Hey Y'all,

It was a fantastic week! So much has happened! For christmas eve we went to a part member family. We're teaching the husband. We had dinner, my comp read the 3 tree's, then we opened presents. She gave us a necklece and a bracelet! It was a great night!! Then the next day we opened our packages. Thanks everyone for all you do! It helped make it a great Christmas for me and my comepanion! I was able to get another scrpture journal. I'm excited to write in it as I study the scriptures! I love them! We had breakfast with a member, the Slingers.  We got to decorated our pancakes. That was a lot of fun! Then we played domino's. I finally won once then my comp got a pie in the face. They had an extra so I threw a pie in one of the spanish elders face! It was a lot of fun! We did gmail chat/hangout or whatever with our families at the senior couples! The Stevens were really nice to let us come over and do that there. It was great to see y'all. I had to wash the pie out of my companions hair in the sink to save time before our next appt. Memories! She felt bad but I told her that I am used to it.  Then we had dinner at another members home. I hope you were able to have a great Christmas. Take the spirit of the season of giving through out the new year! make it a great week! 

Macon Miracles,

Sister Wheelwright

Hey y'all,

This has been another great week! Last p-day we went to the Stevens, the senior couple serving in our area, and my comp made aprons for most of the day. Wednesday we went to a little town about an hour away to have lunch with the LOLS (Little old lady society). They meet once a month for lunch. On the way we took pictures of all these different places where Franklin D. Roosevelt liked to visit so that was cool! Last friday Sister Stevens sewed my bag, the straps were falling off. After they took us to red robin for lunch. It was the best! One of the waitresses is a recent convert baptized in november who moved from alaska and is looking for the lds building so that worked out perfectly! It was my 9 month mark since I left for the mtc that day too! So to celebrate I burned a skirt. Not one of mine but an old one we found in the closet.  We work on fort building a lot. Someone we're teaching is a 9 yr old boy. He has been fun to teach using more activity's! This last time we went with the Stevens too and taught obedience. I thought we could use a blindfold to show what happens when we're disobedient. It's like a blind fold to spiritual promptings. He loved it! The Stevens are such a big help. We'll be going to their place to skype on Christmas so that should be exciting! I love being a missionary around the Christmas season to be able to celebrate the saviors birth, and to remember that he is the gift. Make it a great week and have a Merry (mary) Christmas!

Macon Miracles,

Sister Emily Wheelwright

Hey y'all!
   I hope you had a great week! I know I did! The transfer was great! It was hard leaving my area right before Christmas. I know that sacrifice brings forth the blessing of heaven and we need them so it's a part of life. My companion is Sister Curtis and she is from Honeyville, Utah! I'm now in the Rivercrest, Columbus area. Which is sooo cold compared to Valdosta! Valdosta had a Christmas parade. It was like aug weather last sat. We got to drive down the parade route and be in it!
    Last Wednesday I contacted a deaf person sitting next to me at the library while I was doing RMT. We even watched he is the gift too. I taught them the 1st lesson in ASL the next day! That was pretty cool!
 We got Christmas presents from the mission at our special zone conference. It was a special temple recommend holder and our mission culture paper to go in our white hand book with a pic of Jesus! Also thank you so much for all you who sent me a Christmas package! It made my day! I love being a missionary!  Make it a great week!
Macon Miracles,
Sister Wheelwright

Hey y'all!

It's been a great week! We went to chubby's chicken after DTM as a district for lunch. My trainer gave me another awesome package before she went home. Later on Sister Price and I got soup on a cold day. We had one of our investigators get baptized Saturday, later that night we found out that they are closing our area. Not enough sisters are coming out and so many are leaving that they have to close some. So we're both leaving! I've had to say goodbye to everyone in Valdosta. I know that my next area will be awesome! We went to the Robinsons to watch the Christmas devotional and take some pictures! I'm excited to get to my new area and meet all the new people! Make it a great week! 

Macon Miracles,

Sister Wheelwright

Hey y'all,

So this week we did a service project. Tuesday we helped by putting boxes of food into peoples cars. We did the juice part of it. We did it from 7 am to noon. It was pouring when we got there and it rained for a good hour then it was off and on. We had to organize the boxes so we could give the soaked ones first. We even got a picture on the front page of the newspaper! We ended up getting soaked through and through but it was fun to help out to give people a happier thanksgiving! I had some pass a long cars in my pocket. I gave some away but after a while they got soaked together. Our arms got pretty sore because of it but it's all good. We had a special district meeting to talk about the new video/website, "He is the gift". Which is amazing. I love it! Tell everyone about it. It is an amazing video/website. Plus it links to another website called Mormon 101, which has some more great videos! There will be a youtube take over... which sounds awesome! On the 7th the church will be the only advertiser on the youtube's home page plus billboards in time square. It's going to be so great! So after DTM we went to stake and shake to celebrate all this exciting news. It was great, we had an interesting gospel discussion too! I hope y'all had an amazing thanksgiving! I know I did! We went to Cracker Barrel for breakfast with our recent convert Mary. She's amazing! We had a great time and got there just before the rush. Later on we had lunch with a member of the ward. She was super nice. She's always so welcoming. For dinner we went to the Robinson's and had a great time, we also stopped the Sorensen's, another great family! Throughout the day we did missionary work (surprise!). Valdosta was like a ghost town, but we managed.  We also went to the Florida boarder which is like 20 ish if that minutes away. We had some welches grape juice too throughout the day! Sunday one of the members gave us some nutella! Amazing! It was a great day/week! We also had a great lesson with one of our investigators who is getting baptized this Saturday! It's been great to see the progress that this family has made, they even have FHE on monday nights now! It's such an amzing thing to see how much of a difference the gospel can do in someones life. I love being able to be a part of it! Make it a great week!

Thanks for all your love and support!

Much Love,

Sister Wheelwright

Hey y'all,

Its been a great week! Since it's thanksgiving this week I'm thankful to be a missionary to be able to help other people come unto Christ. Last p-day we went to the arcade and I played a game once and won the jack pot so we got enough tickets to get rings and candy and a coloring book! It was a great day! We then got ingredients to make a great truffle raspberry cake! We roasted marshmallows over our candle! We had exchanges. I learned a lot. My trainer gave me a box with hot chocolate and some winter clothes and some stickers. I'm excited for thanksgiving. This week is going to be great! We found some awesome reindeer hats for Christmas! Last night we had a crazy storm. We had to cancel our appointment because it was so rainy and windy with thunder and lightening that rattled the apartment. It was pretty cool with a chance of possible tornado's so we stayed inside, plus my companion got strep. It's okay cause we're macon miracles! It's okay I had more time to study/mark my scriptures!

