Laughter and Miracles

What a fun weeks it's been. I haven't laughed this much in a long long time. So for the 4th of July fireworks on the 3rd, Sister Adamson and I decided to dress up like Lamanites!!! WOOP WOOP! It was so fun because EVERYONE WE LOVE WAS THERE... okay... not EVERYONE, but there were so many friends and we had so much fun! This week we made a Cake for the APS- Elder Clayton and Elder Thomas because they beat us in golf a couple of weeks ago, and we hung a Miley Cyrus banner in the mission office for them that says, "Rock-Sensation." I don't think President was very fond of the sign, but he probably thought it was pretty funny!!! President is going to miss me and all of my racket!!! Haha! It's true... We were playing over at Melody and Connie Obergs house. Melody is doing some modeling, and so she was practicing runway in the living room when we showed up... so of course I WANT TO PLAY TOO!!! Then Connie says, "I asked Father God for more kids, and he sent me Mormon Missionaries!" Haha. I'm ridiculous. Sister Adamson and I have so much fun!!! Yesterday for P-Day we went to Barnes and Noble with Katie and Kimbre. We had so much fun in the kids section reading Dr. Seuss as quickly as we could... HILARIOUS!!!!

I LOVE TO LAUGH! In the midst of the miracles of the mission, the Lord also allows us to have joy! I think of moments with Sister Bradley making Valentines Day videos or making our "Love wall"---times when we could not contain ourselves from laughing! Or Sister Smith and her lamp!!! My gosh... I still cant think about that moment without laughing!

I think of Alma 27 where Alma and Ammon (BFFS) had such great joy "even that he was full; yea, he was swallowed up in joy of his God, even to the exhausting of his strength; and he fell again to the earth." Haha... Remember that times in life when you laugh so hard that you actually hurt yourself??? THOSE ARE THE BEST!!! Two Summers ago at the County Fair on the Zipper... Haha. I really thought I might die! Thank you for those memories!!! I love letters from home with memories that still make me laugh!!! I can't wait to make more memories like that when I get home!!!

Miracles Miracles! Candy Phillips from Great Bend got baptized this week! Sister Bradley and I always knew she'd come around!!! And not so miraculous... President Beck (of the mission presidency) passed away after a long reoccurring battle with cancer. He was an amazing example of devotion to the Lord. He will definitely be missed among all of the missionaries here.

Christy is doing great. Still set for the baptism on the 17th. We went to Liberty Jail with Sadi Cochran this week! I got to give the tour! Probably my last Liberty Jail tour of my mission. The spirit was POWERFUL, we didn't want to leave. But she's doing great as well! I saw Vicki and Richard Andree from 4th ward. They've talked to the Stake President about getting sealed, but it probably will happen in August AFTER I go home. Vicki says that I HAVE TO BE THERE... so hopefully I can make it work.... Anyway...
Another great week in the mission. Only a couple more weeks to go. Happily Ever After... and much laughter awaits!
I love you all! Dream Big. Wish Hard. LAUGH HARDER!!!!
Jessica Rose

Be Bound To A Star

Happy Holidays from your favorite Popsicle!

This week we hit the negative degrees in weather! It is cold cold cold! But Sister Bradley and I are doing our best to keep warm! Good thing is that we have been BUSY teaching! Being busy is such a great blessing as a missionary! This week we took some fun Christmas Pictures too! Sister Bradley is such a fun friend to have as a companion! I'm really lucky!

This week Sister Bradley and I got a phone call a half an hour before church started asking us to speak in Sacrament! EEEK! We were both so nervous, but the Lord really helped us pull it together. The subject was service and the joy of missionary work. A quote I shared from President Monson explains: "To find real happiness, we must seek for it outside ourselves. No one has learned the meaning of living until he has surrendered his ego to the service of his fellow man. Service to others is a kin to duty- the fulfillment of which brings joy!" I explained how joy comes from looking outside yourself. How joy comes from giving and receiving LOVE. The love we share with others, which is the love of Christ, is the greatest gift we can give someone. Missionary work is sharing his love and his gospel which leads to ETERNAL JOY. Matthew 10:39- "He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it." You find yourself in the joy of serving others. <<< That is one of the very important lessons I've learned on my mission.

The stars in Great Bend are beautiful! There is no light or smog from the city to cloud the sky. The contrast of their light in the sky is just brilliant! I love looking at the stars. I've always loved looking at the stars. Their purpose is so vast... and I often wonder to myself, "When am I ever going to find that shooting star?" One day... One day, I hope to better understand life, I hope to understand the characteristics of God, I hope to understand MYSELF. "Far away there are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead." -Louisa May Alcott- That is my Christmas wish... to be BOUND TO A STAR and to understand the mysteries of the world around me.

