Starting Transfer 4

Dear friends & fam,

       Today is the start of my 4th transfer and I am staying in Kajjansi with my dear companion Elder de Lisle.  Fer sure I'm super stoked to stay in this area.  There are so many more blessings that need to be received.  We had a great transfer with so many miracles happening.  We are grateful for the opportunity that we have to serve for another transfer together and we have some pretty big plans.  We love the people and we are trying to find people that are prepared and are waiting to receive the message of the Restoration.  One thing that I noticed about our companionship is how much we talk about food.  It's gotten to the point where it's no longer a joke.  We try to top each other on who has eaten better food and all is does is make my stomach grumble.

       So since I'm on the other side of the world, we finally watched General Conference yesterday.  It took a long time to get here but it was totally worth it.  We receive so much guidance from the Prophet and Apostles that can help anyone in any aspect of their lives.  I encourage everyone to review the talks that were given and continue to seek personal revelation from God.  

       We are teaching many different people and we are still trying to get them to stick to their baptismal dates.  Man, I didn't believe people when they said a mission is hard work.  We are continually trying to bring others closer to Christ and making sure that they know that God is speaking to them through their prayers.  Agency is a very important part of missionary work, because that is what determines the preparedness of God's children.  When we find that people don't accept the message that we have, we look at that as a downfall, when really, the opportunity to choose is a gift from God.  

     Something that I have learned that is one of the most important attributes in missionary work and in all other aspects of life, is patience.  With patience, we yield to the will of the Father.  There will always be opposition in all things.  It's how we react to that opposition that determines who we are.  As a young missionary in the field, I have learned that patience is something that is required to become a successful servant of God.  There are times when I feel like I don't know how to do anything or I do everything wrong.  Trying to be the best you can be is not easy.  But it requires faith and trust that through the Lord's own time, we can receive blessings that can help us reach that end goal.  

      I love the mission, I learn new things everyday and I'm grateful to serve the Lord in this part of the world, where I feel like I am being strengthened and uplifted by people who don't know me.  But there are points in life where you know that you knew each other before the world was.  As children of God, it's our duty to help each other to stay on the path that leads us the eternal joy and happiness.  

      I also realize that I have been lacking in stories, it's just that everything has gotten to the point where everything seems normal to me.  So, I'll try to be more reckless to make some stories happen.  Here's something!...... I learned how to make matooke.  it's like unripened banana mush.  That's all I got this week.  I'll try to pick it up some more.  

     Everyone have a fantastic week and continue to be the best that you can be.  Remember, if you can dream it, you can do it.... inspiring words from Blades of Glory. 

Elder Wilson

Pics:  Found the perfect pillowcase, now I can sleep to his face every night

          

This baby's name is Holy Beyonce, let that sink in

Hastening the Work

Hello everyone!

     This week has been quite a blessed week.  But MAN did I get sunburned.  I was going for the dark tan approach but my skin decided to take the bright red route.  Which is cool,... I can manage.  But when my face started peeling, people started to become gravely concerned because they don't understand the meaning of sunburn.  

    I'm going to be brief this week because I don't have that much time. But here it goes.

Peter and Linet got baptized on Sunday!!! They were so excited and it was noticeable how much happier they are becoming in their lives.  It's taken us a couple of months to prepare them, but they have taken the time to know the truthfulness of the gospel.  Samuel was another brother that we have been teaching who was also baptized but by his roommate who got baptized in July and received the Aaronic Priesthood.  Such an amazing thing to see people progress in the gospel and have the opportunity to bless the lives of others.  

     If you didn't believe that this would be small, BOOM gotcha.  Everyone have a fantastic week and know that your Father in Heaven loves you and remember that I love you as well.

Elder Wilson

Oct. 6, 2014 The Blessings of Missionary Work

Hello everyone!