 We had a great lesson with the Bushes. We've been teaching the bushes with sister missionaries from salt lake city.  He is not a member and she is less active. He is getting baptized on the 6th of December. They call and teach him over the phone. Our phone rang yesterday and it said utah so we answered and it was the the sister from salt lake city. It was cool to be able to talk with them. So they don't get too many baptism so they're going to Skype the baptism. It's going to be awesome! So much is happening to hassen the work. I love being able to be a part of it! I love being a missionary!  Make it a great Thanksgiving!

Thanks for all your love and support!

Macon Miracles,

Sister Wheelwright

Hey y'all,

It's been a great week! Sister Michie and I had a snow ball fight and then we made mormon.org snowman's! We had Zone Training in Tifton Thursday. The lady who gave us a ride almost missed her exit so she hit the brakes and swerved to get it in time. This UPS truck almost crushed us. We lived, thankfully. It was a great meeting. I learned so much about how to be a better missionary. During the break sister Michie and I had fruits snacks so we made a chart with them! There was a member Grandpa Red who recently passed away so they had a memorial for him. Since I've been here the longest I was asked to speak... it was interesting. I've never spoke at a memorial before. Of all the things I thought I would do that is not one of them. It was a great learning experience though. I talked about the resurrection and used part of a great "Sunday will come" by Joseph B Wirthlin. Which has now become one of my favorites! It's really helped me to come to understand the Resurrection and how much it means to me. Here are just a few of my favorite quoutes:

"I think of how dark that Friday was when Christ was lifted up on the cross.

On that terrible Friday the earth shook and grew dark. Frightful storms lashed at the earth."

"The despair did not linger because on Sunday, the resurrected Lord burst the bonds of death. He ascended from the grave and appeared gloriously triumphant as the Savior of all mankind."

"And in an instant the eyes that had been filled with ever-flowing tears dried. The lips that had whispered prayers of distress and grief now filled the air with wondrous praise, for Jesus the Christ, the Son of the living God, stood before them as the first fruits of the Resurrection, the proof that death is merely the beginning of a new and wondrous existence.

"Each of us will have our own Fridays—those days when the universe itself seems shattered and the shards of our world lie littered about us in pieces. We all will experience those broken times when it seems we can never be put together again. We will all have our Fridays."

"The Resurrection transformed the lives of those who witnessed it. Should it not transform ours? We will all rise from the grave."

"On that day we will know the love of our Heavenly Father. On that day we will rejoice that the Messiah overcame all that we could live forever."

"That we may always know that no matter how dark our Friday, Sunday will come is my prayer" 

Isn't it just amazing! It helped me to be able to not only comfort them but it will help me through out my life as trials come and go. I know that this church is true and I'm so grateful for the  peace and comfort it brings me. To know we can be with our families forever. To have the chance to help others come to know this is such an amazing blessing. To see their progress as the spirit comes into their lives. We've been teaching a man who is not a member. His wife is a less active. He is the one who watched conference thinking it was going to be negative but really enjoyed it. So he decided to learn more that's when we met them. He came to church with a white shirt and tie and everything! Plus he's been smoke free for 5 days! They have been making so much progress. He is now on date to be baptized on Dec 6th! I love being a missionary!

Much Love,

Sister Wheelwright 

p.s Christmas packages need to be sent in to the mission home by Dec 6th in order to get to me before Christmas, thanks for all your love and support!

Hey y'all,

This has been a great week! We went up to Tifton for interviews with President Cottle. They were great! We talked about goals, planning and how to be a better missionary. We had our first cottage meeting Friday. It was a ton of fun! It was for recent converts and less actives and investigators to meet members and missionary's. We had a spiritual thought and then played games.  I was sick over the weekend so it seemed way longer then normal. That's okay, I have an amazing companion who made it so much better. She really helped me out so much. I feel so blessed to be able to serve with her. I learn so much from her all the time! So one of the elders said he could drink a gallon of milk in 20 seconds. So today he tried... he pretty much dumped/took a shower in milk! He is crazy! We're going to play volley ball in the sand court at our apartment. It's going to be great! I've been working on knowing the scriptures better. So I've made my own progress record. I put the scripture with the lesson and the date I started learning and the day I have it memorized. I love being a missionary here in Georgia! Thanks for all your love and support.

Macon Miracles,

Sister Wheelwright.

Hey y'all,

It's been a great week! We had another great week as usual. We were able to have some great lessons with our investigators and recent converts. I love seeing the progress they make in the gospel. To see the light come into their home and their eyes. It's so great to come to know and love the people here. I was able to hear from a companion I served with in Warner Robins, Sis Gallegos. It made my day! :D My companion sis Price is amazing. She is always serving and helping me to be a better missionary. So because the 2 rival high schools had a big game on friday people would be pulling pranks and doing stupid things so they moved Halloween to Saturday. So we were on lock down for 2 nights friday and sat. So we did weekly planning friday, a little sat, and worked on making a better map. We played some games too. First we played harry potter clue. I totally won! Then we played monopoly and made zombie cookies. It was great night! So I braided my companions hair and sis Michie helped me braid my hair. It was great. Plus we got a whole extra hour of sleep. The next morning my comp and I curled the ysa sisters hair. We went to go get in our car Sunday for church and the elders colored it. Plus they borrowed our new car for transfer and put a bike rack on it. It scratched up our trunk. Sad day! I feel so blessed to be her companion and to be a missionary! 

Macon Miracles,

Sister Wheelwright

Hey y'all, It's been another great week in Valdosta. I love serving here. I'm excited to be able to serve another transfer in this great area! So much is happening. It's going to be an awesome transfer. So I had Boiled Peanuts, cracked them, and put them in a bowl so I could do weekly planning. It was great! I made brownies this last week with almonds. They were amazing! Thanks Aubrey! We were knocking and we found the perfect pine cone so we took a pic of it and with it! This last week we had a trunk or treat with the ward. So we decorated our trunk after the story of Elisha! It's pretty cool! Check out the pic! We have skeletons hanging with cobwebs, spiders, skulls and a sparkly bat... not exactly scary but it works. With pirates of the Caribbean music playing in the background. It was awesome! We invited our investigators and they were all able to come. They had a great time and it was a great fellowship with the ward. This family came and normally they are uncomfortable with large crowds but it didn't bug them at all. His son is slowly liking the church more and more. They started reading the Book of Mormon together as a family. It's been so great to see their progress. I love being a missionary! Thanks for all your love and support!
Macon Miracles,
Sister Wheelwright

 

This is from the ward trunk or treat. Our car with cut glow sticks on it.

