Change continues to happen...only 25 days

Two weeks ago I left my job that I have worked at for almost 10 years. I thought I would be sad and feel even more stressed since I wouldn't be making any money but since I prepared for that day and had it so planned out the day came and went without much notice. The Lord provided me a way to pay off my debt way before my last day of work and allowed me to save up some money so that I wouldn't stress so much. Since my last day of work I have been traveling and it has been so worth it.

My first trip was to California to watch an Indy Car Race! I love racing and going to sporting events, so it was a prefect trip for me. I drove with my mother, two sisters, my niece and nephew, and cousin. They don't really like racing but since they wanted to spend time they all made the trip with me. We drove 12 hours to the San Francisco Bay area for the races and spent all weekend at the track. I had such a great time and got to meet sporting legends and get auto graphs from race car drivers. We even made it over to San Francisco for a night and walked around and had a picnic on the Bay. It was so pretty down there and super sunny.

Once we got back from California, I napped, and did lots of laundry to pack for my second trip, which was to go to Utah to visit my best friend Natalie. That is actually where I am at now! I have been able to visit Temple Square, the Family History Center, the Bountiful Temple, Lagoon, and other great historic sites. The Salt Lake area is amazing and the sites are breath taking. In two days I will be heading home so that I can pack for camping!

I only have 25 days left until I report to the MTC and the time is now just passing by me. As the day approaches I am not freaking out or stressing too much. I am actually welcoming the idea. I am sure I will feel different once I get on the plane or actually spend my first night at the MTC but I'm hoping that the Lord will help me as I make this change in my life. I am so grateful for the support that I have from both my family, friends, and co-workers. Not every one may agree or totally understand why I am going on a mission but they totally support my decision and for that I am truly grateful.

As I spend the last few weeks with family I will forever cherish our time together and I hope that all my little nieces and nephew will remember me when I get back in 18 months. I love my family so much and will miss them greatly.

Change happens so that we can grow so I can't wait to go to a new place, to learn a new language, and eat different yummy food. Everything will change and I won't have the comforts of home with me but I will carry it in my heart.

I can do this, that's all I have to keep telling myself!

Help the Missionaries!

I don't even know where to start this post but our Ward finally got SISTER MISSIONARIES and they are Spanish Speaking. What a blessing for our ward and stake. When the new mission presidents were sent to their areas, our Spanish Branch was moved to a different Stake, so we lost our spanish branch. :(

Since then we gained two fabulous spanish speaking missionaries. They called me today after church and asked if I could go with them on a few appointments today. I was so excited to go even though my spanish is broken to say the least. The first appointment ending up falling through because only one of the two people were there. The father only spoke spanish so I helped translate the few words and sentences that the sister missionaries did not know. It made me realize that I need to know a lot more spanish but I was also amazed at the words I remembered. 

The second appointment was with a member and since the missionaries are new in the area we did a "Get to know you" visit where we just learned more about the member. It was really cool how the missionaries LISTENED and shared their own experiences and then also tied it into a Spiritual Thought. 

The third appointment was also with a member and we got to know her as well. I felt the spirit so strong speaking with her about her family. Her goal is to go to the temple with her husband and be sealed and to continue to do family history work. I was able to share some experiences about my family going to the temple together and preparing family names for family history.

I am so grateful for the Lord and that he has sent our area sister missionaries that I can go on missionary visits with. It is such an experience, if you have not gone on out with the missionaries yet, you need too. They will be so grateful for the "Joint Teach" (member missionary present during a lesson).  

What I learned today:

• Learn how to listen and stay attentive (the sister missionaries were both tired)
• Find a way to tie the discussion back into the lesson by sharing a story
• Always keep an eye on the time, so you are not horribly late to your next appointment
• Carry your "area book" with you so if an appointment falls through you know where to go next
• Keep your planner up to date for the same reason
• Have a scripture or two memorized for each major topic (atonement, prophets, modern day revelation, repentance, sacrament, sabbath day, word of wisdom ect), this helps a lot during the discussions so that you can easily flip to the scripture and share it.
• Ask members questions to keep the conversation going
• Always relate your experiences back to the  members so that they know you are listening

Tips from the Sister Missionaries:

• Pray before each visit, today we prayed in the car, next to the car, and outside next to the apartment, pray for the spirit and to know what to say.
• Memorize your scriptures for each topic!
• Be prepared (always have your scriptures, Book of Mormons, pamphlets, pass along cards, and memorize your number to give out).
• Write your name and number on the back of a pass along card, to pass to people you track into, members, ect.

Hope this helps!

Hermana Weller

Be BOLD...Every one can be a missionary

...BE BOLD...PRAY...HAVE FAITH...

Earlier this week I had a blessing from my home teacher (he is awesome). Lately I have had a lot of blessing which has helped me feel comfort, peace, courage, boldness, and has extremely strengthened my testimony. So, this week I have been working on being more BOLD.  I know that I LOVE the Gospel, My Heavenly Father, and my testimony! 

In the past I have never been one to freely share my testimony. I have always kept it close to me almost like my feelings on political issues. If you are like me with politics  I have ideas and my belief on what I think should happen, but so does everyone else and I really only debate politics with close family members or best friends. In a way I did the same with my testimony. People in general are very passionate about both subjects! So in the past, I have just steered clear of any conversations unless I felt that I needed to share. Yesterday was totally different though I was able to share what I believe and know is true with two people!

The first person I shared with was a co-worker, who I have been friends with for almost 9 years. Religion has never been a topic we have talked about because we normally chat about sports, his kids, his wife, and how our weekend were. So, yesterday we had the opportunity to chat and I told him that I was planning on taking time off to spend time focusing on family and church. That was followed up with what church do you belong too? I was so PROUD to say I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS)! He then told me his in-laws are LDS and he loves the LDS people. I'm hoping we can talk more about religion the next time we speak.

The second person I spoke with was with my massage therapist. After work, I went to a massage appointment and while at my appointment I was talking about what I was planning on doing next in life, I told her I was going to serve a mission, she then told me that her Grandmother is LDS and that she takes her to Salt Lake City every year for two weeks to go the Family History Library and work on Genealogy. We then talked for over an hour about the importance of Genealogy and where our families come from! I was also able to invite her to take her Grandmother to the Portland Temple Visitors Center, which she is going to do this coming month.

It was so awesome to share information about the church and I felt great doing it. Sometimes sharing doesn't mean telling someone your testimony or handing them a Book of Mormon and telling them they should read it, it's the best book on Earth. Sometimes its just about PLANTING A SEED.

Everyone can be a missionary! You just have to pray daily for a missionary experience and have LOVE for everyone you meet! Love always, Sister Weller

Side Note: I am still waiting for my official mission call from Salt Lake. I should get it today or tomorrow at the latest!