Monday, February 27, 2012 (email)
Hello Everyone! Can you imagine me running around and skipping and proclaiming that? because I was!
We had a miraculous experience this week! We had our temple trip fall through again and we were getting extremely discouraged. Nothing seemed to work. (Which meant Satan was doing all he could to keep us from going.) But then, we ran into a member on Friday morning and she
just randomly asked if we were allowed to go to the temple and if we wanted to join her the next morning!?!?! We were stunned but tried to hide it (she told us later that we didn't do a very good job of it.) We made some calls to leadership and got the ok! SWEET! There was nothing that could mess up our plans that bad in 24 hours.
WRONG. We were out and about in the truck searching for a less active member. We took a road we thought would get us there. We could see the tracks of other vehicles, so we figured it was safe to take it. Well, we started sliding on the ice and were so excited to get to the dirt. It wasn't dirt. The ice had melted and turned the dirt into MUD. Slimy mud. We started sliding pretty darn good. I got it to stop, put it in 4 high...nothing. We just slid down the embankment a little, and closer the the fence...the barbed wire fence. Ok, 4 low....we kept sliding towards the fence. I stopped. We parked and got out.
I knew I didn't have the driving knowledge to get us out of the situation without getting us into major trouble first. I called Sister Kesler who has lots of mud experience, and she nearly peed her pants laughing at me. She insisted I call the vehicle coordinator. Dang.
I called and he insisted on a tow. UGH.
Called the tow guy, got all the details to him, and he said it would take him at least an hour to get to us. Double ugh! Because the sun was going down and we were sinking in the mud a couple inches up our boots. He said if he couldn't get the truck out, he would have to come in the morning when the ground was frozen and get it. NO GOOD. We wanted to go to the temple at first light.
Sister Patrick started freaking out and getting really upset. I didn't want to focus on the negative, so to her frustration, I started singing Primary songs. Poor thing, Sister Patrick, she was going to get the spirit into her whether she liked it or not.
A couple minutes into singing a farmer drove up on his 4 wheeler, and told us to cancel the tow. He instructed me what to do and pushed us out when needed. It was AWESOME!!! We got onto the road, thanked him, gave a prayer of thanks, and went on our merry way.
PRAYER WORKS. PRAYER WORKS. PRAYER WORKS.
Well, that was my story! Have a great week!
Sister Melinda Wilkins
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
I Don't Have Anything Clever To Put Here
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 (email)
Hi. Still no way to attach photos, but I'm working on it.
I feel lame, because I don't have anything REALLY interesting or funny to tell you...
We were thrilled this week to get 2 new investigators. One for each ward! That's exciting because one ward has all the work, and the other ward is usually asleep. The first one is Aubani... she was a former investigator who felt pressured into baptism, so she backed off. She and her less-active husband recently had a new baby, and they realize that they want to be an eternal family. She knows deep down that she wants to be baptized, but she wants to do it at her own pace. We will gladly agree to that.
The other investigator is Linda. She recently married an extremely less-active man and he talked to her a bit about his beliefs, and then we got a not connected referral to go see her. She was raised Baptist and is very strong in that religion. Sister Patrick was practically asleep and totally at a loss of what to say to this woman. I felt just as confused and couldn't think of what to do, but I had to fake confidence so the whole appointment didn't fall through. All I could think of was to ask her to explain her beliefs so I could compare our religions for her. She told me, and me still being dumb drew a blank...."How in the world am I going to tell her what we believe and not forget any important parts?" Wow. I'm dumb. Thank heavens the Holy Ghost has his head on straight and can help dodo's like me. "GET OUT YOUR ARTICLES OF FAITH!!!!" he yelled at me. "Oh, that could work..." So I started going through each one, and eventually it led to questions she had about Joseph Smith, priesthood authority, and the Book of Mormon! It led into the message of the Restoration PERFECTLY!! When we presented the Book of Mormon to her, and asked her to pray about it, she said, "Well of course. I was already planning on it! Should we do it right now?" We tried to hide our shock and surprise, but gladly placed our hands in hers as she prayed with us right then and there. WHOA!! Thank heavens the Spirit was there to help a dummy like me.
