Merry Christmas!

Shame on me for not posting this Monday when we received it, but better late than never I suppose.  Enjoy a belated Christmas greeting from Sister Wygant!

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Hi Mama!!

Merry almost Christmas!! I am so excited for Christmas, and grateful for this Christmas season. "Christmas reminds us that Christ has given us a purpose for living." --President Monson. So true!!! 

Our week was BUSY. Transfers came and went. Sister Nelson, Bell, and Gee all headed off and are now safely home. My heart ached a bit to say goodbye at transfer meeting--but I know that we will see each other again, and I am so grateful for the loving and inspiring examples of each of those sisters. My new companion is Sister Johnson. She is from Laguna Beach, CA, and came from serving in the Hiram ward. She is wonderful!! She is a powerful teacher and loves to meet new people--which is good for me in the shy moments that I sometimes still have. :) We've already found a lot of things that we have in common that are going to help us to work well together, as well as some differences that will allow us to stretch and grow as we work to compromise, merge, and become united. It will be a good stretch for me, and I am grateful for the opportunity to humble myself and start again with building myself, a companionship, and moving the work forward.

The work in our area is slow, but steady. Our investigator Bob is doing well, and progressing towards his January 25th baptismal date. The Stacey's are wonderful fellowship for him, and I am so grateful for their help! We also had a miracle happen this week in finding a new investigator named Colleen. We met her back in October and knew that she was prepared for the gospel. It's been hard to make our schedules meet, but we were finally able to have a lesson with her! The Spirit was so strong, and I know that she felt it.

We also saw a HUGE miracle at the Visitor's Center yesterday. I've been calling a young man named Robert, and yesterday he told me that he wants to be baptized! It's incredible to me to see the change that the Book of Mormon has brought to his life. He has gone from not knowing about God or Jesus Christ to having a testimony that he is a child of God, praying in the name of Christ, knowing the Book of Mormon is the word of God, and wanting to be baptized. What an amazing miracle!!!!! I don't even know how to adequately express my gratitude to Heavenly Father for allowing me to play a small part in this huge change in Robert's life. It has really strengthened my testimony that God prepares His children for the gospel!

This week, I'm also so grateful for the sacrament. I'm so grateful for the reminder each Sundaythat I need to do better at remembering and following Christ. Try as I might, I always forget somewhere along the way, and I need a weekly reminder. Good thing Heavenly Father is patient with me. :) Something that struck me yesterday was the idea of 1 Ne 3:7--that the Lord prepares a way for us to keep the commandments He gives, no matter what. It struck me that as a missionary, I have been specifically commanded to share the gospel and invite others to come unto Christ. Not to force them or drag them, but to do everything I can to help others accept and follow Christ. And if that's what the Lord has commanded, "the Lord will provide"! I know that He can and does provide opportunities for all of us to share the gospel every day. That's a great comfort to me. And all I have to do is be prepared for those situations and opportunities. Like Elder Rasband said at the Christmas devotional, "opportunities are endless, but also perishable." I always have to be on the lookout for opportunities to lift, strengthen, grow, stretch, help, and bless--or I will miss them. 

I'm also so grateful for the wonderful Shaker Heights ward. We had a great Christmas program yesterday, that we were blessed to be a part of. There are so many wonderful members of this ward that are such great examples to me of love, dedication, and service--I want to be just like them when I grow up. :) I'm especially grateful that members of the ward have invited us over on Christmas Eve and Christmas. I love them all so much, and I'm so grateful for invitations to spend time with their families, especially at this wonderful time of year when we are apart from ours. :)  We'll be having dinner with the Kuroiwas on Christmas, and we're doing to Bishop Harmer's on Christmas Eve--and also Sandy and Sister Pickett. So excited. :) 

I'm grateful for the Nativity exhibit as well. I absolutely LOVE Nativities!! The exhibit is incredibly beautiful, the music is inspiring, and the Spirit is so strong. I love it. I am so grateful to serve in such a sacred, beautiful place. And Happy birthday, Joseph Smith!!!!! I'm sure he spent at least one birthday here in Kirtland. :)

My heart is full today, and I'm so grateful to be a missionary. I'm so excited to see/Skype with you on Wednesday!! I'm grateful for the Savior, and for you, my wonderful family. See you then! I love you!!! 

Love,

Sister Wygant

Kirtland Christmas blessings

Hi Mama!

Happy December! We finally got LOTS of snow--everything is white! It has been bitter cold for a few days, and not so bad on others--but thanks to lots and lots of layers, I'm staying warm. I conquered my fear of cold a bit more this week, and feel blessed to be able to maintain hope that I won't be cold forever, even when we're outside. :) 

We've had so many amazing opportunities this past week, and we've seen many miracles. The Christmas program at the Kirtland Temple went really, really well. I was honored that Ron Romig asked me to play a flute solo, and really happy with the way it turned out. I got to play my flute in the very place where the Savior appeared!!!! How amazing and humbling. I am so grateful to serve here. :) I dont have any recordings, which I'm really sorry for--we've been so incredibly busy that I haven't had the time for anything beyond the very top of our list. And normally, I would be really stressed and anxious about that--but I'm learning a lot about patience, prioritizing, and letting things go in this calling. :)

We've seen a lot of miracles this week. Sister Nelson is such a hard worker, even in her last week. She is such an inspiration to me! We did our very best to work our hardest and use every moment wisely so that we could be instruments in the Lord's hands. And He has blessed us! We had an amazing lesson with Sister Frazier about the Book of Mormon--she is really coming to love it. We also had a great lesson with Sister Pickett, and she came to church on Sunday!! Yay!! Bob also came to church on Sunday--YES!! Everyone thought he was already a member because he fit in so well and participated in all the classes. He is so great. :) Will you continue to pray for him? He is so excited to get baptized, and we don't want anything to get in the way. :)

I'm learning so much here--in this calling, from Sister Nelson, and from this transfer in general. One theme of this transfer for me has been humility. I've really seen that as I try to be patient and submissive and willing to do the Lord's will, He helps and blesses me with all the things I need. Another theme has been from the scriptures: "Remember". It's in there over and over and over again. Remember the Lord. Remember the blessings He has promised and given. Remember to ask for help and acknowledge it with gratitude. I've learned many things and been given many reminders of just how much help we receive from the Lord in this work. In everything that happens, God is in it--for which I am so grateful. 

