Adding to our Pool

so crazy to see mission friends
who don't have name tags anymore

Hey! Usually I start these out with something ridiculous, but this whole week was a blur and I can't think of anything too absurd that I did.

Sister Tuha and I got an award for Cleanest Malibu at zone conference. That was pretty ridiculous.

We drove through Orlando every time we went from Roseville to Antelope; that's a fun one.

I didn't get to run with any dogs this week: ridiculous.

Bro Pettey shoutout this week:
he made about 70 for
Zone Conference!

Brother Pettey made over 80 Tootsie Pops with a scripture on them and told us that when the mission gets hard we just have to "suck it up:" ridiculous.

I sang a duet with my 'almost' companion Sister Evans, during our zone song at zone conference: ridiculous.

I didn't end up wrestling Sister Johnson last Monday, even though we somehow have ended up doing that every Monday since we've been in the same district again: ridiculous.

Did I slow down enough?

Honestly, life is full of ridiculous moments. You just have to look for them!

LESSONS LEARNED. There were so many miracles this week, and they've all helped me ignore the fact that the transfer is gonna be over next week, and I'll be finished training Sister Tuha, and that's terrifying because who knows what's going to happen to me? So I'll share a few experiences. I learned quite a few lessons this week, and I'm grateful for everything He's shared with me because I've definitely needed it!

she's going down, didn't yell timber, just fell
really slowly and it was hysterical

To start, we had a lesson on Saturday with Brenna. She's amazing, and just wants to learn more about our church since the guy she's dating is a member! Granted, it's very much "my church, your church" but hey, she's coming closer to Christ! Well, we got there, and she and Emerson had forgotten about the lesson.

We'd texted them earlier that day but hey, that's ysa for ya. We knew they'd forgotten as soon as we got to the complex because we found them at the pool which, thankfully, is on the way to their apartment from where we parked. Well, we had a pool-side lesson and it was cool to discuss how the spirit works with us.

first black widow! Throwback to
elementary school when they
were everywhere

BOOK OF MORMON THEME. About 30 minutes later, Brenna's coworkers show up in the hot tub and something told Sister Tuha and I to stay, so we did! As we talked, David started asking us questions and we found out that he'd already read the Book of Mormon. He says that it seems like the theme to it is continuous growth. (YES! YES IT IS, DAVID!)

Then, he proceeds to explain how he's been looking for truth, and has searched through a lot of religions for the right one. He likes how some of the standards are different in our faith than the average Christian faith. He asked a few more questions, and guess what, we'll be teaching him again next week! Probably not in the pool. But it was amazing to see how Heavenly Father puts people in our paths, if we're willing to act on the promptings we receive! Miracles!

we're making wall decor about Alma 32 with
Samore and it's gonna be AMAZING

FORGIVENESS. Saturday, I learned about forgiveness. I know and teach that God is our loving Heavenly Father but sometimes, it's hard to apply that to myself. As we were driving around, I did something that is more common than you might assume: I listened to the 'natural man' instead of following a prompting. It wasn't anything major, but I could physically feel the warning and then eventually, the spirit leave as I ignored it and moved on.

The guilt that came after was enough to remind me of my purpose here, and I did my best to repent by actively searching for something I could do to make up for my mistake. The desire to change led to a chain prompting where we visited two people who weren't home. As we headed back to our apartment to do some studies, I pulled a Sister Hood moment and was able to make a few turns, deviating from our normal route, and ended up at the house of someone who Sister Curtis and I had talked to months ago. I did a loop around the block just to make sure that the prompting wasn't for someone else, and parked the car.

here's the actual zone! AND...Cousin Tyler Goodman is in
the Zone, BTW! His head is next to the "2"

As we got out, the lady pulled into her driveway! We were able to talk to her for a minute. Even though a new opportunity to teach a full lesson didn't come out of it, it was still amazing to recognize and know that the seed we planted was one of those contacts she needed to eventually, hopefully, accept the gospel later.

