April 28, 2014

Hello lovely people!

This week has been great.  We saw some great miracles and learned some wonderful lessons. 

REBECA got baptized!! Yay!!!!   She is such a wonderful Senora!!  I love her with my whole soul.  She was so dang prepared- and the baptismal service was beautiful.  I have just been on cloud 9 for the past few days.  We had a lesson with her the first of the week- and prepared her for the interview. She was interviewed on friday- and passed with flying colors.  She had been studying with the elders in Mexico a while back- but she wasn't quite ready then.  But she sure was ready now!  Yay!  -  I am grateful that those elders planted the seed in her heart.  

Then sunday came around- and we had to run to the english ward (the english and spanish both start at 10:00- and they are 15 minutes away from  eachother) then after the sacrament we ran to the spanish ward.  It was wonderful. Then right after we had the baptism.  There was a lot of ward support- haha and the ward brought the entire primary with them!  So the baptism was full of little angels.  i wish i could have taken a picture of it when Rebeca went into the font- like 12 little kids all gathered around to watch- they were all so reverent.  It felt like a little peice of heaven in the room.  The talks were great-  Sister Kreis talked on the holy Ghost- and one of the amazing members gave a talk on baptism.  She is a convert of 1 year!- and she is now helping with the work of salvation.  I love it.  After the baptism- I did a special musical number. I did the tune of "Savior, Reedemer of my Soul"- but the song is not in spanish- so i fould one in the spanish hymn book that fit the measures and tempo.  it woked out.   I love belting out Jesus songs. =D Rebeca's Tia closed off the service with a beautiful heartfelt prayer.  She had been less active for 10 years- and just started coming back.  her daughter-in-law and her Neice came into the fold because of her faith!  So wonderful how the lord works.  The spirit was there super strong.  it was such a special experience that I will treasure all my life.

I love the Spirit!  The feeling and the peace it brings is uncomparable to anything else.  it is so worth it to keep our covenants, serve Heavenly Father, and do the best we can- so we can have the spirit with us constantly.  What a blessing.  =D

We also had a crazy amount of dinner appointments yesterday too!  MAN Gordita Wiser!! hahaha. We ate with Rebeca and Juana- then we went to a member- and she fed us.  THEN we went and ate with the Neils- a wonderful senior couple that work in the office. THEN- our Suarez family fed us too.  =D we took the guitar out yesterday and sang hymns to people. So that was fun.

I just love being a missionary!  I love the work!  I love the feeling of the spirit, and watching it change people. 

Have a wonderful week!

-Hermana Wiser

PS- it is the last week of the transfer!-  so we will see if sister Wiser is going to be in La vista for 7 transfers. hahaha bring it on!  love you all =D

Rebeca!! =D yay!! ( jesus is pointing up!  haha)

This is sister cowgill!  she taught us how to make home-made mexican cheese!! it was so fun! and we have been eating it ALLLLL week.  Haha she is such a wonderful lady.  We had a blast. 

Me and osmar.  he is such a sweet little thing!  he just chatted my ear off in rapid-fire little kid spanish!! !QUE LINDO!! =D I love him.  haha

Elder Merrill- our district leader baptized her.  Juana is the sweet little lady in pink.  Osmar- is her darling son(he is 5). then me and the kreisita and Rebeca. =D fun!

Haha this is sweet little osmar.  he has to go back to mexico this week.  -hahah yes- he is wearing his boxers!  must be a boy thing. haha good thing he is only 5.

This was a separate email from Shayna that i thought you all would enjoy.

HI MOMMY!!  THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PACKAGE!!!!! I LOVE IT!!!! YAY!!!! BEST PAQUETE EVER!!

