6/30/2014 Email

From: Camille Weller [mailto:camille.weller@myldsmail.net]
Sent: Monday, June 30, 2014 12:15 PM
To: Melissa Wheatley;

Subject: 15 months!

 

This week was so awesome!!! I feel like we worked really hard and i felt like the spirit really guided us and helped us to overcome our weaknesses and work our hardest. We also hit our 15 month mark and it really hit us both and made us realize how much we love our missions and how happy we are to be here. lets see what happened this week... 

monday we had family home evening and it turned out so good! we talked about the work of salvation and the importance of missionary work and members participating in missionary work. "Every member a missionary" It was cool because there were 3 young men that should be out on misisons right now and after everyone left we got to have a nice little convo with them about going on a mission. they of course had excuses but we made it clear that all able men should serve missions.. that that is a commandment and that God doesnt give us commandments that we cant fulfill. we also all got to share our testimonies of how much we love being on missions and the blessings we have seen. it was a cool little side lesson. 

Tuesday hna stone was super sick and we were in the room most of the day but it gave me a chance to study and read a ton. plus the elders made mac and cheese for boyds birthday and shared with us.. and we left the room for a bit for elder boyds little birthday party which was fun.  i also finally finished "Jesus the Christ" i cant tell you how much i have grown to love that book. i learned so much and i know that if anyone wants to learn more about Christ and feel closer to him should read and study it. 

Wednesday was a really good day. we got some new investigators who are legit. we had a cool mutual night and talked about music and how we should listen to good uplifting music, we taught them how to lead the hymns and then practiced a musical number for sunday. we also read the introduction to the hymn book which i didnt even know existed.. you´ll have to go read it if you havent. its great. That night on the way home we were both so tired and cold but decided to visit victor.. when we went in he looked more tired than us and still had a ton to do in the restaurant.. including a full sink of dishes to do... so we decided to help and clean the dishes.. i really felt the truth of the saying "The only way to feel better when your tired or discouraged is to help someone who is more tired or discouraged than you are."service has become one of my favorite things to search for and do here on the misson.. mostly because i know it is what the Lord would do if he were here. 

Thursday we had weekly planning and then that night we got to watch the restoration movie with brenda and some other investigators of the elders up at the church. I have gained such a love and respect for Joseph Smith and for all that he did for the building up of the true church. everytime i watch that movie i know that its all true.. He was truly a prophet of God. D&C 135:3 says it better than i can... 

 3 Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it. In the short space of twenty years, he has brought forth the Book of Mormon, which he translated by the gift and power of God, and has been the means of publishing it on two continents; has sent the fulness of the everlasting gospel, which it contained, to the four quarters of the earth; has brought forth the revelations and commandments which compose this book of Doctrine and Covenants, and many other wise documents and instructions for the benefit of the children of men; gathered many thousands of the Latter-day Saints, founded a great city, and left a fame and name that cannot be slain. He lived great, and he died great in the eyes of God and his people; and like most of the Lord’s anointed in ancient times, has sealed his mission and his works with his own blood; and so has his brother Hyrum. In life they were not divided, and in death they were not separated!

 

This week i also accidentally finished the whole book "our heritage".. every spare minute i had i was nose first in that book. I love reading about all of the trials and difficulties that the early members went through and the amazing faith that they had.. It gives me the strength and courage to face the much smaller challenges that we are faced with in our times. Loved that book, and now im working on reading "our search for happiness".

Friday we had lunch with Victor, and then that night we had our weekly branch activity which was "noche de comidas" we had everyone bring their favorite plate and we made pancakes with fat sauce, and then we all shared. But ive got to be honest the pancakes definately won.. the relief society president kept butting the line just to grab more haha it was pretty funny. We also had a little goodbye party for elder Galarza who was not only leaving chivay but was ending his mission. Its so hard to listen to missionaries that are going home and ending this amazing journey.. you can just feel the love they have for the work and how sad they are for it to end.. but it also helps us to realize how important each day is here and that we need to do all we can in this short time. 

Saturday morning we got a call from one of the moms of a young man in our branch and she wanted us to come over and help her... when we got there it turned into a little intervention for her son who hadnt been doing the right things lately and she really wants him to go on a mission.. we explained that we arent his parents nor do we have any right to council them but that we wanted to help in whatever way we could. We ended up having a great conversation with the both of them and shared a lot of scriptures and personal experiences.. we also again.. got to share our testimonies of the joys and blessings of serving a mission.. which we love doing. (: That night we cleaned the church and had movie night with all the kids and a Relief society activity. 

Sunday was awesome! we had 36 people at sacrament meeting and more that came after. The most yet!!! The youth did their musical number which was so good, and 2 of the 3 talks were from members and not missionaries! Were really moving up here!! (: We also had 12 little kids in our primary class which made it super fun... haha Then the third hour we talked to the youth and the parents together and invited them to sit down as a family and set goals, both as parents and as children. then on the way home we had another mom stop us and wanted us to come in and talk with her and her son.. It was another moment where she basically cried and told us all the things he was doing wrong and what she wants for him... Its been a rough week here with the group of young men that are in our branch.. its hard because we know that they are the future of the branch and that they need to start straightening out.. but its also hard because i know that the change has to start with them.. they have to want to be better and want to change or its just not going to happen.. we or their parents cant do much more than just love them and teach them whats right. Ive been in their shoes, and been on the wrong path and know that its also not as easy as it sounds to change but that it is possible with the help of our savior. I hope that they can realize thier potential and make the changes they need to to get out there on missions. We had lunch with Hna Mariella and then she made us make pancakes again for her.. shes the RS president that kept going back for more... i think maybe we should start making pancakes for our investigators to keep them coming back for more(: haha 

This week we´ve found some new investigators and we had a less active we´ve been working with come to church on sunday. We got some bad news that Brenda and her family are moving away at the end of this month.. so were really hoping that will be the push her dad needs to let her get baptized.  i really loved this week, we had transfers on sunday and they took out 2 elders that were here so now its just us sisters and 2 other elders.. and were all white... greengo power haha this is also hna stones last transfer so were really excited to just work ourselves to the ground(: Ive started reading Preach my Gospel cover to cover and am loving it! Ive used it my whole mission but now it has a different light to it and im learning so much that i can put into practice in my last two transfers (: on the first page it has a letter from the first presidency and this is my favorite part of it...

"The Lord will reward and richly bless you as you humbly and prayerfully serve Him. More happiness awaits you than you have ever experienced as you labor among His children."

I can honestly say that i have never been this happy in my life. i know that that statement is true.. and that the most happiness that we can find is when we serve the Lord and labor among His children. Missionary work is so important and is something i plan on doing as long as i am able. i love this work, and i love being a missionary. 

Thank you all for all of your love and support! keep the missionary work alive at home!! (: 

Con mucho amor y respeto,

Hermana Weller (:

ohhh and we got invited to a pretty rico guinne pig lunch.. CUY all the way(: