Week 26: There Can Be Miracles When You Believe!

The miracles go on!

I feel like every week I'm writing about more miracles that happen, but it really is unbelievable how much the work is picking up and how many tender mercies we are seeing constantly as the Lord continues to touch the lives of our investigators and guide us in this work!

So, we got another 2 new investigators! One was the sister of one of our past investigators- she started joining in on the discussions and she's only 10 or 11 years old and has been super quiet so far, but she listens! But, their mom said they can't be baptized until they're old enough to "know that that's what they want" and experience the world a little more- but we'll keep teaching them anyways to help teach these gospel principles to them while they're in their youth so that they can make the right choice when the time comes (and choose to follow Jesus Christ!).

Our other new investigator was a referral named Cameron. He was referred from a member in another ward who started working at the same place with Cameron about 3 weeks ago and saw that he needed help and so he offered his support! He really helped show that missionary work isn't as scary as we tend to think it is as members of the church- it's basically knowing how much the gospel blesses us and wanting those blessing of support and love to touch other's lives as well! So, we went over to Cameron's house with him, and Cameron is the first person I've taught so far in Idaho that isn't sure he even has a belief in God. But, we're returning this next Wednesday to continue to teach him, so I'm excited to help him come to know that His Heavenly Father and Savior really do know and love him personally, and to see the change that that knowledge will bring to his life. 😊

We also went to visit a less active part member family who said they were interested in us teaching them a couple of days ago, and in this on subdivision that we're over all of the streets are named Fairy-tale themed things, and all of the houses look exactly the same, so I drove to the wrong house! When we knocked on the door and someone else answered we were like, "Oh, you're not the Dorries..." But we introduced ourselves and told him about the Book of Mormon and he said he'd actually grown up with missionaries visiting his parents, and he said they weren't ever baptized (that he knew of), but he remembered a bit about going to LDS churches and said we could come back! We gave him a copy of the Book of Mormon and will follow up soon.

We also have been looking for a less active who moved to "a blue house on Robinson Rd" and whenever we happen to be on that street we visit any blue houses we pass by, and one of them this past week ended up being a potential investigator! We gave him a Book of Mormon and he said we could come back in a couple of weeks, so that was exciting.

Finally (to keep it semi-short), we went back to Omar's house (a boy who we gave a BoM to about 2 weeks ago who none of the rest of his family spoke english) with the Spanish Elders and they were able to talk to the rest of the family while we sat there trying our best to interpret in our heads and asking Omar for what they were talking about every now and then and the mom said she'd have to ask the dad if he wanted to investigate the church with her (she said they only do things if they do it together) but that we could teach Omar more about the gospel. So, we set a return appointment and are going to start teaching him this next coming week. 😊 I'm excited!

Thanks for your prayers and support- always be willing to share your testimony!

Sister Wilcox

It's snowing again!! Thanks for all the warm scarfs and hats you made to keep me worm. They came just in time!!

Week 25: Teach when you find, find when you teach.

This past week has been really cool. 🙃 So many little miracles!

We met a guy named Miguel while walking in one of the subdivisions of one of the wards we cover and he was loading his family into his car to get ready to leave for Lowes, but we started talking to him and were able to testify of the Book of Mormon and gave him a copy. He said he'd read it and that he'd pray for himself to know it's true! We said we'd come back in a few weeks to follow up and he agreed. It was so simple, but nice to be able to share the gospel so quickly and powerfully. 😊

Then, while looking for a potential investigator who's info we found in our area book, we met a girl named Ashley who had her 2 y/o son Emmett with her. We were able to talk to her about the temple open house and testify of how families can be together forever because of the covenants we make inside and we also gave her a Book of Mormon and we exchanged phone numbers with her and she said she wants us to come back so she can learn more. 👍

Then, she said something about the people across the street maybe being interested as well, so we went across the street and met a man from Honduras named Lester who said he'd met with missionaries 4-5 years ago when he lived in California. He said when he read some of the Book of Mormon and prayed about it then, but he didn't get an answer. But, we extended another invitation for him to read it again and as we bore our testimonies that we knew it was true because the Holy Ghost testified it to us we were able to give him another copy of Book of Mormon and he said he'd give it another try. ✌

Also, last week we taught a couple whom a member referred and they had invited us back again to have dinner at their house this past Friday to celebrate Sister Bradshaw's birthday with and to talk more about what we believe and their two children were there (a girl who's 22 and a boy who's 15) and they were all asking a lot of questions and super interested in learning more about what we had to teach them. I'll send a link to our mini-party next week when there's more time (warning: you'll see that missions are actually really fun; viewer discretion is advised). 😉

And finally (to keep it short), we taught a couple of the grandchildren of a member who is returning to activity this past weekend (they've been going to church with her off and on for a while now and we just got their parent's permission to teach them) and after we went through the Restoration with them we asked if they believed that what we taught was true: that the Book of Mormon was the word of God and that Joseph Smith was His prophet through whom He restored His gospel again to the earth. One of them, only 13 years old, exclaimed, "With all of my heart, yes!"

