I can't believe it's not BUTTER!!!

Family,

HAPPY THANKSGIVING WEEK! What are you thankful for? Before you read anything else, I have a challenge for you....

Once a day for this week, kneel down and say a prayer of gratitude. 

The Lord has promised, "He who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious" (D&C 78:19). According to the scriptures, "Gratitude is an uplifting, exalting attitude." So go out there and be GRATEFUL. 

This week I am so grateful for so many things, so I thought I would tell you a few of them. I am grateful for...

#1 Our Savior Jesus Christ, who died for each one of us so that we could live with God again

#2 The prophet Joseph Smith, that had so much faith and a desire to know which of all the churches was true, that he prayed to know

#3 That the same church that was establish by Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth

#4 That the priesthood of God has been given a living prophet

#5 That through the same priesthood, I was baptized and became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

#6 That through the priesthood, my family can live together forever as long as we continue to keep the commandments of God

#7 That through the priesthood, I have been called and set apart as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

#8 That I wake up every morning and get to share what I am grateful for every day

#9 That our Heavenly Father knows me individually and answers my prayers

#10 For my family, that they support me, and that they have always loved me regardless of my personal decisions

I am GRATEFUL!

I realized last week that I forgot to tell you all what happened with transfers. I stayed in the same area and I have a new companion named Sister H, she is amazing. She was a less active member who also came back to the church and now is a missionary. I will be with her through the Holiday season. She is from Houston, Texas and is the oldest daughter in her family. She is fearless and I love it. 

In our Zone this past week we were able to participate in a service project where we handed out Thanksgiving baskets to those who needed them. It was through a food bank. It was so amazing to help people in a time of need and get to know them. We talked to a lady named Maria, her and her daughter were there getting baskets for their family. We asked them what they were thankful for this holiday season, they told us they were not thankful because their father had passed away earlier this year. I felt the spirit so strong and I bore them my testimony about Eternal Families. When I did, Maria started to cry and she told me that she wanted the missionaries to come to her home and help her find peace. We called the missionaries who cover that area, and they remembered the address and said about 6 months ago they went there and gave her a blessing. They now have an appointment with her to go and see her again. I know that the Lord placed us there in her path for a reason.

We also had a miracle this week with an investigator named L, she is a woman that we found while we were visiting her daughter. She asked us last week for a picture or booklet about Jesus Christ. We gave her one and then asked her to stay and join us for a lesson we were having. She stayed and said a prayer with us and then asked when we were coming back. L has come to church now two weeks in a row and she accepted a baptismal date for December 7th. Last night L, said she wanted her angels at dinner. So we ate dinner with her, she made us rice, beans, and carne asada. It was super good. She also went to the ward activity for Thanksgiving and asked to get a blessing from Hermano L , Hermano P, and the Elders. She felt the spirit so strong during the blessing. She said her life has changed so much because of us. I am so thankful that the Lord has blessed us by knowing her.

I am so thankful for so many things this week, as well as the personal experiences I have continued to have as I have read in the Book of Mormon. Last week as I mentioned, I found a scripture about Laying up Treasures in Heaven and today I found another scripture that helped me so much today. I found it in 3 Nephi 3:19 -21 and 3 Nephi 13:33.

 19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where mothand rust doth corrupt, and thieves break through and steal;

 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neithermoth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not breakthrough nor steal.

 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness,and all these things shall be added unto you.

I realized today that it doesn't matter what I choose to do after my mission but I have to stay on the path that leads to eternal life. 

I love you all so much, eat extra pie and desert for me this week!

Love Sister Weller

Funny moment of the week:

Sister H and I were making oatmeal cookies and she wanted to help, so I asked her to melt the butter, she grabbed a stick of butter in a plastic bag and put it in the microwave. She pulled it out after 2 minutes and said Sister Weller it won't melt. I looked at it and thought that is so weird, I looked at the bowl and just laughed. She was melting mozzarella cheese instead of butter. Then she almost chocked on a starburst she was eating. Pray for our safety. 

