Hello Everyone! I am soooo sorry that it has taken me 2 weeks to write on my blog. I have heard form many of you that you already miss my weekly emails...so I hope I can at least give you something to read.

If you were not able to make it to my talk last Sunday, here is the gist of it....with minor alterations in the actual presentation, depending on the Spirit.

I served in the New Mexico Farmington Mission, which was a mission recently created to focus on the Children of Lehi who live here in the southwest. Our mission covered the Navajo, Ute, Zuni, Apache, and Hopi Reservations. Every missionary gains a testimony of the Book of Mormon, but there is something special about loving and teaching the very people the Book of Mormon was written to.

I have taught in cities and towns, apartments, mansions, and one room hogans with dirt floors, and no electricity or running water. But it didn’t matter where I was, or who I was speaking to, because the message I shared was universal. God loves YOU. He loves each and every one of His children. He always has and always will. He showed his love by sending prophets who show you how to live to be truly happy. His ultimate goal is YOUR happiness.

My favorite lesson to teach was the Plan of Salvation, because it was all about love and happiness. The plan is often called the Plan of Happiness; but I decided long ago I would always think of it as a Plan of Love. God’s love is the center of it all.

Heavenly Father had a family, a rather large one; and He desired the success and happiness of each of His children. He wanted them to grow and mature to become all that they could, to reach the potential He saw in them. Preach My Gospel says, “God’s whole purpose – his work and his glory – is to enable each of us to enjoy ALL His blessings.” He wants us to FIND those blessings, as in seek and attain peace and joy.

Your Heavenly Father took the time to personally teach you. I can imagine Him sitting you down, like a young child, and saying, “I want you to grow sweetheart. I want you to have everything. You are going to have to leave me to figure this out. But I am going to give you a great blessing: you get to choose how you want to act. You will choice your path. I will give you guidance, but you decide how to follow it.” He prepared you and then sent you to earth, innocent and ready to learn. You said goodbye to your dear friends, and entered a world created just for you. Your understanding grew little by little.

I realized early on in my missionary service, that everything I needed to know to teach and be a missionary, I learned in Primary. I was so concerned about teaching everything  just right, that I complicated the most basic of ideas. Eventually my trainer helped me realize that I should initially teach as though it were to a primary class, because that is the level of the person’s spiritual development. I learned that the simple and yet profound truths of the Gospel can be found in the primary hymns. For example, children learn exactly where they came from:

I lived in heaven a long time ago it is true.

Lived there and loved there by people I know. So did you.

Then Heavenly Father Presented a beautiful plan.

All about earth and eternal salvation for man.

You chose to be here, to experience the confusion and peace, the joy and despair, the giggles and tears. Your outcome depends on how you handle the situations at hand. Father in Heaven told you in the beginning that it all has to do with your choices. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ counseled together and said in Abraham 3:25: “We will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them.”

So now you are here. You start as a child. You learn: how to tie your shoes, to read, to ride a bike, drive a car, hold a job, be a parent…But you also use your agency to learn spiritual things: how to study the scriptures, pray sincerely, listen and act according to the spirit, make covenants, keep covenants, and ultimately become Christ like.

Another Primary song illustrates this:

I’m trying to be like Jesus; I’m following in his ways.

I’m trying to love as he did, in all that I do and say.

At times I am tempted to make a wrong choice,

But I try to listen as the still small voice whispers…

As you learn to be like Christ, you start to find joy along your way. Keeping the commandments allows you to experience real happiness, the kind that seems to bubble up gleefully from your toes, and spill over all around you. You start to smile at the children jumping in puddles. You love to sit and talk and embrace the company of others. You laugh out loud and let it fill the room. Your soul is filled with a peace that feels more like an eternal hug than a feeling of stillness. The simple pleasures in life become treasures.

For example, I have found much joy in the last year and a half, doing things that would never have stood out or happened before: Chopping wood in a skirt, making fry bread until I was coated in four, getting stuck in summer rain storms, squishing through red sticky mud, embracing and loving all things made with green chili, meeting new friends (who must have been old friends from the premortal realm), and drooling over the beauty of different colors of dirt in the cliff sides.

