Monday, February 24, 2014

a letter from Natalie: "Do I laugh or Cry"

     Hi Everyone! So here is another letter from this beauty...


“The only way to get through life is to laugh your way through it. You either have to laugh or cry. I prefer to laugh. Crying gives me a headache” 

Man so many things are going on its crazy to think another week has flown by but I'm so grateful for it all. When thinking of this week I don't know wither to laugh or to cry. Because it has been so wonderful but so sad at times also. But before I dive into all that I want to tell you all that I love you so much and how grateful I am for the gospel. It makes the difference. I know it's true and I'm so grateful to be sharing it with everyone. It's amazing. I love you all so much.
   I told Veronica thank you for this but I want to quote it..."step by step I'll climb the steepest mountain step by step I'll cross the raging sea their is nothing I can't do doing it with you dear Lord stay step by step ahead of me....be there Lord please stay with me. Be my help my guide my friend. I'm lost if I'm alone I can't make it on my own i will follow step by step behind you Lord....." Okay I love that song! But it's because it's So applicable to this life and work.
I can't do anything without HIS help. And this week I saw HIS hand in so many things.
    One being yesterday with hermy having to give a talk last minute notice Saturday night at 10. That was a great way to hit he pillow.....but she did amazing and was completely guided by the spirit that the words as the promise says were given to her in the moment she needed. She spoke of alma 5 and receiving HIS image in our countenances. It was amazing. Plus that's a great song also:)
    Okay we did a split this week for 5 hours with some other sisters and it was really good. The were English speaking and well we just walked from place to place all 5 hours it was really good talked to lots of people and just really got to see Wauchula from a walking view. One of the people I saw while out was a lady named Engracia and she is adorable I just love her to pieces. And well she's completely Spanish so I was on my own for this stop. And at first not gonna lie I was worried. But as I sincerely wanted to know what she was saying and what to say back. Since my understanding is better then my speaking skills. But the spirit again brought the words  and as I opened my mouth it was filled. What a miracle. No one else in the room may have known that I had a hard time with speaking Spanish. But I knew it and I knew that it wasn't me speaking.
    Following that amazing experience I was also able to find an old friend a cute young mother we used to see. Since we were walking she pulled over and told me of her new address and asked that we come by this coming week. It was a miracle.
    .."meet me in st. Louie Louie meet me at the fair..." Well we can't go to st Louie. But we did go to the harder county fair and it was fun. We took some recent converts and less actives with us. And we talked with everyone there. It was the best! And coming this coming week is pioneer park days and people were asking us if we'll go. YES!
But it was a great experience at the fair. We got a caractercher done and it was funny but we talked about the gospel the whole time with this guy and explained how we have a prophet on the earth today etc..it was a wonderful experience. Plus one of the best things was we saw so many people! Lots of people who we have been teaching and some we haven't been able to get ahold of. Just a lot of little miracles throughout the whole time.
      We watched the prophet of the restoration with our recent convert that was wonderful! We had a family home evening with some recent converts and their buddies. We chased a lady we knew who was on her bike. ....haha just kidding she had rode by us and stopped we just ran to catch up. :) we shared the Mormon message earthly father Heavenly Father with lots. I love that one cause it reminds me that HE is my FATHER. We gave service to people and helped them with their different activities. Just lots of various things.
    So I laughed lots this week and it was wonderful. But near the end of it all I cried hard. As one of our recent converts told us he just isn't sure he can do this anymore. It was the absolute hardest thing I have ever heard and I just wanted to cry. And I did. I think it caused me to sleep badly to because I woke up in the middle of the night gasping and crying from a nightmare not wanting to go back to sleep I just layed in bed crying and praying to Heavenly Father for help eventually I drifted off to sleep. I know HE. Heard my prayer.
    I love you all so much and hope all is well with you your in my prayers. Please keep these people in yours they mean so much to me. I love you all lots. I know this church is true. I know HE. Knows and loves each of us and that through living the gospel we will find peace and healing. I know it.
Love always and forever hermana wuthrich


Thursday, February 20, 2014

A letter from natalie!!