Through this experience, I was able to learn and have a few concepts reiterated to me in a way that I needed them.

her last ZC (Zone Conference)
and we decided she could be
taller for the day

HAND STRETCHED OUT. First, Heavenly Father is instantly forgiving. He knows exactly what we'll do, and which promptings we'll ignore (we still have our agency; he simply knows us so well he knows how we might respond to things). Despite the fact that I didn't do what was best in that situation, He still proceeded to use the desire I had to improve, and allowed the spirit to come back instantly after I repented, and led us to talk to someone who needed it!

UTILIZE PLAN B. Another lesson: God is the master opportunist. Instead of chastising us and causing us to suffer longer than we need to, He'll use the willingness we have to adjust and take us to Plan B when we don't do Plan A, which also brings the spirit, and strengthens us.

UNCONDITIONAL LOVE. The third thing: He loves us unconditionally. Just because we make a mistake doesn't mean he's going to love us less. When we want to come back to Him, He won't keep us from recognizing His love, and for that I'll be eternally grateful!

at least 2 of the missionaries aren't actually in our zone

I'll finish with a huge lesson I learned this week on hope. To start, hope brings confidence, optimism, enthusiasm, patient perseverance, mercy, etc. It's a trust that the Lord will fulfill his promises to you. I know there are some Christ-like attributes you don't want to pray for, like patience, because you'll get a trying experience to really test you.

Sister Howell has crazy-fast skills
regarding shoving me
out of the frame

PRAY FOR MORE. Well, I didn't know what to expect with hope, so I've been praying for an increase of it. To truly understand it, I had to be tested. And when you're tested, it often means He takes away some of what you have, so you can grow and adjust. On Thursday evening after having such an amazing experience at zone conference, I was suddenly left without confidence in myself or the work I've done in the past couple of months with Sister Tuha. My optimism had decreased, as well as my enthusiasm for what I'd done or what I had to do.

hey this is the TV we used to have
at our house!

But I prayed to see what I needed to change to do better, and what I had already done well. I created a list, and on my short list, I found 2 things I did well. However, both were very quickly disregarded by my negative self-talk, as I told myself what I should have done or could do to improve it instead. Noticing that happening, I steeled myself and prayed again, saying I would accept whatever good things I'd done. Then by the end of the prayer, I realized that I was already dismissing any of the good things I might have done. Clearly I wasn't in the mindset to accept any hope from Heavenly Father at the time.

what else do you do in a corridor?

I said a final prayer asking what to do, and the response I got was "ask Sister Tuha and the other sisters." It took me a little while to gather my thoughts but I eventually humbled myself, and was able to push myself way out of my comfort zone to explain what I'd been told to Sisters Tuha, Hales, and Johnson. I needed to hear from THEM, what THEY thought I was already doing well. (This is something that I struggle asking about since it feels like I'm just fishing for compliments, but in the moment, I truly had no hope in my capabilities, or what I'd done successfully in the past.)

we got to help a lady move, so her son
did a lot of the lifting :)

The next day led to an experience I'll probably never forget, as our companionships met together and we discussed. I explained the situation more fully, and Heavenly Father used them as His instruments to help me see who I've become. I'd prayed to fully accept what they said, and not get too uncomfortable and you'd be proud, I only squirmed a few times! But it was amazing to feel the spirit there, and I'm glad I had the opportunity to go over His attribute of hope a bit more in depth.

Hope is a powerful thing! Without it, it's difficult to 1) understand our purpose here, and 2) have a desire to push through the hard times. But with it, you can do anything you set your mind to! If there's a will, there's a way, and hope is the key to finding that direction we need!

Good luck this week, and look for ways to share some of the hope you have with someone else who needs it!

BABY BUNNIES

Sister Whitesell
teresa.whitesell@myldsmail.net

5 Marcia Way Apt 131
Roseville, CA 95747

A Man Named Kim

clearly enthused

**Side note: for any who want a shorter version of missionary work instead of reading the whole weekly email, I wrote a poem at the end of this post that describes it pretty well. (also my mom wanted me to put in the poem, and I send out my weeklies through her so I think if I didn't, she would put it in anyways)

Last week was 3 eons long, and this week came and went amazingly fast! Honestly I have no idea what we even did. Well, I know a few things, but I'm not sure how we got anything done in the 3 seconds that the week happened.

conference with President Oaks!

