new Pics
Hermana Wise, Hermana Chavez, and Hermana Lawrence  What a team :)

Hola de su Misionera aqui en Napa!

 

This week was just so wonderful! Jesus Medina is progressing more than ever (even though he didn't come to church). We taught him 5 days this week in preparing him for baptism. One of those lessons a less active member around the same age as Jesus came with us who shared powerful testimony of the direction that the Book of Mormon can give in the lives of those who not only read it, but study and apply the principles taught within. It was an amazing experience for us all. We went to the Baptism of an investigator the Elders had,9 year old child from a less active family. It was powerful, the spirit was so strong. Truly witnessing such an ordinance, godliness is manifest. We went to Calistoga for the first time in a couple weeks, its hard to go sometimes because its far and we have few miles, and that amazing family Sister Buckner and I found while on exchanges, the husband is a new investigator and wants to know more. He committed to read the Book of Mormon and seems really excited to learn more about his relationship with his Heavenly Father. So excited to go back and teach him. We also went service tracting this week and found a FAMILY! We are also stoked to go back and teach them next week!

 

Yesterday was Father's Day! Happy late Fathers Day Dad and Brett and Stephen and Nando! I love each of you. Dad & Brett! I am so lucky to have such amazing examples to me in my life. Your cards are coming late, Sorry! I promise I didn't forget just being a missionary is busy work and well yeah I guess I have never been a very timely person.

 

It being Father's Day, I had the opportunity to give a talk in our Branch about Heavenly Father. I shared a story about Dad and related it to how our heavenly Father works. It was humbling speaking in Spanish in front of those I respect and love, but the Lord helped me say what I wanted. I love speaking Spanish. Finally I have made a breakthrough and the fear of speaking to people, Spanish or English is dissolving almost gone, some days are better than others still though. This is the Last week before transfers and I am afraid that Hermana Chavez is leaving Napa. We will find out Friday what's up, but I have a feeling I will stay in Napa another transfer. I hope so, I love it here so so so much.

 

I want to end my email this week with a scripture from the Book of Mormon that explains how I feel better than I can:

 

"...Perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy. And behold, when I see many of my brethren truly penitent, and coming to the Lord their God, then is my soul filled with joy; then do I remember what the Lord has done for me, yea, even that he hath heard my prayer; yea, then do I remember his merciful arm which he extended towards me." (Alma 29:9-10)

Truly I have seen the Lord's merciful hand directing my life. His extended arm never fails to lift me up and take me where I need to go. I have seen similar workings of the Lord in the lives of others. I see as the lives are changes and challenges are overcome. I have the opportunity to see hearts softened and help given to those who ask the Lord in faith. To watch as others receive light into their lives and slowly it replaces confusion and doubt. I see that change happening to me as well, and I am learning each day, more of who I am meant to be, of who I really am.

Thank you all for your support and love, you are in my prayers,

 

Hermana Christina Wise

Family & Friends!

This week has been beautiful here in Napa, so hot and so beautiful,
definitely summer! I am so happy to hear that Joseph graduated and his
open house went well. I am so proud of who he is and how earnest he is
to continue that course in every new day.

To start off this week was a bit slow, memorial day everyone was gone
and it was rainy. Our main investegator Jesus Medina started acting
like he was avoiding us and we honestly lost our faith a little, but
we tried our hardest walking in the drizzle to smile along the way and
regain ourselves. The next day we got pumped up and as STL's we helped
teach District Meeting! We practiced using the pamplets to help other
people discover the Gospel rather than us just blabbering it to them.
I have seen as we apply these new skills we have been directed, so
many MIRACLES. People basically teach themselves the Gospel and I'm
there just to bear testimony. Truly our leaders are called of God.
Then we did exchanges, this time I am the one leading (haha scary) and
I went to St. Helena and spent a day with Sister Buckner, a english
speaking missionary who came out with me. I love exchanges and we
ended up leaving two blessing on the homes of hispanic families and my
confidence in my spanish was boosted as they invited us back and
promised to read the Book of Mormon. I learned a lot of great things
from Sister Buckner, shes amazing and the people there are too, a lot
of funny old people at the veterans home haha love it.

