Sister Chen and I eating s'mores on the 4th of July in our backyard
Monday, July 15, 2013
Letter #16 07/15/13
Hello All!
So the theme that we've been focusing on this week has been SERVICE. The work has been a bit slower in this area and so we have been extending invitations for service to help out people from church and even their neighbors or anyone else they may feel need help. It's funny because I feel a lot of people smile but think that because we're "sisters" maybe we can't do what they could ask the elders to do. However, we have been persistant and have started to get some calls for help (mainly weeding). A widow in one of our wards, Sister Knudsen, said we could help weed her neighbors yard, we started there and then we began to move down to the next house. As we were pulling weeds and "deadheading" flowers, the owner of the house pulled up and seemed a little shocked but very appreciative. His name is Demitri and he's from the Ukraine (moved here 3 years ago). He's been here alone while his wife had her baby back in the Ukraine, but he's going to get her and his two kids next week. He said we can come by anytime, to weed or just to talk, and we are looking forward to getting to meet the rest of his family as well.
Another tender mercy that occured this week, was more for Sister Chen. We got a call from a set of elders who informed us that there is a family in a nearby stake who are housing a couple from Taiwan. They speak only a little English and seem interested in the missionary discussions! Perfect opportunity for Sister Chen? I think so :) We look forward to meeting them, and I know Sister Chen is looking forward to talking in her native tongue. It was a bit humorous though, because as soon as I explained the situation to her, she told me "Oh no, now I have to remember how to teach in Mandarin!" haha. She is definitely still learning English, but her progression is great. So many people are amazed with how well she speaks English for only being here 3 1/2 weeks. I know it'll continue to take time, but in 3 or 4 months I think she will be doing just fine!
Having the mission split into three missions hasn't really seemed to have affected things too much, but it's been nice having our mission president involved more. Since the mission area is a lot smaller, President Winder has been coming to a lot more of our meetings and is able to be a lot more involved. This has been a great opporunity for us to get to know him and his wife better. They are really nice and we can tell that they geniunly care about us and our well-being. Just like anything, it takes time to adjust to new people or new areas (I think of my parents having to move to a new town), but as we trust in the Lord and we trust in our purpose and our focuses, things begin to fall into place and we feel comfortable with wherever we are or whatever we are handed.
This mission is teaching me in ways I couldn't even imagine. I am learning how to be a leader, how to teach simply, how to not just look for opportunities, but to think of ways to create opportunities as well. As we work more with the members of the church to find friends or neighbors who are ready to hear about the gospel, we realize together how opportunities can come if we just talk. As we open our mouth, thoughts and words just seem to flow. If the gospel has blessed our lives, why not share it. If we care about our friends, why not be there for them. Everyone has their agency to accept or reject the gospel, and we shouldn't take that away from them, but if we don't open our mouth we are also taking that agency away from them because then they'll never know. Don't be afraid. The worst they can say is no. But they're still your friend, they still care about you and still care about them. But you did what we are asked to do: invite. I love this gospel and I am so grateful have it in my life and to share how these joys that I have felt can bless others too :)
I love you all! Have a great week!
Love,
Sister Wightman
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Letter #15 07/08/13
Well, we survived the heat! It was crazy to hear that we got onto Good Morning America for our record-breaking heat out here (I know it's still not as bad as Arizona...). Sister Chen and I were histarically cracking up as we would get into the car and the thermometer read 122 degrees. Luckily it would cool down to a nice 105, but now weather in the 90's feels GREAT to us! Surprisingly, I'm not getting as tan as I would like to be in the sun that we've been out in. We express our gratitude for having a car and AC every day though!
This week has been a little slow because of the 4th of July, but we were able to keep busy with the members out here. On the 4th, we started the day off with a breakfast provided by the Tanner's ward (the members we live with). We helped make the pancakes and serve them up. We spent most of the day at a sister's house (she recenlty has been coming back to church), who taught us how to make home-made bread! It is so good! It's a tender mercy too as we save money by making our own bread instead of store-bought. She taught us so many cool tricks and now I just want to make everything myself! haha. We made a total of 4 long loaves and Sister Chen and I got to take home a loaf each. They're almost gone already ;) That evening, we were able to go to a members home for dinner, good old-fashioned burgers and hot dogs, and topped off the night with s'mores (Sister Chen's first time) at home with the couple that we live with. We had to be in by 8pm and still had to go to bed by 10:30, but those neighborhood fireworks definitely went later than that ;) Definitely a different 4th of July for me, but it was still fun, especially to watch Sister Chen experience her first 4th of July. She loved it!
We haven't had too much luck finding new people to teach, but miracles are beginning to happen. We are so supported and loved by the members out here and we are so grateful for that. I have continued to excercise my faith in the Lord as I continue to prayer every day for a miracle moment. We were finally able to meet a girl named Erika, who the Elders before us had been teaching and preparing for baptism, but she had been out of town till this week. She has a baptismal date set for the end of the month and we are excited to continue preparing her for that.
Sister Chen is doing so good and improving in her English every day. I am constantly learning from her example and am having fun even learning some new words in Mandarin. I don't know what this experience is preparing me before, but I am definitely learning to teach things SIMPLY and how to explain words or phrases that we use every day and take advantage of.
I am so grateful to be a part of this great work at this time. I love being a missionary. I love serving others. I love helping people find happiness and hope in their life. I love my Heavenly Father and I love my Savior and all that they do for me. I am so grateful for their unconditional love. I know this gospel is true. I know this church is true. I know the Book of Mormon and the Bible are the word of God. I know that families can be together forever. How grateful I am for what I know. And I am grateful for all of you!
Hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July and have a wonderful rest of your week!
