Week 33 - "Rain, Rain ...Go Away"

Hello! 
Not too much to write today, its been a pretty crazy week. We had transfers this week and my new companions name is Hermana Safsten! (yes hermana..she has been Spanish speaking her whole mission so hopefully I can learn from her!) She's a cute lil red head from Maryland and she is so ready to go! I'm excited to have here here with me in Walla Walla. Its pretty crazy taking over an area after 6 weeks but its been so fun learning as we go. 

We had some great miracles this week! We were trying by this lady named Alicia who had asked us to come back. She wasn't home so we knocked on the first door we saw. Out came Robert and we ended up having an amazing, spirit-filled conversation with him. He has a strong desire to find light in his life through our Savior Jesus Christ. I know that as we keep working with him and as He nourishes his testimony he will be able to find that light. 

One of my favorite parts about being a missionary is being able to promise blessings. Nothing beats  when I am able to promise blessings from our Savior to someone who didn't have that knowledge of truth and light in their lives. It brings happiness and I am so grateful to be a part of it. 

It has been raining like crazy. But not normal rain. SIDEWAYS rain. People think we are just nuts walking around in that. We found so many people this week though so it looks like we cant be "fair weather fans" haha. It is super funny teaching someone while you're being pelted with cold rain on your face. Makeup smearing and all, it is still a good experience and it doesnt make you love it any less. 

I am so grateful for all of you and the support you bring! I hope you have a wonderful week! 

Love, 

Sister Madeline Whetten 

Week 32 - "We Love Them"

Hi! We had a pretty eventful week. Much of it revolved around a GIANT service project on Tuesday and Wednesday.  We had the opportunity to serve an elderly lady who is the grandmother of one of the recent converts we are working with, Deanna. We helped her clean her house.

We had some pretty amazing miracles this week. Our teaching pool continues to grow as more and more families are coming to Christ. It is wonderful to watch them progress toward becoming eternal families. WE LOVE THEM. 

This year I am working on turning outward. In John 15: 12-13 The Savior teaches, "This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." This is His commandment. Focusing on others and truly turning outward in Christlike love is what helps us become like our Savior and what helps us to be happy. 

We had a great, cold week here in Walla Walla and we are SO excited for this next transfer! 

I love you all and hope you have the best week. 

Love, 

Sister Madeline Whetten 

Week 31 - 'Appy New Year!

Hello from frozen Walla Walla! Its been a balmy 18 degrees to welcome in the new year. Sister Purcell and I have been so blessed to see some wonderful miracles this week. I'll have to admit, its not always super fun to be totally frozen while you are talking to people outside but man does the Lord give you strength! We've decided its a blessing to be numb haha then we can't feel it! We always make the best of every situation though! For example: last night a nice lady named Janette let us in for hot chocolate! She wasn't interested in learning anything but it was so kind of her to take us in! little things like that totally make the frozen toes worth it.

One of the families that we are teaching fed us dinner and we had the most amazing lesson with them. It was the food I think. Haha! just kidding! It was the love from our Heavenly Father and His spirit that made the lesson so wonderful. They had a ton of questions about the plan of Salvation and we were able to direct them to scriptures in the Bible that brought them peace. I know the scriptures are such powerful tools. We talk to our Heavenly Father through prayer and he answers us through the scriptures. Its so simple it is easy to overlook and overthink. I do it ALL THE TIME but luckily our Father in Heaven is patient and merciful and loves me anyway. 

We have been meeting with a sister in our ward who is a recent convert. Her job doesn't allow her to come to church with the new year schedule and its making her sad. She is so strong and we have been able to study the scriptures with her weekly. Its our own little book club! I love it and I know she will receive strength from the scriptures.

We had exchanges this week and I got to go down to Pendleton Oregon with the hermanas! It was so much fun to dust off my middle school Spanish and stumble through my simple testimony. I loved it and I could just feel the love our Father in Heaven has for His children. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the same, no matter the language. The spirit can speak every language and fills in the gaps when our words are inadequate. Basically this week was a blast and I truly cherish every moment here. From frozen toes to a less active sister at church running into a wall because she saw a "cute boy" it was a wonderful week. I love you all and hope you have a great time! 

Love, 

Sister Madeline Whetten 

  

Me and the Hermanas in freezing Pendleton

Week 30 - "And a Happy New Yeaaaar!"

Hello! 
Lemmie tell ya it was a week full of Christmas miracles. There's just something about the Christmas season that makes everything a little sweeter. It has been pretty cold here in Walla Walla and besides occasionally slipping on black ice, Sister Purcell and I have been doing pretty good! Christmas was a blast. I loved seeing the fam and bawling my eyes out. Haha Just kidding! It was so great. We ate gross amount of ham from the 2 dinners we attended. Sister Purcell braided my hair in Tahitian braids Christmas eve so I looked like a poodle for presents Christmas morning. We have some INCREDIBLE investigators here. We were able to meet with Xandra and have the best lesson with her. Just as we were at the most spiritual part of the lesson, CHRISTMAS CAROLERS show up to her door from our ward and she was already bawling. So that was great. We love her and are so grateful to be a part of her life! We also saw a couple miracles with some new investigators this week which just increased the importance of really teaching the people and not focusing on just the lessons. I am so grateful for the gift of the spirit and for the ability that Heavenly Father has given us to help each other out in this life. He loves us so much that he allows us to be in each others lives to uplift and love one another. HOW GREAT IS THAT? Sister Purcell and I have been pretty sick but as we've just focused on others and do our best not to sneeze on our investigators things have been going quite alright. I love serving the Lord and I love Walla WAALLLAAA

I love you all and wish you the HAPPIEST HOLIDAYS

Love, 

Sister Madeline Whetten 

Week 29 - Wishing you a wonderful Walla Walla Christmas!