Haha funny enough- this morning in my personal study i read about the stripling warriors- and in Alma 56:27-28-27--- And now itcame to pass in the second month of this year, there was brought unto us many provisions from the fathers of those my twothousand sons. 28 And also there were sent two thousand men unto us from the land of Zarahemla. And thus we were prepared withten thousand men, and provisions for them, and also for their wives and their children.------ the stripling warriors recieved a nice package from home! haha to boost them up and give them strength. hahahaha. =D  So, thank you. I am so excited about it all.  we are going to do a special musical number this sunday. and i am PUMPED to watch stantons video. and get my  mind blown about the atonement.  thank you thankyou thankyou!!

 

HERE IS THE NEWS!!

The transfer i come home has been changed to a week earlier.  So my official release date will be September the 3rd.  So i will only miss like 2 days of school. =D  What happened was this- President Maluenda has a special meeting with sister maluenda the week of my original release date- and he couldn't have done the transfer AND go to salt lake for the meeting.  So the transfer will be a week short.  Crazy right?  Last week- i was really praying hard.  and i just asked Heavenly father to make it work out.  And he did.  It will all be okay- AND i can finish out my mission with the group that i came out with.  I am SOOO dang blessed.  Get those next 2 days off of work if you can.  I am seriously inviting you to come to college with me. =D PLEASE COME WITH ME.  I will sleep on the floor. =D Consider yourself offically invited to come to college with your 21 year old daughter. =D  yay!  i love you momma. 

-Hermana Wiser

April 21, 2014

Hello! this is a cascarone!  it is a real eggshell filled with confetti.  then you smash them on other peoples heads. hahaha. =D yay for pascua

haha squished cascarone. =D  hahahaha

Yay chocolate rabit- ignore my messy desk. haha my study threw up all over it! =D

This is our family easter picure!! Grandma Kreis, Tia Wiser, Momma Wonnacott, and Hija Sarmiento!  The ward made us easter bags.  SOOO cute! =D

Sandra and her family! yay for getting baptized on easter sunday!  how beautiful!! =D  I feel so blessed that i was able to help her!

Yay!! Mother and daughter re-unite!! we had WAY to much fun! haha best exchange ever!!

This is the sisters of the Mcallen and Edinburg zones. =D haha ensign picture!!

Hello dear family!!

I hope your easter was wonderful!  We had a great easter weekend.  SOOOO many people were out and about!  So that was fun talking to everyone. For an easter lunch we went to the Villegas family!  A great little hispanic family that i love.  She made us Posole- which is like soup kinda- and Cow tongue taquitos.  So yup!! I had cow tongue for easter!  haha yay missonary work. it actually wasnt too back.  ALL the people were out having carne asadas- and  everyone wanted pictures (pass-along cards) of Jesus.  So that was great.  This week was super nuts.  We had 3 exchanges- and a ton of craziness in our area as well.  So we were running all week long!

I got to do an exchange with my hija!! Sister Petersen! It was super good to talk to her and work with her again! I love her so much!  =D  We had some crazy stuff happen too. haha just like the good old times in corpus. We taught about 7 restoration lessons(short 15 minute)- and were able to find some new invstigators for their area.  So that was a miracle.  =D

Then on saturday we did another exchange on saturday with the sisters that live in our apartment.  Sister Wonnacott and Sister Sarmiento(from chile).  They are both wonderful sisters.  I was with sister sarmiento and we had the biggest miracle ever!! We were riding bikes all day- talking to a million people- and we saw this women outside cleaning her cooler out.  so we went and started talking to her and started teaching her right there about the restoration.  THE WOMEN WAS SOOOO PREPARED.  We taught it super breifly- using the pamphlet- and testified super strong about Joesph Smith. And she understood everything!  So at the end we invited her to pray to know if Joseph Smith really did see heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.  So she did.  AND the spirit just whoooshed right in. As she finished her prayer she had tears in her eyes.  We asked her how she felt- and she put her had over her heart and said-  "I feel something here that I have never flet before!"  We helped her to recognize the spirit and the answer she recieved.  Then she accepted a baptismal date for the 18 of may.  It was such a miracle!  She was SOOOO prepared.  Every week I my testimony grows bigger and bigger that the Lord leads his missionaries to prepared people- ones that are ready to act on the gospel principles.  it is wonderful!  It was one of the most powerful 1st lessons that i have had on my mission!  And its is even better that she is in the other sisters area-  So they can work with her and see more miracles!  yay!

