Starting another transfer

Yes my friends,

       I hope everyone is having a good week getting more into the christmas spirit!  I just finished my 4th transfer and now I'm starting another one with a new companion in the same area Kajjansi.  I will be working with Elder Whiteman and I'm super excited about the things we will accomplish for the next 6 weeks.  I'm so grateful to be serving the Lord and have the experiences that I've had.  

      On sunday, one of our investigators Bashir got baptized and he was super excited.  He's been reading the Book of Mormon so much and he loves to learn more about the scriptures.  We teach him and a couple of his friends at his house and so he is the first of many baptisms we hope to bring forth.  Starting this new transfer, we are looking at a lot of solid people in our teaching pool.  I'm super stoked for the work right now.

      Something that I've been learning from my mission is the importance in involving the spirit into my missionary work.  Overall, the difference between a hardworking missionary and a mediocre missionary is whether he/she seeks for the spirit to guide and lead us.  When we focus on putting our will aligned with the Lord's, we can expect many blessings to result.  One of our recent converts, who has been busy with work most sundays, came this past sunday to church and we have been praying to know that no matter what, he needs the gospel in his life.  This past sunday, he bore his testimony to everyone and I truly felt the spirit.  We talked to him later and he said he felt a difference when he came to church compared to when he just worked.  If we continue to involve the spirit in helping him progress, he will be able to be fully converted to the gospel.  

      I'm loving being a missionary because there is literally no other work in the world than this.  I love you all have a good week and know that the Lord is watching over you.

Love,

Elder Wilson

A warm new month

What's up everyone,

     I hope everyone had an amazing Thanksgiving and I hope that there were no unnecessary deaths on Black Friday, or as we like to call it here in Africa,..... Friday (New girl reference) ((But really Black Friday is not a thing here))  There is so much work to do in such a short amount of time.  I'm already about 6 months into my mission and I need to take advantage of the time that I have because it's going by fast.  The mission is a special time of your life where you have the opportunity to bless the lives of others for eternity.  That's why it's important to not waste it. 

      This past week has been full of sweat, blood, and tears...... but man, soooo much sweat.  We've been trying to find more people to teach and the Lord has blessed us slowly slowly.  We have been asking for referrals like crazy and we have gotten good feedback coming from both investigators and recent converts.

     On Sunday, Cyrus who we have been teaching was baptized!  Such a great baptismal service and the spirit was very strong there.  She is apart of a recent convert family of ours that has been away because she was in boarding school.  She truly gained a testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel and I'm grateful for the opportunity that I have been given to see it grow within her.  Even on this coming Sunday, we are looking at 2 more baptisms.  Josephine is a referral from missionaries from Entebbe and she is the most prepared and powerful person to receive the gospel.  She learns super quickly and she knows the gospel is true.  Bashir is someone we ran into at the middle of last transfer who has been taught by the missionaries before.  He is super crazy and funny, and he truly wants to be baptized so we are excited for him this Sunday.

      Being in Africa, all the things I eat are pretty normal but there are a few weird things that I have grown to love.  There's a fruit here called Fene or called Jackfruit that is the size of two bowling balls sitting together.  The Branch building that we serve at has a two trees that grow them all the time and man, is it good.  but wow is it weird looking.  But I was eating some one day and I'm pretty convinced that I am allergic to it because the inside of my mouth started to get itchy and my tongue started to swell a little bit. but it's not to the point of death so I might still eat it a couple more times in the future.  Also, This month is the season of insenene, which is like locusts, or grasshoppers.  I tried some myself and I have to say....... it's pretty dang good.  Everyone here eats it and they will fry that stuff up like nothing.  My companion doesn't really like it so I always eat his portions, and I ain't even mad.  Some members of the branch have seen me eat insenene and they saw that I baptized one of our investigators on Sunday, so they would call me John the Baptist, because that is what he ate in the wilderness.  No doubt, no doubt.

      I'm so grateful for the opportunity I have to serve the Lord, especially in this part of the world.  There are so many experiences that I am having that will strengthen my faith and testimony, while I help strengthen the faith and testimonies of others.  I truly can't imagine serving my mission anywhere else except in Uganda and i'm loving every moment of it.  Have a good week everyone and remember that the Savior suffered so we don't have to.

Love,

Elder Wilson

Pics:  Cyrus' baptism!

          Family portrait (my trainer and my trainer's trainer) (try to imagine us wearing black turtle necks and blue jeans)

11/24/2014 - Another week, another shilling

Hey everyone!!