But the joy I gained from choosing righteously was nothing compared to some of the joy felt by those who acted to change their lives. My calling was to help others see their potential for peace as they applied the teachings of Jesus Christ. The best example of this mighty change was Jennifer. When we began teaching, she was slightly hesitant and wasn’t sure this was what she was looking for. She had a lifestyle very different from the one you and I live, and she felt comfortable there. As we taught, she was very nervous to pray, and didn’t like that we asked her to give the closing prayer at most lessons. Slowly her heart began to change and she embraced the gospel, and found herself gaining courage to pray harder and more often. She excitedly agreed to be baptized, and we decided to have a special lesson the week before her baptism to celebrate.

We drove to Four Corners National Monument, and had the lesson there. We started with an opening prayer in New Mexico and introduced the lesson. Five minutes in, we moved to Arizona, after 10 minutes we found ourselves in Utah, and finished powerfully with testimonies in Colorado. As the lesson concluded, I had a selfish thought, “Oh, wouldn’t it be SOOO cool to have the closing prayer on the center point? How many missionaries get to do that? One prayer in 4 states at the same time!!” I tried to put off the thought, but it wouldn’t go away. I finally decided to ask if she wanted to. Her eyes got big. “Oh, can we? Let’s do it!” There were people walking all around, so as we got up close, I wondered what her reaction would be. I was prepared to pray, but as we each situated our toes on the center plate, and stood there with our arms folded, I opened my mouth to speak, and I heard Jennifer’s voice instead. She prayed fervently and confidently and thanked the Lord for the blessing of the Gospel in her life.

We got back into the car, and she exploded in a moment of happiness. “Sisters, I am SO GLAD that we prayed there. I felt so good! I wanted to stand tall and yell and tell everyone there that I was going to be baptized! This is what I am going to do! I am going to be a Mormon, and I am PROUD of it. I love this! I want everyone to know how happy I am.”

Jennifer understood what true happiness could be. She chose to follow Christ, and be a disciple. Jennifer’s trials did not end there, but she learned that Heavenly Father would be by her side along the journey. Each of you have and will experience hardships, but the beauty is that we have the Atonement to raise us from the depths of pain, forgive us for our mistakes and sins, and lift us to a new empowered level. The Atonement is the greatest example of Love Heavenly Father can show us. His “Plan of Hapiness and Love” would not work without Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection.

I finally understand a portion of the Atonement. I was praying and praying to understand it for months, and I couldn’t figure out why my prayers were not being answered. I felt stuck in a trial that I could not bring myself out of. Why couldn’t I make my companion happy? How could I overcome her oppressive comments? When will I get out of this? How come my level of understanding of the Atonement was not deepening? Why in the moment of this deep and painful trial was I not being empowered? How come? Why? When?

I was so blind. I was focused on me, and what I could do. He was answering my pleas, by sending me a companion who gave me the opportunity to apply the Atonement. He stood there the whole time, sayings, “Let me take your burden. You don’t have to carry it. Let me in, and you will find yourself. You will have peace, if you stop trying to be so independent. Let me heal you.”

I finally embraced him, and noticed the hand reaching down to lift me up. He forgave me of my shortcomings and faults. He healed my broken and depressed heart, and He made me stronger than I have ever been. The Atonement can and will do that for EACH of you…IF you CHOOSE to let it. You can choose happiness. You can choose to feel and embrace His Love.

Another Primary song, helps the children to recognize why they are here, what they have to do, and where they are going.

My life is a gift; my life has a plan.

My life has a purpose; in heaven it began.

My choice was to come to this lovely home on earth,

And seek for God’s light to direct me from birth.

I will follow God’s plan for me,

Holding fast to his word and his love.

I will work, and I will pray; I will always walk in his way.

Then I will be happy on earth and in my home above.

