Rise in MIGHT!

Hello all. This week was CRAZY!

Maybe the Last Time I See My Pal, Sister Rowley

Sister Nelson and I started a new transfer, and the weird thing about this transfer is that we had to say goodbye to some of our friends! :( Because they were finished and went home... So that was sad, but we are still super excited for this transfer! Sister Nelson and I getting a lot better than ever... we even say things... at the exact same time... in the exact same tone. So that is a little weird, but we love it. This week was kind of slow again, Sister Nelson and I both weren't feeling good this weekend. Not to mention it is WINDY and COLD! It has sounded like the old Spanish Fork winds around her lately. The leaves that were left on our trees are now gone. We were studying and the wind was so loud, and we look up at each other and make a comment about how windy it is. Sister Nelson was reading in 3 Nephi for the White Christmas Challenge and there is a verse in chapter:

8... "And there were some who were carried away in the whirlwind; and whither they went no man 

knoweth, save they know that they were carried away."(3 Nephi 8:16) 

Glasses...

So she shares this with me and we are like wow, we are going to get carried away in this whirlwind! We laugh and say, "Seriously though," at the same time.... Then we looked at each other and laughed again and said, "But really," again at the same time! Oh man... we spend way to much time around each other.... :) just kidding!

Funny story of the week comes from a dinner appointment that we had with an investigator and his less active girlfriend! His name is Buck. Now Buck is very, well, different. Bless his heart. He is an older man, but he is so kind! Haha, he met us on the street, and we started talking to him about the gospel and he told us that his girlfriend was a "Mormon". We asked him if we could come back and teach him. He said yes, and he actually invited us back for dinner! You have to be a special kind of person to invite random people you just met off the street to your home for dinner! So anyways, we are at his house for dinner the second time, and he is making us laugh left and right. Then he goes on to start telling us about all of these people he knows that are in jail, and how his cousin's brother was a serial killer and then his son was too and all this stuff. His girlfriend says, "How did we get to talking about such unpleasant conversation?" and then Buck, without even hesitating says, "We're talking about Ironic Situations!" AHAHAHA. Oh my goodness. You had to be there :)

Pictures of the Sleepover we had with the Bluefield Sisters for the Conference

So this week we had the opportunity to have a General Authority from the Quorum of the 70 come and tour our mission! It was SO cool! His name is Elder Peter F. Muers and he is from Australia! (He also has a sweet accent!) You can look at the most recent General Conference for him, he gave a great talk on the Sacrament! He is now my favorite General Authority! (If you can really pick a favorite, because they are all wonderful) He and his wife were so sweet to all of us and the spirit was really guiding this meeting that we had. So before I get into that, I need to explain what had happened a few days before.....

I Got to See My Old Partner in Crime...SISTER ROBERTS...

So on Friday... Sister Nelson and I were just getting out of a lunch appointment with our Relief Society President, and we check the phone to see that we have a missed call and voicemail from the Assistants to the President. So we were thinking that they are calling us to confirm a few things in preparation for the Mission Conference. Because our mission is so spread apart, we were having some Sisters that were farther away, to stay with us. So we listen to the voicemail and we were surprised because they asked us to call them back. So we did, and they didn't call us to finalize our plans for the Sisters staying with us...

So the Assistants say something like, "Hey Sisters, we just wanted to call to tell you that you both need to be at the Roanoke Chapel for the Mission Conference at 7:30 because Elder Muers is going to interview you."

.......... Silence........ Sister Nelson and I look at each other, jaw dropped. Then we say, "Oh wow, umm okay. Thank you."

"How does that sound?" the assistants say, probably feeling a little uncomfortable at the silence.

"It sounds good" and we finish the phone call.

Sister Roberts

Sister Nelson and I look at each other, and start freaking out! WE WERE JUST ASKED TO BE INTERVIEW BY A GENERAL AUTHORITY. Oh my goodness, what do you even say? If he asks you if you have any questions, WHAT DO YOU ASK HIM? Oh man, we were super nervous, but at the same time we were very, very grateful for this wonderful opportunity. For the next couple of days we pondered about this and prayed that we would be prepared for the interview and for the meeting.

So we wake up Monday morning feeling anxious, but excited. Moments before I went into my interview, I was very nervous, but after I shook Elder Muers' hand, and sat down to talk with him, all my anxieties went away. He is SO KIND! He asked me a little bit about myself. Then he asked me about some things I have learned on my mission. I mentioned the Atonement and how I have learned how it is so individual to each of us. He then started to teach me a little bit more about it. He told me that the way that we access the atonement is through Repentance, and that in turn is how we become like Jesus Christ. He also talked to me a lot about how since I am at the end of my mission I need to "Make these last 6 weeks the best". It was very cool. As we were walking out of the Interview, he told me that I have a sweet spirit, a beautiful smile and that he could tell that I loved the Lord and his work. He is just so sweet! He is also SO inspired. The things he told me were exactly what I needed to hear that day.

Some of the Last Leaves

It was such a good conference. One of my favorite highlights was something that we did after lunch. He had us all get up and sing Hymn No. 259 Hope of Israel and during the chorus we sang it a little differently. The first line is "Hope of Israel, rise in might". During this part, Elder Muers had us get louder when we sang "rise in might" It was very powerful! Then the second line of the chorus says, "Sound the war-cry, "Watch and pray!", and he had us sing "watch and pray" two beats slower. It was super cool. He talked to us about how we need Rise in MIGHT! He let us ponder some ways that we could elevate ourselves in our missionary work, to be able to truly Rise in MIGHT! Then he talked about "watch and pray". He asked us if any of us are spending too much time praying... of course no one raised their hands. Elder Muers told us that we could spend a little more time watching and praying and listening to the Spirit. He had us each reflect on how we can better listen to the Spirit, and I learned that I need to be better at acting upon my promptings, and living in a way that can allow the Spirit to work through me. Sometimes I get to caught up in what I am doing that I don't take the time to stop and listen to the Spirit. I know that receiving constant daily revelation is one of the reasons that we are on this earth. I need to be able to make sure I am pausing, to listen to the Spirit.

More Funny Cars in Christiansburg

There were so many things that I took away from my interview and this conference that I simply cannot send them all in this email, so stay tuned for next week. Tomorrow, Sister Nelson and I have another great privilege to be able to attend an MLC meeting with the other mission leaders and President and Sister Salisbury, and Elder and Sister Muers will also be there! I am so blessed to be serving in this great mission at this special time. I know that this is the Lord's work and that He labors with us. I know that God answers our prayers and that He keeps his promises.

I love you all, and have a Happy Thanksgiving! I am so thankful for my wonderful and supportive family, each of you, for Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ and his gospel, and for every day of my mission.

~Sister Kayla Marie Willis

You can send me cute letters here;

Sister Kayla Willis

1389 Dow St. #B

Christiansburg, VA 24073