Oh hi friends! Well I am so sad that I have not done this sooner than now… BUT…. For those of you who may not know… my family is amazing- not to make you feel bad or anything but for real they are the BEST!!! I do not know how I got so lucky to have such an incredible family- both immediate and extended- on both sides!!! I know be jealous!!!! J there are so many examples daily that I see in my family and I am sad to say that I don’t share them as often as I should. One of which is my cute little sister Natalie, who is serving in the Tampa Bay mission! I have had one other sister, Lexie, and my brother serve as well! And on Kurt’s side him and each of his siblings (Nate and Meg) also served missions! See what I mean- I am spoiled by amazing examples!! Well, cute little Nat sends emails every Monday and I wish so badly that I would’ve been posting every single email on here so that you too could feel of her sweet spirit and example! I wish I would have done this for Lexie too- sorry girls- you are just way better than me! I will try to be more like my cute little sisters!!
Anywho…. I was reading her most recent email when I got to work- and between the lovely hormones of pregnancy and Natalie’s incredible testimony- I broke down crying…. I am sooo proud of all that she is doing! She has such a sweet and loving spirit and is so humbled by this gospel! I will include the entire email below but have highlighted the part that totally struck me to tears this morning! I want to share a brief testimony that I too know this gospel is so true and that at times, it is so hard to stay positive and strong with all the temptations of the world pushing down on us- but Heavenly father and our savior Jesus Christ are there! They hear us and answer every. Single. Prayer.
It may not always be in the timeframe we desire or even in the way we had thought best- but they know the reason behind it all and are there to help us through all of it- if we just listen and do our best to do our part. I want my father in heaven to know with a surety that I do love him- I want my incredible husband and children to know that I love this gospel with all my heart! I know that it is because of this gospel, the incredible examples I have been blessed with, and most importantly the love of my father in heaven and savior Jesus Christ that I have been so blessed in this life. I know I am not the greatest missionary in any way shape or form- but I do want those around me to know without a doubt that I know god lives and love each and every one of us. I know that we have a true and living prophet and leaders here to help guide us on this earth today. I love this gospel and all that it stands for. I say these things in the name of my savior, Jesus Christ, amen.

Natalie’s Letter:

¡Hola familia! ¿Cómo estas? ¿Cómo fue su semana? Te extraño mucho!!! Pero estoy bien. Pues quiero escribir poquito en español a práctica más. Pues, como está todo? Abuelito wuthrich? Cómo está la salud de el? Y el resto de la familia?...pues ahora en casa estoy practicando escribiendo español...en un I-Pad...¡¡¡¡¡LOCO!!!!! Pero me gusta mucho! Esto ayudar mucho con el libro de la área y nuestras planes etc...presidente Cusick dijo que usamos necesidad eso con toda la obra..estudios, planeamiento, cuando enseñar a las personas...todo!

     Okay well I just want to tell you all how grateful I am for each of you your the best family ever! I love you all so much and am so proud of each of you. I want to tell everyone I meet about you and all the wonderful things your all doing. I just love you all so much! This week being valentines I didn't think to much of it cause other then the little cards I would give out I don't feel like I've ever really done anything huge for that day. Kinda just like another day ya know?
But this time I don't know I just really missed all of you and want you all to know I love you so much! I hope you had a great week and a happy Valentines day. :)

      Alexis...you asked in your email how Spanish is. ITS HARD.
Really this week was a toughy with Spanish. But I love the language! I think it's been one of my greatest struggles on the mission but I'm grateful for it. I love being able to talk with everyone and bough my Spanish is way far from perfect the people here are so nice and they help you so so much and they cheer you on in a sense. Most people are very grateful and humbled by the fact that we're taking time to share the gospel to them in their native tongue.  Pero si me encanta español con todo mi corazón!! Es un gran privilegio a hablar y enseñar el evangelio en inglés y en español. :)

     This week for me has been crazy! Both really awesome but also way stressful and hard but I am grateful for it. I don't know why it is but this week I seemed to just have a hard time accepting things and remembering why I'm here....don't worry I'm fine satan was just working really hard it seems. And I just want to explain my week. So that's how this week was and so I have spent a lot of time praying hard trying to remember why I came out and also just to know still that this is where HE needs me to be. That I'm doing the things HE needs me to do so I can be who HE needs me to be.

    Something really cool about it all and is actually a blessing blue miracle for me personally is since we have I-pads we have gospel library. Which is sinked to our lds.org account so any notes I've made there are with me on this. Well today actually I was trying to view my notes and I found one I wanna share it with you....