We have a lot still to do today to get Sister Nelson ready to leave tomorrow, so I'd best end here. Thanks to you and everyone for the love, support, prayers, and well wishes!! I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve as a representative of Jesus Christ, especially at this Christmas season when the world pauses to remember His birth. I know that His birth was reason for joy and celebration because of the importance of His life. Because He lived and died for us, we can live also--we can live forever, with our families, in the presence of God! The Atonement of Jesus Christ allows us to overcome sin and death as we follow Him in the path He has prepared for us. If anything, please pray that we will have many opportunities to share these important truths with others this week. I would so appreciate it. :) I love you all!! Thank you for being wonderful examples to me. Merry almost Christmas!!

Love,

Sister Wygant

Seeing miracles everyday!

Hi Mama!!

It sounds like great things are happening at home, and great things are happening here as well! We saw SO many amazing miracles this week. Here's just a few:

*Christmas Mission Conference IN the Kirtland Temple

*Being in exactly the right place at the right time to meet John, a less-active member, right on the street, and get his contact info.

*Praying in Spanish! And visiting with Sister Rosales, who only speaks Spanish, with the help of a Spanish-speaking member

*Not freezing while tracting :)

*Having our car battery die...but meeting some amazingly kind and helpful people who helped us jump it, and then having the opportunity to invite them to Nativities :)

*Playing my flute at the Kirtland Stake Christmas program!

*Meeting a member who sang a beautiful solo, who is originally from The Netherlands and Germany, and getting to talk with her about the beautiful places we both love in those countries. :)

*Getting to go to a special baptism yesterday, and a complete miracle happened--I had my flute with me for a rehearsal much later (definite inspiration), and the person scheduled to play interlude music was sick, so I was asked to step in!! Amazing, amazing opportunity, that I was so grateful for.

*Watching the Christmas Devotional, and being so uplifted and inspired. I am so grateful for beautiful music, and for wise and loving leaders!

*MUSIC. I pulled my flute out to practice with Sister Walker this week in preparation for our musical number yesterday, and playing my flute, just for that short time, was a spiritual feast, and filled gaps in my soul that I didn't even realize were there. Just like the gospel does for people who don't realize they are searching for the truth. :)

*exchanges with Sister Rigby, who is an amazingly loving and dedicated missionary. I absolutely love her

*an amazing lesson with Sandy, a recent convert, about the Plan of Salvation, and making a great connection in Jacob 5 with her (the spot where she's reading in the BoM)

*An amazing lesson with our investigator Jason. We left a Book of Mormon with him last time, read 1.5 chapters and asked him to finish chapter 2--and he read all the way to chapter 11!! MIRACLE.

*Looking back over the week and realizing that we had been led, protected, and strengthened by the Spirit far more than we even realized in the moment. Being an instrument in God's hands is one of my very favorite things, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve Him full time as a missionary. I love this work, and I love my Savior. I know I can't do it alone, but I see more and more clearly/obviously these days His hand in my life and in our work. I know that He works with us!

Our investigator Bob was sick all last week and couldn't come to church :( He is so amazing though, and is already working with us to set up a lesson time for this week. Would you pray for him to feel well enough to meet and come to church? Thank you so much!

Sister Nelson is amazing, and I love her so much. I have learned SO much from serving with her, especially about love, dedication, charity, and patient. She goes home next week--I can't believe it! It seems like we just started working together. I hope I can be as amazing as her someday. :)

Time is short, so I have to get going. I love you so much, and am so grateful for you. Thank you for being wonderful, and for letting me come on a mission!!

Love,

Sister Wygant

Happy December!

Hi Mama!

Hello! Happy December! We had another week full of miracles! 

I was able to teach Robert over the phone from the Visitor's Center again, and it's amazing to see his faith growing. We stopped by Susan, and saw such a miracle. We were running late, but got there right as she pulled up! Perfect timing. She let us in, and we shared with her some banana bread we had made for her--turns out that banana bread is her favorite! Another miracle. We visited with her briefly, and she told us that she was really grateful we had come, because she really needed some cheer. She had even been thinking of us that morning! Wow. :) She really wants to come to the Nativity exhibit--hopefully she and her friend Betsy will come this Wednesday! Huge miracles. I love her!!!

We have an amazing new investigator named Bob. He just showed up to church last week, asked the Stacey's some questions, accepted their invitation to meet with us at their home.  At our very first lesson on Monday, he told us that he had already received answers to his prayers about the Church, and that he wants to be baptized! ! AMAZING. He works with Brother Lavin from the Chardon Branch, and has been researching the Church for many years, after noticing that difference that it made for Brother Lavin. Way to go, Brother Lavin!! Bob is so amazing, and has such a big heart. He has such a strong testimony already, and is one of the most prepared people I've ever met! On Saturday, he chose January 25th as a baptismal date, and we are SO EXCITED. I know that [the Lord] has prepared Bob to accept the gospel at this time, and I feel so honored to be a part of Bob's journey to accepting the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Big miracles!! Lots of gratitude. LOTS. I know that this is Heavenly Father's work, that His hand is in every detail of it, and I am so honored and blessed to be a part of it! 