On Saturday we attended the baptisms of Morgan and Troy. Morgan was afraid of the water, but he had a change of heart the night before the baptism and was a completely different boy. He was courageous and excited and couldn't stop smiling. I cried as he stepped into the font with his shoulders squared and a confident smile on his face. Hooray!!
We were going to attend the temple today, but our ride fell through. Satan is doing all he can to keep us from going. We will try again next week.
I love you all very much. Have a fantastic week!
Sister Melinda Wilkins
Hi. Still no way to attach photos, but I'm working on it.
I feel lame, because I don't have anything REALLY interesting or funny to tell you...
We were thrilled this week to get 2 new investigators. One for each ward! That's exciting because one ward has all the work, and the other ward is usually asleep. The first one is Aubani... she was a former investigator who felt pressured into baptism, so she backed off. She and her less-active husband recently had a new baby, and they realize that they want to be an eternal family. She knows deep down that she wants to be baptized, but she wants to do it at her own pace. We will gladly agree to that.
The other investigator is Linda. She recently married an extremely less-active man and he talked to her a bit about his beliefs, and then we got a not connected referral to go see her. She was raised Baptist and is very strong in that religion. Sister Patrick was practically asleep and totally at a loss of what to say to this woman. I felt just as confused and couldn't think of what to do, but I had to fake confidence so the whole appointment didn't fall through. All I could think of was to ask her to explain her beliefs so I could compare our religions for her. She told me, and me still being dumb drew a blank...."How in the world am I going to tell her what we believe and not forget any important parts?" Wow. I'm dumb. Thank heavens the Holy Ghost has his head on straight and can help dodo's like me. "GET OUT YOUR ARTICLES OF FAITH!!!!" he yelled at me. "Oh, that could work..." So I started going through each one, and eventually it led to questions she had about Joseph Smith, priesthood authority, and the Book of Mormon! It led into the message of the Restoration PERFECTLY!! When we presented the Book of Mormon to her, and asked her to pray about it, she said, "Well of course. I was already planning on it! Should we do it right now?" We tried to hide our shock and surprise, but gladly placed our hands in hers as she prayed with us right then and there. WHOA!! Thank heavens the Spirit was there to help a dummy like me.
On Saturday we attended the baptisms of Morgan and Troy. Morgan was afraid of the water, but he had a change of heart the night before the baptism and was a completely different boy. He was courageous and excited and couldn't stop smiling. I cried as he stepped into the font with his shoulders squared and a confident smile on his face. Hooray!!
We were going to attend the temple today, but our ride fell through. Satan is doing all he can to keep us from going. We will try again next week.
I love you all very much. Have a fantastic week!
Sister Melinda Wilkins
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Happy Valentines Day!
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 (email)
Happy day of love everyone!
Why am I writing on Tuesday? Long story. Last week our district decided to go to the temple today. We had to sell an arm and a leg to get someone to take us there, but we were willing to do it because its the temple. We switched p-day from monday to tuesday, and worked all day yesterday....But then a nasty storm hit last night and the district leader canceled the trip...so we had a wonky p-day, and no temple. Oh well. We will try again. I'm just stoked that the temple is
an option!
I bought an uploader to send photos, but the computers at this library won't recognize anything. UGH!!!! I'm kinda peeved. But its not the end of the world. I guess I will just have to make a CD of photos at Walmart and send it to mom and dad for them to put on the blog.
Last Tuesday we had Zone Conference in Bloomfield!!! That's a 2 hour drive and 2 zones away. We spent all day driving, and I was totally asleep before my head even hit the pillow.
But there isn't much to talk about this week. Things are still rough. There isn't much work to do. We spend all day looking up less active families and no one is home. We visit referrals and get all no's. We tract cold, windy, country roads for hours on end, and get....nothing. I'm surprised at how positive I have been. I'm serious, but somehow Heavenly Father always helps me keep a smile on. I think that is my role in life: be the smile that helps the really important people stay
focused and energized. There isn't really a great work for me, I'm just the helper of the greats. I can handle that. I'm good at smiling.
