No Religious Witnessing

While Nicole seemed to have a tough week this week, 

she definitely had some positives too. Check out

her latest email (and pictures) home:

"Howdy howdy! 

  

      So this week was insanely hard. All of our investigators either dropped us, are ignoring us, or we had to pass them on to the Young Single Adult sisters. The only investigators we have now are Leslie (who, by the way, got baptized in her church last week and then came to our sacrament meeting....I think we're about to drop her....) and Shane, who is out of town a lot because he just had really bad knee surgery. Needless to say, we did a lot of tracting this week with little success. It slowly took its tool on both Sister Peeler and I and we had no motivation or desire to do the Lord's work, which made us feel even worse. I had to tell myself over and over that this is NOT MY time, but it's the LORD'S TIME and I need to use it wisely and do all that I can for the few short 14 months ahead of me. I have officially reached 4 months and it went by slowly, but also SOOOO FAST!!! These next 14 months are going to FLY by and that scares me. I want to be the absolute best that I can because Heavenly Father deserves that from me. I'm excited to start this new week fresh and with renewed energy and desire for His work! 

     Now, onto the good parts of the week, because they were there:) As I said, we did a lot of tracting this week. We run into a lot of houses with No Soliciting signs and because we're not selling anything, we can get away with still knocking. Haha, we came to this one house and right next to the No Soliciting sign was a No Religious Witnessing sign in handwriting and taped to the window. It was pretty funny! You encounter a lot of interesting things and people when tracting, and tracting is actually pretty fun! 

     Another funny tracting story..we were tracting in these apartments and we tracted into 2 members....now, it's not like we didn't know they lived there and it was a nice surprise. Rather, we didn't know they were members! So the first door, I was like "Hi, I'm Sister Wilson!" He replied "Hi, I'm Brother______" Now, we could have played that cool and said something about how we wanted to get to know his family more or something. Instead, we just stood there awkwardly and were like "you're a member?! Oh....*awkward laugh*" It was pretty awkward...supposedly he's an active member of our ward...we're good missionaries as you can see. Now, the next door we knock on and we do the same thing. We introduce ourselves and he said his name was Josh (this is an older man). We started telling him how we were missionaries and he just nodded. I then asked if he's ever met with missionaries before, and he said "yes....I'm a member of the church". Haha.....we didn't feel as dumb about this one because it turns out he was less active and hasn't come for a while. Nonetheless, it was pretty weird. 

     Friday, we had Zone Conference where President and Sister Mullen trained us on how to be better missionaries! It was so great! The picture of me and the other sisters is from that training (: 

   Another plus about this week was we had 3 investigators to church! Take it, one has been passed onto the Single Adult ward and the other is Leslie, whom we're really not getting anywhere with. But, we were glad to have them there (: 

     I'm excited to start anew and to do better and be more diligent in finding those whom the Lord has prepared to hear His gospel. I'm so grateful that we're able to have fresh starts and it's only possible through the Atonement! I hope everyone has a great week like I'm going to have! Your week and happiness really is all about how you look at it and I encourage you all to decide NOW to have a good week! I love you all and am so grateful for each of you and your influences! You're in my prayers(: 

Love, 

Sister Wilson"

A Busy Week

It's that time again! We got another email this week. :)

With President's Day happening this week, her P-day got

pushed back to Tuesday (instead of Monday).

It sounds like Nicole had a busy week! Here's

what she had to say:

"Howdy! 

     Since yesterday was President's Day, they moved our P-day to today!

 

     This past week was pretty good! Tuesday, we rode our bikes and talked to A LOT of people!! We got to this one house and knocked, and we hear a "come in!" Sister Peeler and I looked at each other and was like "what do we do?!" We knocked again and got the same response and we stood there contemplating what to do from there. Finally, Sister Peeler was like, "let's go in!" I opened the door and we awkwardly started coming in. There was a family room ahead with people sitting and talking and a study to the left right when you walk in. This lady was walking out of the study and looked at us like "what are you doing in my house?" We replied "uh....they said to come in..." The people in the living room just sat there and it was SO AWKWARD!!!!!! Needless to say, she wasn't too interested in talking to us after that point. 