Speaking of gratitude, I am so grateful for so many things during Thanksgiving week. I'm especially grateful to the Wagners for inviting us over for Thanksgiving dinner. I thought of you all several times during the day, both in gratitude and in pondering what you might be doing at home. It was tempting to feel homesick, but as we were driving out to the Wagners and passing through our area, the thought came to me of "I am home"  :) It was such a sweet and tender confirmation to me that I truly am doing the Lord's work here. Our homes are meant to be sacred and holy places, and by that indication, this truly has become home for me. As one leader put it, this is the ground that is being made sacred by my sweat and tears! That is one of my favorite lines from any meeting on my whole mission, and something that I strive to make happen every day. So, that thought/prompting on Thanksgiving was a beautiful confirmation and real tender mercy for me. 

Anyway. :) We went over in the early afternoon and helped Sister Wagner finish cooking. That was a tender mercy for me, because it helped me feel involved and reminded me a bit of home. :) We had a great Thanksgiving dinner with the Wagners and their friend Ivan, who is from Taiwan. I'm also grateful for inspiration and the guidance of the Spirit--the message that we had prepared about gratitude went perfectly, and Sister Wagner told us that it was exactly what she needed. I really saw the fulfillment of D&C 84:85--knowing exactly what to say at the moment I needed it. I recognized after that lesson that I had received revelation, and I am so grateful to have been an instrument in Heavenly Father's hands in helping someone else. :) 

After dinner at the Wagner's, we went to the Visitor's Center for some Thanksgiving activities. We learned how to tie scarves, ate some yummy pie (I tried mincemeat pie for the first time--had no idea that it was apples and raisins! Very good), and Elder Sorenson gave a presentation about receiving personal revelation. He is such a wonderful teacher, with so many amazing experiences to share--I learned so much that night, and am grateful to have been taught by him and the Spirit.

I'm also glad that you had a good Thanksgiving with Grandma and Grandpa Park. Please give them my love again, and especially tell Grandma thank you!! That is so sweet of her to think of me. Thank you for your uplifting and encouraging thoughts as well--they are always so wonderful, and so helpful to me. I know that we are doing a great work here, and it is a blessing to both be a part of the work of salvation for others, and see myself becoming more and more converted, but I definitely know that I cannot do it by myself. I truly need Him every hour, and even every minute, and I am grateful for the companionship of the Spirit. I am striving to make that companionship stronger and more and more constant. Some days are better than others. :) There was one day this week that I was particularly struggling, and didn't even realize that I was stressed until late that night when the words of "More Holiness Give Me" came to my mind. It helped me realize that I needed to rely on the Lord more, and not my own strength. As I did, I felt such a weight lifted from me, and I know that it was His help that allowed me to breathe easier and work more effectively. I am so grateful for answered prayers. :) I'm especially grateful for you, my wonderful mother, and my wonderful family for supporting and encouraging me! You are always in my thoughts and prayers. I love you !!!!!!

Love,

Sister Wygant

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hi Mama!!

Happy Thanksgiving! I can't believe it's here already. There are so, so many things that I am thankful for right now. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve a mission and be an instrument in the Lord's hands, and grateful that He is molding me, shaping me, and helping me grow into the person that He wants me to be. I'm grateful for miracles. I'm grateful for you, my wonderful, amazing family. I'm also grateful for scarves, gloves, layers, and big winter coats--winter is officially here, and it is COLD! I've been especially grateful for every appointment we've had this week, because it's given us the opportunity to be inside for a bit. :)

It's been a great week in Shaker Heights East. I absolutely love working with Sister Nelson, and I am learning so much from her wonderful example. She is so, so good! I hope that one day, I can be as good as she is. :)

Our numbers are few, but we have been working very hard, and we've seen a lot of miracles recently. One was that a man named Bob showed up to church yesterday and asked to meet with us! He lives in our area, and we're going to meet with him tonight. We are so grateful for this miracle!

Another miracle is the young man named Robert that I've been teaching over the phone at the Visitor's Center. He called me back after I left a message for him last night (miracle #1), and another amazing, Spirit-filled, Spirit-guided lesson took place. He is one of the most prepared people I've ever met, and I am so grateful for many continued miracles as I've been able to share the gospel with him. 

We went on exchanges with Sister Clark and Sister Mohler on Saturday, and it was wonderful. I worked with Sister Mohler in my area, and I learned so much from her! She is such a powerful teacher, and is has learned to rely on the Spirit very well. While working with her, I also learned a great lesson about charity--I saw my love for her grow as I got to know her better.

We have a busy few weeks coming up: tomorrow is the Community of Christ's annual Thanksgiving fireside at the Kirtland Temple, and we have been invited to sing 2 hymns as part of their program. So excited. :) Thursday is Thanksgiving with the Wagners (yay!!), and Friday is the Lighting Ceremony for the Nativity Exhibit at the Visitor's Center! We've been asked to provide musical numbers for that as well, so all of the Sisters get to be there. The nativities are almost all set up, and the displays are breathtakingly beautiful. I absolutely love this exhibit, and I'm so excited for it to open on Friday. We've seen a lot of miracles as we've taken invitations to people in our area--many hearts have been softened, and many people have expressed interest in coming. Yay! :) One miracle in particular was when we stopped by a lady named Kathleen on Saturday. We'd only met her once before, but she immediately invited us in (for which I was so grateful--it was so cold that day!!), and when we told her about the Nativity Exhibit, she was SO excited! It was a tender mercy for me to see something good happen.