Sister Bradshaw and I weren't sure what else to say other than, "Here are the waters of mormon...." 😂. But their parents said they have to investigate for at least a year before they can be baptized to make sure it's what they really want and not just "a phase" their going through. But it was touching, because as we were leaving, the same grandchild said to us, "I will be baptized one day- even if I have to wait until I'm 18, I'll be baptized!"

I hope and pray that we can all have that same vigor that this 13 year old has when it comes to the Book of Mormon and our testimony of this blessed gospel! I know that the Lord blesses us for our faith and for our efforts to put Him first in this crazy world and He can and will help us with whatever we struggle with because He's already been through it Himself with His infinite and everlasting atonement. 💛

Thanks for all of your prayers and love- all of you help a lot,

Sister Wilcox

P.S. We're supposed to make Facebooks now, so if I add you on my missionary account don't freak out. 😊 I'm not a "ratchet dis-o" (@Sis Campbell)

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Sister Blood

Sister Sorensen

Week 24: Another great week!

This past week has been another great one. 😊

We have Jaidyn, our 9 year-old gymnast friend, on baptismal date for March 10th still, and everything is going well! Her and her dad have been coming to church weekly, and it's cool to see the change that's happening within their hearts! Brother Davis (who has been less-active since teenage-hood) used to come to sacrament meeting with Jaidyn, but then would leave and come back at the end of church to pick her up at the end. For the past two weeks, however, he's stayed all three hours and has really enjoyed it! And then this past Saturday they had a gymnastics competition over in Pocatello (about 5 hours away) and when we saw them at church the next morning they told us how they had driven all night to get back in town so that they could go to church the next morning. 💛 We're seeing their faith and their love for the gospel increase so much as they are beginning to make sacrifices for the Lord. It's awesome. 😊

Also, we got a referral from a member who said that her neighbors next door were very Christian people, and that we should see if they're interested in adding to the truths that they already hold dear. When we stopped by to meet them they were in the middle of eating lunch, but they invited us to come back the next day to talk about what we believe. They said to come at noon, so the next day we made sure to eat lunch a bit earlier so we could make it to their house in time for our appointment. Then when we got there they said, "I hope you came hungry," and had prepared for us a cute lunch to eat while we talked! We were so full, but ate it anyways because it was so thoughtful of them. We talked a little bit and gave them each a Restoration pamphlet and they invited us to come back this next Friday so they can feed us dinner (and celebrate Sister Bradshaw's birthday) and teach them more about what we know. They were busy this past Sunday, but said they'd come to church with us next week, and I'm excited to help them receive even more truth about their Savior and His restored gospel that will lead them to make covenants with their Savior that will allow their hearts to be filled with His love even more! Sweet is the work. 😁

This past week we also got permission to start teaching the grandchildren of a sister named Violet that we've been working with to bring back into activity because she wants to go to the temple with her husband to be sealed for time and all eternity! Her daughter (another less-active member who is married to a man who is not a member of the church, who live on the same property as Violet) said it'd be good for us to teach her children and to help them prepare to be baptized. So we're going to start teaching them this coming week, which I'm excited for!

And finally, our investigator Daphne has been going through so much over these past couple of weeks (she was sick, then her son was sick (which the flu has even killed some people this past year, it's dangerous!), then they were robbed, then she had spinal surgery for her scoliosis, etc), so our contact with her has been minimal (texting and occasional stop-by's), but she's been reading her Book of Mormon and continuing to pray, and she texted us this past week saying that she had her "epiphany" and that she wants to start completely living the word of wisdom, as she had "a chat with the Lord" and, starting March 1st, "it's all gone." She then told us that she had other news too, but that she wanted to share that with us in person! We have an appointment with her tonight and we are just so happy to see how reading the Book of Mormon and praying has allowed that gateway for personal revelation from the Lord to open up for her in her life. I know that our fasting and mighty prayers have helped, but that, just as my inspirational sister (Sister Aurelia Wilcox) said: the Lord loves each of us. He wants every one of us to be happy, and He does all He can to bring each of us to Him, and we just have to allow it. Turn to Him, let Him heal you, let Him in. He will fill you with peace, and He will make you happy. He will make your burdens light through the joy of His Son even that you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage. (Alma 33:23, Mosiah 24:13-15)

Sometimes members have great referrals that lead to baptisms and long-time membership in the church- but something I've learned here in Idaho (where a lot of people are already members) is that most people have lived in the same house and had the same job for 20-50 years, and they've already referred all of their friends, neighbors, and co-workers and don't know who else to refer! So, we've been doing a lot of finding efforts with family history and all of the other wonderful suggestions found in the "Finding People to Teach" section of Preach My Gospel. Of course, we always ask everyone for referrals, and sometimes they do pan out, but it's the awesome little experiences of finding those who've been prepared simply by being guided to them by the Lord that is so exciting!