     Wednesday, we were on exchanges (we do that once a week) and we did a lot of tracting. It was fun, I really enjoy tracting. I was with Sister Doman and it was pretty great! We met a lot of interesting people! That night, we had a birthday party for Sister Norcross! It was so much fun! We had some members of the Zone gather together and we had cake and talked for a little while. It made me very grateful for the missionaries I serve with (: 

    Thursday was Weekly Planning...which means we stay inside for 5 hours to plan...at the end of weekly planning we do something called Companionship Inventory where we talk about things we can improve on together and individually and we discuss how we can make that happen. We also talk about things that are going wrong in the relationship and things we may need to change. We had a very long Comp. Inventory...we seem to disagree when it comes to planning and sometimes it causes a little contention. I hate having to talk through feelings and such but I also love it! I have learned how to better communicate with people and Sister Peeler and I came to an awesome agreement and our relationship only grew stronger (not that it was weak...we have a great relationship and always have, we just disagree on Thursdays haha). I love having to open up to my companions and it makes my friendships and trust in them so much greater! How blessed we are to be able to have time to talk to one another. I hear of a lot of people who struggle with their companions and I feel truly truly blessed and grateful for all the companions I have been put with! God knows me so well and who I need....He's so awesome! 

       Friday was good...pretty ordinary(: 

       Saturday we did some more tracting, except this time it was in my own area. Haha, we ran into a baptist lady who was out with 2 little girls. She had a name tag on and when she saw us, she said "who are you associated with?" We told her we were from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and she immediately was like "We're with Spokane Baptist". We were really polite and said it's really cool that we both are out talking about Christ and helping people come closer to Him....she didn't think it was as cool as I did...it was pretty awkward. Richard, our 71 year old, had an awesome experience! We saw him and asked how his prayer about being baptized went and he said "well, I have something to tell you. I woke up this morning and thought, I don't want to get baptized and I'm not going to. I was going to tell you when you come over tonight but then I opened the Book of Mormon and read something that changed my mind..." He showed us the verse and it said something along the lines of "I command all to be baptized and I don't want any disputations among you." It was INSANE! So he said he was seriously thinking about baptism now....we were so hopeful!

       Sunday Leslie came to church for 1/2 of sacrament meeting then left...she had a family thing. She said she's planning on coming next week for all 3 hours so we'll see!

        Yesterday we did another exchange and I stayed in my area with a Spanish sister, Sister Santiago. We visited Richard last night and guess what...HE DROPPED US (which means he doesn't want to see us anymore)!!! AHHHHHHHH!!!!!! It was so sad and I was devastated....but, I know that he's just not ready, and as much as it pains me to say, I don't want him to be baptized if he doesn't want it. He needs to really want it in order for it to make a difference in his life. I'm so grateful for all that I have and especially for the elders that taught and baptized me. I don't know where I'd be without them. I know that Richard will accept the gospel eventually, if not in this life, then in the one to come. How blessed I am and feel to have this gospel in my life! 

      I hope everyone had a great week and good Valentine's Day! Have a wonderful week and remember to count your blessings and remember how loved you all are! Love you!!!!

Love, 

Sister Wilson"

 This box is a cigar box that Shane gave Nicole to put her scriptures in!

The snowman was Nicole's Valentine's Day gift! She says,"My ward is so awesome!!"

Long Week

It sounds like Nicole had an eventful week this week!

Check out her email (and pictures) below:

"Hey everyone! 

    This week was long after Wednesday...haha. But it was still pretty good.

    I'll start from the beginning....Tuesday I was in a trio for a little bit while Sister Peeler was in a meeting. When we went to go pick her up, guess who I saw???? SISTER ROGERS!!!! Ahhhh I was so excited to see her (for those of you who don't remember, she was my first companion)!!!! It was such a joyful moment and a tender mercy from the Lord! Oh how happy it was to see her(: 

     Wednesday, I went on an exchange with Sister McDougal...she's Spanish speaking. We stayed in Belle Terre and it was so awesome! We rode our bikes a lot, even as it started raining a little bit. I love riding my bike, even though I feel like I'm flashing people at times...haha. We saw so many miracles and talked to so many awesome people! We got 5 new investigators that day...it was so awesome! These new people, at least the ones who haven't already dropped us, are so awesome!! I already love them so much and they have a special place in my heart. I am so excited to teach them more about this gospel that will bless them and help them through the things they are going through. AHHHH I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!!!! Wednesday night, though, Sister Peeler started getting sick. 

      Thursday, is our weekly planning day, which means we're planning all day for the upcoming week. Again, Sister Peeler was sick (she remained sick for the rest of the week and is just getting over it). Thursday afternoon/evening we're supposed to get to work again and go see people. We had a dinner appointment with some investigators (those are the best) that was crucial for us to go to. So we did a split for dinner so I could still attend. They're so great! They're an older couple named Bob and Sharon and they are so prepared. They ask great questions and are reading the Book of Mormon and enjoying it and are loving our visits! They're so great and sincere and great!!

