HEY HEY HEY!!

HELLO HAPPY CHRISTMAS OR THANKSGIVING I DONT KNOW! :)

I hope everyone is having a great week! And I hope you all had a fabulous Thanksgiving!

This week I spent Thanksgiving with a family, the Harrast's, and they just treated us like their own! They are the best! I love them like my own family they are soooo cool!

I had my first trade offs this week with a sister named Sister Foster and she is unreal!!!! I would love to have her as a companion someday! She was awesome! 

Something great that happened this week was we were out PC (personal contacting) and we were walking down the street to an appointment when this HUGE guy is walking towards us, so of course missionaries leave no stone unturned...so we talk to him and his name is Andrew.  He was down to talk, we learned that he had been in prison and is a year sober from drugs and he was so cool!!!!!! He was super interested in the church so i just said (after talking to him for 3 minutes) "Andrew when you come to find these things are true will you follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized by someone holding the proper authority?" and he just goes.."Yes I will." and my heart was like WHAT THE HECK JUST HAPPENED?!?!? Hahaha it was amazing such a great experience, and I am excited to see him embrace the gospel!

We also met some Jehovah Witness missionaries. I was talking to this man and women and Sister Ensign was talking to some others and I started to teach them from the Book of Mormon and taught 1 Nephi 3:7 and it was cool! I mean I didn't convert them, but it was still a great experience!

Oh man haha then on Friday...that was an interesting day! We basically got beat down all day haha, but it was for sure a testimony builder for me. There was this old man who told us we believed a lie and all this other stuff he was going off. I just said "Well Sir, I agree to disagree I guess. I hope you have a great day!" and we walked away and I'm sure he was still saying stuff to us as we walked away, but yea that was a new experience for me.

GARY IS GETTING BAPTIZED IN LIKE 3 WEEKS!!!!!  AHHHHH I'M SO EXCITED!! I wish everyone could know Gary, he is so cool. But yes we have 8 people on date! Gary is the closest to getting baptized and it is so great! I love that guy!!!!  He was feeling lonely and we had a whole pumpkin pie, I said to Sister Ensign that we should take him the pie and when we did his face just lit up.  Also today, I suggested we buy a few Christmas decorations for his apartment and we are going to go help him decorate today.

I wanted to share one thing with you all before I go, something someone told me in the MTC.. "It's a bad day, not a bad life."  With this week being a little tougher it was a blessing for me to know that and to remember that quote throughout the week!

Anyways I truly love every single on of you! I want to keep hearing from you all so keep writing me (I know I say that every week but it really does make the difference!) Plus I want to hear what is new and what is going on! I love you so much and please keep praying for our investigators! I know they need your prayers! You are all amazing, I love you guys so much! Until next Monday!!

Love, Sister Wilde

There are no Dead Ends in missionary work :)

Which way should we go? 

Sister Shepphard who Sister Wilde is just the cutest lady in the world and is making her socks :)

Peace and love from Michigan!

The most beautiful sunrise this morning in Michigan!

ONE MONTH DOOOWWNN!!! :)

HELLO EVERYBODY!!!!

I hope you all are doing well! I love hearing from all of you and I hope you all keep writing me so I can know what is going on in your lives and so that I can know if any of you need anything!! :)

So this week I actually made a list so that I could remember everything!

Okay so first I want to tell you about one of our investigators. She is her own person let me tell ya! But I love her!!! So this week I learned what a "Holy Roller" is. For those of you who do not know what a "Holy Roller" is...it is someone who believes in the "Gift of Tongues" and that isn't like being able to speak a different language, it is like speaking straight gibberish. And so many people outside of Utah think that it is real thing. I didn't know that our investigator thought this was a thing either, until we were in Relief Society and I am hearing something that isn't words and its like confusing and I don't know.. haha. So, that is something we have to work on with her and teach her how to pray correctly and why "the gift of tongues" as she knows it is not a thing. So if ANY OF YOU have advice on how to teach someone how to pray that would be awesome!

Oh yes ALSO this was so cool! We have a less active member that we teach and we keep inviting her to church and every time we do she says - you know I am too tired, or I need to do this, I need to do that, and so we always invite but don't expect her to be there. Then at church on Sunday, Sister Ensign and I spoke and I'm leaning over saying something to her and I just stop mid sentence and I see this less active sister walk in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We were freaking out and so excited!!!! She said to us that on her way to church she slipped on ice and was about to turn around and go home but she just felt like she needed to be at church that day! And it was so awesome!!! AHHH!! I loved it. I am telling you guys, exact obedience brings miracles, it truly does!!!!!