The families next to us was cool to. 

Hey y'all,

           This week has been great! I hope y'all enjoyed the movie "Meet the Mormons"! We were able to do so much. We went to stake and shake after district meeting it was a lot of fun! We had exchanges this past week and my trainer Sister Madsen came to Valdosta! It was a lot of fun to be companions with her again! My mission President and his wife surprised us with a visit Saturday. We went up to Hahira to visit some less active's so to save miles we parked and walked... and walked and walked! They weren't even home. That's okay we got to talk with some cool people along the way.

             Tina and her daughter received the holy ghost on Sunday! We're teaching this family Chris and his less active wife Melissa. He has a cool story! So he has been pretty negative about the church for a long time. He  received an email about one of the talks in General Conference that he thought was going to be negative. So he was going to watch it to prove to his wife how bad it is. Then he forgot which talk it was so... he watch all of it! He stayed up all night to do so. His wife was so surprised. They watched one together, she loved it! So now we're teaching them and he was able to come to church on Sunday.

              Plus we met this other couple they're expecting a baby so they said they need religion in their life. He is less active so they came to church yesterday too! It was a great day! I love being a missionary to be serving here in the Georgia Macon Mission.

 Thanks for all your love and support.

Macon Miracles,

Sister Wheelwright

Hey y'all!

This week has been Great! A few of our investigators were able to get baptized. Mary Boston was referred to us by a member in the ward. We taught her in their home, they were great fellowshippers.  We started teaching her Wednesday she was able to get baptized a week and a half later Saturday morning. Tina Burke and her daughter Albrianna Austin got baptized too. Albrianna was so excited to be "water baptized"! It was such an amazing experience to be there with them. Yesterday we contacted a referral, gave her a bible and it turns out that they just moved here and are looking for a new church. It was great to be able to meet and talk with her. Plus last Thursday at zone conference we got a call during the meeting that they were switching our car for a different one. We got a brand new right off the lot 2015 Toyota Corolla!! That's been great because our last car the a/c hasn't been working so that was a little rough. Our car had so many miles they sold it. I love being a missionary. To be able to share the gospel with others is such a great blessing. Make it a great week! Thanks for all your love and support. 

Macon Miracles,

Sister Wheelwright

Hey y'all,

This past week has been great! It was so much cooler and dry. I loved it! Some of the missionaries from California think it is soo cold! My companion Sister Price and I love it. It's not snowing so it could be worse. 

 I loved listening to conference and being able to feel the spirit of it. We were able to listen with one of our investigators, Mary. She truly loved conference and how real and sincere it is. She had many great insights and learned a lot. I feel like I did as well. She is on date for baptism this Saturday. A member in the ward referred her to us. We had a member present with them. It made such a difference in the lesson, it was great! I've been able to see how much of a difference it makes when they already have a friend in the church. As missionaries we've been taught to teach not so much to find. Members can really help the work move forward. It's such a great thing to be a part of. Some things about conference that I liked are:

Elder Oaks on Loving and living with Differences. It was awesome on standing our ground without being disagreeable. A lot of them talked about loving others. It was cool because I met him.

Elder Anderson on the Prophet Joseph Smith -- loved it.

Elder Klebingat on Obedience --- so straight forward and direct. He was impressive. 

Elder Holland on caring for the poor. I can do better. 

Elder Nelson on Sustaining the Prophets. A few of them in a row talked about prophets. Interesting I wonder why?

Elder Ballard on Stay in the boat and hold on with both hands!

Elder Bednar on Proclaiming the everlasting gospel. Of course, because that is what we are all about!!

President Monson was great as always!

I had questions that were answered from listening to conference. It was such an amazing experience to hear the meeting in the different languages. I though it was so cool one of them spoke in Portuguese! We've been able to share conference with our LA's, and investigators. It's made such a difference in the lesson. I love general conference, and being a missionary! Oh and y'all should go see Meet the Mormons when it comes out! no excuses! It looks soo good but it's not for proselyting though. It's so that people will have a better understanding of who we are as members of the church.  Soo... Go and see it if you can. Make it a great week! Thanks for all your love and support.

Macon Miracles,

Sister Wheelwright

Hey y'all,

    Another great week in Georgia, we were able to do lots of great things. The weather was amazing this week! It was cool and it sprinkled a little rain off and on for a few days. We were able to see so many people. A few of our investigators got sick including Tina a few days before her baptism. I know that she will be baptized in the coming weeks, she has such a strong testimony.

    We had this huge ant hill in our apt complex so Sis Waycott and I decided to destroy it a little, it was p-day so we did something fun.

    Yesterday we were able to visit a less active lady who is deaf. I know ASL. It was such a great experience to be able to get to know her. When we first walked up she was excited to see us. She asked for a paper to write on. Then I started signing with her. Her face lit up. She was so excited to sign with me. She really opened up to us, we were able to get to know her. I was nervous because I haven't been able to sign a ton while on my mission. I feel like I forgot a few things. So my companion prayed that I would be able to remember the things I would need to communicate with her. So I took a deep breath and started signing and it came back. I was able to remember so many things. It was amazing! I even helped her remember a few signs that I don't remember learning. She taught me a few church signs. I'm so grateful I had the chance to use my talents to help someone. It was such a great blessing! We're going to see her again on Tuesday. I can't wait. While in Quitman we took dinner early and took some pictures of some old buildings. It was lots of fun!  

    We were able to find a wheel chair so Lawanda could come to church. I loved seeing her with the members talking with them, getting to know new friends, and seeing old friends. It was awesome! Sister Lambert from the ward, she is so amazing! She has an old violin and she is going to give it to me! One of the YSA missionaries, sister Waycott plays the violin, she is going to try to teach me. Another sister in the ward moved to Utah. We visited her before she left. I love being a missionary! We have Zone Conference this week. I'm excited to learn how to be a better missionary. Make it a great Week!