Hi! Not too much to write on this week, Sister Purcell has been sicker than a dog so with all of the snow and freezing rain we've had to spend some quality bonding time inside. Its not so bad when you have an amazing comp!! Its been SO great getting ready for Christmas and sharing the joy of our Savior with everyone we meet. We had some pretty neat experiences with a couple of our investigators this week. We really have been focuisng on teaching to their needs and letting the spirit testify of truth. As we have done that the people we are teaching have opened up so much and the spirit has been able to teach to their needs perfectly  I LOVE THIS GOSPEL. 

This week we had interviews with our mission President. He is such a kind and inspired man! We focused on spreading joy and how charity and love are the most important aspects in the Lord's work. As we strive to be representatives of Christ, the love for those around us will just come with it and then we can all rejoice together! It is such a blessing to be able to share the happiest message EVER with EVERYONE! ❤

I hope you all have seen the new Christmas Video from the Church, A Savior is Born. It has the plain and precious truths about our Savior and truly brings the sweetest spirit for the Christmas season.

I love serving the Lord here in Walla Walla and I hope you all have a MERRY CHRISTMAS 

Love, 

Sister Madeline Whetten

Merry Christmas from Sister Purcell and Sister Whetten

Puppies!!!!

Week 28 - "Hark the Harold Angels Siiiing"

HI! It has been a CRAZY week. It was so full of miracles and happy reunions!  We had our Christmas zone conference and all of my friends were there! It was so much fun and such a tender mercy to be able to see my trainer before she goes home. It was a wonderful devotional and we were really able to get into the spirit of Christmas. 

Last Monday, we received a referral from Salt Lake for a girl named Xandra. We were SO excited so we contacted her as soon as we could Monday night. She immediately invited us back and we were able to have a wonderful discussion with her about how she started believing in God again and where she hopes to be. Heavenly Father is truly blessing our area as we are full of faith and willing to show our love to everyone we meet. Then on Friday, we received two more amazing referrals that both led to return appointments and new investigators! We couldn't even believe it. IT WAS A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE (quote from Mom). Remember how I said Pasco was the promised land? NOPE! Walla Walla totally is. 

Sister Purcell and I had to give a talk on Sunday about giving and receiving the Light of Christ. I chose to highlight the talk "You are my Hands" by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf. I learned so much as I studied how we are called to embrace, comfort, serve, and LOVE everyone around us.

      "As we extend our hands and hearts toward others in Christlike love, something wonderful happens to us. Our own spirits become healed, more refined, and stronger. We become happier, more peaceful. and more receptive to the whisperings of the Holy Spirit." 

I can testify that this is true. I have seen wonderful changes in myself and those around me as we have reached out to others with this love. We truly are the hands of the Savior and he needs us to love and care for each other. This is the perfect season to do that :) I know as we serve our brother and sisters with love we will all be blessed together! How great is that? 

I hope you all have an amazing week! 

Love, 

Sister Madeline Whetten 

Sister Purcell and I wish you a Merry Christmas...from the Ward Party!

The whole gang together at Zone Conference

Look who I got to see before she heads home...Sister Williams

Week 27 - Singing in the Rain

Hello from Walla Walla Washington!! 

Transfers are always crazy, crazy, but things are finally starting to settle down a little bit. The city of Walla Walla Washington is right at the bottom of the state next to Oregon. It is an older area with lots of history and TREES. Amazing. I haven't seen trees for 6 months.. hahaha ..ah. It was supposed to be the "New York City of the West" HA.. nope. I love it though. You can tell it is just full of people ready to come unto Christ. The area is full of humble people who are searching for the light and truth of the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.  

Sister Purcell and I have been having a blast getting this area going. There is so much potential here and we are full of faith that the Lord will lead and guide us to do His will. We had the most powerful lessons on Wednesday and Thursday that totally set the tone for this transfer. When our transfer van pulled in on Wednesday night we had time to drop off my luggage (my stuff keeps growing it is terrible)...(sister missionaries are the worst) and start walking through the ice storm to a meeting with some new investigators. Their names are Janeth (Yaneth) and Freddie. We went into the lesson not really knowing what to expect but praying for guidance and for the spirit to guide. We ended up having such a powerful lesson with them and they committed to be baptized once they prayed to know if it was true. The spirit was so strong and you could see the light and hope in Janeth's eyes as we talked about eternal families and how she could be with her little family forever. 

On Thursday, we had a lesson with our investigator named Kim. She met us at the church for a tour and it turned into a jam-packed/spirit filled power lesson. She opened up immediately and we were able to testify of the simple truths of Christ's gospel. She too committed to be baptized. The Lord is preparing so many people! We have to be willing to open our mouths and love as he does. 

Sister Purcell and I are having so much fun. We find joy in every day as we invite others to come unto Christ and laugh as the day goes by. I am so excited for this transfer and I know that we will see so many miracles! 

The Christmas season is upon us! YES! We were able to watch the Christmas Devotional last night. It was so uplifting to be reminded of the reason for this wonderful season!

I love my Savior Jesus Christ and I love you all! 

Love, 

Sister Madeline Whetten 

It's raining in Walla!...that never happens.  So naturally, we were singing' in the rain!

We got the Christmas tree and we LOVE it!