Hermana Wheeler en España--Weeks 28-36

Happy Sunday, world! I'm still missing our lovely Hermana Brooklyn, but one of the best parts about Sunday is that we get to talk on the phone! 2pm Utah time, 10pm in Spain. Five hours and 39 minutes, in case you are wondering. Speaking of counting down, Brooklyn is now more than halfway through her missionary service. I know that feels both bitter and sweet for her, but selfishly it's all sweet for me. I just want to give our gal a hug.

This next series of missionary emails is action-packed: two new companions, a transfer back to Madrid, some beautiful baptisms, and miracle moments, like unexpectedly reuniting with both her former mission companions (Hermanas Turner and Bailey) and even mine (Hermana Wendy Rivera Billings).  Brooklyn also became a Sister Training Leader (STL) during this time period, although you won't find it referenced in any of her e-mails. She's never been one to toot her own horn. But in case you, like me, you had no idea what a Sister Training Leader is or does, here is the lovely email sent by her mission leaders, the Eastlands.

Dear Brother and Sister Wheeler,

It is our pleasure to inform you that we have assigned, Hermana Wheeler, to serve as a Sister Training Leader in the Madrid East Zone. This is both an honor and a significant responsibility. We place great trust in our Sister Training Leaders to fulfill many important leadership assignments within the mission. We expect them to be exemplary missionaries in every aspect of their ministry. They are responsible to train, teach and guide the other sister missionaries in their Zone with love and patience as they strive to become more converted, joy-filled and effective disciples of Jesus Christ and share His Gospel with others.

This assignment will provide your daughter many opportunities for learning and growth. She will participate in our Mission Leadership Council, Sister Training Leader Council and mission-wide training sessions. She will help plan and carry out our zone conferences. She will perform exchanges with other sister missionaries in her Zone to help them learn and improve their skills as missionaries and implement the training and directions coming from us as her mission leaders.

We are excited that your daughter has willingly accepted this new assignment. She is a wonderful young woman that has already demonstrated leadership skills among her fellow missionaries and we are anxious to watch her further stretch and develop these capabilities as she serves in her Zone and the mission.

Thank you for preparing your daughter to serve as a missionary. We appreciate the sacrifices you are making to share her with us. We love her and are grateful for the opportunity to serve together. May the Lord bless you and your family as you support her during this period of selfless service and growth in her life.

Warmest regards,

President Christopher L. and Sister Trista S. Eastland
Spain Madrid North Mission

And now for the best part: Brooklyn's e-mails spanning January 13-March 10.  She's such a fun writer!  Although, her Aunt Alison did call her out for being cheeky with the last one...  We love you, Hermana Wheeler!

Week 28: Despertar

Goooooood evening everyone (if you're in Spain anyway)!!! I hope you are all doing absolutely splendid and not too irritated by these emails popping up weekly in your inbox. If at any point you decide you would like to unsubscribe, I promise I'm not easily offended.
This week went by so fast, but somehow also lasted forever. Hermana Ladeira and I got right into the groove of things and it already feels like we've been together two months which is crazy. One fun fact about my mission is that transfer travels make absolutely no sense. To get from our area in northeastern Spain to her new area in northwestern Spain, Hna Leal took a bus further east to Pamplona, then a plane all the way south to Madrid, and then a bus back north to Galicia. This was presumably so she didn't have to travel alone, but I couldn't be trusted alone in my apartment until my new companion arrived so I went with her to Pamplona and had to travel back alone anyway. #PinkwashTheTravelElders #JustKiddingMadRespect

Upon her arrival in Logroño, my new compy had about 28 minutes to unwind before we trekked all the way across the city, did some videocalls in the street, taught a lesson in a bar, and then high-tailed it back to the piso for our 9pm videocall with our precious friend Andrea. The next days unfolded in similar fashion, with more running for buses and sacrificing lunch hours to make cookies for our weekly activity than either of us bargained for. In the meantime, she's introduced me to the Lidl bakery and is teaching me how to make homemade bread.

