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

Week 49- Roswell, GA, Spanish Speaking

These are all the Spanish Speaking Missionaries in our mission.

This week has been good. A lot happened, as normally a Lot happens...
There are tons of Hispanics here and sometimes it just feels like
you're walking through Mexico... Because you won't see an English
speaker for a long time. Also our area is huge. We have one
investigator on date, but she lives 45 minutes away. Her family are
recent converts, and she's so cute. She's their grandma and she just
loves the scriptures and if she could drive to the font tomorrow, I
think she would.
We're teaching this one family. Let's just
start with the fact that walking up to the home we found a stray cat
with a purple cardboard cast limping around. (I'll include a picture).

Then we go in, and when we asked why they let the missionaries in they
sang us this song about when Jesus Christ knocks on your door, you let
him in. (I don't know who the writer is, but THANK YOU. It even said
they would be in twos and have black tags....)
We've been seeing a lot of miracles here. Less active families coming
back to church, and apparently the grandma was against the church in
the first place. It's funny because this area is known for its
success, but also a lot of problems. So I've just resolved to take
everything with the best attitude I can put forth and the Lord is
working wonders.
We had Zone conference this week and it was with 2 other zones. So
that was fun. One thing we've talked about particularly is the Book of
Mormon. At Christmas out Mission president gave us each a hard cover
Book of Mormon with certain instructions for how to mark it. I didn't
really get it at first, but after the conference, I did. So there are
phases, and phase one is marking all of he references to Jesus Christ.
I have been doing this and right now I'm in 3 Nephi. This morning I
read 3 Nephi 17 and it was just the sweetest chapter ever. I love how
the Savior changes his whole agenda when he sees the Longing in the
people's eyes (tears) and he stays just a little longer. He blesses
and heals the people and they all come and kiss his feet. He then
gives them a blessing so amazing, it can't be recorded.
"16 And after this manner do they bear record: The eye hath never
seen, neither hath the ear heard, before, so great and marvelous
things as we saw and heard Jesus speak unto the Father;

17 And no tongue can speak, neither can there be written by any man,
neither can the hearts of men conceive so great and marvelous things
as we both saw and heard Jesus speak; and no one can conceive of the
joy which filled our souls at the time we heard him pray for us unto
the Father."
Which reminded me of 1 Corinthians 2:9
"But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have
entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for
them that love him."

You can just tell the people loved the Lord so much. Christ talks
about how much faith these people have, and it appears to me that
these people must have been very obedient because in John 14:15 it
says "If ye love me, keep my commandments.".
These people's faith was apparent because of their obedience. And it
moves the Savior so much that it says "he wept". Twice.
The Lord loves us so much. We have been testifying a lot of His love
to the people here. Who better to put our trust in than He, who is our
loving father and is all knowing and all powerful?

I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and that He lives. He loves the
Lord's children perfectly. It is a marvelous work to witness others
experience his love.
I love and miss you!
Love,
Hermana Wallis

Week 48, Roswell, GA- Spanish Speaking "I think I prefer skirts!"

Wow. There was just so much in the letter you sent.
Congrats to William! That is so exciting that he earned the congressional bronze medal! And Happy Birthday to Grandpa!
Bishop Robinson will be great. That's a great Bishopric.
Dad was a great bishop. It felt really cool to know that he was
working in the Lord's work, just like me as a missionary. He also
opened my eyes to so many miracles. We see miracles in the mission,
but before I had never really noticed all the miracles that are
constantly taking place with HIS children. We sometimes just overlook
them as normal members, but this really is the best thing we can be
doing. (Ministering and loving others)

I've decided I prefer skirts. At least the ones I wear here.
We went to visit an investigator and she was vacuuming in a skirt. We
told her we like her skirt and she said that its just her way of
releasing tension and being free.
I would have to agree with her. They are more comfortable. I have no
desire to return to pants anytime soon.

This week was fun. We did a lot.
On Saturday we did this Blitz thing. Well, basically we helped the
fire department install fire alarms all over the community. Wow. There
are so many People that don't have fire alarms! Made me really
grateful.

We had dinner with this less active family, and as we were walking up
to the house, there was a policeman outside pulling all the kids
together. Apparently one of them ran into this other ladies car, so
she called he police on them. We then watched with the mom from the
apartment as all of the kids had to line up and apologize to this
lady.  Even the little four year old! (Which is the cutest chunkiest
kid I've ever seen) No damage was done at all. It was pretty funny.
Then it turned out to be one of the kid's birthdays. So everything is decorated.
I don't really know what movies are big or anything, but apparently
there must be a new superhero thing? Idk. But the table cloth was
covered with all of these gross movie stars (like the Rock and idk)
all in speedos.... Lol I wanted to die inside. (I'll send another
picture. We took a picture of our food and you can see one of their
eyes peeking from behind the plate...)

