catch up time again!!!!!

My apologies!  It has been toooo long!  I will try to hit all the highlights of the missionaries.


Philip is really learning and having a great experience.  He says "It's so cool to see how people get prepared and how we get put in their path."  He's had 1 baptism so far which was a great experience for him.  He got transferred from Ogdensburg to Schenectady.  We got a really good email on March 25:

Hi everybody.  Things are going really well.  I am in my new area now, and I love it so much.  It is so awesome here.  I haven't seen anything crazy happen yet, but I'm sure I will.  One thing that I've noticed though, is that everyone here is really nice.  They are just cool.  My new companion is Elder Hatanaka.  He is American, but his ethnicity is Japanese, and is from Hurricane, Utah.  He is a good guy.  I have fun with him.  On Saturday we had an all mission conference.  We had a few special guests there too.  Elder Hollstrom, from the Seventy, Elder Davis, from the Presiding Bishopric, and Elder Bednar, I think you know where he's from.  It was awesome.  Elder Bednar was the one who spoke most of the time, but he didn't just have a talk ready.  We were given 3 of his talks and were told to study them.  Pretty much all he did was ask us our thoughts about the talks and what we learned and what we have applied to our teaching.  I learned  so much!

Something cool that happened - we were tracting and we knocked on this door, and a lady answered it.  Elder Hatanaka recognized her and I found out that she was actually a potential investigator that had planned on coming to church one week, but couldn't find it.  She remembered us and said that she was in the process of moving into this house that she was at.  So we offered to help.  She accepted, so we went to the house of an inactive member just a couple houses down to get a ride, and he just happened to be home and willing, then we went and changed at our apartment and we asked someone else to give us a ride to her old house, and he just happened to be home and willing to give us a ride.  So we helped her and she was so happy that we just happened to knock on the door of her new house.    A lot of "coincidences"!

Love, Philip


Hailey is still loving her mission and hating the thought of coming home!  She has been transferred to Quince Orchard, which she says is right next to Kentlands, but not as rich.  Her companion is Sister Balls.  During the last 6 months of the mission, the President takes them to Arlington Cemetery.  Hailey was really bummed that it was her turn, but she loved it!  Pictures are below.  They got to the city and they got a tour of the Capital building.  At the end of the month they get to go to another National's baseball game.  I've named her mission 'the party mission'!  A portion of her most recent letter:

General Conference was great!  I loved Elder Holland and President Monson.  They were all really good.  I'm excited to re-read them.  In between conference is when they cool thing happened.  This lady came in and she began to talk with me.  She had watched conference in Frederick and then knew she needed to come to the temple.  We sat down and began to talk.  Her mom was a Baptist preacher, her sister was another religion, and she had bounced between all sorts of religions trying to find Christ.  She's Christian and does everything she knows how to do.  Whenever they told her to come and accept Christ, she always would, but she never felt like Christ accepted her.  CRAZY!  She was pleading with me, asking if Christ accepts her and how she can accept him.  We talked about baptism, she wanted to get baptized immediately.  I told her she had to go to church 3 times.  She said she'd do anything.  She asked for all our pamphlets, asked where the book store is (she liked my ctr ring and she wanted on of our bibles), asked for the missionaries.  We talked about the Book of Mormon and how she should read and pray about it.  She told me that she would, but she already knew that this is where the Lord wants her.  She asked if she had to give up the Bible.  Thank goodness she doesn't!  But she was willing to!  She is the most golden person, giving her will to the Father.  She just wanted to feel that Chirst accepts her, she then asked me what she could do for the church.  AMAZING!  The most amazing experience I've ever had!  Missions are the Best!  Love, Sister Wankier

All the missionaries that went to Arlington Cemetery.
They will all go home within the next 6 months.

The missionaries going home in June.

The beautiful cherry blossoms and summer like (80 degree) weather.

happy valentine's day!!!!!!

Hello family,

Happy Valentine's Day!  Transfers are today and I'm staying here in Kentlands with my trainee.  Because of the shortening MTC time this transfer is going to only be 5 weeks.  We haven't had any snow recently.  In fact, we were super excited because yesterday I wasn't even wearing my coat!  It was fantastic!  Pretty much we do sunrise pictures any p-day that we want.  I never want to go more than once a transfer because that means waking up early and that's not quite as fun when you're on a mission and can't sleep in the next morning. 

