The Last Email!!!!!!!

Hello my dear family!

This past week has gone by uber fast, but so much good has happened. This past week we did what we call a Church Tour. We give a Tour of the Church, but we also teach the first lesson while we do the Tour. This past week we did one with Howard, who is one of our investigators. It was such a great experience. We had the a couple from our Branch there as well. I enjoy so very much hearing other's testimonies of the Gospel. And also watching Howard and his faith in the Savior grow as we taught.

 

We also did another Church Tour with Edward. Just the fact that we found him again was a miracle and we feel like he has been prepared to hear this message. As we were teaching the First lesson, which is about the Restoration, he was just eating everything we said up. We taught him that because God loves us, He doesn't want us to be in darkness and confusion, so He calls a Prophet and gives him the Priesthood or Authority to direct God's Church. But how when God's children (us-all of us) don't listen, God takes away that authority. Edward then stopped us and said, "Yeah! There has always been prophets throughout the Bible. They are really important. Wait, is there another Prophet on the earth today!!??" We were then able to testify that there is. We are not in darkness. There will always be a a Prophet on the earth. We then invited him to read the Book of Mormon.

 

I know that it is through the Book of Mormon that we can know the truth- that Joseph Smith was a Prophet and that this is God's Church on the earth today. I know that this is true because of the Holy Ghost. It is not because of what my parents taught me, although they did teach me very well, I still had to know for myself that these things were true. I know that this is Christ's Church! I know that the Priesthood has been restored to the earth once more. I know that Heavenly Father loves us! I know that Jesus is the Christ!!!

 

I love you all!!!!  I will see you soon! :) Have a great week! 
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
-- 

Con Amor, 

Hermana Wadsworth 

This is our 2nd to last letter!!!!

Dear Family!!!

I just have to say, I love you all! And I also have to say, I love being a missionary!!!
I am running out of time with writing right now... so this letter may or may not be a shorty, just saying....

Highlights this past week:

I went to the Temple with all of the departing missionaries, it was a lot of fun! AND I am the only Hermana/Sister going home this transfer so I have 10 Elders all to myself to carry my bags and everything... haha! (That is what President said to me at least... haha!)

We set a date with Mat and Michael (they are a part member family) We are so excited for them! They came to church yesterday and we have a lesson with them tomorrow. They will be baptized May 11th!

AND we also had an AMAZING lesson with Howard and he came to Church yesterday too! We will be setting a date with him this next week for mid May too!

Hm.... what else happened.... MISTY GOT BAPTIZED!!! I don't know if you remember her. Hermana Penrose and I taught her in Ottumwa and she got baptized this past weekend. We were able to go too!!! I forgot my camera today so I will send pictures next week... OR I could just wait to show you later. Haha! :)

SUNDAY!!! HUGE MIRACLE! Okay, so we were in Relief Society and our Branch President came in and said, "There is a little boy, who is 2, wearing a orange jacket that is missing and he was last seen on Henry Street. If you want to leave to go look for him you can." SO, we left to go look for him. We were all just praying and asking Heavenly Father to direct us in some way to find him. We were all listening to the Spirit and letting anyone that we saw on the street to look for him. We then say this lady walking down the street with a little boy and we told her about the little boy that is missing and she said, "this is him! we found him!" I could not hold back my tears and we got out of the car and gave her a huge hug! I could only imagine what she was feeling like. We talked with her for a little and found out that she is actually  member of the Church! She hasn't gone for a long time and in fact, her records aren't in the Branch either. What a blessing!! What a miracle!!!

I know that God loves us! I know that He gave us His Son so that we can become better people and change. I know that Christ is our Savior. I know that the Book of Mormon is true! I know that miracles have not ceased!! That there are no coincidences in this life. Only God given miracles! I know that families are Eternal! I love you all so much!!! Have a great week!!!

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

 -- 

Con Amor,

Hermana Wadsworth 

18 days people!

