Monday, February 18, 2013

I'm coming home...

As my last email home, I wanted to include the lyrics to one of my favorite missionary songs. 
Mostly because it perfectly explains how I am feeling today.  

THE HARDEST THING I EVER LOVED TO DO

"The hardest thing I ever had to do
was letting go of everything I ever knew.
19 years of dreams left in my room
as I buttoned up the jacket of my suit.

The hardest words I've ever loved to say,
was goodbye to my Mom and walk away.
Choking on my tie and on my tears,
as I walked down the hall into those years.

And the sweetest song I've ever loved to sing
filled the MTC on angels wings,
and the chorus filled my soul 5,000 strong, 
and I wished it would just go on and on.

The firmest hand I ever loved to shake,
was my trainer's with that big grin on his face.
He grabbed my bag and put his arm 'round me, and whispered 
"I'm gonna work those Mr. Mac's right off your feet!"

And the hardest words I ever anguished for
came just before some lady slammed the door.
And my trainer left me hangin' out to dry,
as a minute of painful silence rode right by.

But the hardest tears I ever loved to cry,
fell as I opened up my mouth and testified.
Between the tiny walls of a strangers living room
the spirit told their hearts my words were true.

And the most wonderful sound I've ever heard
is the sound of water running in the church!
As someone I've come to love got dressed in white,
my eyes saw their first glimpse of heaven's light.

The hardest thing I've ever come to see
is a man down on his knees in agony.
A drop of blood falls down on olives leaves,
and for a moment, He suffers there for me.

The hardest thing I ever loved to do
is getting on this plane, and commin' home to you.
In a million ways completely torn apart,
as a lands so far away still owns my heart.
In the most sincere prayer I've ever prayed,
I thank my God for each and every day
for the blessing of the man I've come to be 
as I walk up and kiss my Momma's cheek."

I am so blessed to have this mission.  Something I didn't know about missions before I came on one was how it expanded me as a person.  Sure, I knew that I would come home with a stronger testimony, maybe some awesome close companion friends.  But I never thought about other ways it would stretch me.  I've learned to be a better cook.  I completely changed my style of fashion.  I learned medical tips.  I increased my knowledge of myself and my personality.  I learned much more about what I want for my future family.  I suffered heartbreaks because of having Charity.  I learned to get along with others, despite our differences.  I've learned to keep myself accountable to my mistakes and repent.  I learned to love unconditionally. I have learned to be flexible when things don't go as planned!  I learned to let other people serve me, and many more things I'm sure I don't even realize.

I've added up a few totals for my whole mission. I do not say all of this to boast, but rather to give praise to my Heavenly Father for all of these experiences!!

Ive taught a total of 436 lessons to nonmembers
Ive taught a total of 142 lessons to less active members
I've added a total of 72 new investigators
I was blessed to see NINE baptisms happen

but I come home with ONE Savior, ONE testimony, ONE thankful heart, and NO regrets.

Signing off and getting on the airplane,
Sister Wilson

Yang and Sia's baptism.  Happened last night.  :)  Both Deaf.  Sia is so flippin' short!!  hahah  I'm a monster!



This is Dominick's marriage to Mickey and then her baptism.

Monday, February 11, 2013

my final days....

I got my final piece of "trunky mail."  Its 2 pages of goals that I need to fill out about coming home.  (Dating, career, school, work, how I will accomplish them all)   Its been....blegh to fill out.  I'm being forced to think about and accept that I'm coming home, and I need to start making plans for my future so I dont get stuck in post-mission depression.  I think I have a few ideas...I have my departing interview this week with President and I have to take that paper and discuss my future with him, so...we'll see how that goes!  AAHH!  DEPARTING INTERVIEW!   HOW DID I GET HERE??!!

One of the deaf guys we taught last week said "I cant tell if you're Deaf or hearing!"  What a compliment to me.  I hope my ASL has really improved since I've come here.  There are some Deaf people that I couldn't  understand at the beginning of my mission that I can now understand when they sign back to me.  Here's to a better ASL future!  Its a blessing to me that I can use this skill for the rest of my life.  (Why does all the family have to speak Spanish??  eh??  I'm a black sheep.)

This week we had a Valentines Day dinner for the branch.  It was small, like all our activities, but fun.  We drove and picked up Kelly Brown (my recent convert) and got her out of the house.  She's feeling better since her hospitalization last week and it was great to help her get out of the house.  

My favorite thing of this week was the Sacrament meeting benediction (given by brenda):  "Dear Heavenly Father, we will miss Sister Wilson.  We love Sister Wilson.  We hope she keeps contact.  With the name of Jesus Christ, Amen."

The end.  I love you all!  I should be able to write next week...but I'm not sure.  

SEE YOU ALL IN EIGHT DAYS!!!!
                                                                                    

PS.

This is the gold plates that we made out of cardboard!!  I love making stuff and spray painting it.  We need to get better rings to hold it together but our Deafies LOVED it and really understood the gold plates!  yay for inspiration!  The other picture is all of my mission planners.  Wow.  

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

2 Weeks!

Hello all!  
 
Wow, I cant believe I only have 2 more weeks.  Time flew by really fast these past 6 months.  It was a great week, though.  I'm fighting off the thoughts of coming home...but they still happen.  :)  Yesterday was my technical 18-month mark.  gah.  We went to one of our less actives to visit and finally caught her at home.  She opened the door, signed "go home." and shut it.  You'd think that this wouldn't bother me anymore.  Rejection.  But it does.  It still hurts.  I love these people and they won't accept the gospel or blessings into their lives.  

I've been teaching one of our Deaf investigators, Molly, for basically my whole mission.  She told us the other day that the J-Dubs stopped by.  They found her.  My heart hurts. She's going to their church on Sunday, but she really trusts us, which is good.  We will continue to teach right doctrine and correct any confusing information she may be given and thats all we can do!  I was released from my calling of being the exchange sister.  That was sad, but I loved it while it lasted.  We have too many new sister missionaries to be trained.  Everybody is in trios.  We had 13 new sisters come in last week and we only have 7 English sisters who can train them.  So they each got 2.  Wowza.  Its wonderful.  The mission field should be about half and half now with elders and sisters.  This is wonderful news to those of you who understand how amazing Sister missionaries are!  haha.

Its been a balmy 72 degrees here in Cali.  But honestly, I will enjoy playing in the snow for a bit when I get home.  Keep it there a little longer for me, okay??  Elder L. Tom Perry spoke to Northern California yesterday for a big "stake conference."  It was awesome.  We had it piped in with ASL for the branch.  My favorite thing he said was about the new age-change for missionaries.  "It caused an EARTHQUAKE at church headquarters!!  Instead of the usual 2 apostles needed to do missionary assignments, we've needed 6."  WOW!  6 apostles just for assigning out our mission calls!  Thats so cool.  Mom and Dad will get one of those soon.  (right Dad??  *wink wink*)

I've been a bit teary as of late.  One day, we were in the car and we started joyfully singing "Called To Serve" and I started crying.  yeah...dont think that song will ever be the same.  I ate dinner with my recent convert, Anne, and her best friend, Linda, who I am also very close to.  We went out to eat at a Mexican restaurant and near the end of it, Linda looked at me and started crying.  She thanked me for coming on a mission so that I could be the right missionary to baptize her best friend into the church.  That moment alone made my whole mission worth it.  

I have lost all my desires to do evil.

Love,
Sister Wink

p.s.  My birthday is in the Old Testament.  It was the assigned day that they appointed to kill all the Jews!  (Esther 3:13) I laughed during personal study.