You are seeking for that home above. Someday, the time to choose in this life, will end. Your spirit will separated from your body as your body will stays on earth, and your spirit moves to the Spirit World. If you have made righteous choices, you will find yourself  in a realm of peace and happiness. You will know that you have lived your life in a way that makes Heavenly Father proud. You will have the opportunity to share the gospel with those who did not know about its blessings, and you will help them find the joy that you have already experienced. They are able to choose how to act and what to do, because God’s gift of agency still continues on. You will have the blessed experience of feeling God’s love for his children, and having that love and joy swell as you watch them make changes in their life. If you teach Heavenly Father’s children here or in the Spirit World, the goal is still the same.

The ultimate goal is to see these individuals again in the Celestial Kingdom. What joy that experience will bring. The most tender moment of my mission, was when a dear soul testified to me, that they would do all in their power to reach the Celestial Kingdom, because they wanted to live in peaceful bliss. Heavenly Father wants you to return to him. He wants you to be happy there, and he wants you to have your family by your side.

This is His Plan of Love: what greater love exists, than that within a family? What greater happiness is there, than a family joined together in smiles and memories? Do you desire to be with your parents? Do you want to embrace your children in the Celestial Kingdom? Then make the choices necessary to do so. Remember the simple words of the Primary hymns,

I have a family her on earth.

They are so good to me.

I want to share my life with them through all eternity.

Families can be together forever,

Through Heavenly Father’s plan.

I always want to be with my own family,

And the Lord has shown me how I can.

The Lord has shown me how I can.

I think the closet threw up in our room

February 4, 2013 (email)


So, I am packed. Totally done. We are just waiting on the Monticello Sisters to be ready to go so we can caravan.

It has been a totally surreal week. We had intended to have a really busy week with lessons, but it was a really busy week with everything else.

Last Monday we helped a family move, and Sister Maynez had an asthma attack. It got really bad by dinner time, so I took her to the ER. We had to deal with all of that....but then it didn't get better the next day, so we had to spend another day at the hospital. We had 2 slightly normal days and then we had packing, and planning, and packing, and packing, and saying good bye, and all sorts of crazy stuff.

I included a photo of me and Sister Maynez, at our final district lunch...she was trying really hard to smile, but it came out more of a grimace. And I put a photo of her in the ER, rather upset at me that I was documenting such an "embarrassing" night.

This morning was the big day that I have been waiting for...for 3 weeks. Not that I got to pack up and leave...but that I got to "spar" against an Elder. Elder Lewis pushes my buttons in a friendly way. He has quick sarcastic jabs that are much more clever than mine, and he always beats me to the conversational punch. I have been asking to duke it out with him for weeks. The kid is tall and lanky, and his arms were so long that he could totally hold my head and I couldn't touch him. We were all wearing gloves and protective leg guard things...so we were supposed to let each other have it. One problem: I am all talk. When it came down to it, I couldn't fathom actually hitting someone. It took all morning, and even then our fight was lame, because I couldn't get anything on him. I only had one good hit to the face...and he got me....too many times. He went really easy on me, but you know that he thoroughly enjoyed beating on an obnoxious sister. At the end of the fight, I convinced him to just hold his arms up and let me have at his stomach. He was kind enough to just let me pound on him....until I finished, and turned my back, and he wiped out my legs and I found myself on the mat staring at him. It was a fun new experience to spar, but I don't think I care to do it again. I will be content to watch Brother Ford, the MMA fighter, fight in Salt Lake in March. (Did I tell you I was going to that? He is getting me free tickets!!!!)

As for the teaching and missionary work, we finally figured out how to teach one of our not all mentally with it investigators. We have struggled with Becca since the beginning, and we finally learned that if you go on a walk with her and help her to get moving, her brain starts to work a lot too. She was really receptive, and answered questions, and even better, she asked her own questions. This was such a big deal to us!!!!

Are any of you old enough to know what a Cottage Meeting is? I didn't know...until I got roped into one. It was slightly awkward, because I didn't know what was going on, but I think that it has potential to be very helpful in exposing neighbors and friends to gospel connected things, in a very nonthreatening way.

