BAUTISSSSSSMOOOOOO!!!

Hello Family!!

 

How y'all doing? I hope everyone is doing great! It has been a great and crazy week on the island!

First of all- Wasn't the broadcast AWESOME last night?? Every Member a missionary! God really needs ALL of his children to do the work of salvation!  Man it is great. I loved all of it.  Especially President Packers adress. He said something along the lines of - "I have learned a alot in my life, but i still have a lot to learn". that just made me think-  How much more do I need to learn! Wow.  I love the aspect of learning that the gospel has.  We are constalty progressing, becoming better, learning from our experiences.  And eventually we can know ALL things.  We can become like our Heavenly Father. What a beautiful blessing the scriptrues promise us.  All we have to do here is keep the commandments and our covenants, go to Church(which is a commandment as well) Pray(also a commandment) and Read the scriptures (yup a commandment as well). The best part about it is that God would never ask us to do something that we couldn't accomplish.  He has provided a way.  He gave his only begotten son, as a sacrafice for us all.  So that we CAN become like our Eternal Father. It is just amazing! And makes SO much sense.  I love it.

So- this week i was at dinner at a member's house.  Their names are the Barkdull's.  They are awesome- #1 because they use Doterra oils! and #2 they eat Gluten Free.  They are a heaven sent family! I love them.  So we are there- eating gluten free lasagna, which was awesome in and of itself- and the doorbell rings.  So Sister Barkdull goes to answer it and is gone for a while. then she comes back and says- oh that was a Living Scripture guy. I was like 'WHAAAAA!!!!" and basically ran out the door to catch him ( i was polite about it though, don't worry).  And so i went out and knocked on his window and talked to him for a minute. Haha Man. I can't remember his name anymore- But it is super cool that Damon's team is in my territory! Love texas.  So anyways- That was a crazy little thing.  Hello living scripture humans.  welcome to texas. Then I saw them at the devotional sunday night as well. Good boys.

last week we also had Zone conference! It was awesome!  This week is President and Sister Trayners LAST week as mission presidents! The Maluenda's are taking their place this week! There are So many changes Happeneing that are going to bring the fire to the Great Texas McAllen Mission! BAPTISM!!!. Being a missionary is the coolest.

Also- I learned to play the Organ last week. And guess who is the new ward organist! ME! yup. It is pretty great.  I am still working on the Feet and hands thing- but it is fun. I really enjoy it.  Last night our zone had 2 baptisms. I also played the piano for both of those.  Dear Mom and Dad- Thank you for putting me in piano lessons. Best idea ever.  Dear Stanton and Shelby- learn how to play the piano- it helps as a missionary.  I love being able to play! It is nice to contribute to the spirit.

Well, I am out of time! man the time flew by today!

Just know that all is well on the island! we are working with alot of ward members and potentials to get the work moving! We also got a new mission leader yesterday- who is AWESOME.  Seriously- The feild is White and ready to Harvest! SO EVERYONE GO TO WORK! Yesterday the Prophet made a call to all members. Lets bring the FIRE! BAUTISSSSMMMOOOO! (baptism) We are in the latter days- The final days of the Lords vinyard! There are people that are prepared! We just need to find them and invite them to come unto Christ!.  The work is ours- and we are promised that as we have faith and back that faith up with diligence and hard work- we will be blessed with miracles as our neighbors, family members, friends enter the waters of baptism.  Baptism is the first step to getting started on the path  to the Celestial kingdom. It is the Gate- 'and there is no other gate whereby man can be saved' (2ne31)

 

Love you all! invite ALLLLL the humans. =D help the missionaries in your areas!

 

Have a wonderful week!

Onward and upward!

-Sister Wiser

 

PS- if you didn't get to watch the broadcast- watch it! its super good. they put it online probably. =D

HOWDY Y'ALL!!

Howdy Y'all!!

Hope you have all had a wonderful week!  Shout out to all the dad's out there- Happy fathers day Yesterday! Hope it was a great one!

AND-----DRUM ROLE----- ELDER STERLING WISER!!! WASSUPPP!! MY BROTHER IS A MISSIONARY!! Man- I am so proud of you Elder Wiser! Welcome to the Ranks!