     ""To all within the sound of my voice, the voice of Christ comes ringing down through the halls of time, asking each one of us while there is time, "Do you love me?" And for every one of us, I answer with my honor and my soul, "Yea, Lord, we do love thee." And having set our "hand to the plough," we will never look back until this work is finished and love of God and neighbor rules the world. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen."
i love this talk so much because it testifies to me what the spirit had already testified of and i am so grateful for a loving father in heaven who sent me here i am so grateful for this talk because as i was preparing my mission papers i knew it was what i needed to be doing but when i heard this talk i knew for sure that my Heavenly Father like all dads knows His little girl and knew i needed that. i love this gospel!""

      ....okay so I read this today as I was looking through my old notes and honestly I just started crying. Not just then in that moment but every time I read it I am reminded of that moment how it is I felt when this talk was given. Having already started my papers but not sure for certain..satan slipping in doubt..but hearing this knowing that I had started and can't look back but forward trusting in my Heavenly Father that this was the course I needed to take. I truly do love my Heavenly Father and I came out on my mission to share this gospel and the love HE has for each of us with everyone. And reading this today again with that doubt of why..I was reminded that my Heavenly Father is mindful of me. HE loves me and knows me. HE knows what's going to make me happy in the end and so right now HE has asked me to do things I never before wanted to do. But as I said okay as I've done what HE  has asked I've been the happiest I have ever been.
:)

     BLUE FLOWER MIRACLE! :) HE is aware and loves me!  So that was something I felt I could share with you all to help you all see and know that even in those moments it's hard etc...HE IS THERE. HE is always three. There's a quote in the talk dad sent last week that I LOVED it says...."Hope on, trust on, till you see the salvation of God." This gospel truly is the happiest and greatest thing in my life!
What a blessing it is to be here sharing it. I know as we put our trust in HIM all will be well and we will one day see that all these things were for our good. I love this gospel!

     Well this week.....so a big thing this week has been I-pads and they are great we're able to do lots more work now it seems and also able to better keep up our area books. I will say being out of technology for a short time though so much has changed its crazy trying to figure out how to work these things but I'm getting there.
Haha :) you would think the younger generation would know...nope our leaders know so much more on how to work these. Pretty cool!

    Well I want to just talk about a few of the miracles I got to witness this week....

    Today we met a lady her names Athena  as we were coming from a lesson which was another miracle as well. But as we were talking with her she started bringing up political stuff which thank goodness we don't talk about that as missionaries because it seems way to crazy.
Any-who so she was telling us she just doesn't like that things are changing from the things God has set for us to follow etc...(I'm
summarizing) but into my head pops elder oaks talk from general conference which is all about that. So I pulled it up showed her and asked if I could email it to her so I'm gonna do that. But that was a miracle because she had heard briefly about the "Mormon" religion and now wants to learn more. :) so amazing!

     We got to see Maxine!!! O my word I love her SO MUCH! Ahh okay but we saw her it was amazing asked if she's read any of the Book of Mormon we left her. We had gotten her a giant one :) And she has! she is in 2nd Nephi! SO so Amazing!!! And so we read a little with her then we gave her a lesson 1 pamphlet and talked a little about it. She turned to the picture of the sacred grove experience and we testified of what that event means and how we've come to know its true. She looked straight at me and told me that she knows it's true too. It was an amazing moment in that room the spirit was so strong and so beautiful. I pray to never forget it. I hope you each will take a moment to look at that picture and pray about Joseph's experience. I know it's true and just how God answered his prayer HE will answer yours.

    We  have walked everywhere this week...my feet and back need a massage!!!...really though i am so sore it's a killer!... Haha really.
:) but it's been wonderful we've met lots of people and we found out that one of the stake leaders was driving with his wife through town and saw us and got so excited couldn't believe we were walking! Haha when he told us that we laughed because we saw that car and were a little creeped out cause it slowed down near us but didn't stop. Haha
:) but what an amazing week I'm so blessed. I really am. Though at times it was hard...I know that HE. Was aware of every second and as I turned to HIM I was filled with the strength to keep going to take another step. Knowing without a doubt that as I do the things I know and strive to do my best and follow HIM, HE will guide my steps.
Leading me to greater things then I could ever imagine.

   Love you all so much!!! Have an amazing week and be safe! Love always and forever!


             Hermana Wuthrich

Thursday, February 6, 2014

how we made our big announcement...

okay friends this is more for me than for you- so I can refer back to this whenever I want... BUT... in case you were wondering  about how we told our family... here we go :)

Okay so we waited a bit this time before announcing anything just because I am crazy and always paranoid especially since this pregnancy has been complete opposites from my last one... which makes sense now that we know it is a girl :) yay!!!... but we did announce the big news to our families the week of Christmas and this is how we did it.............