It is truly odd to know that this has come to an end, but to not have it register yet. My room is totally empty. My things are smashed into a suitcase (and I was so meticulous with my packing, that I have it down to weight allotments for each bag) (Sister Maynez was shocked that I was able to condense and fit everything together like a game of tetras). I have decided what to keep, what to toss, what I need to come home now, and what others can bring up in 2 weeks. I just feel like I am going on vacation and that I will be back soon. It really helps to know that I am only a 3 1/2 hour drive from here, and that I can talk to ALL of these people via Facebook. It doesn't seem like such a terrible goodbye. If I were in another country, I would be a real mess. (in comparison to know, being only a small mess).

Dad, I did not build a Rameumptum, and I am not scared to have a family ward calling anymore. At the beginning of the week, I was terrified to come back into the real world, but then someone pointed something out to me...This last year and a half was not the battle. It was the boot camp. I am about to enter the battle. This is not me coming home a war hero, this is me proving that I learned my stuff, and that I can be a real soldier in the Lord's Army. Now I have to prove what I learned, and apply it. ...And I can do that. Yesterday we taught in Young Women....and I was nervous at first, and was initially really thankful that I was NOT a YW anymore...but then I started teaching....and I loved it!!! and I was good at it!!! And I could see myself doing it in the near and distant future. I can do this. I can.

I love you all. I hope you have a great couple of days....because you will see me soon!
Love,
Sister Wilkins

Its the Final Count Down!!

Monday, January 28, 2013 (email)

Most of you do not know our old neighbor Georgia...she was Emma's best friend when they were little. She and Emma used to sing karaoke together, and they always sang "Its the final countdown" and that was really the only line they knew from the song...so they would sing it the loudest...and then mumble everything else...so I keep hearing them say/scream/sing the phrase in my head. :)

There is so much to say, and hardly any time to say it....well, I mean you could wait for me to tell each of you in person, but that takes all the fun out of weekly emails.

I about had a fit in Sacrament meeting yesterday. There was an elder leaving on his mission, and THEY HAD A FULL BLOWN, LOOK-HOW-GREAT-MY-SON-IS-WHILE-I-CRY-ALL-OVER-THE-MICROPHONE FAREWELL!!!!!! WE DON'T DO THAT ANYMORE!!! DID THEY NOT GET THE MEMO?????? ITS BEEN TEN YEARS!!!!! BE GONE! AWAY WITH YOU!!! I was really irritated. no, it was not jealousy, it was..."um, excuse me, do you realize you are ignoring the instructions given by the prophet of the Lord?" Then at the end, it looked like a wedding reception line as all of the ward members filed to the stage and hugged the kid and all the teenage girls in Blanding blubbered their eyes out. "Girls, GO AWAY! He needs to focus!!! This is not about HIM! He is giving up the self centered focus and giving everything to the Lord. This is about the Lord!! Not how the star kid in town is going away!"

I had to remove myself from the room and think happy thoughts. Oh, I'm such a party pooper. So, if you were invited to my non homecoming talk...don't expect a lot of pomp and pagentry. I am going for plain. This is not about me. Yes, I am home, and that will be fun, but this section of my life has been about others...so no big frilly-ness. We will party up at home afterwards, but the church will be reverent, and respectful and focused on church things. ...hhaaaaaaaa. I feel better :)

Monday we had a fantastic day. we went on a muddy/snowy hike as a district. We went to some Anasazi Ruins at the south end of town. It was sticky and pokey and AWESOME. The best part of the day was right before dinner. When an Elder is done with his mission, he burns an entire suit...well, I wanted to be a part of the fun. So I put a YSA in charge of it....so I brought my clothes and my boots that I hate with a passion, and we hung them on the end of a long metal stick. I held the stick, the YSA doused the clothes in gasoline, and sister maynez held the blow torch...there is a before and after photo....the fire plume was at least 20 feet tall! AWESOME!!!!!

Oh, I get yet another CTR ring. This one is turquoise inlay from Bluff. Love it!! you think I liked CTR rings or something.

A monumental thing happened this week...for the first time ever, I witnessed someone cry when the first vision was introduced to someone!! Coolest thing ever! I will give more details later.

