Happy Halloween, Apostle handshake and heavenly mangoes!

Dear Family and Friends,

How crazy!! This Halloween is the very first holiday that I will be missing! So I hope you all had a very fun Halloween. My kasama and I dressed up in Halloween colors (sort of). I'll attach some pictures.

First of all, to Dad, good luck on your Ironman this weekend!! I've been thinking about you a lot! I know you'll do great. I wish I was there to cheer you on, but I'll cheer you on from here. I also wish I could do all the fun things you're doing in Florida, but I think missionary work is just a little bit more important for me at the moment ;) Mom, I'm glad your surgery went well! Hopefully the other one will go well too if you have to get it. I've been thinking about you too, and praying for you!

So the biggest thing that happened this week was probably the fact that one of the Twelve Apostles, NEIL L. ANDERSEN, came to visit us here in this little old MTC in the Philippines. Want to know the best part? We got to shake his hand. Oh yes, we did. It was awesome!!! Seriously best part of my week, probably even my whole stay so far.

If anyone still talks to Aaron Gogl, tell him that I've found his twin. Not in looks, because that's still Vector from Despicable Me, but in personality. It's freaky. They are so much alike, it's weird.

The weeks are going by much faster now. It seems like I just emailed you all a day or two ago. It's crazy. Tagalog is going fairly well. However, it is so very complicated sometimes. Holy moly. And it's very hard to sing in. I was the chorister for the devotional on Sunday night, and I hade to conduct the Tagalog songs. Let me tell you, it is not easy to conduct when you don't even know what you're saying. But I don't think I made too huge of a fool out of myself, so we're all good! Speaking of music, that is one of the things I really miss. Luckily, I've decided that I don't really care who hears my voice anymore, so my kasama and I sing all the time. Now Sister Clark is a good singer. I just kind of blend in underneath her voice. But it's great. The Elders in our district will join in sometimes too. We have very musically talented group here. We try to sing whenever we can find a spare minute, which is not very often, but it's still awesome. Try singing Joseph Smith's First Prayer to the tune of Come Thou Fount. It's awesome.

What else... We've had lots of sick girl this week, which is never good. Since my kasama and I are Sister Training Leaders, often time the girls will call us to see what they should do about it. One day, we sat with a girl for about an hour or so while her companion ate with the nurse, and while the nurse was checking on her. I'm really hoping that I don't get sick.

So next week should be super fun. First of all,we are going to be the senior batch here at the MTC. Crazy right? Second, it'll be our first week proselyting. That is going to be insane! I feel like I don't know enough to go out and try to teach actual people in a completely different language. Maybe it'll motivate me to study more. We'll see. I've heard that your companion that you do exchanges with lets you lead the lessons... I'm not sure how I'm supposed to do that when I can't talk to the people, but I'm sure the Spirit will help me know what to say.

We're had some great success this week with our 'investigators'. It's been kind of crazy, seeing as we have an extra investigator, but Anna and Roy (our teachers) have been doing great. Roy is excited for the baptismal date that we've set for him, and Anna is progressing towards hers. We love teaching, and we're always excited to go in and teach. It's awesome!

What else... I love the Book of Mormon!! This week, a group of us were reading the BoM, and we finished our chapter early. So we decided to share our favorite scriptures. That was an amazing experience. It's always cool to hear other peoples' testimonies. I've also developed a new love for the Book of Mormon. We hardly get any time to read for ourselves here. We're always either studying for our investigators, or reading with a group, or there's not enough time with everything else we have to do. So the few minutes that I get to read a chapter or two for myself are great. I also got a Tagalog BoM, and it is fun to read it side by side with the English one. It may take waaaay longer to do my reading that way, but it makes me feel a little bit better to see how much I have learned so far.

The food this week have been fairly normal. We eat lots of fish, and still lots of rice. My portions of rice have slowly been getting smaller and smaller. I'm thinking they'll end up being nonexistent at some point... We had mangoes for the first time today, and I almost died. They were that good. We've also had apple pears (Mom, that's for you), and of course I love those!!