Love,
Sister Wightman
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Letter #14 07/01/13
There's a change in the weather!
Oh my goodness, I think I'm melting. This week started off with a warm rain, and then the heat came. It's been in the high 90's to low 100's pretty much all week. Right now it's 94 degrees and 11:00 am! I have never been more grateful for a car as a missionary and to be able to have air conditioning. We've been doing a lot of contacting and people are so nice to let us in their cool homes and offer us fresh cold water. As much as the heat kills, it does not stop our work from progressing.
We have tried to visit lots of people in our wards, some are less-active members, part member families, or just others referred to us who might be hearing our message. It has been a little discouraging at times as some never seem to be home or others just aren't interested. But then the Lord shows us how aware He is of us as we find someone who is so grateful we stopped by and shared that they just had said a prayer in their heart asking Heavenly Father for some peace or a visit. Heavenly Father works in mysterious ways and doesn't always answer our prayers as we would expect Him to, such as through sending other people, but I am grateful that we can be there to listent to those promptings and to share messages of hope and peace to those ready to hear it.
We've begun teaching a few more people, one of them being a family, and it's so amazing to hear their stories. My testimony of timing, the Lord's timing, continues to grow out here, as they share their experiences of meeting with missionaries before or going to church before but not really being motivated and knowing they weren't ready then, but now they're ready to commit and make changes in their lives. It makes such a difference. We really can't do anything if people aren't willing to do their part. One thing that we continually tell people is that we are their to be their guides. The things we share with them, they need to learn for themselves are true, but we will be their to teach them and help them. Our role is not to drag people into this church, but to add to their faith and bring them closer to Christ through His gospel.
It has been a small world out here in Meridian, as I have run into a couple people from Cupertino. Yesterday, I ran into Lynn Kinney who used to be a part of the orginial Cupertino Ward, she now lives in one of my wards! And we had lunch with another member who's son and daughter-in-law were visiting...turns out their from Cupertino...and their in the Stevens Creek ward (Jeff and Jasmine Pitman). We were cracking up as they were like, "we were at your mission farewell!". It definitely makes me feel more at home here. I love Meridian and how welcoming and loving the people are here to us. They LOVE having Sister Missionaries!!!!
I know that this Gospel that we teach is true. I know that our Heavenly Father loves us so He has given us things to help us to be able to return to live with Him again and receive all the blessings that He has and has in store for us. I know that He has a plan for each of us and places us or other people in our lives to help us learn and grow and face the challenges that come our way. I am so grateful to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It has blessed my life, it has blessed my family's life, and I get to see it bless so many others lives of those who live around me. Our Heavenly Father just wants us to be happy. And all He asks us to do, is to do OUR BEST!
I love you guys! Thanks for all your support :)
Love,
Sister Wightman
Letter #13 06/24/13
Hello hello!
There's so much to report on this week and not a ton of time, so hopefully I can get everything in...
I'm all settled in here up in Meridian North. I picked up my new companion on Wednesday. Her name is Sister Chen and she is from Taichung, Taiwan and has been speaking English for about 9 weeks now! She is amazing and we are getting along so well, even with a little language barrier. Part of my training is to help her with her English, but she is very bright and very patient. We cover 4 wards up here and everyone is so supportive and so excited to have sister missionaries in their wards. They haven't seen sisters in at least 15 years! (The other wards are jealous that they don't have us haha). It's been quite a tender mercy as Sister Chen and I have run into quite a few people who have served their missions in Taiwan and so they are able to speak Mandarin with her - and I know that brings her a lot of comfort and joy (I've never heard her talk so much! haha).
We've been doing mostly contacting this week and getting to the know the people and area. Meridian is beautiful and full of color (green grass, blue skies) - though the weather does tend to be a little bi-polar.
So, small world...when we were meeting one of our Bishops, his wife mentioned that her parents served their mission in San Jose...turns out it's the Ferguson's who served in the San Jose YSA institute for all you single adults reading this! I got to see Sister Ferguson at the Missionary Broadcast last night and it was so crazy to see a familiar face!! Seems like there's a lot more people up here that have been or know of San Jose/Cupertino.
We taught a new investigator last night who is what we like to call GOLDEN. His name is Seth and our ward mission leader met him selling a car to him. He's in his early 30's from Southern California and recently changing his life around (been involved in drugs and such and just got out of jail). He actually was sitting in his jail cell and found an Ensign (church) magazine and just had an incredible spiritual experience as he had a desire to turn his life around began to recognize the Spirit in his life. There's some things we still need to work out legally, but he accepted the invitation to prepare himself to be baptized and is excited for our future lessons.
I am so grateful to be serving in this area and can just see how the Lord has prepared this area for Sister Chen and I. We've already seen miracles and have just felt so welcomed here.
This is my last week serving with our mission president, President Cannon, as he and his wife will be finishing their mission and the new mission president, President Winder and his wife will come in, taking over what will be the new official Idaho Boise Mission. I will miss the Cannon's dearly and am so grateful to have served under them, but I know that President Winder and his wife have been prepared and I'm excited to work with them!
A theme that has been predominated this week for me has been patience. Patience in myself, patience in my companion, patience in those that we work with and patience with the Lord. I am continually amazed with how patient Heavenly Father is with me and how well He knows me and my needs. I couldn't have asked for a better companion. I know I will be learning a LOT this transfer. The Lord is so mindful of each of His children and He is always there for us. I've been praying a lot more since being on my mission, but even more so this week as I feel a lot of responsibility on my shoulders, but I know that as long as I trust in the Lord and do my best, it will all work out :) That's all He asks us to do. Our best.
Thank you all for your continual love and support!
Love,
Sister Wightman
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