Well, things are going great.  I'm going to be at the visitor center every day now, so we'll have hardly any time in our area, especially since I'm still training, so we have 2 hours of companion study.  But we will make the most of it and we will have miracles and in the visitor center there will be miracles and life is good!  
Love you all!
Love, Sister Wankier


feb 8

Family!

We went to the city for sunrise pictures.  We were safe, no car accidents, bike accidents!  Sure we pretty much missed sunrise, but we almost made it and we still got pictures by the monuments.  That was good.  The Lincoln Memorial is still my favorite.

Yesterday was my companion's birthday and ever since she got here she's been wanting to do service and the opportunity hasn't arrived.  Yesterday was practically a day of service.  We helped deep clean a semi less active member's room in her house.  We helped Sister Matsumori put together some missionary scrap book pages (one per missionary), it just needed to be updated, we helped another semi less active member pack to get ready to move.  It's been great!  Then on Monday we've been making appointments in advance for the week.  We also had a lesson with an investigator that has been hard to contact.  Thus far it's been a miracle week, small miracles, but those are the best.  Those are what keep you going.

Well, I love you all and hope you are all well and having a good life back in good old Brigham City!  
Love, Sister Wankier


jan 31

Hello family!

The biggest thing that has been happening as of recently is the visitor center.  Our new directors are Elder and Sister Eyring (Pres. Eyring's brother).  They're great,  I still miss the Olsens, but that's okay.  We are going to start being at the visitor center every day, instead of a few times a week.  In the VC we are used to teaching by ourselves, but we will be starting to teach in pairs, like PMG says to do and what regular missionaries do.  So there needs to be more of us at the VC at a given time.

Kentlands is good.  We have some people who we're excited to start teaching.  They also have friends that come to Festival each year with us that have questions that want to meet with us too.  That was great to hear!

I love you all!  Have a great week!
Love, Sister Wankier


Hi everybody!  My week has been pretty good.  We did get hit pretty hard with snow.  We got about 18 inches.  It's supposed to warm up a little bit though, so hopefully it melts some of the snow.  That artist we were teaching dropped us.  He said that he was trying to get more involved with his own religion.  

There hasn't really been a whole lot of new things going on this week.  There is going to be a whole mission conference in March.  There will most likely be an apostle there and a member of the Seventy and someone else.  It should be good.  We also got our transfer calls and I will be staying in Ogdensburg for at least another 6 weeks.  That's ok though.  I'm ready to do whatever.  There was good things about leaving but there were good things about staying.  We have a baptism coming up on the 22nd.  And she says she is thinking about moving to utah after she gets baptized.

I will talk to you next week.
Love, Philip


feb 4

Hi everyone.  Nothing really new this week.  We have been teaching lessons and finding people to teach.  That pretty much it.  I did go on an exchange to Malone.  That was pretty cool.  I had something called "poutin".  It actually tastes pretty good.  It's french fries, with cheese and gravy on them.  I know it sounds gross, but it's good.  It's only a 'north country' thing though.

Till next week, Love, Philip

a few more pictures!!!!

Hailey and Sister Kaarma

Do you think Hailey is much interested in what's going on?

our missionaries are still growing!!!!

Jan 16

Family!

I just got my new companion, Sister Kaarma last night.  She's great.  Way better than I was when I began.  She can role play, I still struggle with that sometimes.  So last week I randomly found out that I'd be back in Kentlands to train.  First I was sad to leave Kentlands, but I knew I'd love White Oak again, but then they threw a curve ball and as soon as I had great ideas for White Oak they called and told me I'd go back to Kentlands.  It's been crazy!  My 2 week companions were the best though.  Also, I still get to go back for Michael's baptism.

Sister Kaarma is from Estonia.  She is a convert and she's great and fearless!  I'm going to learn so much from her.

The weather has felt like spring for the past couple weeks, but yesterday it turned to winter again.  It's rainy and cold.  Well, I love you all, Love, Sister Wankier


Jan 23

Family!

Kentlands is doing good.  Actually last week, getting back into things was kinda crazy, but yesterday we saw a lot of miracles.  We were able to contact a couple people for other missionaries to teach.  One guy saw us and asked us who we were with then told us that he wanted to learn more about the Mormons.  So that was a miracle.  Also, this recent convert who hasn't been to church since she was confirmed, we finally found her home and she let us in!  Every time we stopped by in the past she didn't answer, or her husband answered one time, but nothing.  So this was a huge miracle. 

Well, the last few days here has been SUPER cold.  Really cold.  Well, I love you all!
Love, Sister Wankier



Jan 22

Hi everybody.  Things are going good here.  I just got back from a zone conference.  It was a training put on by the assistants to the president and President Wirthlin.  It was really good.  It went from 9 in the morning till 3 in the afternoon, and it's an hour and a half drive.  So we had to get up at 5:30.

We were walking around one day and met this guy who started talking about how he saw an angel.  Then he started saying how you can't understand religion without understanding magic.  Then, I don't know how we got talking about this, but he talked about how he was in his garage one day and a dead baby pack rat formed right between his legs.  Then one formed right in the air and fell on the ground.  Then he just kept going back to saying that you can't understand religion without understanding magic.  So we didn't really get where he was coming from.  He also said that he was in a psyche ward.  Interesting!

Well, that's all the time I have.  Love, Philip


Jan 28

Hi everybody.  My week went pretty good.  This Sunday we had two investigators come to church.  We would have had 3, but she was sick.  It was still pretty cool though.  That was the first time that one of them came.  She doesn't like going places, so that was awesome that she came!  She has a son and he is pretty wild so I sat with him and drew pictures and played tic tac toe with him the whole time.  I didn't get anything out of sacrament meeting, but I guess it's just getting me used to when I have kids.  We haven't gotten that much snow, but it's snowing right now, and I don't think that it's going to let up anytime soon.  There is not very much snow right now, but I'm sure that there will be.

You asked what I'm learning on my mission -  I'm learning why the gospel is important.  I don't think it even occurred to me before.  But since I have been here, I have realized that we are only on earth for a small moment, and everything that happens after this life depends on how we live in this short one.  A lot of the time I take that a lot more lightly than I should.  So I'm learning how to take the gospel more serious. 

Good bye for this week.  Love, Philip

*still hoping for pictures from Philip!

the testimony is growing!!!

Just after Christmas I asked Philip to tell me a funny experience and a spiritual experience.  His reply:

Something funny that happened is we went to a meeting with the branch presidency.  The first and second counselors both have beards.  They keep them nice though.  We went to the meeting with fake moustaches on that we had bought like a week before.  The clerk of the branch said it was a good look for me and I should think about it for after my mission!  The spiritual experience:  I don't know if I have told you this before, but I think this has been one of the most spiritual.  We were teaching a lady and it was my first lesson with her.  We were teaching her about the atonement, and she was crying through most of the lesson.  The spirit was really strong there that night.

I got a new companion.  His name is Elder Chandler.  He is from Draper.  He played football for Alta High.  He is the District Leader.  I think we will be able to do some good stuff together.  I smell baptisms!

Love, Philip

Jan 7

Hey everybody!  This week went pretty well.  We set someone with a baptismal date on Saturday.  It's for Feb 16.  He says that he already knows that it's true, he just needs to fix some things.  So that's pretty sweet!

I hated personal and companionship study at first, but now I like it.  It's going good now and I'm really enjoying it.  Elder Chandler is doing good.  We are getting along really good.  He is teaching me great things.  We have been getting more success now.  Baptisms are coming closer and closer.  My testimony has come kind of gradual.  It never really hit me until I came here.  It actually happened not too long ago.  A couple days ago we tracted into a baptist preacher and talked to him for about an hour at his door.  He asked us if Lucifer was Jesus Christ's brother.  We said yes.  Then he told us that it was false doctrine.  Then the conversation elevated and we were talking about the plan of salvation and stuff.  Then we just went on and he started talking about his religion.  That's really when it "hit me".  No other religion makes sense.  While we were talking with this preacher, it seemed liked I was able to answer and correct all of the things that he said, and I know that I wasn't just thinking of all those answers.  They were put there.  Then I gave him a Book of Mormon and told him to pray about it.  He also told us about how no one in the Old Testament was baptized (which isn't true, Adam was baptized, talks about it in Moses) and how Abraham wasn't baptized, all he did was had faith and he was saved.  Anyway, that's when it "hit me".
Love, Philip

Jan 14

Hi everybody!  this week went good.  We found two new investigators.  One of them is the most prepared person that I have ever met.  We hadn't even taught her a lesson, but we went in and we talked to her about what we do and about the Book of Mormon a little bit.  Then we asked her if she would read and pray about it.  She said yes.  We asked her to come to church, she said yes.  We asked her to be baptized, she said yes.  It's awesome!  She did come to church too, and she liked it.  After church she even asked for something more to read.  So we gave her a gospel principles book.

The weather has been great here.  The past couple days have been around 50 degrees.  The snow is melting little by little.  But I think that it's supposed to snow again this week. 
Love, Philip


Jan 2

Family!

