When Coldplay Saves You

Hey y'all,

Another whirlwind of a week! If we keep this up I'll be home and have no idea how I got there!😅

It started off a bit rough, my little trainee was struggling. One night I wanted to show her the 12 Steps to Change videos, because they're awesome, and the first one talked about this guy with his addiction, and in it he shared how random lyrics from a song he heard, "lights will guide you home, and ignite your bones, and I will try to fix you" totally saved his life because he realized he was out of control and needed to seek help through Christ. Well anyways, we realized that was Coldplay (I haven't heard it in a bazillion years) and apparently that really helped Sister Johnson pull through that hard day. A little uplifting verse from a Coldplay song. You never know where your strength may come from, God sends it in weird ways.

We had a miracle. Last week I mentioned that we started teaching Sister Pearson's grandkids, they're doing awesome and Allie and Clay accepted baptismal dates! Anyways, their cousin Scarlett decided she wants to take the lessons with her cousins, which was crazy because Sister Johnson and I had just barley talked about how awesome it would be if she decided to come to the lessons too. And then she did! On Tuesday we had them all together and caught everyone up, Scarlett took notes and everyone participated, it was great!

On Wednesday we did the Zone Conference thing and on the way home I got to wave to some Amish people driving their buggie down the road (I got lost and went a different way, apparently it's Amish country wherever we were at).

Thursday we had a lesson with Mayra (she showed us how to spell her name) and it was more to see how she was feeling and share her thoughts and impressions (she watched General conference!). She asked us what she needs to do to prepare to be baptized, and that just made my day, she is just so prepared! We talked to her about that, and we mentioned the Word of Wisdom and she was like, "that's crazy that you bring that up because I used to love coffee, but 2 weeks ago I started getting massive migraines if I drank it. I can't drink it anymore." I mean, is that not being prepared or what?? She's still trying to find a compromise with her husband so she can come to our church, but we think she is very sincere in her desires and she will be able to find a way.

We got to plant flowers at the Isaacs house on Friday!!! I was so happy!!! The ground was super rocky, but then their son came around on his quad with a pickaxe, so that was awesome. I got to use a pickaxe  to plant flowers y'all. Brother Isaacs wife isn't a member, so I'm glad she felt comfortable reaching out to us for help. I haven't seen her since January!

Saturday we got to help this couple who had been formerly taught by missionaries. Lucy is sooo sweet and she just recently had a surgery and can't do much, but she really REALLY wants to, so she texted us and we came over. They are remodeling their house and trying to start a farm, so there's lots of work to do. We helped clear a spot for part of their garden. There was this crazy looking snake under a pallet that scared all of us half to death, then we came to find out it was just a flipping aggressive garter snake. He didn't look like a garter to me... so Lucy's husband Joe took care of him😁

They have chickens! Lots of them! And it was so funny cuz they didn't know they had an Ameraucauna in the mix and Lucy was like, "I was wondering where the heck the green eggs were coming from!" Oh it just made me miss my birds though!😢

That night we taught all of Sister Pearson's grandkids again and had dinner with them. They were all super excited to go to church the next day and it was just the best. I love that family!

Sunday happened, and there were a million people in that branch I swear. Sister Pearson and her grandkids came, so that made my day, then Lucy and her husband Joe came, Faun and her daughter came with brother Crenshaw, and the new family that we helped move, the Phillips, came too! We had a Linger Longer afterwards and everyone got to mingle and get to know one another! It was perfect! I've never had a busier Sunday! Sister Pearson's kids made all sorts of friends, and her eldest granddaughter, Kat, opened up to us a lot more and was able to feel more comfortable and accepted at church. There were miracles happening all over the place.

It didn't stop there though. Scarlett's mother Teresa, Sister Pearson's daughter, (who is not active but we love her to death and want her to be active) called us last night and said that Scarlett wanted to be baptized and that Scarlett wanted her to come to church with her next Sunday. Instead of saying "no" like we all expected, she said she would ponder on that. WHAT. She got all emotional over the phone, and we did too, and she told us how she just didn't feel worthy to come back. We just talked with her comforted her, encouraged her, and said goodnight.

We found out this morning that Teresa had actually read the scriptures we gave her to read, and she has started praying with Scarlett. I didn't think this would happen while I was here, I had no idea that God had really started working on Teresa. On Sister Pearson's whole family. Okay, I sort of had an idea but not to this extent! It has been incredible to watch this all unfold. I can't believe I'm here, and that I get to be in their lives for this short time, watching all these changes they're making. I just love God, He is so merciful and loving and man I could go on. His timing is PERFECT.

Sad news, Sister Hersey's sweet little kitty Frankie died on Saturday and she's been really sad about that. We visited her last night and we're going to help her plant some flowers around his grave this week. He was there for her when she was going through some real hard times, so that was pretty rough on her losing him. She needs some prayers of comfort y'all!

This upcoming week is also going to be crazy. We have exchanges tomorrow, I'm trying to be positive about that, and tons of lessons planned and service and I am just so excited! I love it when it's busy, even though that stresses me out!

Thank you for your prayers, they are being heard! Thank you for the love and support, it is definitely being felt! I love y'all SOOOO MUCH! Thank you for bearing with me each week and for giving me advice when I need it, I love it. Have a fabulous week! Enjoy Easter this next Sunday! Remember, Jesus loves you!❤❤❤

With love,
Sister Wilcox😘