AND---- Another miracle story!  Rebeca- our investigator that we have been working with for about a month and a half- is getting baptized this coming sunday!! yay!!!  She was having the problem keeping the sabath day holy- because she is here from mexico to work- and she works on sundays.  But she make the decision to quit her job in order to keep the commandments of God.  talk about an act of faith!!  She is so ready!  AH I just love her.  AND- when sister Garry was here with us- we actually found rebeca, and her cousin Saul- and his wife were there too- Saul and Sandra ended up being in the area of the elders-  but she got baptized yesterday and it was such a beautiful experience.  The room was PACKED full of members there to support her.  The night before her baptism Sandra texted us and invited us to come.  It was SOOO great.  I love little tender mercies. 

Lately i have been studying a lot about the saviors life-  in the book 'Jesus the Christ".  BEST BOOK EVER.  If you haven't read it- you should! It just explains things so well.  =D  This week my favorite chapter has been Alma chapter 7:11-13 ---11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and ^aafflictions and ^btemptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will ^ctake upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

12 And he will take upon him ^adeath, that he may ^bloose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to ^csuccor his people according to their infirmities.

13 Now the Spirit ^aknoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the ^bflesh that he might ^ctake upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me.

I love these scriptures.  It still amazes me that Jesus Christ did that for each one of us. I feel so blessed to be a member of HIS church, and to have access to the atonement and blessings God has in store for us. Jesus truly is the Christ, the Son of God, who came to redeem all mankind who would harken to his voice!  I love you all!  Have a wonderful week.

Love

Hermana Wiser

4-14-14 - Hello =D I cant think of a witty title at the moment. so hello will have to work.

Hello Humans of Utah! and other places.

Ha! this week has been the most crammed week of my entire mission. Sister Kreis and I worked SOOOO hard!!  we had a bunch of miracles.  It is amazing how the Lord just  keeps blessing us! The theme for this week was obedience. And the importance of obedience in the Chruch of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Man!  it is important!!  We literally read Mosiah 2:41 about 700 times this week.  SO many people struggle with the commandments.  Even members of the church. It is crazy.  I loved reading the scripture- everytime i got something new out of it.

      "41 And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and ^ahappy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are ^bblessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out ^cfaithful to the end they are received into^dheaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it".

We were having a lesson with a family that I absolutley adore- they have become such wonderful friends in the time I have had here.  And recently they have had random outside activites pull them away from church. so-  We read this scripture with them and broke it down- and I had a new insight!  So I will share it with you.  As we are obedient to our covenants- baptismal...ect- we are blessed with the spirit.  The Holy Ghost is a member of the Godhead- that literally can help us out in every level of our lives.  As we have the spirit with us we can develope chirstlike attributes and spritual gifts.  Every good gift comes from God- and since we are made in the image of God- when we cultivate spiritual gifts - we are literally becoming MORE like God. The more we develop spiritual gifts- its kinda like Heavenly Father smoothing out our rough edges.  We get purified.  By the end of our lives- if we keep up this pattern- keep covenants, have the holy ghost, are constantly trying to be more like Jesus Christ- we can one day dwell with God in his Celestial kingdom. It just makes sense!  

No wonder Heavenly Father kids get baptized at the age of 8!  It is a life long process of purification.  Pretty cool.  Hope that made sense- it makes sense in my little brain. Moral of the story is- use the atonement to cultivate spiritual gifts!! haha. I love the scriptures.  

The family really enjoyed the lesson.  Man we were bold.  We when don't keep the commandments God gives us we are literally sinning.  I know that that is not a profound statement- but so many people don't realize it!  Going to church made the 10 commandments!- its number 4 for a reason.  haha it just prevents so many problems!!