So today is transfers and I am now in a trio again for another 2 weeks.  I'm back in White Oak with Sister Bullock (not related to Sandra) and Sister Lawrance.  My companion gets here in two weeks.  She's from Estonia.  I did see Jenny and Dave Hickman and their cute little family.  They came at the perfect time.  I wasn't in a super good mood and really just overwhelmed and frustrated, so they answered my prayer.  I love them, they seem to be doing so good.

Well, Festival is now over.  Yesterday was the last day.  It was really cool to be a part of it.  Now it's back to regular missionary work.  It'll be good, new area, new companion, new experiences to look forward to.  It was a great experience to be in Kentlands, but it will be fun to go back to White Oak too.  I love you all, the church is true!  Love you!
Love, Sister Wankier


Jan 9

Family,
Things are going super good!  This is a great companionship!  We pretty much laugh all the time.  Today we're having Islander day.  We're all wearing Sister Lawrance's Guam skirts.  It's awesome!  This is a great area.  I still love it.  Yes, I still kinda miss Kentlands, but here is still super fun too.  We accidentally tracted into a former investigator.  No gospel conversation, but they were super nice.  Another investigator I had last time I was in White Oak is getting baptized!  He's come so far and he sees the need for it in his life.  It's so good!

Well the church is true!  I love you all! 
Love, Sister Wankier

Hailey and Sister Wong

Sister Jones, Hailey, Biny (investigator), Sister Holt

Sister Jones, Hailey, Arunjana, Sister Holt

Sisters Fehlman, Lawrance, Bullock, Nakasuka, Hailey

Sister Welch, Tevin, Hailey

Sister Bullock, Sister Lawrance, Hailey

merry christmas!!!!

We loved hearing from our missionaries on Christmas!  They are both doing great and seem very happy!  It's great to see their testimonies growing and see them serving the Lord so well!  Philip even said he's gained some weight!!! Yeah!!!

Hey family,
Festival season is fantastic!  We have to be at the visitor center at 4:00 each day and the whole night we're on 15 minute shifts.  So about every 15 minutes we change positions.  These positions vary from ushering, holding doors, clicking in everyone who comes in, talking to people in the back, front, outside.  It's fun.  My favorite exhibit is called Special Witnesses.  It's where the testimonies and recent talks of the Apostles and Prophets are.  Up top, painted on the wall is the picture of Christ ordaining his original apostles.  Then directly under it is a painting of the modern day apostles and prophet.  It is such a testimony that today we have that same authority.  That Christ's church, the same one that Christ established when he was on the earth, is here again!  The spirit fills the visitor center and it is incredible to teach there!  Just yesterday I talked to a family from Vietnam.  The missionaries are going to visit them!  We've got 9 new exhibits, which are awesome!  Miracles happen every night.  On Monday or Tuesday one of the Elders came up to me and told me there was this man who wanted to know more.  The man and a lady came up to me and I asked if he wanted to know more.  He did.  The lady with him is a less active member who wants to come back.  She told him about the church and it's just what he's looking for.  He told me his story and he's been prepared his whole life for the gospel and now's the right time.  The Lord allowed me to be a part of this and I am so grateful for that!

Our 16 year old investigator got baptized!  He is so prepared and it's so neat how much he has changed.  He is so much happier, he likes church, his attitude about life has changed!  He wants to do what's right.  I wish you could see the before and after - it's cool!  It's been so neat to see the Lord's hand in his coming into the church!

I talked to someone who was in Brigham about a week ago and they said Brigham is still there, so that's good.  How is the temple?  Probably amazing!
Love you all!! Love Sister Wankier

The Visitor Center lit up for the Festival of Lights

Favorite past time - roasting marshmallows with Sister Welch!

Hi everyone!  Things are going good here.  We had a baptism on Saturday, but it wasn't an investigator.  It was an 8 year old that lives in the area.  His mother and brother were baptized a few months before I got here.  We had our branch Christmas Party on Friday.  It was pretty fun.  It snowed here a little bit last night, but nothing much.

I gave a talk on Sunday at church.  That's like my 3rd talk so far.  I gave one at the baptism too.  It's weird though, because we only have about 30 people at church, so it will be different in a regular sized ward.

I've been with Elder Wilkins the whole time so far, but he goes home the beginning of January, so I'll be getting a new one.  I am doing well.  I'm doing a lot of studying and learning the gospel.
Love, Philip

philip pictures!!!

at the MTC 

at the MTC

the "tree" amigos

at the MTC

catch up time!!!!!!