I got a wedding announcement for Sister Kesler this week. I had a fit. Why? Because the sealing is this WEDNESDAY!!! One week before I get home! I had a real fit..As in pacing the floor, arms flailing, and yelling....in the morning I beat the tar out of a punching bag, and now I feel much better!!! Now all I feel is happiness and excitement for them. Congrats Chrysty and Nathan!

I seriously questioned my desire to have children yesterday. We were asked to help teach primary...but then we got there and we were teaching a large CTR 5 class. We made sure there was another adult there,but oye!! There was one little boy, CEDAR...oh, he and I are going to have a word in heaven. I wrestled that child for an hour. WRESTLED!!!! I have never had to refrain so hard from hitting a child!! (And I'm not even that fond of spanking!!!) Oh, I wanted to pin him to the ground and sit on him. Poor Sister Maynez had to teach the entire class while I tried to keep the boy in check. Where was the adult...snuggling with their child in the corner. Oye. I have officially decided I am not going to attend my parents ward when I get back, because I do not want a calling in the primary yet. I will stick with YSA and all that jazz. :)

There is so much more that I could say, but there really isn't time.

Love you all!! See you soon!! Like really soon!
Sister Wilkins

You Got Served

Monday, January 21, 2013 (email)

I got a terrible letter in the mail this week....it was my flight information. NOT OK. You know the phrase relating to being handed divorce papers, "You got served".....well, that's how it felt. Not fun. But I learned that Heavenly Father wants to help me reach one of my goals. I want to place a Book of Mormon on the way home. At first I looked at it like the last thing to check off my missionary to do list: place a Book of Mormon in a crowd of people. But then I realized it is more special than that. I have one last chance to help change someone's life before I don't have the privilege of wearing the black name tag any more. I have been praying that someone's heart be prepared that will fly with me on the 6th, and that I be courageous enough to find them and talk to them.

Yesterday we gave talks and sang in church. We spoke in one of the Elder's wards (not sure why) and the Elders sat front and center to "show their support"...aka to bug us. They were critiquing us....they said I should have looked more nervous, because I was too comfortable and confident and collected up there. Not a bad critique. :) Then we sang....which was an experience. We knew that we were OK at it, but not great. we were both praying for angels to be there with us, because we knew we didn't sound as angelic as we wanted. The Elders came to that one too, and this time they gave compliments. "It sounded incredible. I couldn't believe that it was only the 2 of you. It really sounded like there were more voices."...and I just thought to myself, that's because there were more voices. I love knowing that there was heavenly help with us.

We had 2 day exchanges with a set of traveling sisters this week. These 2 sisters were originally each in trio's, and have been made companions for the last 3 weeks of the transfer. They drive to each sister area and go on splits/exchanges for 2 days. It was a crazy experience, because we got sooooo much work done. We were feeling swamped before because we didn't have time to meet all of the referrals that we had been given...and then after the exchanges we had met so many new people that we were swamped with all of the people to teach. It feels great to have sooooo much to do, but we are really struggling to learn how to manage our time and pick what is the most important thing. 

When I got to Shiprock a year and a half ago, I discovered a world of Native fabric. There are really expensive blankets, known as Pendleton Blankets, that are everywhere on the reservation. They are heavy wool blankets with intricate patterns and intense colors. I have wanted one since week one of my mission. But they are ridiculously expensive. I have never bought one, and told myself that someday, way in the future, I would come back and buy one. Well, I don't have to anymore. There is a family that we absolutely adore here in Blanding, the Keith's. They are native and working on getting to the temple. We have been helping the grandmother to catch the fire and bring her family along as she prepares for the temple. She is thriving with us (in comparison to when she was slightly overlooked when the Elders worked with her family). We were talking about the beauties of the reservation, and that Sister Maynez is missing out. We started talking about Pendleton blankets. Adella ran in the back and got one to show Sister Maynez, and then turned to me and said, "You can have this one." I tried to turn her down, but it was no use. Her husband said, "You really treasured your experience on the reservation, and we can tell that you are a great missionary. You deserve it." I was stunned. I jumped up and threw my arms around Adella. I wanted to hug her husband too, but I refrained.