The best thing and worst thing of the week are the 2 baptisms this weekend. They are great because they are BAPTISMS!!! Its not so great because we just found out that they don't count for our numbers. We were under the impression that they counted, but things got clarified
and they don't. Oh well. Not the end of the world. At least we get to keep that warm fuzzy feeling of being helpful for Morgan and Troy. They are truly terrific little boys. I love being around them. They make it all worth it.
Oh, and we stopped by that less active family's home who were about to kick us off the porch, but then let us in. He answered the door, but he was beaming!! and so happy to see us! WOAH! MIRACLE! She wasn't home, but we are going to stop by tomorrow.
Well, I have to go! love you lots!
Love,
Sister Wilkins
Happy day of love everyone!
Why am I writing on Tuesday? Long story. Last week our district decided to go to the temple today. We had to sell an arm and a leg to get someone to take us there, but we were willing to do it because its the temple. We switched p-day from monday to tuesday, and worked all day yesterday....But then a nasty storm hit last night and the district leader canceled the trip...so we had a wonky p-day, and no temple. Oh well. We will try again. I'm just stoked that the temple is
an option!
I bought an uploader to send photos, but the computers at this library won't recognize anything. UGH!!!! I'm kinda peeved. But its not the end of the world. I guess I will just have to make a CD of photos at Walmart and send it to mom and dad for them to put on the blog.
Last Tuesday we had Zone Conference in Bloomfield!!! That's a 2 hour drive and 2 zones away. We spent all day driving, and I was totally asleep before my head even hit the pillow.
But there isn't much to talk about this week. Things are still rough. There isn't much work to do. We spend all day looking up less active families and no one is home. We visit referrals and get all no's. We tract cold, windy, country roads for hours on end, and get....nothing. I'm surprised at how positive I have been. I'm serious, but somehow Heavenly Father always helps me keep a smile on. I think that is my role in life: be the smile that helps the really important people stay
focused and energized. There isn't really a great work for me, I'm just the helper of the greats. I can handle that. I'm good at smiling.
The best thing and worst thing of the week are the 2 baptisms this weekend. They are great because they are BAPTISMS!!! Its not so great because we just found out that they don't count for our numbers. We were under the impression that they counted, but things got clarified
and they don't. Oh well. Not the end of the world. At least we get to keep that warm fuzzy feeling of being helpful for Morgan and Troy. They are truly terrific little boys. I love being around them. They make it all worth it.
Oh, and we stopped by that less active family's home who were about to kick us off the porch, but then let us in. He answered the door, but he was beaming!! and so happy to see us! WOAH! MIRACLE! She wasn't home, but we are going to stop by tomorrow.
Well, I have to go! love you lots!
Love,
Sister Wilkins
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Guess What....I can drive in snow now!!!!
Monday, February 6, 2012 (email)
Sorry, no photos yet, still need to buy an uploader. And today is a really big/important day, but I'm not going to tell you why. You will just have to figure it out...if you can :)
Well, this week was night and day compared to last week! We had things to do, and people to see, and bonding time, and giggles, and lots of yummy food! I'm so glad that I'm a happy camper now.
On Monday we went to a member's home to quilt. She is a national award winning quilter, and she was helping the previous sisters make quilts. She has 2 quilting machines in her front room!!!! Dang. I am finishing a quilt for the sister that just left, and we will send it to her eventually. The next project is a purse...I think it sounds a lot harder than a quilt, but I'm ready to learn.
