March 30, 2014

Last November Elder Cook came and spoke to our mission. I was not able to attended due to the fact I was exiled in the wonderful land of Plymouth, but President Millar had sent an email to everyone with the notes he had taken.  At the end of his talk Elder Cook had promised us that even if it feels like we could be doing more good back home whatever the case may be, that we would bless and serve our families and friends more by serving the and loving the Lord and His Children.  It was a great comfort to me especially with my Dad's cancer, but I just the last few weeks have I really been able to feel and know that promise is true.  I won't go into details, but my dad has been extremely blessed with his surgery and miracles did happen and he is doing really well. Grumpy and sore, but well:) It has also filled me with so much joy to know that I am doing the right thing by serving the Lord and that we truly are led by His Prophets and Apostles. 

My week was pretty great! Elder Redd and I went to the temple with our baptismal date Brendon.  He loved it! It was such an amazing experience for him and us.  When we were walking around the temple he said when I am baptized I can come here and learn more from Christ.  It was so awesome to see the Spirit working in him and teaching him how truly great the temple is for us! He also loved the picture of the Celestial Room and wanted to to go in really bad.  It was awesome. We also got to watch Meet the Mormons! It was my first time seeing it and it was just the greatest movie ever! Brendon loved it and especially the kid that served in South Africa where he is from haha. My favorite was the Navy Football coach. It was just so full of America that I just got so pumped! And of course the last one with the missionary mom just made me cry because she was exactly like my mom when I was leaving haha.  The whole experience was just great! 

Got my new companion Elder Gibbons! It was awesome because there was no awkwardness between us. Like waking up in the morning and having the classic conversation "Do you want to shower first?" Nope non of that! Just tons of fun, laughing and hard work! We have 4 return appointments this week which is great. Plus we basically have the greatest Bishop ever! Besides Bishop Twitchell of course:) He gave a presentation in a combined Relief Society and Priesthood meeting on what the missionaries are going to do to help them bring there friends into the church. By the way we had no idea he was going to do that. He just asked us after if it was ok and we just nodded our heads and kissed his feet... Just kidding.  It awesome though! I will tell you how it goes later! Elder Gibbons is also teaching me how to play the guitar and I already know 4 chords now and am learning the song "I'm bleeding out". Hymns are to hard right now to learn haha. My fingers hurt way bad though.  

Well conference is coming up this weekend and I'm so excited! We get the chance to listen to LIVING MODERN DAY PROPHETS AND APOSTLES! Just to dang pumped for it! Will be my last one so pretty sad about that, but can't wait to hear what Tommy Monson has to say. You might wonder why I say Tommy it is because we are like buds;) Also learned so cool things about the Keys of the Kingdom and how it applies to us in modern times from reading Matthew 16:13-19 and 17.  Here Christ asked his apostles who they think he is.  We all know the story, but what is great is that Peter THROUGH REVELATION was able to know that Jesus truly is the Christ. We to may have this same privilege. But that is not what I want to focus on. Right after Christ says this he tells Peter that this is the rock he will build His kingdom. What is that rock? Well it is REVELATION. Who was to lead the church once Christ was gone? Peter and he would do it through REVELATION. Christ then goes on to say that he would give Peter the keys of the kingdom to bind and seal on earth.  A few weeks ago Elder Dyches visited my mission and told us that the Keys of the Priesthood or Kingdom are channels of REVELATION.  So in Christ was basically saying I will give you the ability to receive the REVELATION  necessary to bring forth my kingdom and church on the earth and to help everyone return to live with my and Heavenly Father.  Now the only person on the earth that can have all the Keys of the Kingdom is the Prophet or President of Christ church. So that is why Peter received the Keys of the Kingdom.  Well in the next chapter when Christ is transfigured Moses and Elias (Elijah) appear and give the Keys of the gathering of Israel(Moses) and the Sealing Keys(Elias) to Peter. And guess who appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the Kirtland Temple? Christ, Moses, and Elijah.  It is amazing to see that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are doing the exact same things they did in Christ time as they are now doing in our time. I know that President Thomas Monson is God's Prophet on the earth and that he holds ALL the Keys of the Kingdom and we have the amazing opportunity to hear him speak and help us to come unto Christ.  

Have a great week and LOVE YA'LL TO SHREDZZ!! 

Love,

Elder Wilson

Temple with Brendon! 