Nov. 29

Hi family!

Okay so this week was great!  Last night was Ambassador night at the visitor center.  That means a bunch of important people come, such as Ambassadors, and have a program and they turn on the lights.  Elder Nelson was also there.  As missionaries we were not allowed to approach anyone, but if they asked us questions we were to answer them as information, no inviting.  I really liked Elder Nelson's talk.  It was good to feel the spirit with him and cool to see how he tied the Book of Mormon and modern day revelation into all of it.  

Well, I love you all and have a great week!

Love, Sister Wankier

Nov. 22

Happy Thanksgiving!  Yesterday us missionaries got to do a service project with a bunch of organizations in the DC area to feed the homeless.  It was super fun.  The people were all so nice and grateful.  For Thanksgiving we get to go to a member's property and have a big Thanksgiving dinner with games and a talent show.  Then later there will be dessert at the member's home.  It's going to be fantastic!  We're all getting ready for Christmas time.  We had a meeting this morning about Festival and how we'll be super busy and it will be super fun.

We just got five new sisters yesterday.  They're great and I'm excited to get to know them.  From now on we're going to be getting more and more sisters.  It's an exciting time!  We had transfers, but I'm still in Kentlands with Sister Welch, so it'll be fun!

Thanks for writing!  I love you all, have a happy Thanksgiving and eat lots of food and have lots of fun.  Love you so much!  Love, Sister Wankier

Nov. 15

Dear Family,
This has been a great week.  Kentlands is very ritzy and I love it all!!  The people here are so great.  I really love Kentlands!  Our investigators are doing good.  We're getting all ready for Christmas.  December is almost here and it's the most exciting time of the year!  The temple exhibit and 'I'm a Mormon' exhibit are both finished at the Visitor Center and it looks fantastic!  We've got some Christmas trees up and more to be decorated and put up.  There is an exhibit for Christmas that is being put up that is Nativities from all over the world.  It's so good!
Well, family, I love you.  The church is true!



Hi everyone!  Everything is going good.  We have been teaching a lady and her son and daughter.  We taught them the restoration.  Then the next time we taught them the plan of salvation and we asked if they would be baptized and they said yes!  Another lady we were teaching came to church for the first time a couple weeks ago and no one fellow shipped her so she said she didn't see any point of meeting with us anymore.  Later we got a call from the senior couple in our area.  They said that she went to the Sacred Grove and prayed.  Apparently she had a good experience because after that she went and talked to a missionary that was there.  They talked for a long time and then she called the senior couple and told them that she wants to come back to church.  So that's awesome!

We actually had our first real snow today.  I don't think it will stay for very long, but on the other hand it's only about 27 degrees.
Love, Philip 

pictures!!!!

Just found some Hailey pictures!!!!!  Thanks to Sister Jones!

 

Who knew a mission could be so much FUN!!!!!!!

kentlands is so good!!!!!

I have to start this post out with a confession.  I have once again earned the coveted "Mother of the Year" award!!!  I have actually earned this award countless times in my tenure as a mother.  I got home from work yesterday and checked my email to find a little note from Hailey saying,  "Hello.... is anyone home?"  That was it.  Yes, I forgot what day it was and had totally FAILED to write my sweet daughter an email!!!!  She waited half and hour then sent her regular email.  Of course I didn't see either of them until much later.  What makes this worse is that I had checked her past letters to make sure this wasn't transfer week because on transfer week she writes on Tuesdays and I didn't want her to write and not have something from home considering it was Tuesday --- and it was actually Wednesday!!!!  Anyway...... on to her email  :)


Family!
This week was super good.  On Sunday before church we had about 2 and a half hours to go tracting and find people.  We were in this area where it's really multicultural.  Nobody was answering and the few that did weren't interested.  We walked up to the next door in line and before we knocked a dog was barking and a lady came up and told us to wait a minute while she put the dog away.  She came back and let us right in.  She then asked us if Alex sent us.  We were super confused because we didn't know who Alex was.  She continued to let us in and had us sit down and told us that Alex was her son.  He is 18, joined the church 2 years ago and is now wanting to go on a mission.  She is not a member and was super nervous about him going in the spring.  They had even talked about missionaries coming over to see her, but he hadn't talked to any missionaries about coming over yet.  She had a bunch of questions to ask us and at the end she called Alex to come over and he was happily surprised we were there.  He then told us to teach his mom and set up a return appointment.  She couldn't set up a time right then, but we have her number and will be calling her.  It was such a miracle!  Also, come to find out that one of the missionaries who taught Alex is our district leader when he first came out on his mission.  It's super cool!

