2 Months (email)

September 26, 2011

This is new. Transfer number 2 shouldn't be a big deal. It was. I got my new Companion, Sis. Thomas. It was a rough day. Sis. Tsosie and I stuck together all morning, and we just clutched one another. Sis. Thomas was doing the same thing with her companion. You could tell there was a lot of love in each companionship, and we were both unsure of what this new experience would be like. We were nervous for good reason. We are so very different. I love her because she is a daughter of God, but I am working on loving her for all of her. I mentioned to the Elders how they were lucky that they were 2 peas in a pod. I mentioned that Sis. Thomas and I were from 2 separate gardens. Then they really shocked me with their profound response. They said, "You are owned by the same gardener, that should be all that matters." .....DANG!! Put me in my place. Thank Heavens for these inspired young men. That really changed my thinking. I know it will take work, but I seriously think we can have a very strong relationship. I know there is so much she can teach me, and I look forward to those lessons.

On another note, there are photos of all the great things that happened this week. We took photos with the Elders at a graffiti wall. It is a pretty building, and low and behold, it has CTR on it. We don't know if it stands for the same thing that we associated it with, but we like it none the less. Then there are photos of our baptisms from Saturday. Branden and Sage Foster, who are the studliest little kids I have ever met. I absolutely adore them. Then Deanndra, whose mother and sister were baptized last year, and have recently started coming back. IT was an amazing service.

Then there was the Relief Society Broadcast. LOVE IT!!!! I cried the whole thing through. I'm such a goober. I can't wait for General Conference. It is going to be the highlight of the transfer! Please pray for the leaders who are going to speak to us, and pray that you receive personal revelation that will help improve your life. IT is amazing what prayer can do. I am just starting to realize its implications. This morning I thought I was praying for only a couple of minutes, but after I really poured out my heart I realized that it had been 15. I love talking with my Father in Heaven. Sometimes its all I can do to keep from breaking down in frustration.

How I miss you all! I really do. I think about you daily, and you are in my prayers. Please stay strong. Please do the little things....they really make all the difference. Oh, and enjoy the nice northern weather and color changes, it still looks like death and brown here (and I think it always will).

LOVE YOU,

Sis. Wilkins

Surprise (email)

September 19, 2011

We had a nasty surprise on Saturday night. We stopped by the Elder's trailer to drop something off, and while we were there, they got transfer news call from the zone leaders. We stood by and listened to the muffled voice. Sis. Tsosie's name was mentioned first...transferred to Gallup, NM. We looked at one another and didn't say a word. We used our eyes to communicate: WWHHHAATTTTT?????? Did he just say that? No. ...yes. This is not real....What do we do? Crud.

She leaves tomorrow morning. We are not happy about it. I seriously felt like we had known each other all our lives. She was such a dear friend, and I hardly knew her. The last 6 weeks have felt like maybe 1 or 2. Her new companion is Sis. Kost (MY MTC COMPANION!). I am going to get Sis. Thomas. We don't know a single thing about her. We'll see what happens, but I already know I need to act quickly to make her comfortable with me and Shiprock. Shiprock is the roughest and dirtiest area for sisters, and it definitely has shocking qualities. Oh, and I get to drive the truck now! Woot! So excited.

This week was normal. Personal Study. Companion study. Lessons with investigators. Knocking on doors. Driving a ton. We had one baptism on Saturday. Seneca Frazier. He is 10, and his family recently moved back to Shiprock and became active. Elder Munns was absolutely tickled to do the baptism (it was his first time performing a living baptism ordinance). And I think I look down-right tan. Yes everyone, it is possible, I am TAN!! Can you believe it? I still look terribly white compared to all the Navajos, but I am chocolate brown compared to my family.


Sis. Tsosie and I drove half way out to Shiprock (the actual rock) this week. We took lots of silly photos, but they are all on her camera. I'll print them out and send them to you. There was a crazy storm brewing as we took photos, and the lighting on Shiprock is stunning. I also wanted to show you this rock formation. Does is look like a man made wall? YES. Is it? Not at all. Shiprock is a volcanic rock formation, and coming out the backside is this 10 mile long wall. It rises probably 6-8 stories out of the ground. In some parts it is only 6 feet thick, but it is never thicker than 10 feet. It is the coolest thing. I think Shiprock looks like a mighty demon fortress rising out of death itself. Then the wall guards the dismal kingdom behind. (I might have a fanciful imagination, but at least I can keep myself entertained.)

