Overwhelmed

November 15, 2011 (email)

I can't even think straight. I just heard about Dad's surgery, and I'm totally shocked and thrilled. I can't believe it happened! Can't believe it! We waited for this so long, and I can't believe it. I'm just sitting here, and I can't think straight I'm so excited and thankful.

Yesterday we had the miraculous blessing of going to the Monticello Temple as a mission. It was amazing!! I couldn't believe how strong the Spirit was, and how close I felt to Heavenly Father. I sobbed and sobbed in the Celestial room. IT was wonderful beyond words.

Things in Shiprock have really picked up. We are working with a lot of less active families and we had the highest sacrament attendance I have ever heard of. We had over 170 people in comparison to the average 110. WOAH! We couldn't believe our eyes. They blessed the sacrament 3 TIMES!!!!!

Its finally frozen here. It snows lightly, but melts before it hits the ground. We have to clean our windshield off with credit cards every morning.

We are still working with crummy computers, so I will send photos next week. Hopefully I will be able to send a better letter. This was a pretty sad letter.

Love, Sis. Melinda Wilkins

November

November 7, 2011 (email)

Hello Everyone! Happy November!!

Well, I sent 2 photos of my Halloween pumpkin. I couldn't figure out what to do, so Elder Buynak and I decided to go all missionary on it. We carved the Plan of Salvation. It was a 2 person job. We had a pre-mortal life, veil, earth life, paradise/prison, "judgement", and the 3 kingdoms. I'm actually pretty happy with it. Bummer though, we didn't have any candles. We had to turn off the lights in the kitchen at the church, and hold it up to one of the spot lights. It looked pretty cool. I think we did a good job, especially because Sis. Thomas broke all of our carving knifes in the first five minutes. We accomplished our feat with switch blades and crummy steak knifes.

There is another photo of me on a tractor. I think I'm pretty stinking cute on it! I was trying to imitate the one we have of Grandpa Wilkins when he was a boy, but wearing a skirt and nice coat looks really different from thermals and a hat.

This week I got Sis. Kesler as my new companion. She is a combination of Kristin Lang and Cameron Smithson. So...We are going to get along very well. She is 6 foot even, and built like a linebacker. She is a tough cookie, in the most endearing way. She is really creative and writes songs and stories. She thinks I'm the silliest thing around (and I might be.) She loves Manheim Steamroller and we might listen to it 3+ times a day. We do a lot of giggling, thank heavens...I've missed that.

We did have a miracle this week: we got back in the door with 2 investigators who had pretty much dropped us. I guess they didn't bond well with Sis. Thomas, but they loved Sis. Kesler within the first 2 minutes. HOORAY!!! Oh how I love these girls! They are amazing.

Here is the BIGGEST NEWS OF THE CENTURY!!!! For the first time ever, the New Mexico Farmington Mission is going to have a TEMPLE DAY!!!! All of the missionaries are going to travel to Monticello and participate in a session. There are a couple different session through the day, but it will be only us missionaries. They don't rent clothing there, so we have to borrow from members. Most areas wouldn't have a problem with that, but we don't have a ton of endowed people. Let alone someone who is Sis. Kesler's size. We did find a larger woman who is willing to sew fabric on the bottom of her dress, and we thought we had made it to cloud nine. One of my favorite sisters in the ward is exactly my size and said I could borrow her clothing. Everyone is so excited. We all start to glow as we talk about it. I hope everything works out so that we can go without any complications.

I love you all! so very much!

Sharla and Alex, Congratulations!!

Sis. Wilkins.

sorry this was so short, I had extremely limited time

Happy Halloween!!

Monday, October 31, 2011 (email)

Hallo, Happy Ween!

What a week: filled with stress, joy, giggles, tears, and sore muscles.

On Monday we drove out to Four Corners...not as big a deal as you think it might be. But I did buy a magnet (sarcastic woot.) And a turquoise ring. I wasn't going to do it, but Elder Buynak saw it and went nuts over it. (he rarely shows emotion, so I knew he must REALLY like it). It is stinking cute, and I've never seen one like it. We also drove out to a waterfall. When I say drove, I mean off-road in a truck. The road was really just a wash that had trees on either side. I have never seen a car do what we forced out truck to do. IT WAS AWESOME!!