We started teaching some more Less Actives or really the children of
Less Actives we had before, so thats been exciting! We are teaching a
guy about my age names Jonathan and he is amazing, he just has some
doubts but his testimony is growing and prayers would help because we
are trying to teach his whole family but they are never all home
together. Also, we had another amazing lesson with Betty! She is
portugese and we teach her in english but she knows spanish too and
her husband is mexican. She has a big desire to be baptized and go to
church, but she is trying to get work off, prayers would be amazing
for that! Also, Antonia Flores is an older woman we teach, she had a
stroke and she is sick and disabled (wheelchair). It has been so hard
trying to get her to church. She has a desire to be baptized but she
has been getting sicker and sicker, we don't know how well her family
takes care of her, and she doesn't want people to pity her when she
comes to church. We have tried for weeks to support her and help her
feel comfortable, but there's something still stopping her. Please
pray for her sweet spirit and for me to understand her more! (I don't
think I could really understand her in english, much less spanish).

We went to the first Missionary Leader Council (MLC) on friday! So
inspiring, we have 13 Investegators, and I just am more pumped than
every to do everything I can to help them meet the Goal of Baptism so
they can access the Atonement and recieve the happiness that I am so
thankful to have in my life through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It
pumped us up and we are excited to help teach Zone Meeting tommorow!
EVERYONE should watch the announcment/broadcast on June 23rd because
they say it will be the Meeting of the Century and a historical day in
the church for missionary work. Keep a look out for that! I am so
stoked.

Many other things have happened but this is a good update. Thank you
for your prayers! Today is Sister Chavez's Birthday and Sister
Lawrence and I made brownies for her for breakfast and decorated her
desk :) I am so thankful for her example to me everyday, I am so
lucky.


Hermana Wise

working hard

Hola a todos!

Sorry I didn't have an opportunity to email last week. I don't even
know where to begin. I did get to speak to Mom and the rest of the
family last sunday for Mother's Day and truly it was amazing. I love
and miss you all, but I know I am needed here, that has been apparent
these last few days! :)

Sister Chavez and I last week were working hard and anticipating the
transfer call to see what is going to happen, whether we will stay in
Napa, and if were going to stay companions. We got the call, and boy
was it a suprise! We were both assigned to TRAIN together in Napa  a
new missionary this transfer in a TRIO! Also, we were both called to
be Sister Training Leaders in our zone! It is kind of like
Coordinating Sister was in the MTC, we are in charge of exchanges with
all the sisters in our zone and we help teach zone and district
meetings! It is a new calling here in the mission.

We went on Tuesday to go the Trainer's meeting and meet all the
new missionaries. I found out that I was the only Trainer who had only
been in the mission for 6 weeks, and since our generation of
missionaries was the first in the Santa Rosa Mission to have 19 year
old sisters, I am the youngest sister trainer ever in the mission, the
first 19 year old! Also, I was the only Sister Training Leader (STL)
who just got the mission too. Though I am not training alone (thank
goodness, at least not yet haha) this was a lot more than I expected
the Lord to trust me with. I still don't really know what I am doing.
I am humbled as he has called me to do this and truly trying to learn
as I go. I know that this is the will of the Lord and for some reason
he trusts me with these calls, so I cannot deny that it is for a
reason. The foremost probably being that I am the one that needs to
learn from these other sisters and the other being humility and
charity for my fellow man, I am truly seeking to improve on that and
this is an answer to prayer I guess in a way.

Wednesday we found out who our new trainee/daughter (sorry mission
language) is!!!

Her name is Hermana Lawrence and she's from Chandler AZ! She is
adorable. She looks she is from a Disney movie and she's such an
example to me. She is a "visa waiter" so she is serving here in Santa
Rosa until she gets her Visa to Argentina. The very first day she
invited someone to be baptized and they said yes! We are so lucky to
have her. Her Spanish is amazing! She took it all through high school
and honestly she's teaching me Spanish along with Hermana Chavez. I am
not training her, she is training me!  I am so lucky to have two
AMAZING companions (even if they do play Christmas hymns in the middle
of may sometimes haha).

