"There's nothing I love more than lying in bed"

Hey y'all

It twas another good week! I'm going to the zoo today for district p-day and I'm so excited! So I might not get to email everybody today, sorry! I'll try!

Tuesday and Wednesday had a funk to them that I couldn't put my finger on. It wasn't that anything bad happened to us it's just that little things kept going wrong and we kept meeting really really weird people... but what's new? The traffic has been super bad on the expressway lately, so that could be why there was so much negativity in the air. People around here get pretty upset if you disrupt their need for speed.

We went to give cookies to this gal in the ward who just had her hand amputated, so we stopped by her house only to find that she wasn't there. Her son (who we talked to forever) said she was at some hospital getting therapy. Then he somehow enlisted us to take her some things she would need while staying there and how can you say no to someone who doesn't have a car whose mom is in the hospital?? We didn't really know where it was at or how we'd get in, but we just went for It!

We were able to find the building, but the door needed some code and we had no idea what that was, so that was awesome, but then this young man opened the door for us from the inside and I recognized him from the homeless shelter Ashawnta used to stay at! He didn't recognize me, but I told him before he skirted outta there that he always rescues us and I wanted to thank him for that. He was a little awkward about it but that's okay. He always disappears before I can get his name, but seriously he's helped us multiple times and he doesn't even know It! You never know who you impact by doing simple nice things y'all!

We got the bag to the right room, but the sister wasn't there yet. So we still haven't met her 🙃

We had exchanges on Thursday and that's always a party. I got Sister Vernon who actually goes home in 2 weeks from her mission. Craziness! She and Sister Wilcox Sr will be leaving at the same time. Weird things are happening!

Speaking of that, I hit my 10 month mark last week! How bizarre is that?!

We had a lesson with Carly on Friday at the radio station on the USI campus because she works there, so that was fascinating. I've always wondered what it's like to be the person that talks between songs on the radio. Carly is much cuter than any person I've ever heard, I'm gonna have to find a way to tune into her station when I go home! And it's alternative music! Love it!!!

She had her baptismal interview on Saturday! It went so good! She is all set and ready to go! SO EXCITED!😆😆😆

Also on Saturday we went up to Fort Branch again and there was a giant trunk or treat party in the middle of the town! So that was awesome! We got to see a bunch of cute little munchkins all dressed up in their costumes😊

Sister Calhoun and I and all the elders in our 2 wards got to sing at an 8 year old girls baptism yesterday. We sang "I know when I am baptized" and she got all emotional, it was very sweet. She had on the most beautiful little white dress I'd ever seen! Carly got to be there and experience what her baptism is going to be like! Oh and then Carly came tracting with us and she bore her testimony to a bunch of different people and man I wish I could have a Carly with me everyday because her sincerityh and her spirit could totally be felt by everyone she met. Even though many still said "no", they could not deny that they felt the Spirit, because I could feel it. I love her so much!😢

The trees are finally turning colors! It's beautiful! I'll have to take more scenic pictures this week so y'all can see. Halloween is this week so Happy Halloween everybody!

Sister Calhoun and I are laying around in bed still, emailing people cuz this will be the only time to do it, hence the name of this email. It's from Sister Calhoun, love her!

Have a fabulous week y'all, enjoy the holiday! Love you!

With love,
Sister Wilcox❤❤❤

  

Okay Y'all the Sun is out and it's Cold

Heyyy

So... not much happened this week. 🙃

Last week I discovered how awesome Hobby Lobby is and I bought some paint for my pumpkin. Y'all, painting pumpkins takes forever as a missionary! Course it didn't help that I had no idea what I wanted to put on it for awhile, but still! I will attach the picture 😉

This week has been absolutely gorgeous! It's been sunny every day but it's been so cold! I love this kind of weather!! This is the best weather to tract in because everyone is typically outside- it's not too hot or too cold.

