2 Weeks!

Hey everybody!

Happy Memorial Day!

I'm sitting at a branch pool party emailing, and it's so weird to think I could be swimming in 2 weeks! What?!

This week was such a blur. We had to drive to Sulfer Well on Tuesday because we were having interviews with our mission president. This is the last one I'll be having, outside of the mission home at least. I cried because it was so crazy to realize that. I remember my first interview with him, it was so long ago! I remember not even thinking about what my last interview would be like because it was so far away and I just had it, last week!

Wednesday we talked to a member, for longer than I would like to admit, about Elvis Presley. She LOVES Elvis and she goes to Elvis impersonator shows in Tennessee, that's how crazy about him she is. She has scrap books full of him and so many things in her house are Elvis themed, it's a little overwhelming. But you know what, that's probably how crazy I come across about chickens and plants, so I can't judge nobody.

Thursday came around and Sister Johnson was totally knocked out. She got hit with some kind of illness and nearly puked a couple times. So she layed around on medication while I gutted the apartment. I threw out so much stuff, missionaries leave so much garbage, I hate it! I got rid of so many clothes too, I have no wardrobe now!

Friday was crazy. We went and tried to find this new family that I've never heard of and they don't come to church, who apparently moved into our ward, but they weren't home so that was sad. Then we went and visited some less active members and then we got a text from another member who needed help laying 1200 sq feet of sod.... so we went on over there and laid down sod for 3 hours. It was the most satisfying yard work I've ever done in my life AND we got to be with my favorite members of the branch. Y'all, if God told me I needed to move to Kentucky for whatever reason, I would move to Campbellsville because I love this branch!

Oh my gosh, speaking of the branch, we have had so many people showing up to the church wanting things. Random people. Who we've watched stalk the building looking for open doors. People around here walk up to churches asking for money and stuff. Its kinda scary. But luckily everytime a random person walks up, the branch president or some of the council members have been there to take care of things.

Anyways, Saturday was crazy too. We got to go to the temple with Allie, Kat and Clay to watch Allie and Clay do baptisms for the dead!!! It was wonderful! I totally cried. As Allie went under, I saw how unending this work is. When one person is converted, it doesn't just affect the one person, it sets off a domino affect for many many more people. Allie and Clay set souls free that day. Those people they were baptized for were directly affected by Allie and Clay's own decision to get baptized. This work is not a solo mission. It isn't just about you. The best convert you will have is yourself, but you affect the lives of everyone around you as you share the Gospel in the way you live your life. You can make change happen. You can change lives. You can turn darkness into light and save a drowning soul. We are the lower lights, we guide the lost sailors to shore. We are holding up the lanterns full of the light of Christ. People will be drawn to us.

There will be those who will try to put you out, or tell you that what you are doing is meaningless, but it's just Satan. They don't know it, but they are really working for him. And that's sad, but true. Don't let Satan win. He is so not worth it. The fight to get back to our home is worth all the blood, sweat, and tears that will and have already been shed in our mortal lives. It IS possible to make it back to God, He has given us all the tools we need in order to do so. It's up to us to use them. So yeah, that's what I was thinking of in the temple with those 2 sweet siblings, God's work is miracle work, and its never ending. Don't ever let anyone tell you that miracles no longer exist. If men have faith, then there will be miracles. 2 Nephi 27:23~

"For behold, I am God; and I am a God of miracles; and I will show unto the world that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and I work not among the children of men save it be according to their faith."

I had someone ask me this today, "Do you feel ready to end your mission?" And this is what I responded with, and I felt like sharing it:

I do and I don't. I go through moments where I'm like, "man, how come I haven't improved here?" or, "how come I haven't been working more effectively the rest of my  mission? Shouldn't I already know what I'm doing? Shouldn't I be better at this?" But then my dad's advice pops into my head when he said that "you still don't know what you're doing even at the end of your mission." I have worked differently in each area with each companion because that's what I've needed to do. I'm doing things differently now because that's what the area needs. Could I do better? Of course. Do I still have problems being the most effective missionary? Yes. The rest of my life is going to be me constantly trying to get better at being a disciple of Christ, because I'm still not there yet. But I think all the negative thoughts are just Satan trying to make me feel like a failure. Because then the Spirit brings to my mind all of the people I've met and been able to help, and all of the things I was able to do. And I realize that I'm not a failure, I just served a mission in my own imperfect way and tried my best. I'm still trying.

I'm not a perfect missionary, but God has worked with me regardless of that fact for this past year and a half. He is so merciful, and so forgiving, it's incredible.

So yeah, that was the week. This next week is going to be crazy too. I'm trying to get everything in order so Sister Johnson has everything she needs when I leave. I'm freaking out, but it's all good. I love you all, enjoy this day remembering those you love! Have a fabulous week!

With love,
Sister Wilcox 😘