Next week, we have a very special opportunity. We've been given permission to have a mission conference with the entire mission, at the Kirtland Temple!! Normally, we have mission conferences in two groups because there are so many of us, but this time, the whole mission will get together!! And on top of that, we get to meet in the Kirtland Temple. We are such lucky bugs, and I am so excited!!

Our investigators are, well, moving slowly. We had a great lesson with Ismaila over the phone on Saturday, but he didn't come to church yesterday. :( We haven't been able to get a hold of Korey, but hopefully soon. However, we did have a great lesson with our investigator Jason!! We started reading the Book of Mormon with him, and it was really neat to see him start to understand it. He's very smart, and also very open and willing to try new things. He's moving soon, but hopefully we'll get to meet with him again before that happens. One of my favorite parts of the lesson was at the end--we asked him to choose who would say the closing prayer, and he chose himself! He gave the closing prayer by choice. Awesome. :) I think his testimony will grow slowly, but surely. If you could pray for him, I would sure appreciate it!!

We saw another miracle with Sister Frazier, a less-active member we've been working with. She decided to join another church, but still lets us come over and study the scriptures with her. Recently, we've been trying to help her read the Book of Mormon. She's pretty set on the Bible, so a few weeks ago we decided to ask her to share some scriptures with us from the Bible, and then let us share some with her from the Book of Mormon. She loved the idea, and really opened up after that. When we came back this week, she had read the Book of Mormon!! She finished the chapter we gave her, and read another chapter as well. On her own!! This is the first time this has happened, so we were so excited. I love Sister Frazier!! She is amazing and so friendly, and I'm so grateful that we get to visit her.

I'm also grateful for every kept appointment this week. Ha. It gets so frustrating when appointments fall through!! It gives us more time to find new investigators though, which I'm also grateful for. In all honesty, I'm just grateful for everything. :) I love the Thanksgiving season, and the reminder to count my blessings. I have so, so many blessings that Heavenly Father has given me. I wish I could be at Grandpa's with you to celebrate this week--that truly is one of my favorite times of the year, and I love being with you all. But I know that I'm meant to be here. I wouldn't trade this experience for anything in the world, even though it's hard to be away from my family that I love so much. I have learned and continue to learn SO much here, about God, the gospel, how to live it, myself, and my Savior. I know that everything we do here is important, and it's amazing to see God's hand in the work that we do. So many things happen that I absolutely know couldn't happen by themselves, or just through our efforts--it has to be the Lord's hand. :) I hope that you are all able to count your blessings and recognize Heavenly Father's love in your lives this week, especially on Thanksgiving. We heard a wonderful talk on gratitude in Sacrament meeting yesterday, where we learned that gratitude opens our hearts and allows heaven to fill us. What a great concept. I know that it's true--gratitude helps us become more like the Savior as we recognize and desire more and more of His blessings, actions, and attributes.

We're almost out of time, but I love you very very much. I hope you have a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving!! Please tell Grandpa, Grandma, and Max hello for me, and give them all my love. :) I love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love,

Sister Wygant

A week full of learning

Hi Mama!

Wow, it sounds like you've had a busy, busy week!! I hope and pray that you continue to have the energy and strength to do everything you need to. I don't know how you do so much at once--you are my hero! And you are absolutely right about needing to rely on the Lord every step of the way. I was reminded of that this week in a very powerful way. Elder Perkins of the Seventy was here for a few days, and on Saturday the Mission Leadership Council had the amazing opportunity to meet with him for a few hours. What a treat! Here are just a few things that I learned from him:

First, worrying is a form of pride--where we place more trust in ourselves and our own strength than in God. When we understand and remember who we are--nothing without God--we know that we can't do this by ourselves. We can use that to act differently, just like Elder Bowen shared with us. We act differently by relying on Him for everything--from finding to teaching to helping investigators keep appointments and commitments; from moving forward in faith to remaining patient to getting up on time in the morning. His enabling grace is not just the prize at the end of the finish line. He both helps us do all that we can, and fills in the gaps when we have done our best. We have to learn to lead by influence rather than command, for both our fellow missionaries that we lead and investigators that we teach. As we focus on bringing members to lessons and helping investigators attend church, conversion will take place and baptisms will happen. We can know how to accomplish our goals through revelation. Revelation comes when we are on the move, so to know how to make progress, we have to act, move forward, and work hard. We have to be humble, and seek for these accomplishments for the glory of God and benefit of others, not ourselves. The Church is true!!

Other than Elder Perkins, we had a pretty slow week. We worked SO hard, but every single one of our appointments with investigators and potentials fell through--and some multiple times. How frustrating! That's one of the biggest things we've come up against in this area--so many people don't keep appointments with us! It's gotten to the point where it's a little discouraging. But we're determined to learn from it and to find a way to success--with the Lord's help, of course. There are so many people that we've met here that are SO prepared--we just need to get Satan out of the way! Colleen, Korey, Ismaila, Susan--he gets them to be SO busy or sick, and to never have time to meet with us. He's so sneaky! It makes me wonder how many times that has happened in my own life without me realizing it. I have determined to never be too busy for the Lord in the future. If you could keep these people in your prayers, I would greatly appreciate it. I love them so much, and I want to teach them and help them receive gospel blessings so badly!!

We did, however, see some pretty amazing miracles this week, even in the midst of unkept appointments. :) We talked with a guy on the street named Zack, who was an atheist but the nicest person we talked to that whole day. He was the last person we talked to on that street, and I'm so grateful we did, because we had a very nice conversation, and he ended up accepting a Book of Mormon! 