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Love you guys,

Sister Wilcox

 

Images:

 Favorite Picture! Let Him In!

Got to wear the hat Victoria made me because it snowed again!

Got heart-attacked from the Bunnell ward primary 💛 thanks guys!

Baptists put a pamphlet on our windsheild while we were in an appointment lol (you can see our little Christus on the dashboard- so cute 😊)

Week 23: Knock until you find someone home.

So a little while back Sister Campbell and I came up with an idea where, when we go to visit a less active, if they do not answer or if they're not home, we'll knock on the houses nearby until we find someone that is. We made it a goal, and forgot to do it quite often 😌. But, Sister Bradshaw and I have been putting it into effect this week and have been pretty good at remembering to do it, and it's led to two miracles!

The first miracle happened earlier this week. I felt like we should go and visit a potential investigator named Tony, a man that Sister Campbell and I street contacted one day a couple of weeks ago that we talked to for a bit as he was getting out of his truck after work. He had said he knew a lot of LDS people from work and had asked them questions and everything, but wasn't interested at the moment in learning any more and had two religions that he was already actively involved in. So, as we parked down the street a little from his house I was like, "I feel like we should visit him, but I'm not even really sure what we'll talk about. He said he wasn't interested, but we'll see." So, we go and knock on his door (3x for salvation 😉) and he wasn't home. As we started walking back down the street to the car the house next door just seemed to stand out and I felt like we should try it- so, in honor of knocking until we find someone home, we went up to it and knocked. A mom with two very young kids answered and said she didn't really have a religion she held to but was pretty interested in family history (we've been asking everyone if they are and so far there hasn't really been anyone not interested in it! It's nice having a family history center here in Nampa! I love it- anyways....). And during our conversation, a man came up behind us (he had been throwing out the trash) and as he talked to us I felt like he was the one we were there for. He was the dad and he said he was super republican and wanted a religion to raise his family in and that he was actively looking! We were like, "We have a religion to share- that's what we do!" So, we gave him the Restoration and the Plan of Salvation pamphlets to read as he was going out of town this weekend, and we have an appointment with them tomorrow! I'm excited to being teaching them about the true Restored gospel of Jesus Christ, because it will bless their family and it will allow them to make covenants that will bless them eternally! So it was awesome, to say the least 😆

The second miracle happened last night. When Sister Bradshaw first got here about two weeks ago we were driving at night and I saw a house and it seemed to stand out (crazy I don't listen immediately by now, right?), and I said, "I feel like we should go to that house." But, it was dark and we didn't want to be creepy or anything and so we talked ourselves out of it. Come yesterday and we found ourselves in the same area again, and there was still a little daylight outside, so this time I was determined we were going to visit this house. We walked up and knocked on the door and a man answered, and he was on the phone, so he was like, "Sorry, one sec" and kept listening to the robot on the other end (he was setting something up or something like that, idrk). So, we sat there for a good five minutes until he was finished, and he said, "What can I do for you?" We started telling him who we were and he said, "Oh, I know. We used to meet with missionaries where we used to live." And when we were surprised he said, "Didn't you come because we signed up at the seminar?" And we were like: what seminar? They have Mormon seminars where you sign up to have missionaries come?

Anyways, long story short, they had signed their names and addresses up to have missionaries come and visit them (who knows how long ago) and we never got word of it, but they said we could come back and talk with them once their daughter gets over the flu. I don't know how interested they are in learning more, but his wife was really interested in family history work (again, everyone is!) and it was just so cool that we "happened" to find them. So, this is the Lord's work, and He never lets us forget it!

Trust Him and He will guide your paths and will make you an instrument in His hands to help your brothers and sisters feel to sing the song of redeeming love that you will feel as you help them!

Alma 26-29 💛😊

Love you all- sweet is the work,

Sister Wilcox

Eating with a fun family full of kids

Our senior couples meeting the prophet. Click on the picture for a closer look. See if you can identify nay other of the visiting authorities.

Week 22: Do we trust him? Hard is good!!

This past week we had transfers, a training meeting to get our trainees (or "Greenies") and then went home and continued on with normal early-rising, hard-working missionary life, and it was so exhausting! But, as Sister Hinckley said, "When I get to heaven I want to be exhausted, because then I know I've lived my life to the fullest, and tried my hardest to do the Lord's work!" (I think she said something like that- that's the extremely paraphrased version 😂).