Lay up for yourself a TREASURE in HEAVEN

Family,

This week has been amazing and at the same time I have learned so much. I have had so many opportunities to GROW.  A quote that I heard this week that has helped me so much is, "There is no growth in the comfort zone, there is no comfort in the growth zone." I feel like that is especially true this week. This week I was given the opportunity with my companion to create a "Sisters Training Meeting" where we talked about the importance of Personal and Companionship Study. My companion and I were in charge of the training under the direction of our mission president. The conference we had for sisters was amazing. I just love how the Lord inspires his leaders and that Sister F and I were able to help.

Some miracles from the week: 

On Monday we went and visited a potential investigator named Christina, opened the door and asked us to come right now. When we went in she asked why do you believe in the Book of Mormon. I was actually a little worried and prayed in my heart that I would be able to feel the spirit and follow the guidance of the spirit to help her have an open heart. As I prayed I was filled with the spirit and knew what we needed to share with her. As we started the lesson with her I could feel the spirit so strong each time I spoke. I wanted to cry each time, she could feel the spirit as well. It was such an amazing feeling. It was the motivation I needed this past week to really have meaningful conversations with each person. We had contacted Christina the night before and she invited us back the next day! 

On Tuesday the Lord prepared the mother of two of our investigators to ask us for a picture of Christ. We had just finished talking to her daughter when she came to the door and said I am so sorry to interrupt but can I have a pamphlet or a picture of Christ. We gave her one and then invited her to join us. She was super excited to pray with us. Afterwards we set a return appointment for Saturday and we went back and had such an amazing lesson with her. She shared so many concerns with us and said that she felt like we were her angels. She accepted an invitation to come to church as well. Then on Sunday....SHE CAME. She said that she was filled with the spirit and that she felt that it was TRUE. She asked us when we would be coming by again to see her. We are so excited to help Lupe make these changes in her life. 

During my personal study this week I found something that I have been pondering. In Helaman 5:8 it says, "And now my sons, behold I have somewhat more to desire of you, which desire is, that ye may not do these things that ye may boast, but that ye may do these things to LAY UP FOR YOURSELVES A TREASURE IN HEAVEN, yea, which is eternal, and which fadeth not away; yea, that ye may have that precious gift of ETERNAL LIFE, which we have reason to suppose hath been given to our fathers." As I read that I really focused on the ONLY treasure that we can lay up in Heaven which is Eternal Life. Our life here on earth is just to prepare for that time. So our earth life, helps us create the greatest TREASURE ever, which is ETERNAL LIFE. This past week I shared with my companion my thoughts and goals for after my mission which are possibly:

1) Graduate School - Business entrepreneurship

2) Start my own business

3) Learn something new (Piano, continue taking Spanish classes, ect)

4) Work part time and spend time with family

5) Get married, have a family

Then my companion asked me what was more important...Having a successful career or having a successful family? I really am having to think and ponder on that. I know the answer should be family but can't I have both? That is what I am struggling with right now. I will be fine though. I am just going to keep serving the Lord. I want to LAY A TREASURE IN HEAVEN THAT I WONT EVER LET FADE. 

That is life. I am so thankful for this time right now. I will talk to you again next week!

Love Hermana Weller

I am being transformed with Faith Filled Thoughts

Hi Family!!!

This week was a little hard because Sister B and I were both sick at different times so we really only had one working day in our area. I am so thankful that the Lord is always here helping us though and giving us the strength we need to overcome of physical weaknesses like getting sick. We were in the house almost the entire week except for Saturday and Sunday. The Lord still blessed us for our efforts though because little S (who was baptized last week) was confirmed a member of the Church. She was so excited to receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost. 