I'm so grateful for the gospel... for all that it has taught me. I love the Lord; for all that he has given me. I love all of you, and I keep you in my prayers always!

Dream Big, Wish Hard, Be Bound To A Star, And Love Always-

Jessica Rose

More WHITE and Red Lipstick

Hello everyone in the warm state of Utah. It's FREEZING OUT HERE! Wednesday is looking like a high of 9 degrees from what they say. I hope everyone is praying SUPER hard that I don't turn into a popsicle out here!!! Last night it snowed for like a half a second, but the whole road turned into a sheet of ice. It was bad enough that we got a phonecall telling us to go to our apartment and not to leave for the rest of the night! Which was actually pretty lame because we had some important appointments we had to cancel! LAME! So we made about a ZILLION phone calls and updated our Areabook and went through Former investigators... it was an interesting night.


ASIDE FROM THE COLD, YESTERDAY WAS ALSO VERY WHITE! The Phillips Family- Carmen, Matt, and Austin got baptized! It was so wonderful! Carmen is such a strong woman with all that she has been through and the spirit was especially strong as she took part in this most sacred ordinance. What a beautiful moment that was!

‘Tis the Christmas season. This week we had our Ward Christmas Party! Sister Bradley and I were asked to sing a duet last minute. Marshmallow Christmas? I must be lame, because I'm pretty sure I've NEVER heard of this song before... and I pretty sure I forgot almost ALL of the words when we were singing. It was pretty amusing. Good thing I'm entertaining anyway!!! I'm pretty sure Sister Bradley thinks I'm ridiculous! Haha!

I love these little towns! One town ACTUALLY HAD A "MERRY CHRISTMAS" Banner across their main street. Not a "Happy Holidays" but a "Merry Christmas!" Sister Bradley and I were pretty excited to see it!

Also had an exchange with Sister Kim Frandsen (from S. Jordan, UT.) this week. It was fun because she knows a lot of my best friends who went to Bingham! Yay! She is a fan of Red lipstick, but doesn't get to wear it as a missionary so I told her to bring it... and well... that evening we had some fun playing with Christmas makeup! Missouri Independence Mission Sister Wathen Style! Woop Woop! We had a TON OF FUN! She is a doll!!!


Christmas season means Christmas Devotional. Even though I'm not in SLC... it was great to see the lights up at Temple Square. My favorite message was from the Prophet, President Monsen, "Real joy comes through love." ~sigh~ Never was there a more true statement ever told. I'm excited to talk to my family this Christmas! Any of you who have been missionaries before know that there is NO GREATER GIFT than JUST BEING ABLE TO TALK TO THOSE YOU LOVE! I think I'm starting to get it. Don't send me packages and bows... all I need is love! 19 more days until Christmas!

The work out here is going well. I have faith that there will be more WHITE (as in baptisms) this transfer!!! ...and I guess also white because of the snow... The cold weather in Great Bend is the next big challenge of my mission. But the Lord tells us in Ether 12, "I will prepare you against these things." I am PREPARED! 2 LAYERS OF GLOVES, 2 COATS, EARMUFFS AND A HAT, WARM SOCKS AND BOOTS! I'm so thankful for warm clothing! OH AND A CAR! I'm SOOOO SO grateful for our car! Being willing to get OUT of the car... that's a bit of a challenge still. But I will try to "press forward with a perfect brightness of hope" (2 Ne. 31:20) that the spirit and the love of Christ will keep me warm this cold season!

Dream Big. Wish Hard. LOVE LOVE LOVE and MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Your favorite popsicle-
Sister Jessica Rose Wathen

The POWER of Virtue

Happy Turkey Day! You'll be happy to know that Sister Bradley and I had 3 dinners on Thanksgiving! Haha! We're sick... Haha. Just kidding... We are missionaries!!! We actually knew we would be getting fed three times so we ate small portions at every meal! It was neat to feel so welcomed in by members of the ward! It wasn't quite like home... but it was still a lot of fun!

I can't get over the fact that I'm in the middle of nowhere. I think I've said that every week since I've arrived here. It's just really different than anywhere else I have been. This week all of the Christmas decorations went up in Great Bend. It's an official small town country Christmas. It's soooo pretty! There are TONS of lights, bells, trees, LAWN ORNAMENTS, the parks are all decked out! It's really festive around these parts. It's a lot of fun! I'm really starting to love the small town feel. I think I'm becoming a real country girl! Accent and all! ...Ya'll! Jk!