I had 2  wonderful exchanges this week.  We see so many miracles in exchanges!  I learn so much from the sisters. I just love them so much and want them to have success.  . The sister I went with is hilarious.  We did WORK in her area and were blessed to find 5 new investigators after an entire transfer of only finding 2 people.  I have never prayed so hard to find so much in my entire life.  I wanted so badly to help this sister to discover the success in her area!  and that she can do it! It was an awesome exchange.  after teaching 2 lessons to 2 not super prepared people, I had the impression to go back and contact this referral we had forgot about.  So we drove back to that area and went to contact the referral- they were really awkward and not interested. So as we were walking back to the car we saw 2 dudes working on a hilarious Mexi-truck.  It was a big red, low rider. so we went to talk to them and they pointed us to the people closer to the house.  And we talked to the sweetest person ever!  She accepted a baptismal date and prayed, it was wonderful and the spirit was there super strong.  That was a huge miracle!  And the other 15 members of her family live there in that same house! So that was awesome.  Small family of 15. That will take up an entire row at the church!! yipee!

Eric- remember him? he got baptized in november- he is finally coming back to church! He came to be a member present with haley this past weekend.  Haley is so sweet! She is progressing well.

And the last miracle that I have time to share is our Sunday miracle.  We almost reached ALL our goals this week- but we were lacking some new investigators.  So we prayed and went out to get to work.  We had a bunch of referrals to contact.  We have been getting 25 every week!  So our referral pool is pretty deep. -and we went to an area- but forgot about one-(kinda like the exchange expirence, I think the Lord is trying to teach me a lesson.)  Sister Kreis had the feeling to go back- so I turned the car around and we headed back.  it was a young couple, they invited us right in and accepted a baptismal date!  IT was such a testimony builder to me!  When we listen for the spirit he will give us the directions that we need.  We had prayed to find prepared people to teach- and the lord told us through a prompting he gave to my wonderful companion.It was so wondrful!! 

I love my area, I love the wards I serve in, I love the people, I love my companion and I love the Lord.  Man! being a missionary is great.  Shelby and Stanton- prepare now- you are going to absolutely LOVE your missions.  It is such a blessing to serve the Lord.

I know that this is HIS church.  As we live worthy of the spirit he will guide and purify us. 

love yall!

-Hermana Wiser

OH!! Happy Easter this week.  It is a super special sunday! yay!!

April 7, 2014

Hola!!

What a wonderful and spiritually uplifting week!  CONFERENCE WAS AWESOME.  I was so sad when it was over. But i learned some amazing things!  This week was a week of meetings for us.  Sister Kreis and I had MLC and STL training, conference, zone meeting, and interviews with President.  So I feel like i was soaked with a spritiual fire hydrant.  It was wonderful.  its funny- because i always feel like I cant fit another ounce of knowledge in my brain- but then I do!  I love how the Gospel works.  Line upon line- precept upon precept. We also had some great miracles for the week!  it is amazing how the Lord leads and guides us to his prepared people.  After one of the meetings this week- we went out to work- and decided to contact some referrals that we had received.  The first guy wasn't interested- but he referred us to his neighbor who was a childhood friend.  So we ran over there and taught him the first lesson and invited him to be baptized!  He accepted- it was crazy because he kinda looked like dad does when he has a go-t( how do you spell that kind of a beard?  Go-Tee... Goh-Ti.. i don't know.)  ;)  Anyways it was really great!  He gave us some referrals to.  Then we had recieved a Member referral- and went to contact it- and the actual lady that we were looking for had moved- but the new people living there let us in.  We were able to teach a first lesson with them as well and set a BD.  So that was a great miracle.  You can see the spirit work in people when they pray for the first time!  Or when they hear the experience of Joseph Smith.  It is SOOO wonderful!  Remember Elena and Lesly?  we were teaching them back in november and december- they weren't quite ready last time.  But this week we were driving by and I saw Elena outside.  So we quick pulled over and ran over to talk to her.  Turns out she is having a really rough time right now. And has been praying for help.  So we set up a return appointment for last night and went.  She talked out ears off for the first 20 minutes- But we were able to turn the focus the the 1st vision and the restoration- which is really the only thing that will help us to overcome challenges in our lived.  If we know that the Joseph Smith saw God the Father and Jesus Christ- and we know that he was called as a prophet- we know that we can recieve direct guidance from the Lord and from his Modern Day prophet.  From that revelation- we can live our lives according to true gospel principals that keep us safe.  We can also know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God- and by building a foundation on him- we can make it through any storm.-  So- the restoration is SUPER DANG IMPORTANT.  Yay! But we had a really awesome lesson with them.  Lesly is such a prepared child!  she is 11 years old and so pure.  We showed her a picture of the first vision and asked her what was happening in it and she said (without knowing the experience at all)- "oh, God and Jesus are talking to that little boy."  Her insights were so inspired.  It is no wonder that Chirst invited us all to become like little children.  Elena closed with a prayer.. It was really wonderful. =D