So- Great news!! Myra and Ana Ramos were baptized yesterday! From my last area! I am super excited!  It's a great day to be a Texas McAllen missionary!

This week has been a great one! It has been super crazy! But that is how it is getting used to a new area and companion and culture! Ha seriously- North padre Island is the exact opposite of Donna. =D  It is great! and I am learning new things everyday. 

First of all- Something big is happening this week!! There is a world wide missionary broadcast that everyone is invited to! This sunday the 23 at 5:00 p.m. Utah time. Everyone should go!! its going to be awesome! And- you will be watching it the same time as Sterling and I!  It is going to be awesome- and I am excited to hear all your notes and thoughts about it! (haha hint hint)

So- in my new area I am the Driver!! My companion doesn't have a drivers license. So I am the designated driver! I have never been so grateful for my GPS in my entire life! haha Thank you mommy thank you mommy thank you mommy.  It is great- because now I can tell my companion "oh crap, I missed my turn". Yep- That is still happening. Haha. And we put the speaking voice on the GPS in Spanish- It is way funnier in Spanish! =D keeps us entertained during the driving portions of our days.

The island is SOOO beautiful! AH! It really is like a beachy dream land.  There is a nice ocean breeze that helps to cool it off.  It is usually upper 90's with A LOT of humidity.  Even more that Donna. At 6;30 in the morning it is 88 degrees. Haha welcome to texas!

So this week- one of the days that we were on bikes- I was riding along, singing a church hymn- my skirt was all tucked in my spandex so I didn't have a Maralyn Monroe moment when all of a sudden- MY BIKE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. I tried to stand up so see what the problem was and I was stuck in my seat. Ha the entire back part of my grey skirt was jammed in the bike chain.  So I had to back up and slowly get my skirt unstuck.  I am sure I just looked ridiculous. And now I have a large hole in the back of my skirt. Haha such is life for a sister missionary on bike days.  Luckily I have a sewing kit! Thank you Grandma. =D

So we have miracles every single week- but this week we had an amazing one! We were given a kind-of-referral for an apartment complex on a street called Mingo Kay.  And all week I just felt like we needed to go there. We made plans to go a couple times earlier in the week- but with how things turned out we didn't make it there.   So we finally went on Saturday and knocked the complex- and Not one person was home.  But- There was a little Lady outside weeding her garden.  So we went and started to help her and started talking about the book of Mormon. And she said "Well, I want to read it! where do I get one!" We of course got her one and set up a return appointment for sunday night.  So we went back last night- and she read the introduction and the moronic 10:3-5 that we asked her to read and she had 3 questions written down on a little piece of paper for us. 1. What is this plan of salvation that they are talking about?

2. What are the doctrines of Christ

3.How come yall have The Book of Mormon and none of the other churches do?

CRAZY RIGHT?? There are prepared people!!!! AHHHH!! I am still so excited about it! So we have started teaching her!  We will be going over the restoration in our appointment tomorrow! We are so excited! It really is amazing- in Alma 26:27 is says that if you bear your afflictions with patience that the lord will grant you with success! and we are seeing that success!

One thing that I have really learned this week is that faith without works really is dead.  As a missionary I pray everyday to be led to those people that are prepared to receive the gospel.  But If I just sat on my bottom in my apartment all day I would never find them!  I have really seen how working hard and being obedient has brought miracles.  The lord really does guide his work. This is his work! When we do his work his way and patiently wait for his timing- miracles happen. People are brought into the fold of God. Members are strengthend. And everyone is just HAPPY! AHHH! I LOVE IT!  I Love being a missionary!  It is wonderful.  There are always hard things in this life- But God promises us that as we are obedient to the commandments and do our part he will "prosper us in the land" Keep your chins up! Have a wonderful week!

 

I LOVE YOU ALL SOOOOOOOO MUCH!

 

Onward and Upwards!

 

-Sister Wiser

 

PS- I don't know if it is a thing that I inherited from Dad- But I just happen to adopt the accent whenever I am having a conversation with people.  haha So yes- I currently have a red neck Texan accent.  Haha my companion makes fun of me for it ALL the time.  Haha the best part is when they ask me where I am from and I sheepishly say "uh.... Utah..." haha. Story of my life! I can't help it! =D

 

I LOVE TEXAS!! BEST PLACE TO BE A MISSIONARY!! 

