There has been a lot of sunshine and rainbows this week here in (fall-time) Ecuador. In many ways it has played out in the work as well. I`ve been falling back on a few promises made by inspired leaders and am starting to see a lot of blessings (new investigators) as result of our efforts to serve and focus on members. Here in the sector Apolo, I`ve had a lot of opportunities to work with less active members and they all come with their own individual challenges. Sometimes all they need is an invitation once again and a little encouragement and sometimes we need to help them overcome barriers we so often build up in our own paths. Rescuing a family of 3 this week brought me a lot of joy seeing them excited about creating friendships and being apart of the great gospel we have! Others also brought with them, Friends? It was incredible to see members showing interest in missionary work this week as they brought 3 new investigators to meet us in church yesterday and offered to let us visit them in their homes. Members are crucial! I`m starting to see the blessings of service and creating trust with members where you serve.
I was complemented this week by another Elder for the love and sincerity I show members, woohoo! I must me learning something after all. It was good to hear I am beginning to show some Christ-like attributes or that I`ve at least developed a talent for the whole ¨fake it ´till you make it¨ scheme.
I love working with the people in bettering their lives with something they don`t have, that which is more precious than all. I am gaining a greater understanding and love for the scriptures and prayer which have wonderful blessings attached according to our faithful efforts. Remember, the Gospel isn`t just the way by which we return to our Father in Heaven, it`s also the greatest way to have success and happiness in this life!
Ecuador is keeping it interesting with huge nasty garbage piles that you can put literally anything on, along with the various animals who thrive off of the struff. Yuck.
Photos: We killed a pen off this week (you know that`s cool, because everyone loses them or something before they`re ever complete) aaaand we`re ready to sail off into this next week!
Sending my best. Love,
Elder Wilson
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| Egg tree. haha |
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| Trash pile, random horses that walk around, stray dogs, & Elder Mezler. |
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| Heavy machinery in Ecuador! |
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| Yes! I killed a pen this week - entirely gone - hard work. |
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| Service builds trust. Trust and lots of love. |
4/13/15 voice recording
Good evening everyone. We are wrapping up this fast, and powerful week on a Saturday night, and crossing our fingers for tomorrow. We’ll start off first with our investigators. I guess our best news of the week is that Morcello Gordio, a large man, who’s awesome, and we’re going to baptize this next 18th of April. He passed his interview this week, and we’re really excited for him. He’s been through a lot, and really has a desire to change. He has a really good heart; he’s always happy, but he has to work like a dog. Speaking of animals though, he has an pig named Peppe who thinks it is a dog. It even lives IN the house. I’m serious, it just walks around. One day I walked into the house to teach him, and it was laying on a mattress on the floor in one of the rooms. I was just like, “It’s not my house, it’s not my house...it’s fine”. It’s cool though. It will snort, and fight with you with it’s face. It thinks it has tusks, but it doesn’t do anything.
We also rescued the Eungon? family. A mom and her two children that we’ve been teaching and working with for a while. I’ve really seen her heart change a lot, and soften towards a lot of people in church. She has a big desire to come back, and she’s really interested in family history work. I’ve had a little bit of an opportunity, but I’m excited to set up an account with her, and help her know that program, and get working in that.
I guess I could say that I’ve been really good at serving others this week, but it’s not so much paying off in my own area as that’s about the best news I have for you. Which is good, but it’s been a struggle week. I’ve definitely racked up a lot of miles on my odometer, and I could certainly go for a foot massage if anybody’s down.
I did have some good experiences in intercombios though. In one of them with a guy I’ve come to love a lot, my zone leader Elder Galvan. He will be returning this next week to Buenos Aires Argentina. He’s gone about two years and a month in the mission. Well, that’s what he’ll end with ya. He spent nearly 15 months of his mission as a zone leader. He says that he is preparing me to take his place. Mmm, I don’t know...someday? He truly is a neat guy. He gave me his scripture case for his triplet as a gift. For a lot of reasons he’s been a big changing figure in my mission, leaving me with an honorable example, and I hope I can emulate that for all the people I’m called to serve as a leader. He told me in our last intercombio that he can feel my love for the people and I’m a great example of charity. That’s a first, so I must be applying some counsel there. Truly, I love the happy feeling of serving others and giving them something that they don’t have, or otherwise uplifting them in some way.
I also went out with the original team 1, aka Elder Carlisle this week. We brought Jesus to the people of Apolo. He came over to my sector. He’s really become a great teacher in the mission, and it’s fun to go out with him. He’s had far less success out here than he truly deserves. We’re all sent really to experience our own missions. God prepares us in different ways. He struggles a little bit with being a team player. He wants to go off and do his thing, and me as his leader, I’m trying to coordinate things with him, help him out how I can. I’m sure it won’t be too long before he’s called as a leader, or to train a new missionary. I think that will give him a lot of direction, and a new meaning in the mission as I know it has done for me.
I’m enjoying myself though. I’m truly worn out, but I’ve noticed even more this week I’m gaining the trust and help of the members here in Apolo. It’s hard to believe it has been nearly 2 months that I’ve been here. Despite what rumor has, I would like to stay. I also had I guess you could call a dumb moment this week. Both Elder Galvan and Carlisle came out here this week to work in my sector with me. In the morning I wanted to do something nice for them. I made some omelettes, and I’ll say this a little quiet, cause I don’t want Elder Mezler to hear and get angry again, but I cleaned the elder’s shoes up and polished them. We have a few rags sitting around, and I accidentally grabbed his pillowcase (without even noticing), and wiped of their dirty shoes with it...oops! If that doesn’t get cleaned out this next washing round, I’m going to have to get him a new one. My bad, not my brightest moment. He’s a very forgiving man though. He’s been a trooper this week. He’s kind of got the croup, got a little bit of a fever, but he hasn’t really slowed down on me. I’m really, really glad to have him as a companion.
This afternoon we went out and visited two less active ladies, and shoot...by the end of the lesson they were both in tears. I don’t know, I must have brought some spirit today;) One of them was really grateful that we were there. We really want to help her get back to church. She’s in a rough situation with finding work. The other one was a little bit different. She has every reason to come back, but doesn’t necessarily want to. She’s not ready right now, and that’s a hard thing for me to understand. It might have been a test for me, but I remembered something that was said in conference that ya, we will encounter people like that, and all we can do is leave them with our love. Let them know that they’re always welcome, and I did my best to do that, and I know that she felt that. She had a little bit of tears welled up, and she gave us some Powerades and sent us on our way. That was a good experience.
With that I’m going to close for the night. Go hit the shower and wash off all the garbage, sweat, smoke, that I’ve encountered throughout the day...dampened and mildewed by the drizzly rain. So, that’s a good image to leave you with;) God bless. That’s what everyone tells us here every day, so I’ll pass it along.
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