I have SO much fun with these sisters. There is not a day that goes by
that we are not laughing, helping each other, and serving the Lord
with all the effort we can muster. Napa is BEAUTIFUL this time of
year. Everyone plants flowers and is outside and I absolutely love the
calling I have to talk to EVERYONE and share with them the most
important thing in my life. I just need to be patient with myself and
the Lord will do great things. Progress with our  investigators is a
little slow and we've had some low and slow points this week, but look
out for MIRACLES because they are coming, I can feel it. I will update
you more about my Investigators next week, I am out of time for today.
I love you all.


 Hermana Wise

 

 



Roller Coaster Week

This week has been a roller coaster, but as always the ups have outweighed the downs.

This week we have really tried to follow the counsel given to us by our Mission President and that is as Servants of the Lord, offering to leave blessings on the homes of people. This way people can experience the Gospel in the first few moments instead of only hearing us talk about it. This week we had a blitz (all the missionaries in our zone knock doors in one area to help that area out) in our zone. Sister Ika (an English speaking missionary, I love her!) and I were put together to tract a street. The second door we knocked, we met a woman, Katherine. She said she is new at the whole religion thing, was seeking to know more, and invited us to bless her home. We had the opportunity to teach her and leave a powerful blessing in the way we were taught. The spirit was extremely strong and she invited us back to teach her family! A great referral for the English speaking Elders!
Also Friday we did exchanges and I went to an only English speaking area Lake Herman to be with Sister Van Wie. Though both new missionaries, we were able to contact quite a few people in our time there! We were on our way to contact a couple potentials and we passed by a house with people on the porch. Lake Herman/Benicia area is pretty much full of English speakers. To our great surprise, we met two people, Maria and Tony, who only spoke Spanish! I knew then that this exchange was no coincidence. I didn't have Sister Chavez at my side to lead conversation and my companion had no idea what was being said, but with the help of the Lord, I was able to get to know them a bit and teach the Restoration of the Gospel. I understood them just fine and was able to teach. We left a blessing with them and Maria could truly feel the spirit. She invited us back! I knew that I was in the right place at the right time. The Lord was able to use my recent ability to speak Spanish to bring to gospel to someone who otherwise might not have heard it. It really helped me feel confidence that I can do this! Even in Spanish, as long as I keep working hard and relying on the Lord. The only way I got there was through following him. Being obedient. Working Hard. When we do the simple things, miracles will unfold before us.
Just that evening, after exchanging back, Hermana Chavez and I were able to leave three more blessings with people. One of those experiences was with a woman, Ana. The spirit was burning so strong in our hearts in that blessing and as we waited those few moments of silence after the prayer, she began to weep. People are prepared. Miracles happen everyday.

There have been some really down moments this week too. We had two of our investigators, Lucillo and Angela, with baptismal dates drop us and tell us they don't want to learn anymore. Lucillo was drunk and said a lot of harsh things about the church. We were not expecting it at all and we left discouraged. But as always the blessings have outweighed the bad days by miles. I love being a missionary. I would lay down my life for my Savior, but he hasn't asked me to do that. He has asked me to live each day for him. I truly feel that I am working my hardest to do that and that makes every effort worth it, because I truly love my Lord. Honestly, because he loved me first. He's always been here and I am so lucky to have the opportunity to wear his name on my badge each day and say "I am a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ" or "Soy una sierva de el Senor Jesucristo."

I am so excited! Mom & Dad & Family, I get to Skype with you THIS Sunday! I love mothers day, but this will be the best yet.

Also Here are some Pictures from my FILM camera! I got them developed and they gave me a CD :) The photos are from this first transfer in Napa and the MTC - will send the rest in the next email!

- Hermana Christina Abish Wise

Week Four in Napa, I am so Lucky to be here.

Family and Friends,

Words can't express the kind of life I have here: Always focusing on others and always on my knees in prayer- Everyday humbling myself and trying to push past my imperfections to become that which the Lord has in store for me to be. As I travel this path I can see the Windows of Heaven opening up into my life and I am truly blessed. I am becoming who I want to be.