HOLA!

Hello from the GREAT WHITE NORTH!!

That is what they call it up here! haha that is because it is exactly opposite here. No Spanish really.  I have only spoke Spanish to one human so far.  I am on North Padre Island.  It is BEAUTIFUL.  The island is super super long- but very narrow.  It is only about two miles across.  So we can basically see the beach wherever we are.  There are houses that are built and their back yards are water.  They just hop on their boats from their back porch and go cruisen on the ocean. As we walk around or bike you can see little kids fishing off their back porches as well.  There is a beautiful sea breeze that cools down the summer heat and palm trees everywhere. It is Super pretty.  Be excited to come on vacation here someday!  In the mornings we walk out side of our apartment and it is a one minute walk until we are on the board walk by the beach. So we do our work outs out there and get to watch the sun rise.  It is pretty. 

My new companion is Sister Ramos.  She has three months left on the mission.  She is a convert to the church- converted when she was 16- and now she is out her serving the Lord! It is super great!  She is from Weezer (don't know how to spell that..) Idaho. Also- back in Donna- all the latinos would call me 'Hermana Weeezer" because they can't pronounce Wiser. funny. Anyways,  both her sisters are members.  She has had a tough life- but she knows the church is true and wants to help others! so that is great!

The work is SOOOO different here! well- It is the same work- But it is different because people on the streets don't invite you in or want to talk to you about the church, or Jesus, or anything religious. So we are working on that! Ha I will be honest- it is super weird contacting in English. I am actually more comfortable contacting in Spanish.  We have awesome members here though! and So much work to be done! My area covers North Padre Island and Port Aransas.  It is a greenie area- It has only been open for 2 transfers. So the work is really going to get rolling soon.  It is amazing how the Lord blesses us with miracles. And even though the people are different- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is TRUE.  It is SO true.  And it applies to EVERYONE. 

Last night- after a long day we were walking down the street and we just weren't finding anyone home, or anyone that was interested. and my Comp pulled out the scripture Alma 26-27- which says- "Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with patience thine afflictions and I will give unto you success." We were walking down the street- and literally- the second she closed the book of mormon we saw this 17/18 year old girl walking down the street!  So we went and talked to her- and invited her to follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized! SHE SAID YES! And we have a return appointment with her tonight! So we are super excited!  It was definitely a miracle. And that just strengthened my testimony- That the Lord is truly aware of us. And that he does know where we are and the things that we need. When we pray and ask for direction he really will lead us to where we need to be.

Here on the island we bike more! Haha so that has been fun.  It is a lot nicer on the island actually.  Cars are more aware of bikers- and it gives us more of an opportunity to talk to ALL the humans. =D And I got fried.  So now I have a nice farmers tan. and a shoe tan.  Ha I am just the queen of awkward tan lines. =D It's all fun. =D

This week I read an amazing talk- on of the new sisters in the ward gave it to me.  Its called "Beware of Pride" by ezra taft benson.  He lays down the law!  Man it is soooo good! look it up.  It is definitely a life changer.

That's all for this week! I love being a missionary! and I love this work.  Missionary work is truly God's work.  Being  fully converted and faithful to our covenants here on the earth is truly the only way to make it in this crazy world.  Now a days- having a testimony is very good-  It is a very important first step-  But CONVERSION is what saves us. in Alma chapter 19- After Ammon taught king lamoni- and he was 'sleeping' for three days- after he arose he and his wife started teaching the people that had gathered because of the servant Abish. in verse 31 it says: 'as many as heard his words believed, and were CONVERTED unto the lord.'  After that they became a righteous people- blessed by the lord. in a few verses down it says that they 'no longer desired to do evil'.  When we are truly converted to Christ we have the strength to overcome anything.  We have full access to the atonement and all the blessings that come!  When we are converted we will 'never fall away'.  Every time I read the book of Mormon I am more and more converted to Christ.  I know that the book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ.  It truly testifies of him and teaches his gospel.  Jesus is the Christ.  The savior of the world.  Through him we are saved from every pain, sorrow, trial and trouble. We are saved from Death itself. As we 'draw near unto him', he draws nearer to us. The book of Mormon is full of promised blessings- as we keep the commandments and do the things that God guides us to do we are blessed beyond our 'wildest dreams'.