Well hello there friends-
It’s been awhile! We thought we’d share a story to bring out that smile!

It’s that time of year, when that little elf, suddenly starts popping up on top of your shelf!
He climbs up high and way down low- I hear that he’s the guy to know!!
They say he’s friends with Santa Claus and that he wanders with a cause!
They say he knows all bad and good and that he’ll tell - if you don’t do as you should.
Well my friends there is a tale- of yet another magical little fairy tale!
This tale you know- contains no elf- but it’s a story held dear to one’s self.
The story begins with a sweet little boy- who is loved by his parents-
He is their pride and joy.
He runs and jumps!
He laughs and he giggles- and everyone knows that he just loves to wiggle!
He loves to make messes, give kisses, and hugs!
He loves to play hockey and wear baseball gloves!
Well this tale isn't over you see there is more,
This little boy is loved and spoiled galore-
However this tale although cheerful and good-

Had something missing…….

You see this small boy had heard of a tale-
A tale of a baby born upon a hay bale.
You see it’s the story of our savior’s birth-
first laid in a manager –
when he entered this earth.
Such humble beginnings-
such love and such joy
For our sweet little boy
 no longer wished for a toy
Instead our sweet angel so full of great love prayed for something much greater from his father above.
He sat down with mommy and began with his chatter- mommy and daddy knew just what was the matter.
You see these stories are great to be told- but the magic lies within when the stories unfold.
Each story begins with a heart full of joy-
A heart full of love and laughter- not toys.

Though toys are fun- it’s the truth-
we all know it!
The fun truly begins with a friend who’ll help show it- you see as we said our stories not done- we figured you can never have too much fun!
And so little Keller he begged and he pleaded
and Santa and Jesus knew just what he needed!
They whispered their thoughts to Keller’s mom and his dad!
And soon it was decided a baby should be had!

Baby Thomas #2 coming JULY 24TH

2013 in review... and then some!

Okay so this post is a little late- BUT with good reason I promise! And no that reason is not to simply stick with my tradition of posting everything late!! So sit back and hold on tight because this past year has most definitely been quite the adventure!!!
From teething and crawling to walking and running this year has flown by faster than I could have ever imagined!! We have had so much fun making memories on a daily basis and recording every little "first".
I don't know what it is about being a mommy but I swear it feels like life is on a constant fast forward!!
Last year we welcomed in the New Year by sledding behind a truck with friends it was fun and most definitely adrenaline pumping!!! Little did we know the coming year would be much the same! Fun and adrenaline pumping!!
We have had our ups and downs this year with ear infections and colds but to be totally honest- it has been perfect!!!! And to make things better- we haven't had an ear infection since October!!!! Yippee!! (Knock on wood!!) Through all our little ups and downs this past year has truly brought us closer together as it was also the first time Kurt and I have ever had to spend a night - let alone almost two weeks apart! Through losing my sweet grandma to celebrating a first birthday we have felt nearly every emotion. Though at times it was most definitely a challenge and I felt as though I could do nothing more than to kneel in prayer to my Heavenly Father to know how to be a better wife and mother or simply for patience to get through the late nights with Keller when he was sick. It has been through these little moments though that this year has truly been the greatest blessing I could have ever dreamed of!!
We have had so many great and remarkable things happen for us and we have made some even greater decisions and choices as a family! Through these choices I know that although they may bring challenges at times- we will most definitely love every minute as we are able to grow together! And that my friends is what it's all about right!!!

So this year in a nutshell has been quite a party in itself and through it all we can't wait to welcome this next year!! This next year brings some exciting new adventures for our little family! Our plans are big but soooo exciting!! From planning to finish the backyard this spring to dad graduating in May!! We couldn't be more excited and more proud of him and all the hard work that he does for our little family! He is one hard working, hard studying, and best playing daddy ever! But we are excited that he will be done and are even more excited to say adios to school! (after 2 semesters of 18 credit hours each semester all while working full time/ overtime at work we are excited to have him all to ourselves yay!!!) BUT our adventures don't stop there... nope! We are also so excited to announce that this July we will be welcoming a new addition to our little family! We will be changing this from a family of 3 to a family of 4!!! Yes you heard right... FOUR… we are overjoyed to announce that this July we are having a baby! and Keller is super excited to announce that it is a baby..... girl!!! 
Keller is super excited to have his very own baby SISTER!!!! 
we couldn't be more thrilled to welcome this little angel into our family!!