First, I AM SO EXCITED FOR JOSEPH'S MISSION CALL! SALT LAKE CITY SOUTH! I know with everything in me that each call is called by God and that there are people there waiting for my AMAZING brother's example. Even though I am far away his example in my life radiates and I can't wait for others to feel that and be blessed.

The past couple weeks we have been super bummed that none of our investigators come to church. We have been praying and trying so hard this week to be obedient and work hard, and A MIRACLE happened. We had 3 of our investigators at church! Lucillo, Angela, and Jesus all were able to make it. I sat with Lucillo and Angela (they are a couple) during the sacrament meeting and he was so excited about the Book of Mormon and he kept telling me he felt really good all day. I know they felt the spirit. I know the Lord has prepared them to receive blessings through the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I see the happiness that I feel from the gospel enter the lives of others and it is truly wonderful.

This week we also had a Sister's Conference and I learned a TON:  A lot about my purpose in this life and how everything that I am doing now so so important. This is a marvelous work; I am stoked to be a part of it. Also, I participated in my first "exchange" and left my companion for a day and went with Sister Thomas to an English speaking area. We taught a lesson with one of her Investigators and he was a man with a big heart truly seeking to change and do the will of God… A powerful lesson. His friend, a member, was there to help us teach. The role of members is HUGE in helping people feel comfortable in learning the gospel.

I LOVE YOU ALL! I love being a missionary. I am praying for you all.

- Hermana Wise

week #3

Family & Friends,

This week was full of surprises. High high's and low low's, but I ended with a smile on my face.

This work is not easy. Our Investigators are struggling to progress. Marcos wants to change but is struggling with drugs still. We're trying our hardest to help him overcome it, but he has to do his part. We are constantly on our knees in prayer for the people here in Napa. Helping them makes the changes they want to make, teaching them what they must do to improve, and loving them through the journey.

This week we unfortunately had a lot of our teaching appointments fall through because people couldn't meet with us, so we did a lot more tracting (door to door) and contacting than we have been before. It is truly a humbling experience to have people door after door tell you that you are wrong and they are right and try to argue. That is not what we're here to do and we avoid that. We explain that we are simply there to invite and help other to come unto Christ. To bring them a message and gospel that has brought a lasting/enduring happiness into our lives. I am starting to understand a sliver of the persecution that apostles and prophets of old had to endure. Our Savior Jesus Christ was a despised and rejected of men, a man acquainted with grief. I am honored to defend his name each day as his Servant. This is an opportunity I am so thankful for. We maintain our positive attitude through the days, praying continuously all through the day that we may be able to help others. And then, MIRACLES HAPPEN.

After a hard days work with hardly any success, we were getting ready to go home and a man on the street stopped us and asked us if we were teaching religion. We said we were servants of the Lord Jesus Christ and we help other's come unto him. He had a very positive attitude towards missionaries and invited us to teach him and his wife the following day. That following day we visited them and taught them the Restoration, and then explained how they can know for themselves it is true through reading the Book of Mormon and praying. And when they know for themselves that what we taught was true and the Gospel really has been restored, I invited them to follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized, and they ACCEPTED. My first time inviting someone to be baptized and them actually say yes without my companion having to re-explain! I am so excited to teach them, I hope they are as solid as I think they could be. They are humble and ready to change. Qualities that each of us need to cultivate in order to truly be converted and willing follow our Savior. Truly a miracle!

My Spanish is improving and we are working everyday to iron out our flaws in teaching and constantly making changes to improve ourselves. The spirit is more apparent than every before in my life and I know that is because I am in the right place striving to do what the Lord expects and act in every moment the spirit prompts. We are in no way perfect, but I am not letting myself go a day without analyzing my areas of weakness and trying to improve each day. I love being a missionary. I wouldn't trade it for anything. The Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ is true. It has brought me the kind of happiness that endures forever. A joy that word's cannot explain. A confidence in myself and in my Savior that this life I live each day really means a lot. Everything I do makes a difference, and knowing that means everything to me. I can't wait for this week ahead, so many miracles I have yet to discover in this journey.

Thank you all for the support I receive, continue to write and email me. I am SO excited for Joseph this week to get his Mission Call! Please write me and email me about it ASAP.

Hermana Christina Wise