Macon Miracles,

Sister Wheelwright

Hey y'all,

So last p day we went to Grand Bay. It was great to get out and do something besides sleeping. You go and walk on this platform and see the alligators. It is super cool. A little close but it was fun. On the way back we were following the elders. They stopped at the train tracks, one of the elders got out of the car ran back and handed us a turtle through our car window! Crazy! Then we went to hang out at the church. Later our car broke, so it got towed. We had to take the elders car to transfer so we had that to drive for the rest of the night. Transfer meeting was great. I saw Jessica Kozak. The Kozaks are amazing!

 This has been a great first week of transfer. My new companion is Sister Price. I love having her as my companion here in Valdosta. We had to walk for a few days. Georgia is different at night when your walking so we took a pic for fun. As of Friday the 19th I've officially been out for 6 months! Thats crazy! 1 year to go. We celebrated with smoothie king! I know great things will happen. We both want to work hard and be obedient. I know miracles will happen as we do this. I've already seen so many great things happen in just the one week. We have Tina on date for this Saturday, she is so excited. We've received more member referrals and are scheduled to teach them at their house. Sunday they called a new ward mission leader who is an RM. I'm so excited to be involved in this great work and helping us be better missionaries to be able to reach the LA's. As well as take care of the RC's too. I'm just so excited for this transfer. I know great things will happen. I'm so grateful for the chance I have to be a missionary, to be serving in the Georgia Macon Mission. Also for all your continued love and support. 

Macon Miracles,

Sister Wheelwright

Hey y'all

It's been a great week! Last p day some missionaries came down and we played sports at the church! It was a lot of fun. I was able to try boiled peanuts...so good, I love them! We get them at the gas station down the street and slurpies too! One of them looked like a foot. Plus this week we had ZTM Zone training. I learned so much. This has been a great transfer. It went by way too fast though. I learning so much here in Valdosta. The people here are so great! They are so nice and have such a strong testimony. It's been such a blessing to be able to serve with them. I been able to look back and see how much I've grown and changed for the better. I love that! To be able to see and know that I am becoming more of what heavenly father wants me to be. I'm doing better then I think I am, and that I can also do better. I'm excited for this next transfer, to be able to learn so much more. It will be over before I know it so I don't count the days, I make the days count. I invite you to do the same....make the days count, make it a great week! 

Macon Miracles,

Sister Wheelwright

Hey y'all,

This week has been a great week. We've been able to get a lot of teaching done. It has been a busy week. My companion is going home on Sunday. So I'll be in a three some with the ysa sisters who luckily live in our apt. We wrote Mormon.org on the back of our car, it's supper cool.  I've learned so much from Sister Griffin, she is an amazing missionary. I will miss her but I know she will do great things in Texas. I'm so grateful for the chance I had to be able to serve with her as my companion. It's been a great transfer. I've noticed that they go by faster and faster. I've almost been on my mission for 6 months. It helps me to work harder because before I know it, it will be over. I hope to be able to have the mission go through me and help me to become the person heavenly father wants me to be. To be able to look back at my mission and know I did my best. I'm so blessed to be able to serve here in the Georgia Macon Mission, and for all of your continued love and support.

Macon Miracles,

Sister Wheelwright

Hey y'all,

This week has been great. We had some great lessons. Tina is one of our investigators. She is on date for the 13th of September, and she is so excited! I'm learning so much from her. It's been a great experience getting to know her. She has such a great desire to learn, and she loves relief society. 

This week I've learned more about how much our savior loves me. I was asked to speak in sacrament about how the holy ghost can help us overcome challenges as we listen to and obey it's promptings. I prepared my talk with scriptures and quotes but I just couldn't find my own words to go with it. I just prayed that I would be able to say what they needed to hear. I was sitting there during the opening hymn and I felt like I should change my talk a little to add how much the savior loves us and when we're struggling to reach him he is equally trying to reach us. As I was speaking I was truly able to feel that love and my desire to share it grew so much in that moment. I'm so grateful for my savior and all he did for me, to be able to share that with others is amazing!

     My area goes down to the Florida border so we went down there and took a picture as a district. It was great! 

Macon Miracles,

Sister Wheelwright

Hey Y'all,

        It's been another great week. It went by really fast! So we had a mission tour with Elder Kopishke from the seventy. It was amazing. I learned so much. He asked that when we invite people to come to church, we ask them to come with a specific question that they would want to be answered. He promised that if they will be prayerful about their question and have a sincere desire to know, that they would receive answers sometime during the three hour block of church! That will increase our church attendance, which he recognized as a big stumbling block of so many of our investigators. It was in Macon with 1/2 of the mission, I was able to see my trainer and old companions from the mtc and my last area Warner Robins, it was fantastic! We had some investigators come to church and now they're on date for baptism. It's going to be a great transfer!

        I'm giving a training on talking with everyone tomorrow in district meeting. I have to prep my talk for sunday on blessing from listening to the holy ghost. I wrote a talk in the MTC about this so I can use some of that. Yes! The bugs are crazy here. I need good bug spray. I can't wait for fall! Make it a great week.

Macon Miracles,

Sister Wheelwright

Hey y'all,

           This week has been crazy! We had zone training up in Tifton. Lots of driving up there and back. I learned a lot though so it's okay. I also was able to play the piano for the opening song. I had my interview with president at the end of the meeting. That was awesome! I was able to be in the mission choir again for stake conference with Elder Oaks! We had practice for most of the day then we had a break and they were getting ready to start the priesthood leadership meeting and my companion and I were hoping to see Elder Oaks. So we waited in the hallway. And.....he was walking up and he shook a few peoples hands then he came to me and my companion and he shook our hands then he talked with us for a minute. It was so cool! It was great to be able to talk with him. Then we practiced singing again, we had evening session of conference then he stayed to be able to shake everyone's hands who wanted to. He is such a nice man, it reminded me of the savoir being surrounded by people. He was smiling the whole time.

