Kampala Stake Conference

Dear people,
    January is nearly almost over, and speed of time through this transfer makes me want to cry.  But nonetheless, the work is pushing forward and there's a lot that is getting accomplished.  Last week I was not able to send an email due to an 8 hour drive from northern Uganda back to the city.  But while we were up their we had a wonderful experience doing zone conferences with the missionaries in Lira and Gulu.  On the way we crossed the Nile River and talk about tons of Baboons on the sides of the roads.  We love working with these missionaries in the north because they have such great talent to teach the gospel and they teach with power and authority.  They are doing such a great job with their branches and we are seeing a lot of good things happening.
      Yesterday was the Kampala Stake Conference and we were able to hear from Elder Mukasi from the Area Seventy.  He talked about how important it is for members to get involved more in the gospel and setting an example for our friends and families in our communities.  It was a great meeting and the spirit was very strong there.  I was also very happy to be there because I got to meet up with members from previous branches that I served in.  There's something about seeing people that you have developed strong friendships with in the past and seeing them continue to be faithful in the gospel that brings a lot of joy to the soul.  I can really relate this to Alma reuniting with the Sons of Mosiah, and the joy that he felt because he saw that they were still his brethren in the Lord. 
      This past week we have been working with President Chatfield on transfers.  The meetings that we've been having for transfer planning has been so spiritual because we discuss and focus our attention on others.  Asking the Lord what needs to be done to help these missionaries brings so much peace because I start to feel and see the spirit working in our mission president.  Such a cool experience. 
     Anyways, the work is great.  I'm living up as much as I can with the time that I have.  I'm just super grateful for the Atonement of Christ and the Restoration of divine truths and priesthood authority.  I thank my Heavenly Father each and every day for the opportunity to serve Him in this part of the world.  I love the Book of Mormon and the direction that it gives me in my life, and I love sharing that with other people.  Be strong and Stay the course

Elder Wilson

pics:  Brother Emmanuel just got called to serve in Ghana Cape Coast
         Tallest boys in the mission

Green Mamba

Another week gone by, and nothin but zone conferences, paperwork, and reports.  The part about paperwork and reports are a little boring, but the zone conferences we've been having have been super powerful.  The whole theme is unity and teaching simply in our lessons.  We provided some good training that we feel will really help the missionaries to improve in having the spirit more abundantly in everything that they do.  So we still got a couple more to do, so we are looking forward to those. 
     Something else that was super powerful happened on Sunday, we visited the Seeta branch for sacrament meeting, and an old member from my first area came for the meeting.  Brother Richard was pretty less active when I came to Kajjansi in 2014 and he was not consistent in his church attendance.  After talking with him, he said that he has the Melchizedek Priesthood, he is a high councilman for the stake, he went with his family to the temple in JoBurg in December and his son is on a mission serving in South Africa.  He gave a great talk on missionary work and I was overwhelmed with gratitude towards my Heavenly Father about how the church provides opportunities for people to change, and become better.  One of the reasons why I love the gospel.
     Something interesting that happened recently is that we were in our apartment, and all of a sudden I heard my companion say, "Is that a snake????"  So we found a green mamba just hangin out in our hall way.  We heard that it was poisonous so we took some precautions and just squished it's head with a shoe.  In the words of Hot Rod, "well THAT didn't work", had to beat it like 7 times.  We missionaries live life on the edge.
       Nothing else much to report, all is well here and another week is coming to get ready for transfers.  I love you all, stay the course.

Elder Wilson

Reunited with my old zone
Companions (Elder Ruell)
the Green Mamba 

Praying for others

Dear friends and fam,
     It's been a long but good week.  For one thing, I'm back in Uganda, in the mother country of the mission.  It felt super weird because my mind was so set in Rwanda, and now that I'm back, it just doesn't feel real.  But I'm enjoying my time here.  The past week was a little stressful because I've been trying to get my passport from Rwanda immigration but they said at the last minute that I needed to apply for an exit visa, and so I had to cancel a flight and wait a couple of days, and then they pushed it back a couple days later, so I had to cancel another flight.  So I finally made it just a few days ago.  And we went straight to work.  This week we have to do zone conferences every day this week.  And on the weekend we are going to be traveling to the north of the country.  So I'm pretty stoked for this upcoming week.  So far, nothing to crazy has happened except today as we were driving we saw a completely naked man just walking casually down the sidewalk.......... that's #2 on mission and hopefully the last.
       Something that I've been able to find great importance in is the duty and responsibility we have to pray for others.  Many a times, we always focus on what we need personally in our lives and we ask for things that always pertain to us.  But whenever I think about my life and see the lives of others here on mission, I find myself to be truly blessed of the Lord.  And many a times, the Lord wants us to be like him and put others first before ourselves.  The least that we can do is pray that blessings will fall upon the heads of the people around us.  I love the gospel and I know it's true.  I know that this church is the true church of Jesus Christ and that the Book of Mormon is the word of God.  Keep strong, and stay the course.