Then we have Mr. Armstrong. He is just the coolest 61 year old man. I love him. He is our investigator that is the closest to getting baptized. Like his date is set in stone and he is ready to enter the waters of baptism! We taught him Chastity and The Word of Wisdom this week and that was a little scary. When you teach those things it is so rare that someone doesn't have a problem with one of them but he always says "If that's what God wants me to do I'm going to do it." HE IS THE COOLEST!!!!!!!!!

I got my first legitimate door slammed in face yesterday, it was great.  I said "Hi, we are your missionaries..." and she said "No you're not", slammed the door and I started busting up laughing and just was like "okay it's only your salvation ;) " Sister Ensign was worried I was going to cry or something, but I just smiled.

There are a few less actives and investigators that can just use your prayers right now for the strength to overcome whatever is stopping them from certain things. I know that you all are praying for them and I appreciate it so much and I know they can feel your prayers as well!!!:)

So I had my first FALL in Michigan I actually lasted A LOT longer then I thought it would. Haha!  I just slipped on ice, haha - gracefully of course ;)

The other day was the first snow! And on the first snow all of our appointments cancelled so we went out and door knocked for about 5 hours in the snow!  It actually was so fun. There were so many times that I thought "I should be so miserable right now" but I wasn't, I was just loving it so much. The only bummer was we knocked for all that time and we talked to about 38 people but only got one phone number. But it was still good!

I just am so amazed at how often people look so familiar to me. It feels like I knew them in the pre-earth life and they told me I had to come find them. Or like even the members I feel like they told me that when I got to Michigan they were going to take care of me. It is just so amazing and I love them all.

I love my companion too!  We get along so good and she is just so great!

I want to share one quote with you all: "Those who set aside the bottle of bitterness and lift instead the goblet of gratitude can find a purifying drink of healing peace and understanding."

In honor of Thanksgiving I hope that we all can do this this week and even after. Remember the things that we are grateful for! I know one thing I am grateful for is ALL OF YOU!!! 

I can feel your prayers all of the time! You are all so amazing and I love everyone of you!!!! Keep writing me it makes my Mondays so happy!! I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!!!

Love, Sister Wilde

Celebrating ONE MONTH of her mission completed!

Sister Wilde and Sister Ensign - The Dream Team in Mount Pleasant!

 First Snow - First Month

  Cute and CLEAN apartment! :)

And one pic to remind us that she is still that Alyssa we love so much!  

Always delivering smiles! :)

HEEEELLLLLOOOOOO!!!

ALRIGHT HELLO EVERYBODY!!!!!!!

How are we all doing?! I hope that you are all doing nothing short of AMAZING!!!! 

So this week wow there are so many things I want to tell you all about. So first I want to tell you all about some of our investigators. The first one his name is Gary and he is 61. He is just the sweetest old man and he will do whatever God wants him to. He is one of the most faithful people I have ever met. His baptism is December 19th. We are teaching him the Word Of Wisdom this week so I am just praying he doesn't have a problem with it so he can be baptized on that date.He is seriously the coolest guy I cannot even begin to explain the love I have for him and all the people here in Mt. Pleasant.

The next one I want to tell you all about is Michael. This is not miracle Michael from last week.  Michael is 27 years old and has a problem with the Word of Wisdom. He really wants to be baptized though and you can feel that he does. But because he hasn't stopped drinking and smoking we had to change his baptism date and we let him choose the date he wants to be baptized and he chose February 6th he said that is when he really thinks he can cut out everything. So if you can keep Michael in your prayers that would be amazing!

The next one I want to talk about is Denise.....oh Denise hahaha that women has caused me one too many headaches. But I love her. She is a chain smoker she started at smoking 2 packs a day and now is down to only 6 cigarettes which is AMAZING progress! But she is very passionate about things that we cant change I guess? Her prayers make me laugh she always says "Dear Father God" and Sister E and I have to just giggle. She is one of the most giving ladies that I have ever met though! Wow she truly is so amazing! She has a strong faith but its frustrating because sometimes the things she says like don't make sense and they aren't teachings from the church so that's kinda a battle but she is great hahaha she has one date but we have to change hers as well due to the smoking!

Everyone here in Michigan claims to have visions so that's interesting. But great all the people here are wonderful!