I love you all! Talk to you next week!

Love, Sis. Wilkins

MONSOON SEASON! YIPPEEE (email)

September 12, 2011
Hello!! Guess what? The heat is gone! sort of. It rains at least 4 times a week. and not just any rain...SERIOUS shake the trailer, mud puddles everywhere, lighting and thunder storms. ITS AMAZING! LOOOVVEEE IT!

I mentioned last week that we were doing service. We chopped wood! and I put my heart and soul into it!!! I had a very nice little pile after 2 hours. the elders showed off by blowing giant stumps to smithereens, but I'm content with my pile. We also weeded and weeded and weeded some more. lots of nasty pokey weeds. I hate them. Then there was the terrible yucca plants. Bishop had some giant yucca plants, but you had to risk your life to cut them. they were giant knives, and we all had gouges everywhere. lots of blood and swollen-ness involved.

Otherwise, the week was really plain. service. teaching. knocking doors. being disappointed by investigators not keeping commitments. elation by surprise investigators at sacrament meeting. frustration at 2 baptisms that didn't happen. normal missionary life.

This week was Sis. Ts's birthday. I woke up early and decorated the truck windows, made breakfast, and waffles. A member fed us birthday cake. We celebrated too many times..but I won't complain. Today we are going into Farmington to celebrate. We will go out for lunch, go bowling, and then I'm going to buy her a Ken barbie doll. (Her boyfriend/fiance's name is Ken. I asked her what she wanted, and she said Ken. Well, I'll do what I can.)

There was a surprise. We drove out to Red Valley on Wed like always, came back, stopped in at Amber's and called the Elders to give a blessing. They come over, but Amber sees someone else with Elder Munns through the peep hole. In walks E. Buynak, he and E. Cheney were involved in an emergency transfer. I don't know any of the situation, nor is it my business. I'm really looking forward to working with him. I loved E. Cheney, but I think now there is a different spirit about the work. We are going to actually be missionaries, rather than just people doing missionary work. Good deal. I'm ready to get to work. Things in Shiprock move slow. I want to speed it up.

There are photos of Sharon and Tyre's baptism, the Elders (Buynak on the left, Munns on the right), me and Sis. Tsosie (at the flea market, and just being silly. I think you can tell we love each other.)

Love you lots!!

I hope next week will be a more interesting letter.

Sis. Wilkins

Service (email)

September 6, 2011

Hi, this is going to have to be a quick letter. We had a busy week, and things are going to get busier. We had a wedding on Wednesday for Amber and Matt Johnson. They only had us and the Elders there with the bishop. At the last minute her mother, sister, and grandmother agreed to come. Her family is against the whole thing, but we are hoping that after Amber is baptized next week their hearts will be softened. (there is a picture of us together, and another of the beads that I hand stitched on her bouquet, while we bounce along dirt roads).

We also had a Baptism! My first one! It was a mother and son, Sharon and Tyre. They were prepared by the Lord and are going to be excellent members of his kingdom. Sharon has such powerful faith and she is so excited to have her life turned around. She is changing the face of her family forever. E. Cheney, the district leader, told us he had an extremely powerful interview with her, and was prompted to promise some really incredible things.

There is another picture of a Birthday card I sent Katherine, that explains one of the mysteries of the world. Katherine, if you haven't opened it yet, don't look or read this. The the flabby arms always seem to come as women serve the lord. We get them as missionaries and when in relief society (AKA "Relief Society Arms"). It seems like a burden now, but really it is a secret blessing from Heavenly Father because of our worthiness. HAA! at least that's what I'm going to tell myself.

If you wrote me a letter this last week, I'm sorry, but I will have to write back next Monday. It didn't happen yesterday. No time. I have not forgotten about you, I promise!

I love you all!! I really do. You are in my prayers.

No Power (email)

Monday, August 29, 2011

(as Elder Munns would say...) Wellll HelllOOOWWW.

Sorry I have no pictures to send this week. I didn't take a single one. Our week wasn't that exciting. We have been teaching some young boys and it has been really hard to keep their attention. Sis. Tsosie and I have been pulling out our hair trying to creatively keep them involved. We look for a mini miracle at the end of each day, but this week it was hard to find them.