Well, this email is probably long enough, and at the moment, I can't think of anything else that I did this week. For anyone who has time, go read Alma chapter 32 in the Book of Mormon. It's all about faith, and it is a fantastic chapter. I love it. I love all of you! Thank you all for the emails and thoughts and prayers! Have a fantastic week!!

Love,

Sister Wilwand

Hamburgers, chocolate cake & pizza...and oh yes, she's a STL!

Dear Family and Friends,

I am so sorry if I don't email you all individually!! But seeing as I got 17 emails this week, I don't have tons and tons of time to write.

So let me start out by saying that I love the MTC!! And I love being a missionary. I have had some amazing experiences here. One of which, as you can see by the title, was getting to eat a hamburger, chocolate cake, and some pizza. Let's just say it was one of our better meals. But really though, we've had some super spiritual experiences here.

(No rice!!)

Let's see, a couple of things I forgot to mention last email. I watched General Conference all over again last week. It was good, but it was interesting to see it all again, but the missionaries here hadn't seen it yet. I was also called with my kasama (companion) to be a Sister Training Leader. We go to leadership meetings and things like that, but we're really only in charge of 2 other girls. They are ones that came in at the same time as we did. The other Sister Training Leaders are over lots more girls. But it's fun. We get to go around and talk to all of the new missionaries that came in today (!!!). We'll just see how they're doing, and see if they need  anything. It was really fun today to see all the new missionaries come in. Most of them looked totally lost. It's hilarious. It's also fun to talk to all of the American's in the little Tagalog that we know. They can't understand a word. (A note for Grandpa... I met Elder Westover today! He's really cool. I also have an Elder Elms who is in my district. He lived in Tri-Cities for a while, but I'm not sure if Grandpa knew him or his dad? His dad was a seminary teacher). So anyways, it's really fun to have the new missionaries here, but I'm sure that the hallways are going to be really loud soon.

Last Friday was P-day, and was today. We get to go to the temple every Friday, and it's awesome!! 

We also get to go to the store that's just down the street, so that's always fun too. We met a lady yesterday who customized rings. She has ones with CTR on them, and your mission on them. So I got one that say Philippines Quezon City North on it. It's sweet!! P-day is a lot of fun. We kind of just do what we want, but we also have some things that are scheduled. So tonight, we're teaching our investigator Ana.

This week we got 3 new investigators; 2 are investigators, and 1 is a less-active. The investigators are named Roy and Ana. My kasama and I have had some really amazing experiences with each of them. It was a little hard to get to know them at first, but after a while, it's not too bad. We thought that Roy would be hard to teach since he didn't really believe that God loved him, but we're doing better with him than with Ana. We also taught a less-active this week, but that was a strange lesson. 2 girls that are going to Filipino missions have been with other Pakistani missionaries for the past two weeks. So they haven't been learning Tagalog. Since those other 2 missionaries left with the older batch on Wednesday, these 2 Sister joined out district for a couple days. When we were teaching the less-actives, my kasama and I did a companion exchange with these two sisters. They're both great, but it was hard because my kasama and I had to teach our lessons in Tagalog, basically by ourselves. That was a challenge. But we think they went ok. But back to Roy, his lessons are amazing. Like my kasama and I have cried more than once during the lessons that we've had with him because they have been so dang spiritual. And I think we might have gotten our teacher to cry too. (Our teachers are the ones that role play our investigators...)

What else... Gym is fun. My kasama and I will run around for a while, and then play basketball or badminton or ping-pong. We usually play ping-pong with some of the elders, so that's always really fun. I really love my district. I love that we can be joking around and teasing each other in one class, and then turn around and be totally spiritual in the next lesson. It's great. They make life at the MTC really easy to enjoy.

 And of course, my kasama is amazing. She had the best testimony of anyone I've ever met, and I feel like we make a really great team. I will truly miss her when I get out in the field.