Love,
Elder Wilson

Back to Uganda

Hey everyone!!  Sorry about not emailing last week.  A week ago, we went to a safari national park called Akagera.  Spent the whole day driving around and gazing at magnificent beasts.  We saw zebras, giraffes, water buffalo, elephants(one of them charged at us), and other animals that reminds us of the circle of life.  We had a great time and we were super exhausted at the end of the day.  Gotta love serving the Lord in Africa. 
    Anyways, a lot has been going on.  First of all, Elder Osei-Tutu in our zone got his appendix removed.  The poor soul.  Went through a lot of pain, and had to deal with a lot, but he got the surgery and he's good as new,...... well almost.  He still has to rest all the time, so we work with his companion in their area sometimes.  He's doing good, but we lost the branch vs. missionary soccer match because of it.
     As we all know, Christmas went right by and we had an enjoyable time over here in Rwanda.  The mission president and wife came to visit us to do a zone conference and to have a Christmas party.  It was great because we ate a lot of great food, and it was nice to have company when we are so far away from the rest of the mission. 
   About 2 Sundays ago, Isabelle and Mignonne got baptized!!! Super excited for them.  We found Isabelle just in contacting on the street and she was super interested in the church.  she even wanted her daughter to get baptized so she waited for her to return from school.  They both have powerful testimonies, and what a blessing it is to witness the change in someone's life, because we decided to follow the spirit and do the Lord's work. 
     Well not to much else going on.  But there is one change.  I'm being taken out of Rwanda and going to Uganda again.  I have loved and enjoyed my time with these people and I know that the church is in good hands with the faithful members of the church.  But now I have a new chapter.  I've been called to be an assistant to the mission president so I'm heading back to Kampala.  I'm nervous and excited with this new calling but I know that if I put my trust in the Lord, He will make a difference in my life and in the lives of others.  I love you all, I hope you had a merry Christmas, and have a happy new year!!!

Love,
Elder Wilson

Merry Christmas 2015

Christmas time, and what a blessing to spend it in warm humid weather.  This week we have been seeing a lot of blessings.  Life is same old same old over here and the work is getting better and better. 
      This next Sunday, Isabelle and Mignonne are planning on being baptized!! super excited for them, they have such a strong testimony and they are ready to make these covenants with their Heavenly Father.  Plus another bonus is that they have made a lot of friends at church.  So it should be a super great Sunday coming up. 
    Also, we have found a super great guy who is really interested in the church.  His name is Arsene and he has a baptism date for the 27th.  We are super excited for him because he's such a powerful investigator.  He loves the church and he told us that at church, he feels the most love.  He continues to read the Book of Mormon, and he even reminds us of his baptism day.  Many more people we are working with and helping to enter the waters of baptism. 
      Even this last week I went on exchanges with the other elders in one of the other branches.  Something that really caught my attention was that we focused on teaching people why we as missionaries do anything.  Why we teach, why we follow the Savior, why read the Book of Mormon.  It really made a difference in the Spirit during our lessons and we definitely enjoyed working in the Lord's Vineyard. 
     Nothing much else to report.  I just truly love the Savior.  My relationship with Him has grown tremendously.  There are many instances and times where I make mistakes that pull me away from Him, but the scriptures teach us, that the arm of the Lord is always extended towards us.  Through His suffering, we can find peace, and with His stripes, we are healed.  The church is true, Joseph Smith was and is a true prophet, and the Book of Mormon is the word of God.   Merry Christmas everyone, and Remember Him. 