A GREAT START. First off, I don't know if I could have started this week any better than I did, because I got to go on exchanges with SISTER CURTIS! Martis and Terell reunited for a good 24 hours :) I went on so many exchanges as her companion, it's only fitting that I actually do one with her. And, it was amazing to learn from her again for a day! The whole day was full of miracles, and she's probably the most organized person I know, so it rubbed off on me. When I got back to Sister Tuha I suddenly remembered how to be a missionary again, and reorganized myself!

HAPPIEST MORNING OF MY LIFE!

The morning of our exchange was, no joke, one of the best/happiest mornings I've had on my mission. For our exercise, the sky had clouds spattered across the horizon that made for an amazing sunrise, the air was crisp and cool, and we got to walk a member's dogs! 3 adorable, albeit very excited, German shepherds!

So, I did what any sane person in an amazing mood would do, and decided to sprint with each of the 3 of them (one at a time) back and forth. I very quickly realized how out of shape I really am. But that's okay because at least I'm out of shape doing the Lord's work, right? Anyway, Sister Curtis is amazing, and I was happy the entire day. I learned SO much, cause she has so much insight on training, doing missionary work, and balancing all the missionary aspects required to be a successful missionary. Real life Wonder Woman.

lip sync anyone?

NEW FRIEND. I still did plenty of absurd things this week, but right now there's no time for ridiculousness. I have to tell you about the man named Kim! Sister Tuha and I went to a lesson in Citrus Heights, and a man was outside placing a pipe in a driveway. Seemed like a nice guy, but we had a lesson to go to!

Well, we finished the lesson and he was still there. We even walked all the way back to the car when we both paused at the car door, looked at each other, then turned around and walked back. We started talking to him, and he's the nicest man on the planet. His name?

we heard someone inside but
they didn't answer 

I already spoiled it but in case you didn't catch it the first 2 times, it's Kim :) His old boss was a member of the church but never pushed much, which only allowed the seed to grow for Kim. We gave him a book of Mormon. He scanned it quickly and then told us, "Looks like about a day and a half." So hopefully he is able to at least start it! We walked back to the car after getting his number, and we pulled out our map to look at the next stop.

comp unity even before the
transfer happened

The story doesn't end there. I look up and see Kim walking across the street, making a beeline towards the car. I roll down the window, expecting some concern to have manifested in the past 2 minutes. Then he says, "What do you want? I'm paying." Confusion on my part...suddenly it registered what he said, and we heard the music of an ice cream truck! I've never seen Sister Tuha get out of a car faster than she did then. Kim is probably the coolest person EVER, and I really hope he finds what he is looking for in the Book of Mormon!

THE FALL. Speaking of books, we had a lesson at the library this week. I haven't been in one for so long, so it was good to be back. Well, I looked down one of the aisles as we walked around, and one of the first books I saw was titled "The Great Fall" so of course I had to look at it and see what the world had to say on Adam and Eve and the Plan of Salvation, or the apostasy, one of the 2. And then, looking at the back cover, I was reminded that I was in a PUBLIC library, and the book was just a normal novel. #missionaryproblems

when it rains...

ANOTHER MIRACLE: Eric. To preface, Heavenly Father works in even the smallest details of our lives, and guides us in so many ways we don't recognize. We were visiting a member who had supposedly recently moved in and her apartment was hidden in the maze that CA complexes tend to be. We ended up finding it by walking around on a dirt path on top of a hill by the side of the main road. Well, to walk back to the car we could either:

a) take the paved route or
b) traverse the miniature mountain and risk biffing it down the muddy slope that we had scaled on the way over.