So we had been hoping that the visitor center would be open by Friday, it didn't open until Monday.  They still have quite a bit to do, the only things that work currently are the theaters.  So if one comes in they can look at the Christus (no narration) or watch a movie.  Kinda limited, but that's okay, as long as it's done for Christmas.

Hey did Philip tell you that they lost power there because a squirrel got electrocuted?  That was so funny!  Did I tell you about the time we were checking on people and we saw a squirrel climbing a building with a slice of pizza in it's mouth?  There are so many squirrels here and they are so funny!

Well, I love the gospel, I love you.  Have a great week!  Love, Sister Wankier

I'm still searching and waiting for pictures to post!!

report on Sandy!!!

Hi everyone.  The storm didn't really affect me.  It rained and it was windy, but that's it.  So nothing really happened except we lost power for about two hours.  That had nothing to do with the storm though.  A squirrel climbed up a pole and cut out the electricity.  Believe it or not.  The squirrel died!

There are about 10 people we are teaching and we are usually pretty busy, so I've gotten used to things pretty quickly.  It's getting kind of cold.  The lows are about 28 degrees but it will get lower than that.  We have a car so that helps.  We have gone door to door a couple times - it's not really something we do a whole lot, but we have a little.

Halloween was fun.  We just watched the Book of Mormon movie and had dinner.  I did hear that the celtics lost to the heat.  I actually saw rondo in the paper that someone left open and it talked about it.  I don't really know when or if basketball season has even started yet.  I know preseason started, but what about the regular season?  I think the Jazz will have a pretty good season this year.

Well, I'll see you later.  Love Philip

all is well!!!

Family!
Okay, so the storm...... was super lame!  Everybody was making this big deal about it and buying up all the water.  On Monday we could only go out for Zone Training and if we had appointments.  It rained and the wind blew and no trees came down, no roofs blew off, nothing!  At least in Kentlands it didn't.  But I hear New York got it pretty bad, so I'm waiting for a report from Philip, that'll be good and fun.

Today was our Halloween party..  Sister Welch and I were witches.  It was pretty good.  The Visitor Center has been closed since Monday.  They've been really good at working around us and just being in the back, but the exhibits have now been delivered and they've needed a few days to put them all in.  So, hopefully it will be back up and running on Friday.  We'll be excited when it's all finished.

It's so true about sharing your testimony.  I've gotten so frustrated at times because I have to be reminded over and over again of my testimony, different parts each time.  I think to myself, can't I just get a testimony and be good?  Nope, it constantly has to be shared and strengthened and built and reminded.  No wonder the word "remember" is in the scriptures so much.  So I've decided to make a section in my study journal of the Book of Mormon stories and how they apply to different principles of the gospel.  I feel like I'm always brainstorming with my companion what stories would be good for our investigators, so this will make it easier.  It's so cool to study this way too, I learn so much and it's all right there in 1 Nephi.  No wonder it's at the beginning of the Book of Mormon.  It's the best!  Well, love you all!!  Happy Halloween!
Love, Sister Wankier

hurricane sandy!!!

It's been a week of preparation for both Hailey and Philip with this hurricane hitting their areas.  We got an email from Hailey's mission on Friday letting us know that they were preparing all the missionaries with emergency kits, making sure they had plenty of food in their apartments, telling them all the safety procedures, etc.  Then we got pretty much the same email from Philip's mission yesterday.  Then, of course, we watch the weather channel and see the big circle of storm right over Hailey!  It's hard to know something like that is happening and not be able to be there for your kids!  But we have really been blessed with peace knowing Heavenly Father will take care of His missionaries!  Last night we got another email from Philip's mission saying at that point it wasn't looking like it would be quite as bad as they had anticipated, but they were still taking every precaution to be safe.  Then this afternoon we got word from Hailey's mission that all is well.  DC was hit pretty good, 400,000 people were without power in the area, but none of the missionaries lost their power!  It's great to be on the Lord's team, isn't it?!  Philip was able to write his email on Monday.  Hailey usually writes on Wednesday or Thursday, so I'm hoping we hear from her in a day or two.  I'm excited to hear their stories!!!

A newspaper picture of the water in DC

Hi family,

We heard about the storm.  We were told to get a bunch of food and water in case something bad happens. They gave us a list to get at the store, and we got it all, so we should be fine...unless our building collapses!  We were told that the storm will be pretty bad here, but I don't know what to believe.  People say that it will be a way bad storm, and others say it won't be that bad, so we'll just see.