Another miracle was that we stopped by our friend Colleen at just the right time--again. We walked up just as she was getting out of her car. She still hasn't been able to meet with us yet, but she is SO prepared, and I know we will meet with her eventually.

Yet another miracle was last night at the Visitor's Center. I called a young man named Robert who had called earlier that week asking about the Book of Mormon. He asked about faith, and I gave him Alma 32 to read. When I called yesterday to follow up, he had read the whole chapter and loved it! He was raised without a belief in Christ, but he's been searching through the Book of Mormon and has so many questions. He doesn't even know why he's searching, but he told me that he's so grateful for the Book of Mormon because it feels right to read it. We talked more about faith, and how to try that experiment for himself to know that God is there. It was the most amazing lesson I have ever been a part of, and it was definitely not me doing the teaching--it was the Spirit. Robert prayed for the very first time at the end, and it was a huge step for him. I could see his faith growing already! He is so amazing and prepared, and I am so grateful that I was blessed by Heavenly Father to get to teach him. It reminds me of D&C 123:17--to do all we can, and then to stand still and see the Lord's arm revealed. It was nothing I did that made Robert call the Visitor's Center, or made the lesson go so well--it was amazing to stand and watch the Spirit work. It's something I always work for, but I never expected to stand in quite so much awe. What a miracle!!

We had lunch with Sister Wagner and helped her clean her house on Thursday, and it was so fun. She is an amazing cook and healthy eater--I want to cook like her someday!! I'm learning little by little how to eat healthier, and she gave me some really great ideas. I was so grateful also to be able to provide service for her and help her with things she couldn't do on her own. I'm just now realizing that we were able to be the Lord's hands many times this week, and I am so grateful for it!!

It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving is so soon--how did that happen? I've been studying a lot about humility and gratitude lately. I'm glad we have a holiday to remind us how grateful we should be throughout the whole year. :) I know that we are so blessed, both in times of need and times of plenty, and I hope to be able to remember the Lord in all things.

I'll end here and send some pictures. You are always in my prayers, and I so appreciate yours. I sure need them!!!! Love you!!

Love,

Sister Wygant

1. Sister Nelson and I!

2. Sister Nelson and I with one of the big nativities at the VC. The Nativity exhibit opens next Friday--SO excited!

more to come :)

Happy Veteran's Day (late)

Hi Mama!!

It sounds like you've had a busy week! You have been continually in my thoughts and prayers, and I am glad that you have stayed safe and (somewhat) well. I hope you feel better soon! 

My heart is full today. It's been such a busy day, week, month, and transfer! Transfers are tomorrow (thus we have preparation day today--sorry I forgot to forewarn you again!), and I can't believe a whole transfer has gone by already! Sister Nelson and I are staying together, and I'm really excited. I absolutely love Shaker Heights East, Sister Nelson, and the Shaker Heights ward. I'm grateful for miracles, for the opportunity to work hard, and for everything I've learned about charity, diligence, the Atonement, and service throughout this transfer. I've grown more and been stretched more than I thought was possible--and that's how I know the Lord's hand has been in every detail, because I could not have made of myself what He has made of me. 

We saw many, many miracles this week. One was April, a lady from our potential investigators list. We called her on Monday, and she accepted an appointment for us to come over on Saturday. When we got there, she gathered all of her TEN kids to the table to listen to our message! Amazing. They were all so cute, and so polite. They want us to come back again, and we hope to be able to do so soon. What a miracle!!

Another miracle was Korey. We met him a few weeks ago, and he and his mom were both so receptive--they seemed very prepared. We set up an appointment to meet with Korey, but he cancelled and rescheduled several times, so we weren't sure how interested he was. We hadn't heard back from him in awhile, so on Saturday we decided to stop by. The first miracle was that he was sitting outside on his porch and invited us in, and the second miracle was the amazing lesson we had with him! He has been going through many trials lately, but is seeking to turn his life around, and recognized that we were sent to help him by sharing the gospel with him. It was amazing to see how prepared he was, and the difference that he noticed even after our short lesson--he told us that he felt his burdens had been lifted. The Church is true!

We also had an amazing tour with a member from American Fork (always a favorite :) ). He was so spiritually prepared for the Kirtland tour, and it was one of the best tours I've ever been a part of. The Spirit bore such powerful testimony to each of us, over and over again, and it was an incredible blessing. 

We had mission conference last Thursday, and it was AMAZING. President and Sister Vellinga are such wonderful, amazing, inspirational people. I love them so much! They helped us learn, helped us practice teaching and improve our teaching skills, and helped us understand the doctrine behind baptism so much better than I ever have before. We also got to watch some short clips from the Boy Scouts of America commemoration broadcast in the Conference Center--amazing! Did you get to watch it? Wally from SOTW was in it for a minute, as was MoTab and the Orchestra at Temple Square. It was such a treat to hear such wonderful music, see a few familiar faces, and be inspired by the Boy Scouts!! I loved it.

Something I've been focusing on for awhile is how to help people recognize that they are feeling the Spirit, and how to help people have a desire to learn. All you teachers out there, any suggestions? 

We're out of time, but I love you so much!!!!!! Have a wonderful week!!

Love,

Sister Wygant

PS photos! The GORGEOUS tree outside our house. We are so lucky.

Happy November!

Hi Mama!

Happy November! I can't believe it's here. Where did October go? It definitely flew. 