On Tuesday we volunteered at a Methodist Thrift Store. It was a neat experience. I guess we do it every Tuesday. We also went to have dinner with the Thomasons: The mom, Deana, is a relatively recent convert, and her 8 year old son troy is getting baptized next week. It was his birthday dinner, and we had SO MUCH FUN! We went over again on Wednesday night because they had signed up on the ward calendar. This is where things got really fun...Sister Patrick is lactose intolerant...so when they gave her a piece of ice cream cake, I knew my duty...I had to eat mine quickly, and then be really sneaky as the two of us switched bowls without anyone watching, and eat her piece too. It was really kind of fun, and the cake was extremely good! :)
On Wednesday I thought I ran over a dog....and I wanted to die. We live with the Mikkleson Family, in their garage apartment. They have 2 dogs: Roxy, a boxer, and Daisy, a wiener. Roxy and Daisy are kamikaze dogs...they fun around in front of the truck and play and jump around
us as we try to drive away...So I was going REALLY SLOW and then Daisy started to yelp like crazy. We jumped out of the car and Roxy was jumping on top of her. We couldn't tell if Roxy was playing or being protective. Daisy just screamed and screamed and wouldn't get up. We had to call the family and tell them what happened and get the dog in the house. I thought I had run over her foot, because she wouldn't move it. .... We found out later that Roxy was jumping on Daisy and cut her belly all the way to the muscle right near the foot, so Daisy was protecting it. THANK HEAVENS!!!!! Whew.
We also ran into the MEANEST lady I have ever met. We knocked on her door, and she slipped out onto the front porch. We said, "Hi, we are miss..." "I don't care who you are or what you have to say! Now be polite and walk away!" "Ok, you have a nice day" "Yes, it was nice of you to bother me today!" ....Oh she was a grump. Poor thing. I just laughed after we walked away because it was so surreal. We felt bad that she had so much pain in her life that she would act that way towards total strangers.
On Thursdays we participate in the Addiction Recovery Program, and I LOVE IT!!!! The members who run it call it "The Atonement for Dummies" and they are totally right! It is amazing. I am changing the way I see the world and myself by participating in it.
Sister Patrick and I have had some really good bonding experiences this week. REALLY GOOD. and I am so thankful for them. Heavenly Father has put me with her so I can learn a ton. I'm looking forward to the progress. While we have been talking, she has told me about her
relationship with music and what it is like to compose...she said one of the most beautiful things ever. "[Composing] is like receiving revelation from the tongue of angels." WOAH! So cool!
On Saturday we had a really cool tracting experience. An older gentleman answered the door, and he tried to tell us our message would be better if given to someone else and to go away. He tried to back up and close the door, but he tripped over his wife. She pushed him out of the way and stepped onto the porch. "Are you LDS?" Uh, oh. I hope this doesnt' go badly, she might be about to yell at us. "Yes we are-" "-Oh, I was LDS! We used to have Family Home Evening EVERY week, even when my kids didn't stick with the church, it was a requirement in our
family!" She proceeded to go on about her experience, but said we could never get her back to church. We were about to leave and Sister Patrick asked if we could say a prayer with her. She invited us in, we said it....and then didn't leave for an hour!! We started talking about where we were from (the husband was missing) and Sister Patrick and Kathy had connections to Minnesota. Then I said I was from San Diego. "Oh my daughter lives down there, in um...Encinitas." GASP and hand flying to chest. "I'M FROM ENCINITAS!!!!!" Then the husband showed up! We got Mr. Grumpy Gills to come in and at least be around during our conversation all because I was from Encinitas! WOOT!!!!!! We talked for a long time about her family and we got her to agree to read from the Book of Mormon (actually she promised us rather enthusiastically) and she begged us to come back and visit her. ...Not get her to come back to church, MY FOOT! Watch me!
Love you lots! Have a fantastic week!
Love Sister Melinda Wilkins
Sorry, no photos yet, still need to buy an uploader. And today is a really big/important day, but I'm not going to tell you why. You will just have to figure it out...if you can :)
Well, this week was night and day compared to last week! We had things to do, and people to see, and bonding time, and giggles, and lots of yummy food! I'm so glad that I'm a happy camper now.
On Monday we went to a member's home to quilt. She is a national award winning quilter, and she was helping the previous sisters make quilts. She has 2 quilting machines in her front room!!!! Dang. I am finishing a quilt for the sister that just left, and we will send it to her eventually. The next project is a purse...I think it sounds a lot harder than a quilt, but I'm ready to learn.
