Stake Conference

Sorry about last week,  our time was cut short and time was not on my side.

    Many great things are happening and the work continues to push forward.  What a blessing it is to serve the Lord, because the trials, afflictions, challenges that come in this service, mold our character, magnify our potential, and unleashes the dormant spirit.  Missionary work is simply that... Work.  But there's an eternal light that this work brings to the world.  As an individual missionary who's just like any other missionary, my whole purpose is to help the Lord to convert others to His gospel, as well as myself.  This last week we had a mission leaders council with the mission president in discussing what needs to be done to achieve our goals and to organize ourselves to be the best missionary force that we can be.  As questions rolled on about specific things that we need to do with our investigators, President Chatfield told us that there is no point in asking him because we won't learn anything.  He told us that the Lord is ready and available to bless us with answers and guide us in what we should do.  That is something that has stuck with me, is that whenever we are stuck or confused, the Lord is just waiting for us to ask what we should do.

        Just recently we had a stake conference and it was just super great because I was able to see all of my friends and some of my recent converts there.  The inspiring talks brought a strengthened spirit to the members of the stake.  We could feel and understand the importance of working together and unifying ourselves to hasten the work even more.  

       We have a guy that's getting baptized on the 5th of July!  His name is Philip and he is just a powerful guy, he even came to stake conference with his sister.  When we taught him about the Book of Mormon, he said he felt something stirring inside of him that told him that the book was good.  On another visit he told us that he knows the book of mormon is true because he even felt the power as he read.  What a wonderful blessing from God to have phillip be truly receptive to the Holy Ghost.

       We had a funny experience where we contacted a guy and we were invited to teach him in his home.  We taught him about the Restoration of the gospel, and at the end of the lesson, he said,"my niece does something like you do, but she went to Ghana with a group called the Mormons."  Well, we decided to let him think about the message first before we broke the news to him.  

     Anyway, I love the work and I love the Lord.  The experiences that I have will develop me into a true and faithful follower of Jesus Christ.  I know this is the true gospel and that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints is the Lord's kingdom once again established on the Earth.

Over and Out,

Elder Wilson

Zone Conference

So, today I have very limited time to email because of the zone conference we had today with Elder Cook of the Seventy!  It was a super spiritual and powerful day.  He talked a lot about how missionaries must work with the members of the church in such a way as if we are married to the members, we make promises together and we work out a way to support and strengthen one another.  He also talked about how conversion is necessary for the work to move forward, to bring about conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ, we first have to be converted ourselves.  I truly learned so much from him that I am excited to apply all of the information i received.  

    On another note, Penny got baptized!!  The ward was really supportive of her because she truly loves coming to church each sunday and she's creating new friendships in the ward.  She is someone who truly has a testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel.  And a miracle that has happened is that since she has been taking the lessons, her friend wanted to know more about the church.  Penny has been sharing with her, and something amazing is that she told her friend about the word of wisdom and now even her friend stopped taking tea.  Miracles happen when you set a righteous example.  

    I love missionary work and I see my conversion strengthening me each and every day.  I love the opportunity I have to be apart of this great work, and I'm always relying on the Lord to hasten it.  I love you all have an amazing week!

Elder Wilson

Daily Miracles

Powerful work going on in Uganda

     We've been going through some struggles but we are also seeing many miracles going about.  We have found that the best way to see the work move forward is if we point the blessings out ourselves.  So for my daily journal writing, I've committed myself to write at least one miracle every single day, no matter how big or small.  Later in life when i look back on what i have written i will see that i have seen the hand of the Lord in this work.  

      Probably one of the biggest miracles that we have seen is that on Sunday, we had almost all of our investigators at church.  Father in Heaven has blessed us with people to teach that really want to enter into the waters of baptism.  We feel that people who exercise their faith by going to a church they have never been before.  But coming makes all of the difference in their lives.

    We have 2 that are getting ready for baptism on the 14 of june this sunday.  Patrick and Penny, they are truly prepared to make covenants with the Lord and we see that they truly have that desire to know their Heavenly Father with a certainty.  We are truly excited for them and we cant wait for Sunday!

    Something that i don't do well at is telling crazy stories because when you go on a mission especially a place like Africa, people expect crazy stories, so i don't know if I'm just used to all the craziness or I'm the most boring person, but i will be preparing myself to share interesting stories.  We are all super excited for next monday because Elder Carl b. Cook of the Seventy is coming for  a mission tour.  Super exciting and we will be spiritually blessed as missionaries.  I hope you all have a fantastic week and keep being happy!

Elder Wilson

Pics:  workin at the bakery

          in the sugar cane field,

          me and my companion

Leadership

Hey everyone!

    This week has been a little slow considering all of the meetings we had, so proselyting time was cut short.  Nevertheless, we've been seeing some great things happening in Mukono.  We've been seeing that the Lord has been preparing people to receive the gospel but not straight away.  Heavenly Father works in His own time and in His own way.  Something that we have been trying to focus on in our area and throughout the whole mission is to find families.  Throughout our zone, we've been seeing that the missionaries have been finding families and helping them to progress towards baptism.  Even on our side we are seeing potential families that are willing to listen to our message.  Something that we have been doing to really try and help us to accomplish this goal is to pray that the zone may be able to find families.  At our Mission Leaders Council in Kampala with President Chatfield, he talked a lot to the zone leaders about always involving the Lord because it is HIS work, not ours.  Father in Heaven knows exactly where those families are.  He knows exactly what we need and He just waits for us to ask Him.  That is where personal revelation comes in handy.  If we humble ourselves with obedience, hardwork, and reliance on Him, He will show us exactly where they are.  

    We've been teaching some pretty powerful people.  Martin is a school teacher we tracted into and we shared the Restoration with him.  He confessed to us that he has a problem with alcohol and he wants to change.  We've been teaching ever since and he loves reading for the book of mormon.  We are preparing him for baptism next month so it's looking pretty good for him.

     Penny is another that we have been teaching that I have mentioned before.  She was not able to come on Sunday because she was very sick.  But she really loves the gospel and wants to be baptized.  She even told us that she really wants to be a missionary and to share the gospel with others.  Sounds like someone who is very prepared to me.  

     Something that I have been working through at this point in time on my mission is the fact that I have plenty of weaknesses.  Just recently being called a leader, I'm starting to see where my shortcomings are and the things that I need to improve.  Of course they have always been there, but It has been more noticeable lately.  I've learned that no matter what, I'll always be weak in something, if I wasn't there would be no point in my probationary test here on Earth.  I know that turning our weaknesses into strengths can be done only if we put God first in our lives, and when we humble ourselves before Him.  In addition, experience is also required so that we can know how to change to become better.  Right now, I'm focusing on always relying on the Lord in this work.  And through Him, I will be able to accomplish the things He wishes me to do.  Thank you all for being great and have a rewarding week!

Elder Wilson