We had rain on Tuesday and Wednesday. So much rain! Then we had to drive out to Red Valley and cove. WAY FAR. MUD MUD MUD MUD MUD MUD MUD MUD MUD MUD MUD MUD MUD MUD MUD MUD . Plus a couple rivers that weren't there the week before. We were fish tailing and sliding all over the place. Fun until Sister Thomas almost got us stuck. I was not excited to get out and push us out. Thank heavens for 4-wheel drive!!

Saturday night was the Ward Trunk or Treat. As you can see, "I'm a beautiful Butterfly!!!" (name that movie.) I have been so excited for this costume for a MONTH! and look at my make up!! ITS AWESOME!!! I've never done anything like it before, but I think I did a pretty good job.

Saturday night was really stressful. One, because of the activity: it wasn't our responsibility at all, but everyone left us missionaries to do the whole thing. Two, because it was transfer news night. NOT EXCITED!! I was freaking out. (Ask the elders, they were getting antsy because I was so jittery.) I did not want to leave, AT ALL. Well.......DRUM ROLL PLEASE.........I'm staying in Shiprock!!! YAY me! I love it here, and I hate the idea of going to the city. I often wish I was an elder so I could stay on the reservation as long as I can. The only other place kinda res is Gallup. And even then its a city that touches res. Oh, I hope I don't leave Shiprock until after Christmas!!

This week's letter isn't very interesting. Sorry. Life isn't tremendously interesting. Oh, but fun fact: my zone leader hates my guts!! And I'm loving every minute of it!!!! :) I'm totally serious! He thinks he's something really special, and acts all high and mighty. (I compare him to turd bucket from high school). Most people just ignore him, but I wasn't going to let him make fun of me and walk all over me and my companion, so I call him out on stuff. I'm quick witted enough that I can get him speechless. Its fun.

Well, I love you all. Stay safe! Have a wonderful week!

Love, Sis Melinda Wilkins

THREE MONTHS!!

October 24, 2011 (email)

Good grief! Its been three months. It feels like no time at all, but also an ETERNITY!

This week was a normal missionary week, with one exception, WE HAD A BAPTISM! Aariyanna is 9 years old and comes from a less active family. She has taken amazing strides. The first few weeks we taught her I thought she would NEVER sit still or remember a single word we said. Well, the gospel changes people, even little children. Now she remembers everything, stays focused, and her reading has improved. It is so cool. We were a little worried about her and the Word of Wisdom. As we taught her about it she said, "We drink tea. I'll go get it to see if it is ok." It wasn't. She sat there CLUTCHING it, holding on for dear life. She did NOT want to give it up. After much discussion, she finally got it. We were worried she wouldn't keep it, but she totally surprised us. She has stayed completely devoted.

Another story: we had dinner with the elders outside our trailer a week ago and some dogs came by. Some one dumb fed them (NOT ME) and now they come back. They will sit at the door and cry. Here is a photo.
Here's another story, that I forgot last week! I was proposed to!!! By someone totally sober and serious!!! There is an "eternal investigator" at church who has taken a special liking to me. He asks to shake my hand, but then throws his arm around me. WEIRD. Not used to that. It wasn't a big deal, just awkward. Then last week he came up to me and told me how nice I looked with curled hair and then proceeded to tell me he thought I was a really nice person and that he liked my personality. HA. OK, thanks. Then he came up and said, "I probably shouldn't say this, but I would marry you if I could." I gave a nervous laugh and walked immediately to the elders. They thought it was funny until what happened next. I was trying to casually keep my distance, but HAD to walk by him. He waved me over. Oh drat, now what? He was sitting down and I bent over to talk to him. He grabbed both my hands and said, "Sis. Wilkins, can I marry you?" I YANKED my hands away. Smiled. "No. No you can not." and walked away. OH THE THINGS YOU SAY AS A MISSIONARY!! I nearly fell apart laughing. I was so blunt. HA!! It totally cracked me up. The elders did not find it so funny. E. Munns hardly left my side after that.

Oh yes, we have a new elder. Elder Wise. He may be half way through his mission, but the kid is just that...A KID. He'll do well in the area, but he proves himself to be a little boy sometimes. :)

Love you all!!