We keep meeting with Leonard, our continual investigator. He has done time for drug and alcohol use and is on probation right now. He is the sweetest guy. Funny I put those sentences right next to one another. He got in a fight years ago, was stabbed, bled out, brought back, but his memory doesn't work so well. Our miracle is that he always remembers us and the things we teach him. Once his probation is up and he can be baptized, he's going to be a real help with the ward.

Speaking of the ward, we as missionaries are struggling. They are set in their ways, and don't want to come out of their bubble. We bring in people, but they struggle to fellowship and bring them in. We need members' help, but there aren't enough attending to even furnish the ward. We are going to make a big push and revamp of ward attendance. We are going to try to double attendance. Yikes. We're praying for an experience like when President Monson became bishop and quadrupled his ward attendance.

As for the subject line, we have lost power at our trailer a couple times. Half of Shiprock loses power, and we are always on the dark side. Last night we had such a tremendous storm. Thunder. Lightening. Pounding rain. It was glorius. Our power went out right before bed and we just watched it from the window.

The subject line also relates to the fact that Sis. Tsosie and I have been in awe of Priesthood power and slightly jealous that we don't hold it. We had a week of blessings. Thank heavens for Elder Cheney and Munns being close, willing, and able. We had a sick mother and daughter investigator. The blessing for the mother (Amber) brought the spirit so strong that it inspired and convinced her to marry her boyfriend and be married. Later in the week her sister (Rochelle) got a blessing too. She didn't know what her sister had meant when she described the spirit. Now she understands. She was in tears and it really softened her heart. The most amazing moment was an hour ago. Sis. Ts wanted a blessing and asked the Elders to do it. The came over and it started like every other blessing, but then the Word of God began to pour from the mouth of Elder Cheney. That was probably the most powerful blessing I have ever heard uttered. I could tell he was choking up, but it wasn't until after the prayer that I realized how big a deal it was. E. Munns immediately walked off to cry. E. Cheney had to turn around to wipe his tears, and Sis. Ts sat there in awe. I watched with hands trembling as they all sobbed. Those men of God were so overcome by the Spirit they could not stand. They cried and cried and we all struggled with the missionary rule that you aren't allowed to hug. It was amazing.

So how was that for a mini miracle. Here's my missionary commitment for you: I want you to look for the mini miracles in your life. Find one for every day. EVERY DAY. Write them down. look over them often. you will be amazed at what the lord has blessed you with. I know there are miracles in our life. I have seen them.

I hope my family can see the blessings in their life. People say your family will be blessed for missionary service. So far I have had reports from friends and how their life has changed in the last 2 months: healed bodies, healed hearts, new relationships and love, new jobs. Its amazing to see what the Lord does for his children.

I love you all. You are in my prayers.

Love, Sis. Wilkins

Shiprock never gets rain... not!! (email)

August 22, 2011
Hi everyone! So this last week was really great and really terrible at the same time.

It has been miserably hot, but we have our lovely truck to keep us cool. We rarely go tracting because we have lots of appointments and it takes forever to drive there. We go from cool car to warmer houses and back to the cold car. nice. ...until we realized we were short on miles for the month, and started walking everywhere. less work got done, we looked horendous from the heat, and it was back breaking with a 20 lb bag.

we had 2 really productive days, and had 2 people commit to baptism (which is a big deal because in the last 6 months there have only been 2 baptisms). we currently have 6 people with dates set! its absolutely amazing. ...but...Sis. Tsosie and I may be letting it get to our heads because we had some really unproductive days. and we skipped companionship study to do service. service is good, but heavenly father definitely let us know he wanted us studying. we changed things around and life is looking up now.

I feel more confident with my teaching and ability to listen to the spirit. Sis. Ts is surprised how bold I already am. She is courageous with the things she says, and she thought it would take me a while, but I jumped in feet first. Yesterday we went to visit an investigator and got to her door at the exact same moment as some other crazy missionaries. They just wanted to bible bash and it was miserable. We felt as if the spirit was being sucked from our beings. You know what a fish looks like trying to breath out of water...that was us, gasping for the spirit. I was able to keep calm, ignore the desire to haul off and hit them, and calmly dismissed them. Sis. Ts was really impressed. Woot. 2 spirit points for me.