March 23, 2015

Well this week was just so dang AWESOME! Had exchange with the Zone Leaders which was a blast! I was with Elder Bradshaw who is from my group and actually was in my room at the MTC. I haven't been around him since we left the MTC so it was awesome to catch up on things. He loves baseball like me and just working hard and having a good time which we did! Talk to so many great people! Only bad part was is that I missed our train stopped which made for a crazy night haha. Not really just a whole lot of waiting around.  Learned a lot from Elder Bradshaw. Love that man of God! 

Best part of the week was we got a Baptismal Date! We have been teaching him for awhile now, but he accepted for April 25! He is the nicest guy I know and we are going to the temple tomorrow with him which is awesome! He even told his family who wanted him to drink some alcohol no thank you! So awesome to see how he is doing so well! We also were able to start seeing these two boys Solomon and Isaac who kind of fell off the map for a bit, but we played football (soccer) with them  and now we are best friends so that is pretty awesome! They thought I was really good at football as well:) Oh yeah I know like football... I never thought it would happen, but it is a dang fun sport. The funniest part of the night was I had stolen the ball from Isaac and he is 11 and out of nowhere he just comes flying up and tackles me haha! It was so funny. Unfortunately for him my fat body landed on him and killed him haha.  Good times! 

Saturday we got the call from President that Elder Redd is moving and becoming a Zone Leader at 6 freaking months out in the field! Since President Millar goes home in June he wants young leadership so that the new mission president has an easier transition.  Going to miss this boy! He is my Elda and I am his White Puma haha.  Funny story about my nickname.  Anyway since Elder Redd is going and the ward loves him to death we have just had appointments and seeing people like crazy! Been so great! I am getting a new companion called Elder Gibbons! He is Irish and came into my ward when I was in Slough so pretty pumped to serve with him! He is awesome missionary!

My new song that I am always singing with Elder Redd now is 

There's a bright golden beam in the meadow

There's a bright golden beam in the meadow

The corn is as high as the elephants eyes 

as it points to the sky 

Ooh what beautiful morning! 

Ooh what a beautiful day! 

I got a wonderful feeling that 

Everything is going my way

Yes it is awesome and makes morning exercise fun haha! We also at a dinner appointment with the Smiths sang and danced with them as they put their little girl to bed! It was the best! Love that family so much! 

With Easter coming closer I hope we will all take time to remember all that our Loving Heavenly Father has done for us especially in sending us His Son Jesus Christ. Because of Christ death has no sting, Because of Him all that is unfair about life will be made up through His atonement.  I know that He lives! I have felt his love so much during my mission and the love that he has for every single of you! We are ALL children of God and He will never, no never forsake us! 

Have a great week and love ya to shredzz! 

Love,

Elder Wilson

The district and bowling with the Guildford Elders and Sisters last P-day! I took 2nd:)

March 16, 2015

This week as pretty dang awesome! We have had amazing weather expect for yesterday day and we have  talked to loads of people and had tons of fun doing it.  For some reason our mission has had low moral so they are making a big push to talk to as many people as possible. They gave us a new key indicator called "Gospel Discussions" and not that it matters, but Elder Redd and I almost beat the zone leaders and we had two days where weren't able to do it as much.  It has been nice to work hard and just enjoy talking to everyone wherever we go. We are rebuilding are teaching pool, but still have lots of less actives and recent converts to teach so it is good hard work.  Also found out this weekend that we will be getting ipads within the next month or so! YAHOO! Will help our work out so much! Sunday was fun with the new people in the ward

Highlight of this week was definitely zone conference. Elder Dyches of the Seventy and his wife came and spoke to the whole mission which was pretty awesome.  He gave some great tips on how to just be simple in our work and be master teachers. My favorite quote from him was "Jesus Christ is the master at simplicity and Satan is the master at complexity."  I think it is so true. When we are confused and frustrated we can know that it is from Satan, but when it is clear and bright and it flows then we can know it is coming from Christ.  President Millar gave some great advice. I love listening to him speak. He sounds like Bruce R. McKonkie so much! It was just a great day.  We also had our investigator Brendon really open up to us which was awesome. Slowing but surely he is progressing! Looking forward to this week. Transfers is next week so we get moves calls this weekend. Elder Redd will most likely be moving so that means companion number 13 is on the way! Hopefully I die with him haha.  

I love you all and hope you have a great week! LOVE YA TO SHREDZZ!! 

