Week 66 Ecuador

Well...the biggest news now is I`M BACK IN DURAN!!! Woah, I was here 4 months ago. I'm not really close to where I was before though. It all seems unfamiliar here, the houses, streets, layout of everything, but with work I will come to love new converts and things about this city. I imagine being here for atleast another 3 months. Time to start learning!

My new companion is Elder Estupinan. He is latin american and his family is latino, but he`s lived his whole life in El Paso, Texas. He will be going home in March so I`m likely his last companion. Things should go well. 

Week 65 Ecuador

Problem solving question of the week: Hahaha

Voice message 12/21/15

Hiiii family. Pretty crazy to think we’re going to be talking this week on Skype right? I’m pretty excited. I still need to find a cyber, or preferably a members house to Skype in, but we’ll get it all figured out. 

I’m glad to say that we haven’t actually had time to figure it out. This week, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday we went out with the assistants of the President, and started doing a presentation to the zone about how to do planning and stuff. We did a Christmas presentation, and then me and one of the assistants went out the next day and did baptismal interviews, and visited families investigating the church of the other missionaries, and it was actually a super spiritual day. I loved it. Except for the hours of 3 to 4, well I’ll tell you what happened. We were waiting at the church to do an interview, and the person was a little bit late, so we decided to clean up the church a little bit. We go in the sacrament room, and the floor is black and moving with crickets! I think I sent you guys some pictures, no? This is what happens when it rains here. All the crickets, and grasshoppers come out of the fields and try and get in the buildings. The buildings aren’t to well closed in here, and so they get everywhere. They were climbing on the church benches, they were everywhere, everywhere. We filled up two garbage buckets full of just crickets, cockroaches, grasshoppers. We were using big brooms, and those pick up brooms, and just like by the load. Some of them were dead, but a lot of them were still alive. It was disgusting. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity. A very unique way to serve God and my fellow Ecuadorians in a way. Really my main motivation was to see how many garbage buckets I could fill up. Luckily only a few have been able to enter into our home, so we’re staying safe:)

Well, turnouts of the Noche Blanca (baptismal service) weren’t entirely as we had hoped, but all the meetings went through, and it was good. We had hoped to baptize 3 in our sector, but one guy kind of flaked off, knowing his baptism date and went on vacation. I’m kind of bugged with him right now. The other guy did not pass his baptism interview, and he will have to wait a little while. We did have one baptism, Jenna. She’s great! Her mom and sister are also working to get baptized maybe in January, so we’re excited for her. The zone all together came up with seven other baptisms, so we did pretty good. We didn’t reach what we had hoped exactly, but I organized it in the first place to keep the missionaries excited and hopeful getting so close to Christmas; that they would keep working and try baptizing in this month, not get super distracted. Although, it’s a little hard to deny this is the season the missionaries would all most like to be home. 

Well, church today we saw the confirmation of Jennifer and others who were baptized in our ward. A missionary came home from Paraguay. We brought three new investigators to the church today, a new family. I’m excited for them, they have baptismal dates in January. I was really disappointed, the topics in sacrament meeting consisted of being in the world but not of the world, the youth, and tithing. Not a single word was mentioned of Christmas, so that kind of astounded me. It really killed my vibes you could say, so to fix that we organized a little caroling tonight. Us and the sister missionaries in our ward, the mission leader, and a couple other people went out and we sang to recent converts, to less active families, and to a few random houses, just contacting them. There were some nice people, two guys opened the door, and then shut the door…ok, that always happens. We wore santa hats, it was a fun, good, good way to spend the evening. 

Well, looking at the schedule we have set up for these next few days, I’m going to want to spend Christmas just sleeping. We’re going to be cleaning churches, and volunteering in hospitals, and doing caroling Christmas performances in three different places in Guayaquil. It will be really exciting; it will be fun experiences, but a lot of traveling around, a lot of babysitting all the missionaries. That’s what it really means to be a zone leader, or a leader in the mission, just make sure everyone else doesn’t do something stupid, and get where they need to be, and do what they need to do…I love it! 

 Ok, well I just had to pause this and take a phone call that kind of took a little bit of time, so I don’t really remember where I left off, what I was saying, but I suppose I will continue in wrapping up, just saying I’m super excited to see you all Skyping this week. I’ll be sure to let you know when, and where, and how. We’ll get it all set up, with God’s help it will all work out like it has to this point, hopefully with a little less worry and frustration. I hope you all have a miraculous, and a peaceful Christmas week. We’re talking soon, enjoy it because this may be the last Christmas you don’t have me there causing havoc, so anyways love you all. Take care. Bye

Week 64 Ecuador

Dearly Beloved´s,

The transfer has passed and I am still in Babahoyo!! Woohoo, that means I´m safe to see the ¨Noche Blanca¨ stake baptismal service this Saturday. If all goes right we´ll be having 3 baptisms, and as a Zone hopefully 13; lots of interviewing to be done. I´m excited for the programs and things we´ve lined up here for Christmas, then, I´ll likely be moved on the 28th before the New Year. 

Holiday Sprit is influencing a lot of people to let us into their homes to share a special message. Most don´t want us to come back but they enjoy the undeniable spirit that we bring into their homes; (I think it´s the church and studies and eternal promises that scares them a little, haha_all jokes aside, important stuff). Our mission president was in Baba this weekend for our stake conference and everyone loves him-he has a gift for speaking. One of our investigators for this month who´s been a little flaky came up to us after and said he wanted to do his baptismal interview this week; if all goes well he´ll be baptized the 19th too. I guess if you can´t get the job done, leave the tough ones to President. Humbling..

The season brings out the Lord´s chosen as well as the ¨Scrudge´s¨ and oooo I have had the door slammed in my face this week, words said i´m glad I don´t understand, some other hand signals by passer-by´s that I do understand and the list goes on. It´s a shame they can´t see it but E´Albrecht and I get a laugh out of how dumb people look.

