Estar anhelosamente consagrados": “Cada mañana, en sus oraciones,
pidan al Padre Celestial que los guíe a reconocer una oportunidad para
servir a uno de Sus preciados hijos. Luego, vayan durante el día…
buscando a quien ayudar” (“Estar anhelosamente consagrados”, Liahona,
noviembre de 2012, página 31)".    Si somos obedientes a los sossoros
del Espíritu Santo, que Dios va a darnos más oportunidades para servir
a nuestros Hermanos.
En el Ensign de este mes, hay un artículo que dice:

"La mayoría de las veces, las respuestas a las oraciones no vienen a
bombo y platillo. Comfort durante tiempos de prueba se presenta en
forma de una comida entregada por un vecino que cuida, una tarde-noche
llamada telefónica de un padre amoroso que sintió la necesidad de ver
a su hija, o un complemento de un extraño en el supermercado."
Cuando seguimos los sossoros del Espíritu Santo, podemos ser la ayuda
a una otra persona.

Por fin podemos estudiar las escrituras más para aprender los
atributos de Cristo para aplicarlos a nuestras vidas. En el discurso
"Soy yo Señor" Presidente Uctorf nos dice:
"si [tenemos] el gran deseo de cultivar los atributos cristianos de la
“la fe, la virtud, el conocimiento, la templanza, la paciencia, la
bondad fraternal, piedad, caridad, humildad [y servicio]”, el Padre
Celestial los hará instrumentos en Sus manos para la salvación de
muchas almas."
Qué lindo es la oportunidad a ser un instrumento en las manos de dios!

Pero a veces a veces es un poco difícil; en
Mateo 19 hay la cuenta a algo que pasó a JesuCristo:
16 Y he aquí uno, acercándose, le dijo: Maestro bueno, ¿qué bien haré
para tener la vida eterna?

17 Y él le dijo: ¿Por qué me llamas bueno? Ninguno es bueno sino uno,
a saber, Dios; y si quieres entrar en la vida, guarda los
mandamientos.

18 Le dijo: ¿Cuáles? Y Jesús dijo: No matarás; no cometerás adulterio;
no hurtarás; no dirás falso testimonio;

19 honra a tu padre y a tu madre; y, amarás a tu prójimo como a ti mismo.

20 El joven le dijo: Todo esto lo he guardado desde mi juventud. ¿Qué
más me falta?

21 Le dijo Jesús: Si quieres ser perfecto, anda, vende lo que tienes y
da a los pobres, y tendrás tesoro en el cielo; y ven, sígueme.

22 Y al oír el joven esta palabra, se fue triste, porque tenía muchas
posesiones.

Y él escogió su vida de la tierra entre la vida eterna.

podemos tener la fe, la humildad y la confianza en Dios que dejar
nuestros deseos mundanos y optó por convertirse en discípulos de
Jesucristo.

Y por Fin, Presidente Uctdorf nos dice:
"quienes deseen mejorar y progresar, quienes sepan del Salvador y
deseen ser como Él, los que se humillen como un niño y traten de poner
sus pensamientos y hechos en armonía con nuestro Padre Celestial,
experimentarán el milagro de la expiación del Salvador. Con seguridad
sentirán el Espíritu resplandeciente de Dios; probarán el gozo
indescriptible, que es el fruto de un corazón manso y humilde; serán
bendecidos con el deseo y la disciplina para llegar a ser verdaderos
discípulos de Jesucristo."

Testimonio y en el nombre de JesuCristo, amén.


Sent from my iPad

Week 26, Norcross, GA, Spanish Speaking. New Companion

Sister Van Leuven and Madeleine

Dear family,
Ah! Aspen! What a spaz! What will happen if pet insurance doesn't
cover it? You aren't going to put her down, are you? They will cover
it, right? (I secretly love and miss her) (Mom note- the dog needs surgery, basically a torn ACL).
This week has been pretty tough. It was hard to say good bye to sister
Martinez. Then on Thursday, like what always happens to me, I had
dreams of us having these adventures and then I woke up with something
I was super excited to tell her, and she wasn't here.
My new companion is Sister Van Leuven. She is from Riverton, Utah, and
has been out on her mission for a year. She was in the MTC for 2
months and was the first American sister called Spanish speaking here.
She graduated in 2014 as well, and did marching band in high school.
She loves music. She can play the clarinet, the piano, and the guitar.
She is super sharp and smart. She is a quick learner and is very bold.
She loves to talk with people about American football. She spoke in 
church yesterday with a 2 hour warning and did a fantastic job. 
I think there's a lot I can learn from her.