Missionary work is going great!!! There are so many miracles that were shared by the missionaries in our District in our last meeting! It's amazing! Sister Bradley and I are still grateful for the hand of the Lord as he directs the work in this area of his vineyard! Salina District is the best!

This week I've been studying virtue. I LOVE STUDIES!!! I think we all understand virtue as purity, chastity, cleanliness...Virtue is a patter of thought and behavior based on high moral standards. But what about virtue being STRENGTH? This was a new thought for me as I studied! The Latin root word for virtue is virtus, which means strength. The dictionary said virtue was a "manly strength or courage"... when I read that, I thought, "WHAT?" Virtue is something I had always associated to women, to meekness, to being reserved in mannerisms. But then as I was studying I was referred to Mark 5 where the woman with the issue of blood is healed by Jesus Christ when she touched his robe. And it explains in Mark 5:30, "And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him." Virtue had gone out of him? The new thing I learned was that virtue refers to strength. To power. To priesthood power... or for women spiritual power... It's an exerted strength or courage or power to heal others. I decided that is why missionaries are so tired all the time! Haha. Because as the Savior's robe was touched and he felt virtue leave him, he was exhausted! Yet that strength he exerted healed that woman that she was made whole. What a great blessing it is to know and understand ! As we live virtuous lives, that we are in turn blessed with virtuous gifts of healing and light. The light of our Savior Jesus Christ. I am so grateful to be a missionary and to have the opportunity to share the light of the Lord with others.

"The Lord is my light. The Lord is my strength."

I love you all! Happy holiday season! Let the magic begin!!!
Dream Big. Wish Hard. Love always-
Jessica Rose

"Miracle A Day" Week

Sharon Phillips- the Phillips family is being baptized Dec. 6th!



This week was what Sister Bradley and I are calling a "Miracle A Day" week. It was really cool. Something spectacular and non-coincidental happened, EVERY SINGLE DAY! From acting in faith in committing for baptism, and our investigators saying YES, to driving to a referrals home JUST when they are getting out of the car in the drive way.

We met a less-active named Sue this week. She has been less-active for the last 40 years because when she got married her husband was a Southern Baptist. When they got married, they knew they wanted to raise their kids in a church, so they compromised and began attending the Methodist Church. When we showed up to Sue's house she was very warm and friendly. She expressed how she is currently serving as the leader of the woman’s group for her church, and she was supposed to go to a get together that night. But the night before, she had told her husband that she wanted to come back to the LDS church in January when her calling gets passed on to another woman. THE DAY BEFORE WE SHOWED UP! And the fact that she stayed home that night and we knocked on her door... we were all quite overwhelmed to know that Heavenly Father knew exactly where all of us were at. I was grateful to know that Heavenly Father was guiding our work as we planned to see her having no knowledge on her background. But her name stood out to us. We KNEW we needed to see her. And her husband is more interested in learning about the church than ever! We won’t be able to really teach her until January... but still... it was an amazing miracle!

I'm still trying to adjust to country living... That farm smell... especially when it's foggy Is pretty bad around where we live. But there are so many cute little shops and little towns. Some of them even remind me of Disneyland! The Kansas skies are amazing as well. Every morning I wake up to beauty and every night is the same. And country people I've noticed are a lot different than city people. They are all so loving and friendly. Like I mentioned, I'm still adjusting to my surroundings, but it's great out here.

This week I was studying Christ-like attributes in Preach My Gospel. One attribute that really stood out to me was PATIENCE!!! Why? Well... this is one I need to work on! Haha. Many of the scriptures talk about being patient in sufferings. I remember my "Conversion" scripture was D&C 24:8, "Be patient in thine afflictions for thou shalt have many, but endure them and I know that I am with thee, even unto the end of thy days." BUT HOW AND WHY should I be patient? I remember times when I would pray for a blessing or an answer and the response I would get was, "wait." I get than answer a lot! But why would we want to sit around and be QUIET AND STILL? What is the purpose for patience? I was grateful for this study as I pondered upon this attribute that has been taught to me on my mission. Being patient in your afflictions is to discover peace. It is only through being patient then that we can learn ANYTHING from our trials. Only through peace and patience can the whisperings of the spirit come...

I am grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am grateful for the added peace that comes to my life as I strive to become more like him. I'm grateful for the promptings of the spirit that guide and direct this work everyday. I love all of you at home and hope you have a WONDERFUL and Happy Thanksgiving!!! I am indeed grateful for all of you and send my love.

Dream Big. Wish Hard. Love Always- Jessica Rose