 

Man- I don't even know where to start with conference this week.  It was so so so good.  I loved every session.  We watched it in the La Vista Chapel- where the mission office is.  it is also the chapel we go to every sunday.  So that was really wonderful.  Elder Hollands talk saturday morning was Crazy.  In the days we live in we really need to stand for what we know to be true. He said, "as we honor God's call- we will have Heavenly Father on our side."  SO TRUE.  As we stand up for our beliefs Heavenly Father backs us up. =D

Sister Linda Reeves talk was super powerful.  I dont remember ever hearing a Sister talk about pornography in general conference.  That just shows you the type of world we live in.  I loved her recipe for keeping families safe. -Daily scripture study, Daily prayer, FHE- EVERY week.-  These are things we hear ALL the time- but  it is the recipe for success.  I loved her focus on keeping- everything that mattered most- the focus.  She said that sometimes the house was left a little messy, or there were dishes in the sink- but they read the scriptures and strengthened eachother with the good word of God.  POWERFUL.

There was a ton of talk on tornados and storms-  build a good foundation on christ. =D

I LOVED ROBERT D HALES TALK ON OBEDIENCE. 

He said "be careful who you follow."  It just made me think that we really live in a crazy world- that doesn't understand the concept of obedience.  It is a heavenly principle.  I have really learned that if we love the Lord- we will keep his commandments. Another powerful thing he said was this: "Why do people choose to be disobedient when we know the eternal consequence?  Because they love Satan MORE than they love God."  AHHHH. Mayday!!  That really puts things into perspective.  Anyways i really liked that one.

M Russel Ballard was awesome too!  yay missionary follow up!  There is a great chapter about that in PMG. hint hint. =D haha.

I think it was powerful that he felt so strongly to follow up on his past conference talks- that means that we didn't follow through with the council.  Woops.  Good thing there is repentance. ;)  I loved his invitation to invite 4 people a year to come unto christ.  Think of ALL the children of God that would enjoy the blessing we enjoy if we were to all do that.  I also loved his example in ACTS- with peter and the lame man.  how he reached out his hand and pulled  him up- THEN walked into the temple with him. 

I think my favorite was President Monson's talk.  About love.  Really charity is the base of all things.  Because God Loves us he sent his son here for us.  When we love god- we will keep his commandments.  Love really takes obedience to a deeper level-  we do things because we love the Lord- not just because we know we have to.  President monson is such a powerful example of that!  I am working on developing real charity. 

I love the Gospel.  I feel so blessed to be one of God's misisonaries.  I know Joseph Smith was called to be aprophet of god- that he was the messenger that restored the TRUE church on the earch.  Through God's power he translated the Book of mormon.  I know the book of mormon is true.  Jesus Christ is our Savior and redeemer. He died so we can all live- free from sin- as we keep our covenants and strive to be like him.

Love you all!

Have a wonderful week!

-Hermana Wiser

 

March 31, 2014

Hello familia!!

