It's All About Your Perspective

Super Pettey strikes again: "When you're in
a 'crunch,' use your 'melon' to get your
'chip' together and always look for
the 'fruits' of your labors!"

Happy Early Birthday to America!

Sister Philip is amazing and
takes us out every Tuesday to
deliver birthday cards!

FIREWORKS FOR SOME. It's the time of year when missionaries everywhere enjoy the sound of fireworks but, in Sister Whitesell's case, never actually gets to see them. Last year there were trees blocking the view from our apartment, and this year Roseville is canceling their annual show. Let's be real: it's because I'm here.

BUT: everyone who can, go out and watch some amazing explosions on Wednesday for me!

We all know how...special I can be sometimes. This story definitely ranks high on the list of blunders!

Kahlea Tupou got baptized on
Saturday and we got to say the
opening and closing prayers!! :)
Yes she's part Tongan, and yes some
of her family knows some of Sister
Tuha's family cause the Mormon
Tongan world is TINY

Lunch after district meeting led to chair forts
with Sisters Evans and Nield!

WHAT'S IN A NAME? This week we've been going around more, and talking to the members of the congregation, hopefully boosting enthusiasm for member missionary work. We're also figuring out who's more naturally inclined to do that work, and who we can help strengthen. Well, one such natural member missionary texted and asked us last week for 10 copies of the Book of Mormon, to give to the boys on High Adventure (week-long cool outdoor activities), and invite them to give it away to someone. Of course we were more than willing!

I made a friend! His name is Tim

So, we drove over to Brother Gallegos' house and left those 10 copies with his wife, excited to hear the update the following Sunday. Well, the week goes by (and it's been a crazy busy and miraculous week, let me tell you!), and we stop by Brother Gallegos' house again.

more chair forts

Side note: Brother Gallegos' baby got blessed on Sunday, and he was on crutches which confused me a bit. How could he have done high adventure activities on crutches? But anyway, we get there and don't even have to knock, because the door just magically opens. They greet us warmly, let us in, and as we start talking, things aren't really lining up with his injury, and surgery, and the whole High Adventure thing.

One of my favorite pictures that's helped me
change on my mission when I didn't want to

Well finally, it comes up: Brother Gallegos has a brother in the ward congregation, ALSO named Brother Gallegos. So Sister Whitesell managed to give 10 copies of the Book of Mormon to the WRONG Gallegos family, so none of the books actually made it to high adventure!

Since we'd texted the other Gallegos family and made an appointment to stop by their house, we headed over there and explained the whole situation to them. Especially since he'd even texted us Monday evening and said, "Oh, I forgot to tell you if I'm not home, just leave the books on the porch," to which we replied, "No worries, we gave them to your wife."

Dynamic Duo: Sister Nield plays the air piano
while Sister Tuha plays the real one

We all (both Gallegos families) got a good laugh out of it, and now I know to always check the FIRST name too, when looking up someone's address! If I got embarrassed, that would probably be a time to get embarrassed; instead, I'll just have a fun story to tell from it :)

EASY PEASY. This week was amazing, as we got to work with the Young Women a lot more. They'd recently come back from Girl's Camp, and some had brought a few friends to go with them! We talked with them, and helped them figure out how to turn their friends' experiences at camp into missionary moments, and we're excited to hear how they do with that in the future!

We're not comps anymore, and yet we still
wear the same outfit occasionally...unplanned!

There are so many amazing members in this area, who are more than willing to help us out. Sharing the gospel is easier than we tend to make it out to be. It'll be fun to continue breaking down those barriers!

Yup, that about describes
the sisters in the district

UPLIFTING MESSAGE. Another pitch: If you haven't watched the broadcast "Be One," on lds.org, GO WATCH IT, it's amazing! We had the opportunity to watch it with an investigator, and she loved it! She basically 'referred herself' a couple of weeks ago. (Usually a member of the church gives a missionary a 'referral,' the name and number of someone interested in learning more about the gospel.)

notice the group name, thanks
to @Sister Johnson

She used to be taught by Sister Andersen (shoutout to one of my 47 previous companions), so she was happy we had that connection. She has a testimony of the strength church gives you, and knows she needs to quit smoking. She also wants to quit her current job, since it has her working on Sundays, how amazing is that? We're excited to keep working with her, too :) Miracles! Also I think it's hilarious when this happens, but she referred herself to the bishop of the ward, since she'd been blowing off the Elders and wanted to be taught by Sisters. Sorry, Elders!

example of life on a normal day:
can be decent,
 but overall pretty boring

CHANGING YOUR OUTLOOK. One huge lesson I learned this week was perspective. I've been going at 110% for the past couple of weeks, since training takes a lot of work. I've also been trying to figure out what brings Sister Tuha joy so I can fit that in, and she can adjust to missionary work in a more enjoyable way, instead of just getting information dumped on her, and then told to do things.

change your perspective!
(and pretend to be a photographer)

Well, earlier in the morning, I'd read the weekly email of a fellow missionary that had some cool stories in it, and I got slightly caught up in comparing, and feeling like I didn't have much entertainment to share. But believe it or not, to have a cool story, you just have to look at something that may seem less interesting, and change your perspective!

CHOOSE YOU THIS DAY. Sometimes we get caught up in the repetetive things of the day, and start to lose the joy in what we do. Every day can be extraordinary if we look for things that are out of the ordinary, to find joy in!

Or, go out and do something that makes the day different. It's an attitude thing. I've been able to change my attitude and see the good in ways that I never knew I could, before my mission. Heavenly Father gives us opportunities to recognize his love constantly; we just have to tilt our heads a bit, and see the world from a different perspective! And as the cup that Sister Johnson got me for my year mark says, "It's better to be ridiculous than boring."

sometimes we practice-teach the pillow :)

Go out this week, walk around with a different filter on life, and see what amazing things happen that benefit you. See how YOU can be that extraordinary change in a way that someone else needs!

Featuring the
one and only Swensen!
She's never getting rid of me

Keep it real out there :)

when the church is replacing carpet
but you need to ball on p-day

Sister Whitesell

teresa.whitesell@myldsmail.net

5 Marcia Way Apt 131
Roseville, CA  95747