July 21, 2015 

So being the sneaky dad that I am.  I snuck on his email account and found this picture today.   Looks like he is all packed up and on his way to the mission home before he flies out tomorrow.  We are so excited to see him!

July 20, 2015

This is Elder Collin Wilson's final email home as a missionary. We are sad that he is finished and won't be getting these great emails but excited that he is coming home!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well the day has arrived that I leave England.  I can't believe that it has come this fast.  It wasn't till yesterday during church that it finally hit me that I will be leaving.  It has definitely been the hardest and at times the longest two years of my life, but I have never been happier and the good times out way the bad by so much.  I'm so grateful for all the wonderful people that I was able to meet and rub shoulders with. All of you have helped me to become the person I am today. 

I have learned so much from my mission and am so excited to use it at home. From my first taste of England being a mini middle east in Slough, going to God's waiting room in Hedge End. Chilling with the Craggs in Crawley, and can't forget the blessed Isle of Wight were I feel I really started becoming who God wanted me to be. Plymouth with some of the craziest districts I ever had. Then my 1 week tearing up the streets with Elder Ertmann. Then 4 days in Worthing with my ginger Elder Gunnell. Then there is Addlestone where I feel like I met my family away from home. I'm going to miss this great Ward here in Addlestone. Feels like I'm leaving home now. 

I'm so grateful for all the missionaries I was able to serve with and around. There is truly nothing more inspiring then meeting as a group of missionaries and all singing Jerusalem.  I have been able to experience so much in the last two years that I won't even attempt to typed it up here.  I just want all of you to know that the number one thing I learned on my mission that will carry me for the rest of my life is the knowledge that we are literally children of God and that Jesus Christ lives and is our Saviour and Redeemer. I know that this is true with all my heart.  I know that they appeared to a humble 14 year old boy and turned him into a Prophet of God who restored the true church of Jesus Christ to the earth again.  All this knowledge and conviction has come to me though because of simply reading and praying about the Book of Mormon. That book is the most true and inspired book on the earth today. I love it, and I live it.  Hold to the iron rod and you will never go astray. There is truly nothing greater then sharing the message of The Restoration and that Jesus Christ lives, especially with the people of England. True happiness really does come from serving others and bringing them unto Christ.  I feel to end my last email with the last few sentences from Jerusalem. 

I will not cease from mental fight, 

Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand:

Till we have built Jerusalem, 

In England's green and pleasant land  

I love you all so much and look forward to hopefully seeing you soon! God be with you till meet again! 

Love,

Elder Collin Wilson

New Email: ccwilson11@gmail.com 

The picture with the yellow tie is from June 2013 and the other is July 2015. Hopefully I'm a little more of a man;)

June 2013

July 2015

July 13, 2015

Second to Last Letter before he is home!

Well this week was a long one! I swear everything that could have kept us from finding did. So much service was done, and even though I love doing service it can be a bit much sometimes when you don't get to do any finding. Good thing I love these members to death! London was also pretty epic! That city is so big and so full of life! I wish I could have served there and contacted those streets! Would have been a hoot!

Some pretty cool things. Big Ben was my favourite and it felt so surreal to see him. Really cool place. I took pictures on my other camera so you will all have to wait for when I get home, good thing that is not to long;)

We had a really cool DLC (district leader conference) were we had a great counsel for the new mission training plan. It took three hours but the Spirit was so strong and it was great! Since we didn't do a lot of finding this week and Sunday we wouldn't have time either, so I started fasting and praying that we would find someone somewhere that would want to meet up and be baptised. Well after Presidents interviews (which were awesome and my last one) We were on the train and happen to bump in to he Sisters from Aldershot and were talking to them when the crazy Finish sister looks between the seats and just starts talking to him between the seats. Was pretty great haha. Well turns out he lives in our area and we are meeting up on Tuesday! One, I love God and His ability to answer prayers and two, I love Sisters they always know how to show off and show you how to do things:) Super great!

So two funny moments from Sunday. First one I was talking to some members about a dinner appointment and then right before they leave she says oh since your going home we will have to hook you up with a few single girls we know😮And then Elder Redd tells me he might give me some referrals and at dinner with the Tarrs Sunday night Sister Tarr tells me that if her older daughter wasn't taller she would definitely have me look her up😵 I guess it's good that I am a worthy candidate for these moms daughters and nieces, but holy cow! I am pumped to date, but the fact that it's actually possible now is scary haha. I'm going to die!

Probably one of the greatest things I have learned on my mission that I knew before, but have had reaffirmed and strengthened is that the Book of Mormon is truly the word of God and that Joseph Smith is a Prophet. I have no doubts whatsoever that it is true. Not only have I received the confirmation from the Spirit that it is true, but having read it 5 times on my mission nearly 6 and sharing it with the people of England everyday I will never be able to say that that book might not be true. The power that comes from it is beyond words. My understanding of gospel doctrines and The Bible have grown because of reading the Book of Mormon. Most importantly my love and desire to serve Heavenly Father and my Saviour Jesus Christ has grown so deep that I just want to stand on roof tops and shout it to the world that they live and we are their Sons and Daughters! The Book of Mormon is true! I read it, I live it, and I love it! In the words of the Prophet Joseph Smith,

"The Book of Mormon [is] the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.”(Introduction to the Book of Mormon)

That is the key though. We must not only read the Book of Mormon everyday, but abide by its precepts every single day! We are Children of God and I promise you that you cannot feel closer and more of Gods love then through the Book of Mormon. In the Name of Jesus Christ Amen.

LOVE YA'LL TO SHREDZZ!!!

Love,

Elder Wilson

Family Home Evening

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We had Collin answer a few questions about his mission and here is the response.

