Week 62 - Sickbed Miracles

Hello! This week was busy and full of miracles and we only went out 3 of the 7 days. Crazy. The sickness that I've had going on was still going strong so we finally decided to crack down and go back to the doctors. She prescribed tougher meds and rest so that is exactly what we had to do. It's a bummer being sick out here, but the Lords work continues on, even if we get a little sick. 

We had the opportunity to help out at a baptism on Saturday for a recently returning less active family who is preparing to go to the temple! We have been working with them since February and this was the first baptism of their family that was not done by missionaries. We love them so much! Its incredible to see a family progress toward eternal marriage. I know the family is ordained of God and that it is the only way we can be truly happy and receive all the glory that our Heavenly Father has in store for us. 

We had the biggest miracle on Sunday!!! This girl named Bailey has been coming to church for about a year now with her boyfriend who just left on a mission. Her family is very against her joining the church, but shes known it is what is right for a long time. On Sunday she came up to us and told us she was ready and wants to be baptized here with all the support from the ward before she goes off to college. She asked us if we could help her with that and after we wiped the dumbfound look off our faces we told her we could! We are so excited for her and the decision she is about to make. We know it'll bring innumerable blessings into her life. 

I love being here and I love getting to serve my Savior. I know that He lives and that he is always there. I love you all and I hope you have the best week!

Love, 

Sister Madeline Whetten 

Week 61 - Melting in Hermiston

Hello! Its been a great week here in Hermiston and people are asking if I'm ever going to leave. I'm halfway to residency so I might as well just live here... :)

Its been a busy, but eventful week. We had interviews with President White on Tuesday and we got to talk about the work in our area and what the Lord wants us to do to help his precious children. There is a lot of less active work here and President assured us that we are doing exactly what the Lord needs us to here by helping these brothers and sisters. It has been busy reaching out to those who have "fallen off the radar" and inviting them to come back into the open arms of our Savior. I truly love the people here and I pray every day that they can feel of that love. Working with the active members to reach out to those around them has been a blessing to witness. We are all representatives of the Savior and he needs everyone to be his missionaries.

I had to make another exciting trip to the doctors this week for a "mild case of strep throat" Mild or not it took me down for a day or two. We were still able to go and work which was great. Just no close talking haha. Getting sick out here can be hard but as I pray each day to see myself and others as Heavenly Father sees us, it becomes easier to deal with. The doctors here know me by now and greeted me with "Hello Miss Madeline!" Sister missionary or not we still get sick.

We have had the opportunity to meet and serve so many wonderful people here lately. I know that the Lord wants us to be happy, and the way we are happy, the ONLY way, is through his gospel. I love you all and I hope you have a great week. 

Love, 

Sister Madeline Whetten

Famous Hermiston MELON

I love Sister Johns

Walla Walla Zone Conference

This picture was sent from a family and they said, "Thank you for sharing her with us.  We love her and your family..."

FHE - Acting out the Brother of Jared

Week 60 - Missionaries at a BBQ

Hi! Its been a great week! We've had a lot of ups and downs lately with investigators but the Lord has blessed us with the strength and determination to keep moving forward, so I know that there are great things in store. Things in Hermiston are moving along and Sister Johns and I are taking it as it comes. 

We had the opportunity to go to the ward BBQ this week and invite a ton of people! It was so much fun to visit with the members and have them meet some of the people we are working with. Plus it was fun and the food was good :) They had live music and a jumping thing. The whole shabang. 

The Lord led us to a new investigator this week! Her name is Trish and we are so excited to start working with her. We met her street contacting and came back for a lesson a few days later. The spirit was strong and we know that her faith will grow in our Savior Jesus Christ. 

We have been working with Linda for a while now and it was been wonderful to get to know her. Unfortunately her health is a big obstacle so her baptism has been a few months in the making. We love her and we know that it is all in the Lords timing. Sister Miller gave her a new large print book of Mormon for her birthday with her name on it and she started crying. It was a sweet moment to see and be a part of. 

On Sunday we got invited to help teach at the stake mission prep class. We did some role-plays with them and then bore our testimonies at the end. When it was my turn I found myself overcome with emotion and at a loss for words. I know that our Savior lives and that He loves us dearly. I am grateful to be here and I know that our Heavenly Father has given us this gospel so we can all return to live with Him. 

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

Love, 

Sister Madeline Whetten 

Week 59 - Fevers Round 2

Hello! Its the best time of year in lil Hermiston!! Watermelon season. Which means everyone is going crazy feeding us delicious watermelon. (im not complaining) This week was a little different. We had a zone conference in Pendleton, a training meeting in Kennewick and then on Saturday I had awful fevers all day so I was quarantined in our apartment. So it wasn't the most normal week but we still had a great time nonetheless. I've loved getting to serve with Sister Johns. She teaches me so much everyday and isn't afraid to go to work. 