Highlight of the week is when the Assistants came (one who is from Guatamala and sings extremely well) we went to the center of Babahoyo where there´s a BIG lit-up Christmas Tree with Books of Mormon, Brochure´s of Joseph Smith, Christmas cards and tiny mints wrapped up with red-ribbon and sang for everyone there (just the 4 of us) but people started clapping and coming up super interested so I started writing referals, then my companion, then the other elder and at points there was only E´Salcedo singing (he did just fine). Fun experience.

Apart from the city center I also went on an intercambo to Montalvo, on the edge of our Zone and found MOUNTAINS! Ah, the air was cool there and it was awesome. The Elders baptized a person from there last week. I have a feeling my next Zone will be a District? But, we´ll see. It´d be good experience.

My convert was afraid I was going to have changes and made us Tacos! Well, I didn´t have changes, but the tacos were still really delicious!

I like having more say over the way I choose to share the gospel this Christmas, and a little more knowledge of how to do it. We´re looking to make it a memorable one. Best of wishes to all of you and remember, the greatest joy comes when we serve others!

 Love,

Elder Wilson

Week 63 Ecuador

Big Happy Birthday S/O to my wonderful mother Cammie this week on the 10th!! 😀

We`re battling bats in our ceiling, Crickets eating through our screen (and sleeping with elder Albrecht).. no worries though, we`re winning. And, if it ever gets out of hand I`ll just climb into my fresh Hammock for the night!

We should be all clear with meetings for a month or so after this past week of like.. 4! Ugh. Can`t say I`m a huge fan honestly. I`d make a bad Assistant of the President.

I woke up to a solid 16 minutes of P90X Ab-ripper with Tony Horton. It didn`t wipe me out because we`re going out for some Zone soccer. Paint-ball will be suspended for a less rainy day. (if we ever see one of those again)

I hope all were able to attend the First Presidency`s Christmas Devotional. Maybe I`ve taken it for granted but there truly is a great sense of peace and gratitude that comes during the Christmas season and, anytime we search for the light of Christ. I am taking focus in the simplicity of that this year.

I have verified why I need a Savior; in more eloquent words we often sing ¨me cuesta entender que quisiera Jesus bajar, del trono divino para mi alma rescatar..¨ but I know that Heavenly Father truly did send his willing Son, His only Begotten; He was born to virtuous parents, he lived, he died accomplishing his infinite Atonement. The scriptures don`t say much at all about the first 30 years of His life, but one says enough at the end of Luke ¨Y Jesus crecia en sabiduria, y estatura, y en favor con Dios, y los hombres.¨ .. (pardon that I memorize these in spanish, ha). I know that I too can find forgiveness, receive strength or direction at the beginning of each day as I desire to do what`s right through his mercy.

Love you all, 

-Mr. Brightside

12/7/15 voice message

Hi family, this week flew by so fast that we’re sitting down Elder Albrecht and I, tonight…Saturday night, trying to write the whole week of events in our journals all at once. It added up to about a page for me, because I don’t have that great of a memory. 

Anyways, going back to Monday (almost 5 days ago) we dropped our clothes off at this crazy laundry mat because the lady who washes our clothes was out of town. It was raining, and we were leaving to go to Guayaquil. It ended up working out. It was $9, kind of expensive. We were just looking for a laundry mat to wash them ourselves, but I guess that’s not how they do it here. 

So, we got our stuff together and headed off to Guayaquil for the leadership conference with the zone leaders. We ended up bowling that night, just Elder Albrecht and I. That was fun. We only ended up getting in one game, but I bowled a 157! Not bad for just stepping up there and lettin’ r rip. I got like 3 or 4 strikes…solid. 

We stayed in the mission home that night, and the next morning up and at 5 o’clock. We went to the temple, did a session there of endowments. I always like to try and learn something new, or ask president Riggins if he can answer me a question. So I took advantage of that. A favorite scripture from the conference that you guys can all look up is Moses 6:34. Interpret that how you want, I’ll just leave that one wide open. 

Wednesday we were back in the sector, and then returned again to Guayaquil, this time with the entire zone. We slept in the hotels next to the temple. Thursday we were there again, it’s always nice to have a hot shower every 3 months. We did another session, and then had a zone conference where president talked to all of us. This is probably putting you all to sleep. It was a week of meetings, and it was good and bad. I guess we could say it flew by, but in the moment not exactly. Rising to the climax though, the office boys brought all of our packages to bring back home! I received my Christmas package pretty early this year. Super stoked, and as you can imagine I did not leave it sitting under the bed for 20 more days. So, thank you very much. I am a Very spoiled missionary, and probably one of the most loved of the 88,000 active missionaries serving around the world. I will never feel unloved. Again, thank you very much. Enjoying the Tevas, very comfortable. Lovin’ the hammock, though there’s not exactly space here in the house to hang it up properly. Um, I got it up in the little back closet. You guys will get a picture. Super comfortable, love having it. It’s sweet, super sweet. I’m way excited to get it out in the mountains with it, do a little hammock backpacking. Anyways, the candy, the cards mom your card I have sitting on my desk...thank you, the P90x videos are gonna whip me right back into shape…as soon as I start doing them, ha. That starts Monday…you know, starting a new week. The tie is super sweet, and I won’t have any problems with E’ Albrecht stealing that one from me because we don’t have the same taste in some things. That’s ok, it’s a good looking tie. 