So two cool things that happened this week. The first one is we were going to an appointment with this lady Mary and she cancelled so we were standing on the sidewalk and Sister E was kinda stressed and I was just looking around and saw this family of three raking leaves in their front yard (there are thousands of leaves in Michigan) and I said to Sister E "We need to go help that family rake their leaves" and we go over there. It's fun, we are talking with them and we do a few other service things with them and then just end up teaching the Plan of Salvation and that was so awesome.

We ended up teaching them a lesson on Saturday and that went really well we got the Mom AND the two other daughters on baptism date which is so cool!!! Then this was awesome right after the lesson we get a phone call from a number we don't know and we say hello and he asks if its someone that it wasn't because he had the wrong number (but God gave him the right number (; ) then we say "Well we are actually missionaries." and he goes "Yea I can just feel your energy right now!" and we are both like laughing like what is happening hahaha then he says "I truly feel like you have my best interest at heart!" and we are like yea we do! hahaha and we asked him if he would like to learn more and meet with us and he said yes I'd love to! So yea that was another awesome thing that happened hahaha.

I also had a meal in a trailer in a trailer park and that was different hahaha but so great at the same time the mans name is Brother B it was way cool.

I am loving it here just remember to keep our investigators in your prayers! I know they can use them! Also read the Book of Mormon I know that it is truly the word of God! I want to challenge all of you to read it! I have seen it change peoples lives! I love every single one of you! Keep writing me I love to hear from you all it is such a blessing for me to hear from you!!!!

Remember everything works out in the end and if it doesn't work out its not the end!! I love you all! Until next Monday :)

Love, Sister Wilde

After church Sister M saw they were walking (about an hour walk from the church to their apartment) 
and offered them a ride in her cop car.  You can guess how grateful they were! :)

Raking the many leaves in Michigan, service brings blessings!

Yep, it is already cold in Michigan!

I MADE IT TO MICHIGAN!!!! HHHOOOLLLAAAA

Hello everybody!

Oh my goodness Michigan is awesome!!  I will just start from the beginning. So this is how they got us to the airport we get our suitcases and get on a bus then the bus just drops you off at the front runner then drives you to the TRAX then from TRAX you go to the airport so that was fun haha... and it was an experience trying to lug all of my stuff everywhere especially when one of your suitcases weighed.... 67 pounds.. so that was...new...and interesting.

I sat by two of the elders on the plane and all I remember is the three of us looking out the window saying goodbye to Utah then I remember the 3 of us waking up saying Hello to Michigan haha! But when I woke up on the plane I looked outside and my first thought was "WHERE ARE THE MOUNTAINS?!" But then I remembered I wasn't in Utah anymore! There are literally no mountains here. The closest thing they have to a mountain is a bump that is in the road. When we got here my old companion Sister Trent said "I cant wait for P-day when we get to go hiking and stuff!" and i just looked at her and said "What are you planning to hike?!" haha then we all had a good laugh.

So the first night in Michigan was great! Our Mission President and his wife are so cool. 

There are for sure beetles here and squirrels will take over Michigan someday, I am sure of it. Sister Jacobsen is like Snow White. She fed the squirrels and there were like 15 in her back yard that morning just chillin'. 

So I was going to get in the shower at the mission home and I looked down and there was a HUGE beetle on the ground. I made Sister Trent come and kill it hahahah. She thought I was pathetic but you know... it happens! Bugs are scary!

The next was when we got to go meet our comps and go to our area. My area is called Mt. Pleasant and it actually reminds me of Logan Utah. (@malonehansen) because it is a college town. The college by us is called CMU. So it's a fun, safe little town. I love it here. The people are pretty nice even when they are rejecting the gospel, they are still nice about it. Most people are Catholic. We were door knocking and this guy opens and we are like "Hi we are missionaries" and he said "Oh are you from the Muslim church?" and we said "No." and we said "Do you know of anyone who needs this message today?" and he goes "Probably no one" and shut the door and we were like ooookkkkaaaayyyy? Haha so confusing, he was creepy to say the least.

That first day though we just got thrown right into door knocking and teaching a lesson so that was way fun.

The next day we did 3 hrs. and 10 minutes of door knocking which is A LOT. We got invited into people homes three times which I guess is rare? I didn't know that. But it was way nice cuz it was super windy and cold that day so it was nice to go inside where it was warm. 

The area we were in was called Sheppard and my mom will kill me for sharing this but i am going to because it is cool...