Love,

Elder Wilson  

Just a cool old tree that they made into a Pegasus! Nice little lake near our flat as well

March 9, 2015

Well nothing to exciting really happened this week. Had some awesome Dinners with some even more awesome families! Had the Smiths again who I just love so much! We have this epic voice mail which is just Elder Redd and I saying how awesome the person calling is and how sorry we are for missing it. So the Brother Smith left a similar one on our phone saying how awesome we were! So dang funny! We had a dinner with a really cool American family named the Tarrs who actually are going to America for holiday the same day I fly home haha! So that will be awesome if they are on the same plane.  Yesterday we had a combined ward conference because they were moving the boundary lines for the Kingston and Addlestone wards.  We get about 5 more families which are mostly American plus President and Sister Millar are now in our ward haha.  It is cool because one of the families moving in lived in Sunstone which is the neighborhood right across from Herriman High and the dad was actually my friend Brett Wilson's young men president! So that was epic! Our Bishop also got released and we got the Kingston bishop who is American and awesome! He has a lot of great plans to help the work progress in the ward which we are excited about! It was funny because everyone was all shocked from the change and they asked me what I thought and I just said I have lived in my home for 15 years and been in about 3 different stakes and 5 wards and was always put into the new ward being created. They looked at me like I was some kind of alien haha. IT WAS AWESOME! Other then that my week was great! Did get some bad news from President Millar about my dad and his cancer so if you can all keep him in your prayers that would be awesome! 

One thing I learned this week is to only worry about the things you can control. And you know what the number one thing you can control is? YOUR ATTITUDE! Life likes to throw us curveballs and they can be rough, but that doesn't mean we can't look up and just smile and make the best out of the situation.  Heavenly Father is aware of each and everyone of us. He knows are trials and struggles. If we will just put our trust in him we will all be able to push through the hard times and become the men and women he wants us to be and to return to live with Him and his Son Jesus Christ again! 

I love you all to shredzz and have a great week! 

Love,

Elder Wilson

My hair is getting a little long. Going for the Einstein look! 

March 2, 2015

Well this week was pretty great! Nothing really all that exciting really happened. The greatest part of the week though was the baptism! I had nothing to do with it at all. I didn't even see Daniel for the first time until an hour before the baptism.  It was still really good and crazy, but I'll get to that in a second.  Elder Redd is a stud. This kid just has his head on strait. Definitely will be a ZL by the time I go home and possibly an AP.  He is a lot of fun to work with. He has had a lot of companions go home or be apostate so he is happy he finally has a companion that is willing to work and has experience.  Our area is pretty huge! There is a lot going on and it is just really nice to have things to do everyday which makes finding a lot more enjoyable since you aren't doing it for 8 strait hours.  

The ward is awesome! They are really small like 60 active people, but it is really nice because my last 5 wards have been a 100+ people. My favorite members so far are the Smiths who are just like big brother and sister. When we went to dinner there they found out I basically die during hay fever season and so they are going to get me local honey so that my body starts building an immune system to the pollen.  They also are an epic missionary family and want to have a friend have dinner with us which is awesome! Another really cool family is the Hitotos.  The husband is jacked! His email name is Brown Sugar which is hilarious. Him and his wife are both RM's.  Just a fun loving ward.  

The baptism went well. We showed up at about 3 hours before the baptism to start filling it up and weekly plan while it did when we couldn't find the key to the boiler room so we ended up spending two hours filling a pot up and dumping it into the fount. It was a blast! Good thing Daniel was a small kid cause it only went up to about his lower thigh haha. Plus it was freezing cold which was awesome! After the baptism we had a MTC for the members. Basically the RM's in the ward just had a few workshops and then Elder Redd and I gave a presentation on the Europe Area Plan which is boss. And then the best part was that President and Sister Millar came even though they have had a rough few weeks. In the last two weeks including this one 8 Elders have gone home and a bunch have problems.  I have never seen them so tired before, but when they bore their testimony at the end they both still had fire in their eyes and spoke with some much power, It was amazing! Half the ward was there as well and it was just a great experience. I love this ward so much already! Something that really touched me about the ward though is that they all complimented me on the way that I speak and talk. It was really nice because it has been something I've been working on and feel like I'm rubbish at, but Heavenly Father sure does know how to make feel loved!

Well I don't have much time this week,but one thing I have learned this week that I learn every time I move is that change is GOOD FOR YOU! Yeah it sucks and is hard at first, but if you just dive on in and try to learn something from it all you just learn to love everything about the area and the people.  Truly have grown strong because of all the change in my missionary life! 

God bless and LOVE YA'LL TO SHREDZZ!! 

Love,

Elder Wilson

Daniel's baptism 

The boys in the District!