           Elder Oaks came to the Sunday Morning session at least 30 minutes early trying to get to shake the hands of as many as he could who were in attendance. It is my estimation that at least 2/3 of all of the people, and maybe more, who attended had that sacred honor. That was quite a task for a man who just recently turned 82! He even went though and was able to shake everyone's hand in our missionary choir. Elder Oaks taught many things during the general session on Sunday Morning. The principle taught was that revelation comes to us from TWO sources, and not just one. To demonstrate, he asked my mission president to come to the pulpit and asked that he bring one of our missionaries with him. We all kind of freaked out! Not knowing what he would be asked to say or do, on the spur of the moment, he asked Elder Stewart, one of our Tifton Zone Leaders, to come to the front with him. Elder Oaks simply used him to show that one avenue of revelation was what he called the Priesthood line of revelation. Direction from the Savior to his Prophet, to a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, is given to the Mission President who in turn gives that same counsel and revelation to his missionaries. He taught that this Priesthood channel was the same for every member through their Stake President, Bishop, Quorum President, RS President, and to the individual. The other source, he indicated, is the revelation that comes directly from Heaven through the Holy Ghost. He called it the personal channel of revelation. Then he taught this VERY "revealing" doctrine that unless one is "in line" with the revelation that comes in the Priesthood channel that we would not be ready, or worthy, to receive the revelation that would come from the personal channel. Obviously, the Holy Ghost can and does testify to truth and inspire people everywhere to do what is right, but that personal revelation would come to those who were first receiving revelation as it comes from the Priesthood channel.

               We sang High on a mountain top and This is the Christ. It was amazing! Elder Oaks stayed after a few minutes. I talked with him again as he was coming up to get his bag before he left. We asked him how he is able to do all of it. He said I don't know... miracles. He is such an amazing spiritual giant,and such a funny guy. It was such an amazing experience to see and meet him. I feel so blessed to be serving here. Make it a great week!

Macon Miracles,

Sister Wheelwright

hey y'all,

So I was transferred last Tuesday. It was hard to leave. I learned so much from all of them. Goodbye Warner Robins, Valdosta here I come! I went from the top of the mission to the bottom. Valdosta is next to the florida border. It's more humidity and knats... yeah! ... not! There are armadillos here too. It's crazy how different it is. I love my new area though. We have more palm trees. It's perfect timing though as it comes closer to fall and winter. I'll be warm. 

So my new companion is Sister Griffin, she is from Texas. She goes home at the end of the transfer, so I'll get a new companion again. We share the apt with 1 other set of sisters. They serve in the singles branch. Sister Lusk and Maxfeild. I love them! We have a car share with the elders. They live in the same complex as us. They used to prank each other. We'll see how this goes. In the morning we can go to the gym or the park or play volley ball in our complex.

The ward has already asked me to speak in church in 3 weeks. That should be great! I met a friend from the singles ward, Emily Mellor. 

This week is zone training. I'll be able to see my trainer sis Madsen. It is also Stake Conference. Guess who is coming!? Dallin H. Oaks! We might get to shake his hand. Plus another missionary choir with President directing it again. I'll see her again. And there is a 70 coming for a mission tour on the 20th, so next Wed. Lot's of driving, all those places are a 45 min to 2 1/2 hour drive. It's going to be a great transfer! 

macon miracles,

Sis Wheelwright

Hey y'all,

This week has been great! I had a great Birthday. My companion and sis kozak planned a surprise lunch at sis kozak's house with some people from the ward. It was the best surprise ever! I went to the Reyes and we had a birthday cake and everything later that night. I got a pic with a rock from Scotland! I got another present from my trainer. It was great! A less active gave me some cute cards. Vicki and Jim had a cake for me to the next day, I loved it! I got some more packages yesterday. I'm being transferred!!! Goodbye Warner Robins! We won with the most contacts this week. We get free lunch at Steak and Shake fish it.

Pictures!

Hey y'all!

So tomorrow is my Birthday!!!! It will be great because I get to do missionary work! I was able to give a talk yesterday in sacrament with my recent convert Jim. It was fantastic. I talked on in what ways can we actively seek opportunities to share the gospel? I was nervous. Then the Sperliens walked in with my packages. One from my family. They are great! And one from sis Madsen my trainer (she is amazing!) and sis Chidester, my mtc comp who is now comps with sis m. It made my day to get them! They sent me a smash book/scrape book with some pictures and cards, they're so great! It was pretty nerve wrecking to speak. I feel like I did okay. The elders in our ward sang a song with us yesterday too. Right after i finished talking we sang how great shall be your joy.  It went really well! Then I opened my packages after church.  Last week we had a baby cockroach in our apt, it was nasty! It's been really hot here but it should cool off this week! I'm so excited for nice weather! Make it a great week! 

macon miracles,

sister Wheelwright

hey yall,

     It's been a great week! Last p day we got panda for lunch. It was amazing! Then the Ap's from macon brought the bike elders, the macon sisters, the zone leaders from cochran, the sisters from cochran and all 6 elders from our district plus us.  Of course we had a sports day. It was at our building and it was amazing! I had a great time! We played basketball, volleyball and chair soccer! best p day ever! I loved it. I got a little sore after though but it was great! My comp and I gave a training at district meeting last tues on the laws and ordinance chapter. The zone leaders came again. They were here for my last training. It went pretty good. So glad it's over though. We all went to stake and she after for lunch. It started pouring rain when we went to leave it was crazy! we got soaked! Sat I've been out on my mission for 4 months! It's going by so fast! Sat it rained again for most of the day we did service out side so we got soaked again! then Pres and sis Cottle came to our ward on Sunday. So that was fun to see them! It's my b-day a week from tomorrow. So thats exciting! I hope you all have a blessed week!

macon miracles,

Sis Wheelwright

Hey yall,

    This has been a great week! I cooked bacon yesterday, it was amazing! One night coming home on our porch screen we saw a frog! 

  We've been able to work more with the members to get member presents. Which helps our investigators so much. Mon then we went for a walk with Vicki and Jim and their family for FHE and we picked wild blackberry's it was great! We also took pic of a gross bug.We taught this guy the first lesson in the middle of the road so I ended up getting a sun burn. It went away pretty fast so it's okay!

       We were able to do exchanges with the sister training leaders in Dublin! Sister Owusu is from gana/california/utah. We liked singing together. I learned so much from her. I loved going down to Dublin. It was such a great learning experience. The people there are so welcoming. I loved getting to know them and see miracles happen. They have weird tree's down there covered in the weird web stuff that is pretty gross. Bro and Sis Griffith used to serve in my area as military relations but they were recently released. They Live in Dublin and took us out to lunch at Zaxby's! (They might go visit my family in Oct :D ) 

          I loved Zone training. I learned a lot about using the pamphlets and listening to my companion and so much more. It was great! After that as usual all the sisters in the zone go out to lunch. This Time Zone training was in Warner Robins (my Area) so it made it easier for us. I also go a picture with one of the greatest people ever! Andrea Vincent she is so helpful to the missionaries all over the Zone we all love her so much!   

