Thanksgiving Week!

Well this sure was a good week!

We have been so busy with many teaching appointments, which has been truly such a blessing.  We gave one of our investigators a church tour, and brought a member to be an added testimony and it couldn't have gone better.  That was such blessing and the spirit was most definitely there.

We gave some service as always, one was to a less active family so that was a great experience for them to see the missionaries helping in a good light.  I really just love to give service, plus this house is literally a mansion so that was fun getting to help clean!

We have also been helping one of our recent convert's move.  Sad Day :(  But her family actually fell off the radar and aren't happy about her helping so she was SO grateful to have help from the church.  That was a great missionary experience for all her non-member friends who thanked us as missionaries for being so kind and just giving giving giving.  I think it helped put a good taste in their mouth, which we always want :)

Oh and.... we got to hear from ELDER BEDNAR.  Let me tell you that was LIFE changing.  It was so amazing.  We had Elder Christensen, an Area Seventy over British Columbia and Northern Washington.  Then Elder Gregory A. Shwitzer from the Second Quorum of the Seventy and then Elder David A Bednar from the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.  Three General Authorities in one room in one meeting!  AMAZING.  The spirit felt there was immaculate.  I know without a shadow of a doubt, that these men are called from God.  The spirit was there and touched my heart multiple times.  I had so many cool experiences of having a prayer in my heart, and the answer was answered exactly, without my asking.  Elder Bednar is a very sweet and genuine person.  We were a little worried because he is a little intense, but he was great.  He cracked some jokes at the beginning, and was just so personable.  He gave great teaching on revelation, discerning the spirit and faith.  It was such a blessing to be able to hear from him, and truly something I will never forget.  We didn't get to shake his hand.  :(  His secretary said because of flu season and too much exposure.  I took notes, but at the beginning he told us make sure we are being like Nephi and taking "small plate notes" and not large plates, so I didn't copy as many things as I usually do.  LOL

Well the work is going great, and I am doing very well. I feel so happy and so blessed to be here. Especially after hearing from those great leaders of the church, I feel blessed to be a missionary at this time, where the work of salvation is truly hastening.  What a blessing to be in the mission field here and now.  Many of the words spoken by these men were all about the time is now to reap the fruits of our labor, we are done planting seeds, now its time to harvest.  I feel blessed to be here in the time of "harvesting" in the mission field.  What a blessing and privilege.

We are having Thanksgiving at the Moss'! I'm telling you, they take such good care of us. Seriously they are a blessing!  We struggled trying to find somewhere to go for Thanksgiving and they rearranged their whole plans to make sure we could come.  They usually go to family's house but they moved it to their house so we could come. It was a huge answer to prayer because I was getting worried.

It's super cold.  We are starting to have to scrape our car window in the morning with our cards.  It gets below freezing at night, very cold! But the sun is still out so that is weird, and I just can't get used to it getting dark at like 4:30.  Lol

Aunt Debbie sent me a mini Christmas tree in the mail! That was SO awesome!!

Love you all!

Sister Carina Wawro
*****************

Some pictures picked up at a local thrift store, to make bedroom more 'homey'

 Loving the new Texas Rangers blanket!  Thank you Brad and Teresa Kenney!  :)

 Recent convert, Sis. V.F.

Sister Wawro & Sister Tate, with Sister V.F

 The mini Christmas tree Aunt Debbie Wawro sent (LOVE IT!)

(From Janene) The Moss Family sent this to us -  a photo of Carina and her companion helping them bake and prep for Thanksgiving.  LOVE THIS!  :)  So grateful for good people who take care of my missionary away from home...especially during the holidays!

Thrift Shopping & The Norah Virus!

Well. This week was pretty melodramatic.

First I LOVE thrifting so much.  The thrift stores on the island are all anyone talks about, so we decided to get into it and I am loving it!  Let me tell you about my last find.  I got 5 skirts, 2 shirts, a red pea-coat, and stationary for $19!  You cannot beat that.  Its because so many people on the island are so wealthy, and they all donate to the thrift store and then "us poor folk" get brand new stuff that these people barely ever used!  So that has been really fun on P-day. 

We still haven't got the "transfer text" sent out so we aren't positive if we are staying but I'm about 999999.999999% positive we are both fine, since I have to finish training Sister Tate in the 12 week program.  So I'm not feeling too worried.  But I don't think I'll last another transfer after that.  This next one is only a 5 week transfers so those missionaries going home, will make it for Christmas.  I thought that was really nice of President to do.  So put it on your calendars, December 17th.