We are seeing miracles daily in our area and are grateful for the members and for each other.  We have so much fun together. We are always laughing and driving crazy down the dirt roads. Linda is still doing great despite her health obstacles. We love her and know that as long as her motives remain pure, the Lord will take care of her. The Corpus family moved this week :( We are sad but we know they will always be in our hearts. Also we are keeping in touch of course :)

 

We listened to a talk by elder Holland at the Trainer meeting and it talked about being a life-long disciple. I know that the moment we are baptized we promise to do our best to follow Christ each and every day. We arent going to be perfect at it but he does expect us to TRY. When we make that covenant, it doesn't mean we stand as a witness of Christ sometimes, or on Sundays. It means that we are called to be His disciples forever and to follow him forever. I love that. He made the eternal sacrifice for us, so sacrificing our lives to him is a small price to pay. :) 

I am so excited for everything that is happening here! I love you all and I am so grateful for your love and support. Have the best week! 

Love, 

Sister Madeline Whetten 

Week 58 - Don't Mess With Texas

Hello! 

Oh man its been a good week! Transfers came and went and I am still here in Hermiston Oregon with Sister Johns! I love her. She is straight out of the MTC, but acts like shes been doing this her whole life. I got to drive up to Kennewick (alone...it was scary) to go and pick her up on Wednesday. As soon as I walked into the room, I saw this tall, brown haired sister and I knew it was her! We are the dynamic texan duo of Hermiston. I am so excited to work with her and we have the best times ahead. 

We met a new investigator the day Sister Johns got here! Her name is Maria. We had the sweetest lesson with her. She mentioned that she had learned about a ton of different religions but she said something was always missing. We were able to testify of eternal families and the plan that heavenly Father has for each one of us. 

The Corpus family is still doing amazing. We love them so much. We had a super spiritual lesson with them on Tuesday and Brother Corpus told us how excited he is that his family is becoming involved with the church again. He testified that because of this, he knows generations of his family will be blessed. I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ blesses families. I know it is the only way that we can return to live with our Heavenly Father WITH our families. 

I hope you all are having a great week! I love you! 

Love, 

Sister Madeline Whetten

Week 57 - Splitting up the Dynamic Duo

Hello! It has been a crazy week and also sad because we got the transfer calls yesterday and Sister Gomez is leaving me to go to Pasco :( We both cried but we know that it is where the Lord wants us to be so we have full trust in Him. I have the opportunity to train a new missionary again so I get to go pick her up in Tri-cities tomorrow! WOOHOO! Should be fun. Really. I love learning from new companions and just having a blast. I cant believe I'm still here in Hermiston! It's the longest time I've been in an area and I couldn't be happier that I am staying. 

We have a ton of exciting things coming up! Both Linda and Hailey are all set to be baptized on the 16th and Ramona will hopefully be following in the upcoming weeks. We found a new investigator last week! His name is Harold. He was a referral from the Spanish Elders and we were able to teach him. He is so kind and you can tell he is ready to learn. 

We have been working with this amazing family, the Corpus's. They have been working on coming back to church and we have been able to see them grow and progress in the most incredible ways. This week at church they were there and they even brought their inactive daughter who hasn't been there in years. It was so great to see them there as a family. It brings so much joy to see someone you love so much truly take in the blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

I am so grateful for you all and I hope you know how much I love our Savior Jesus Christ. I know He loves and knows each one of us. 

Have a great week!!!

Love, 
Sister Madeline Whetten 

Week 56 - Blessings and a Baptism

Hello! busy, crazy, exciting week! I'm going to try and sum it up. So we were surprised on Wednesday morning with a call for the other sisters we live with that they were getting emergency transferred in a few hours! It was crazy. We had to get them ready to go and send them off. I was sad to see them go, but I know it will all be for the best and we will be reunited again some day! We had two other sisters move in with us Hermanas Vasquez and Esteves. We already love them and we are excited to endure a hot fun summer together. 

Its been a great week full of awesome lessons and sweet experiences. I have so much gratitude in me heart towards Heavenly Father for helping me love, grow, and change out here. I'm still me in all my weird ways but at the same time, I can see how the Lord has truly helped me to become more like Him with the smallest of changes. Each day you wake up and choose to be happy and rely on the Lord. Mistakes are inevitable so there's no need to constantly stress about them. As we put our full trust in the Lord and the promises He has made us, He heals, repairs and strengthens us in every way. 

Linda made it to church this Sunday! Finally! we had a full blown celebration. We come into the chapel and there she is sitting there! Hair curled and everything. I love her so much and it has been such a blessing to be with her. 

There's a family that in our ward that we have grown very close to. Their daughter Mikiya got baptized on Sunday and we had the privilege of going. The spirit was so strong as her dad (a convert of a few years) was able to baptize his daughter and allow her to receive that special gift of the Holy Ghost. I know that because of the Restored gospel of Jesus Christ, we can make sacred promises with our Heavenly Father and he makes even bigger promises to us in return. We can be with our families and the ones we love for eternity. That is what drives me to try my best to be a disciple of Christ every day, so others can know of this eternal blessing.

I hope you all have the best week! I love you! 

Love, 
Sister Madeline Whetten