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! 

February 24, 2015

Transferred again just after one week!

Well this was just the most exciting week I have had for awhile.  

We started off the week with interviews with President Millar.  It was the most uplifting and Spirit filled interview I have ever had with him.  He just answered so many of my prayers and really made me feel like I was where I need to be.  It was funny though because out of nowhere he says "Elder Wilson are you praying for the Lord to prepare a wife that can raise your children in the gospel for you?" I just sat there in shock cause I was like President I still have months left go talk to Elder Gunnell he has two left and could use the advice haha. He then said no I'm not asking you to pray for girls, but for a wife that you can have an eternal family with and he also said I should pray that I can be a good enough man to receive such a wife.  It was so random cause I have never mention girls to him ever and I mean ever. But it was pretty cool.  Then the rest of the week until Friday Elder Ertmann and I just got soaked to the bone every day it was great! 

Now for the juicy stuff.

Thursday night Elder Gunnell calls us and says we have to go on an emergency exchange so we do it the next day and Elder Gunnell and I just go back to old times serving with each other and having a good ole time. Well Saturday morning before we leave to exchange back President calls and says he is extending the exchange till Monday. So I was on a 3 day exchange in Worthing. We worked hard and had a lot of fun.  Monday morning rolls around and we get a call from President during studies that they are closing down Littlehampton and that I am leaving at 12 to go to my new area which is Addlestone. Elder Ertmann is going to Newbury and will be in a tri the rest of the week.  So we rush back to my area to tell the other Elders and so I can pack. When the other guys leaves Elder Ertmann tells me that Elder Gunnell's comp hates him and that he has depression and they just sat in the flat all day and that is why we are getting E-moved. So it was just a big ole mess. Then the zone leaders come and get us drop Elder Ertmann off and then we head to Addlestone, but the car breaks down so we stop at the office to get the van which took ages! Anyway we left at 12 got to my area at 7:) Then had a D.A. at a really nice Italian families home.  Needless to say I am tired and just really bummed out because I was really happy where I was at and bummed I can't serve with Elder Ertmann more. Oh well I now have Elder Redd who is from Idaho and has been out for 5 months. He is a stud! We have a baptism this week as well haha! Crazy week and hope all of your guys week is great. LOVE YA TO SHREDZZ!! 

Love,
Elder Wilson

Arundel castle we contacted by in Littlehampton it is huge! And the beach we contact by.  Going to miss it! 

The beach at Littlehampton

Arundel Castle

February 16, 2015

Sorry I never told you last week where I was going because I had no idea where I was going till 5 clock that night. Well I'm now in Little Hampton and serving with Elder Ertmann from Morgan, Utah! Yep he is my 7th Utahn companion.  He is also my 11th companion and am now on to my 6 area.  Crazy how many different people and areas of England I have seen.  Little Hampton reminds me a lot of Hedge End. That is bunch of old people and small area.  We are a 5 minute walk from the sea so looks like I will spend a solid year right by the sea which is pretty epic! Sorta hope this isn't my last area, but if it is oh well the ward and people here are awesome! Plus I'm right by my third area so I can see the members I lived with all the time:) Elder Gunnell is also my district leader which is hilarious and awesome since I only got one transfer to serve with him. Elder Green is also in the next city over so will be seeing him a lot which is sick since he goes home in three months! Also get to be right by the temple again which is nice since I have been exiled for the last 7.5 months! Elder Ertmann is epic! He is 20 and loves to hunt. He owns property in South Africa and says all I have to do is pay for the plane ticket. Its only $2500 so that's pocket change! Just have to go get me a lion! He also was less active all growing up and then about 2 years ago decided to be active and now just tears it up on his mission! Brought the rest of his family back into activity as well which was really cool.  He is so chilled and so dang funny. Just cracks me up constantly with all his stories.  He came out last April and I actually went on a split with him for like two hours when he was brand spanking new.  Trained by an Elder from my group so it was epic. Pretty dang excited for this transfer. 

We have about 4 investigators. 2 are a couple that have been investigating the church for 50 years so they are more like members then investigators. Then another one named Sandy has been investigating for a few years now and has decided to be baptized before the summer starts so that is epic! Her daughters where baptized 4 years ago by my old district leader Elder La Mazza.  The other guy is a Jehovah Witness that they just found and likes to Bible Bash.  Seeing him on Tuesday so time to bear down in pure testimony against him and get him baptized! Other then those people and a few of the craziest less actives I have ever met we just do a whole lot of finding! Real quick we have this less active that is crazy and will call us up all the time and say I bought you this chicken so come get it. He buys us whole flippin chickens! So funny.  

