Jacob Turns 21 - Happy Birthday!!

Hey guys!

How did the week go?

I had a very full, interesting week here in Izucar. I had some really great experiences, that I definitely won't ever forget:)

On Monday night we went to look for an investigator, but she wasn't there, but we did find a less active woman. We didn't really stay to long, we just shared a quick message, and at the end she offered the closing prayer she asked for protection when she went in for testing. We didn't really know what that meant, so we asked her. It turns out she possibly has a brain tumor, and on the 31st shes going in to get tested, and shes really scared. We talked with her for a bit, and then gave her a blessing. It was an experience that just kind of shocked all of us. We just sat in silence in the members car on the way home.

On Wednesday we had our Zone Conference here in Izucar, which was really good. It was the first time I've spoken to or taught the elders in front of President Reeves. I was pretty nervous, but it ended up going really well. I talked about having the faith to meet our goals. We used a lot of visuals, which I think helped a lot. I did one where I blindfolded an elder, stood behind him and told him to fall backwards and I wouldn't let him fall to the ground. So he fell and I caught him, So I started to talk about the fact that we need to have faith that God will help us reach our goals, but if we don't do our part and show that we trust him, we'll just stand there and nothing will happen. Then I said that many times we can't see a way that something can be done, so we lose our faith and we don't put in our part. As I was talking about this, I walked around to the front of the elder, who was still standing there blindfolded, and i told him to fall. He heard that my voice was in front of him now, so he didn't want to fall. I reassured him again that I wasn't going to let him fall. So he fell backwards. What he hadn't realized was that my companion had quietly walked behind him, and my comp got him and it all worked out. We felt like it helped the elders realize that they need to have faith to be able to hit the goals they've put, and they need to keep that faith and act upon it even when it looks impossible to be able to reach those goals.

After the Conference we went to a little town to teach a family, but they weren't there. Only the daughter was there. But she gave us a reference to go visit a woman down the street. So we went! And she told us to come back Friday so that we could give her daughter a blessing. She said her daughter had recently been diagnosed with cancer. We set an appointment with her, and then got on our way.

On Thursday and Friday, we did exchanges in Tulcingo and Acatlan. Those were good, nothing special really. But I did do a baptismal interview with a really awesome 18 year old. Baptismal interviews are always great!

Friday night we went out to that little town to give that blessing to that woman's daughter. When she said recently diagnosed, we thought she she would still be somewhat healthy. But when we walked in, we think that she was basically about pass on. She couldn't speak or move. She was just laying down on her bed, There was about 15 of her friends and family huddled around her. We both didn't really know what to do. But we just talked about the Atonement, and read some scriptures. Then we gave her a blessing. I anointed and my comp sealed it. He said it was the most inspired blessing he ever gave. Then she said thank you in a very faint voice. It was the only word she said. That experience hit us both super hard. She honestly wasn't much older than us. Maybe 30 at the most. We both had never seen anything like that before,  and I think it helped us both recognize a bit more the frailty of life, and how much we really need the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ in our lives. Every single one of us. It was another silent car ride home of course.

The rest of the weekend was really great. We had two baptisms, and it was birthday. Some really great family's celebrated my Bday for me, which was great:)

Ill attach pics and maybe a video of that right now.

I'm running really short on time. But thank you all so much for the Bday wishes:) If I don't get a chance to respond to you, I will next week for sure!

I love you guys,

Elder Wilson

New Year 2014

Hello everyone!

How have everyones first couple weeks of the year been? We can officially start saying I come home this year. Which is nuts. After this transfer I only have 5 transfers left. Its a little wierd, and they say this last part of your mission is the fastest. For the first time in my mission I have been feeling trunky! (or anxious to be home)I think it has a lot to do with my companion though. He goes home at the end of this transfer in february, and well, He's always talking about home ha. I cant blame him though, the man hasnt been home in 2 years! Sometimes he gets me really excited about going home though, and then I realize I still do have 8 months left though ha.