By Sunday morning, I was so tired and disoriented that when I woke up at 12:15am (45 minutes after I went to sleep) I was genuinely convinced my alarm had gone off and made my bed and said my morning prayer before I realized my mistake. This brings me to the word of the week, despertar, or to wake up!

Ridiculous anecdotes aside, I think waking up is a little underrated, both in the physical and metaphorical senses. I want to do a better job of waking up, being grateful for where I am, and rejoicing in the gift of this gospel. 2 Nephi 4:28 reads:

Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul.

I know Christ lives, and I know He loves us. He will give us the strength we need to overcome every temptation, even waking up late.

Best of luck this week!!
Hna Wheeler <3


^ Pamplona vibes


^ The best part of waking up

^ She didn't pick up...


^ Cute compi

Week 29: Desmayarse

Hi friends!

How's it going? To switch things up this week, I figured we could play a little game of two truths and a lie. Ready?

A. I spent at least 14 hours on buses this week.
B. My companion passed out on Friday.
C. While talking to people on the street, we met a random Columbian woman who told us to come back in an hour and consequently gave us fresh empanadas to take home.

Drumroll please, the answer is... A! Fortunately the elders have a car now and saved us from that tragic outcome by letting us hitch a ride to Soria and Madrid. Hermana Ladeira is okay, especially since we were already in the hospital when she fainted! Seriously though, it was just a bad combination of going in to do blood work fasting and a new nurse twisting the needle. As for the empanadas, they were delicious.

Today's scriptural inspiration comes from Isaiah 40:29-31.

29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

"Desmayarse" means to faint. "Desmayar" means to lose heart. Either way, when we feel like our strength is gone and we have nothing left to give, if we wait upon the Lord He will give us the power and energy we need to press forward. I know He has done so for me on the best and worst days of my mission and I know He will for you.

Love!
Hermana Wheeler

Exhibit A: Zone Conference in Madrid


Exhibit B: The mission doctor is savage


Exhibit C: Empanadas!!


Week 30: Bautismos

That's right, you heard it here first folks! You have officially put up with these emails for 30 weeks and we're celebrating with bautismos, or baptisms!!

Most of you who receive these emails are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but if you aren't, you might be wondering about why those who are are so crazy about dunking people in water. Believe it or not, it's not so we have more people to bring food to the ward Christmas potluck. Helping people progress towards baptism is central to our purpose, and here's what I've learned on my mission about why.

When you're baptized by someone with the proper authority, it's more than just symbolic or an act of faith. It's literally a contract made with God, as binding as if He signed it on paper. We call this promise a covenant, and the deal is that if we do our best to keep the commandments, be representatives of Christ, and serve one another He will make us clean, give us the constant companionship of the Holy Spirit, and make us inheritors of eternal life and glory in His presence. Through this covenant and others, we can live with our families forever in absolute joy.

Central to this covenant is Jesus Christ. I learned this week that in Old Testament times, when contracts were agreed to an animal was sacrificed to make it binding. We obviously don't practice this anymore, but in a very real way Christ's blood sealed this promise. He paid the price for us so that we can recieve mercy. The covenant of baptism makes it possible for us, imperfect beings, to be reconciled and reunited with a perfect God.

This weekend, I was able to witness two of our friends make this covenant and feel the incomparable peace that it affords. I am so grateful for my own promises with God, and I encourage all of you to reflect on yours. If you've never made any, maybe just start with a prayer. Try faith out and see how it feels. I know that Christ lived and died and lived again so that "the grave hath no victory, and the sting of death is swallowed up" (Mosiah 16:8).

He loves me, and He loves you. Don't give up on Him.

Love,
Hna Wheeler









Week 31: Entregarse

What's up y'all? Que tal están?

If you're reading this, congratulations!! You officially survived what is (in my opinion) the longest month of the year. It's all downhill from here, in the sense that whether or not you want it to, this year will likely keep rolling along faster and faster. I've found this to be especially true of my mission. Time truly is flying.

