Week 6... Bug bites, rain, miracles

Hi all!! Sorry to freak you out by not emailing yesterday, we had an AWESOME mission conference where elder Zwick of the 70s came and spoke to us!! Just so cool.

How is everyone!? Florida is great. It certainly was a roller coaster of a week. We had some awesome lessons though and some investigators are progressing so that's awesome! We were big on family history this week. Everyone go do it! The church has these cool My Family books out that I'm working on and I've already learned so much about my ancestors! So yeah.

So miracle! We were biking on Sunday to one of our 'gator's house and we saw this old man (classic story here) getting out of his car then he dropped his bag of groceries. So, what do missionaries do? We went over and helped him carry his bags in and got a return appointment for the next day! He's awesome. Seriously, he's been to Nauvoo and Palmyra and has read some of the Book of Mormon.. Like what!? Also his daughter is a less active member. So he's pretty cool!
Fun fact, I have tons of bug bites.

So Saturday night we were driving over to our 'gator's house. I wasn't feeling the most confident (it goes in waves) and I had just prayed for strength and desperate that I could feel the Spirit's promptings and follow them. What do you know? I walked outside and the moon was smiling :) it was so cool. I felt instant peace. God is watching out for his children!!

Funny story: it's been freezing the last two days and so we found a dead bird outside our door :( sad!! (You know me, I love birds). So, we buried it! Haha. I'll send pics next week. We wrapped it up in tissue paper, tied it with a ribbon and buried it in the dirt/sand. Tadah! By the way, Florida has sand.. Not dirt. Weird!

Another funny incidence, we were going to see a potential investigator and as we walked up they were outside the house! But once they spotted us they ran back inside and his wife just shook her hand at us saying "we're not interested!" Ah, sad, these people don't know what they're missing.

Anyways! I hope everyone is staying strong!! Pray always and NEVER

miss a day reading your scriptures. In these days, we can't afford to

not have the Holy Ghost guiding and protecting us.

I love you all!!!

Sister Woolley

Week 5

Hope everyone had a heart-filled Valentine's Day! (which, by the way was my month mark, can you believe it??) Just a little fun fact before I forget: when I entered the MTC 310 other missionaries entered that day too! 68% elders and 38% sisters. And we had 1271 missionaries total in the MTC. CRAZY.

So this week was all over the place! So awesome though. We got a new investigator who basically invited himself to church!! He's so cool. We met him on the street and he's only 21. Taught him twice and he prayed with us during our second meeting and said the coolest prayer asking if God is there. Like what, that actually happened!? It's one of those things people role play in the MTC but it happened for reals! Speaking of 'gators, we finally got ours to church! We had 4 on Sunday :) And one of their grandkids who I basically took care of during Sacrament meeting.. yikes. But they loved it! The two 'gators left after the first hour but Phillip, the 21 year old, stayed all three hours and really enjoyed it!

Friday we had our trainer follow up meeting so I got to see the missionaries I came out with which was super neat! So that day we spent in Orlando mostly. Then Valentine's Day one of our investigators and his wife (who is a member) took us to breakfast at Denny's. How sweet is that??

Something I've been learning this week is truly relying on the Lord. It's really difficult to be teaching a lesson and force yourself not to think about what you're going to say next! But these lessons aren't our lessons, they're the Lord's. So once we can learn to love the investigator and focus on their needs, the words will come. I'm still working on it, but it's getting easier :) 

There's nothing better than bearing testimony. We have a "lifetime investigator" (the one married to a member), who basically says he'll never join the church. We let him talk to us about all his concerns and it was one of those moments you just have to bear testimony. The Spirit was there which is what matters. But you know how they say your testimony is strengthened by bearing it? How true that is! So bear testimony to someone every day! It'll bless you more than you know.

Alma 26:16 "Who can glory too much in the Lord?" Go read Joseph Smith History also. He was a prophet called of God to restore Christ's true church on the earth today! Come on. That's awesome.

Anyway, I hope everyone is having a wonderful week! Keep smiling :) I'd love pictures if you want to email any! Keep writing! Letters are like Christmas :)

I love you all!

Sister Woolley

 Frosting cookies for Valentines Day with Sister Jensen 

 Flag football with ward members + missionaries on P-day!

Ever seen the RM? This lady used food storage as furniture! :)

Week 4

So much has happened this week I feel as if it's been a whole month! Woah. We have seen so many miracles. Sister Jensen and I taught at our Zone Training meeting last week on the role of the Holy Ghost in conversion. We strived to apply that in our own teaching and have definitely seen results. We have three 'gators with a baptismal date! Super awesome. Now it's just getting them to want to come to church.. people are comfortable in their cultural environments and it's hard to see them gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon and still not want to come to church. BUT we keep bearing testimony and bringing the Spirit and God's love to them! 

Super awesome, on Wednesday we got to go to Orlando and do a temple tour with one of our investigators (His wife is a member)! Of course we didn't go inside but we got to walk around and talk about it. I just kept thinking of when my siblings got married in the temple to their spouses and what an awesome experience that was! 