He is still super focused on the work though. We have a goal to have baptisms every weekend before he gets home. And we started it off well! We had the baptism of a young man named Leo yesterday. (I shall attatch a photo) And the rest of weekends look like theyre really lining up well so that we can hit that goal:)

This week was very busy, but we were still able to get a good amount of work done in our area. We had the transfer meeting on tuesday. My companion and  I stayed together. We got some really good elders in the zone. And we got sister missionaries for the first time in the history of the Izucar zone! We share our branch with them and Everyone is really excited for them to be here. We are too, they'll do good.

Then we had zone meeting this week. But because our zone is so big the elders dont come to us, we go to them. So we actually did 3 zone meetings over the course of 3 days.

As I was preparing and praying for what to share in my zone meeting, I was able to come up with a lot of good things. President Reeves asked us to talk about reaching our potential, so I focused on that, and I talked about discouragement, and how destructive that can be to us as missionaries. But it really is true for all of us.

I won't share with you everything I shared with the missionaries, but I'll share a quote I used from President Uchtdorf: "Brethren, our destiny is not determined by the number of times we stumble but by the number of times we rise up, dust ourselves off, and move forward."

I really like that quote. We're not perfect, and we're not supposed to be. Perfection comes in the next life. To God, it doesn't matter how many times we've messed up in this life. We still always have the oppurtunity to leave bad habits behind. To forget past sins and move on. The Atonement of Jesus Christ covers whatever we've done in the past, we just have to do our part. Every single one of you have divine potential. Your father in heaven loves yous, and wants you to succeed. Never be discouraged at the things that happen in this life, they are part of his plan.

I love you guys, and hpe you have a great week!

Love,

Elder Wilson

Christmas! (A little Late) 12/30

Well I hope you guys had a great Christmas! And I hope you have a better new years!

I'm just gonna send some pics today!

I love you guys!

Speaking to Elder Wilson on Christmas Day

Final we figured out how to skype (Stowers family may be a little slow).  It was so wonderful to see and hear Elder Wilson!! We miss him so much and at family gatherings it's so nice to feel like he's there with us.  He looked wonderful and sounded even better. He's in a very remote part of Mexico right now and said when you think of Mexico with donkeys and farm houses you're right on the money with where he is.  He has about 9 months left THATS IT! Can't believe times gone that fast. We love you Elder Wilson

Big Changes

Hey everybody! How was thanksgiving? I hope it went well. Mine was pretty good, we just went out for tacos, ha.

Well I have some big news! I found out why I got changed out of my old area so fast. I'm actually with my best friend in the whole mission now! His name is Elder Melaerts, he's from Las Vegas. When I say he's my best friend in the mission, that's 100% true. We've known each other since February when we were in the same district in Tehuacan. Its crazy because we always used to joke about being comps at the end of his mission, and now we are! It was funny because in every meeting were always with each other talking, so when president announced that we were companions, we already were right next to each other. Us and everyone else were shocked. Its definitely the happiest I have ever been with changes. Elder Melaerts and I are the zone leaders of the Izucar zone. We're in a small city/town about 2 hours outside of Puebla. That's the only bad part about all of this, I'm kind of far from a big urbanized city. Other than that I am loving it! Elder Melaerts goes home in February, so i will probably be with him when he goes home. And Christmas, and New Years, my birthday, its great!

I still don't know much about the area, but it seems good. I'm in a branch instead of a ward for the first time in my mission. Wards are what the congregations in the church are called, and branches are smaller versions of them.

As I get to know it more, i will let you know. Have a great week and happy December! I love you!

 

Elder Wilson

11/25/2013 (A Little Behind!)

Hello Everyone! How were your weeks? Mine was great! We finally had the Baptism of our investigator named Norma. We had it on Friday night, super late, but we did have it:) It was great. But last night I got some pretty unexpected news. I have changes. Its really weird because I only have 6 weeks here, but that's the way it is, they are shipping me out of here! I still don't know where, Ill find out tomorrow though.