There is a ward mission leader who is trying to marry me off to a kid from Blanding. He wants me to stay here because he thinks I will be good for the area, as a wife and ward member. Oye. He is pitching this kid hard, and it really isn't doing him any good :) I have no intention of marrying anyone from Blanding. Sorry. I love the area, but no. The missionaries here are now taking bets on how quickly I will be engaged when I get home. Ugh. It just makes me blush and feel silly.

I love you all!

Happy Monday!

Love, Sister Wilkins

Miracles in Blanding

Monday, January 14, 2013 (email)


Your prayers were heard! Aaron got baptized! It almost didn't happen...we saw him Wednesday at 5, just to pop in and give him some paperwork...and he was really excited for his baptism. By 8pm that night, he was a totally different person. Something was really wrong, and we couldn't figure it out. We did our best and started praying. Thursday night was his interview, and he came with a big smile (Aaron never shows emotion) He passed his interview with flying colors. Afterwards we talked to the district leader and his mom. The district leader said that when Aaron walked in the room, the elder knew he didn't even have to interview the kid: spirit to spirit he knew Aaron was ready. But the interview happened anyways and Aaron did great. His mom enlightened us about Wednesday night. His doubts started to go crazy during our final lesson. As soon as it was over, he stormed out of the house and went for a walk. He didn't even get a block before he had to stop and pray. It was a powerful moment for him, and he got his answer very clearly that he should move forward with the baptism...and he hasn't looked back since. He has been meeting with missionaries for 2 years...that's a lot of sets of missionaries. And we just happened to be the lucky ones there. I included a picture of Aaron's big day.

I also put a picture of Sister Maynez and I outside the Monticello Temple. We have district meeting every other week in Monticello, and we are 2 minutes from the temple, so I ran her over there and we looked at it for a minute...well, it only takes a minute because it is sooooo small. :)

So, last Monday we drove with our district to Farmington for a zone conference, but we took the slightly longer way by going through Teec Nos Pos, AZ instead of closer to Cortez, CO. We stopped at 4 Corners monument. IT really isn't that exciting at this point. I've been there 4 times with 3 different sets of people, and there are less vendors set up each time. At least I didn't spend a ton of money...all I did was buy late Christmas gifts for Sister Isaacson and Sister Patrick. We had to race from Teec Nos Pos back to Farmington, because we needed to get the car washed before the best car wash in town closed for the night. I LOVE Octopus Car Wash...it is my ALL TIME FAVORITE car wash!!!! Well, the racing paid off, because after a year of trying, I FINALLY WON THE VEHICLE INSPECTIONS COMPETITION!!!!! I have tried to win every zone conference, but never could because the Shiprock truck was soooo beat up that it never had a chance. Well, this time  I was driving a brand new jeep, and no one else stood a chance!! We got a trophy and everything!!! WAHOO!!

Zone conference was actually a Tri-Zone Conference. It was not fun to look around and realized that I was the "oldest missionary" in the entire chapel. It was terrible. I didn't like that feeling of knowing that my mission was most definitely coming to an end. The last zone conference before you go home, they have you give a farewell testimony to everyone else. NOT FUN. I was dreading it the whole time. As a new missionary, I would look at those behind the podium and wonder if I was ever going to learn as much as them and be as confident and sure as them. When I was out for 6 months I hoped that the podium would come faster. At 12 months I realized that it wasn't too far away. And this week I actually had to stand at it. My main goal was to have my remarks touch someone's heart. They didn't need to be fancy, they just had to be exactly what someone needed. Afterwords, I had multiple people come up and tell me that my testimony was one of the most powerful testimonies they have heard in a long time (one sister even said it was the best she had ever heard) WOAH!!!!! That made me feel good...:)

A miracle from the trip was Monday night. We went to dinner, and then met up with the Farmington 4th Sisters to teach until bed. What family did we go see? The Behrens!!!! They didn't know we were coming. We got there before the other sisters, so I knocked on the door, and Aviana opened it. She recognized sisters, and invited us in, but didn't realize which sisters were at her door. "Aviana, its Sister Wilkins"...she cocked her head, and looked at me funny and then threw herself out the door and landed on me. She started sobbing and all the other kids came running out for a giant group hug. Barbie eventually came out and saw me standing there, and pulled all of her children off of me, so that she could wrap her tiny arms around me. She cried harder than Aviana. I found out that Aviana had been having dreams for a week that I would come back, and then Barbie told me that she had been praying that I come back. Oh, it made me feel so good to know that I had touched someone's life and help them feel loved. Elijah will turn 8 in March, and they want me to come back for his baptism. I didn't make any promises, but I sure will do everything in my power to make it happen! Oh, I love that family.