This week being in the house and having a bad headache gave me way too much time to think. I found that Satan was attacking me and making me be less and less motivated to overcome the migraine that I had. As I talked with the Nurse she told me to take the medicine that my neurologist gave me and once I took that and sleep some, I was able to get working again. When I went to take a nap on Thursday I found a quote of something my Mission President had said before. " When you choose to represent Jesus Christ you choose to be transformed." As I read that I decided once I was able to overcome the migraine that I would do everything in my power to allow Christ to continue to transform me on my mission. 

This week as I have studied I have really focused on what my purpose is as a missionary and how much TRUST the Lord has in each missionary that he calls to the work. The prophet, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and my mission president have allowed me to serve here in the Los Angeles California Mission. 

I was able to find so much strength and personal guidance when I was in the temple this week as well. I have the power to overcome any distraction, or negative thought that Satan wants me to believe. I know that as I continue to have faith-filled thoughts I will continue to be edified in the Lords work and that I will not allow discouragement to weaken my testimony. 

I have seen already how much the Lord and Christ have transformed me as a missionary and I just want to continue to do better and better. This week my focus is to re-commit myself to my calling as a missionary and continue to increase my personal testimony of the Gospel.

I can't wait to get out and work again tonight. Being sick is so boring. Doing the Lord's work is what makes me so happy. 

Love Hermana Weller

Word of Wizards...

Family!!!

How was Halloween?? It looks like everyone dressed up and got into the spirit. :) On Halloween I was in our house with my two companions at 6 pm. Really we didn't spend much time outside. We had a Zone Conference in the morning until about 3 pm and then we got to our house by 6. 

Zone Conference just in case you don't know what that is, it is a special meeting we have every 2 or 3 months where we get to have training from our mission president and his wife and other missionaries. This was my first conference as a Sister Training Leader and I was able to train with my companion Sister F. 

I am so grateful for the strength I gained personally from Zone Conference. All of the training's we had were so inspired. We had a training on Sincere Prayer. We talked a lot about a prayer that changed our life and I realized that it was the prayer that helped me decide to come on my mission. Just like Enos, I was able to pray and seek council from my loving Heavenly Father because without his help I am not sure where I would be right now. As I reflected back on that "life changing prayer" I realized how the Lord has been answering my prayers ever since. It has really been in the language and how my thoughts change as I am praying. It helped me to realize that I need to have more meaningful prayers and really focus on what I need help with. It means that I can't just kneel down and pray for a few minutes and say I prayed. I have to do it with thought and ponder so that I can receive council through the Holy Ghost. My goal is to really focus on that the rest of my mission because I know that quickly I will need to make more life changing decisions that will require prayer. 

We also had a training on how to help our apartments be Celestial (a place where the Savior could walk). This was one of my favorite parts because our homes are where we should be able to feel the spirit. So we have been doing some spring cleaning and throwing a lot of stuff away. 

This week we have been so great. We are teaching more simply and in unity and I love it. It has taken me a few weeks to adjust to being in a different ward (it is only my 3rd one ever) so I know with even more time I will feel more and more connected. 

Yesterday we were able to see a baptism for a little girl named S, her family has been going back to church for about a month after being inactive for the past year. Her father M has a problem with drinking but he has really been trying to overcome that addiction so that he can continue to receive blessings from Heavenly Father. I know how important this family is for the Lord and I can't wait to help teach him the missionary lessons so that he can grow his faith even more and make even more promises with the Lord in the temple one day. The other night we were teaching the Word of Wisdom and the Law of Chastity to S and her littler sister. We asked them if they knew what the Word of Wisdom was and they both said, no but we know what the Word of Wizards is, we couldn't help buy laugh. Afterwards we also taught them about modesty and how we need to have our shoulders covered and our knees and not show our stomachs. Then we asked them both to explain it to us, they both said okay, we know it means we can't show our elbows, nose, or toes. Obviously we taught it to them again after that. If I had to cover my nose all day to be modest I wouldn't last :).

This week was so great. I have seen so many miracles! I just love being a missionary!!! 

Love you all a ton.

Hermana Weller

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