Sister Calhoun and I tracted this one street with some wicked hills and we met a man from Honduras who was interested in meeting with missionaries, only he didn't speak a whole lot of English! So the elders get to visit him 😝 Then we met a man who wasn't interested, but we talked to him for a bit about his incredible height. Y'all this guy was 7ft and it was the most bizarre experience having to tilt my head that far to see his face. I bet that's what it would be like talking to Hagrid.

We signed up to sing a some country song with the elders for the wards' Halloween talent show, so we've been practicing that a lot. At first the elders wanted to pick a Latino song and I had to tell them that I just could not do that- because I was losing my mind to Gente de Zona and Ricky Martin! I knew it would be a bad idea. But county music I don't really care for, so I'm not bothered by it 😁 It doesn't linger the way reggaeton does...

We had our Zone Conference this last week, and that was exciting! But man the Evansville zone is tiny! And we're so far away from everybody else! When I was in Louisville they called this zone "banishment" because you are never heard of again, basically. I think that's a little dramatic, but it's true in the sense that we never hear what's going on down in Kentucky. We're so out of the loop.

Well, Carly is still doing good, and she keeps blowing everyone away! If y'all could pray for her just so she can have the strength she needs to get through these next couple weeks, she would greatly appreciate it!

Nothing else really happened, it was a pretty chill week. So I just want to end by saying that the Atonement is the most beautiful gift of all gifts, yet it can be so neglected. Use it. It's free. It was paid for at such a painstakingly high price, the least we can do is show our appreciation for what has been done for us. I have never had a problem telling others that they can be forgiven, yet for some reason I never allow the Atonement to apply to me. It applies to all people. Using the Atonement is freeing and it will lift you from out of whatever you are facing, no matter what that may be. The Atonement is real. The power it has is real. It's the proof that Heavenly Father has unfathomable love for us all.

Also, this life is about having joy. So be joyful! Men are that they might have joy, and there is so much all around us to be happy about, even through all the wars raging and hurricanes blowing about. Be happy, look for ways to serve and ease the burdens of others, realize life while you live it, it's too short to not to. 😊

I love you all so much and I hope that this week is a happy one!

With love,
Sister Wilcox ❤❤❤

That house is one of many super old super cool looking houses in downtown. I had to take a picture of it. 😀

  

 

We Survived the Week

Hey y'all!

So last week Sister Calhoun and I went with Carly to a pumpkin patch and it was so CUTE! I petted a pony with a sign on her gate that said "pony bites" hahahaha oh well. We got pumpkins there too and we're planning on painting them today. Sister Calhoun is gonna drown hers in glitter!

On Tuesday we decided to drive all the way up to the northern-most part of our area. It's like 35 minutes away, which I guess isn't that bad, but when you have a set amount of miles it's a little precarious. There was a referral all the way up there so we just went for it. It was so much fun running around that town, and man was it cute! It was called 'Fort Branch' and I think I could totally live there, if for whatever reason I decided to live in Indiana. I don't think I'd do the humidity on purpose again though...

Wednesday we got to help the Wings move some landscaping around for their future patio they're putting in. I LOVE dirt! Love it, and plants. It was soooo nice too because the weather has finally cooled off! This week has been in the 50's and 60's and it has been magical! It looks like Oregon and now it finally feels like Oregon! Everybodys been like, "there was no Fall it just jumped right to winter" and I've been so confused, because this is what fall looks like?? I think it's pretty great. We had a lesson with Carly and she planned out everything for her baptism in like a cute little order of things and I just love her! She is precious, and she is so ready for this next step it's just so amazing to see.

I got to hold ducks on Thursday at the Pace's house! And inspect a chicken because she was losing a ton of feathers, she's just molting y'all! But I did feel bad for her, she covered me in feathers. The ducks were so cute! Brother Pace was like, " the best part about ducks is that they can't run as fast as chickens" and I about died! Their awkward little flat feet make it hard to escape! I waaaaant some! We had a lot of meetings on Thursday, so I can't really remember much of what happened. Our ward mission leader, Brother Schauss, is brand new so we had a LONG meeting with him. It was really cool to meet with him though because he is so fired up about missionary work, and he just wants to do the best he can for us. I love him and I think this is going to be an awesome transfer working with him!

