Back in Glenwood

(sorry it is is a week late)

Hey Family-

I am happily writing to you NOT from the senior center.  We got a key to the church and we're using the computer in the mothers' lounge converted into the family history center.  Well things are looking up here in Glenwood.  I think by the time things get going real good will probably be around the time that I will have to leave.  We've got some great things planned for the next few months.  I've gotten more member referrals in the week I've been here than the entire last transfer.  It's fun to see the branch get so excited.  I realize that I have been a very spoiled missionary.  For 9 months of my mission I lived closer to a temple than I did when I lived in Provo Utah.  And after that President let me go back home to Glenwood Branch. :)  The branch feels like home..the town though?  Not so much.  I think I'll get adjusted eventually.  It has been getting better...but I do not care to go back to the beginning of the transfer!  Man it was hard.

I learned a little more about opposition this week..in a hard but valuable way.  I can't really describe to you the hardships of this week except that I felt the adversary threatening to completely overcome me.  When you are going through something like that it is sometimes hard to identify what is actually happening.  Satan is real!  I felt such darkness and sorrow and lack of hope.  I prayed hard, cried hard, and used all the strength I had...it was a hard week. By the time Friday came, I was so overwhelmed that I did not know what to do.  It was that night that I felt the mighty prayers offered by many of you in my behalf.  I went to sleep that night with a profound sense of comfort in my heart.  I share this with you to testify to you that no matter the depth of the darkness we face, there is a light.  Christ is the light that shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehendeth it not.  It may be a long time before we can experience that pure light, but I have faith that it will always come.  It's not to say that this week won't be even harder than last, but I gained something so powerful this week.  I know that the comfort I received came from God. 

Last week I got the great opportunity to go to dinner with some of my favorite people!!  Sister Hawthorn and her stubborn husband Howard (do you remember me talking about him?) and Sister McWhorter and her stubborn husband George.  We had a great time!  We sat around and joked and laughed.  I told them they could run but they couldn't hide because I'm back to finish what I started and get them baptized!  It was all in good fun but I am not kidding.  We got talking about how the McWhorters just built a new house and President Palmer(who is a carpenter-and a good one at that) was in the process of making cabinets for their kitchen.  Well, they weren't quite done yet and George was pretty grumpy about it.  As we talked about it all George said, "well President Palmer is gonna have to lay his hands on those cabinets before he can lay his hands on my head!"  I said, "We can arrange that!"  :)

I got to see a part member family I used to visit last year-Alan and Linda Myhill.  It was fun to see them again.  Alan is the one who is native american.  He showed us things about his ancestors, the jewelry he makes, taught us to play his flute and dance the rabbit dance while we tried to teach him about Jesus Christ.  Well the trade didn't go as well as we had hoped.  He wasn't really into the whole prayer thing.  When we visited him on Saturday I was surprised at what happened.  Not 5 minutes into our visit he told us of his dear friend who is dying.  He was very upset about it.  He asked if we could have a prayer.  We testified to him that God could give him a comfort that he could not find anywhere else if he would pray to Him.  I hope this door stays open and that he will be receptive to our message.

I hope you have a great week and if you get tempted to complain about hot weather just be glad you aren't in Arkansas. :)  haha.  I love you all!

love sister wilde