 I have totally slacked the last few weeks-MUH BAD! Today you get 3 for the price of 1. I know you probably don't think I'm cool because of all the slacking and stuff on my end... but Deb wrote to me today to tell me "you are cool! haha!" so... there! 

18 days people!! Can you believe it!? 

Come to our house April 28th from 7-10 pm to say hello. Her homecoming talk will be at 8 am that morning at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints located on the west side of Greenfield north of Southern, south of Broadway. She would love to see you all there!

Enjoy this weeks letter: 

Dear Family!!

OH HOW I LOVE SPRING WEATHER!!! The past week I haven't even wore my boats because it was so warm outside... I LOVE IT! The trees are starting to show little buds and hopefully in the next week we will start to see some flowers bloom. I love spring! I wish Arizona had spring like they do here. I love the 4 seasons! Isn't it so wonderful that our loving Father in Heaven has created with world for us with all the seasons, beautiful colors and the lovely plants! I love living on earth! All the experiences that we have every week that bring us closer to Him, if we let them.

I have been thinking a lot about just that, agency. Every day, the gift is ours to choose to have a good day or to not. We have the choice to get mad or to not let things bug us. "So, be like a duck and just let the water run right off your back..." I loved the talk by Elder Ellis I believe that he said every morning we should wake up and sing at the top of our lungs "Oh what a beautiful morning! Oh what a beautiful day! I have a wonderful feeling everything is going my way!" Every morning we have this song that wakes us up and it is just totally upbeat and it says "Good Morning" Every morning really is good! We should continuously strive to keep every morning and good morning and every afternoon, even and all the little experiences and moments along the way be GOOD! Because they are good! How blessed we are!!!

We also must remember though, that if we do choose to get mad or have a negative thought, we can repent. Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ did all that he did so that we could repent and change and become better and ALWAYS have a good time! I know that Christ is our Friend! He loves us and wants to help us! He wants us to have JOY!! And is through His Atonement that we can experience that joy and also to be able to change and become new people. I am so thankful for this wonderful Church that is His. For the chance that we have EVERY WEEK to change, to become more like Him as we partake of the sacrament and come with a "broken heart and a contrite spirit."

I know that the Church is true! I know that the Book of Mormon is true by the power of the Holy Ghost, not by any other means. I know that Thomas S. Monson is God's Prophet on the earth today! And how wonderful it was to listen to his voice this past weekend!  

I love you all! Have a great week!!!!

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXXOXOXOXOX
-- 

Con Amor,

Hermana Wadsworth

Last weeks letter: 

Hello Family!

So, this email may or may not be shorter then the rest. There are a lot of things to get done since I am coming home soon and so... bare with me here... ha ha!

This past week came and went so SO fast! I love being a missionary! I have to tell you something that happened on Saturday.

Do you remember me talking about Nita?! Nita was an investigator I was teaching with Hermana Penrose in Ottumwa. Well, I don't know if I told you this or not, but she moved about 1 month before her baptism to Burlington. She was baptized in Burlington and has lived there ever since. WELL, her daughter, Sierra, was scheduled to be baptized last Saturday. Since this last week was so very busy with District meeting on one day and Interviews on another, we didn't have a lot of time to go finding new investigators. The plans were sent and Hermana Stroud, Smith and I were going to go finding that day. OH, I forgot to mention, Burlington is in our district-which means that we could go to the baptism if we could find a ride there. ANYWAYS, long story short, on Friday night, while I was praying, I said "Heavenly Father, tomorrow is Sierra's baptism, and we haven't found a new investigator this week and we are going to work hard to find one for the hour of time that we have scheduled tomorrow"  (side note here, we still had to plan for our next week so we really only had 1 hour scheduled to find). I accepted the fact that I was not going to go to Sierra's baptism. I was sad, but I had to put the Lord first and what He wanted me to do. I wanted to accomplish our goal!