Saturday started out rough! Ohhh my goodness, but everything worked out. For the most part I guess. We had lunch with Carly and taught her another lesson, and the entire time I was like, "you need to be teaching us!" She knows so much! I don't even know how she just does, she just needs to become part of the companionship and make us a trio! People need her testimony! Gosh I love her! It's such a privilege to know her and to have met souls like hers that are fighters, that are hungry for the gospel. They are inspiring!

Oh, also that night we drove out to see the Broshears (who ended up not being there). I got a little lost so I tried turning around in a driveway and these people had these super low, random logs placed on the sides of the drive that I didn't see and I totally got the car stuck cuz they were wet and slippery and our car is so short! I panicked and got so frustrated! Who puts logs like that by the driveway?! I knew we couldn't push the car ourselves (even though I totally tried to) and then finally I just had to be still for a sec and calm down. I had this little thought to just turn the wheel the other way and push on the gas. So I did. The darn car was able to get over the log and back onto the road! It's amazing what you can do if you just sit still and be calm, the Lord will show you what to do. He can't when you aren't listening, when you think "I'll figure this out on my own" or when you're so annoyed or frustrated that you can't even receive a prompting, like I was at that point. I didn't even feel like I deserved to have that kind of help, yet I was helped. That's how He works :)

Also I flooded a bathroom. We were at the Wings last night for a devotional/ game night and I guess the water never stopped running cuz soon there was a waterfall coming from the toilet and I ran outta there like, "how do I turn this off?!" It was pretty funny. I'm so grateful that the Wings are chill people.

That was my week! I have tons of fun with Sister Calhoun and we love Evansville! We aren't perfect missionaries but we sure try the best we can! I love y'all! I hope you enjoy the Fall weather as much as I do!!

With love,
Sister Wilcox

Guys I'm a Senior Companion 🙃

Hello beautiful people!

This week has been so weird! I took over an area and I'm driving and I'm a senior companion, it's just the strangest thing. It's really not as bad as I thought it would be!

So I spent all day Tuesday in the car with sister Anderson entertaining her 2 and 4 year old, so that was fun! It's roughly a 2 hour drive to Louisville from Evansville, we're a ways out! Coming into Lousiville again was like seeing an old friend! I swear I never thought I would miss it that much!

We dropped off Sister Pankey, and that was hard. She did NOT want to go. She gets to be in Radcliff Kentucky with my MTC complanion Sister Ashmead! I think they'll have fun! Then we picked up Sister Calhoun, this cute little blonde gal, who was companions with sister Mitchell back in Carollton. She is darling and man she chats up a storm! It's fun, and she is such a character like, every other sentence we're laughing about something! I love it.

Sister Calhoun and Carly hit it off great! We spent pretty much all of Wednesday with Carly because we had a lesson with her and then she came to institute, so that made me a happy gal! It was such a strange feeling to walk across a college campus to go see Carly, and not feel like a college student? I miss college! Somebody remind me I said that in a year or so when I start whining about school again 😅

All week long the apartment management has had some maintenance people come around and repaint everything and they play their music all morning long! We'll be sitting there doing our studies and then suddenly these oldies tunes get cranked on (not that I dislike them or anything) and I can feel that the spirit is irritated 😂 so we've had to study in the back room. The paint looks good though

On Tuesday we had dinner with Carly and her mom! That was a little stressful leading up to the point where we actually arrived, and then for whatever reason I wasn't stressed. I was praying super hard that it would be a good experience for all of us, and I think it was. We did more listening than talking, but that's okay. We got to know them better😊

On Friday sister Calhoun and I worked at the wards' Monster Ear booth at the Fall Festival! It was so much fun! And all I did was weigh and roll dough balls! Well, I worked the register a bit too, it felt weird to be doing that again! I almost forgot how to be a normal human working a normal job! And by the way, our ward is awesome! You can stick ten random members into a hot, flour covered food truck, and we still have a blast! Sister Calhoun and I were covered in everything by the time we left, and we smelled like fried food.