Yesterday we spoke in 2 sacrament meetings...again. And next week we are speaking in one of the elder's wards (why don't they ever ask them?!?!?) and singing in one of our wards. Oye. We are going to sing a duet. Faith in Every  Footstep. We are doing parts, and we are crossing back and forth over each other. It is kinda hard....OK, its downright tough, but we are excited about it.

Oh, and one of my ward mission leaders is trying really hard to set me up with my future husband. He is trying to be all kinds of sneaky and meddle with everything. Oye. I just smile and nod.

Well, that is my life! Love you,
Sister Wilkins

P.S. If any of you did not hear, my non-homecoming talk is now on February 17 at 1pm at my parent's ward building, the Provo UT Stake Center: 1315 East 900 South PROVO, UTAH 84606

ka pow! punch! bang!

January 7, 2013 (email)

Why such an active subject line? Because I interact with people who do that for a living.

 

There is a man, Brother Ford, in one of our wards who is a professional MMA fighter. He does the BIG televized fights. He could kill me in about 2 seconds if he wanted to. He owns a gym in Blanding, where he trains people how to fight, and he is a personal trainer. He invited the Elders to come and work out with him in the mornings years ago. He is a convert and likes to have the missionary spirit nearby. When we came into town, he invited us to join too....and we did....and we wanted to die the first day. OYE! It was sooo intense. But then we got the hang of it, and we are really enjoying ourselves. We don't do any fighting or anything like that, he just works our tooshes. He has us lift weights, but in a way I have never done before. I have always focused on toning, but he does power lifting. We do 3 sets of 5...with CRAZY HEAVY WEIGHTS!! He had us dead lift 130 pounds!!! Here I am, tiny little me, picking up more than what I weigh! HOLY FREAKING COW!!!! Brother Ford has a big, televized, national title fight on Feb. 9 in Salt Lake. WOAH!

 

This week was SOOO busy. Our New Years was bland...for Blanding. :) We painted our toes, popped a single popper at 10 pm with New York City, and went to bed. Woot.

 

We had a meeting in Cortez this week, and I had a really odd experience. As we drove into town, and all of the familiar scenes came into view, I started to stress out. A nasty wave of anxiety and fear came over me. All of the anxiousness and ugly feelings from my abusive companionship there came flooding back. NOT FUN. All I wanted to do was turn the car around and leave town. I felt better once our meeting got going, but it was not an enjoyable experience driving around town. I don't care to go back there any time soon.  The best moment of the day was when the Zone Leaders announced in front of everyone, that President had told them that I was the best missionary in the Farmington mission at organizing and keeping the area books up to date. The best? I thought they were exaggerating. Nope. Pres says I am better than the assistants. SWEET!!! That's kinda cool. At least I did something right.

 

This week we are planning a baptism for Aaron Tree. He has investigated the Church many times, and this time seems ready to go. His mom is a reactivating member, and his older brother is also investigating. Aaron is 14, and really prepared. We love working with him. Please pray that everything goes well.

 

I do have some bad news. My parents' bishopric didn't check the stake schedule before planning my talk, so my talk has been moved back a week. I will be speaking on February 17, at 1pm instead. I'm sorry for the confusion. I hope you all have a fantastic week!

 

All my love,

Sister Wilkins

 

Photos:

Random wooly mammoth made of twigs in Bluff, UT

This is my awesome pioneer church I go to for 3 different sacrament meetings

 

 

Happy New Year!!

Monday, December 31, 2012 (email)

Hello Everyone!