The beginning of this week was pretty crazy.  I found out Monday night before going over to the Stake President's to eat dinner that I'm leaving tomorrow morning. So we go eat dinner then go to John and Judith Martin's to say goodbye since we were suppose to eat there the next day and just took some pics. We then packed until midnight which was fun.  Well the zone leaders come and pick us up and while driving there decided to tell me that I'm spending the night in Bideford which is an area in Plymouth Stake and leaving my bags with them. So I just chilled in the same clothes for like 3 days haha.  Bideford is fun though cause Elder Williams (from my mtc group and old district leader) and they have a car! So we went to a D.A. with this old couple and there nonmember sister and taught her. We then went to young men and women's and had waffles and played this fun game. Well while playing this game I went to move and just let out this big old fart. It was pretty funny.  Everyone kept telling me how glad they were that I'm not staying. Ooops! We then had to wake up at 4:30 in the morning went and picked up someone in Exeter who is going to the Isle of Wight. Lucky dog.  Then on our way to Yeovil we got stuck in traffic so we turn around and start going down the back roads which are barely wider then your car.  Well we start having loads of cars coming the other way so we barely get by that when a bus comes from behind and get everyone stuck. We barely escape and spend the next half hour telling all the other cars to turn around.  Turned out a Lori (Semi) jacked knife on the main road and now everyone was using the back roads! Anyway got to Yeovil I then got in the Poole Zone leaders car and talked about ranching and driving trucks the whole two hours to Staines. Sister Barnes who was on the Isle of Wight with me was in the car so that was cool to catch up with her. We also drove by Stone Henge which is right by the motorway. Just in this dirt field with sheep. Pretty funny to look at.  Yeah then after getting dropped off in Worthing saying hi to Elder Gunnell and then leaving to my flat. Well about a half mile away from my flat one of my suitcases decides to have both sets of wheels just blow up or something so I drag this 50lbs bag full of books and who know what for a half mile. That was great.  So yeah that is my exciting week! So many adventures.   

I forgot to mention last week that the week before on P-day that it snowed for the first time of me being in England! It was pretty sick! Made snow angels and had a weak snowball fight haha.  That's my week and hope you have had a great week and an even better week! LOVE YA TO SHREDZZ!!! 

Love,

Elder Wilson

Stake President, his wife, and daughter. 

Then John and Judith my couple of my favorite members ever! 

First snowfall of my whole mission

Manolito and Reece

February 9, 2015

Well this week was crazy and weird.  We get a call from President Tuesday morning right before we are about to leave and he is like we are going to white wash your area and move the zone leaders in since they live in the middle of nowhere and need to be more central and there area is not productive.  I was like oh well that sounds about right. Every time I get an area going I just get shipped off to one that has nothing and then have to slave away for the next 3 to 4 months and then do it all over again.  Heavenly Father loves doing that to me.  I really wasn't all that bothered though. I'm pretty used to moving. Elder Thompson though was devastated since he wanted to die here. (When a missionary goes home it is refer to as dying). He was the one talking to President Millar and I was in the back just trying to keep him from complaining and just being a man about it. I could barely get an okay out of him after President would say something haha.  Elder Gull and I will miss each other and always whine about me leaving him.  Will miss a few of the members  I got close with, but I'm excited for another adventure. Hopefully back to the Isle of Wight! 

The sad news is that Manolito didn't get baptized... He wasn't able to quit smoking in time so we had to cancel it. The real sucky part is that he blames me for everything.  We were suppose to meet with him, but one of the his flat mates text us saying he had to cancel so I asked him to ask Manolito if he hadn't smoke this week. Well he had so I told him to just let him know we would have to postpone the baptism and that we would come over the next day to talk about it.  I even had Elder Thompson read over it to make sure it was nice cause sometimes I can be a little blunt and Elder Thompson is so loving haha.  Well anyway He got really mad so we decided to just pop by that night and try and smooth things over to love and encourage him.  Well he opened the door and said you sent that text that was not from Elder Thompson. You don't understand what you did to me. I asked if we could come in and share a scripture. I shared 1 Nephi 3:7 and talked about how the Lord will provide a way from him to keep his commandments and that baptism was not a matter of if, but when.  Well he still wasn't happy with me and just looked at me and said everybody understands me, but you. You don't realize what you have done to me. I just said that it was both Elder Thompson and I that made the decision and that we did it because we love him and want him to be fully prepared and ready. He just said no, stared at me for a bit, then turned to Elder Thompson and said I love you to bits and you are now my guide.  Well to say the least I just told him I loved him and that I was always there for him. He gave me a hug when we left so that was good.  Man I don't know what it is about me, but people just take everything I say so hard. Oh well Jesus Christ was hated by many and many took his words to be hard so I guess I'm doing something right. Oh and don't worry Elder Thompson spoke to he just isn't very bold and basically just said that he loved Mano and is there for him.  So I just took all the beating which I'm good with cause it would have killed Elder Thompson if he had said anything mean to him. He even felt bad for me and I was just like oh well. Once again I am just a heathen.