Sis. Wilkins

Tears in Shiprock

October 17, 2011 (email)

Tragedy keeps striking in Shiprock. Elder Munns is being transferred out to the middle of nowhere to help out another Elder. I've not been a happy camper. Official transfers are in 2 weeks, but I was joking with him that I thought he was going to be voted off the island then. He didn't like it, but his companion agreed with me. The next day he sent us a text saying I was right and he was being ET'ed (emergency transferred). I didn't believe him until he told me in person. I thought I had 2 weeks to prepare myself for my best friend leaving, but no, I had 2 days. If I thought Sis. Tsosie and I were good friends, it was nothing compared to me and Elder Munns. I've not been a happy camper. I don't know what its like in other missions, but when an elder leaves, his companion or roommates give him a tie. I didn't want to miss out on the fun, so I bought him a tie. I gave it to him last night, and he's wearing it today. I feel so special. :)

There were good things that happened this week. We had exchanges with one of the Sisters who goes home in 2 weeks. It was Sis. Wilkes!!! The girl who was my EFY roommate 5 years ago. IT was AWESOME! We took her to Red Valley and took pictures on the wall and by Shiprock.

She was going to take a photo of how dirty our truck got, and started backing up but fell into a HUGE mud pit. I nearly fell over laughing. I couldn't believe the sucking noises as her feet sunk in and pulled out of the mud.


Then I put a picture of the Elders at the Flea Market. It always starts out freezing cold (hence their super heavy jackets) but then gets so hot we are all dripping in sweat. The last picture is Elder Munns with his handy rope. He started roping things at our trailer while his companion (the district leader) takes numbers for the area on Sunday nights. He got the bright idea to try to rope my feet. We actually got pretty good. He has this fancy swinging stuff, I jump, and then I land in the center of the rope as he yanks it tight around my knees. I'm pretty proud of myself.

Well, it has been a normal, missionary week. And it will probably be a normal missionary week. My companion and I are starting to figure things out together. Finally :) We understand one another, talk more, and find something to laugh about every day. Things are really looking up.

I love you all! Stay safe. Please read the Book of Mormon EVERY DAY! (It is something we are challenging the ward to do every day. There is going to be a ward-wide competition to see who can read the most. Its going to be awesome! I can't wait for them to recognize the blessings that come from reading the Book of Mormom daily.)

Love, Sis. Wilkins

100th Annual Navajo Nation Shiprock Fair

October 10, 2011 (email)

It is over! PRAISE THE HEAVENS. It is over. The cars are gone. The drunks have gone home. We don't have to listen to them yelling or blowing kisses at us. The tempting food vendors are gone. Life is normal again. Hooray!




Well, last Monday we drove out to the actual Shiprock and climbed around. It was nuts! I drove the truck out on these CRAZY dirt roads for at least 5 miles of bumps, jolts, and flying. IT WAS AWESOME!! Then the Elders decided to really go exploring and we turned on the 4 wheel drive. WOOT. Fun, and scary at the same time. There were a couple times where I just stopped the truck, stuck my head out the window, and yelled. "NOPE!" I was not going to flip the Church's truck. not going to do it. We did lots of climbing and exploring on the actual Shiprock. We could only go so high because the walls were literally vertical. I sent a couple photos of that. Then we went exploring on the lava wall that extends out from Shiprock. That was way cool. There was one spot where it really looked like a person had built this retaining wall, but no..it was god. Then the entire thing was made of tiny slate pieces. WAY COOL!

On Wednesday we went out to Red Valley as always, but we had a service project to do. There is a bridge leading to a Less active's home and it keeps getting washed out. There is a giant hole that gets bigger and bigger with every rain. The guy said he wanted to pick up some river rocks and throw them in the hole, but there weren't any big enough around. We picked up some last week for him, but they weren't nearly enough. We told the Elders about it. MISTAKE. They showed up the night before we left with at least 300 pounds of rocks!!! They loaded up their truck while tracting. It was amazing. I couldn't believe my eyes. It took a while to load them into our truck and then to get them in the hole. But even then, we still didn't have enough to fill the hole. (that tells you how big this monster hole is)