Happy New Year!! I'm sure all of you have really fun plans for this evening..."but as for me and my house"...we are serving the Lord and all of our days are alike. Holidays really don't mean much. I have 2 poppers left from a package mom and dad sent me last year, and we will use those...and that will be the excitement of our New Years. woot...

Coming home at the end of this transfer didn't seem real until I talked to everyone on Skype last week. I was in denial that it was actually happening, until I was told all of the plans when I get home. Its a weird mental place to be in, because I am excited for all of the new experiences, but I am LOVING MY LIFE RIGHT NOW!!!! I love being in Blanding with Sister Maynez!

Oh, did I get to tell you that is my new companion? I can't remember. I am training sister Edith Maynez. Born in Mazatlan, Mexico and raised in the United States. She is INCREDIBLE. I adore her....plus it helps that she is a great missionary, and the most beautiful sister missionary I have ever seen! I love working with her. We are both really upset that I am only here for 7 weeks. But she is excited, because she is going to inherit a TON of my stuff, because I don't need it when I go home.

These last 2 weeks have been totally crazy and disorganized. We got to town and had absolutely NOTHING to work with. When we finally got some teaching records, they were not organized in any way, shape or form, and the information on those few sheets, was very scant (and in chicken scratch). It took forever and a day to get things put together. We were bustling around constantly that we didn't even have time to think about Christmas. We didn't really register that we should slow down and really think about the meaning of Christmas.

We had 3 dinners planned for Christmas Eve. We were mostly thinking about trying to eat all of the food. We are very tiny girls, and we didn't want to offend any of them. We got through the first dinner, and we were glad to get out...it was a quiet and slightly awkward extended family dinner. Sister Maynez leaned over and said: "Are all white families like this? I don' think I can handle 2 more of these tonight. My family is Latin! We are loud, and this is sooo boring."

I just giggled and promised her that there are loud white people....(that was the 3rd dinner). We made our way to house number 2, the Pehrson's. Sister Pehrson had planned to invite one of the investigator families over to eat with her young family...but they couldn't come, so it was us, her family with 5 young children, and her parents. We thought it was just going to be any other dinner, but it actually changed our lives.

Her home was not a castle, you could tell children lived there, and the Christmas tree had lost some its magic from the children removing all the ornaments but the 3 on the very top. And yet her home was the ABSOLUTE BEST PLACE TO BE ON CHRISTMAS EVE!!! because she created the perfect evening. It was a simple dinner: soup and bread, but it was homemade and delicious. Not too heavy but very healthy and filling. The dinner conversation was really pleasant and happy. Sister Pehrson reminded me soooooo much of Maddy McHale Walker. I could have listened to Sister P all night.

The life changing moment came after dinner. Sister P gathered all of her cute red headed children into the family room. She sat on the floor with a baby crawling all over her. Us adults sat on the couches that had been obviously loved and played on. Sister P began to read her children the story of the nativity. The book she had was the Luke 2 words, but the paintings were done by the LDS artist Joseph Brickey (He has the painting of Joseph guiding the donkey, with Mary looking at the shepherd boy who is tending his sheep along the path). She paraphrased the story because she knew her children would not be able to hold still. As she read, some of the children sat still, while others be-bopped around. She would ask the moving child a question and they would pause, step closer, answer sweetly and correctly, and then sit at her feet.

The room was filled to the brim with the Spirit. It was the most tender and beautiful Christmas Eve I have EVER experienced. It was the perfect Christmas eve. Here was a righteous mother in Zion, who actively teaches her children the gospel. And she taught the way the Savior would: with love and patience. Her children had testimonies and they knew of their mother's love. That was a home where the spirit resides. It was the best experience I have ever had. I was moved to tears as I observed and watched and treasured the moment.

anyways...
Yesterday we had to give 2 talks. One 20 minutes long in a ward we DON'T serve in...and another 10 minute talk in the one we live in. We were totally pooped. The coolest moment of the day was when Brother and Sister Brown from Encinitas/Olivenhein walked in with their daughter who lives in our ward! SOO COOL.

Wow, that was a really long email.

I love you! got to go!
Sister Wilkins