So, some of the upcoming stuff…in the conference we got pre warnings that we needed to go buy canned food, and packets of rice, and all this food storage and extra water, because El Nino is coming! Big rain storm, I’m sure you guys have heard about it. It’s supposed to hit pretty hard, and water is known to get up to waist level and stuff. I don't know, we’ll see how it all goes. We did get our two first rain storms this week. One we were here in Babahoyo, and the other…we found it. All the fields flooded, and all the crickets and grasshoppers came out of the fields to come live in the city. Tell you what, we blocked up our house pretty good. Only one or two got in, but the church, and the buildings, just everywhere walking around outside is tremendous with those things flying around, smacking you in the face, dying in the church. I’m super excited for our next baptism on the 19th because I will have the honor of cleaning dead crickets out of the baptismal font. It’s all worth the price though. It’s all good. 

I just recently finished giving myself another haircut. We’re getting pretty good at that. E’ Albrecht comes in and verifies, and touches things up. Just got showered up, looking pretty fresh I guess you could say. I need to get better at these voice messages. This isn’t spiritual at all…just talking. You guys are probably a little bored, but tomorrow will be good. We’ve got church, and then we’ve got meetings, an invasion. We’re going to go invite everyone to come to stake conference in two weeks, but I think we have the Christmas devotional too that I’m hoping to be able to go see. Maybe try to and take some investigators to it, so they can meet the prophet. 

Anyways, we’re going to hit the sack I think so we can get to it, and try and stop smelling this rotten milk that spilled all over the floor from our fridge overnight. It then sat and ants died in it, and our house smells like warm, fermented milk. Anyways, goodnight to you all. I love you. Happy week, happy evening. Thanks a million, really…love you all. Take care

Week 62 Ecuador

We baptized some future leaders of the church this past weekend, Zailart and Daniela have my heart! I love the relationships we create with these awesome families and to see the Gospel light up their homes.

We´re always looking forward. We went to make wedding and baptismal plans with the Baragan family (7). The Dad and daughter were fighting when we arrived and there was no spirit. We sang. We taught. The lesson turned to cold feelings and everyone trying to give suggestions from the scriptures. I had a lump in my throat and just said, ¨YA¨ .. stop. I promised the answer would come if the Father prayed, so we kneeled, he gave a sincere prayer, and then as family members arose and resorted to dishing up the dinner or talking in a hushed tone E´ Albrecht and I stayed kneeling for 15 minutes more as the father continued praying silently. Rarely have I prayed so sincerely. Well. He got his answer. Time to put that answer into action so we can realize there baptism on the 26 of December!

Always lots of unrivaled experiences here in the mission field.

I´m feeling that I will be soon called out of Babahoyo before the new year and I feel sad about it. It´s a lot of feelings. I don´t want to go. I love my converts, I have lots of investigators with a lot of potential. It may be a selfish feeling too that I don´t want to give away what i´ve now set-up these past 3 months. Ha, maybe I am too comfortable. E´ Albrecht and I are like brothers and are enjoying our success. Shoot, I don´t want to go. I will love this month, then, I´ll happily do what the Lord thinks best.

Well.. off to go wash my clothing! Then go to Guayaquil for the Leadership Conference, that´s always inspiring.

PS: the church came out with a new video ¨A savior is born.¨ Look it up, share it on Facebook, put it out there for everyone to see! 

Love you all.

Week 61 Ecuador

I give a quick thanks, leading into this Thanksgiving week, for the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

It is a maravelous work, it`s inspiring to see the converstion of someone, fulfilling to attend their memorable baptismal services, and a little out of this world when you stand with them Inside the House of the Lord.

I`m blessed to have a Temple so close in my mission and to see these new members testimonies drive them to realize the work for their Family members waiting on the other side! 

Start with the end in mind; See them dressed in white!

Zone Unity

Week 60 Ecuador

I have plans to take 6 of the recent converts here to the temple on Thursday. Should be a great experience and hope it works out that all can go!

We're looking good for baptisms on the 28th of this month. Rescues too! The work is good. I get frustrated sometimes when it's slow and I don't know how to best use my time...but truly it's never been better. 

The first rain fell this week here. Little nervous to see if this "Nino" really comes to drown us or no. Take what comes and love it!

Love you

Week 59 Ecuador

Pumpkin Pie: this is my convert from a few weeks back. She heard me talking about wanting a pumpkin pie for Halloween, and decided to test out her cooking abilities trying something new. Blessed my life! Wonderful woman, delicious Pie.

Sound familiar? "4 guys" well...it wasn't that great, the 5th brother must have taken the secret recipe. Bummer.

Baptism of Glenda and Julio Flores...

and the man who gave us the wonderful reference. There will be a proposal any time I believe. That's a future eternal family right there!

November 9, 2015 (voice recording)

 Hello family, I know you all have to get over the Thanksgiving hump, but Christmas trees are going up here in Ecuador and I’m enjoying it. We’re a few weeks ahead of you guys I guess. 

We also heard in the house of a member this A-cappella group. They’re called Pentatonix. They are really good. Dad I think you would find it interesting if you’ve never listened to them. You could You tube that for a minute. I think they’ve got a Christmas album out or something. 

I hope I don’t wear out the 15 or so Christmas hymns in the Spanish hymn book, because every chance I get I’m turning back there. We’ve still got two months to go pretty much, but President told us that as a zone we have to do a performance in front of the mission for seven minutes here for the Christmas…I want to say assembly, but it’s not an assembly…the conference for the mission. So if you guys have any wild ideas, I mean throw them out. It can be spiritual, it can be funny, mix it up, it’s pretty much going to be in the sacrament room, so it can’t get too wild, but you know…throw them out, send them my way. I’d appreciate it. I’m in charge of running this thing with Elder Albrecht, and I’ve never been a drama producer, but we’ll do our best. 

We did have the leaders conference this week in Guayaquil. I got to do my final family history name. That was really awesome. I guess I am done, until I come home from the mission. I did get the promise from President that I can let him know when I finish, and go out and do sealings with my companion, and president and his wife, but we’ll see when we get around to it. I don’t know, I’m not to worried yet. It might be a little awkward? Definitely a neat experience though, I’m not throwing away the possibility. As far as getting back to the temple, the ward has a goal to go on the 19th. We want to go with all our recent converts, help them get some family history names ready to go.

