Week #45, 11 Months

As of March 3rd, I will have been on my mission 11 whole months! Goodness, that is a long time!  I have noticed several times this week how thoughts of home have surfaced to my mind. Perhaps the birth of my new nephew spurred on this reoccurring thought (super stoked p.s.!!!

Congrats Ece and Nick! They always turn out gorgeous!). But I have found these tender thoughts of home bringing a smile to my face. I realized that as much as I love my mission, I will be very excited to come home. I am eager to be welcomed home by my three new nieces and nephews (as well as all the others), to see my cousin "on the outside" again, to see my grandpa and wrap my arms around him, to see all my friends and family again, and to simply restart my life. Sure, when that time comes I will probably be bawling and want to stay here because the thought of returning home to dating and a career will terrify me, but for right now the thought is safely 7 months away.

Of course as these thoughts came, I tried to push them aside as I realized there is still a long road ahead that needs my complete focus. Yet, I welcomed the warming thoughts when they appeared. I know there is a long road ahead here in my mission, and I am excited for what paths it will lead me down. I am excited for the people I will meet and the lives that I will touch and be touched by. I am excited for the challenges and learning that will surely come. I am excited to see the baptisms of more truth seekers. Let's just say I am excited! But I am also excited to take all these things that I have learned here in this "foreign land" back home with me. I am eager to see how I will apply these things that I have learned here into "the real world"
(despite the fact that the life of a missionary is as real as it gets). I am excited to see how my time here with these people, my companions, and this state will affect me and my future family forever. I am excited to see Gods hand in my life and recognize more fully the blessings he has given me. I am excited to see how I have
grown. I am excited to look back on my mission with wistful thoughts and tender smiles. I am eager for the opportunities that await me in my future.

But for now, I am eager to remain in my present until the future comes. This work is awesome! This is the work of God! Each day I find myself surprised by the energy and motivation I have when my alarm clock goes off. I am surprised by the butterflies that fill my stomach as I prepare for the day. I wonder why I am so excited and I try to think as to why I feel like I am going to Disneyland each morning. I still have not figured it out, but my guess is that I am starting to see a change in myself. I am starting to see a bigger, more glorious
picture. Connections are being made and my heart is beginning to understand. I am starting to feel the spirits powerful force in the lessons that are taught and in the faces of those we teach. I love seeing their countenances change, their questions extinguished, and their faces becoming thoughtful. I love seeing my heartfelt prayers and deepest desires being answered as the spirit teaches these people, not me. It is incredible to see that as I stand aside, after doing all I can do to testify of our Savior Jesus Christ, that the spirit isliterally our third companion. He comes in and takes over all of our hearts. I stand all amazed. Absolutely amazed!

Love Always,
Sister Weyandt

Week #44, This week in Newburgh

The highlight of my week this week was the opportunity to serve others. We did a LOT of shoveling this week. We got 2 feet of snow over a period of 1.5 days. Peoples cars were blocked in (like ours) and one woman we ran into was blocked out. Her driveway had too much snow in it and she could not park her car. So we got our shovel out of the car and got to work. We taught her about the gospel and she
expressed her deep love for Jesus Christ. Talking to her was so natural...so easy. We were working with her in the snowfall and loving every minute of it! It was so amazing! We shoveled one of our members cars out. We bought a light bulb for our investigator who is 85 and went to her apt to surprise her with it (her complex's hall light bulb is out and now her doorway is super dark). We loved the many opportunities this week to share the gospel! I loved it! These people here are phenomenal!

So apparently the city of Newburgh is one of the most crime infested places in the USA. I am serving in Newburgh area, but are restricted from going into the city. The outskirts is where we serve. But I would NEVER have guessed that this place was "so bad" by the area I serve in. An hour away in Scarsdale, they have one of the safest areas in the USA, and desire higher taxes to keep the "riff-raff" out. Crazy! New York is unique, that is for sure!

As for my new companion, I am struggling. She is not obedient to the rules and hates help or correction. So for the first week I let her do what she wanted without any criticism. But then I saw the work suffering because of it. She would rarely study for the lessons, and refused to share anything she learned or studied with me. When I would ask her what was wrong, she would hole up and refuse to speak. After prodding for her to speak with no response, I would angrily get up and walk away. Last night after our sisters conference, I approached the subject and hoped for her to open up, since we were challenged at the conference to talk about our weaknesses and how we can improve. She tried to avoid it, but when I persisted, she went into her shell again. She got quietly angry  and said she knows her weaknesses and does not need my help to change. I told her that many of the things she was choosing not to do were personal things, but she needed to
commit to at least study for those we were teaching. I told her she could not make these peoples progress suffer because of her unwillingness to be obedient. She agreed to do that...but the night ended on a sour note, and she refused to pray at the end of it all (it was her turn). I was upset and angrily got up and got ready for bed. She was angry too. So we want to bed at a loss for what to do.