       Friday we had a zone training for a big chunk of the day. The rest of the day after that was kind of slow because we had to take lots of long breaks for Sister Peeler. It's hard not being able to work like you're suppose to. It gives me way too much time to think haha. 

      Saturday...ERIN GOT BAPTIZED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was so awesome and so many nonmembers were there and she just beamed and glowed and shined and was so happy. It made me so happy! It's been such a blessing to get to work with her. She's been taking lessons for 2 years and it's been cool to see how much the gospel has changed her in just the 2 short months I've known her. How awesome the gospel is! She is so happy and she makes me happy every time I see her. The way she loves our Savior and the way she has really applied the Atonement and the gospel in general in every circumstance is truly an inspiration to me! She's just great(: 

       Yesterday, we taught Sunday School on the Atonement...it actually went pretty well...much better than I thought it would. I'm just so grateful for the Atonement and for our Savior's love for each of us. His love is truly indescribable and is greater than anything you and I could ever imagine. We should all be striving to apply His Atonement, or His sacrifice for us, daily, hourly, secondly. There are so many people who have no idea that we have a Savior, and we DO know that we have a Savior, so why not use Him every day?! How blessed we are! My invitation to everyone is to make the Savior, Jesus Christ, part of your daily lives and I can promise you, you will see miracles and more joy and happiness and blessings will enter into your life as you do so! This is my prayer for you all and I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen! 

         Love you all!! 

Love

Sister Wilson

P.s. Have a great week and HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!"

The Start of a New Transfer

Although Nicole had a long first week of the new transfer,

Nicole had a lot of positives come out of this week.

Check out her email and pictures below:

"Hey ya'll!! 

     This was the first week of the new transfer and it was LONG! Monday evening, we went to a lot of people for Sister Gosdis to say goodbye. It was funny because I was the one crying the whole time and she didn't shed a tear. Everyone was really confused as to why I was crying. Transfers are just so bittersweet for me. Tuesday, I said goodbye to Sister Gosdis, and that was so hard! She was such a great companion and I feel very blessed to have had her as my second trainer! But, she's having a great time in Colville, and we still call each other every now and then to stay updated and to ask for some help with Belle Terre as I'm still learning the area. 

    My new companion, Sister Peeler, is so awesome though! She's so cute and is such a sweetheart! She's way patient with me as I still try to get the hang of things. She's from Temekula (totally not spelled right) California, an hour north of San Diego. She's a singer and was in an A Capella group that toured and sung all over at Stake Conferences...so cool!! She's really sweet and I think we'll get along really well as we get used to the whole change. She was in Kellogg, Idaho for 7 1/2 months and this is her second area. It's been a great change for us both and we're just working together through it! The good new is, I know the area way better than I thought....tender mercy from the Lord! 

      Oh my goodness, OUR INVESTIGATOR ERIN IS GETTING BAPTIZED ON SATURDAY!!!!!!!!!! She's a 42 year old, but she has a mental disorder, and is mentally a 14 year old. She's the greatest though and I love her so much! She's taken the lessons for a couple years and has had so many doubts and didn't want to get baptized for family reasons, personal reasons, etc. She didn't want to be baptized for a while. Then she was afraid that she wouldn't be able to keep her commitment to come to church every Sunday because she has to watch her grandma. Then she was worried her mother would disown her. But things have really been going uphill for her. Her grandmother passed away, which was hard on her, but her worry about being baptized disappeared. The Lord really has prepared a way for her and she is so ready. She's changed from "I don't want to get baptized" to "I can't wait to be baptized!" Her relationship with her mother is better than its ever been before and she just shines!! Ahhhhhh I'm so excited for her!!!!!!!!!! 

       Yesterday, the coolest thing ever happened! We ran into a Muslim family and they let us in. We just talked a lot about our religion and learned a lot about their religion. There are many differences, but there's also a lot of similarities. They showed us their Koran and they showed us how they pray 5 times a day with their movements and all....so cool!!!! It was way fascinating and I just really enjoyed it. They said we could come back and talk more about religion with them. Haha, we're not exactly sure how to teach them the Restored Gospel, but the Lord will help us!! 

      Despite the long week, I'm so grateful! I'm grateful for my new companion, I'm grateful for our investigators, and I'm thankful for the power of prayer. I had a bad morning full of stress and I just took 5 minutes to get on my knees and pray. The peace and comfort I felt was indescribable! I felt so much better and my testimony of prayer was so strengthened! 

       Well, I love being a missionary and I love all the prayers and support and letters! Thanks for everything ya'll do!! (: Hope everyone has a great week!

Love, 

Sister Wilson"