Unannounced to me, Hermana Stroud that morning received a thought to her mind "Hermana Wadsworth really needs to be at that baptism". So, she textedthe Elders in Burlington and arranged it. During the day, I really tried not to think too much about the baptism. I was really bumbed that I missed Nita's, but the plans were set. So, we went and we met some really, REALLY cool people in this trailer park and we are going to start teaching a couple of them this week. BUT we still had not found that new investigator. Well, after we were done at the trailer park, we had to go home to get something... and come to think of it. I cannot remember what that 'something' was, but it was important for the other activities we had for the rest of the day.

We went down stairs and Hermana Stroud saw someone (who I did not know) and she opened the lady's car door and then I asked her "Who is that?! I don't recognize her?" She said, "Well, Heavenly Father wants you to know that He loves you, that is a kind Sister from Burlington that is going to be taking us to the baptism." I could not hold back my tears.

When we got to the baptism, not even Nita knew that I was coming... I gave her a big huge hug! My heart was so filled with joy! And just thinking about it really brings that warmth back into my heart.

I know that Heavenly Father loves us! I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and also the Bestest Friend we could EVER want/need. I know that the Book of Mormon is true, I have prayed about it and have received that witness through the power of the Holy Ghost. I am so excited for this coming weekend we have to listen to God's Prophet, Thomas S. Monson! I know that he is a Prophet of God and that he leads and guides this Church, which is Christ's Church!

I love you all so much! I hope you have a great week!!!!!!!! XOXOXOXOXOXOXO

-- 

Con Amor,

Hermana Wadsworth 

The email from the week before THAT:

HELLLOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love you all so much!!!!!!!!! I hope that you all had a FANTASTIC week and that this next week will be even better than the last. :) HE LIVES!!!! OUR SAVIOR LIVES!!!!!!! I know that He lives! I know that He did what He did so that we do not have to go through this life alone.

http://www.lds.org/bible-videos/videos/he-is-risen?lang=eng

http://www.lds.org/pages/mormon-messages?lang=eng#none-were-with-him

http://www.lds.org/pages/mormon-messages?lang=eng#lifting-burdens-the-atonement-of-jesus-christ

I have to tell you about this really cool experience that we had this past week. On Saturday we were checking up on some referrals and decided to just walk there. It was really fun! The more I am out the more I enjoy finding. And talking WITH people and not AT people. Anyways, we had done our finding and then we were heading to the car. There was this man that was walking just in front of us so fearless Hermana Stroud stepped up her strides and started talking to him and Hermana Smith and I were right behind him talking as well. He wasn't the most friendly of guys, but we walked and talked with him till he went into the Bar. Still heading to the car we were walking through the square when we saw this man just walk right in front of us.... we kept walking when the Spirit just told us, "STOP! Go talk to him." So we all just turned around and headed straight to him. We sat at talked about Jesus Christ and the Book of Mormon with him. He told us his name is Brett and that he just got out of prison, he said that he had a little bit of religion, but that he hasn't really done anything with it. Just as we were talking with him I really could feel how much God loved him and I think I said it at least one time and Hermana Stroud and Smith also did. It really was such an awesome experience! We gave him the Book of Mormon and also our number. He said he didn't want to give us his address or anything. Which was fine.  Well, that is not the end of the story! Yesterday at Church, Brother Lance (who is 2nd Counselor in the Branch Presidency) came up to us. He told us of how this less-active named Brett really wants to start coming back to church. He said that he just got out of prison and that he wants to change his life around. We don't know 100% if it is the SAME Brett, but I feel like it is!

I know that God lives and that He answers our prayers and that it is through us that He meets their needs. I know that there are no such things as a "coincidence"  It is so humbling to be an instrument in His hands! To help others come unto Him! I know that this really is the work of the Master! That He loves us! I know that He lives! Let us always remember Him and what He did for us every day! And to not hesitate in giving thanks to Him and asking for His help. I know that Families are Forever!

I LOVE YOU!! HAPPY EASTER!!!!! XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

-- 

Con Amor,

Hermana Wadsworth 

2 For 1

Oh hey! Tori here. Today you get the pleasure of reading not one, but two of Debs' emails! Enjoy :) (PS 39 days til she gets home, but who's counting?)

