Week 71, Lilburn, GA- English Speaking

Thank you for the best birthday ever!!! I am so blessed! Thank you for
all of the kind notes and emails.
So my birthday: Spanish elders got me a cake; lunch with Donna and
Harland, and missionary work!
This week we've been doing a lot of finding. Talking with a lot of
people. We found a family from India that's pretty excited. They are
so sweet, but we are definitely being led by the spirit in how to
teach them!
Women's conference was amazing, like always. It's so wonderful to hear
the words of living prophets and apostles. It made me wonder, "Why
have I chosen to not partake of the living words of Christ until my
mission?" It's truly a miracle. As I've been able to study on my
mission, much of what I've learned that changed me has come from
studying talks from General Conference. I would say the biggest thing
is learning that God's whole plan is centered on Jesus Christ and
focused on the family. I'd always heard it, but I never really
understood it. Additionally I know that the speakers are inspired to
share with us the things that we need at this day and time. A friend
with whom we do service even came and loved it! It was very sweet as
she said she felt that Elder Uctdorf's talk was written just for her.
I know that Jesus Christ lives and that His church is here!

I know I'm where I'm supposed to be. It's amazing, the peace that we
feel when we choose the Lord's ways over our ways.
Sister Selch is cute, 
Chickens! Wow. I'm happy for William!
You're amazing. I love that your stake did a SERVICE ACTIViTY. 
Checked up on my arm today. I will start pt next week!
Just FYI, I woke up with a stomach bug, so if you want to pray for me
with that, that would be awesome.

Thank you for all the support and love!
Love always,
Hermana Wallis

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

The missionaries gave her a cake!

This is sweet Donna and her husband Harland who drove 1 1/2 hours to 

bring me my birthday packages!  She is also the angel that rescued her after

her bike accident- we all love her!

 My great new companion Sister Selch:)

 Two of my favorite people Donna and Harlan

People are so NICE- look at that cake!

Week 70- Transferred, English speaking. Lilburn, GA

So on Thursday I received a call from president. And essentially was told
we needed our trio to be broken up.  So, after some contemplation I volunteered
to be the one to go to the new area. This has been so sad. I honestly have been partially at a loss. Life
happens. I already talked about God's will and sacrifice.  I guess
this is the moment when I really realize that the mission is not about
me. At all.
I called president Sunday morning: " I know I volunteered for this...
But this is really sad... I just need some reassurance..."
He said he knew I was inspired to volunteer because first off my
companion needed me. I was wanting
specific blessings like " for this sacrifice I promise I you ...." But
instead Luke 17:32-33 came into mind.
"Remember Lot's wife.  Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever 
shall lose his life shall preserve it."I loved Spanish. And my heart is still broken because I will end my mission in 
English, but I can't look behind
me. I can only offer my heart to the lord and he takes it. I'm happy,
honestly. The members are excited and my companion is really sweet.
We've been talking with a lot of people and one of our investigators I
even taught with president while I was recovering from surgery. She's
so sweet. I don't really know what's ahead, I just have to trust the
Lord.
I've realized that I think the blessings of being humble before being
compelled to humility could just mean that we are in a better place to
accept and be at peace when we have trials. There is no " trial-free"
tickets for life. But there are always blessings! The senior
missionaries took me out for lunch for my birthday and president said
I could do special assignments with the Spanish branch...although
we'll see how that works with the gas shortage...  We're now walking
everywhere. 😁
I'm grateful for the opportunity to serve. I know this is a great work.
I'm love you.
Hermana/Sister Wallis

Week 69- Roswell, GA. Update: I'm still in a splint. My wrist is still brokenish/ healing. It still hurts sometimes.

Update: I'm still in a splint. My wrist is still brokenish/ healing.
It still hurts sometimes.

Anyways! This was my first full week back! And it came with full
force. There were bible bashers and doors slammed while at the same
time there were free lemonade stands, Puerto Rican testimonies,
commitments to keep the commandments and hearts began to mend and
heal. How much better can it get?
We found an apartment complex full of just Hispanics. They weren't too
excited to see us the first time we came to visit, but we went back
later in the week and decided to just love the people. It's amazing
what love can do. We were received by a family who asked us to come
back before we were finished!
This weekend we worked a lot with a family of recent converts. The
daughter told us about there mom's word of wisdom struggle. It was
crazy because on Sunday the word of wisdom was the Sunday school class
and then the relief society lesson on honesty became a lesson on
living with integrity and somehow that connected to how difficult it
was for everyone to quit coffee when they met the missionaries. This
mother stood up and bore her testimony about how she knows the word of
wisdom is revelation from God because of how difficult it has been to
change and keep! The commandments really are there for our protection.