This week I've been considering the word "entregarse." Since I've also been studying reflexive verbs, I figure I'll explain an interesting aspect of the Spanish language. The root word of "entregarse" is "entregar," which means to turn in or deliver. The great struggle of my high school education was to "entregar" my homework on time.

The "-se" suffix is the reflexive ending, and it is used "to indicate that someone or something is performing an action on or for itself" (thanks SpanishDict). Therefore, "entregarse" means to turn oneself in. This attitude of surrender is so important in missionary work. At the end of the day, this is what separates the friends we teach who progress from those who don't. Here's a little case study.

One of the lowlights of my week was pausing our friend Miriam. We've been teaching her since I arrived in Logroño, and she's one of the sweetest people I've met here. We once played various diaper-related games with her at a baby shower. At the end of the day though, even though she's been meeting with missionaries for two years she wasn't yet ready to entregarse to God and pray about whether the church is true.

On the other hand, one of the scariest moments of my week was telling our friend Gleny and her boyfriend needed to be married or living separately before she could get baptized (up until this point I had somehow avoided having this conversation on my mission). Instead of showing us the door, she agreed to pray about it. At church on Sunday, she was so excited to show us her Facebook feed brimming with wedding dresses and engagement rings. She recognized that God's way is best. The peace she's seeking requires that she surrender herself, and she knows it's worth it.

How willing are we to turn ourselves in to God? How much do you trust that His timing is better than yours? Am I ready to let go of the conception that I'm completely in control? I'm learning to surrender and trust that God's in the details of my life. Listen to "Burying Our Weapons of Rebellion" by Elder Christofferson, and never forget that Christ sacrificed his life so we can start again.

Love you all!!
Hna Wheeler


(Happy Birthday Annie, I love you!!)

Week 32: Aprovechar

Hola hola!!!

Aprovechar: to take advantage of, make the most of, or benefit from.

This week, I want to make the most of every opportunity to invite people to come unto Christ.

Highlights from last week: 13 people at English class, a very successful bread-making class, 9 people in church and some fire member meals.

Lowlights: rainy weather, canceled lessons, and discovering I'm a very impatient person XD

Anywayyy today's been crazy busy but I just wanted to say how lucky I feel to be here. It's going so fast but I want to take advantage of every moment and chance ti serve the Lord. What can you do to better live in the present and make the most of it?

Love,
Hermana Wheeler





Week 33: Dádiva

Hi everyone!

We are currently going on a very exciting hiking adventure with the elders past a sign that says "explotación minera" (you can look that one up) so I'm going to keep this one short.

We have once again recieved transfer news! I know, that was last week. Don't ask me how. Much to my dismay, President decided I was getting a little too comfortable in Logroño and is shipping me back to Madrid. Although I'm so sad to be leaving the north and especially the members and friends we have here, I'm trusting that God has a plan and so excited to be close to the temple again.

"Las Escrituras son una dádiva celestial."

This sentence is one that stood out to me in my study of Preach My Gospel Chapter 2 this week, mostly because I had to look up what "dádiva" means. The answer? Gift.

The scriptures are a heavenly gift.

What does this mean to you? To be honest, before my mission it didn't mean a whole lot to me. I was mostly a sporadic reader of scripture, in large part confined to 1st and 2nd Nephi by a continuous stream of well-intentioned but quickly neglected study plans. Now, I recognize that the scriptures are the instruction manual to life. They're not just the booklet inside the box of Legos, but the picture on front. Without them, we end up sticking pieces together at random, surprised when they don't shape the idea we had in mind.

One of the highlights of my week was getting these little text updates from my sister, who I challenged to study the Book of Mormon every day. I invite you all to do the same and to see what happens in your life. God delivers.

Love you tons!
Hermana Wheeler


Best comp <3

Cuties at the V-day party (photo was their idea)

Questionable decisions made by the elders

Week 34: Reencuentros

What's up y'all? I can't come up with any creative ways to start this email so here we go!