We had the most incredible experience yesterday. We got to attend a special sacrament meeting in the Kirtland Temple!!!! The Kirtland Stake does something called Laurel Academy and Camp Helaman every year, for the laurels and priests who are Seniors in High School. They get together and do workshops/classes about the gospel, life skills, college, etc--a weekend of testimony building. They ended yesterday with a special sacrament meeting/testimony meeting held in the Kirtland Temple. Sister Nelson and I were asked to help with their last workshop that morning, about missionary work. We were privileged to share our testimonies about missionary work with the Laurels in the School of the Prophets! It was an incredible experience, as was the sacrament meeting in the temple (they invited us to attend with them). The Spirit was so strong in both places. I feel so blessed and lucky to serve here! How great is our calling. :) Being a missionary is the best!!

We also had a wonderful tour yesterday with George and Janet, a non-member couple from Cleveland. They are photographers, and found Historic Kirtland on the internet while looking for places to photograph! We took them through the tour, they took some great pictures, and we had some fabulous religious discussions. It was so natural and normal to talk with them--they were very open and friendly. In the end, they declined a Book of Mormon, but did take a card for our Nativity exhibit and one for the Johnson Home. It was a very rewarding tour.

Speaking of Nativities, they've started setting up!! Some of the pictures are here, and some people have already brought in their nativities. Some of them are familiar from last year--it seems like just yesterday! The exhibit opens the day after Thanksgiving, and I'm so excited. :) 

We went on two exchanges last week. First, I worked with Sister Smith in my area. She grew up in AF, and her sister was a drum major! She knows some of the same people I do. Small world. :) She is such an amazing teacher, and I loved working with her. We taught a first lesson to a man named Jason that we met two weeks ago, and it went so well! The member that came with us shared powerful experiences and testimony, and we were able to focus on his needs and concerns, and I felt that it went very well. Yay. :)

I also went to the Kirtland area, and worked with Sister Spong! Yay team Provo :) It was so fun. She is such a great missionary! It was a great opportunity to learn and grow together. :) I was especially amazed at the wonderful members here who do so much, and sacrifice so much, to help the missionaries. I'm so grateful for their service to us, and I know that the Lord will shower down blessings on them for it.

Mission Leadership Council was last week, and as we were talking about scripture study, Sister Vellinga shared this idea from President Eyring (my general summary): "Consistent, daily study opens the conduit to heaven and allows Heavenly Father to bless us with revelation, even if what we're studying doesn't apply to the questions we asked." That is one of my favorite quotes from the week, because I know it is true! I have truly seen on my mission that as I've studied the Book of Mormon every day, it invites the Spirit to my personal study, and to my day, even if what I read has nothing to do with the other things I study that day. 

Elder and Sister Jones, a senior couple serving with us at the Visitor's Center, finished their mission and went home on Friday. What a sad and happy day! Sad because we'll miss them dearly, and happy for the wonderful service they gave and friendships we developed with them. They are incredible, and I love them so much. And they're from Provo! So I'll definitely see them again. :) 

Sister Nelson and Sister Harrison had a great lesson with our investigator Ismaila on Saturday (I was in Kirtland on exchanges). He wants to be baptized soon! He's been having a hard time understanding the Book of Mormon, but committed to reading it every day this week. He also learned what the Spirit feels like! He described what he felt during their opening and closing prayer, and they helped him to recognize that it was the Spirit--THAT IS SO COOL. That's actually something we've been focusing on a lot lately--how to help people recognize that they are feeling the Spirit. It is so important to understand the role of the Spirit, and to be able to recognize when it's there--or answers can be missed, impressions can be overlooked, and testimonies can't grow! So I'm very grateful that Ismaila asked about what he was feeling, and that the Sisters were able to help him recognize the Spirit. Will you pray for him this week? He's going to be gone all week visiting family, and we hope that he'll remember to read the Book of Mormon, and that he won't encounter any opposition from his family about the Church.

We got to watch the CES Devotional with Elder Osguthorpe last night, and it was amazing! No wonder he's the General Sunday School President--he is such an incredible teacher! I was so impressed, and I learned a lot. You'll have to watch it and see for yourself, but he shared some remarkable insights about agency and giving our will to God. He included some video clips of his recent visits with some students, and Courtney Moses was one of them! That was really cool to see. If I remember right, she's been home almost a year now. She looks so happy. :) 

Well, we're about out of time, but I love you so much! Thank you for helping me choose to serve a mission. It's hard work, every day, but I love it here. I know that I am being changed for the better as I learn how to more fully submit my will to Heavenly Father's, and rely on the Savior to do this work with Him. Yesterday, Sister Moss (Stake YW President) counseled her Young Women to let every experience, whether on a mission or not, pass through them and change them, instead of just passing through and not being affected by anything. I know that I am being changed here, and I hope that our efforts are making a difference. Sometimes it doesn't seem like they are--so thank you for your testimony and encouragement. Onward, ever onward!! I love you!!! 

Deuteronomy 6:17-18: new favorite scripture. :)

Love,

Sister Wygant

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Sister Wygant and Sister Jones

Sister Wygant and Sister Nelson at the Morley Farm

Morley Farm

Happy Halloween! (and first snow)

Hi Mama!

Wow, what a busy week! We've seen beautiful fall colors here, and we even had SNOW on Wednesday. Snow!! That was definitely a surprise to wake up to. Winter is here, and COLD. 

It's been such a good week. Our investigator (John) came to church last week, then to Chuck and Conee's baptism (investigators that the other sisters in our ward have been teaching), and then to church again yesterday! Yay!!! He is so great, and the ward members have been so good about reaching out and fellowshipping him. I love this ward! 

Chuck and Conee's baptism was amazing. They are such sweet people, and the Spirit was so strong throughout the whole program. AND. Sister Palmer (Jenna) came!! She served in that area and taught them before she left, and she came back for the weekend! It was SO wonderful to see her and spend a bit of time with her. I love her so much, and I am always so grateful for her example of honesty, love, hard work, and sincerity. She even taught us yoga this morning at exercises--just like old times. :)

Also, have you seen us on lds.org or the Church News?! Kirtland is famous! There's an article about Elder Ballard's visit, with some wonderful pictures of Kirtland. That's my home! I am such a lucky bug. :) If you haven't seen it already, you should definitely read it!