Elder Wilson

Jimmy got his call to Johannesburg South Africa Mission
Pedal boda selfie

Choose to be happy

What a blessed time to be in Rwanda for the work of the Lord.  We've been seeing a lot of success and our numbers have been going up.  The branch is super excited to get involved in helping the Kigali 2 branch to grow.  And being a missionary here is great, but lately, I've caught a nasty cold, which has been quite the stumbling block for me, but the work moves on.  The church is very new so a lot of people get interested.  There's a lot to be done here in Rwanda and I'm prepared to do whatever the Lord would have me do. 
      On Sunday, we had a baptism for Miracle, and it was just super great.  She was supposed to be baptized last Sunday with her other two siblings, but she had a school conference she had to go to.  Everyone was very supportive and we just love seeing how this branch is growing.  The goal for this recent convert family is to get them in the temple sealed next year.  Their faith is so strong and it's families like theirs that helps the church to be strong in this part of the world. 
     On another note, we got a referral from one of the members of a woman who really wants to get baptized and she loves the church so much.  We met with her to schedule out her baptism and she talked about how she was getting a lot of negative responses from her family and work mates.  With tears in her eyes, she would tell us how she would stand up for her faith.  She told us that she knew that the church was true and it's testimonies like these that open my eyes to the bigger picture, of how real the gospel is, and how there will always have to be persecution because it is true.  The Book of Mormon talks about how there is opposition in all things.  If everyone flocked to the truth and there was no opposition to the truth, there would be no point in this probationary state that we are in.  There has to be opposition, with out it, we can't be like our Heavenly Father. 
     Something that I've been trying to do more of on mission and in life is to just be happy, to enjoy life, and just to be more positive in every single thing.  Probably my favorite scripture in the Book of Mormon reads in 2 Nephi 5:27 "And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness."  Such a small scripture but it has so much depth and meaning behind it.  Happiness is a choice.  And when we live after that manner, good happens in all aspects.  No one said that life would be easy, but when we choose to be happy, we live after the manner of godliness.  I love the scriptures and I love the true gospel of Jesus Christ.  It's not only change the lives of others but it has changed my life exceedingly.  I know who I am, and I know my eternal goals.  And when we focus our whole lives in achieving these eternal goals, that's when we can easily live after the manner of happiness.  I love you all, the church is true, and remember who you are and what you stand for.

Love,
Elder Wilson

Miracle's Baptism
Chef Boyardee up in here
New friend Carlos

Second Home

What a great week!  A lot of things happened that is making the work go smoother.  We've had some improvements in our teaching pool and overall we are just enjoying the work and the rain.  I'm starting to get more and more adjusted to the culture every day, and I'm developing this great love for the people.  The branch that I'm in is super great.  They are excited about missionary work and they all love the gospel so much.  Elder Beck and I are working hard to help the branch to grow and have a firm foundation to build on. 
      There's this one family that we are working on right now.  We've been teaching Isabelle who has been taught by us for some time. She's ready for baptism and her daughter, Mignonne, is home from school and she even wants to be taught as well.  It's actually a great story.  When Mignonne was younger, she wanted to be baptized in one of the churches close by, but Isabelle said she felt prompted that she should make Mignonne wait until she was 18 to be baptized into a proper church.  So just before she turned 18 and came back from school, Isabelle ran into us, we taught her, and she feels like this is the church she's been looking for her and for her daughter.  Super powerful stuff.
    This past week, the mission flew me in to Uganda for a mission leaders council.  It was really great to see my friends back in Uganda and to just be in the country that I'm used to.  We had a powerful meeting that really helped all of us to work diligently to hit our goals for the rest of the year.  We talked a lot about how we can help the families that we are teaching to come to church and what we can do to strengthen the branches where we are serving.  Great meeting, a lot of the spirit, and new goals that we are setting. 
     This past Sunday, Peace and Heritier were baptized!!  Super great stuff.  It was a powerful baptism service.  The one that was supposed to baptize them apparently wasn't prepared to do it, so I had to step and and do it myself.  It's like I say, if you want something done, you gotta do it yourself sometimes.  Just joking, but it was super great.  The family was super happy, but one of the siblings, Miracle, was also supposed to be baptized but she had a special conference so she's getting baptized this Sunday.  Super exciting.  I love this work, because it changes peoples lives, it brings them closer to God, and it makes the world a better place.  There's nothing I'd rather be doing than this, and I thank my Heavenly Father for sending me here, where I have found my second home.  I love you all and don't wait to make a change in your life that will bring you happiness.

Elder Wilson


Ye Elders
My apartment
Baptism!