 

LOVE YOU ALL!

until next week!

-Onward and Upward-

 

-Sister Wiser 

Culebra = Caught ;)

Buenas Tardes Familia!!

 

SOOOO Much has happened this week!  And there are great things going on in the mission field!  First peice of news- I am getting transfered!  Tomorrow!  I am going up to North Padre Island. I leave tomorrow morning at 9:30.  I am leaving behind my almost mexico city. But I am super excited.  I am not even sure who my companion is yet, but i am sure i will just love her.  There will be more news next week. ;) as of right now i really don't know anything about my new area. =D we will find out tomorrow!! I am sad to leave my 'momma' of the mission-Sister Sanders.  here in el campo they call your trainers 'mom'. and my twin-Sister Larrabee- But I know that they are going to do a great job!  They are wonderful missionaries and I have learned SOOOO much from them both.  it was great!  I love them both so much. Also- if you write me letters- send them to the mission home-  I will not know my new address for  a while. =D

Second piece of news-  As of this week- The missionaries of the Texas Mcallen Mission are no longer allowed to knock random doors or schedule part of the day for random door knocking!! Crazy huh?  I guess they have been doing that in mexico and it has been working.  We are to soley work through Members referrals and the Area Book.  Missionary work really is impossible without the help of the members.  I remeber dad saying that new baptized members are like babies- they need A LOT of help their first year being a member of the church.  it is soooo true.  These people are making huge life changes they need all the support they can get.  I think it will be awesome- We all know that referrals are WAAAAYYYY better than knocking cold. (thank you summer sales for that knowledge) So familia- if you have referrals- help out the missionaries to build the kingdom of God.  One thing that has been really effective here is having members present at lessons- or doing family home evenings with the investigators.  it helps show them an example of how happy they can be with their famalies. :) It is great!

STERLING!!!!!!  YOU ARE GOING TO ENGLAND!!!! AHHHHHHH!!!  Man, I am soooo excited for you!  be excited- you have a week and a half until you start the craziest/best/most rewarding adventure of your life.  Seriously- being a missionary is the best feeling- you get to help bring other children of our Heavenly Father into the fold.  it is such a blessing and SOOO rewarding.  I have absolutely loved being out here.  Its crazy- how you will love people that you don't even really know.  This is the best advice I have for future missionaries:  Be OBEDIENT and WORK. When you are obedient to ALL the mission rules- even the little ones like not chewing gum- you are seriously blessed with miracles. This work is God's work- and if we want to succeed at it, and have the success of helping Gods Children enter the waters of Baptism- we need to do it HIS way.  The best thing you can do when you get to the MTC- is to be stricly obedient- so you can have the spirit with you always.  If you are obedient- then you will be unstoppable. And missionary work is.. well.. WORK.  When you do all you can- God WILL give you miracles in finding prepared people.  This week here in Mcallen- before they changed the knocking cold doors rule- We found two young men that are 19/20 ish that are SOOOO prepared!  They both accepted baptismal dates for June 30. -on the FIRST contact we had with them!  :) it was SOOOO cool asking "brian, will you follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized by someone that holds the proper authority of God?" Then after testifying of the blessings that come from making that first promise.  WOOT.  Man.  It is so cool.  And when you are obedient- and Listen to the impressions of the spirit- you are truly given the words to say exactly when you need them. Be excited to invite ALL people to be baptized.  Sterling- You are going to be an awesome missionary! Give it all you got. and you will succeed in touching the Hearts of SOOO many.  Obedience and work- You got it! 