This week was insane, as transfer weeks tend to be, but it was also such a miracle for me. Monday was spent shoving way more stuff than should possibly fit into my suitcases, cramming in a last minute hike before leaving the mountains for Madrid, and at a very entertaining karaoke party with the Logroño young adults.

The next morning we headed to the mission office, where we swapped comps and I said goodbye to Hermana Ladeira and the best foccacia I've ever eaten. Miss you already!! My new comp is Hna Little, an absolute beast of a missionary from Virginia who is such an inspiration to me. She only has two transfers left, but she works harder than anyone I know.

Wednesday was one of the best days of my mission. It honestly felt like a gift from God. We were invited to go with President and his wife on the Madrid tour for the new missionaries, so we cleared our schedule and woke up at 6am to catch a ride to the office.That morning, I got to see the Ruppes, Hna Bailey, and Hna Turner. For those of you who've been following this series for a while you might remember them from Seasons 1 and 2 (training). Turner goes home this transfer, and we literally both started sobbing because we didn't think we'd see each other beforehand.

In another throwback, I got to spend the whole mission tour with my MTC companion, Hermana Zuñiga! She's been waiting on her visa while killing it in Orem Utah for seven months but finally made it to Spain. It was so good to see her and so crazy to walk the same path I walked my first day in Spain and see how far we've come.

On Thursday, I ran into Hermana Leal, who is about to kill it training, and the legend herself Hermana Takahashi. These missionaries are some of the people who have taught me the very most about hard work, showed me how to love, and helped me to stay centered on Christ in the good moments and the bad. I love all of them so much.

Reencuentros means re-encounters or reunions. I have officially decided that reuniting with somebody you love but haven't seen in a while is the best feeling in the whole world. When I told my mom about it, she said "that's what heaven's going to be like!". Can you imagine? I'm so glad to know every separation is temporary, even those caused by death. I truly can't wait for that moment when I get to hug my savior again. I hope the words we all hear will be "Well done, good and faithful servant... enter thou into the joy of thy lord" (Matthew 25:23).

Love,
Hna Wheeler



Week 35: Adelante

How are all of you lovely people?? I hope you've had an absolutely magnificent week and are full of energy for this Monday morning (or at least that you have some chocolate to help you through it).

I've been here in Torrejón de Ardoz for almost two weeks now and it's been absolutely wild in a pretty standard way. We had zone conference this Thursday and gave a training which was terrifying, but I'm still alive which is good.

This Saturday and Sunday were honestly pretty frustrating for my comp and I. We had five lessons scheduled for Saturday and members who wanted to participate in all of them, but every single one of our friends canceled. On Sunday, only half of the people who promised us they'd be at church showed up. It felt like we were doing everything we could to help our friends but they weren't recognizing the importance of what we have to share with them.

By Sunday afternoon we had no idea what to do, so we did what missionaries do best and kneeled down to ask God to guide us. Neither of us received any super clear insight, but we both felt like we at least needed to get out of the apartment so we headed out into the rain. Right outside the piso, we talked to a man who told us he wanted to come to church. We ran across an old friend after randomly deciding to take a different route, found another woman interested in a message, and our recent convert Abigail (who was ignoring our texts) opened the door so we could share a message with her! It actually ended up being such a special moment and she said she wants to come back to church.

As we left the lesson with Abigail, a thought crossed through my mind: "this is where God wanted us to be tonight". We had no clue where we were going or what we needed to be doing, but God did. It reminded me of 1 Nephi 4:6-7.

"And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do. Nevertheless I went forth"

In Spanish, this last phrase reads "No obstante, seguí adelante." I love the word adelante, which means forward or onward. Even when we don't know what to do, God wants us to move forward. One of my MTC teachers (shout-out to Sister Brockbank!) would always tell us "adelante, no mas!". Move forward, and don't worry about anything else.

Love you all!
Hna Wheeler







Week 36: Amor

Hi!

God is love. God loves you. Enough said.

Now go read the scriptures.

Bye!