I love you all!! And I miss you all a lot. Just a quick spiritual thought today. 2 Nephi 1:15. It is a fantastic scripture. It talks about how the Lord will redeem our souls from hell, and encircle us eternally in his arms of love. How great is that?? Hell doesn't necessarily mean hell here. It could mean absolutely anything that you are struggling. Heavenly Father knows each one of us individually, and he knows what we are struggling with. The Atonement is real. So real. It does not only cleanse you from your sins, but it can help with sorrow and trials and despair, and anything else. The Atonement is individualized. It is for each and everyone of us. Take advantage of it.

Paalam!

Sister Wilwand

The other sister missionaries are from Pakistan!

Sister Wilwand and her roommates

Long flights, love the MTC, Tagalog is hard and Peanut Butter & Rice!

Hey guys!!

Ok, so I got 14 emails to read this week, and I have 45 minutes to write every single one of you... So I decided to do a mass email instead. Maybe later I'll get better at using my time wisely.

So first, as you have probably noticed, my P-Day is not on Monday. It is on Friday. So, you'll get my emails on Thursday. Or maybe Friday morning for Matt? Anyways. Sorry if that made you nervous or anything (Mom...). =D Just one thing before I get started. Mom, my alarm clock is not working? It works, but the alarm doesn't go off in the morning, and I have no idea why. I've tried taking the batteries out and everything and it just doesn't go off. Ok, let's get to the good stuff.

So the flight was good! It was very very long, and I didn't get to sit by any of the missionaries that we met in Seattle, so that was kind of boring, but it was fine. I sat next to a really nice old lady. When we got to the hotel, it was so hot! There was actually someone who met us, but we did walk to our hotel because it would have taken a long time to get a bus over there to take us all over to the hotel. It was crazy. (And there was a monkey outside of the hotel. Like a real live monkey, chained to a tree. It was very strange.) There was traffic and people everywhere. But the hotel was only a short walk away, so it wasn't that bad. We got to bed that night at about 2 in the morning, and then we got up at 5 to get to the MTC on time. It was a very long couple of days. It took a while to get used to the time change, but we're good now! Here, we get up at 6 and go to bed at 10, so that's a little weird but it's all good!

Now the MTC. I love it here!! My kasama (companion), Sister C, is amazing!! She has the greatest testimony every, and we get along super well. She doesn't even really need to be in the MTC. She could out and preach right now! If she know Tagalog that is. Our district is awesome! We're not with any of the guys that we flew with, except one. They're all in the other language training district that just came in. But ours is awesome. There's 6 sets of missionaries, and we are the only sister. Half of us are American, and the other half are Tongans/Samoans/Canadians/Austrailians. It's great. We have so much fun together, but when we get serious and spiritual, it is powerful! The Elders in our district are Elders O and G, Elders B and V, Elders L and L, Elders E and J, and Elders P and L. Elder G has come up with nicknames for all of us. He calls my kasama C Kent, and I'm Wil-Wander around/Willy Wonka/Walla Walla/Harry Potter/ Pinky Promise.... So it's a lot of fun. Our classes are also a lot of fun, but we study by ourselves a lot more than I thought we would. We taught our first investigator on day 4, and he (of course) hardly spoke any english. The only things that we had learned in Tagalog were hi and how are you... That's about it. So we can just say that out first lesson crashed and burned. Hard. That day was waaaaay hard. My kasama and I came back and were so disappointed. The Elders tried to make us feel better, and a set of Sisters took us aside and talked to us. The next few lessons with our investigator, C, were way better! We really learned that we had to rely on the Lord for everything!! I mean, we say so many prayer. We say them before and after everything, and sometimes even in the middle of things. It's great =] 

Tagalog. It is so very hard. It is somewhat like Spanish, which almost makes it harder. A lot of the time I want to start speaking in Spanish to everyone... Also, the language is nothing like english, and the words are hard to prounounce a lot of the time. But! I can say a prayer in Tagalog, and bear my testimony. (I mean what else do you need right?) So we're working on it. It's definitely getting better, but it's not an easy language. I pretty much have the baptismal invitation memorized (since you're supposed to say it word for word), so that's cool!!