Halloween is on Wednesday.  I don't think we're supposed to go out and do anything, so we are just going to the Benson's (the senior couple in our area).  We are going to watch movies and stuff.  It should be fun.

Well, I guess that's all I have to write this week, so I will talk to you later,
Philip

catching up!!!

Ok it has been quite awhile!  My computer has had a virus that we have been struggling to take care of.  I think we're good now, so time to update!  I will condense all the letters I've missed into 1 letter.  I'm not incredibly creative, but hopefully this will distinguish between Hailey and Philip's letters.

Reminder of addresses:

Sister Hailey Wankier
Washington DC North Mission
11700 Falls Rd
Potomac, MD  20854-2823


Elder Philip Wankier
New York Utica Mission
PO Box 149
Whitesboro, NY  13492-0149


Hello Family!
Conference was AWESOME!  You should've been at the visitor center when President Monson announce the age change.  Every single sister gasped and got super excited and we are all just so happy about the news.  It'll be so good!  It's been a real testimony to me that the Lord needs more missionaries and that even though it's not required for sisters to serve, He needs them too!  It's so exciting, all the youth programs will be centered around missionary work.  The Lord is expecting so much out of the youth now and not only the youth, but everyone.  Elder Oaks' talk was amazing also.  A lot of times the parents just aren't stepping up and Elder Oaks called them out.  It was awesome!  That talk will shake a lot of people.  Elder Holland was awesome too!  Oh, that hit me so hard.  I LOVE IT!!

Well, I was transferred.  My new companion is Sister Welch.  She is a visitor center trainer, so we'll be at the visitor center more often.  our area is Kentlens.  It's where the President lives and the Assistants serve.  It'll be great.  The ward seems great and I'm excited to get to know everyone here.

We've got a couple teenage investigators.  I love it.  But it's hard because not all of them can see the need in their life, but they're willing to learn.  I love the youth though, so I don't mind at all.  I love it.  They are so fun to teach.  I can just be myself and be excited and they don't think I'm stupid...well they might, but that's okay!  Well, love you all, the church is true.  The visitor center is under construction and it's going to be awesome when it's finished.
Love, Sister Wankier

*pictures coming!


-still in the mtc-
Sundays are pretty good here but I have to say my favorite days here are Wednesdays.  That's my pday so I get to hang out with just regular clothes on.    I hope everything is good there.  Things are really good here.  I just got done playing basketball.  It was way fun.  I think I'm ready to be done; I'm just getting to the point where I want to be done at the MTC and get out to New York.  I got my travel plans today.  I leave at about 1:00 am.  So I'm going to need to stay up late that night.  Dang!  Well, I guess the next time I will write will probably be in New York or on the way there.  Talk to you later.  Love Philip

-in new york-
Hi everyone!  The flight was good and yes I am really tired still.  The MTC was a lot of fun and I still kinda wish I was there.  I am in a place called Ogdensburg.  It's not a big city but I guess it's an ok size.  My new companion's name is Elder Wilkins.  He is a pretty nice guy.  Towards the end of the MTC I just wanted to leave, but now I miss it.  I didn't realize how great it was until I left.  Same with my branch from the MTC.  We all slept over in the mission home where President and Sister Worthlin live and watched Mormon Messages, studied, and hung out the rest of the day.  We got there at about 2:30 in the afternoon and stayed the night there.  It was awesome.  The next day we went to a little bit of training and right as we got to the church they gave us our new companions.  I got really close to my district from the MTC, so it was sad to say goodbye.  One person that was in my district there is still in it now though.  His name is Elder Koga.  He was one of my favorites so that's good.  Everything is good now.  It's just getting used to everything.  Conference was really good.  I still have trouble staying awake, but from what I saw was good.

President Wirthlin said that we do get to go visit the church sites the last week of our mission.  We also get to go to the Palmyra temple.  So that's something to be excited for.  I found out too, that we have a meeting next month that is a training meeting, but my companion said that it's pretty much a MTC branch reunion.  We all get to have lunch and talk, and of course have a meeting.  I will be here for about 18 weeks.  It's my first area, and I'm being trained, so I have to be here longer.  I feel like I've been getting separation anxiety.  I have never been away from my ipod and music for so long in my life.  I believe that's what made me truly happy in life -- maybe not!  That's what I think though.  In the past when I have been able to pop those headphones in my ear, those were some of the happiest times of my life (next to my family :) )  To me my ipod is the equivalent to a girlfriend.  It's a hard relationship though!  Life is good!  I'll talk to you guys next week.  Philip

*pictures coming!

the work is going great!!!!!