As far as the zone, President Riggins really wants us to focus on helping the missionaries of the zone have spiritual experiences, with the normas of excellence that we’re working with, trying to apply. I guess that’s our job after all. It’s definitely a test of our prayers and our faith because we did an invasion this last week. We went into the sectors with the assistants, and the sister leaders. We set some pretty high goals to find new investigators and put baptismal dates. I was a little nervous when they set the goals. Like oh shoot, I’m in charge of making sure we can try and complete these things. So, I prayed kind of sincerely and kept a prayer in my heart. We actually ended the day pretty close to the goal we had set. In all honesty, I don’t know how we have as much success as we do sometimes. All I can say is we do our best, then God sends the spirit members, or whatever form of divine assistance to bring to pass his marvelous work. Results of that work have definitely shown. The numbers of the zone really shot up this week, and here in a few weeks we’re hoping to see the results of it, the baptisms, and rescues, people coming to church, all of that good stuff. This week we really stayed busy, and it moved right along. Apart from the leadership meeting, President also came to the zone here in Babahoyo, and we had interviews. He again reminding me of the important role that I have as a leader, not only to teach and demonstrate principles, but to increase faith, motivation, and help the other missionaries see that this is a spiritual work.

I went out with a really great Elder from Peru, Elder Contreras. In the street there was this guy vending some stuff. I tried a typical hot drink from Peru. It’s made of a weird cactus plant thing, and it was the weirdest texture I’ve ever tasted in my life. It honestly looked like snot, like reddish snot. Initially I drank it so he would be happy, doing the whole cultural thing. It wasn’t really bad, the whole texture thing just threw me off. We got it down though. Apparently it has some really good medical benefits. 

We’re wondering if my African water filter is going out, because the water tastes like crap. It’s clean, we haven’t gotten sick. I’ve drank from that thing my whole mission, but I don’t know, maybe it’s just…I guess it doesn’t say that it’s supposed to flavor the water. I don’t know, can’t cry about it. It’s better than buying jugs of water every week. 

Well I suppose in closing, the baptismal service of Julio and his mom Glenda Flores went super well. I couldn’t be happier. I’ve yet to see happier converts. When they were given a short time to share their feelings after the baptism, Glenda went into a gratitude prayer. She was bearing her testimony, and then she started praying, and everyone was looking around. It was hilarious. We were trying to not laugh out loud, but it was good too. It was a really good prayer. Then her son Julio, he’s 19, was sharing his own conversion story. He’s a really funny kid, balanced out the whole humor, and spirit perfect for me. Great baptismal service. 

Well, just so you guys are staying up to date with us. Were not going to have baptisms this week, but we’re staying faithful with the streak, and we’re looking for a baptismal service on the 21st, and the 28th we’ve got some people with baptismal goals. Also for December we’re preparing some people that need to get married, and things that will take a little more time. We’re super excited for what’s going on here. We’re loving the work. I’m loving being on the mission. It’s hard imagining coming home and adapting back to college and all that, but I don’t have to do it yet, so we won’t worry to much about it until next year when we have to start making plans. 
Give my thanks to any veterans you run into this Wednesday on Veterans Day. Throw the flag out in the front yard. Ummm...anyways, know that I love you very much. Looking forward to another week. Take care.

Week 58 Ecuador

Bishop Shaum,

Thank you for allowing me to give a breif testimony on what three things we as members of the Eden 1st ward can do to become more converted to the Savior and strengthen our families.

"The Lord has outlined the steps we should follow to draw near unto him:  seek through the scriptures, ask through prayer, knock through obedience."  ---J. Thomas Fyans

As a missionary I study the Doctrines of Christ and motivational applications of such a minimum of 2 hours every day. I wish every member of the church had time to dedicate to this type of study, but that`s not often the case. Nevertheless, I know the Scriptures were written to provide light of instruction and comfort to Latter-Day Saints _ today. The ability to effectively study the scriptures is the first step to becoming a firmly-rooted and self-sufficient member of the church and society.

Without revelation the church is just another pretty meeting house in which to congregate and sing feel-good praises. If we want guidance in our lives we must learn how to pray with real intent. Not the dreamy bowed over prayer with my head resting on my taunting bed_ but a prayer with purpose. Pray to give thanks, for your needs, for the needs of others, and pray with specific questions to which God can give specific direction; that will require making a game-plan which you can talk over with our Heavenly Father and being in-tune with the adjustments he may want to make.

May I testify, especially to the Priesthood who were privileged to listen to President Monson`s talk last General Priesthood session, that obedience brings blessings. By obedience to our loving Heavenly Fathers counsel we can truly call down the blessings of heaven upon our families. I`m proud to say I can`t tell you much of what happens on the contrary, but I continually see the assistance of He whose work I am performing when I seek to do His will. Clearly, that requires putting my personal interests in second place and focusing on my duty. It requires Sincerity. Whatever good thing you feel God is asking you to do, Do with full purpose of heart.

Anyone still doubting their level of conversion? Go out and work with the Missionaries for a day.

Love,

Elder Wilson

Week 57 Ecuador

Family and Friends,

We have officially begun A Streak! What was that movie dad...Standing Tall? Something...well, we`ve had baptismal services every-other week for the past two months, or to say, my time here in Babahoyo. November is looking good and we`re going to keep this thing rolling until I`m called somewhere else. Loving Babahoyo! Keep praying, obeying, working and doing all things with a joyful spirit, then stand still and watch the Lord fulfill his promises! Thanks for all of your prayers on behalf of Hugo and the Family Ponce as they fasted with us this past week and took the most important decision of their lives.

Elder Wilson

I think I fell behind on sending these. Well, we're playing catch up!