Spur of the moment, I decided to take the road I'd traveled before and we managed to safely make it back to the paved road. Little did I know that it wasn't me making the decision at all. By walking around that specific way, we crossed paths with Eric, a long-lost member who's been church-hopping for years. He always claims "Mormons are the best church" he's been to. He's been looking for a church again for his kids to come to, and then all of a sudden we walk right in front of him and start a conversation!

...slip n slides!!

(fun fact: he was talking about snow to someone, so obviously I had to give my two cents...) We talked for a good 20 minutes, and we'll be getting in contact with him again this week. Hopefully despite the difficult time for the kids, he can make it to church next week!

You can find Heavenly Father in every detail of what you do. When you listen to what He has to say and are willing to act on the instruction He gives, you can know you are growing, and figuring out the person he knows you have the potential to be. He loves you for the personality you have, and the individual ways you impact those you come in contact with!

He tells us over and over again in the Book of Mormon and Bible what joys can come from keeping his commandments, and doing those simple things He asks us to do. When you do that, He can help influence you to do more good than you ever thought you could do.

Thanks for all your support!
Here is my poem.

A Sacrifice for Me

Kim!

A million thoughts go through my mind
Each building on the last
So many things I need to do
Despite the time that's passed

Every time I turn around
They're asking me for more
Find her, teach him, help them move in
Do they live here? Not sure

And don't forget to save the world
Without causing offense
To anyone you may talk to
Who offers their two cents

Hours and days, then weeks go by
With no relief in sight
How can I serve my fellowmen?
I give with all my might

My body grows weak, I can't go on
I've nothing I can give
To reach the standards that I've set
It's a hard life to live

she had sheer terror on her face

I'm forced to kneel down on my knees
A cry for help to Him
To save me from this life I live
I don't want to give in

I pray for peace, some comfort please
I need a breath of air
To take me from the natural man
Who tells me life's not fair

Impatiently I wait for Him
To tell me He is there
As time goes on, the silence grows
I'm starting to despair

Eventually ideas slow
He helps me to move on
By giving me familiar words
Of a childhood song

can you tell we were companions?

"I see my mother kneeling
With our family each day
I hear the words she whispers
As she bows her head to pray"

My plea to the Father
Quiets all my fears
And I am thankful
He shows His love here

With infinite love and guidance clear
He takes me through the day
Showing His hand, His presence near
With all that I do and say

(singing) "and what huuuurts the
moooost, was being soooo cloooose
(to being comps: it was even on the
transfer boards!)

"This is my work, to bring to pass
Eternal life of man
I promise through me that you'll find peace
Just take my outstretched hand

Remember how I suffered for you
In Gethsemane
And later hung, my song unsung,
On a hill named Calvary"

His gentle words ring true to my soul
As I think of His great care
To help me through this difficult life
Avoiding the tempter's snare

The spirit guides my thoughts for me
My purpose here is shown
He wants me back to live with Him
Not tarry here alone

He gently asks me to trust in Him
It's His true church, not mine
I cannot grow the seeds I sow
Without His help divine

A million thoughts go through my mind

they stole my tablet

Each building on the last
So many things He's done for me
Feeling alone has passed


Keep it real out there!
Sister Whitesell

teresa.whitesell@myldsmail.net
5 Marcia Way Apt 131
Roseville, CA 95747

Life's a trial by the mile but a cinch by the inch

Welcome back to another week of "What ridiculous things did Sister Whitesell do?" Well, first off this week felt like an eternity, so due to the celestial stretching of time, we got a lot done!

And here you have the cover of
2019's EFY album

MAKING A DIFFERENCE. Anyways, we all know how good of an influence I am on kids, right? I've gotten a teen to wear a gunny sack as a skirt to church, and convinced a 10-year-old to eat more burritos than should fit inside him...I don't know why they give me responsibility on the mission :)

Sister Rios and our clearly
productive moving session

Well this time around, we were at a member's house for dinner and AJ, the 5-year-old, wasn't eating his dinner: a daily struggle for Sister Webb. Well, one of the items on the menu happened to be corn, and that's fun to eat (albeit a little messy), so I challenged him to a corn eating contest.