Daphne and Jaidyn got sick this week and weren't able to make it to church (the flu is going around pretty bad and it stinks!) and then Chuck and Shara got a little nervous about going to church and meeting so many new people and felt a bit overwhelmed. So, we planned a time to take them on a chapel tour and show them the building in hopes that that'll help them see it's not too scary or different and will help give them the courage to come next Sunday!

 

My new companion is Sister Bradshaw, and she's from Queencreek, AZ. She's 4'11" and makes me feel so tall, haha, but she's an amazing missionary and has such a great testimony and so much excitement for the work, it's a lot of fun working alongside her and helping guide that "Greenie fire" (I guess I see why they call it that) to find people who are looking for the gospel, and to teach those we already have found!

 

I'm out of time and so I can't go into more depth of all of the amazing miracles we've seen throughout every day, but I just wanted to let you all know that this is the Lord's work and He's guiding it and as you visit people at the perfect time to catch them and are guided to say the thing they need to hear, you get to catch glimpses of all of the miraculous workings His hand has in every aspect of your life, and I'm eternally grateful for Him and for my Savior, and I love them both so much!

Love you guys!

 

P.S. the title is a GC talk, listen to it if you haven't, it's great!

Sister Wilcox 😊💛✌

My companion Sister Bradshaw.

Week 21: Training

This past week has been a little crazy, but I'll try to be brief and tell you the coolest things that happened.

So we were on exchanges and Hermana Fenton and I visited a less-active family who we've talked to a bit before and as we talked with Shera, who hasn't been to church in almost a decade, she said she'd been thinking about coming back and would be interested in us coming over and going through the discussions with her to help her get back on her feet and going back to church and renew her testimony and conversion. While we were talking with her, her boyfriend who isn't a member, Chuck, came into the room and we asked him if he wanted to sit in on the discussion as well. He said it'd be fun and agreed, and we came back a couple of days later and taught them about the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They were excited to read the Book of Mormon and to find out the truth for themselves and said they'd come with us to church this coming Sunday, so that' was super exciting! I know that if they read the Book of Mormon with an open heart and ask God if it's true, they will have that witness born to them through the Holy Ghost, because He loves all of His children and will do everything He can to help us return back to Him again- we just need to let Him in.

Also, with transfers Sister Campbell is going to shotgun in Emmett with her MTC companion and is becoming an STL (Sister Training Leader)! I'm really excited for her because she has such a big heart and will do wonderfully!

I'm going to stay here in Nampa and I'm training someone from the MTC! We find out who our trainees (or "Greenies") are tomorrow and so I'm excited. 😁

 

I feel like I've only been out two months, but it's crazy to think it's already been almost 5! I know the Lord will guide me and- even though I am weak by myself- He will strengthen me and guide me to do His work in this area and all will be well! Have any of you had training experience and tips you'd like to share? Feel free to help out, haha.

All is going well with Daphne and Jaidyn, too, as they're progressing towards baptism and towards making that first covenant with their Savior! I'm so excited for them! The other day, Jaidyn had a gymnastics competition, and prayed before for help and said afterwards that she did well and that she knew it was because she prayed. 💛 And Daphne was having a bad day and said she decided to pray, then read 15 (15!!!) chapters of the Book of Mormon (2 hours of reading!) and that she felt peace and a lot happier afterwards! 😁🙏 It's amazing to see their testimonies grow!

Also, Carol (LA or "less-active") has been opening up to us a lot more, and even her husband (a NI LA) came out and talked to us as we were with her, and the ward council said that's the best they've ever heard of in terms of progress with her! So we'll just keep sharing our love with her, and sharing our love of the Book of Mormon with her to help her rekindle that testimony of the Book of Mormon that she had, as that really is the keystone of our religion! She tries to find time to read it whenever she can and says she ponders on the things she reads and learns at other times when she can't actually read it, and that she can feel the difference in her life as she tries to increase her relationship with the Lord. 💛 I know that the Book of Mormon gives you the power to withstand all storms and adversity that comes to try to shake you, and it will give you the peace and comfort that the Lord promises to give to us whenever we turn to Him and are willing to receive it.

5 Behold, the field was ripe, and blessed are ye, for ye did thrust in the sickle, and did reap with your might, yea, all the day long did ye labor; and behold the number of your sheaves! And they shall be gathered into the garners, that they are not wasted.

6 Yea, they shall not be beaten down by the storm at the last day; yea, neither shall they be harrowed up by the whirlwinds; but when the storm cometh they shall be gathered together in their place, that the storm cannot penetrate to them; yea, neither shall they be driven with fierce winds whithersoever the enemy listeth to carry them.

7 But behold, they are in the hands of the Lord of the harvest, and they are his; and he will raise them up at the last day.

The Book of Mormon is the sickle 🤗

Love you all, read the Book of Mormon- it's so important!

Sister Wilcox