OK, so I'm thinking I need to do something obvious to make a difference in Hailey's letters and Philip's.  Just watch the last line until I think of something clever!

Hello family,
Guess what..... Michael came to church!!!  So he told us to call him to wake him up in the morning and come to his house to make sure he was ready and by the bus stop.  Well, we called and called and called, and knocked and knocked and knocked, and nothing.  We're at church 10 minutes before it starts and we get a call from him, he'd been sleeping.  He got ready, and rode the bus to church on his own, missing only the first 20 minutes!  It was so good!!

The work is going great!  I love teaching the gospel because it's true!  It just makes sense and the spirit is amazing and it's so good!  I love it!
I love you all and have a great week! 
Love, Sister Wankier

philip's surviving!!!

The MTC is going pretty well.  I am way busy.  Not as busy as I thought I would be though.  My schedule is get up at 6:30, go to breakfast at around 7:30, then usually I go to class for another three hours, then do something else, then go to lunch.  After that we usually have another class for a few hours, then another something else, then dinner, then some study time, then getting ready for bed.  A lot of what we are doing is just studying.  The classes are about things like getting revelation for investigators, and how to teach people effectively.  My companion's name is Elder Dutson.  He is from Idaho.  He is going to Utica also.  We get along pretty good.  My district is 5 companionships, so 10 elders.  6 of us are going to Utica and the other 4 are going to Tennessee.  I'm running out of time, so see ya!

Philip

the church is true 100%!!!!

Ready for meetings!

They are serious about learning!  (except Hailey!)

These are the birthday people getting sung to!  (do you think they forgot Hailey's birthday isn't until November?)

 

Hello Family!

 

Okay so this week has been really good.  We've been going through former investigators and seeing who still lives there and if they're still interested.  We've got quite a few return appointments, hopefully they keep.  We're particularly excited about a couple of them.  Our investigator Michael introduced us to his friend and she asked for a Book of Mormon and our phone number.  That night she called us and told us and told us she wanted to be a part of this.  Yep, it was awesome!

 

next letter....

Okay, so my life in White Oak....lately it's just been sick...literally.  I was sick one morning, Sister Ertelt was sick 2 days, not fun!  Other than that things have been going well.  Our investigators are great!  Michael hasn't been to church, at all.  But, he is progressing!  He used to smoke, so the other day he got really stressed, went to the store, bought the smokes, brought them home, BUT WAIT - he stopped, walked back to the store and took them back!  Yeah, that's right, he didn't smoke!  We were very happy.  We've also got this new awesome investigator, Lary.  We've taught him once and the spirit was super strong.  He's great and will be such a good member!

Well, the church is true 100%!  I love learning more and being able to understand things better.  It just makes sense.  I have a mormon message for you to watch, it is the bomb!  It's "patterns of light' Elder Bednar talks and it's 3 parts.  Amazing!  I love the gospel!  I love you!  Love, Sister Wankier

like it or not.....the day is here!!!

Today way the bitter-sweet day!  We took Philip to the MTC.  He has officially begun his mission, which means this will not only be a blog about Hailey's adventures, but also Philip's!  Welcome to our missionary world!

We begin with last night, as we were supposedly packing.  Philip, his cousin Cameron, and his brother Derek weren't too serious about helping me pack!!!

We finally finished packing and got out the door this morning.  When we got to Provo we went to eat before the MTC experience.  We went to Golden Corral.  We began with the blessing of a free meal for our new missionary!  Very kind people at Golden Corral!  I think they give a lot of free meals there.  We ran into several other missionaries.  One came and met Philip which I thought was very nice.  As we began eating a sweet lady came up to Philip and said "I heard you say you were going to the Utica Mission?"  She proceeded to tell us she was from there and gave Philip a card with a couple referrals on it!  He's getting started off right!  Then a few minutes later a nice gentleman came up to him and congratulated him on his mission and said they had just taken their son to the MTC a few weeks ago.  He asked where Philip was going and got very excited to hear Utica because his brother just got released as the Mission President for the Utica Mission! 

Very good but hard day!  I know he'll do a great job.  Very excited to hear from him!  What a great time of life it is!  Having missionaries is the greatest! (It'll be even better when they finish their missions and come home to me!!!)