Hope you are all having a wonderful last day of march!  Crazy!  This week has been chuck full of miracles. =D i have enjoyed every second of it. So- With transfers!! I am still here! in the area of La Vista.  I am really greatful that i have another transfer to work here.  it is great!! Sister Kreis is with me.  Hermana Garry went to open a new STL area in harlengin.  She is a boss!  She will do great.

Then- we had another companionship move into our apartment!  Sister Wonnacott(sister kreis trained here)  and her Greenie! Her name is sister sarmiento- and she is from chile!  She was in the MTC for about 3 months learning english.  She is the sweetest!  Estoy pasando Chancho- is a chilean phrase- its like  "everything is great!" or "we are cool!" haha it is cute.  we are teaching her little dichos as well. =D  Our spanish is improving a lot to!  yay.

Sister Sanders finished her misison this past week!  Man!! My mission mom is home!!  That means that i am offically an old sister missionary. I had a good talk with her.  I am so grateful for great examples. I know the Lord really does put us with the companions that we need- in the times that we need them. what a blessing!

WOMENS CONFERENCE WAS WONDERFUL!! Yay!!  It was like a great little apetizer right before general conference this week!  WAHOOO!!  The spirit was there super strong.  I loved how they talked about being a covenant keeper. and being the Lords hand in serving others. there is always a spiritual "help wanted sign."  So great! Go and read the tafile:///Users/laurawiser/Library/Containers/com.apple.mail/Data/Library/Mail%20Downloads/9F9C4007-2225-4AF7-A54E-FF1D05F1D50E/DSC05717.JPGlks.  The music was super wonderful too!  It just makes me tear up.  Especially when the darling primary girls began singing.  That was a POWERFUL message!  We as (future) Mothers need to teach the children to walk in the light.  Man!  I loved that! Way to go Sister Wixum.

Then- we had a great miracle!  We went to visit kassandra, the rest of the family wasnt home- so we decided to stay and have a book of mormon reading session with Kassandra.  She has started reading on her own!  Which is great!  She was at the beginning of 1 nephi 7.  So we read out loud and discussed what we were all learning.  MAN!  some of her insights shocked me!  They were awesome.  We then read chapter 8- the tree of life- and she got it.  We started to ask her what she thought the tree, path, iron rod, and mist of darkness meant to her.  And she NAILED it. It is amazing watching the spirit teach. I learned a few new things as well- so the spirit was definatley there.  At the very end she said, "I am going to keep reading this book, because I never want to fall away." She was referring to the people that wandered off and got lost in the midst of darkness.  It was so refreshing!  I love the Holy Ghost!  I love watching people progress in the gospel.  It really is step by step. 

Alejandra- kassandras sister- is already reading clear in 2 nephi.  She is cruisen!  And Abuelito Giron was in Alma 4 when we visited with them on friday.  So wonderful.  Conversion really does come throught the book of mormon.  Take time to study it out!

Love you all!

Enjoy conference!!! WAHOOOOO!!! I am so excitied!!! Take good notes! I expect to hear what yall learned!

Have a wonderful week!

-Hermana Wiser

We had an end of transfer dinner with the perea family. They are recent converts of 1 year- and brother perea is the ward mission leader!! He is a boss!

He is so cute!!!

You can see my desk!  haha.. This is the night that we welcomed sister sarmiento( the one closet to me) and sister Perez (by sister garry) into the misison!  So fun!!

My last picture with momma sanders!!  Sister kreis and i helped to cook breakfast for all the missionaries that were finishing!  it was crazy. 

bike day!  it has been super hot!  The summer has offically begun.  Welcom 100 degree weather.. haha =D

Sister kreis and I opening a coconut with a screwdriver and a pot.  we made a yummy shake-  its called leche de platano. yum!

GUESS WHO IS A MISSIONARY IN TEXAS MCALLEN! Yup- that is my 1rst grade teacher Mrs. Lindsley.  CRAZY.  haha you should have seen the suprise on our faces. =D  haha small world.
Sister Power!!  We had a dinner with sister neil and sister lindsley(and their husbands).  It was so fun. They are both such wonderful christlike examples.  yay!