Here grandma Wilson...I don't have the recipe, but this is Japingacho. Super delicious!

The rain, and heat, are coming back to Ecuador! I think I told grandma Rett, there are houses on the River here. Bad pic, but can you see the houses?

Carlos and Matilde Ponce. Married, and baptized!

My piano teacher (and newest Elder)

Little league soccer photos, can we do a throw-back something here!? hah

Elder Albrecht cut himself shaving. I immediately responded with a Hitler salute! haha funny dude. It was his birthday the 21st!

We had some struggles with the baptismal font again. City water pipes filled up with dirt. Better that we baptize in the river! ha

Cake! Not a fan of cake. Nope, but this one was pretty good.

Not impressed with the high temperatures

Hugo Cherrez baptized by member Juan Leon

Proof of 105 degrees of celestial glory beating down on my bleaching head! :)

Duntz hats, & lollipops

Week 56 Ecuador

10/19/15 voice recording

Good morning family! :) Well, I’m not totally awake yet, but I just want to throw out to start off, happy 14 months in the mission to Elder Albrecht and I. whoo! Also, I will be celebrating with Elder Albrecht his 20th birthday on Wednesday the 21st. whoo! Sunday I will be celebrating again in my heart, with all of you for Garrett’s birthday on the 25th. whoo! Lots of reasons to celebrate this week. ha 

Dad and Garrett, I hope you guys had a excellent time pheasant hunting in Montana. I saw a few ducks last week, but I’m hoping to see the trophies all lined up today. 

I passed my happy 14 months with the zone leaders in Guayaquil at President Riggins house. A lot of great things went down there. We lunched on some sweet pork sandwiches. I know BBQ beef sandwiches weren’t always my favorite, but wow. When we ate them here, they were just delicious. 

Going to a more spiritual point, we all feel that the mission has great potential. Not disregarding our current success, but as President Riggins said “We’re building the foundation of things to shortly come.” We keep raising the goals, and me and Albrecht are trying to reach them. We’ve rebuilt the mission from what it was, really with a lot of love and trust. Almost everyone’s obedient, although sadly amidst all of that has risen mental barriers that secure complacency. Complacency is the enemy of excellence. We want to break them. We want to break those mental barriers in the minds of the missionaries. Me and Elder Albrecht did it. With the normal 4 or 5 investigators that we take to church, with a lot of help from the ward members we got 12 at church yesterday. We want to show how the other missionaries can do that as well. That is what a good leader does. 

Quick side note, I did get 10 temple names done that morning thanks to some brothers on the team that helped me out. Leaving me with only 1 original name to go from the first search. I’ll be doing that next month probably. Another side note…Oh wait mom, those names that you mentioned, I can’t remember the two last names, but I don’t have anyone here from the 1600s. I don’t have their names, and so if you wanted to print out their names and send them in the next package, or letter, or whatever I’ll be happy to do them. If not, we can let them expire and I’ll go back to it when I get home. Either way, I just wanted to let you know that I don’t have them. 

Hey Rachel, another quick side note. I did get your letter that you sent. Well, I can’t say I got it. It made it to Ecuador, but it actually got sent out to another missionary who opened it. ha Their zone leader took it from him, “Hey, this is Elder Wilsons!” so one of my buddies is gonna  be getting that to me shortly. I thank you for sending it. I can’t wait to read it. 

I am staying faithful to the pondering scripture challenge. This week Elder Albrecht and I invited the zone to do one, which was Mosiah 18:21. It’s about unity. So, that was really good. 

I also feel that I am understanding the social and spiritual relationship in the mission work, that aspect frustrated me for a long time. I’m pondering more my personal experiences, and it’s adding significance to my testimony for sure. You can really see when you look back how the Lord has been there, and preparing you a little bit. Here and there, and moments along your life. With that I am left with an anxious knot in my heart, because the Ponce’ family finally got married! We’ve been working with them for a while. It’s time to get them baptized, but luck of the draw, I was in another sector so I didn’t get to see that. That’s alright though. 

I tell you what though, something crazy happened on an intercombio. We were in one of those wooden houses that were built up on stilts. This family was kind of weird, they are less actives and everything. This girl comes in that was bathing, I was like yeah whatever. She shook my hand, went in the kitchen, and then her boyfriend came in. He was tatted up, I guess he’s a less active member. Then I heard yelling in the kitchen, and he comes running around the corner laughing, and then just after…Boom…this knife goes into the wall, and he’s like hahaha. He looks around the corner…Boom…another cup comes flying. Then he picks them up, goes in the kitchen laughing, and she was laughing. Some freaky, weird messed up game…I left. 

Alright, to bring it back to the spiritual knot in my heart though. We have Hugo Cherez, as well as the Familia Ponce’ who have goals to be baptized this Saturday. They’re struggling a little bit. Receiving their answers, they’re uncertain. There’s fears of failing after their baptism, and lots of stuff. We had really powerful lessons last night with them, lots of tears were shed. Not on my part though. Anyways, we made the goal that we’re going to fast for them tomorrow, and this week. Do a lot of prayer, and honestly I just have to say I am So excited to see the Lord answer their prayers. I truly have come to trust in the Lord’s promises, and I know that if they do this with sincerity, then their going to receive the comfort, strength, knowledge, whatever it is they truly need. So, I can’t invite you all to fast with us here in the mission, it’s not appropriate, but go ahead and keep a prayer in your hearts for them, so we can keep these baptisms rolling. Keep saving the souls of Ecuador down here;) These three baptisms this month for us, adding to the ones we’ve had would actually reach the goal of excellence that President Riggins had set for us. Nobody’s reached it yet, so I would really like to set that example for the zone. 