       Sorry I didn't send out an email last week.  This has been a humbling week for me.  I have learned that trials come no matter what.  It's how we react to those challenges that makes us who we are.  My area Kajjansi is a super powerful area.  My companion and I know how important this area is to the Lord because He has been blessing us with so much success when we provide the hard work.  There are so many experiences that are shaping me to be the disciple of Christ that I am working to be.  

       Peter and Linet are a couple that we have been working with for a little more than a month now.  They have a sure testimony of the gospel, and they have the greatest desire to be baptized.  They hail from Kenya but they have been living in Uganda for quite some time.  Part of the process for them to be baptized to be legally married before then.  They happily agreed and they were married in Kampala to each other on Friday.  It was such a beautiful service and the spirit was completely strong.  Seeing them make these decisions in their lives that help them to find the path that will lead them to eternal life is truly a blessing that i am happy to be apart of.  Peter told us that his Aunt had died in Kenya and he had to make a trip to be there.  So we told him that we could postpone his service until next sunday.  He happily agreed so we are super excited for this sunday.  Something funny that happened with him that I thought was completely hilarious was when we were going over baptismal interview questions with him.  We always ask the one being interviewed if they have committed a serious crime before and he gave probably the best answer I've ever heard.  "Uhhhhh....... not yet."  I was trying so hard not to laugh.  Love that guy, can't say enough nice things about him.  

       There has been some interesting experiences that have been happening that I would like to share.  One of them was on the way to Kabowa with my district for a Zone Development Meeting.  It was raining super hard and we were trying to get there on time.  The taxi picked us up and we were paying him while in the car.  We got to the destination but the conductor wouldn't let  us out of the car.  It costs 1000 shillings to get there and he was charging us 2000.  He totally ripped Elder Mamani and we didn't want to pay him because he was ripping us off.  The worst part,..... the conductor was speaking Luganda and none of us could speak it.  The experience was super fast but a lot that I could remember was a lot of screaming and yelling and pushing and frustration.  Taxis are FAKE banange.

      Another time, I was teaching a lesson with Elder de Lisle and there was a kid crying outside of the door, which was opened.  This other kid making mocking crying noises to the other kid and it was super annoying.  Elder de Lisle lost it and yelled at the kid to stop but he wouldn't so he chased the kid and he was jumping over a dip in the ground and pretty much ate it (He would kill me if he knew I was emailing this... shhhh).  Probably the funniest thing was when he was on the ground, he pointed to the kid with the scariest mean face I've seen and the kid started to cry and run away.  So proud of that guy.  Showing that we don't mess around.  

       As a zone, we are continually trying to be better at missionary work.  We always help each other trying to find ways to teach more simply.  For instance, our Mission President teaches us KISS:  Keep It Simple Stupid.  Great advice, hurts my feelings every time.  But being a new missionary, it's very difficult to take everything you know about the gospel and condense it so a child could understand.  But as I continue to teach simply I start to understand was must be going through the investigators head.  It is such a blessing to be able to teach people about how they can achieve eternal life.

       To all of you that are reading this email.  I just want to finish with what I know to be true.  And It's this.......  nothing else matters, nothing.  Not homes, not cars, not sports, not money, nothing in this world matters except for the gospel.  I've seen it with my own lives.  Families and individuals that discover and live the gospel find a joy, a happiness that can't be achieved with cars, or homes, or money.  Believe me, people here have absolutely nothing.  In my opinion, the richest people I know are the ones that don't have money, but have the gospel.  I want you all to know that I know Jesus is the Christ.  I know from the bottom of my heart that He is the Son of God, the Savior and Redeemer of the World, but most importantly.  I know that He loves me.  Having the opportunity to help them feel God's love for them is indescribable.  You will have trials in your life.  Believe me, I know.  I have had a rough week myself.  When it comes down to the problems that I face, I remember that nothing else matters.  Except for Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice to the world.  All we need is faith, faith and the knowledge that faith is the foundation for everything good in this world. 

    I love you all.  Have a fantastic week and love every moment.

With Love,

Elder Wilson