SOOOOOOOOOO- the CULEBRA. Tuesday- we caught the snake!!! we caught it! So here is the story.  We were coming home to grab a quick bite to eat before we hits the streets of almost mexico- and the snake was curled up on the kitchen tile.  Sister Sanders was the first one to see it. and immediately started screaming.  immediately. haha. So naturally I started screaming. =D so we start running around- trying to find something to capture it with-  it was crazy.  So we finally found a box and tried to put it ontop of the snake- but it was really really really fast- and Slithered under the entertainment center.  So we made a hook with a hanger and a stick that Sister Larrabee found. and taped it all up. The plan was to try to grab it with a hook and put it into our trash can- so we could transport it FAR away from our house. So we have our flash lights and we are all freaking out- looking under the entertainment center- trying to grab the stupid thing with a hook- and suddenly it disappeared.  We could not find it ANYWHERE. So we started moving the furniture in the living room. After looking for about 7 minutes I moved this little cabinet thing and it was hiding under there. and crawled over my foot! Bah-(gives me the heebie jeebies just thinking about it)  So i dropped the cabinet thing as it went under the couch.  This happened for about 20 minutes- we would move a peice of furniture and it would hide under the next closest one. Haha you can picture us just chasing it around the room with  a dinky hook and a trash can.  It was SOOO irritating. So our pet snake finally ended up under a HUGE book shelf, That was piled high with books.  So naturally we took all the books off. Then we made a barricade. =D  The ENTIRE living room was a mess- so we lined up all the furniture and blocked off the holes so that it couldn't get through.  Then Sister Larrabee moved the book shelf and we almost had it- but then it got through our barricade and started going through the kitchen AGAIN.  We were chasing it (screaming the entire time) around the kitchen.  Haha it was like sister missionaries transformed into the 3 Stooges. I am sure we looked ridiculous. anyways-  We finally caught it- after repeating the above process 3 more times.  it was a quick little thing!  We were sooo relieved to get it out of the house! We let it loose outside the elders apartment. Hahaha =D I think we scared it so bad that it will never want to have an encounter with another human ever.  Hopefully it learned its lesson and will stay out of houses!  So- That was interesting.  The Sister Snake HUNTERS. Wassup.

So another time when we were randomly street contacting- on Ruby Street- before the change- we found this old hispanic lady. She had encountered the missionaries before and wanted us to pray for her.  So we did. SHE WAS CRAZY.  We started praying with the usual 'dear heavenly father'- and continued on- and after every sentance she would CHANT things.  It was all in spanish- but it was the equivelent(man i can't spell! Sorry) OH HALLELIA!! BLESSED LORD- and SO on.  I had no idea what to think.  But it was definatly an interesting prayer.  The people were nice- a little crazy- but nice.  I am glad that we are more reverant. =D

So in our ward there are 14 missionaries! Cool huh?  Everywhere you turn there are missionaries.  But sunday we all sang a rendition of 'I need thee every hour'- for  a member that is leaving on his mission this week.  It went really cool.  And you could feel the spirit come it.  It was awesome singing with 14 other missionaries.  I really liked it. 

I also shared my testimony in spanish yesterday!  I don't think i have been so nervous for something in my entire life. I was literally shaking.  My new area doesn't use spanish as much- So I decided that I could use the spanish practice.  It was scary.  But a good experience.  The ward mission leader told me that i sound like a mexicana!  Which is great.  Soy mexicana en mi corazon! That  made me feel pretty good. 

I took my picture book Mom made for me to church yesterday.  The people LOVED it.  La Hermana Deanda- a sister in the spanish ward- was looking at it and kept saying -OH que linda! OOOOHHHH GUAPA!! OOOHHHHH BONITO!!!  =D In spanish everything is bigger too. So it was really loud. Stanton- She told me that you look like Justin Beiber. Hahaha i just laughed and agreed with her.  Even the Mexicanos think you look like the Beib. Good work ;)  They loved the book- So thanks Mom. ;)

Well- Thats all the time that i have!  i will send some pictures!  I love you All.  Thanks for the support and the prayers.

Always remember that God has a plan for every one of us.  When we do the little things (C-church P-pray R-read) We are truly blessed beyone measure. God is aware of what where we are in our lives.  One thing that I really learned this week is that 'Specific prayers bring about Specific Answers'. It truly works.  LOVE YOU ALL! Que tengan un buena semana!

 

Until next time- Onward and Upwards

 

-La Hermana Wiser

(in spanish they pronounce it WEEEEZEER) haha its funny.

 

Bye!

Here is our pet snake! Creepy little guy verdad?

The first picture is our GOLDEN investigator- Ana Ramos- The one that is marrying a RM. last week in a lesson she asked "why do people doubt that the book of mormon is true? It is obviously from God!' She is about as golden as they come.  I am super excited for her future familia!