Well, there is a virus going around the island called the "Norah virus" and it is evil.  They are shutting down schools because of it and all this stuff.  One member in the ward was telling us they got a call to go pick up their kid from school, and there were like 20-25 kids in the nurse's office puking waiting for parents.  Its just this crazy thing.. anyways I CAUGHT IT.  Of course, it was awful.  Thursday night I started throwing up every hour on the hour.  So that was pretty rough.  I literally slept the entire day on Friday, except for getting up every hour.  I got a priesthood blessing that night and didn't throw up after that.  I felt better on Saturday, but Sister Bonham said to stay home Saturday because its a 72-hour contagious period once the virus is in your system.  That was so miserable, I absolutely hated just sitting around all day.  I mean I got LOTS of studying in and that was nice, but I was so tired of being stuck at home, so when Sunday came around and we could go to church I was SO excited to just get out of the house!

Sunday was great, we went to this fireside called a "Cottage Meeting" where we get to bring recent converts and investigators to hear people who were recently baptized in the mission.  It so cool because I just love to hear new converts' testimonies on how they found the gospel and their journey to it.  It's always held at the mission president's home and its one Sunday a month.  It was so great to go and hear that last night and it gets me pumped to go out and find people after hearing those stories!

Well Elder David A. Bednar and Elder Swhitzer (from second quorum of 70) come this Saturday.  I am SO super excited!  I literally cannot wait, we get to shake his hand and look him in the eye and talk to him.  I am just beside myself right now.  So that is this Saturday, very exciting :)  Can't wait to fill you in.

Well I am loving it as always!  Some days are really hard, and I do get home sick, and I do get tired, but then we have an awesome lesson or a prayer is answered.  And to see those tender mercies from the Lord is what makes it all worth it!  So needless to say I have been very blessed :)

Love
Sister Wawro
************

P.S.  Sidenotes from mom:  After emailing back and forth with Carina today, she got the text that she is NOT getting transferred.  So, she'll be staying on Whidbey Island for at least another 6 weeks.  The next transfer date is Dec. 17th, so we'll find out then if she spends the holiday in Whidbey, or if she'll be having Christmas in a brand new area.

*Bonus things shared via emailing today that I thought I'd pass along:  
-There are "literally no fast food places" on the island.  LOL!  When they go off the island into Langley, there is a Target though.  
-If you want to send her a little something, she says she loves the "ECO Green" brand of cards from Target for sending little cards and thank you notes.  She also loves any kind of stickers to put on the outside.
-She said that their mission is made up of 40% Sister Missionaries right now.  Wow!  Girl Power!
-She said that on Christmas Day she'll get to Skype us for 45 minutes.  Woohoo!  Plan on us being hermits that day, waiting for her call and getting to see her beautiful face!  :)

Three Months Already?

Well, this Thursday marks my three-month missionary birthday, that's kinda weird that it really is moving so fast, but I am loving every minute.  I don't have as much time today, so my letter will probably be shorter.

First we just found out that ELDER BEDNAR is coming to our mission to speak to the missionaries next Saturday November 23rd.  Yes, this is real life and I am freaking out!  I get to shake an apostle of the Lord's hand!  Also (we probably shouldn't have favorites) but Bednar is definitely a fave.  So yeah I am super pumped for that!

We found two new investigators this week, that was such a blessing.  And we taught a total of FOURTEEN lessons this week!  I was amazed how busy we were, it was so awesome.  The moments I am happiest on the mission are definitely while teaching lessons, getting the opportunity to bear my testimony of Christ and His teachings, how that knowledge has blessed my life, and how it can bless theirs.  It really doesn't get much better than that.

We helped with a big garage sale this week - that was really fun.  One of the members is moving to the other side of the world and is getting rid of literally everything in her house and just starting fresh.  She was feeling anxious about it and wanted our help.  We ended up staying way longer than planned because people were trying to rip her off and we didn't want that to happen.  So it was kind of fun running the whole thing pretty much and her having put so much trust in us!

Not too much else happened this week.  Just busy busy busy, which is a really good thing.  We went ice skating yesterday as a district and that was really fun, its fun to be "normal" sometimes.  Lol

Well, I am sure loving it still.  It's hard work, but its the best work.  This Thursday I find out if I keep my companion or if I'm training a new one next transfer.  Transfers are next Monday.  I sure hope I stay but I'll be curious to see what happens!  Love you all!

Sister Wawro

It gets dark at like 4:30 by 5pm.  It's black and by 6pm its PITCH BLACK.  It's the weirdest thing, I've never seen anything like it.

This was our district at district meeting. I just love them!

Just some beautiful scenery from WA

 

We saw this beautiful field, and had to take the classic "missionary with Book of Mormon" picture!  LOL

Cool view from the ferry.  We did walk-ons instead of driving on Monday to save car miles and it was pretty neat.

