Week 79 - Light The World

Hello! Oh man its been such a blur these past couple of weeks, but we are still so happy and excited to be working out here. Also, it;s getting pretty cold out so CHRISTMAS IS DEFINITELY COMING!! I don't know if all of you have seen the new Christmas initiative #LIGHTtheWORLD but it is amazing and really brings us back to what Christ would want us to do on a holiday that celebrates his birth.

Sister Maxwell and I have been working hard out here in the middle of nowhere! We got lost this week and found a large llama farm, a massive dairy and a bunch of orchards. The work continues to move forward though and we have been blessed to meet some amazing people. We had great lessons with Angie and Carol this week as well and we are excited to see how they continue to progress. We are hoping to start working with some part member families out in Colombia Basin and help them get started with their family history!

As my time is coming to a close, I wanted to take some time to share some things that are dear to my heart that I have learned on my mission.
I know that the Lord loves us and is aware of all of our needs. The love he has for us is perfect and unchanging and we get to share that with our brothers and sisters.
I know that obedience is the first law of heaven. Our Heavenly Father loves us so much that all he wants is for us to return to him. I know that when we are obedient we can have his spirit to be with us and that brings us joy and peace. As we pray to see ourselves as Heavenly Father sees us and pray to see others as He sees them we can more fully accept the Atonement of our Savior and develop his attributes toward others.
I know that this is Christ's Church restored on the earth. I know that we are loved by a loving Heavenly Father who has a perfect plan for each of us. I know we can be with the ones we love for eternity. I know through study and prayer that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and that knowledge has brought me such light into my heart. I know that the Lord calls missionaries to serve and to teach, but most importantly to become valiant disciples so we can continue to love and bring light to the world.
I have truly loved and enjoyed my mission. Though it has not been easy, I have felt the loving embrace of our Savior to help me keep moving forward. 

I hope you have a wonderful week and I'll see you soon.
Love, 

Sister Madeline Whetten

Week 78 - Double Stuffed Sisters

Hello! 

This week was definitely one for the books! Sister Maxwell and I were really committed to find someone to teach in the massive Colombia Basin. It takes a very long time to get from house to house out there and it is very easy to get lost. After 3 hours of road tripping and knocking with no luck we decided to try one more house before it got too dark. We typed the address into the gps and of course it said it would be another 30 minutes until we got to the house so we decided we would go for it! As we were nearing the last turn Sister Maxwell missed the little dirt road and we were lost for about another hour! But it all worked out because when we finally found the house we talked to a lady named Ashley who told us we could come back so hey! it all worked out. That is work out in the Basin in a nutshell but we are working hard and really enjoying our time. 

 

Thanksgiving was great! WE ATE 2 DINNERS so we were rolling out of there. We loved spending time with the members of both wards and being grateful for all that we have. We have been so blessed to be serving the Lord at this time. There are so many people here that we love and serve. Thank you for all of your love and support! We really do feel it out here and it keeps us going! 

Love, 
Sister Madeline Whetten

Week 77 - HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Hello! We've had a busy busy week. But honestly it has such a blessing to be busy, especially during the holiday season. We've been doing our best to split our time with the Colombia Basin ward so we can start getting things rolling out there like we've done here in Pasco 10th. Last week we were trying to find a house out in Colombia Basin and It was dark and the houses don't have addresses and we only got lost a few times so everyone should be proud of us! That describes us every day out in the basin.

Jess McCowin got baptized this week! It was so amazing. He is the sweetest man and He was readier than ever to be baptized. The whole ward came to support him and we had all of the missionaries that taught him there. He was just beaming an everyone who spoke mentioned his sweet wife Jacky and how they knew she was there supporting him. We are excited to get him going on his family history so his family can be sealed together. I love being able to watch the gospel of Jesus Christ in action everyday. It strengthens my testimony and motivates me to help others. 

Also this week is THANKSGIVING!!! I am so excited. We are going to spend it with families that we love and hopefully be eating lots of good food! It is a great way to be with those that we love and celebrate what we are grateful for! I love you all so much! Have a happy thanksgiving!! 🦃🦃🦃🦃

Love, 
Sister Madeline Whetten

Week 76 - The Black Lung at a Zone Conference

Hello! This week has been a blast. Sister Maxwell and I are starting to recover from the black lung and we've been getting back into the swing of things. Things in Pasco 10th and Columbia Basin ward have been a little crazy. The boundaries are huge and the wards start at the same time so we've been trying to work that out. Sister Maxwell and I look crazy trying to off-road on these farms. Columbia Basin is a great ward though! Lots of amazing people who are so willing to help and serve. There are a few part-member families in the Basin that we are excited to start working with. 

On Friday we had a zone conference with Elder Zeballos of the Seventy. It was great to hear the council he had to give on faith and missionary work. He spoke a lot about how we need to have Charity as the main focus of our lives. As we reach out to others in service and love, they will be more open to receiving the gospel. There is also a tradition where the missionaries who are leaving have to stand up and give a departing testimony. I thought that I was in the clear because we made it all the way to the lunch after the meeting. But lo and behold they ask me after I had eaten a bunch of Mexican food and was already emotional about saying goodbye to all of my friends and past companions. They made us stand in front of everyone there (4 zones and Elder and Sister Zeballos) with a microphone and give our testimonies. Now keep in mind I still have a raspy voice from the cold and they made me go last. Fortunately it went alright and people could understand MOST of what I was saying. 