We spent most of the rest of the week preparing the area for the zone leaders and just trying to prepare everyone as much as possible. Had  nice treat the last two days though. One of our less actives was devastated when I told her that I was leaving. She doesn't do that with anyone else though. So made me happy to know she loved me:) Plus one of the members (Taylor's) Just loved us to death gave us a cool present. They lived in Jerusalem for 15 years and she gave us a book mark that had a picture of Christ tomb that came from the exact spot! It was so cool! She said don't tell anyone cause I don't hand these out for fun. I just love her and her husband so much. She would only invite us over for dinner and not the other Elders. We would always just talk about the Old and New Testament and all the history she learned about while living there and then plus the deep doctrine my favorite:) I was surprised at home many members were really sad that I was leaving. I didn't realize I had made that much of an impact in just 3 months. They were probably the saddest ward to see me leave that I've been in.  That was basically my week and it was crazy weird one as I said before! 

Well I don't remember if I have ever shared this, but if I have oh well. Something cool that I love studying is being born again.  A cool insight that I learned when I was about 9 months out is in John 3:3-5.

3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?

 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

In verse 3 you'll notice that it says "See the Kingdom of God" and in verse 5 it says "Inherit the Kingdom of God."  So what does that mean? It means that? It means that we have to have a change of heart or be "born again" in order to realize that the Kingdom of God is on the earth again. Once we receive this witness which comes from the Holy Ghost (Moroni 10:3-5) we then will want to be baptized and receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost so we can enter God's kingdom.  One might ask well do you have to receive that before you are baptized? The answered would be no, but it would be ideal if everyone had that born again experience before baptism.  But like myself a lot of people receive it after baptism.  The Scriptures are loaded with examples of people having this born again experience.  Paul had it on his way to Damascus and after having it was baptized (Acts 9:18), The three thousand people Peter taught and baptized who were all pricked in their hearts and asked what should they do now?(Acts 2: 37-38,41) The Book of Mormon is loaded with people who had their born again experiences. The people of of King Benjamin (Mosiah 4-5), Alma the Older (Mosiah 23:9; 18:7-18), Alma the Younger (Alma 36), and of course the Sons of Mosiah and their mission among the Lamanites (Alma 17-26). 

I would exhort all of you to search deep and truly see if you have been born of God? Alma 5 gives you all the questions you should ask yourself to see if you have been born of God.  Now do not expect to have experiences like all the people in the scriptures. Theirs were so amazing that they were written down for scripture. For most of us being Born Again will come over time. But it first starts with having faith in Christ and desiring to have a burning testimony that the Book of Mormon is true which will lead one to know that Joseph Smith is a Prophet, and that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the only true and living church on the face of the earth.  We then over time will be changed and as Alma the Younger taught, 

26 And thus they become new creatures; and unless they do this, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God. (Mosiah 27:26)

 I testify that all of us can become born again and be able to enjoy all the blessings that Heavenly Father has and wants to offer us.  I have felt his love for me and though my journey of being born again has been rough and is still continuing I know that one day I will be able to be like Jesus Christ and rest with him in His Father's kingdom. There is no greater blessing then that of Eternal Life! I love this work and I love my Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ. I know that it is only through him that I can be changed and to become who he wants me to be.   "Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever" (Alma 26:12). 

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

Love,

Elder Wilson

The amazing Braganza family. They have a son serving in India right now and there other son is only 17 too haha.  And then Edward who was baptized over a year ago and is just so epic! He plans to go leave on a mission soon! 

This ladies name is Pauline. Elder Allen and I found her my second transfer on the Isle of Wight. She had dropped us before I left, but they picked her back up the week I left haha. She got baptized this Sunday though and I even got to talk to her yesterday on the phone! SO EPIC!

February 2, 2015

Fun fact missionaries make less than a dollar a day. I love living the poor man life.  

I don't have to much time this week so it will be a quick letter! Things were a bit slow this week, but some really good news. Manolito gets baptized this weekend! Will be the first baptism where I was there from beginning to end! Can't wait! Also two other people I found on the Isle of Wight may be getting baptized this coming weekend as well so that is epic news! Feels good to see and have success! Nothing really all that crazy happened this week. Like I said it was a pretty slow week and a rough one personally for me.  That is just how the work goes though! Just keep Manolito in your prayers that he won't smoke and will be ready for Saturday. Oh I guess I do have one funny story.  We had a dinner at Manolito's home Saturday night and Elder Gull and Graham were there and he said I decided I know who I want to baptize me.  He then says Elder Wilson and Thompson I love you guys so much, but I couldn't decided which one I wanted to baptize me so I chose Elder Graham. Everybody was like really? It was funny but really cool since Elder Graham has only been out 6 months and hasn't baptized anyone yet. And then he chose Elder Gull to confirm him and it will be the first person Elder Gull will have confirmed. So pretty funny and cool!  I will just be a good ole witness:) Just how I like it.  

Something that I learned this week is that God loves you no matter who you are or what you do. I think a mission teaches you that the most. All Heavenly Father asks is that you are on the path to perfection not to be perfect.  Even with sinners like me he just loves so much.  Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ live! I know that they do!   "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." (John 17:3).  

LOVE YOU ALL TO SHREDZZ!! 

Love,

Elder Wilson

Had some yummy squid last night for dinner! It was actually really good! The video wouldn't send of me eating it so sorry!