Week 53, Roswell, GA- Spanish Speaking

Dear Family,
Last week was wonderful. It went by so fast though.
Elder Dube came to tour our mission so we got to meet with him
Wednesday and Thursday. He had so many good things to say! Also, he
was just so happy. He kept on saying,"That's GREAT!" Very
enthusiastically.
He said that when he was first called to be a general authority he had
dinner with all the brethren. He said they all ordered light meals
like salads, and he ordered a lamb chop.
The next morning Elder Holland was at breakfast alone so he decided to
seize the opportunity! He sat with Elder Holland with a glass of water
and asked him for advice. The first piece of advice was, "Just be
yourself. Don't worry about anyone else. Just be Yourself." He said
that was actually the advice Elder Packer had given him (Elder
Holland) when he was newly called! (Yea, so you're right mom and dad!
Haha) Elder Holland then proceeded to tell him (elder Dube) that he
would do well to exercise and watch what he ate. Lol Elder Dube then
said that was his advice for all of us. Note taken.
This week we made a lot of progress with our investigators from
Honduras. By a miracle she suddenly comprehends everything and was
teaching everyone the gospel of Jesus Christ in gospel principles. She
is planning on being baptized this Saturday. Our wonderful members
have even already taken her to the temple to show her! And she loved
it.
We also had a really cool experience this week with a friend of some
less actives. She was so sweet and so open. It was an amazing
spiritual experience. She was our miracle for the week. (Besides Irma.
THAT is a miracle. Pray for it to go through.)
Then she dropped us today. While we were walking into Walmart, via the phone.
So last week was great. This week...
The less active who re-started the Book of Mormon is still reading it!
We only saw him for 5 minutes but he showed us on his phone and showed
us how he listens to it. His wife was floored.
The whole family of girls also came to church!
The Lord is very merciful. Good things are still happening. There's
always good things happening honestly, and that is because of our
Savior Jesus Christ. Because of Him, everything will work out for good
for those that love Him. And if it doesn't work out here, it will
workout in the eternities. That is the promise of our loving Heavenly
Father. I know He lives and that this is His church.
I love and miss you!
Love,
Hermana Wallis

If you would like to Madeleine please use: madeleine.wallis@myldsmail.net

Week 52- Roswell, GA - Spanish Speaking

Wow. So I'm officially at a year with this tag thing. And you know
what? When I sleep, I miss the weight of my tag on my shoulder. It's
become a necessity.

Here are a few things.
1. I am exhausted. But I'm so happy. Kind of weird. But I'm so happy
to be here.
2. I've discovered I think something essential is being happy. The
Savior says it over and over again, but I just needed to pay more
attention I guess... Luke 17:32-33. Forget about yourself and focus on
the Lords work, but don't forget that it's HIS and we ought to let Him
keep it. When I'm stressing out about things, I find that those are
our worse weeks. But if I just focus on the work and trust that the
everything will work out, the Lord works His wonders.
I really wish I would have realized the importance of just "forgetting
about yourself" earlier in life. (But I'm still young. Right? I get
some points for that. Right?) Also, finally realizing that my entire
family is right. I can relax.
 There was a little bit of drama this week with sisters and the zone,
and while on a conference call with the zone leaders we all realized that these problems,
weren't even problems anymore. But they were things from last
transfer! I even had to talk with President about it. I just told him,
"you know, I think we can all just relax. We just need to forget
about ourselves and focus on the work. The Lord will work it out." He
took a deep breath and just said, "thanks. That's exactly what I'm
going to do. Just focus on the work."
Last night when reporting numbers, one of the zone leaders asked me
how we hit so may of our goals each week. I told him Luke 17:32-33,
and that I've learned to just let the Lord keep his work! Really, when
we stress, I think we're often worrying about ourselves and so it's
hard to feel the spirit. But when we can relax and keep a good sense
of humor about things, the Lord works it all out. (Just like all of
your emails! I loved them!)
This week was really good. We re-started reading the Book of Mormon
with a less active and it was so fun because he was so excited to be
understanding it! Haha we started with the title page and explained
the purpose of the Book of Mormon and what it is. After each paragraph
he would go, "oooooooooh! Let's keep going !" His wife was even
shocked when he said, "I'm going to read it!" After finishing the
introduction. It really gave me a testimony of the basics.
The people are so good here. We had a fun dinner with a mom of 4 kids.
The oldest is 14, and then the youngest 3 are aged 7, 5, and 3. They
were hilarious and so high energy. The oldest was leaving, when his
mom said, "don't leave. They're going to follow you." He turns around
and they were all lined up ready to book it with big puppy dog eyes.
He then just said,"here's my phone" and tosses it across the room. The
kids literally leaped at it like piranhas. My companion and I were
dying.
Then yesterday, our branch mission leader invited one of our
investigators to be baptized and have him a date and time and he
accepted! We were all floored at coordination meeting when he told us.
I love this work so much. It's exhausting, but I'm happy. Life is good
and I have so much to be grateful for. I know that this is the true
gospel of Jesus Christ. He is our Savior and He lives. For that we can
always have the hope that things will work out. And if they don't work
out here, there is still an eternity ahead.
I love and miss you!
Love,
Hermana Wallis