As for the subject line, we were told it NEVER rains in shiprock. if it does, it is just a sprinkle. We walked to the store and saw a "sand storm" coming and were thankful to go inside. when we came out we thought we missed it. nope. we got out of the parking lot and started home. oh, its only a couple drops and a couple blocks. nope. down pour and 1 whole mile of mud. did we have arms to hold everything? nope. so we walked in the rain, for a mile home (this was also one of the days we didn't study long enough, so we got the picture pretty quickly)

I included pictures from the MTC. Katy andrews always told me about her family "surfing" on the ironing board and I couldn't resist. Then sis. Laneir and her new shirt (we liked the secret identity). Me and sis. Lanier (she went to atlanta. she was my best friend there). My last photo with sis. kost. our district with my favorite teacher. our messy back seat from the truck (yes that is an ax...we chop wood for people). then of me soaked and a mess from our rain disaster. you should put these up on the blog.

love you lots!!!

I'm Here - email

August 15, 2011

Hello everyone!! Well, I'm sorry it took over a week to contact you. We missed P day in the field by 1 day, so its been a while. I'm here! I'm in New Mexico! Drum Roll Please......I'm in Shiprock, NM. (which is about an hour west of Farmington). The Farmington Mission should be called the Navajo Nation Mission, but that probably isn't the most politically correct name. Shiprock is Reservation through and through. We are the ONLY sis. on a res, but to keep us safe, we have elders who also serve in the ward (the boundaries are huge!!!) blessing number 1: the elders are the district leader, and my favorite elder from my mtc district! elder munns. They are going to be great.

As for the area, things are slow. not the work being slow, but the people. no one drives fast, talks fast, walks fast, or even moves quickly. I'm going to certainly learn patience.

When we left the MTC and got to the airport, the E's got their feathers ruffled because I wasn't going to sit around and wait for them to unload the luggage. I jumped into the cargo hold, and started throwing bags out to them. they protested, but never did anything about it. yes, I am here to work, and I'm too stubborn to wait for any of you! We got picked up by the Mission pres. and his wife. Pres. Jones reminds me of Uncle Allen (its been a while since I've seen him in person, but I think there are definite similarities) and his wife is just like my boss April from Brick Oven. I love them already. The mission home is in a golf course development and is AMAZING!! and that's coming from me, the interior designer! It was beautiful. I found out they don't have sisters in Ramah, but they do have them in Gallup. They put me out on the res, which means we have a TRUCK!!!! actually, most missionaries here have trucks. big beasty things. LOVE IT!!!! Pres. Jones says we have the best fleat of cars in the world.

I met my companion, Sis. Tsosie (so-see) who has been in shiprock since january. she is navajo herself, and really get's us in with the people. We went to walmart in farmington, and bought food for a month. litterally. the cart was heaping ovetr the top. we only go into town once a month. there is a store like Smith's, but its expensive. We started right away with appointments. We have 3 bap dates from before I got here, but alot of our work is reactivation. Our ward has 1400 members!!! but only 150 come to church. oye. most of the older members were in the lamanite placement program. it gets me kinda upset because these people were baptized and had amazing experiences, but they didn't go to church when they came back to live on the res. ugh! ...see, i need to work on patience!

WE had an amazing experience with a recent convert, Lisa. I love her with all my heart. She came on exchanges with us, and we were going to read the BoM with her for a couple min and stayed for 2 hours. she told us about going to do bap for the dead for the first time and it reminded her of some dreams she had had. she proceeded to tell us about her dreams and sis. tsosie and i gaped at one another. This woman has seen the inside of the temple. she has looked in the mirrors. she has seen her family in white. it was amazing! we gushed our excitement as she told us about her dream, and we explained what we could about the temple. oh, she is just awesome.!!

we also had a service project where we drove an hour out with the elders to put plaster up on a less active member's house. when we got there it wasn't stucco, but cement. it didn't work so swell to get it to stay with the rocks, so I had the idea to sift them out. that worked, but it was still cement. to make matters worse, we had to use our hands...so the cement sucked the water out of our hands, and it started to eat the skin. i rubbed them raw and then got the rocks in it. they are a mess!

well, I'm running out of time! if you want to send any letters or packages, send them to the mission office address. I'm not allowed to give out our po box. if you send a package, send it priority so that the office can forward it to me. otherwise it sits in the office until someone drives out here to the middle of nowhere.

love you all

Sis. Wilkins (the new white missionary)