Anyways, going back to the intercombio, a member made a comment that I had heard before. We’re inviting people always to do stuff, and they said, “Elder Wilson that’s easy for you, that comes natural for you.” I reflect on things, and it’s true. A lot of things in my life have come very naturally, and so I thought, I pondered. I wanted to do something difficult, and I’ve concluded music has always been difficult for me. We all know that I do not have rhythm, I cannot play the piano. Honestly, I want to struggle. I want to see myself achieve something, a difficult task that these people are always facing, it’s just different. I don’t know, I don’t have many chances to practice, but I’ll take advantages of what’s given me, and I have made the goal to play Hark the Harold Angels Sing on the piano before Christmas. Luckily, Elder Albrecht is a fine teacher. He has taken 9 years of piano, although he hated it. 

Alright, I’ll share one last story. It is that, I saw the blessings of family history work again, when I offered to reactivate we can say. We visited an otherwise inactive family in the church, even though they pay their tithing. For a time, the family Onate has felt some of their ancestors are waiting for them. They being sealed already, this is the purpose his family will need to return to church. I can’t blame the guy, I don’t enjoy church here either. I really don’t. I don’t know how I would stand for a life of going to church here. It’s unorganized, it’s stressful for me, it’s I don’t know; but they will need to take action to go to church, to take the sacrament, to prepare themselves to enter into the temple and do the work for those family members that they do find. So, this week we’re teaching them family history. We’re going to use the family search accounts. I’m glad I learned all that. I’m glad I have my testimony of it. I know that God invited me to learn all that for a reason before I came out here on the mission. 

Alright, if this gets much longer, I’m not going to be able to send it to you guys. So, I’m going to drop it here, with a big I LOVE YOU from Ecuador. Take care

Week 55 Ecuador

Baaaptism :)

10/12/15 voice message

Hey family, what’s up? Another great week has gone by in the work of salvation. Starting off from the beginning, last week after conference we took on the challenge to memorize a scripture each week. We also selected one for the zone, so as a zone we have more unity and purpose. So the zones memorizing a scripture, but just to show off my skills, I’ll show you that I memorized my scripture, it’s Mosiah 15:11, which reads like this. Behold I say unto you, that whosoever has heard the words of the prophets…concerning the coming of the Lord…who have hearkened unto their words, and believed that the Lord would redeem his people, and have looked forward to that day for a remission of their sins…these are his seed…the heirs of the kingdom of God. Sweet promise right? So, a little motivation to follow the prophet. 

New stuff this week, a really, really cool thing happened. I’m pretty sure that a family was sent to us from God. Literally, the familia Gomez, they’re actually our neighbors. I guess by a few fights and things, they were splitting up. The wife came to her husband wanting an attorney to see how much it’s going to cost to divide all their things and the two daughters that they have. He’s like instead of getting a professional to split us up, why don’t we get a professional that can bring us together? It just happened that we were walking down outside the house at that moment, and he stopped us and asked us when we were going to come visit him. He’s super cool. He’s a dance instructor. We’ve had three lessons with them now. They’re way cool. They have a date to be married, and to be baptized! They’re super cool with us. We’re sure they’ll progress, and super grateful for that miracle that we saw this week. 

Two new missionaries came into the zone this week. Ones named Elder Oyler. He’s from Pleasant Grove Utah, but no worries. He didn’t wrestle or play any other sports, so no contention there. The other is Sister Johnson from Idaho Falls, and she knows Caleb. Caleb Eubanks, so that’s pretty cool, although she’s a year older than him. It’s been funny to see them, and hear their spanish, and a little painful all at the same time bringing back those memories. That sucked when I couldn’t understand anyone. It was so frustrating. We just have to give them a lot of support though, and they’ll have it figured out in a few weeks. Honestly I have to say, as much as I’m enjoying the mission right now and loving it, I would never go back an redo the first year. 

Amongst all the cool things happening down here in Ecuador here though, Elder Albrecht and I were in bed one morning, just waking up and an earthquake shook us for a good six seconds or something. We confirmed it with other people, so it was real, it was legit. It made us laugh and look at each other, because you know we’re supposed to be out of bed at 6:30 sharp, and we can say it was about 6:32. It shook us, and I was like woah, woah, woah, OK, God I’m up! I’m up! We're down on our knees ready to pray. He’s gonna send down justice on us. 

Well I hate to deceive you all, and say that everything is sunshine and rainbows down here, so I’ll share the bad side too. Um…Nilla Wafers are the bomb, and they’re still my favorite. Thank you grandma, but they are all gone now. So that’s a hard reality to accept.

We had a terribly unorganized “invasion” we call it. Where everyone goes and visits in a ward, all the missionaries, all the members, anyway in one of the wards here in the zone. It was the bishops fault for nor organizing anything. So that ate up about two and a half hours of our day. 

Mom, I share this for you, because I always have to say something kind of questionable in my voice messages for you to filter and rewrite to share with the rest of the world. The truth is I’ve suffered a pretty gnarly head cold this past week, and with that came some diarrhea. I share with you all something that kind of came from our president. The Lord many times asks us to work with all our heart, might, mind, and strength, all of our “guts”. Ya know you gotta give your guts, and I think when God asks us to work with our guts, he’s saying something like “Parker, I’ve never seen you search, and find, and enter in a house with such diligence as when your guts tell you you really need to go!” So, I want you to work like that. All jokes aside, we had some emergencies, and I was breaking through the door on a few occasions. Members, ya know…I gotta go! Thinking in the beginning of my mission I would refuse to use a members toilet. Seriously though, think how successful we would all be in life if we worked as hard as when we have to find a toilet. That would be true passion right there. 