General Conference was fantastic! I stayed awake the whole time AND took notes. That's an accomplishment for me! We hung out with the Jenks and their crazy cat, the Anderson family for Saturday night and Sunday morning, and then the Lindleys for Sunday afternoon. Carly came to all of them, because she's awesome, and she had a question she wanted answered. She LOVES President Nelson! It's the most adorable thing. She went to the women's broadcast and I think that's what started it off. How can you not love him? "As the mother of ten children..." 😂😂😂

I can't believe we're going to have 2 hour church starting in January, how exciting! I bet all the primary teachers are loving this! On a more spiritual note though, I feel the responsibility that this new change will have on parents and families. I think it's great! We have this opportunity to firmly build our families on the Savior. To really make our homes heaven on earth, and a safe place to take refuge from the storms around us. I can't wait to do this when I go home! Sundays are so much more than going to church! It's a day to remember the Savior, lift those around you, and to spend time with your family! Enjoy it!

Also, 12 new temples people! 12! That's awesome!

Can I just say how wonderful it is to have a living prophet on the earth today? I don't have to flail aimlessly, I don't have to wonder if God still cares about us, because I know he does. I know that because he called prophets in this last dispensation to lead his church. He speaks to them, and they are that precious bridge to our Heavenly Father. We can of course have personal relationships with God and receive revelation for ourselves. But as one people, one church, one world, we can know what God would have us do through our prophet. We will not be left lost in the dark so long as we trust in the Lord and trust in His servants. If you are having a hard time trusting, pray. Read from the scriptures. Watch general conference. From the patterns found in the scriptures and from the words of the prophets themselves, I know you will know that they are real.

Today sister Calhoun and I are going to see some apple orchards and pumpkin patches with Carly! I promise I'll try to take more pictures and be better about documenting things! I've gotten horrible at that, so sorry!

I hope y'all take President Nelson's challenge to heart! Carly is doing it! You can do it too. I love y'all and I hope you take this new week and run with it! You ARE children of God and you can and will change the world if you believe in that simple but powerful fact. God bless! ❤❤❤

With love,
Sister Wilcox😙

Transfers

Hey y'all,

Just had a pretty darn busy week. We got transfer news yesterday and I'm staying here in Evansville and Sister Pankey is going to Radcliff over in Louisville. We've got her packed and loaded up and we'll be off early tomorrow morning to drop her off in Louisville. Good old Louisville! Haven't seen it in a bit!

Today is a backwards day. We went to the fall festival this morning, visited people, packed, visited more people, went on a bike ride, and now I'm emailing while sister Pankey is teaching the 2 eldest Anderson kids how to bike without training wheels, it's the cutest thing I've ever seen! So if you get emails past 6 (which is going to happen), it's because we flip flopped our proselyting hours 🤗

It's been so weird today folks. I'm taking over an area, I've never done that before! I've also never stayed in an area longer than 2 transfers, so that's weird too. I'm getting cute little sister Calhoun who's coming from Greenville, Kentucky. She was recently companions with sister Mitchell! How cool is that?

I actually feel okay about this upcoming transfer, I don't feel as nervous about taking over an area as I have in the past. I'm in good hands, the Lord's hands!

This week we had exchanges on Wednesday and I stayed in the area, which meant I had to drive. And I think that I needed that because it gave me more confidence in my abilities, cuz I'll be driving for who knows how long now!

Carly set her baptismal date for November 3rd! We're super excited for her! She's basically doing all the work, and she just pushes through all the opposition like a champ! I love her and I can't wait to see where she goes from here. We get to teach such wonderful people!

Sorry this is kinda short and scatter-brained, I'll have more to tell next week probably, because I'll hopefully remember what all happened... Oh I almost forgot! Mary Helen and Brother Kessler from Woodhaven are getting married in either November or sometime soon! I am so thrilled for them! Mary Helen is so darn happy right now!

Well Henry is now riding his bike around no problem, Josie is still working on it.

I love all y'all and I hope you have the greatest week!

With love,
Sister Wilcox 💕