I really am grateful for the opportunity I've had to serve. I love the Lord and I love the people. I know that His gospel is for everyone and it covers every circumstance. Thank you for all of the love and support! Have a great week! 

Love, 

Sister Madeline Whetten 

Week 75 - Columbia Basin, Here We Come!

Hello! Sorry if this email doesn't make much sense... Sister Maxwell and I have been down with a cold that seems to be taking out everyone. But hey! tis the season. Everything is going great here in Pasco 10th. We have had exciting things happening with some of the people we have been working with and we just found out today that we will be taking over the Colombia Basin ward as well. Maxwell and Whetten are taking over Pasco! We got transfer calls this morning and we will be staying together for the next 5 weeks until I go home. I am so grateful we get to be together and finish off strong.

Tuesday we had the COOLEST experience with Mercedes. She has been on this major family history kick and its been so fun to help her with it. We were showing her how to attach some documents to her ancestors and we came across a sister of her great grandmother that she didn't know about. As soon as we found her the spirit was so strong. We could almost feel how excited her family was that we had found them! When we got more information we found an entire line of names that were connected to this sister! You can just picture us all sitting there on her couch freaking out when all of these names popped up on her family tree. My testimony of Family History work has increased dramatically since helping others with it. I know that it is our responsibility to help those who have passed on receive the same blessings of the gospel that are available to us.

On Wednesday we were able to meet with Angie for the first time in a few weeks. She tore her ACL this week and we were able to go and teach her. She has been through a lot recently and we were able to talk to her more about the plan that our Heavenly Father has for her and her family. The spirit was very strong when we talked about eternal families and how she can still be with loved ones who shes lost. She has decided to be baptized and we are grateful for the chance we have to teach her and help her prepare. 

It's going to be a crazy couple of weeks with a giant new area out in farmland and everything going on still in 10th ward but I know the Lord will provide a way! Even if its dragging us out of our sick beds haha. Thank you so much for all of your love and support! 

Love, 

Sister Madeline Whetten 

Week 74 - Halloween and Another Last Minute Baptism!!

Herro! 

To be honest this week was crazy and I want to write down every little detail but then this letter would be insanely long and we don't have time for that so! here we go! 

Last week we got a call from a member in our ward who told us about a part member family who was coming in town for a funeral. She told us he was being taught in Hawaii for the past year and his baptismal date was set for October 29 but then they had to come up for his father in law's funeral. She then told us he would like to keep his date and get baptized HERE INSTEAD. At this point in the call you can imagine sister maxwell and I are FREAKING OUT because we just had a baptism and now we are having another one!!? It took some time to get in touch with them because we had to get permission from the mission president in Hawaii and it was all crazy but last Sunday there they were! Front row! His name is Earnado but he goes by E. and him and his wife Paulina were there with their 4 cute little kids. It was all systems go for Sister Maxwell and I. I don't think we've ever been so busy. We needed to plan this in 2 days for an investigator who was leaving 2 days later. We went over everyday this week and got to know him and his family and prepare for Friday. E has the most powerful conversion story and you can tell he has really changed his life around. I am so grateful for the time that we had to get to know this sweet family. We really do love them even if the time was short. The baptism on Friday somehow came together perfect which is crazy because at one point it seemed like it wasn't happening. The spirit was strong and he was the happiest person we had ever seen. I know that because of our Savior we can be made clean and whole again. I am so excited to see what blessings the Lord has in store for the Frederick family! 

We also had our ward Halloween party on Saturday and to try and participate we dressed up as "hermanas" in my poblano dresses. We got a kick out of it and loved spending time with the ward! I hope you all had a great holiday and have a wonderful week! 

Love, 
Sister Madeline Whetten 

Week 73 - MERCEDES GOT BAPTIZED!!!

Hello! This week was amazing and Mercedes got baptized!!!!! It was one of the best moments out here by far. The week proceeding a baptism is always a whirlwind and nothing seems to be working out at first and then all of a sudden it does. We met with her and Jeff pretty much every day leading up to Saturday and making sure that everything was going to be ok. Working with Mercedes has been the most wonderful experiences. We have seen her grow and progress so quickly and the ward has just totally accepted her. She has more light about her and you can tell she has a better understanding about who she is. She knows now that she is a daughter of God and that He wants what is best for her. All of Jeff's family from Boise came up and so many families from our ward came. It was funny because she had originally said she didn't want anyone at her baptism and on Saturday she walked into a room packed full of people that loved and supported her. The talks were beautiful and she was able to be confirmed right after the baptism by her father-in-law. It was very personal and the spirit was so strong. Watching someone you have grown to love so much make a life-changing promise with our Heavenly Father is a unique and incredible experience. I know that Sister Maxwell and I were meant to be here at this time and we are overwhelmed with gratitude. 

We also had a great lesson with our investigator Carole. We got to her house and she told us that she had read all the way to 2nd Nephi in ONE DAY. She said she was so excited she couldn't put it down. Our mouths kinda hung open for a second when she said that but we snapped out of it and had a great lesson with her. We are so excited for the work that is happening here. It is fast paced and busy and the members are excited. I am so grateful for all of the love and support! I hope you all have a great week!! 

Love, 
Sister Madeline Whetten