So most of you know that I am a scaredy cat, haha. So we are walking down this road and I hear this loud bang! and being from Utah I said "Who is letting off fireworks this time of year?" Sister Ensign replies "I hate to tell you that that was not a firework it was actually a gun shot. You are going to hear them a lot" and normally I would've freaked out!! BUT! THE PROTECTION AND THE SPIRIT  that you have with you 24/7 is amazing and unreal!! I did not feel unsafe for one minute. I was just like "Hmmmm Okay." and we continued on. So that was something that was cool just to have the spirit with you. I can feel angels surrounding us at all times and it is amazing.

Also EVERYONE and I mean EVERYONE smokes pot here. Hahahaha. I got my first dose of pot my second day of door knocking at my last three houses. They were burning something and it wasn't food. Haha so that is fun, the Word of Wisdom is a big problem out here so we will see how that goes in the lessons. 

So are you ready for it?  My MIRACLE story of the week!  

So day 3 of door knocking - yesterday, we go out and all day. I was just hating life. All day all I was thinking about was coming back to Utah.  I kept wondering how people do this for 18 months and I was like calculating hours and ugh I was hating it. So we get back from church and have about over an hour to go door knocking so we go finish knocking on this street called Elm that we had knocked Thursday. We are going along, everyone is saying no  and it's getting dark. We have to start heading back to the car pretty soon. We come up to this duplex and this big black man opens the door. He is a pastor and was super nice. He gave us his number to come back and talk about the Book of Mormon and how it can bless his life.  He clearly smokes marijuana his home just smells of pot. He is obviously high and he keeps rubbing his blood shot eyes. You just know he has no idea what we are saying so he goes to get his phone number and I turn to Sister E and say "So after this house we are going to go back to the car right?" and she says "We will knock on this door (the second duplex door) and then we will head back" I was like okay, like kinda bummed out because I just was not havin' it yesterday. So we get the guys number and knock on the other door and this big white man with an orange beard answers the door and we say "Hey how are you doing today?" and he just walks right outside onto his porch so I got a little nervous. So I just stepped back a bit and we are like ya "We are missionaries" and he was like "I knew when I came to the door you didn't know who I was but I know who you two are" and Sister E and I were both just like what? What is going on?

He says "Are you the ones that have been contacting me?" and we are just like "What is your name?" and he says "Michael" and he just keeps saying Michael over and over and we are both like okay? Then I realize that I had CONTACTED A REFERRAL THAT THURSDAY NAMED MICHAEL! So I start freaking out because they have been trying to get a hold of him forever!! Then Sister E realizes what is going on and then she starts freaking out! And Michael starts crying and he just kept saying "You found me, I cant believe you found me." and I like don't know if I want to laugh or cry and we are just freaking out. We are all shaking hands and laughing and just amazed at what God had done for us. And he is like "When I lived in Lansing my wife left me then the next day the sister missionaries showed up. But then I moved and haven't found a place to live. I just got here today.  Sorry I haven't texted you sisters back I didn't want you to know that I don't have a place to live." God literally put us in each others paths. It was the largest miracle ever! We are meeting with him this Friday. IT WAS AMAZING!!!!!! Especially since I was having a bad day that day. It was so amazing Michael was just crying and I was tearing up, it was the coolest thing. And then I remembered that earlier that day I said the prayer and I did not want to go door knocking. I said "Please help us to just get through door knocking today and help us find the one person that needs us, please." HOW COOL IS THAT!! 

Right before we knocked on that duplex I was like "Sister Ensign what are some miracles that have happened to you? I need to hear about the good things that happen on a mission", then we went to knock on Michael's door and she was like "After this door I will tell you the story because it is kind of long." and then we had our own miracle!

Our apartment is so nice!  We have a washer and dryer right inside, it is amazing and such a blessing!  I love it here! Missionary work is an adjustment and it is something that I am going to have to learn to love but I know that I have been called of God to do this work and to share it with people.

I will tell more about the people I have been teaching next Monday because I don't have time right now but the people are amazing. So many times I think "If I wasn't a missionary I would be so so scared right now." Some of the doors we knock on and some of the people we talk to I never in a million years would have talked to.  But through the spirit and the protection of my Heavenly Father I am able to do these things without worrying and feel God's presence with me always. I love it here it is amazing! There is nowhere that I would rather be!

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is true and I know that without a shadow of a doubt! I know that God is aware of all of us because he is aware of me and I feel that constantly! I love you all!! Please send me letters I love hearing form you and I can use the encouragement throughout the week. I Love you all!! I can feel your prayers you are all amazing!

Love, Sister Wilde

Hello Michigan! 