        Saturday  Sister Weir invited us to help her, we wrote scriptures on cards and decorated a container to put them in and give to vicki to help her feel closer to Christ, and remember she is a child of god!  I love being a missionary I'm so blessed to have this opportunity. Thanks for all your love and support.

Macon Miracles, 

Sister Wheelwright

Hey yall!

So this week was great! My companion go sick so we were inside from tuesday to wednesday. That was a little hard but I got a lot of things done like cleaning make phone calls and stuff. We had lunch at a members house friday and we had hamburgers. We ate then he said they were good enough so he wanted to make us another and then they gave us ice cream. I was so full. It was a later lunch so we had dinner with our recent convert only a few hours later. Something a missionary once said is "anyone can eat when they're hungry, it takes a great missionary to eat when they're full". So true, especially when it was the exact same thing all over again! Yesterday we had an investigator we've been teaching come to church and bring her less active husband. It was so great to see them at church. she looked so happy to be there. I love seeing how the gospel truly brings so much happiness to peoples lives. It changes their continuance as they receive the "glow". I'm so grateful for that chance I have to be a missionary and help others come unto Christ!

Macon Miracles,

Sister Wheelwright

Hey y'all,

First off, one of my investigators was baptized on Saturday! My mission President and his wife were able to come. They asked me to sing at it too, the song is called In the Garden. It is a great song. My new companion is Sister Gallegos. She's originally from New Mexico but moved to Nevada. Transfers meeting is so much fun! We got there, had lunch, then sang to the people who helped prep the food. Then we went to the chapel and our picture would come up then our new come pic would come up, we give each other a hug then when everyone has their new comp we pray and leave.

           A less active we've been working with gave a talk on Sunday and after church was set apart to be a ward missionary, It's great to see her progress in the church. Then after church we visited Daisy. She had the greatest poem. So we took a pic of it. She wanted to be in the picture too. This week we have to be in by 6 pm on the 4th so we'll do our weekly planning then. It keeps getting hotter and hotter here. The humidity is a killer. We had a cool thunder and lightening storm last night. I can't believe it's July tomorrow. My birthday is in 29 days! Have a great 4th of July everyone!

Macon Miracles,

Sister Wheelwright

 

 

Hey y'all,
          This week has been great! Our investigator had some concerns about Joseph Smith being so young. When he was listening to my mission Presidents talk last Sunday at Stake conference it reminded him of the prophets in the bible, and it helped him to understand how god is able to have young prophets. Now he is on date for baptism this Saturday! I'm so excited for him to be baptized and receive those blessings the gospel brings!
        My companion is being transferred tomorrow, I have mixed feelings on that. I'm so grateful for all the things I've learned from my companion, she taught me so much and was so patient with me. I'm sad to see her go, but I'm excited to meet my new companion I know that great things will happen as we all work together in this great work!

     I've learned so much from serving a mission, I feel so blessed to have this opportunity. My mission President emailed us this poem and I really love it so I thought I'd share it with you. Make it a great week!

Macon miracles,

Sister Wheelwright

Poem from "Author Unknown":
Courage, my young missionary, and don't forget,
That God is with you at every step.
You take for Him in a righteous cause,
Such as Teaching His sacred and Holy laws.
There are souls out there waiting to hear
The message you carry of faith and prayer,
Of a God who dwells in the heavens above,
And rules the worlds with the Spirit of Love.
Forget all worries and earthly care,
And put your soul in the message you bare.
Discouragement is always the devil's tool,
But show Him quickly that you are no fool.
Get down on your knees in humble prayer,
God's encouraging Spirit will meet you there.
There are souls out there in the mist and fog
Who are waiting for you and your message from God;
For He has love for each child that he owns,
And He wants them back in His heavenly homes.
Be not discouraged, no matter how hard the way,
But deliver the message God wants you to say.

Hey y'all, 

   This past week was such a great week! Last fall I was told that the choir I was in would be singing in the Saturday afternoon session of conference. I was so excited to be able to have that opportunity. I missed that though, but I know that this is where I need to be and I would be blessed. This past weekend was such a great experience to be able to be a part of the first ever Macon missionary choir and to have my mission President directing it! To be able to see my mtc companion Sister Schmidt, they invited a few sisters from others zones to come sing with us, so we were able to talk during breaks. We got to the stake center Saturday afternoon, practiced until 3, studied and practiced from 4  to 5:15, had dinner and went to the saturday evening session of stake conference which was amazing! We had to practice an hour before conference too, then Some of our investigators came to church! We sang "Behold the Wounds" and "This is the Christ". It was such an amazing opportunity to sing with all those missionaries, the spirit was so strong. Our investigators felt it, they were so surprised how much it touched them and they said they got a little emotional even. Yesterday we were talking with some them after the meeting and he was struggling to know if he should be baptized until he knew all he could, that he needed more time. We talked to him about finding answers through reading the Book of Mormon. This morning he texted us about how he was studying and found his answers!  I've been so blessed. I'm so grateful to be a missionary! Thank you so much for all your love and support! 

Macon Miracles

Hey y'all

This week has been great! We had a great lesson on the atonement with Vicky and Jim. They've come a long way. I have come to love them so much! During the lesson he was expressing concerns, I wasn't sure how to answer I didn't want him to stop progressing I was praying so hard to have the spirit help me know what to say. I felt that I should just start talking and the Lord would fill it with words that will help him understand. I was able to act on spiritual promptings. As I started talking I couldn't stop, words and Ideas kept coming and I couldn't move or look away from him. I know that was the holy ghost speaking through me to help him understand and have a desire to keep learning. It was such an amazing experience to feel the spirit work through me. I don't even remember what I really said. I know that it touched him in a way I never could have by myself. I'm so grateful to have had that, to be a part of this great work. We also taught them about the Sabbath day, so he told me they were going to do things on Saturday and going to go to church on Sunday! We taught her the 15 steps to quit smoking yesterday it was great! They're on date to be baptized on the 21!

                    At church on Sunday then I was sitting by Resheena. She got baptized a few weeks ago. She looked different she had this glow about her more peacefully and happy, it's hard to explain. There was a difference in her I know it was because she has the holy ghost. It was cool to see the glow that the gospel brings to people. It reminded me of one of the reasons I'm here, to bring others that peace, happiness, that glow. I'm grateful to be a missionary here in Georgia. 

