Dear Family!
This week was amazing! Elder Holland came! I got to see Sister Kafu
and Sister Stenquist! And I'm currently sitting next to Sister Hanks!
Life couldn't get much better!
Elder Holland came on Friday to speak with all the Sisters in Georgia.
We were originally going to go, but last Monday we had studies and
breakfast with the sisters, and our Sister Training Leader non
chalantly told us as we were leaving: "President says you should only
go if you have an investigator or less active or you think it's the
best use of your time." Which left us confused and feeling slightly
guilty. We worked really hard and called and visited all of our less
actives and investigators and invited them, but none of them could go.
On Friday we were going to go, but the spirit told us no. So we tried
to visit a bunch of people we had for back up plans, but no one
opened. We're counting it as a trial of our faith. We are just here to
do the Lord's will. And His will that night was to not get in with
anyone. I'd rather do His will than anything else. Thankfully Sister
Hanks went, so she gave me her notes. I'll email them.
On Saturday, we met with the Atlanta mission and He came to see us! It
was amazing. I got to sit behind Sister Kafu and Sister Stenquist. He
shook our hands. It was great, except, I said the wrong thing.
So if you've ever been visited by an apostle of the Lord. Everything
is very precise. President Bennion emphasized a few rules: Elder
Holland sets the pace of the handshake. No hugs. And keep things
moving. We started lining up at 8:50, and
at Exactly 8:55 Elder Holland literally burst into the chapel. He went
up on the stand and whispered something with the mission President's.
Then he greeted us and told us to tell him his name and where we are
from. We are to shake his hands, then Elder Parker of the seventy,
then Sister Bennion's, then President Bennion's. He comes down and
starts shaking hands. I start panicking. "where are you from?" Is
probably my least favorite question because I never know what to say
and this time, I don't have time to explain. I couldn't decide if I
should say "Texas" or "Colorado" or "Denver" or someone told me this
week that where you are from is where you are born, so for me that's
Chicago. I also wasn't sure if I should say my full name, or just
sister and last name. I needed more time to prepare! My plan became to
just follow my companion. Well my companion said "Sister Van Leuven,
I'm from Utah" so what do I say? "Sister Wallis, Utah" Then I shook
Elder Parker's hand and I realized that I just lied to an apostle so I
told him, "that's wrong! Colorado!" By now I'm shaking Sister
Bennion's hand, and she's confused, "What?" And I've moved onto
President Bennion, who's also confused so I just say: "I said the
wrong thing..." And walk away in shame.
I lied to an apostle.
Thankfully he told us later that he really didn't care where we were
from, he doesn't remember anything. He just wanted to look us in the
eye. But I'm still sure I don't think I'm going to ever forget that.
I wish we could have roll played that. Like they should have given us
a warning when we knew he was coming so I could at least have
practiced in companionship study or something. It made me think about
how we should prepare ourselves beforehand for the tough questions of
life and reminded me of how you would always practice us saying "No"
to things against the word of wisdom. This could also be used for any
temptation against the Law of Chastity or just any tough question
someone may have about the church. Practicing helps us make the
decision beforehand so we are prepared to be on the Lord's team when
those tough moments come. It's just like if I had gone to a party with
a friend and hadn't made the decision before hand of whether or not
I'd drink. If I had decided, "I'll just follow my friend" well, I'd
probably wind up falling into temptation and making a lot of decisions
I'd regret, because I hadn't decided beforehand. We cannot be
complacent in this life! We cannot be "Flojo". Make a decision of
who's side you're on and stay there!
(Update: I still don't know where I'm from. I'm working on it though.)
So yesterday we visited the less active we had watched the Christmas
devotional with. She was like a new person! She told us that she had
read the Book of Mormon every day and that she stopped saying bad
words! It was a miracle. She even told us she wants to come back to
church!
I love this work so much. I have received so many blessings. It's been
incredible.
I love you all!
Felix Navidad 🎄
Hermana Wallis
Pictures:
Me and Stenquist! So no pictures were allowed with Elder Holland. But Sister
Stenquist rode back with me because Sister Hanks and Sister Kafu (now
sister Stenquist's companion) went to a sealing for their recent
converts. So this is "my" back yard.
Stake conference was this weekend for us! No changes. Also, we have 40
missionaries in our stake. It's insane. President And Sister Bennion
spoke. They told some stories and miracles about the investigators of
Sister Barnard. One family decided to be baptized on her birthday and
Sandy, who I went to her baptism with Sister Kafu last July, decided
to go to the temple then too. It has been very bitter sweet. I cried.
When I first came to this mission, things were bit more "Flojo" as
well, but the accident was my first Friday in he field and I think it
changed everything. I think it's pushed us all to stand a little
taller in those sister's honor. You can see and feel a difference.
Anyways, the Rhams found me at stake conference. They were excited to
"retake" baby pictures. Haha
This week was amazing! Elder Holland came! I got to see Sister Kafu
and Sister Stenquist! And I'm currently sitting next to Sister Hanks!