So there lot's of Tongans and Samoans and Filipinos here. The Americans are very outnumbered. Sometimes it's hard to get used to their cultures, but we love them anyways. Sister C and I have a set of Filipinos in our room and a set of Samoan sisters in our room, and sometimes it is very strange. But the elders seem to flock around the American girls, especially the Samoans and the Tongans. It's fun. My kasama and I also met two elders from Pakistan, who don't speak very much english. But, whenever they see us, they are also very excited! So it's really cool to be able to see all kinds of different cultures here.

What else... So gym is kind of lame. My kasama isn't really a runner, but she puts up with me for a little while. We usually run for 10-15 minutes, and then go do something else. The one time that I got to run with another Sister was great, until she tripped on some steps and rolled her ankle... I think I must be bad luck ;) So we usually play ping-pong for gym with some elders from another district. Also, I made 2 3-pointers while playing basketball one day! My first (and probably last) 3-pointers ever. I was very proud.

Food. We eat rice. All day, every day, every meal. No joke. It is an oddity not to have rice. And when we don't, people still go ask to see if we can have some rice. It's gross. But seeing as that makes up the bulk of our meal, I have to eat it. But it's really good with peanut butter.... We haven't really eaten too many weird things yet. We've had fried eggplant, and whole fishes. Actual fishes. My kasama and I did not even try those. Mom, you would have hated it. Dad, you probably would have loved it. You had to take off the head, and peel the meat off the bones. But other than that, everything has been fairly normal....

I only have a few more minutes, so I'll kind of bear my testimony here. Alam ko po na, totoong propeta si Joseph Smith. Alam ko po na, mapahmahal ang Ama sa Langit. At, alam ko po na, buhay si JesuCristo. Alam ko po na, totoo And Aklat Ni Mormon. (I know that Joseph Smith is a true prophet, I know that we have a loving Heavenly Father, I know that Christ lives, and I know that the Book of Mormon is true.) This week, I had an amazing experience with scripture in class. Read and ponder 1 Nephi 1. Like really read it. It is an amazing chapter, like I've never read before. It was awesome. It talks a ton about missionary work, and I've never even realized it. Have pananampalataya! (Faith). I love you all, and I miss you all! I hope you all have a great week!

Paalam!

Love,

Sister Wilwand

Sea-Tac Airport with her travel group

Thanks to a kind stranger who took a picture and emailed it to the families!

Tokyo Airport with her travel group

Another kind stranger took the photo, emailed it to his wife, who sent it to the families.

She has arrived!

Dear Family,

I am here at the MTC! Safe and sound. Love you all!

-- Sister Wilwand

Why yes! Sister Wilwand's mother did indeed track her flights all the way to Manila :)

Sister Wilwand at the airport

McKelle's flight was at 6:25am out of Walla Walla. We headed to the airport around 5am. It was pretty foggy at our house, but still clear over by the airport. Grandpa & Joyce drove over from Kennewick and met us there to say goodbye.

Lots of hugs, a few pictures and off she went through the security line. Walla Walla is a tiny airport and you can see the passengers walk all the way out on the tarmac and onto the plane. We all waited and watched as McKelle boarded, but she didn't even turn around and wave. She was so ready to go and serve! The flight from WW left about 10 minutes early to beat the fog that was rolling in.

She had a 7+ hour layover in Seattle and then boarded a flight to Tokyo with her travel group (6 other missionaries.) In Tokyo, they had to run to catch their flight which took them to Manila.

We heard about Typhoon Nari, which hit the Philippines shortly after she got their and there was some anxious waiting at our house for her first email!

Last day at home

Of course, I had to get some pictures before McKelle headed to the Philippines.

 Halfway around the world!

 Called to serve!

 The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ

My beautiful girl, ready and willing to serve the Lord.

Last ice cream date with Dad, who obviously had a black licorice cone.

Check out McKelle's profile!

I'm a Mormon!