This is my district leader Elder Davis.  He is a great missionary and hilarious!  

But he goes home on Monday.

Tacky wreaths that we found at the Goodwill Outlet.  LOL

Ice skating as a district

Halloween Week & Great Service

*From Sister Wawro's email Monday, Nov. 4th:

Today officially marks 90 days of me being out.  How crazy is that??

We found a new investigator while tracting. It was one of those silly moments when we do the normal tracting approach, invite them to learn, and then get rejection.  Except this time, he answers "okay, yeah lets hear your message." I was like 'what, people actually say yes?'  So then we started to teach him the restoration of the gospel.  Once he realized it was a bit longer then a five minute message, he asked if we could sit outside and talk. So we continued to teach him the whole first lesson on the grass outside, he said the closing prayer, and we have a return appointment. It was like out of an episode of the district or something, such a miraculous experience.

Our second investigator came to church yesterday. Stayed for Sacrament and Sunday School, cried during fast and testimony meaning, and paid fast offerings!  It was so wonderful.  The ward did an amazing job with fellow-shipping her and showing her love and kindness. She even participated in the lesson in Sunday School, asking questions and giving comments. Then SHE is the one that wanted to set up a lesson with us this week before we could even ask.

Third, our investigator who dropped us and didn't want to continue, has started to participate in the lessons we have with his recent convert family. We invited him when we first got there, but he said he was busy, but sure enough 5 minutes later he came and sat down with the lesson. We have dinner with their family tomorrow and mentioned it to him in passing and he was like "wait can you push it back to 7:30 so I can be there for dinner and the lesson?" Seriously, another miracle. The Lord is working and truly preparing the hearts of the children to hear His message.

We had more service as always.  Lol!  First we helped this guy sort through all of his recycling at one of those recycling plants.  I have been so privileged in Texas to just have a garbage can and then a recycling bin that we roll out onto the driveway!  Not on the island though...people have to save up their recycling and then go and sort it.  So this guy had just trunks full of cans, aluminum, paper, plastic, cardboard, magazines, newspapers, egg cart, bottles, glass, everything and we spent a good chunk of the morning sorting it.  It was a good experience and really made me appreciate the things that I have grown up with and taken for granted!

Then our second one - we helped this lady put new windows in.  There were like 3 service projects going on Saturday so we decided to go help with the one that had the least amount of people attending.  There was only us, the bishop, and 2 members.  We pulled all of the windows out, then the men glued and put the windows in, and our job was to hammer and nail all around the windows.  So we did just that for like, 4 hours!  I'm telling you, I'm getting quite good at using hammer and nails, now that I've built a chicken coop AND installed windows.  So that was a good experience, we took pictures at this one, so I'll have to send those to you.

Then we helped a member wash her windows.  Seems like a simple job, but you have to realize that people here have houses where one wall is just windows, because everyone here has amazing views!  So this was no little task.  Thankfully I've been blessed to work with a squeegee many times, from all those times I got to work with Sister Linton.  This member's house I was at, was so impressed with my window washing skills, which I found kinda funny!  Lol!

We had the ward Halloween party which was SO much fun and there was SUCH a great turn out.  We were able to invite lots of less-active and non-members and the Bishop was so proud of us and the work we have been doing to reach out to people.  The party was such a success.  We also were able to do a trunk or treat after, and the missionaries had a trunk and passed out candy which was so fun :)

I am doing so well. I am truly happier than I have ever been, just thriving in my love for my Savior and His gospel.  No sickness, or anything of that sort.  My stress levels are totally normal, I know I can do anything with the help of Christ, and He has truly strengthened my testimony of that this week.

I have been studying the Book of Mormon, and I am currently in 3rd Nephi, the chapters where Christ comes.  What a powerful section.  My testimony of the Savior has just truly increased so much.  I love to read the words of His teachings and how kind and caring He is towards the people of Nephi.  I know My Savior lives, and He does love me, and He knows me individually.  I love in 18:31 when he says "I know my sheep, and they are numbered."  There are so many people on the island who do not have a knowledge of the Savior, or know that He does know them personally, by name, and their needs. This week I really want to focus on testifying of that to those that I meet.

Thanks for everyone who has written me letters and sent packages, I feel so blessed to have so much support!  love you all <3

Sister Wawro

Beautiful view from the ferry one morning

At the ward Halloween party (Carina said, "these are my favorite people - they remind me of the Ambyr Porter's and Terin Andrus' of the ward, just young and fun!"

Becoming the expert carpenter, installing windows!  LOL!

 With her companion, Sister Tate.