    A lot has been going and I am grateful for all the blessings that the Lord has given me in helping move his work forward.  Something I have really learned throughout the past couple of weeks is how I need to continually rely on the Lord.  Not only on my mission, but throughout my life.  What can be considered is how we've been able to overcome challenges that we have been faced with in our lives, and what gifts and blessings our Heavenly Father has given us to endure through those trials.  When I look at all of the trials and challenges in my life, I realize that God had a role in each one of them.  There have been many times where I did not put my faith and trust in the Lord to help me to overcome.  But what I have learned is that our Father in Heaven gives us opportunities to be better, whether we ask for them or not.  As a missionary, we rely on God so much in His work, but when we put all of our heart, might and mind into our purpose, we see the blessings and the fruits of our labors.  Always look for those opportunities that God has given us to be better, to enlighten our minds, and enlarge our souls.

     So this past week, we didn't have power for 5 days.  Turns out some jerk stole a whole transformer and that means I had to use the stove to make my oatmeal instead of the microwave,.... life can be tough sometimes.  But for real though, it was all good.  One night we were trying to go to sleep but we heard a lot of noise coming from the other elders bedroom.  Turns out there was a rat in there that they had to battle to enjoy a good nights rest.  Anyways, This past week I've been a little sick and past missionaries weren't kidding when they said that being sick on mission sucks, because it does let me tell you. 

     Saturday and Sunday was Stake Conference and we watched a broadcast from Elder Bednar and President Uchtdorf.  Their talks were specifically addressed to the people of the stake and current issues that the country is facing, but I learned so much from what they had to say.  I am truly grateful that the Lord has blessed us with living guidance so we can live accordingly to God's will in these Latter days. 

      Have a good week everyone, I love you all, I promise I will write more next time.  Enjoy your thanksgiving!  Truly reflect on the blessings that you have been given from God and from others and show your gratitude through loving others, it will bless your life as well as the life of others.  EAT SOME TURKEY!!

Love,

Elder Wilson

Africa is quite the experience.

Hello yall,

     Africa is quite the experience.  The people are cultural, the food is exotic, and the mosquitos can't take a hint.  I'm starting to get accustomed to the lifestyle here and I'm truly understanding why I was sent to this part of the Lord's vineyard.  My companion and I are working harder than ever to strengthen and edify our area, and we find that the Lord blesses us in ways that we do not expect.  

       One of the biggest challenges we have is getting people to church.  We have no problem finding people to teach, it's just that keeping the commitment of attending church is something that a lot of people find trouble with.  Whether its work, being busy, or even the rain (probably the most common excuse here, because people here hate the rain), it takes extra effort getting people to church.  We have been working hard to encourage people about the spirit that they will feel when the go to church, and that they will receive answers to their prayers.  We are always reminded that agency is a big part of missionary work.  As missionaries, all we can do is invite people to repent and come unto Christ.  We are diligently searching to find those who will choose to accept the gospel and live it.  

      So this month, we had the first counselor of the Area Presidency and his wife, Elder Ellis and Sister Ellis, come visit the Uganda Kampala mission, and we had the opportunity to hear him speak at our zone conference.  We were indeed spiritually uplifted and we finished that conference determined to work harder than we had been before.  Something that he talked about was in one of Russel M. Nelsons talks about how he received revelation for how to fix a heart during surgery when there was no one in the world that knew how to fix it.  Elder Ellis would keep telling us, "God knows heart surgery!"  He went on to explain that if God knew how to fix a heart the way nobody knew how, wouldn't He know how to hasten missionary work, wouldn't He know how to get people to come to church, wouldn't He know how to help our investigators feel the spirit.  God knows everything, and as His missionaries, it's our duty to seek for His guidance and seek for that revelation to help push the work forward.  

      On a more humorous note, the people here in Kajjansi and around Kampala, speak a language called Luganda.  We are trying to pick up on the language but since our mission is english speaking, there is no motivation to be fluent.  So when we work with the locals in the work, whenever they converse with each other in Luganda, we know that they don't want us to hear.  So, what my companion and I do is speak Pig Latin to each other,..... works like a charm.  They have no idea.  

      I love being a missionary and I'm continually learning more about myself every single day.  I'm continually strengthening my testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and I'm working hard to share that testimony with as many people as I can.  There are so many people that are waiting to hear the gospel and I have the opportunity to be the messenger.  

      I love you all.  Have a good week and know that with God, anything is possible.

Elder Wilson

some pics of the view, and my place of residence.

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