Week 19 Ecuador

I´ve succeeded in the Mission. Yesterday was the Superbowl and I forgot entirely. Congradulations to me :)

¨You can change your hair, your clothes, your address, spouse, or residence, but if you don´t change your mind then the same experience will perpetuate itself over and over again because everthing outwardly changed but nothing inwardly changed.¨ -Mindshift

As a missionary, change to bring about something greater is someting I must seek for daily in my life, meanwhile inviting others to do the same. Many nights I ask myself if anyone was truly changed, bettered by my efforts. It´s hard changing you, but there´s nothing as powerful as a changed mind. President Packer wrote, ¨true doctrine understood changes attitudes and behavior.¨ If you´re searching to bring out those greater qualities in yourself, if you´re alone, lost, at a stand-still or otherwise unsatisfied then allow the possibly only person who cares into your life; Jesus Christ was our perfect example who died for us and now lives that we may never go uncomforted, walk blindly or sit complacent without hope or room to improve. ¨And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart...¨ [Alma5:26]

Conversion is to be changed through the power of the Savior´s Atonement and the Holy Ghost. It is a process, not an event. [Mosiah 27:25-26] [2Nephi 9:39]

This past week one of my best friends, Marionela Gonzales, took a step in her life uniting herself with her children in the church and progressing in the wonderful plan our Heavenly Father has for them; she is my first baptism. As the 4th pair of missionaries to teach Marionela over the past years this experience has testified to me that we are led by God who does prepare others to receive His Gospel. I feel blessed to have been a part of Marionela´s first steps of conversion. Though maybe a little over-confident in my first encounter, assuring Marionela that we were not like other missionaries and would undoubtedly succeed where others had come short, I´m grateful the Spirit backed me up. As the Spirit allowed us to understand one another we learned, were edified, and do now rejoice. [D&C 50:22]

January 31, 2009: Earned Black Belt

January 31, 2015: First Baptism

this is turning into my Day of Success! ;)

Elder Wilson

Road construction

Truly impressive eternity of banana farms

Palm trees, and banana trees, and cocoa trees. Welcome to Las Rosas;)
(this is in my area)...

We went exploring a little and it turned into a fun day, not much teaching but hey, getting to know your area is good too;)

One of our members caught this lizard!...

Don't ask me how, I've tried, and they're super fast!

Marionela...my first baptism!

Elder Rojo (new) & Elder Hunsaker (7 months, training). Lots of work showing them their area, and lots of charity giving them all of the investigators and less actives I've found over the last three weeks;) but hey, they're off to a good start!

2/1/2015

Good morning family,

I’m talking to you. I’m gonna send you a voice message from my new recorder, courtesy of Rachel and the Munford family. Right now I’m hanging out, we’re going to head over and meet some investigators and go to church this morning. I’m fasting right now, so that’s never really fun, but we’ll get some big blessings from it. I’m going to pay my first ever fast offering today. I kind of realized that that’s actually a rule, so that I should probably follow, a little revelation there. I figure I’m not going to receive blessings unless I pay (fast offerings) for my whole mission. Five months...$5 every time, that’s like $25 I’m going to pay today. That one’s gonna “bite” a little bit, but hey, it’s a worthy sacrifice, we’re talking charity here. Anyways, Marionela Gonzalez was baptized last night. My first baptism, and it was way awesome. She was crying after, and the spirit was so strong when we were doing the ordinance. We were joking around after, but it’s my first baptism and it was really special. She’s one of my best friends here now. I was thinking before, you’re supposed to write your investigators/converts. I don’t know, I don’t really like have a relation with them, but with Marionela for sure. I’ll stay in contact with her for as long as I can. Anyways, I’m going to try to keep this short. This is kind of our test message, but I want you guys to know that I love you, and I’m having a great time out here. This is what I’m supposed to be doing, and I look forward to sending you guys little messages, talking tomorrow, and um...take care ok?