Email from last week (March 11, 2013):

 

LIFE IS SO EXCITING!!!! So, guess what?! We are getting 30 more missionaries this Thursday!!! 30!!!!! Isn't that so cool!!!!??? And only 8 missionaries or so are going home. The Lord truly is hastening his work! And I am going to be training one of the Hermanas coming!!! She is going to be waiting for her Visa to go through so we arent sure how long we will have her, but either way I am really excited to train!! Even though it is a little stressful- I know the Lord will help me!

 

I have to tell you a really cute story! So, we went over to see Tami and Mat this week (Mat is an investigator) ANYWAYS, we were over there visiting Tami because Mat was at work. She said that she "caught" Mat the other day reading the Book of Mormon is the hallway to the kids rooms.... she said, " I came around the corner and saw Mat, I said, 'What are you doing?' and he, while shoving the thing he was doing underneath him said 'Nothing!' Then she said, 'Are you reading the Book of Mormon?' He said, 'yeah..... I just didnt want you to know....'" haha!!! SO CUTE!!! He is loving reading the Book of Mormon!! It is so awesome! But this wasnt the only story I wanted to share with you.... The other one happened on Friday while we were just visiting Tami and I was talking to her son, Michael. Michael was looking at the Book of Mormon and just openned up to a random page and started reading... then he asked me, "Is this Alma guy from Texas?" "What?!" I responded. He read in Alma 60:19-20:

 

19 Or is it that YE have neglected us because YE are in the heart of our country and YE are ^asurrounded by security, that YE do not cause food to be sent unto us, and also men to strengthen our armies?

20 Have YE forgotten the commandments of the Lord your God? Yea, have YE forgotten the captivity of our fathers? Have YE forgotten the many times we have been delivered out of the hands of our enemies?

He was thinking like: YE-HAW!!! hahah! such a cutie!! He is 9.

 

We had really good lesson with Raz this week. He has a lot of things still to work through just because of the way he was raised. He is an awesome guy though with really good intetions. His prayers are so sincere and we both feel like he is coming a long so well. Especially since he doesnt really know if God is there, BUT he has a testimony of Jesus Christ. He doesn't seem to really doubt Christ. It is just a very interesting and faith growing experience to teach him. He just blows our minds!! I will have to send you a picture of him soon.

 

We have been going through our Branch directory this past week and finding all these part-member families! They are all such great people. We have found that so many of them are related to active people in the Branch or are still in contact with people in the Branch.  There are so many of them that know that the Church is true and just don't want to make changes. I know that our lives really are happier when we found them on the teachings of Jesus Christ. Not only that, but also going to Church is so very, very important! That is how we renew our baptismal covenant. That is how we "always have  His Spirit to be with us".

 

I know that this Church is Christ's Church. I know that the Book of Mormon is Another Testament of Jesus Christ! I know that this work is God's work! I know that Jesus Christ lives!!! I love you all!!! I hope you have a great day!!!!!!!!

 

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

--

Con Amor, 

Hermana Wadsworth 

 

Email from this week (March 18, 2013):

Have I told you how much I LOVE LOVE being a missionary!?!??! It is the most exciting thing EVER!!! You get to meet people, help them build their faith in the Lord and also help them make covenants with Him. It is just the greatest!!!

 

So, we are now the Tres Hermanas!!!!!! Hermana Smith is so awesome! Brand new from the MTC and just ready and willing to hit the pavement running! She is so awesome! She is from Brigham City, UT and is just a joy to be around. She has an incredible memory! And her Spanish is definitely better then mine was... and she was only in the MTC for 6 weeks instead of the 9 that I had. The Lord really is hastening His work. She is a Visa waiter right now, she is called to the Argentina Mission. Apparently that is happening a lot now since there are so many missionaries going out, getting Visa are taking longer. I really don't understand why, but either way, I am excited that Hermana Smith is here. :)

This past week we had an AMAZING lesson with Liz! I don't know if I have told you about her, but she is just eating up everything that we put down. The Plan of Salvation is so real! I know that with all my heart. This life is not all! We are all children of God and He loves all of us. He created this earth for us and so that we can return to live with Him. He provided for us His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ to come into the earth to redeem us from the Fall. We can repent from our sins! And not only can we repent, but also whenever we are having a hard time in our lives we can pray to Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ and we receive strength to overcome. I don't really understand how it all works, but I know it does because I have prayed and have been enabled! It is because of Jesus Christ that this is made possible.