So funny story: Friday night Sis. Jensen and I asked our three 'gators if we could bring dinner to their house and eat with them. They said sure! *miscommunication happened*... So we bring dinner over and they had cleared up the table space so we start passing out plates and forks and they're like, we already ate so we'll just save that for tomorrow! Ummm... awesome. So we package it back up and go on to teach the lesson. hahah guess that just goes to show how we need to be more straightforward about what we're doing! So that night when we got home we ate lots of cereal hahhaa. We had a good laugh about it :)

Last Monday night one of our 'gators had a stroke, so we went to see her in the hospital with her brother and mom. She was so happy! She couldn't speak very well. But she said she knew we would come and a member from the ward gave her a priesthood blessing. Then we handed her a Book of Mormon we brought and she was so happy she turned RANDOMLY to Alma 22:8 and read out of the blue "Assuredly as thou livest, O king, there is a God" Go find that scripture! It was the coolest thing!!! She's all, "I know that's from God". Her family has so much faith!

I started a miracle journal and write down miracles I see everyday. You all should start doing it too! It's the coolest thing. Kinda like a gratitude journal too. :)

We went to a Less Actives house the other night and they had an orange tree. Let me just tell ya, Florida Oranges really are AMAZING. Seriously the best.

Here's some pictures from the last few weeks! Most are from the MTC and my District there. And then Florida and my new comp :)

I hope everyone is doing well back home and at school! I miss you all! Just remember the Church is true, the Book is blue, and if you aren't reading it, you NEED to! I love this gospel. I know it's true. My testimony has grown so much already. Never cease praying and reading the scriptures. The Lord needs his disciples to be all in. Stay strong!

Love,

Sister Woolley

Found friend Nick Ord from back home (AKA brother Trevors "twin")

 Cousin Brennan Leininger! 

 With companion Sister Guynn

 Decorated a wedding!

With  companion Sister Jensen 

Week 3 - FLORIDA

Hi everyone!

First off, I apologize for not being able to email last week (if you're ever a mission president, let your missionaries email, it's really sad not being able to haha). Well, I made it to Florida and it just started pouring rain 5 minutes ago! I love it here. My last week in the MTC was AWESOME! I don't even know where to begin. We got better at teaching and working together and our District had a lot of good times. Ran into Connor Boynton in the mail room! That was exciting. My District sang the EFY medley in church our last sunday and it was so great! 

Sister Guynn (my comp) and I had to get up at about 2am to make it to the travel room at 4:30. They took us and three elders to the front runner then to the trax in salt lake then to the airport. My oh my it was a bit stressful! haha. At the airport we were able to call home, which was nice to hear everyone's voices :) Then the 4 hour flight which consisted of sleeping, talking, reading, sleeping, and eating haha. Met the mission President and his wife (super nice) and stayed the night at the mission home.

Tuesday was Transfer day and I got my assignment and new comp, Sister Jensen! She's awesome. We're assigned to the Leesburg area, about an hour outside of Orlando. It's an interesting place haha I love it! We mainly drive here though cause it's so big! I must add, I saw Lindy Ludlow at transfers! And Hannah Rowley :) they're doing great!

Well, the people here are different than back home! They're really sweet. A lot of the people in this area are poor and they all have southern accents, what could be better? "Bout 8 foot from the winda" was a line I was just cracking up at last week. 

My first member meal! Intersting. She was a single, older lady and made us "13 bean soup"... Not gunna lie, it was NASTY. Half way through Sis. Jensen asked for hot sauce haha... anything to hide the taste :p It's definitley a day to never forget! 

The water here is pretty gross tasting (gator spit, is how they describe it) so we drink from bottled water mainly :) 

On Saturday, the Elders in our area had a baptism and a wedding for their investigator! We helped decorate for the wedding and it was so fun! 

We have some really great investigators. We see miracles happen daily! We have one lady, Angela, whom we met while working with her brother. She's so amazing! She's been having a lot of troubles lately and she's so ready to hear the gospel. Last night we had an awesome lesson with her and the spirit was there so strong. One of those moments where I think "this is why I'm on a mission". It's tough- the first week was not easy. But it's those little moments that bring such joy and reassure me that this is where the Lord needs me to be. 

I hope you all remember to pray and rely on God! It can be hard to do, but I know that the second you turn your life over to Him and put all your trust in Him that He will be right there to lift you up. I shared it in my farewell talk but I want everyone to read Matthew 14:26 I believe it is. Christ is there to lift you up! You just need to be the one to reach out your hand. 

Sorry this was so long. Just know that I miss every single one of you and I am so grateful for each of your examples in my life. I love you all! 

Take a look at the mission blog if you'd like! I think it's FloridaOrlandoMission.blogspot.com

And if anyone wants to send a package that'd be awesome just don't use UPS or FedEx.

Letters would be fantastic! I don't have anyone's addresses so I'd love to get that from ya'll!

Much love,

Sister Woolley

P.S I'll send pictures the minute I can!