Thank you for all your love and support! 

Macon Miracles,

Sister Wheelwright

Hey y'all!

This week has been great! My companion Sister Madsen and I were able to go to the baptism and it was such an amazing experience to be there and feel that spirit of the family being baptized, and the next day be confirmed. We had some investigators come to church. One of them, her name is Neicy, thought that it was interesting that we're not louder like the other churches. She got there right before it started and in the middle started crying. She said it was so quiet and how peaceful she felt. That was so great to see the spirit touch her in that way. I'm so grateful to be serving a mission. The gospel change peoples lives and brings joy. The members here are so nice to us. They made a dinner calender for members to sign up to have us come over for dinner. It's the Friars calling to make sure everyone has a chance to see it they are great at it. So they pass it in classes. They set it out a few minutes before church starts too. We have a dinner appt almost every night sometime a few want to sign up on the same night so we have them scheduled weeks in advance. When that's full they have taken us out to lunch a few times too. They usually give us left overs from the meal too. So yesterday we got some amazing pie from sis day! Sister Kozak is the greatest she is always giving us and the elders food like chips, yogurt, juice. For my 2 month mark and my comps 12 month mark she bought us skirts from dress barn! I love it so much it's my favorite skirts it's so comfy! We got some unpasteurized milk from sister Werner, I really like it we put it in our smoothies.  I have such a great companion. This morning not only did she give me some of her peaches but she cut up them up too! Last p day we had a girls day we did facials and painted our nails. For stake conference we got invited to do a missionary choir. My mission  president directed us to direct the utah state institute choir so this will be great! I'm so excited for the chance to be in the choir, it will be such a great experience! It also means we get to go to both sessions of stake conference! 

Macon Miracles!

Sister Wheelwright

Hey y'all,

This week was great! We've been working a lot with less active members and a few came to church so that was great! The elders have a baptism on Saturday. We are inviting our investigators to it because some of them are on date for the 21st as of today. So last week a less active member passed away so they had a baptist funeral. We were asked to go so that was pretty interesting to see. I am just so thankful for this gospel and the peace it brings me, that families can be together forever. The members here are so strong in the gospel, and such a great help in the missionary work. Which makes the work go so smoothly. We've been doing service at the library which I love. It's been so nice to be in A/C for a little longer. That's a tender mercy. We've been talking to the ladies that work at the library we gave one of them a pass a long card and told her to check out the web site. We missed a week because of meetings and the next time we went in she said she had checked out the website and would like a Book of Mormon. which was fantastic! I love being a missionary! We had fhe with some investigators last night, It went great! We had them write positive things about each other and themselves, and shared a scripture. They really liked it! Today was a busy we had a church tour right after/during district meeting. It was so great the spirit was so great especially in the chapel. Then we had one lesson after another. We weren't going to have time for lunch. Elder and sister griffith brought everyone enchiladas and browines it was such a blessing, and tender mercy.  I'm so grateful for the tender mercies I've been given. I'm so blessed to be a missionary. Make it a great week!

Macon Miracles!

Much love,

Sister Wheelwright

Hey yall,

So this week has been a rollar coaster of events! We did some finding and it turned out great! We found this cute little family. We knocked on the door and he invited us in before we even said anything. We were surprised and he said unless your only handing out a card? So we gave him a pass a long card but we came to share a message too. They have 2 kids, such a great family, they are looking for a church centered on Jesus Christ. So they loved what we shared with them. Also this week I was able to use my asl to sign to some deaf people! They weren't interested so it wasn't a ton but I thought it was cool! We also met this guy who had his beard save his life! He was standing by the fire and it blew up on him and his beard covered his face to keep the smoke from killing him. He even had a braided beard on the wall next to the door. There were these 2 old guys. They offered us kittens then he offered a snake he had in a bucket next to him it was so gross! The things you see when you do finding is interesting! So were meeting with this less active family and trying to help their son quit smoking and we had an appt Friday but her son cancelled so she took us out to ole time country buffet! It was really good! So I tried fried okra don don don... I liked it! Then we went back to her place and had a discussion on the B of M and answered her questions. She is such a nice lady! I was also able to cut someones hair so that was fun! Sunday one of our investigators came to church. It was awesome! It rained on sunday while we were at our dinner appt but it stopped right when we were done so we could do some finding. I took some great sunset pictures! Today we taught a lesson and the kozak's took us out to lunch to chinese food. It was great! We might be going bowling after. We have exchanges tomorrow so that should be fun! I'm so grateful for the gospel and the knowledge that familes can be together forever! I hope yall make it a great week! 

Macon Miracles!

Sister Wheelwright

Hey y'all!

      I hope you all had a great mother's day! I know I did. For mothers day we bought some roses and cards and took them to some of the single, less active, and active lady's in the ward and some of our investigators. It was such an amazing experiences to be able to wish them a happy mothers day. I was able to talk with my family it was so great to see them. It was such a blessing to be able to talk with them and feel their love and support. I'm so grateful for this gospel and the knowledge that family's can be together forever. I'm so blessed to know so many amazing women. I learn so much from their example to me of selfless service, and understanding. In the new video on Lds.org  #itwasmom it defines MOTHERHOOD: 

           "It’s the highest, holiest service assumed by humankind. It’s the definition of selfless service. It’s both a daunting responsibility and a glorious opportunity. The divine role of motherhood is a gift from God, and key to His plan of happiness for all His children." 

    I loved watching that video! I'm so grateful for mothers everywhere, but especially for my mom and all she did and continues to do for me! She is raising up the armies of Helamen as we go forth to serve missions to bring the world his truth. I'm so grateful for her patience, and understanding, She's awesome! 

     We've been sharing this scripture, it's great y'all should check it out!  Alma 56:47-48 

Macon Miracles! 

Sister Wheelwright

Pictures!!

