Wednesday, February 22, 2012

February 21, 2012

Hello my dear family!
I cannot believe it! Another week has come and gone and a new one lies ahead. I love new weeks! And the reason why is because we can start over the week with a fresh new start. Last week was a really good week, we had a lot of very good service opportunities. Did I tell you all about the Hermana in our branch that is taking an English class?! Well, we go over to eat with them every week and she has me help her with her homework. It is so interesting to be teaching english to someone who only speaks spanish and trying to explain it in spanish so she can get it in english... does that even make sense?! haha! Well, anyways, I will try to explain things to her as best as i can, but then when I dont know how to explain someone I ask Hermana Rials which definitely makes a difference. I love to serve others and help them out. 
 
This morning was a really interesting day for me. I woke up kind of in a odd mood. Now, what I am about to tell you I do not want you to worry about me cause I learned a valuable lesson and I feel so happy. Ok, so Hermana Rials can always tell when I am having a hard day... and really she can tell if I am going to have a bad day or not from right after I get up. I think it is kind of weird because I dont think I know that I am going to have a bad day when I wake up... but either way, she can tell. So, we had personal study and then right afterwards we have companionship study and we talk about how our study went and what we learned. Hermana Rials shared with me what she learned out of the Book of Mormon and then I shared what I learned from the Book of Mormon and also what I learned about Humility (I really like to study the Christlike attributes out of Preach My Gospel, you should do it sometime, it is great!). After we were done she asked me how I was doing today and I told her that I was feeling a little off. We started talking about it and I have been trying really hard not to focus so much on dad's death, but really focusing on the good things that Dad had done for me and things that I really like about him. Well, today was a really hard day for me to do that so I asked Hermana Rials to ask me questions about Dad that she would want to learn.  And she asked a couple, like what his favorite color was or what was his favorite food. And it helped for a little, but it didnt pull me out of my 'mood'. Then, she began to teach me something very valuable. First, I want you to know, whenever Hermana Rials talks to be about tender things, like with dad, she always waits for the Spirit to direct her. I am not going to go into all the details of what she said to me or really what i felt, but she did teach me a lesson.  This life is so very short! Remember how in Seminary when our teachers were talking about the Plan of Salvation- they would get a long piece of yarn or string and pin it up from one end of the room to the next and then usually they would have a little tiny spot in the middle and say "this is our life here on earth". This life on earth is just a little blip in time. Everything that we go through is so very, very small in comparison to Eternities! I hope we all look at our trials that way. Whenever we are having a hard time, we should look ahead to the future with hope and faith that it will get better. And it is true! It will all work out! It will all get better.
 
I am so very thankful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that things will get better! I am going to see my dad again! There is life after this and oh, it is going to be so very, very good! I know that the Book of Mormon is true! It adds such a strength to my days. I am so very thankful for a living Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, who leads and guides the Lord's work here on the earth.   Thank you all for your letters and love that you have sent my way! I will do my best to get back to you all as soon as I can! (I promise!!)
 
I hope you have a great week! May the Lord bless you! Dont forget to seek Him out this week! 
 
XOXOXOXO
Love always, forever,
Hermana Wadsworth

Sunday, February 12, 2012

January 31, 2012

Hola Familia!
> > So, it is a beautiful spring day in Iowa today! It is in the 60s. LOVE
> > IT! Hermana Rials and I have been hard at work and trying our best to
> > help bring others closer to Christ.
> >
> > This past week, and really, maybe I have included this in my last
> > email, I cannot remember. Elder Jackson and Elder Purcell, who are in
> > our district, were invited to go to a bible study and they asked
> > Hermana Rials and I to "back them up". Basically Elder J & P were
> > invited to come and share our beliefs of Jesus Christ and talk about
> > our Church. It was really nice cause they were very respectful to us
> > and what we had to say and then they asked us questions about our
> > church and different things.
> >
> > Hermana Rials and I this week are going to be focusing on finding. We
> > are so very excited for this new week! I feel like new weeks bring a
> > fresh new start and you can set new goals and accomplish new things or
> > even work harder on accomplishing or finishing the things you wanted
> > to last week. haha!
> >
> > Well, this past p-day we have such a fun p-day activity! We barrowed
> > some Nerf guns from a couple kids from our Branch and we had a Nerf
> > gun war with the Elders in our district! It was SO MUCH FUN! I forgot
> > my camera, but next week, I will try to remember to send you pictures
> > of the chapel... it was set up really cool! I have such an
> > appreciation for Elders, they really help us Sister missionaries to be
> > a less up-tight. If you arent having fun, you are doing it wrong! It
> > is so very true!
> >
> > I am so very thankful for my companion! She is such a great example to
> > me about patience and really applying the scriptures to yourself.
> > Friends have such a strong influence on us! I am so very thankful for
> > my dear friends. I am so very thankful for my friends (family- you are
> > also friends too) that were there for me when i needed love and
> > support most. From taking me out to eat or just kid-napping me to go
> > play with your puppy... or giving me a hug RIGHT at the second I
> > needed one the most and also texting me just letting me know that you
> > are thinking about me... also serving me by helping me clean my room
> > or even cleaning my car.... or even maybe there were some that pray
> > for me because they didnt know what to say, i have felt those prayers!
> > I love each and every single one of you and you have changed my life
> > for good! "People come into our lives for a reason bringing something
> > we must learn and we are blessed by those who help us most to grow, if
> > we let them" I am so very thankful for those who have changed my life
> > for good! :)
> >
> > I am so very thankful for this Gospel! I dont know where I would be
> > without it in my life. I know that the Book of Mormon is true! I love
> > reading all the stories in the Book of Mormon. I love to 'Liken' the
> > stories to myself in my own life! I love you all and thank you for
> > all your love and support that you have given me!

Love you always, forever,
Hermana Wadsworth

January 25, 2012

HOLA FAMILIA!
> How are you all doing?! I am doing great! This last week I have
> learned so much. By the way, Hermana Rials and I will be staying
> together! Can you believe that I have already been out for a whole
> Transfer! It blows my mind. Today all the new missionaries are coming
> in. I remember the day I flew in like it was yesterday.
> This past week since I more then likely will only have 6 more weeks
> with Herman Rials I am stepping it up a lot with spanish study! Every
> other day we will practice telling stories and just talking in spanish
> for the whole hour. And really, I do try to speak as much spanish as I
> can, but i do still kind of go back to using english even when I know
> the correct word in spanish. it is mal (bad)... but I will continue to
> try to be better at that.
> I am sorry, I dont have a lot of time to write today... I dont know
> where the time has gone. But I do want to share with you all something
> that I have been doing to have a better relationship with Heavenly
> Father.
> This past week I was re-evaluating myself and my relationship with
> Heavenly Father. I decided that I do have a pretty good relationship
> with Him, but I didnt rely on Him. So, what I have been doing is
> keeping a prayer in my heart. I will tell you that I have felt His
> presence ever so near to me and felt His peace! He really is our best
> friend, if we let Him in! I am so very thankful for my Savior Jesus
> Christ and for the Atonement! I love Him! He is my best friend! I know
> that this is His church Restored in this day and that The Church of
> Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is His church. I also know that the
> Book of Mormon is true! I know that we can come closer to Christ by
> applying the teachings it contains then by any other book!
> I hope you all have a great week! Thank you for all the letters and postcards! I love them all! XOXOXOXOXO
 Love you always, forever,
Hermana Wadsworth
>  PICS: Hermana Rials and I are still crazy!.... :)
 My district from left to right...Nay, me, Snyder, Kimber, Jackson, Rials, Excell and Purcell!
 LOVES!