-3 Apostles met and Elder Holland twice 

-7 member of the Quorum of the Seventy 

-Between 5000 and 5200 miles walked 

-To many friends made to count 

-3 baptisms I was apart of 7 total if you count the ones I found and were baptised after I left 

-Mugged once 

-Really only one weird food tried which was Fu Fu 

-20-21 zone conferences/zone training/IPad training/ Apostle meetings 

-About 79 district meetings 

-7 times going in the temple 

-Skyped  home 4 times and called once 

-24 razors 

-New grandparents, Palm, president and sister Millar, and president and sister Gubler 

I can tell you lessons when I get home:) love you!

16 DAYS LEFT!!!!

July 6, 2015

Well this week was pretty much as if I lived on the sun or more like hell. It was about 90 degrees for two of the days this week and near there for the rest. And guess what we have no air conditioning!

Luckily today it rained and was super cool and I think I finally stopped sweating...maybe. I thought England was suppose to be rainy and miserable. Well the miserable part is still here:). I don't know now how some missionaries deal with that kind of heat everyday for two years. They are my new hero's.

Anyway the week itself was actually a lot of fun. We had exchanges with the zone leaders and I was with Elder Lloyd again, but this time in Staines! It was another great and memorable exchange with Elder Lloyd. We had two teaches right of the bat in the morning. Two really solid people and even extended a baptismal date to one and they said yes! Super cool girl. In the second teach we get a call from my Sisters saying they need me to come to Kingston now to give a baptismal interview. We were like we will be there as fast we can.

They had canceled it that morning so it was a surprise to us. We get down there and I do the interview which was an amazing experience.

When I told her she was worthy to be baptised and saw the tears come into her eyes I was just filled with the Spirit and wish I could have given her the biggest hug. That's probably the hardest thing for me is not being able to give the sisters or other females hugs of joy or comfort. I don't say that just because I want to hug a girl, but sometimes words and handshakes just aren't enough and a hug is the only thing that is needed. So rough being a missionary. After that though we drove back up to Staines got a quick bite to eat because we hadn't had anything since breakfast and then went and did an act of love for one of there investigators and then went to a dinner appointment with the craziest and best member ever named Carol. She was so funny. She has this cat and she calls her Satan because as soon as you touch her she claws you to death. I was like well I'm pretty much the spawn of Satan so I should be ok. She warned me not to, but I go over and just start petting the cat and cuddling her. She was shocked haha. So funny,

Alright so that is not even the best part of exchange. As always Elder Lloyd and I work hard, but play harder. We get to the flat quickly plan (because this was the hottest day of the week) so we can change.

They have a four man flat so we were like hey it's pretty much a sauna in here so why don't we sleep outside since they have a backyard. We chuck the mattresses out there and it's wonderful and dandy and slept so beautiful and it was cold. Well we forgot one thing. To shut the back door to the house. Well at about 4:30 in the morning we see this fox trying to get into the flat. We shoo him away. I then have to go use the toilet and Elder Oh comes with me. Well I finish and go back outside to sleep and Elder Oh comes out a little bit after and is like the fox destroyed my bag. Well apparently the fox made multiple trips into the flat where he ruined Elder Oh's bag, stole a whole bunch of cookies, ate part of Elder Lloyd's belt, and stole Elder Hartshorns wallet with all his cards, money, and drivers license. Of course all of my stuff was ok:) All of us were laughing so hard, but Elder Oh was one angry Korean. He was making some secret combinations to destroy the fox. I interviewed him with my iPad on what he was going to do to the fox and how he felt and it was pretty funny. Great exchange!

Friday we got to meet our new mission president! President and Sister Gubler (goob-ler) are the best! Wow are they awesome and so full of life! He has some great ideas and they are both so full of love! Sucks I only get them for two weeks:( They are in our ward though and they came to church which was awesome being able to get a little personal time with them. He was super loving to me and kept telling everyone that I'm staying for another two years so sorry mom and dad President said I got to stay so there is that;) I was able to get my first date set up for when I go home as well. Brother Jones daughter Elsa came up to me after church and was talking to me and asked when I go home. I told her and then she said hey me to! The best part is right after that she says,"I can't wait to see you in Utah because then you can give me piggyback rides and I can sit on your lap." Haha she cracks me up. We also were able to have a dinner appointment with Bishop after church. His family all went to Utah so we spent the afternoon with him and a really great family he baptised in Kingston when he first moved to England. They were a proper miracle!

So it's been a great week, but we are struggling to find people to teach. Keep us in your prayers and for the hearts of the people to soften to the gospel. One of the greatest lessons I have learned on my mission is obedience. Obedience is key to everything. When we obey we show our faith and when we do everything the Lord commands us to do with exactness we receive these promises, His Spirit to be with us(John 14:15-16 and sacrament prayer), we gain power(Alma 17:2-3), miracles(Moroni 7:37) and we receive blessings(D&C 130:20-21). As I have obeyed the Lord I have seen how he fulfils all of these wonderful promises. Who of us would not want to have His Spirit to be with us more, or to have power to do whatever the day brings, and who doesn't want miracles or blessings. They are all ours to have if we will just follow Jesus Christ and strive to do the will of the Father as He so perfectly showed us. I am obedient not because I can't see, but because I can see. I know that Jesus Christ lives. I give my witness with the Angels that beautiful Sunday morning, "He is not here, for He is risen." I know this to be true with every fiber of my being and is why I have spent the last two years of my life proclaiming it to these wonderful people of England!

I LOVE YOU ALL TO SHREDZZ!

Love

Elder Wilson

Dinner With Elder Lloyd and Carol! Don't mind my fat face