I can say that this weekend has been a good experience. I felt the spirit as we always do when we sincerely try fasting and looking for it. All of that included the baptism of the familia Penafiel…the brothers. Not to say that went perfectly either. The day of the baptism we went to the font and got it all ready. At 11:00 we filled it all up, which takes like 45 minutes, cleaned the room, swept it out, and everything. The other elders had a baptism at 4. Ours wasn’t until 7, so when we came at about 6:45, coming early to make sure everything is ready. The room was dirty with popcorn, and pop bottles, and the font had been drained with zero water. Luckily after the introduction and the talks and everything the font got to an appropriate level that we could dunk ‘em and wash away all their sins. 

We’re excited to see these baptisms coming in like every other week, and hope to keep that going. It always has a lot more purpose when you can go, and do follow up lessons and visits with your own converts, which is what we did tonight. We taught familia Torez Salvatierra, and then he received the Aaronic priesthood today. He’s a priest now, until the next priesthood conference when he’ll receive the Melchizedek priesthood. After that lesson, we watched the movie UP for about 15 minutes. It was on TV while drinking our Ecuadorian hot chocolate, which is so delicious. 

Garrett, I heard you were slamming some doubles, and playing a lot of first base. Congrats on that. I’m excited to hear more about baseball, and about what’s going on there. I’m sure you’ll make the team for Weber here come springtime. 

Dad, I don’t know what week were on, if you're in your handgun shooting course, or if you guys are going up to Montana for the pheasant trip. I’m sure I’ll get up to date tomorrow, and I’m excited to see some pictures, whatever you guys are up to.

Mom, I’m excited to see some more triathlon pictures. I can keep rooting on for you about your college work, that’s awesome, but not all that exciting. I can’t say that, all that I’m doing isn’t usually to exciting either. Geez, that was kind of offensive, sorry for dissing on you mom. I love you.

Haun girls, Maddie, Gracie, Aeva, you’re all your all destined to be college soccer athletes the way I see it.

Grandma, I think you just need to retire so you have more time to write me letters. You always close that you feel guilty that you write me and work and have to get out to some dying patient. 

Grandma Wilson, keep bowling those turkeys.That’s incredible. I’ve only gotten maybe one of those in my entire life. Grandpa Wilson, keep up the good work golfing. Win some big tournaments. Bring in the big dough.

Darby and Bryan, I don’t even know if you guys listen to these things, but if you make it to the end of this 11 minute voice message, I want you to know that I love you. It’s like 10:40 at night, and I’m supposed to be in bed, but I still stink, and I’m drinking really nasty fake orange juice, watching my companion pick zits off his face. So, enjoy the love that you guys enjoy one with another. Keep it real. Duces

Week 54 Ecuador

Writing this one out, and apologizing to those who may think I`ve long given up on communicating in the mission (I`ve just converted to voice messages more). 

I may start by saying I`m a spoiled missionary for the frequent visits to the Temple here in Ecuador I am blessed with. With the help of some good friends I completed 5 family endownments this past week. There is a work to be done in the Temple we are all called to serve in. Get a temple recommend if you don`t have one, and if you do, Go!

I`m glad to report, as I sit eating tasty and budget friendly CC cookies, I have reached the perfect mission fitness level. Unlike before, I can completely wear myself out, stretch and meditate all in my short 30 minute schedule! 

Hope this doesn`t come in too direct, all the same I wanted to share and I truly don`t want to forget the feelings of brotherly love, despair and maybe a little fear I felt this past week as my mission president helped me understand the essential role of Baptism in the Plan of Redemption (Salvation).

It all began when God presented His plan and gave us the opportunity to become like Him_understanding perfectly the price that would have to be paid... He prepared it. Most Jumped for joy, but a third rebelled and were thrust out of heaven (Rev 12 or D&C 76:25). We knew we would be tried (Abraham 3); satan became our temptor, opposition to the Father
(2 Nephi 2..) Subsequently, Adam and Eve, the Earth, and each of us when 8 years old are cast-out of Fathers presence, our origin, unwelcome disgraceful degenerated (enemies Mosiah 3:19) to God. And we thought we were Children of God, no? 

Good news is for us who have been baptized the answer is yes. However, truth is God won`t reclaim us unless we are reconciled with HIm_ by his son. You see, Christ did all that he did to Buy us, and if we live worthily, give us back_children of our Heavenly Father (whereas now we are baptized, children of Christ). (1 Colossians 1:19...) We were torn from Him so that we could learn to grow, a process that doesn`t truly begin until we find him again through Baptism. We cannot repent without being baptized for truly we are ¨Baptized unto repentance¨ (as it states 13x in the BOM). 

I understand now why the Sons of Mosiah (Mosiah 18) had such a great desire to Cry salvation to their Brothers the Lamanites. I finally get it_because I felt it too.

Week 53 Ecuador

Family Home Evening...

and you thought it was a Christmas party;)

...just goes to show I CAN plan things, when I want.

Baptisms in the Murillo family! You know the gospel is true and the Atonement is powerful when you see it bring two separating parents together as they strive to come closer to God. Result, kids baptized, happy family. This cracked me up, dad and son looking up (with the picture of the first vision in the background, haha)

Jump-suits are the bomb

Assistants being goofy.

Us, always happy doing weekly numbers!

9/28/15 voice message

Hi family. I hope everyone had a wonderful week. It probably wasn’t as fulfilling as mine though…just sayin’. We had some fun. I got to go out and play basketball a couple mornings. When one of the assistants was here, Elder Ryelch, he’s gonna go play for the University of Utah after, so he’s pretty good. He’s like 6’ 4. I’m about as good, or worse than I ever was at basketball, but you know…I can play around. Everyone says I shoot like a wrestler…ya that’s deserved I guess. My companion, he’s super good at basketball too. He played two years in high school. 

We had the biggest family home evening last Monday I’ve ever seen in my life, because Miguel Penafiel our old mission leader was leaving on the mission. He’s a pretty popular guy it looks like. We gave a message, I think it was pretty good, got some references (not really), but you know we tried. During the rest of the testimonies and things that went on for like 45 minutes, me and Elder Albrecht secretly played checkers behind a table. That was pretty fun. Won two times, lost once. Then we got some food. That’s the fun thing about being a missionary, the people always serve you first, so you never feel left out. 