Yup, whoever could eat their corn the fastest won, simple as that. So of course, Sister Tuha pulled out the camera and I now have a video of myself and a 5-year-old chowing down on corn, butter running down our chins, and corn fragments flying. I'm ashamed to say that I lost, but I managed to steal one of his croissants (delicious) so who's the real winner? Fun fact: I'm still 5 at heart, apparently.

Oh also, AJ wants to be a sister missionary one day! We're supposed to encourage children's dreams, right? So I didn't say anything to steal his thunder :)

as far as I know
the cockroach is under the cup

when in Antelope, find the Sisters

UNINVITED GUEST. Another adventure: I'm in the apartment, excited to relax and finish the day, we just got home so of course I dash to the bathroom. I walk in, look in the mirror, and suddenly feel an uneasiness build. Something's not right...someone, or something is there with me, invading the sacred few minutes of pure alone time I get in the day. I wheel myself around, looking to find the presence when suddenly, I see it. Calmly sitting against the wall on the floor is a cockroach, a little shorter than the length of my pinkie finger.

Sister Watts came up behind me and
covered my eyes to surprise me--
totally wasn't expecting to see them!

I quickly grab the cup we have under the sink for such a situation. That's where I made my mistake: I had to turn around to get the cup and when I looked back, it was gone! The next few minutes were spent searching until finally I found it. I captured it for a quick release back outside since those things are too big to squish. My cheer squad was huddled up on the bed, yelling for updates on whether or not I'd found it...Sister Tuha hates bugs so I was on my own for this one. But it's okay, we survived, and we're praying they don't come back again!

A WONDERFUL MIX. So aside from those two adventures, we:

*enjoyed ourselves at FHE (Family Home Evening, one night a week for a spiritual thought or games, etc. with the Young Adult group here). We met Brenna, and we will be teaching her this week!

THE WATTS!! Aaahh!

*had interviews with the Mission President and got a little hint about what's happening next transfer: either Sister Tuha and I will stay together, I'll leave, or she'll leave (thanks, President)...

*painted some shelves

*painted some tiki's

*cut flowers for a luau

*helped a ward member move out (maybe if we'd sabotaged it she would have stayed)

our 'double date!'

*stopped teaching about 1/2 of our people because none were progressing

*watched a 2-year-old crush it at Tball in the cul-de-sac

*got asked what's it like to teach white people (when 1/2 the congregation -- YSA -- is full of returned missionaries who served in other countries)

*went on a double date with our ward mission leader in the Young Single Adult ward (we crashed his date, and the girl he was with, gave us input on our missionary efforts: it was great!)

*Dallin Dimmitt opened his mission call where he will be going to Portugal, Lisbon mission

Still not over how perfectly sophisticated
Sister Dimmitt looks, even after
two days of traveling home

*greeted his sister and were there as she stepped in to her house for the first time, since serving her mission in Japan (and THE WATTS WERE THERE: it was amazing! Yes, the Watts from Chico last year (!!!)

and, drum roll...

*President Oaks came to our mission! (He's one of the First Presidency of the whole church; we usually only hear from him at Conference, twice a year from Salt Lake City.)

great place to be

we never liked each other
even when we were companions

INSPIRED VISITOR. Yup, the time finally came for our 'mission grandpa' to teach us! We had our conference with him on Saturday morning at the Mormon Center, which so happens to be on the same grounds as the temple. Because of that, I got to visit the temple and walk around it! My heart was so happy to be back at one of my favorite places on earth! To prep myself for President Oaks, I pondered a bit what I wanted to get out of the conference. Then we got to head in for our picture with him! (That pic is not included in this post.)

we went bowling last week

Before we started, he took the time to shake each of our hands and I probably won't be washing my right hand for awhile but that's okay. Believe it or not, President Oaks is also hysterical! He and his wife went back and forth a bit as they talked about each other and shared insights. I've never felt the spirit so strongly while someone is getting sassed :)

If you're ever near one, stop by the temple!