 

Raz is doing good... he still has his set backs and we are trying to help him with them. The biggest thing is Joseph Smith, he thinks that Joseph Smith wrote the Book of Mormon... He didn't write it- he TRANSLATED it by the power of God! When you read the Book of Mormon, you feel the Spirit. Just like when you read the Bible you feel the Spirit. They are both the word of God! AH! OK, I will get off of my high horse now. I just know the Book of Mormon is true because I have read it and prayed about it and I received an answer by the Holy Ghost. And you can too!!! Pray with real intent... meaning, be willing to act on the answer that God gives you and you will receive it! I promise that!

 

I love this work! I know this is the Lord's work!!! I hope everyone who has the opportunity to go on a mission will go!!! This is the best time of my life!!! I love Hermana Stroud and Hermana Smith so much! They are both extraordinary women and missionaries! I am learning so much from both of them. I love the people here in Mount Pleasant! They are so great!!!! OH!!!! MAN! I wish I could send you pictures.... next week! But this past Tuesday and Wednesday we went to the Temple! Best ever!! I love the Temple so much!!! I WILL send you pictures next week! Have a great week!!!!

 

XOXOXOXOOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
--

Con Amor, 

Hermana Wadsworth 

 

 

FAAAAACT

You guys my sister is awesome! I am so anxious for her to be home. I hope you enjoy her emails as much as I do! PS 52 days until she gets home!!!!!

Hello Family!!!

Did you know that the birthplace of John Wayne is in Winterset, IA?! I didn't know that till I was in Winterset this past weekend!! SO COOL!!! I didn't get to go to his home because the Lord's work is more important than that. BUT I did still take a picture of the street sign... haha! OH and that picture of the snow coming off the roof... SCARY!!! Haha! We did NOT walk under that....

Anyways- this week was so good! Have I told you how much I love my companion?! She is so awesome!! I will tell you some reasons why in a minute after I tell you what happened. So we have been working a lot with the members here! We have been serving them any chance we get. Well, this past week it has snowed a lot here so we thought of a list of members to go see and to shovel their sidewalks. So the happy little Arizona and Texas missionaries went on their happy way serving and having little lessons with our members and less-actives. It went really well and we found a lot of success in it. Towards the end of the night my left hand was a little achy, but not too bad. Well, I went to bed that night and at 3am I woke up in SO MUCH PAIN!! My whole left arm hurt and my back was throbbing... I laid back in bed and went to sleep. That morning we called the nurse and long story short, we had to stay in. I felt so foolish. I did not like it because that day we had some AWESOME plans to go and see some less-actives and members.... But Hermana Stroud was just awesome to me that day. She just served me all that she could and she made some cookies that we ended up giving to all of the Elders in our District. She is just so awesome!!

I just have to say, again. I AM SO EXCITED FOR WILL!!! And I am SO EXCITED for Justin!! We are all going to speak Spanish and just have a blast! And I feel like ya'll will be able to help me with my Spanish too because it is still a struggle for me. I do really good when I test myself on paper, but speaking not so good. I can understand good, but I am a little awkward of a speaker. Haha! Hermana Stroud and I speak it as much as we can too which has helped a LOT!

http://www.mormonchannel.org/have-i-done-any-good 

You have got to watch this music video! President Jergensen shared it with us on Friday and it is BOMB.COM worthy for sure!! I love it! It makes me so excited to do service for others! I think everyone should add this song to their iPods... haha! It is that awesome! :)

I love being a missionary and really helping others come to Christ. It is such a privilege! We went to Des Moines this past weekend for exchanges with the Sisters there and we went to visit this family. The dad's mother is dying of bone cancer and we could feel the heaviness that father was feeling because he was driving back and forth to help out his mom as best as he could. I was able to bear my testimony about the Atonement of Jesus Christ to that man. It was so cool to hear of his faith in Christ and about how he knows that he doesn't have to go through this trial alone.