Mexicans are few and far between here in the mission, but I got to go on my first intercambio with one, Elder Abendano. He’s a pretty cool guy. We ordered in some pizza for the six of us when we were doing the intercambio, and I didn’t get home ’til like 10:30…shhh. Don’t tell anyone, but it was mainly because a returned missionary drove us home in his car, and he was driving suuuper slow with spanish rap music blaring, mainly as a joke. It was kind of funny, but it got old, but whatever, we got home. All you can do is laugh about it. 

Some good things happened as far as the work this week. We found some good new investigators. We’ve got baptisms lined up for each weekend in October. We got to keep finding to fill up the month, but we’re just going to keep the baptismal font full so we can throw them in at any minute. Speaking of that though…keeping the font full. Me and Elder Albrecht forgot to drain the font from our last baptism two weeks ago, and we went to use it again…to clean it out. It was full of four dead cockroaches, and these nasty worms that were dead and floating on top. The water was like green and moldy. It was So disgusting, but when we tried to drain it, we figured out that there’s an electrical problem, and it won’t even drain. So that water is just sitting in the font at the church. It’s so gross. We don’t really know what to do, but hey not our problem I guess…whoops! Luckily we have another baptismal font here in the zone, and if that one just happens to go out then we’re running for the river I suppose. Doing it Jesus and John the Baptist style. I suppose that allows the more open, exposed heavens aspect when you come up out of the water. According to Ecuador, every time you give a baptism talk, they always say “there’s a party in heaven today, we’re so happy for you”…every single time. It just makes me laugh. I haven’t been to many baptisms in the states, but is that like a common thing to say? 

Towards the end of this week we’ve had some special opportunities I guess you could say. An area seventy came, Elder Calderon and his wife. They visited the mission, and shoot, brought the spirit. Poderoso! A few things I learned mostly, I recognized the most powerful teaching comes by personal experiences, our testimonies. We should ask to recognize how the spirit speaks to each one of us. Finally, I learned that faith never looks back, it is based on the hope of the future. My mission is my time to kill the things that can impede me from moving forward in life, and perfecting myself. I am to live out my youth to the fullest, yeah…pretty much that. #foreveryoung. I only have 6 more months of being 19 years old, and then when I hit 20 I feel like that’s when you have to be a man or something. I don’t know, I guess we’ll figure that out when it gets here…ha That’s sure not the case in Bryan I suppose, so maybe I’m good? Just kiddin’ Bryan, you’re a stud. Elder Albrecht just discovered that he’s gaining a widows peak, so it was a tough moment for him. I’m good though. I’ve always known that I have a widows peak…thanks dad;) 

Lastly, if one day with Elder Calderon and his wife wasn’t enough, we got another one! In the leadership conference Friday, two back to back meetings…gotta love that:) I pretty much fell asleep traveling both ways, but luckily nobody stole the pouch, all the goodies for the zone. We gained a priceless perspective on the mission and life. In short, the Lord has greatly blessed each one of us with abilities to adapt to our situations, circumstances, and lead in life. Out of love we can feel a true desire to serve by teaching others and upholding his standards, and hope to influence others to do likewise. We should be patient with ourselves and others, and that will truly honor God. Our personal progress is almost imperceptible, yet if we’re obedient it’s certain. Life’s not a race, our greatest enemy’s ourselves, and we should just enjoy the journey. Like people always say, but I really felt that was true as he was speaking to us. After giving us the feel good speech, he brought out four chairs, and every missionary knows what four chairs means…practices. He and his wife sat down, and Elder Albrecht and I had the privilege of volunteering ourselves to go stick our head in the guillotine and get it chopped off in front of everyone. They were like, we want you to teach the doctrine of Christ and we want you to invite us to be baptized. We were like easy enough, that’s our job as missionaries right? Well they stopped us every 30 seconds, and they’re like ok, what could you be saying right now? They analyzed every little thing, and all the missionaries from three zones were smirking, glad that it’s not them up there. Two other pairs of zone leaders went up too, and it was good. It was a good learning experience. It’s helped me and Albrecht perfect our teaching a little more. More and more I’m just realizing that the gospel is just principles that if we apply in our lives, we will see the blessings and we’ll come to love them, and it really is the best way to live. It brings happiness, and joy, and peace. I’m seeing that in the mission, and that’s what I want other people to realize. I only have 19 years of personal experiences, and that’s short in comparison with a lot of other people. I can use those to testify of what I know is true.

Finally, we ended this week…well, not ended it, but Saturday we had two baptisms. 

They were fun, little kids you know. I don’t know how touching they can be, ha. 

Elder Albrecht forgot his baptismal clothes, so we put on some of the wards. The suit was Way to small for him. It was riding up hard, but you know I had my classy jumpsuit. Everyone was super impressed, dad the bishop was diggin’ the jumpsuit. I think we had inspiration honestly…I’m going to wear that thing for my honeymoon…that is going to be my nightly gown;) You can know all is good when the spirit is felt. It will be something they can remember. 

If any of you have the opportunity to select the hymn that you’ll sing this week, maybe in your Noche de Hogar tonight if you get this message in time, my new favorite hymn…well, one of them is Brightly Beams Our Fathers Mercy, Brillan Rayos de Clemencia in spanish. In our hymn book it’s 208, but it’s probably not in yours. Sorry, I got talkin’ there in my spanglish, and Noche de Hogar is Family Home Evening if you guys didn’t catch that drift. 

Anyways, Garrett I’m rootin’ for you. I’m still waiting to hear about that first home run slammer for the year. Your all number one in my heart. Keep going strong. Love you all. Chau, chau.