The Shaker Heights Ward's Halloween party was on Friday, and we got to go! It was so fun. Our friend Terry came, and I think he really enjoyed it. There was a chili cook off, and I discovered a new favorite--quinoa chili!! Have you ever had quinoa before? This was basically quinoa salad with beans added and heated up. So good, and pretty healthy too. :) 

We have met so, so many prepared people this week. It was a week of miracles! On Tuesday, we met a woman named (Jane) who has the most awful life story I've ever heard. Horrible awful!! So many things have gone wrong in her life, and she told us at first that she was angry at God because of it. But the miracle is that as we talked with her and testified to her of God's love for her, we saw her heart soften. By the end, she accepted a Book of Mormon, told us that she felt better, and said that we could come back any time. Wow! Even if nothing else happens with teaching her, I will always be grateful for the opportunity to make a difference in her life. 

We had an unexpected day in our area on Saturday (we thought we need to fill in at sites, but ended up not being needed), so we had a lot of time to find--and it was SUCH an amazing day. After the baptism, we went tracting and found three prepared people in a row!! Miracle after miracle. Then we were driving down the road and saw a recent convert that Sister Nelson worked with parked at her mother's house (they were in this ward, but just moved). We've heard that they have been struggling in their new ward, and have been worried, so we immediately went back and stopped to visit. We got to talk with them and encourage them. What a tender mercy! And it doesn't stop there. Then, we stopped by our investigator (Peggy). We haven' been able to see her in a few weeks, and have wondered if she was still interested. Not only was she home when we stopped by, but we had a wonderful lesson with her! She is very, very busy, but told us that she wants to be close to God, and she knows she needs to make some changes. She expressed some concerns over what we had taught her in the past, and we were able to resolve them. She wants to come to Kirtland this week, and church on Sunday! Yes!!! Something I just studied this morning is how to know when investigators (or any of us) are experiencing conversion, what it feels like (PMG 92), and this is one of the evidences I studied! They (we) have a greater desire to do good, and to accept invitations. I really, really hope that (Peggy) s able to do those things. She really wants it--life is just getting in the way. Please pray for her!

We also had a great lesson with (Sally). She is still recovering from surgery, and has been in and out of the hospital several times. :( If you could pray for her too, we would sure appreciate it!!

We all had interviews with President Vellinga this week, and that's where my big news comes from! My 18 month mark falls right between 2 transfers due to several 5-week transfers we've had, so President Vellinga let me choose whether to go home in February, before my 18 months, or March, right after. I chose March!!!! My official release date is now March 20th, 2014. CRAZY.

All in all, it was an incredible week. I've learned so much about repentance, forgiveness, and spiritual growth lately. I am so, so grateful for the Atonement! Each week of this transfer seems to have been the toughest week yet, but also when the most miracles have come. I am learning to rely on the Lord like never before, and I'm grateful for every opportunity to stretch and grow--even when it is uncomfortable or overwhelming. I'm especially grateful for tender mercies and answers to prayers that are tucked in the corners of each day (just like the little picture on our lower bathroom counter says :) ). One answer in particular was so apparent that I almost cried. Yesterday, I was feeling really down and overwhelmed, and at one point said a quick prayer, begging for relief. Not two minutes later, the song from The Ark called "Lift Me Up" started playing in my head. Its familiar words and music brought such comfort to my heart. And I know it was Heavenly Father's doing and not mine, because a few weeks ago I was trying to remember the lyrics to that exact song and couldn't. What a sweet and tender mercy.

We're about out of time, but could I ask a favor? Could you find addresses/email addresses for Kelly Lau and Leah Robinson for me? I'd love to write to them. Thanks in advance!! I love you so much, and I'm so grateful for you. President Vellinga asked me to express his gratitude to you as well, for letting me come here. :) He is wonderful, and so are you! Thank you for letting me leave you to serve a mission, and for being the best encouragement and support I could ask for. I'm so grateful for your support and the Savior's. I need it every day!

Good luck with your shows!! I'm sure they will both be great. Say hi to everyone for me!! I love you!!

Love,

Sister Wygant

It's finally Fall

Dear Mama,

Happy Fall! It's definitely Fall here (finally). It was so chilly this weekend that I pulled out my peacoats! Brrr! It was a great week though. I feel like I'm working harder than I've ever worked in my life, perhaps because we have so much to do, and I love it. I just hope that my mind and body can continue to keep up! Sometimes I feel really old and stiff when I get up in the morning. But that's okay. It's been a great reminder that I need to ask Heavenly Father for help and strength daily. And He always gives it to me! 

We saw so many miracles this week. Time permits me to share just a few.

1. We met a lady on the street that only spoke Chinese...and we just happened to have a Chinese Book of Mormon in the car! We couldn't really tell her anything about it, but we gave it to her, and saw her reading it as she walked away. Coincidence? Definitely not.

2. I saw JUDI this week!!!!!! Remember Judi, from Chardon? My miracle find at the library? Oh golly. I don't think a week has gone by since I left Chardon that I haven't prayed for Judi. Seeing her again was such an answer to prayers, even though it was a tragedy that brought it about. Her ex-husband passed away last week, and the whole family is really struggling. She called the Visitor's Center on Wednesday, and I just happened to be assigned there that day, and just happened to be starting a tour downstairs--so I was able to take the call and talk with her! I am so, so grateful for that miracle. She came to the Visitor's Center later and I was able to talk with her briefly. I'm so grateful that I have been able to stay connected with her over letters, and that she still felt connected enough with me to reach out to me when she desperately needed comfort. I am truly grateful to have been the Lord's hands in comforting and blessing this woman that I adore so much. Miracle.