Now, for the fair. CRAZY! A shanty town developed over night. HUNDREDS of road side vendors set up shop all along the highway. sometimes 3 deep. There were shacks and tents and converted truck beds everywhere. Imagine the sea of tents set up for the Quiditch world cup. Then on Saturday was the big parade. It shuts down the city completely. Visualize what University and Center St. look like for the 4th of July. Now do it Navajo style. Freezing cold outside. Fires in the streets. Fry-bread and tamales everywhere. Mismatched assortment of chairs and beds lining the streets. cars parked on the median and in the turning lanes. IT was ridiculous. We drove our trucks from our trailers to the other end of town at bishop's house (because we both had appointments on the north side of town at night, but we knew traffic would be at a stand still from lunch until midnight.). Then we walked the 4 miles back to the trailers. we walked the parade route all day, and then had to tromp back to the trucks at the end of the day. Holy cow. my hips and knees were not happy with me that day. We crossed paths with the Elders about dusk, and they got rather nervous about us walking with all the craziness and nastiness. Elder Munns leaned down and whispered, "Do you have a knife?" I giggled and shook my head. "We'll be fine. I have enough spunk to handle anything." He got a concerned look on his face and then handed me his really nice switch blade. It was kinda sweet. And I honestly felt better having it in my pocket all night.

Well, that was our week. It seems like ages ago already. I hope you are all safe and doing well. Keep looking for the miracles. They are there. Read the Book of Mormon every day, I beg of you. Say prayers with your family or roommates. Do your visiting and home teaching. They are all simple things, but they make all the difference in building Zion. I send my love to every one of you!

Love,

Sis. Wilkins

General Conference!!!

October 3, 2011 (email)

Hello, Hello, Hello!!!

So.... PROVO TEMPLE!!!!!!!! WWWWAAAAAAHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! I can't sit still when I think about it!!! Totally stoked!!! And as for all the temples in Africa, I totally called it! (That was my guess from the beginning).

Conference is so cool as a missionary. Everything seems to have the utmost importance. I was glued to the screen for the entire time. I would look up and think, dang, that was a good 20 minutes but then look at the clock and see that it had been almost the entire session already! Was anyone else excited by the fact that the choir wore ORANGE ties on Saturday morning? (probably not...I'm the only person who would ever think about something as silly as that). And who doesn't love Pres. Monson! "Hello." HA! and how many times did he roll his eyes! he's such a cutie. I just want to hug him or walk around holding his hand. What a sweetheart! And then there was Sis. Dalton's talk! As if I didn't love her before! That was amazing. All you men take note, because she was exactly right.

Well, this week has been kinda wonky. The Shiprock Fair has started, and it takes over everything! Work slows down because you can't drive without lots of traffic and no one is home because they are out having fun. It also means we need to be inside by 7 because of all the drunks and messiness at night. It really wasn't that eventful. We keep running into less actives (i think its silly that the church has us call them that, because they are IN-ACTIVE. They don't come at all) who have been seriously offended by the core families of our ward. Who are those core families? People who's father has been the bishop over the past 30 years. Nobody likes anybody and it is seriously making me mad. I am not a person who takes offense, so I am really struggling to understand their views. I can't see why these people will let a thoughtless comment be the thing that separates them from ETERNAL SALVATION!! (Can you tell I have some intense opinions on the matter?)

As for Sis. Thomas, she and I are still in a rough place. We have NO chemistry. None. It's really making things tough. I don't like the lack of laughter. I love laughing, but...we don't laugh. It's tough. I'm looking for love in any way I can. Service is what I'm starting with. I look forward to the time when we can be a strong united force here in Shiprock. Here is what I know about her. She is from McHammon, Idaho (that's probably not how its spelled). It is a small town kinda near Pocatello. She has been out for 6 months, and has been in Durango, CO the whole time. She has 3 brothers and 1 sister. She is also the only non-red-head odd ball in her family. She went to school at UVU and did her pre-recs for nursing, but she might change it when she gets back. She likes to sleep...as in as soon as planning is over, she is in bed. It makes things kinda lonely at night, and there is no bonding time, but I do get to read the scriptures and ponder more. She likes being outdoors and playing sports, but she's not the sporty type. That's all I know. Not much. (What does that say about how much we talk?)

This last paragraph sounded really drab, but I am happy. I am serving the Lord. I am where he wants me. I am in a "foreign land." I have worthy priesthood holders nearby, who are dear friends. I have the spirit acting in my life. What more could I ask for? I love missionary service. It gives you a sense of belonging to an army of God.

Love,

Sis. Wilkins

the photos....
Elder Buynak pressed his face to the truck when it was clean. Then we drove all over town and red valley. The dust stuck, and then his face was with us every where we went. It was quite funny.
I wore my "Holland is my Hero" shirt during lunch on Sunday. Everybody loved it!!!!

P.S. Are you reading the Book of Mormon daily? Are you talking with Heavenly Father daily? Do it. That's all I tell people, every day. So please do it.