I am so very thankful for a loving Savior who really does help us through the hard times as well as the easy times. I feel as humans we feel like "I just have to be tough and get through this". Why?! Why did Christ come here?! So "he could know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities" (Alma 7:11) He did what he did so he could help us! We dont have to do it alone! I know that to be true! I know that the Book of Mormon is true! I know that God speaks to us today through His chosen prophet, Thomas S. Monson.

I love you all!!! I hope you have a great week!!! XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

-- 

Con Amor,

Hermana Wadsworth 

Hello! Tori here! I'm taking over for dear Mary who is busy busy with school! We are sorry about slacking the last couple of months with posting Debs emails. If you have not been receiving them and would like to, please leave a comment w/your email address. If you would like to read her old emails between this email and the last one that we posted, comment with your email address and I will forward them to you. Thanks for supporting our sister! We love her dearly and couldn't be more proud! She's been doing amazing and will finish off the last 2 months with just as much energy and enthusiasm! 

Dear Family- 

I AM SO EXCITED FOR WILL!!! YAY!!!!!!! Just think, in a little over 2 years when you get back we can just chat it up in Spanish and no one will know what are are saying... MUAHAHAHAHAHA!! :) My heart is just so overcome with joy! I just want to shout it from the roof tops! The Lord has blessed our family in so many ways- I am so thankful to Him!!! 

This past Saturday was so great!!! As I am sure it was with all of you. Hermana Stroud and I headed back to good ol' Ottumwa to see Zeila get baptized! It was so awesome to see her in white! And in a couple of weeks she is going to go do baptisms in the Temple and I will be going to that too! :) YAY!!! Isn't this work so awesome!! There is nothing better than seeing people really come unto Christ and take upon His name!! Zeila was just beaming!! It was so cool!! Then, that night at about 10:20 President Jergensen called me and... I didnt think that I was in trouble or anything... It is just that President Jergensen is a very busy man and getting a phone call from him is just a very big deal. He started out by saying, "HELLO HERMANA WADSWORTH!! How are you doing?" I said, "Good President, how are you?". "I am good," he said, "so I just got off the phone with you Mom. She said that your brother got his mission call, but I am sad to say, it is not here in the Iowa Des Moines mission." I said, "OH man!! That is a bummer!! Where is he going?!" President then said, "well your mom said that if you want you can just wait until Monday when you email to find out OR I can tell you, but you are patient so would you like to wait till Monday?"... "WHAT?!? NO NO NO!! This is one thing I cannot be patient with, President!!" He then laughed at me and then proceeded to tell me where Will is going!!! AHH!!!!! WHAT AN AMAZING DAY SATURDAY WAS AND IT JUST WARMED ME UP!!!!! Such exciting news! I already looked to see when Chicuahua is... not tooooo shabby! It would not surprise me if you go right up to the New Mexico/Texas boarder!! YAY!!! I am so excited!!! Missions are the best thing EVER!!!!!! I love it!!! I think EVERYONE who can should go on a mission!! 

I am sorry that this email is going to be so short, but I wanted you to know how I took the whole thing... and how great the Lord is!! He really does bless us and know what our needs are!! I know that Jesus Christ lives and loves us!! I know that the Book of Mormon is true!! I know that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ we will all be saved after all that we can do! That when we keep the commandments the Lord will bless us!!! I love you all so much!!! I am so lucky yo have a family like you!!!  

FAMILIES ARE FOREVER!!!!! 

LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!! XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO 

Have a great week!!! 

--

Con Amor, 

Hermana Wadsworth