3. We found two new investigators this week! First was Carmelita. Our lesson with her started with her asking a lot of questions, and being against the Book of Mormon. But that lesson was truly led by the Spirit, and it was amazing to watch her heart soften. By the end, she accepted the invitation to pray about reading the Book of Mormon. Baby steps. :) Our other new investigator is Ismaila (Iz-my-luh), who we found tracting. Sister Ellsworth and Nelson actually met him over the summer and gave him a Book of Mormon--and then we tracted into him! Awesome. We had a great lesson with him, and he came to church yesterday! I really hope that he continues to progress.

4. One more favorite from the week. We had an investigator fireside at the Visitor's Center last night, and it was wonderful. The theme was Joseph Smith, but we always have one or two recent converts share their conversion stories at the beginning of the fireside. Chris and Marissa, the two who shared their testimonies last night, were both raised Catholic, and shared beautiful stories of finding the gospel and choosing to join the Church. There weren't very many people there, but we learned afterward that there were two Catholic investigators in the audience! Heavenly Father's timing is so perfect. :) 

We weren't able to see Steve, Susan, or Sabrina this week...bummer!! Please pray that we can get in contact with them this week. I love them each so much, and I'm so excited to share the gospel with them--Satan just needs to get out of the way!!

I went to the Shaker Heights ward for the first time yesterday--strange since it's been three weeks since transfers!! I absolutely love this ward. They are wonderful! There are a lot of young married couples going to various universities here--even some music students from CIM!! (Most are in the YSA Branch though). I read this wonderful quote in Relief Society: "We don't do visiting teaching. We are visiting teachers." Thinking of my current calling, I changed it to this: "We don't do missionary work. Weare missionaries!" What a true and great perspective to have. Sharing and living the gospel is not something to be checked off a to-do list. It's something we are, something we live and breathe every day. 

I'm out of time, but I love you so much! Over and over again this week, I have been reminded of how blessed my entire life has been, and how grateful I am that Heavenly Father knows me so perfectly, and for the wonderful family He has blessed me with. Thank you for your love, support, and encouragement! I am so grateful for this opportunity to serve as a representative of Jesus Christ. I love the Savior, and I love His work. Mobs may rage, and calumny may defame, but although the opposition may be loud, there will always be more fighting for us than for them if we stay on the Lord's side. :) Have a wonderful week! I love you!!

Love,

Sister Wygant

An AMAZING week

Dear Mama,

Good morning! This week has been an AMAZING week full of MIRACLES!! Oh my. Where to start.  I absolutely love Shaker Heights East--we stay so busy, but we see so many miracles!! I've been so grateful for Heavenly Father's help in all things, and especially the energy to keep going and do all of the many things we have to do. Have you seen the new Mormon Message series about Daily Bread? It's by Elder Christofferson, and it is amazing. That's what I feel like every day. I've really seen that even though our plans always change and there are always a million things that come up, He always helps everything fall into place as long as we're doing exactly what He needs us to do. 

We met a man named Steve last week who is incredibly prepared and in need of the gospel. It was such a blessing to see a bit of hope come into his eyes as we began teaching him and shared the Restoration with him. It was definitely a miracle.

Another miracle we saw was with our investigator Susan. Susan just had back surgery, so the sisters weren't able to meet with her much last month...but she's finally home, and let us come over! We brought her dinner once, and then came back on Saturday and taught a lesson. It was one of the best lessons I've ever been a part of. I love teaching with Sister Nelson!! It was completely led by the Spirit, and it was an amazing experience. Susan said that she would be baptized!! She is so smart and loves learning, so she wants to know more before she makes a commitment, but I know that she will receive that witness soon. One of her concerns is that her husband won't accept her decision--he's not interested in religion at all. Please pray for another miracle--that his heart will be softened!! 

The members of the Shaker Heights ward are another miracle. So many of them have volunteered to bring meals to Susan--some who don't even know her! All the members I've met so far are amazing. Most of them are young married couples, and they are such wonderful examples to me! We had dinner with the Winders last week, and they asked for help with doing missionary work! That is one of the best things a missionary can hear. :) Sister Winder is so sweet, and came to Susan's lesson with us. It was a perfect fit, and I'm so grateful for her willingness. 

Stake Conference with Elder Ballard was incredible. He arrived on Friday, and we got to attend a special reception at the Visitor's Center--each of us got to meet him and shake his hand!! Then there was a special commemoration program for the 10th anniversary of the Historic Kirtland sites. Brother Anderson (Karl Anderson) spoke about the history of Kirtland, special awards were presented from the state and county, and Elder Ballard spoke about the significance of Kirtland. Saturday was the adult session of Stake Conference. I truly love the Kirtland Stake! It was such a treat to get to see many members of the Chardon Branch that I haven't seen in months. I love them so much!! :) Elder Ballard, Elder Scott Gay (of the 70), and Elder Seldon (area 70) all spoke at this session. It was wonderful. They each also spoke at the general session on Sunday morning, and each bore powerful testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel and the importance of Kirtland. We are so blessed to walk where the Prophet Joseph Smith walked--and more importantly, where the Savior walked! The same risen Lord who appeared to the Nephites appeared here! How incredible. We're almost out of time, but remind me next week and I will tell you more about it. :) 

I'm going to end here so that I have time to attach some pictures!! Love you!!

Love,

Sister Wygant