CHANGE FOR THE BETTER. In all seriousness though, the message that he shared is something I'll never forget. A huge piece that stuck out for me was repentance. We as missionaries, are here to call people to repentance, but when you put it like that it's almost like we are on pedestals, and we are telling people that they are wrong. That's not it at all, though. We ask people to make changes in their lives that will bring them closer to Heavenly Father and ideally, help them to live with Him again. Repentance is just change.

Look at this tiny tissue box!
featuring Sister Tuha in her natural habitat

Eternal progression happens as we work on small things every day, to change ourselves into the best person we can become. He loves us enough to constantly stay with us, and guide us when we need it. That change is something I've been privileged enough to be a part of, over the course of my mission especially.

The only constant we have in our lives is change, so don't be afraid to adjust yourself to come a little closer to Him! I'm still very far from perfect, but I know my imperfections will help strengthen someone else, just as yours can too.

After a spiritual uplift from someone
as amazing as President Oaks, you
have to take a quick nap to
regain some energy!

If you get overwhelmed by the amount of things you have to do, remember "Life is a trial by the mile but a cinch by the inch!"

Good luck this week, stay cool, and it sounds like school is picking up again for some people, so try not to fall asleep in classes just yet!

Sister Whitesell
teresa.whitesell@myldsmail.net
5 Marcia Way Apt 131
Roseville, CA

Lukewarm Christians Make Good Mormons

Long live Rocklin Zone

(This week, we found the title of this post on the cover of another faith's facebook page...)

I'm proud to announce that I'm a "Lukewarm Christian" and I'm lovin' it! Honestly, it's so great I'd try it out if I were you. It's good to know that the new definition of "Lukewarm Christian" is...

*leaving my family and friends for 18 months,
*striving to live every moment according to His will,

all of Sister Curtis's companions
doing what SHE does best

*pushing through the hardest trials to do everything I can to find someone else to bring the joy of this gospel to, and
*living every day to the best of my ability as Christ would:)

The best part? We were with Rosalyn and Efren when we found that facebook page and quote, so I got to feel the love they had for us, through their defense of the Mormon faith!

when people think you're mad but you're
just chillin' thinking about what
you're gonna eat for dinner

As frustrating as it might be sometimes to know that other people actually offer classes on how to avoid the Mormons ("don't read the Book of Mormon, that's how they get you"), it did bring me a measure of joy to see and feel the love (from Rosalyn and Efren) of people who I care about so much who aren't even a part of our church! Quite the combination.

The only picture we got of
Sister Smith smiling (far left)

our car adventures

PARKING SKILLS CHALLENGED. On the topic of ridiculousness, we're gonna have a quick throwback. When I was in the Rocklin YSA with Sister Johnson, we decided to mess with the Elders a little and park our car as close to theirs as possible so they would have to climb through the passenger's seat to get to the driver's seat. Well, that practice was something I got to use again this week! Saturday night, it's been a long day (but spiritually uplifting and crazy amazing) and I'm exhausted to the point that my eyes are starting to hurt a little bit.

yes. very close.

We get to our complex as the sweet, sweet relief of closing the day (and putting on pants) were minutes away...or so I thought.

We get to our parking spot, only to find a black Chrysler parked poorly in not one, but TWO spots, the second of which being OURS. Imagine yourself in that situation. Yeah, feel the frustration with me for a sec. So in reference to my first paragraph this post, I guess I did NOT spend the next few moments acting as Christ would...

(also I got to SEE Sister Swensen!
If you couldn't tell by the fact
that I have pictures with her)

Sister Tuha and I contemplated what to do next, as our precious evening time was on the line. We decided to spend the extra few minutes wriggling ourselves into our parking space anyway (we could have called the tow guy, but we were being passive-aggressively 'nice'). The fun thing about our parking spot is that there's a pole on the left side, so we had to do our best to squeeze the car in between this Chrysler and the pole. Thankfully, like any good missionary with a car, I had a "backer!" Or, in this case, a "fronter" (mission rules, when backing in, one companion must be out of the car guiding the driver).