This morning, she got up and went into the other room. I worked out. 5 minutes before 7:00, she came out of the room and laid down next to me as I stretched on the floor. We laughed and the mood was lightened.
Later she opened up to me. She said she needs to change, but it will be slow. She doesn't want help, but just a good example. I told her as long as she is trying to do better, I will be ok. I don't need her to be perfect, but just to know she is striving to be better. She said she had been praying his morning in the room to make things better. Funny, cause I had prayed for the same thing last night and this morning. God is working miracles and healing hearts. I love Sister Steele, but we have a long road ahead of us full of silence, frustration, forgiveness, patience, understanding, charity, and selfless service. We will learn a lot from each other, but it will be hard.

My District Leader, Elder Griffiths has been so good the last few days to message me prayerful, encouraging thoughts to lift me up and help me during this hard time. He had to do that with Sister Steele's last companion too. His support and constant checking up on us is really making a difference! He is a great District Leader!

Keep me in your prayers this week! I have a feeling we will need it. I need to be more humble and patient. I know it. I have my strengths, but I sure do have my weaknesses too. I am grateful for The Lord is trusting me with challenges and trials. It will be hard, but he will sustain me. I have already seen his power work in my life here the past few days. He has given me strength to endure, to bite my tongue, and to remain positive. He has even shown me miracles that have brought tears to my eyes.

I got a message from my brother earlier this week with a picture attached of his wife and two sister missionaries. I read the message and began to cry. The new sister missionary was a girl I had met 1.5
years ago at EFY. Her friend had an unnatural hair color in her hair, and according to EFY rules, it needed to be dyed. So, I took this girl and her friend to the store, grabbed some box color, then went to their dorm that night to play beautician. We bonded and had fun. A few months later on my birthday, this sister had written her testimony on my Facebook page and told me a what an impact I had made on her that week at EFY. I was so touched. So when I saw that she was the new sister missionary visiting my brother and sister in law, I cried. The Lord is watching out for me and my family. His tender mercies are over all of his children. What a beautiful reminder this was to me, and such a testimony builder. My faith was renewed. My resolve was strengthened.

Then this happened...Three weeks ago as I was about to move from Manhattan, my camera was dropped and broken. The other day I had the prompting to turn it on again (something I had already done time and
time again). I actually had the faith that it would work! I had seen how Gods hand was in my life from the experience with my EFY friend. So, I turned it on, and it worked! I was elated! God answered my prayer and gave me the reassurance that he is there, that he hears me, and that he loves me.

What a wonderful week it has been! I am so grateful for EVERYTHING in my life right now! Missions are fantastic! Remember that God is always there and that he cares for you! Don't ever doubt it, cause miracles happen! I promise!

Love Always,
Sister Weyandt

Week #43, Newburgh

So, I am in upstate NY now, and I LOVE it up here! It is beautiful! It reminds me of home....except it is a lot more spread out in parts. Weather is cold, but it is bearable...and seems to be about the same as the city!  I love the City, but I definitely love it up here and the people are amazing! My companion is Sister Steele. She was raised in Russia as an orphan, and was adopted with her 2 blood siblings into a family of 12. Crazy! She is great though and we have fun. We are still in the get to know you stages. The people are great! The ward is great! The area is great! I am surprised I am not even slightly sad about leaving my last area. This place feels like home and I love it! The Lord has truly answered mine and your prayers! Thank you for keeping me in your thoughts and prayers! You are the best!

I have met so many fabulous people here with big hearts and a desire to follow The Lord. I have been so touched by those who are seeking truth from the correct sources. It is touching and I am so excited to be working with these people. I am excited for the future and upcoming miracles! Keep me in your prayers! I love you all!

Love Always,
Sister Weyandt

Week #42,Transfers: NYC to Newburgh

So guess what?! I am finally being transferred out of my first area after almost 10 months of being here. It is crazy! I will be leaving NYC and going to upstate New York! My new area is Newburgh, NY. My new companion will be Sister Steele. She came in 3 months ago with my current companion, Sister Jensen. They were in the MTC in the same district together.

It snowed this morning and these people are pansies about snow. Lol. So transfers today was postponed to be later today. Just minutes after I got all my stuff to the temple building here in Manhattan, we were informed that transfers is now tomorrow. Oops. Lol. It is always an adventure here! Lol. So EVERYTHING is packed away, and I am NOT taking it out! Anyway...

Yesterday we went tracting with my district in my area. I have not tracted more than 2-3 times in the past 6 months. I do not like tracting, but we figured it would be a good way to actually find people to teach who live in our area. We only tracted 1.5 floors of a project building, and we ended up getting 4-5 numbers and a return appointment! Almost everyone who opened their door wanted us to come back! Wow! I was so excited! Maybe tracting isn't too bad ;) lol. I think I will be tracking A LOT upstate.

It was a great week! It was sad saying goodbye to all of my friends here in the City. I cried a few times of course, but it has been such a wonderful journey! I will miss everyone here! But I am excited for what lies ahead. I am excited for a change...to meet more people and to be out of my element again. Pray for me! It will be a challenge, but I am excited for it!

I love you all! Thanks for your love and support! Hope all is well with you! Have a wonderful week!

Love Always,
Sister Weyandt

P.S. Like my new haircut? :)