The first picture is of Myra- one of our investigators! She is super awesome- and OH SO SASSY.  Someday i will do an impression for you.

In this picture you can kinda see how messed up the house is, Couches and book cases everywhere. =D so fun!  i am going to miss my companions.

 

Welll!! hope you enjoyed the pictures!! LOVE YA!

Here is me with the hook. and the snake in my laundry hamper!

New word of the week - Culebra-translation~SNAKE

Buenas Tardes Familia!!

 

I hope that you all have had a wonderful week! SUMMATIME!! yay! summer break!  Haha it is summer all year around here, but i am sure that you are glad for the warm.  This week has been a wonderful one! crazy! and wonderful.  haha man, the things that happen on the misison.  It is always an exciting adventure.  OH ya! i forgot- yesterday was memorial day! i hope it was fun for you all. =D All the libraries and computer labs here were closed- hence- why i am emailing today!

 

So- Yesterday (p-day) i was sitting at our kitchen table, writing a letter to Stanton, when out of the corner of my eye i saw something move.  SO, naturally i looked, and it was a SNAKE. CULEBRA. SERPIENTE. IN OUR HOUSE. ahhhhhh. As you can imagine i started freaking out.  haha. you can just picture me standing on my chair screaming. because that is exactly what happened. :) haha So my other companion, Sister sanders, came out to see what the rucus was all about, and saw the snake, and joined my up on the chair and started screaming as well. our other companion- Sister Larrabee was outside in the garage getting a popsicle, and the washer and dryer were going so she didn't hear a thing.  So i worked up the courage to go out and get her (because she is the brave one who deals with spiders, snakes, fixing toilets.. you name it) as she came back in the snake slithered across the bottom of the cabinest and found a hole and went INSIDE the hole.  so we emptied out the cabinents with a broom. no luck.  we couldn't find the darn thing.  So it is now stuck underneath the cabinets in our kitchen.  So we have another new pet!  A pet snake. haha lucky us!  We don't know where it is, or how to find it, or what to do with it.  But i guess we will find it eventually.  We think it is just a garden snake. but it was like 20 ish inches long and very fast.  So i will keep you updated on our new pet.  We all dreamt about getting eaten by snakes last night. the fun adventrues of the mission.

So we had some really awesome lessons this week! it is so cool to watch investigators build their own faith and start changing.  ;) it is the best feeling ever as a missionary.  We have an investigator names Myra- the one with all the latina SASS. hahaha oh man she is sassy.  She is so fun.  But we had a lesson with her about finding faith in Christ.  We talked about how through Jesus Christ we can overcome the two things that people everywhere in the world have to deal with- SIN and DEATH.  We talked about how the atonement really covers sin, guilt, sorrows, worries, mistakes, pain, sickness, EVERYTHING, and how through Christ ressurection we can all live again in our bodies as well.  We then watched a video that we have called 'finding faith in christ' (you can get it online, it is really good!).  The movie just has a bunch of christ miracles, the atonement, and different experiences that Christ had while he was on the earth. It was really neat. And it really puts God's plan into perspective.  The spirit was there and Myra was enthralled. You could tell that the wheels were turning in her mind. We then touched on the importance of the sacrament, and that we go to church to remember christ and to repent and apply the atonement in our lives. She gave the closing prayer.  it was BEAUTIFUL. the spirit was there SOOOO strong!  her prayer was so sincere and she asked God to help her get to church and to know what she needs to do in her life.  She is really progressing, and even though she has met with the missionaries before I think that things are finally clicking in her mind.  That just shows you how different everyone of God's children is.  Each persons journey is SO personal.  But God's plan applies personally and specifically to each one of us. The best part was that she came to church!! and she brought her non member uncle! Bah!! it was so great.  She really is awesome. and i am looking forward to meeting with her more this week.

 

We are out of time! we have district meeting.  But i love you all!  The gospel is true and the book is blue!  Really- The gospel of Jesus Christ provides every single answer that we need here on the earth.  We can find them as we read, ponder and study the scriptures, as we pray with real intent, and as we keep the commandments God has given us and the covenants that we have made. God is willing and waiting to bless us! all we have to do is ask. =D

 

Onward and Upward!!

Until next week!

-HERMANA WISER

 

---haha pray that we don't get eaten by our new pet! ;)