I wasn't kidding when
I said it was close!

Sister Tuha expertly guided me inch by inch, to fit into the space the kind owners of the Chrysler had left me. There was a whole inch of clearance on both sides! Easy Peasy :) And the driver definitely would've had to climb through the passenger side. Don't worry, I have pictures. Moral of the story, apparently a tired Sister Whitesell will create her own adventures. Actually an awake one will too, but hey it made a normally annoying situation fun!

P.S. After our car parking incident, we walked to our door to see a smiley faced balloon, a foam sword, and a DDP (Doctor Dave Pettey) card in the door with the words "slay 'em with the spirit!" on it :)

the (foam) Sword and the Stone
(balloon...?)

Sister Swensen in 2 pictures

DESIRE TO CHANGE. Besides the usual distractions of the week, we had so many miracles! There's always SOMEthing to be happy about, even when the trials you're going through seem endless. If anything, you can know the Lord trusts you enough to give you more. One amazing miracle this week was Chris. He's been taught by missionaries for a long time and guess what, we get to teach him now since we're in the YSA!

there are a lot more photo attempts
 than just these two, trust me :/

We knocked on the door and when he opened it, he was instantly honest with us in the best of ways. He knows what we do and loves it, and wants to make changes in his life to eventually join the church. The spirit came so strongly as he testified, and with it came joy, if not a little skepticism because apparently I need to work on my own faith.

Later that day, he texted us and asked us what readings we would suggest for him. As a missionary, that RARELY happens! It was so cool to see his enthusiasm put into action, and his desire to change. We met with him a couple of days later and read Alma 36 with him, on Alma the Younger's conversion story and successful change. The spirit was once again strong, as he was so excited about what he was learning that he kept on reading, more than his 2 verses! Then, excited and uplifted, we invited him to church, knowing he'd bailed a few times on previous Sister missionaries.

we had to pass off Valerie to the
other sisters :( It's been
amazing teaching her though!

Trying to get a picture
for facebook

Sunday rolled around. Lo and behold, he came to church with a member of the congregation and he stayed all 3 hours. On top of that, he showed kindness to a few who might be considered "underdogs." It was amazing to watch as he reached out to help where he could.

Then, icing on the cake, the member he rode with stayed after for a minute to take out trash, so what did Chris do? He helped, and not only did he help but when the member was talking to someone, HE FINISHED EMPTYING THE TRASH IN THE CLASSROOMS ON HIS OWN! Sometimes all you need is the example of someone else to bring a little faith back. I love the opportunity I have to experience firsthand when people have the desire to change because of the gospel! I know he's been prepared for a long time by other missionaries, and am excited to see what more we can do to help him!

AN IMPORTANT STORY. I'll end with a part of my testimony. This Sunday was fast and testimony meeting (the 1st Sunday of the month, members fast for 2 meals, and in the church meeting they have the opportunity to share some of what they believe). I had the chance to reflect on my own beliefs.

red suns almost every day
this week (fires burning
around California)

best mode of transportation is
always ON the car, right?!

My testimony is about a story. It's a story you all know pretty well. It's got ups and downs, plot twists, plateaus, growth and digression. Thankfully there are happy moments despite the sad ones. The best thing about this story is that no matter how it's told, it's changed someone's life. This story makes an impact that sometimes isn't noticed, but is still needed. What story could I possibly be talking about, that somehow you know so well? It's yours.

hey if I had a tree that could
hold my scooter, I'd use it too

The life you live, including the pieces you share with others, is so important. You and your experiences, your imperfections and flaws are needed because someone else has learned, and will learn from it. I know that miracles happen when we're willing to share with someone, an experience that has impacted us. This gospel has completely changed my life, and allowed me to see just how needed and important YOU are! Thank you for being a part of MY story :)

On that cheesy note, good luck this week and keep it real out there!

(And hopefully your air quality is better than the smoke we're breathing out here:/)

Sister Whitesell