(Sister Wilde says she thinks she missed the pretty season)

 Elder Woolfenden and Elder Whipple flight seat partners

Sister Wilde with her new companion and trainer, Sister Ensign

 Study Desk

  Sister Wilde and Sister Ensign with a family they are teaching. 

Sister Wilde says she just knows that they will be baptized!

A fun note from Darcey:

How fun is this? Like Sister Wilde said several times in her farewell talk, there are NO coincidences in life. This is a picture taken Saturday night in Midland, Michigan. On the left is the son of a sweet sister in my ward, the couple in the picture are dear friends from Vernal-he was a seminary teacher to my siblings, with my sweet Sister Wilde. We made the connection that Alyssa is serving in the stake where they are members of the stake presidency together. Turns out that it is Stake Conference her first weekend there. They sought her out during the meeting tonight and took this picture together. Heavenly Father never fails to deliver tender mercies in our lives.

From the mission home when Sister Wilde arrived:

LAST DAY IN THE MTC BBBAAABBBYYYYYY!

ALRIGHT EVERYBODY WEEK NUMERO 2!!!!!!!!

HOLLA! I am about to get out of here!  I honestly cannot even begin to explain how pumped I am to go to Michigan!  Words cannot explain the joy that I am feeling right now to escape this spiritual prison! haha (but it is all good)

So, I have been asked a few questions about how the classes work and how the lessons work too, sooo here we go I will explain to you! Here is how my days go...

Everyday here is about the same.  You wake up at like 6 then 7 to 7:45 you do district study then go to breakfast until 8:15 then until about 9:30 we do our TRC investigators.  Some of them are members and some of them aren't members but no one knows so you still teach them like they have no idea what the gospel is. That's really fun. Then after that we have class until 12:30, then it is lunch until 1:15, class until 4:15 then gym from then to 5:15 (we usually go play volleyball then we do dinner from 5:45 to 6:30.  After dinner we study as a district and individually and with your companion until 9:30 then 10:15 to 10:30 is quiet time then we go to sleep haha so my life is "super exciting" as you can see!

The next question was what do we learn in our classes. Haha and that is a pretty broad question. The basics of what we are learning is how to teach the lessons and what to teach. We teach The Restoration, The Plan Of Salvation (which i get a little nervous to teach because it is such a deep concept but if you teach it simply is actually makes a lot of sense) then you teach The Gospel Of Jesus Christ. And depending on the needs of your investigators the lessons can change and the spirit can say "nope you aren't going to teach that today even though that is what you prepared for you are going to teach this instead." Which that is just so wonderful when that happens (hahaha sarcasm). But it is actually really cool when you are prepared how much God takes control of the lesson. Then of course you teach Chastity, Word of Wisdom, and Tithing. But what I bet you didn't know is that we are "highly encouraged" to invite people to baptism in the FIRST LESSON!!!!! Isn't that crazy? it is just another testament that this church is true and that everything is truly inspired form God!!!

We taught this investigator Sydney and we invited her to baptism three times she never committed but each time she came closer to Christ which was way cool to see!

Sorry I am running out of time I don't have any super funny stories for you all this week sadly :( but I do have some pretty funny pictures that you all will be able to see- they are quite awesome!

I leave to Michigan in the morning! And when I say morning I mean 4:30 A.M!!  So that is fun hahahaha!  But keep writing me I love you all so much! Again I can feel all of your prayers all the time!  And literally I need to hear about all of your lives it makes me so happy!

Really quick I just want to say that if ANY OF YOU are questioning going on a mission I STRONGLY suggest you go. People need to hear this gospel. It changes peoples lives and people need to feel hope they need to know that their lives can get better so just go serve a mission!  In the short two weeks I have been here I have learned more than I learned in 13 years of school. There is nothing more important in this world than The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints. A mission isn't easy but the spirit that you feel all the time and the Christlike love that you grow for every person you come in contact with makes it all worth it in the end!!!

Again I love you all more than you know, my heart grows bigger each day. Remember to keep all the missionaries in the mission field in your prayers because I know that they all can use them! The next time you get my email I will be PREACHING IT UP IN MICHIGAN!! Ahh so excited!

I love you all, you're all amazing and I can feel your spirits even if we are far away!! More stories to come, I love you!!!!!

Love, Sister Wilde!!!!!

Dressing up for Halloween in the MTC?  Switch name tags with the Elders of course!

Sister Wilde and Sister Trent, MTC Companions

Elder Whipple and Elder Woolfenden

The famous laundry room

MTC District she loves

The Sisters in her Zone

One cool district!

Caught by surprise!

MTC Zone

Studying