I can 100% say that i really enjoyed this area and completely understand and see why I was sent here. Ive never had a time in my life where the Holy Ghost as inspired and influenced me as it has being here in this area with the companion that I've had. Ive learned so much, and I've grown so much. Even though it was only 6 weeks, this transfer will have a great effect on the rest of my mission.

Ill be short in this email today. But I'm gonna send some pics. I love you guys, happy thanksgiving, and happy birthday to all the birthdays there are!

 

 

 

 

November

Hello Everyone! Its November again, can you believe it!? Thanksgiving and Christmas will be here very soon! And if I'm not mistaken, tonis birthday is on thanksgiving this year. Right? Thats sweet! Is it getting cold there? These will be my first holidays here in Mexico. We already had Halloween and dia de los muertos.But it was really weird and creepy here ha.

But we had a great week!

Monday - We didn't do much for pday, we just chilled. Then in the nighttime we had a really great experience. We had family home evening with a family, but when we got there, there wasn't a man of 18 years or older. So we called a member and told him to come. He came as fast as he could, but we still had to wait quite a while. The members were telling us to just come in and that it didn't matter. After like 20 minutes I felt like maybe we were being a little exaggerated, but we decided to be obedient and not go in. Well after like 5 minutes, a man came buy selling some weird type of deep fried tortilla with sugar. We said no to him at first. but then we felt really bad, so we called him back and bought some. Then he asked us if we were missionaries and we said yes, and he said that he was listening to the missionaries and was going to get baptized. But he had to move really abruptly here to Puebla, and lost all contact with missionaries and the church. Now he is listening to us and came to church yesterday! It really was a miracle that we found him. In doctrine and covenants 82:10 the lord tells us that he is obligated to bless us when we do what he says.Thats a pretty crazy thing to think about. We, as human beings, can obligate God. All we have to do is obey. If we had disobeyed that night and entered that house with only women, maybe nothing really bad would've happened. But we never would have met that man. And maybe he never would have had the chance to accept the gospel again in this life. As we obey God, in whatever aspect of this mortal experience, he HAS to bless us. He has promised us that, and since he is God and he is perfect, he keeps his promises. Do what God wants us to do in this life, and you'll be surprised at what he does he for you further down the road.

Okay...

Tuesday- Not a ton happened, but we did get to commit two people for baptism on the 17th of November, which is always great:)

Wednesday - We had district meeting, and as a district we set a lot of goals together, which really helped us. Then we found 7 new investigators! 2 different families! And one of them has 18 year old triplets! That was nuts haha. They are awesome families too, really willing to listen and accept.

Thursday - Thursday was a pretty normal day, we did find another new investigator though.:)

Friday - I did a baptismal interview, and it was a great learning experience. Usually people are prepared for baptism, and they pass. This is the first time ive had to say no and postpone the baptism. She had some personal things she has to take care of first. She had been afraid to tell the other elders about it, but when I interviewed her it all came out. I was really afraid to offend her, but i knew that she needed to wait to be baptized. she took it really well though, and i will be doing another interview with her again hopefully this Friday:) Oh and btw, we do baptismal interviews so that we can be sure people know what they are getting into, and that are ready to change certain things that they'll need to leave behind if they are going to be baptized. Its not like an exam or anything like that. They are really great experiences.

Saturday - I did another baptismal interview! This time with an 18 year old girl named Ashley. She passed with flying colors:)

Sunday - I went to help the sisters in my district give some blessings to their investigators. That was a good experience:) And almost all our investigators came to church!

Today we just played volleyball. We played volleyball instead of soccer because the sisters came, and hey don't like soccer.

And ya.

there's my week, tell me about yours!

And for xmas, if you are thinking about sending me something heres the address:

31 poniente 109 int. 201

col. chula vista

puebla, puebla c.p. 72420

and if you send UPS youll need a phone number, and here its: 2224295474

I love you guys!