I know I've said this, but Having a broken arm is really humbling. (I
know, back to the arm...)Sometimes I just want to take off my splint
and just be normal again, but then my arm hurts if I try to move it
and I realize I don't think it works that way. I think the Lord will continue to show
his hand in other ways while changing and strengthening me. (I could
always use a lesson on humility...) It's really crazy because over a
year ago I wrote about how in the MTC I was struggling hard core. Then
at a devotional this woman spoke about miracles. She said that 2 weeks
after she'd had her 7th baby she fell down the stairs and broke her
right collarbone. She was put in a cast for two weeks but she as a
mother of 7 children under the age of 12 and an infant, she was not a
good patient. So they had to rebrake her collarbone and completely
immobilized her right arm with this pin pole thing. She was devastated
as she felt so helpless with just her left hand. Then she was reminded
of Mormon 9:18-21. As she said prayers of gratitude each night
miracles began to happen. She was able to accomplish many things with
just her left hand such as tying a shoe! God didn't immediately heal
her arm, but he gave her miracles and the strength she needed to
endure.
Flash forward some error time... To me. And I've found myself in a
somewhat similar, though definitely not as drastic, situation.  The
Lord has definitely come forth and shown his hand in so many ways. (I
can now tie a shoe with just my left hand as well, in case you were
wondering...)
I feel so privileged to draw closer to the savior through this
experience. I feel a greater amount of empathy and understanding for
others on so many levels. I'm grateful for a Heavenly Father who is
loves us enough to inflict us. He sees the beginning and the ending.
He is all knowing, and all loving.

I love and miss you dearly. Thank you so much for the kind notes of
encouragement.
Love always,
Hermana Wallis

{Chick fill A
Carne Asada with members
Service!
My attempt at a heart.}

Week 68- Post operation

I am so grateful to be here in Cherokee. Since the moment we got here
I have felt so much love from the members and my companions. Last
Monday night I returned to be with my companions. On Tuesday I was
exhausted still so I stayed with some members while my companions
worked. I did the same on Wednesday. On Thursday we did service at the
Shiloh food pantry. I wasn't much help other than emotional support...
But on Saturday I was able to open the door for the people who come to
get food! Even though It's hard, I am so grateful to be here. I don't
have to look hard for opportunities to just "get over myself" and
focus on helping others. On Sunday I translated for sacrament meeting.
It was fun because I discovered that my Spanish was improved a lot! We
had a free lemonade stand on Saturday and yesterday. My arm has made
some great contacts: "what happened to your arm?" "You know those
Mormon missionaries on the bikes?" " yea.." " I was one of those... I
fell off the bike" it makes for a good laugh and has made for some
great conversations about big questions like "why do bad things happen
to good people?" And the importance and loving and serving others (my
complete dependence on my companions). And humility. This week I kind
of discovered that I can't do a lot of things I used to doing on my
own. I'm figuring things out though. But it's been very humbling and
has provided a lot of growing experiences. I really don't like asking
for help, or being dependent in any way, so it's been a big change.
Especially because I came here to serve others and now I have to be
served. I am just so grateful to work now because it's when we work in
the service of others that we forget about ourselves and grow closer
to the savior.
 Luke 17:33

This week I realized how much my arm actually hurts. I feel really grateful because we were on top of the pain medication. The last time I took prescription was Saturday after the surgery. Now I think all the pain meds have left my body, yea. It hurts. Sleeping is awful. But ibuprofen helps. 

More than anything has just been realizing the difference in the quality of life I'm living now. I can't do many things that I could do before. In relief society we sang " love one another" acapella and I just started crying because that was my favorite hymn to play. 

But I'm figuring things out. I was put in a sling on Friday so now I can shower. This weekend I was finally able to wash my own hair ( left handed). I'm figuring things out. I'm just grateful I still have an arm and that this won't be forever. 

And I'm grateful to be here where it's not hard to look for service opportunities. Well just not focus on myself in general. Because if I were home I'm pretty sure I'd just be watching that movie about the girl who's arm got bit off by a shark on re-run feeling sorry for myself. 

"President Thomas S. Monson, who has understood and lived the
admonition to love, said: “I believe the Savior is telling us that
unless we lose ourselves in service to others, there is little purpose
to our own lives. Those who live only for themselves eventually
shrivel up and … lose their lives, while those who lose themselves in
service to others grow and flourish--and in effect save their lives.”-
He asks us to be His Hands, April 1016
I know that Heavenly Father has a plan. The plan of happiness. He
loves us and truly wants us to be happy. I am so grateful for our
Savior Jesus Christ, and to know that because of him, everything will
work out.
I hope you all have a great week!
I love and miss you!
Hermana Wallis