If you want to write to Madeleine: madeleine.wallis@myldsmail.net

Week 51, Roswell, GA- Spanish Speaking

Happy Birthday Dad! And Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers in the
world. Especially mine!
This week was kind of crazy (like every week) but has been so
wonderful at the same time.
It was super stressful in some ways. (Car battery died, we received an
eviction notice... Etc) but the Lord was also abundant in His
blessings and miracles. The eviction notice was a glitch in the system. Thankfully I was able to give them the check from the mission office before being evicted. I feel like the Lord just opens the Heavens all at once sometimes...
On Wednesday we were leaving service and we felt exhausted and hungry.
But instead on going home, we decided to stick with our plans and try
to visit some more referrals. We walked up to the house and tried to
contact the guy outside. He just immediately told us, "I don't like
Mormons" and would not give us an answer as to why until he just told
us to go talk with his wife. Upon entering the home, the first thing I
saw was "The Living Christ". We were so confused until my companion
recognized them as members who attend the English ward. (Even though
they're from Peru) they were just serving dinner and were so kind to
feed us and then! His wife took us to go teach her brother-in-law
who's a non-member and just had surgery. We shared "Mountains to
Climb" emphasizing the atonement of Jesus Christ, and introduced the
Book of Mormon. He loved it so much he was praying to change his life
at the end of the lesson.
I know Jesus Christ lives. He is my Savior and Redeemer. I know the
Book of Mormon is true as another testament of HIM. It truly testifies
of the significance of His sacrifice for us, as He is the Savior of
the World. I am so grateful for wonderful parents who taught me the
gospel and have given me wonderful examples of Christlike service and
living Christ-centered lives. As stressful as this week sometimes
felt, I know it pushed me closer to Him. I have felt His love and seen
His hand in my life. And I am so grateful for that.
I love and miss you all!
Love,
Hermana Wallis

The dream team: Cumorah!

 Our phone call with Madeleine on Mother's Day- perfect in every way!

Family Photo

Week 50- Roswell, GA- Spanish Speaking

Dear Family,
So we did have a baptism on Saturday! Elvira! She is so cute. She is the grandmother of a family that joined the church last fall. It was very exciting for everyone. She was so sweet, she said as she went down that she just thought, " Señor, que se ha su voluntad." I love her. 

So. Last night when driving home President Bennion called. And I have
been asked to be a Sister Training Leader. I don't really know what
I'm supposed to do. But yea. I said yes. I'm excited for he
opportunity to serve, even though I have no idea what I'll be doing
besides exchanges...

This weekend was stake conference. Which meant I got to see a lot of old friends! Including the Rahm boys, and the triplets! I was so excited to see them. They are doing well. 

So the family with the girls, they have a little sister, Kathy. She's 8 years old, and just melts my heart. We went over the other night and she showed me this picture she drew of what she wanted to be like when she grew up. It was a girl with a lollipop and at top she had written, "Popler (but nice)" with a little boy in the background saying "hi". I started talking with her about who she is as a daughter of God and how she is the daughter of a King. We showed her the video "Our True Identity" by Elder Uctdorf and She was so sweet.  She said that she wanted to change her picture and she went and got a new sheet of paper and had titled it "Princess of God". We then colored a picture of a girl in a  pink dress with a tiara. 

In a talk by Tad Callister, he said in a seminar someone asked, "How can we help those struggling with pornography?”Elder Russell M. Nelson stood and replied, “Teach them their identity and their purpose.” 
That tells me that teaching someone about their identity can help with a lot of things. It's the first thing we teach people, "God is our Loving Heavenly Father". I know He is and that He lives. Knowing that I am a child of God has influenced the way I think and the way I treat others. It was a privilege to witness someone else come to that realization.
We gave her a children's Book of Mormon and she loves it! It is so fun to read with her whenever we go over. I just adore her.
Today was transfer calls, and the good news is that me and Sister Solis get to stay here in Cumorah! I'm excited. This is a good area and good things are to come.

I love and miss you!

Love,

Hermana Wallis

If you want to write to Madeleine: madeleine.wallis@myldsmail.net