It's been crazy this week now that Fanny isn't an investigator. We are
teaching her her new convert lessons. She is so sweet. She was so sad
when Hermana Martinez was transferred. I love her so much!!! It's
funny because I feel like while re-teaching her the new lessons I feel
like a different missionary. Like I have a much better hold on things
now.
Yesterday church was very chaotic. I felt like I was just running
around the whole time making sure people were in gospel principles,
because the teacher showed up late, and making sure people were
sitting with our investigators and the less actives, and then the
branch president asked me to play prelude, so I said sure. But then
I'm up there when he starts and the pianist hadn't shown up. So I
sneak back into the congregation, well from the congregation the first
counselor pointed at me and asked me to play the accompanying, and I
couldn't just say no, because there must have been a reason why he
asked me to play instead of anyone else. It was awful. I had no idea
what the hymns were, I didn't even have a Spanish hymn book, the  hymn
they were singing wasn't on the app; so as I'm walking up there for
the opening song, some one handed me a himnos, and I get up there and
it's "because I have been given much" which is really hard to sight
read, and I butcher it. Then the first counselor came to me and asked
if I could play the rest of the hymns, I just shook my head and he
thankfully fired me and asked The one member from the congregation who
plays, to play and he did much better than I did. So I'm really
grateful for that, but it didn't take away from the fact that I was
just about ready to go lock myself in a closet and cry. Then, after
the meeting, a member came up to me and just gave me a big hug and
said it was all going to be okay. Which was super nice, but sometimes
it's awful when you realize that your mistakes were actually noticed.
The branch president was super nice about it and I think he felt
really bad. He had asked me earlier in branch council if I could play
and I told him it would depend on what hymns because I can't sight
read well, so he knew that what had happened wasn't very fair. He also
seemed to be very appreciative, and I think it showed him that I am
literally willing to do anything they ask me to do. We are all just
here trying to work together to help increase faith in Jesus Christ.
Your email on he handbook was really interesting. I hadn't heard about
any of the changes, so I started reading the handbook to see what it
says. Wow! The handbook is like this secret gem! It just talks about
the doctrine! I loved how it explains the plan of salvation and the
gospel of Jesus Christ: Faith, Repentance, Baptism, and receiving the
gift of the Holy Ghost. Particularly I loved how it explains
repentance: "Turn to God through sincere repentance, having a change
of heart and confessing and forsaking sins." I love how it says
"change of heart" because that change of heart is our sacrifice of a
"broken heart and contrite spirit" (3 Nephi 9:20), and really that is
what allows us to be changed, which is the essence of the atonement of
Jesus Christ! (And it also all stems back to humility).
I then love the promise: "As we come to understand and believe these
truths and gain a firm testimony of Jesus Christ, we strive to obey
His commandments and want to share our blessings with our family and
others (see 1 Nephi 8:9–37). With this secure foundation of testimony,
other elements of Church activity follow naturally." As missionaries
what we do is help people understand the truths of the Plan of
Salvation (https://www.mormon.org/beliefs/plan-of-salvation) and the
gospel of Jesus Christ (https://www.mormon.org/beliefs/jesus-christ).
Our job is to teach simply and clearly so that others can understand
and recognize truth so they can either chose to accept or reject it.
I then love what it says about being a follower of Jesus Christ:
"Each of us is accountable before God to learn and keep His
commandments and to live the gospel. We will be judged according to
our actions, the desires of our hearts, and the kind of people we have
become. As we become true followers of Jesus Christ, we experience a
mighty change of heart and “have no more disposition to do evil”
(Mosiah 5:2; see also Alma 5:12–15; Moroni 10:32–33). As we live the
gospel of Jesus Christ, we grow line upon line, becoming more like the
Savior in loving and serving others."
This life is a becoming process. As we follow the savior, His love,
which is Charity (Moroni 7:47), becomes more prevalent in our lives
and because of Him, with His help, we are able to serve others beyond
our mortal capacity.
I love being a missionary so much. It's hard at times, but salvation
was not a cheap experience. I love helping others grow closer to the
savior every day. I know that this is the Lord's work. I know that
this is His restored church. I know that we have a Savior and that He
lives. I am so grateful for Him. I love being able to serve Him every
day.
I love and miss you all!!!
Love,
Hermana Wallis