On Tuesday we volunteered at a Methodist Thrift Store. It was a neat experience. I guess we do it every Tuesday. We also went to have dinner with the Thomasons: The mom, Deana, is a relatively recent convert, and her 8 year old son troy is getting baptized next week. It was his birthday dinner, and we had SO MUCH FUN! We went over again on Wednesday night because they had signed up on the ward calendar. This is where things got really fun...Sister Patrick is lactose intolerant...so when they gave her a piece of ice cream cake, I knew my duty...I had to eat mine quickly, and then be really sneaky as the two of us switched bowls without anyone watching, and eat her piece too. It was really kind of fun, and the cake was extremely good! :)
On Wednesday I thought I ran over a dog....and I wanted to die. We live with the Mikkleson Family, in their garage apartment. They have 2 dogs: Roxy, a boxer, and Daisy, a wiener. Roxy and Daisy are kamikaze dogs...they fun around in front of the truck and play and jump around
us as we try to drive away...So I was going REALLY SLOW and then Daisy started to yelp like crazy. We jumped out of the car and Roxy was jumping on top of her. We couldn't tell if Roxy was playing or being protective. Daisy just screamed and screamed and wouldn't get up. We had to call the family and tell them what happened and get the dog in the house. I thought I had run over her foot, because she wouldn't move it. .... We found out later that Roxy was jumping on Daisy and cut her belly all the way to the muscle right near the foot, so Daisy was protecting it. THANK HEAVENS!!!!! Whew.
We also ran into the MEANEST lady I have ever met. We knocked on her door, and she slipped out onto the front porch. We said, "Hi, we are miss..." "I don't care who you are or what you have to say! Now be polite and walk away!" "Ok, you have a nice day" "Yes, it was nice of you to bother me today!" ....Oh she was a grump. Poor thing. I just laughed after we walked away because it was so surreal. We felt bad that she had so much pain in her life that she would act that way towards total strangers.
On Thursdays we participate in the Addiction Recovery Program, and I LOVE IT!!!! The members who run it call it "The Atonement for Dummies" and they are totally right! It is amazing. I am changing the way I see the world and myself by participating in it.
Sister Patrick and I have had some really good bonding experiences this week. REALLY GOOD. and I am so thankful for them. Heavenly Father has put me with her so I can learn a ton. I'm looking forward to the progress. While we have been talking, she has told me about her
relationship with music and what it is like to compose...she said one of the most beautiful things ever. "[Composing] is like receiving revelation from the tongue of angels." WOAH! So cool!
On Saturday we had a really cool tracting experience. An older gentleman answered the door, and he tried to tell us our message would be better if given to someone else and to go away. He tried to back up and close the door, but he tripped over his wife. She pushed him out of the way and stepped onto the porch. "Are you LDS?" Uh, oh. I hope this doesnt' go badly, she might be about to yell at us. "Yes we are-" "-Oh, I was LDS! We used to have Family Home Evening EVERY week, even when my kids didn't stick with the church, it was a requirement in our
family!" She proceeded to go on about her experience, but said we could never get her back to church. We were about to leave and Sister Patrick asked if we could say a prayer with her. She invited us in, we said it....and then didn't leave for an hour!! We started talking about where we were from (the husband was missing) and Sister Patrick and Kathy had connections to Minnesota. Then I said I was from San Diego. "Oh my daughter lives down there, in um...Encinitas." GASP and hand flying to chest. "I'M FROM ENCINITAS!!!!!" Then the husband showed up! We got Mr. Grumpy Gills to come in and at least be around during our conversation all because I was from Encinitas! WOOT!!!!!! We talked for a long time about her family and we got her to agree to read from the Book of Mormon (actually she promised us rather enthusiastically) and she begged us to come back and visit her. ...Not get her to come back to church, MY FOOT! Watch me!
Love you lots! Have a fantastic week!
Love Sister Melinda Wilkins
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