Hey y'all,
     This last week was amazing! I feel so blessed to be apart of this work. So we were doing some finding and we were able to set up a church tour and teach the first lesson and set up a return appointment. Then we went to visit a less active and she was like what are you doing the city is on tornado watch. Which means the conditions are right for one to happen. So we asked her if we could come in to share a message with her and she let us in! We've been trying to see her for a few weeks now. I was rainy off and on wed through Thursday but not to bad. I had my first exchange, and I loved it! I learned to much in such a small amount of time, I was able to see the lords hand in my life as well as others and it was amazing to see how it all works out. It helped me to be a better teacher and also a better listener. I was able to take the lead in teaching 2 people and then we did contacting and a gas station and did teaching when you find. I ended up teaching him most of the first lesson and schedule another appointment. I'm so grateful for my companion she is so strong in the gospel and patient with me. I had my first zone conference I learned so much from it, I gave a talk in zone conference too. I was the first speaker. It was a pretty big zone. I love learning/hearing from others missionaries their testimony's help me grow in so many ways. Mothers day is next week so that should be fun. I hope y'all have a great week and mothers day!

Macon Miracles!

Sister Wheelwright

 So much happened in the last week and a half! okay so Sunday we after sacrament then we were able to sing the efy medley for the incoming district and that was amazing! Later the we had a devotional and Richard Elliot came and played the organ and spoke to us. After a few songs then he was talking about how he was so happy he was able to get a hold of David and asked him to come speak at the mtc and how he said he would love to. We were like David who? then we saw him, David Archuleta! he just got home on monday so he came up and talked about his mission and experiences he had with being nervous to talk to people being blessed from doing it any way. it was so cool! then we got blessings from the elders in our district and had to clean our rooms and finish packing. We got up at 3 so that we could be packed and ready and over to the travel office by 4 am then we waited for the bus and we up to the air part. The flight went well I sat next to my companion and we talked and looked out the window and things.

     I'm in Georgia! we go to the air port and we to get on the shuttle thing and the door started closing so i couldn't get on luckily my other comp couldn't ether. So my mission pres and his wife and the ap met us at the air port we still had to drive 1 1/2 hours to get the the mission home in macon. it was a hot humid day. we got the mission home and all the other girls were picking rooms upstairs so ok fine we'll take the one down stairs. It was the one saved for the general authority when they come. We were like okay we'll suffer with this big room nice bad and our own bathroom with a shower. W e had dinner then pres cottle trained us then ap while taught he did interviews. pres and sis cottle and amazing I love them so much! She was so nice to us all the time! the next day we went to a church and after long videos about safety we had lunch. then they show pictures of people and there new comps it was nerve wrecking but it went well I love my new comp! It was hot and humid but as I'm here I've been getting used to it.

       The people here are great! most of them live in trailers and there are some older southern and some are so big! I'm meeting so many cool people and they are so nice and friendly! I'm serving in Warner Robins which is a nicer area but it still has trailers and other poor places. We watched conference with nonmembers sat and I saw heather and Klarissa! they really liked the choir they thought that it was motab and wonder why they looked so young. so Great job! conference was amazing I love all of the talks! I was able to get so much out of it for me and my investors too! I haven't had any southern food yet but my comp and I and going somewhere after this. It's been raining pretty good for three days now. and the lightening is awesome! I'm not very good at direction because there are no mountains and the roads are so twisty and turny! 

    my apartment it awesome! We have to walk to through the apt building to get to the club house and use the gym is tough... okay not that tough. We were able to get someone on date to be baptized so that was cool! The bugs here are giant it's so gross! so far its been okay. 

      I've love getting all the letters and pictures and write back hopefully later today. Thanks for everything! I hope you enjoyed conference! especially the one about learning and studying preach my gospel that was awesome! stay save, make good choices and remember whose you are!

Much love,

Sister Wheelwright

p.s if any one isn't getting these emails and would like to then email me, thanks!

Hello everyone,

I'm at the MTC!!!!!!!!!

I hope all is going well! First off I'm a missionary and I love it so much! The first day was a little overwhelming but it went well. I love my companions they are so great and each day we come closer together and more unified through the different experiences. So I love it here the spirit here is so strong. I have been learning so much about the gospel. I love it. The teachers are so funny it makes class easier. Its not that bad though, I feel like I'm eating all the time though so thats kind of weird, but the food is okay depending on what it is. They have it were you can make your own salad which I love so most of the time if not all I just eat salad. So I get the cookies and cream milk for breakfast every morning it's sooo good! My companions and I wake up at 5:45 so we can make it to the early morning yoga. It's kind of hard getting up so early but I love yoga and it reminds me of you Heather! You're the best! Then we can go get sack breakfast and eat while we get ready for the day. Part of our zone left Monday they were great! I'm send pic hopefully today if I can get it working. Today is my p-day it'll probably switch once I get in the field to Mondays. so I just cut my hair! 11 inches its crazy awesome! Still kind of new but I love it! So there is ice cream here on Sunday and Wednesday which is byu creamery so it's amazing! The Sunday devotional was amazing and then we watched the attributes of Christ by Elder Bednar it was amazing like a spiritual feast. Sunday was fun we did a temple walk and took pictures with our branch. Sacrament meeting with the branch was so small. I really liked it, we only have like 16 people. We started teaching at the trc where I did my service mission it was harder to be the teacher. they already gave us our check out list and travel plans I leave for Georgia monday morning early! I'm excited to leave! Sunday we listened to music and the spoken word and then had relief society in the gym they set up like a chapel kind of so that's probably where we will watch the the women's meeting on sat. I love love love my companions Sister Chidester is from Sacramento California We have the same first and middle name witch is fun! Sister Shmidt is from bountiful utah, she has so much energy it makes the mtc a lot of fun. The people here are so nice its so great everyone is happy and says hi to you. I think the hardest thing is falling a sleep at night I feel like I have so much energy it can be hard to sleep sometimes. I was able to be in the choir here which was a lot of fun. I'm getting to meet lots of new people from all over the world it so cool, some of them are from Ireland, England and lots of other cool places. I like meeting new people so we made a goal to sit next to new people everyday during meal times. there are new missionary's coming in today and my companion's are sister training leaders. It's going to be great! We going to do all we can to make them feel welcome like ours did for us! they were great and helped me so much before they left monday then we had a testimony meeting frid or sat night it was amazing! the devotional last night was by Stanley G Ellis he is in the 70 it was such a great talk on how to be better version of our self's. We shared our thoughts and testimonys last night in our class room with the branch presidnt and his wife. The elders in the distric have been so nice they take our trays and always open the doors when they can they given us blessings a few times. I'm so grateful for the priesthood! I love all the letters and emails it's been so great to hear from you. Sorry I don't have a lot of time to respond today. I'll probably send pictures and in my next email. Have a great week!

Love, Sister Wheelwright