While visiting another less active family and it was just the girls.
One is 17 and the other is 12. They were hilarious. But they were
talking about all of these new social media apps, and politics.
It just made me so grateful to be out here and not back at home. We
showed them the Mormon message for youth "Stay in the Boat" and they
both admitted to getting distracted all the time and the older one
said she was starting to doubt. (She was the first one baptized in the
whole family!) well. It's because she wasn't reading her scriptures or
praying or going to seminary or church! (Her younger sister gave her
the best speech ever!) All of those activities invite the spirit. I
was reading Elder Wirthlin's talk "abundant life" and Heavenly Father
desires for us to have lives filled with light and joy! And that
happens when we fill our lives with the spirit.
We went to go find a man who was referral and when we finally found him, he

started talking about how he invites all missionaries of Jesus Christ
in. He's had all sorts of missionaries talk to him, but he said that
all the Mormon missionaries have been very young. Especially compared
to others who are usually "more experienced". We told him that yes, we
are very humble servants. We don't have much experience, but we know
that we have been called of God and that our message is true. Because it
really isn't our message, it's the Lord's and gratefully,  it's His
spirit who testifies to others of the truth. We then shared Moroni
10:3-5 with him, and testified of the Book of Mormon and he took the
Book of Mormon right out of our hands!
It was really neat because at first it seemed like he was saying, "you
are all so young. You will grow up, gain experience and change one
day. You're wasting your time now." But I know that we are not, and he
will learn that we are not. There is nothing better for us to do than
what we are doing now. Our lives are so filled with the spirit, it
brings so much joy! It is the Holy Ghost that gives us pure joy. It
can only come from our Savior Jesus Christ.
I know that He lives and it is such a privilege to serve Him.
I love and miss you!!!
Love,
Hermana Wallis

PS The girls came to church on Sunday

 I let them do my hair!

 Giving the birthday cake!

Week 47, Roswell, GA- Spanish Speaking

Dear Family,
This week was great! I feel so much better, like I know more of the
members, so we can better work with them.
We have on investigator on date, Elvira. She's planning for April 30.
She's a recent convert's mom! (The members are where it's at. 😉) She
is so sweet and so excited. I just love her so much already.

Sister Solis and I have a lot of fun together. She's such a blessing!
I just adore her so much.
A lot of the members here are from Mexico City and they talk with this
Mexican slang. It's hilarious. They call us all "Mijas". It's
hilarious. (I wish I could just show you how they do it.)
I bore my testimony yesterday. (Thankfully I didn't preach any false
doctrine this time.) I have accumulated such a weird accent, half the
branch was asking me if I was from Brazil. I'm taking it as a
compliment since there's a lot of supermodels from Brazil-haha!
The Spanish is good though. I just have a hard time understanding most
of the time. I think it's just mainly confidence now that I'm
companions with a native speaker. But most of the time when I don't
understand, it turns out I probably didn't want to understand. Thank
you gift of tongues. 🙌🏼
One of my favorite quotes from conference was by Elder Holland: “You
can have what you want, or you can have something better.” (I am a
Child of God by Elder Hallstrom)
This week we got on the subject about Lot's wife. Let's start from the
beginning with Lot. Lot pitched his tent toward Sodom and Gomorah,
which is kind of the equivalent of making your house face the strip in
Las Vegas. (Verses King Benjamin's people who pitched their tents
towards the temple Mosiah 2:6) When skiing, or running, or biking,
where you look is ultimately where you go. So Lot and his family wound
up in Sodom and Gomorah. (We can compare this to what we fill our
minds with every day. What pictures we look at on Instagram, what
music we listen to, what TV shows and movies we watch, all contribute
to where our tents are faced.) Because of the wickedness in the city,
God was going to destroy it, so he commanded Lot and his family to
leave  and NOT LOOK BACK. While leaving, The city was being destroyed
and Lot's wife looked back and was turned into a pillar of salt. The
sin was not only disobedience, but also that she looked back
longingly. She had left her heart and desires in Sodom and Gomorah.
It's interesting because her desires were in things that weren't even
there anymore. Had she stayed she would have surely been destroyed,
and because she didn't love the Lord with all her "heart might mind
and strength" she was destroyed. In Luke 17:32-33 Jesus tells us, "
32 Remember Lot’s wife.
33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever
shall lose his life shall preserve it."
We can lose our lives when we whole heartedly trust the Lord. Like
Elder Holland said, we can get what we want, or we can get something
better. The better things come from the Lord. Lots wife chose what she
wanted. And it destroyed her.
The first commandment is to love. To love the Lord. Mark 12: 30 "And
thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy
soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the
first commandment.
31: and the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor
as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these."
And to love our neighbor.
1 Corinthians 2:9 says "9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor
ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things
which God hath prepared for them that love him."
When we love the Lord, we love our neighbor.
We can lose ourselves in the service/ love of others, and complete
trust in whatever it is the Lord wants for us. (Remember 3 Nephi
13:31-34: 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or,
What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32 For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all
these things shall be added unto you.
34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow, for the morrow shall take
thought for the things of itself. Sufficient is the day unto the evil
thereof.")
The Lord loves us and wants to bless us! I can't think of anyone else
I'd rather give complete and total trust to. It is such a privilege to
be apart of His service and in the perfect environment to "lose
myself" in His work.
I love and miss you!
Love,
Hermana Wallis