Life couldn't get much better!
Elder Holland came on Friday to speak with all the Sisters in Georgia.
We were originally going to go, but last Monday we had studies and
breakfast with the sisters, and our Sister Training Leader non
chalantly told us as we were leaving: "President says you should only
go if you have an investigator or less active or you think it's the
best use of your time." Which left us confused and feeling slightly
guilty. We worked really hard and called and visited all of our less
actives and investigators and invited them, but none of them could go.
On Friday we were going to go, but the spirit told us no. So we tried
to visit a bunch of people we had for back up plans, but no one
opened. We're counting it as a trial of our faith. We are just here to
do the Lord's will. And His will that night was to not get in with
anyone. I'd rather do His will than anything else. Thankfully Sister
Hanks went, so she gave me her notes. I'll email them.
On Saturday, we met with the Atlanta mission and He came to see us! It
was amazing. I got to sit behind Sister Kafu and Sister Stenquist. He
shook our hands. It was great, except, I said the wrong thing.
So if you've ever been visited by an apostle of the Lord. Everything
is very precise. President Bennion emphasized a few rules: Elder
Holland sets the pace of the handshake. No hugs. And keep things
moving. We started lining up at 8:50, and
at Exactly 8:55 Elder Holland literally burst into the chapel. He went
up on the stand and whispered something with the mission President's.
Then he greeted us and told us to tell him his name and where we are
from. We are to shake his hands, then Elder Parker of the seventy,
then Sister Bennion's, then President Bennion's. He comes down and
starts shaking hands. I start panicking. "where are you from?" Is
probably my least favorite question because I never know what to say
and this time, I don't have time to explain. I couldn't decide if I
should say "Texas" or "Colorado" or "Denver" or someone told me this
week that where you are from is where you are born, so for me that's
Chicago. I also wasn't sure if I should say my full name, or just
sister and last name. I needed more time to prepare! My plan became to
just follow my companion. Well my companion said "Sister Van Leuven,
I'm from Utah" so what do I say? "Sister Wallis, Utah" Then I shook
Elder Parker's hand and I realized that I just lied to an apostle so I
told him, "that's wrong! Colorado!" By now I'm shaking Sister
Bennion's hand, and she's confused, "What?" And I've moved onto
President Bennion, who's also confused so I just say: "I said the
wrong thing..." And walk away in shame.
I lied to an apostle.
Thankfully he told us later that he really didn't care where we were
from, he doesn't remember anything. He just wanted to look us in the
eye. But I'm still sure I don't think I'm going to ever forget that.
I wish we could have roll played that. Like they should have given us
a warning when we knew he was coming so I could at least have
practiced in companionship study or something. It made me think about
how we should prepare ourselves beforehand for the tough questions of
life and reminded me of how you would always practice us saying "No"
to things against the word of wisdom. This could also be used for any
temptation against the Law of Chastity or just any tough question
someone may have about the church. Practicing helps us make the
decision beforehand so we are prepared to be on the Lord's team when
those tough moments come. It's just like if I had gone to a party with
a friend and hadn't made the decision before hand of whether or not
I'd drink. If I had decided, "I'll just follow my friend" well, I'd
probably wind up falling into temptation and making a lot of decisions
I'd regret, because I hadn't decided beforehand. We cannot be
complacent in this life! We cannot be "Flojo". Make a decision of
who's side you're on and stay there!
(Update: I still don't know where I'm from. I'm working on it though.)
So yesterday we visited the less active we had watched the Christmas
devotional with. She was like a new person! She told us that she had
read the Book of Mormon every day and that she stopped saying bad
words! It was a miracle. She even told us she wants to come back to
church!
I love this work so much. I have received so many blessings. It's been
incredible.
I love you all!
Felix Navidad 🎄
Hermana Wallis
Pictures:
Me and Stenquist! So no pictures were allowed with Elder Holland. But Sister
Stenquist rode back with me because Sister Hanks and Sister Kafu (now
sister Stenquist's companion) went to a sealing for their recent
converts. So this is "my" back yard.
Stake conference was this weekend for us! No changes. Also, we have 40
missionaries in our stake. It's insane. President And Sister Bennion
spoke. They told some stories and miracles about the investigators of
Sister Barnard. One family decided to be baptized on her birthday and
Sandy, who I went to her baptism with Sister Kafu last July, decided
to go to the temple then too. It has been very bitter sweet. I cried.
When I first came to this mission, things were bit more "Flojo" as
well, but the accident was my first Friday in he field and I think it
changed everything. I think it's pushed us all to stand a little
taller in those sister's honor. You can see and feel a difference.
Anyways, the Rhams found me at stake conference. They were excited to
"retake" baby pictures. Haha
With Sister Stenquist- a former companion
The wonderful Rahm Family found Madeleine at Stake Conference.
