New Picture!!

Kyler sent a picture of him and his new companion Elder Tobar.

Kyler emailed me and said, "My new companion is a work horse and loves serving people! He came here to work with me because he was in Loja and couldn't climb the huge hills there. He has 3 hernias in his back and it hurts him to walk, but that doesn't stop him and I am really glad to be here with him. He was good friends with my trainer as well. We're looking forward to 2 baptisms this weekend and are getting to know our sector more and more every day!

Change 5 Week 2

Hi!
Well this week was really interesting. Last Monday I got changed to work in a different sector and all together a different zone here in Guayaquil. I was with Elder Calderon and he was not too bad, but I quickly found out that he was super lazy. The phone rang on Thursday morning and the zone leaders told my companion that he had a change and that I was going to have a new companion. I had a total of 2 days working in this sector. I was told that I had to pack a bag because I was going to be staying with the zone leaders for a little bit because my new companion still hadn't gotten here yet. That made me happy and a little scared at the same time, because I didn't know who my companion was going to be, but I was super happy that my current companion at the time was leaving because we didn't get much done and he was just always talking about how much he wanted to go home. He left Thursday mid day and I was with the zone leaders for all of that day and Friday we had to go to the mission home to get my new companion. He had come in from Loja and was sick, but he is AWESOME!! His name is Elder Tobar and he is from Chile and he is a really hard worker. I was so happy when I found out that he has had a successful mission and doesn't like wasting time. There is a ton that I can learn from my new companion and even though we have walked around a ton because neither one of us know this sector we are having a great time and really have a lot of hopes for this ward. As for last week, the mission did help me out by getting me a new backpack and a set of scriptures and a little bit of money to last me until I get my new card. I will be just fine until I can get some cash from home and buy another backpack and scriptures and cases etc. Overall I am doing great REALLY and I appreciate everything that you did for me to get me some money. I will wait anxiously for letters and or packages! Thanks so much for all that you do! Today I will not be on for that long because my companion and I have plans to get out and see Guayaquil and we're going to take pics with his camera and I will pass them onto a flash drive when I have one. Please don't worry about me here. I'm working hard and having a great time with Elder Tobar!! I love and miss you tons!! ELDER WILSON

Change 5 Week 1

Hey,
As you probably already know, last night me and my companion got robbed and I don't want to make it a big deal because I am just fine. They didn't hurt me or my companion. We had left to go say goodbye to some members after I had packed up all my stuff and when we got back we saw that they had gotten in through the sliding glass doors. They went through my stuff and took my valuable things. I have been thinking about what I lost and I am compiling a small list of things, but i don't want you to worry about me because they are just things. It really sucks and pretty much hurts that I have to lose so much and things that I can't even replace like the pictures, but I will be alright here and I can go without at least until somehow we can figure something out to replace some things. I completely understand if we don't end up replacing certain things because I am learning to live with less and less. It's going to be hard to live on just what the mission gives me, but I will survive. I really wish things like this didn't have to happen, but there is nothing I can do about it but learn from it.
Anyway some news, I got changed and now I am working with another companion from Guatemala. I actually already had met him from a conference that we had earlier this year and although we don't have a lot in common, I'm going to make the best of it. My old companion, Elder Garcia, is training and I'm super excited for him! I hope that soon it will be my turn to be senior companion and I will be the one leading the sector and giving the orders. Anyway, I would love to know what's been going on with you in the States, I can't wait to hear back from everyone!! ELDER WILSON

Just an FYI, 

Kyler called both Shauna and I this morning to let us know what had happened so that we could get things on our end taken care of for him. Shauna contacted the Mission Home and the Mission President as well, to get everything sorted out and to make sure he gets what he needs from them as well. I have talked with both Shauna and Connie about getting what we can replaced for Kyler and getting it sent to him as soon as we can. He sounded good when I talked to him and he just wanted to reassure us that he was just fine and not to worry:) I know he was sad about some of the stuff that was taken, like his pictures and scriptures, but he had such a positive attitude about the situation. He's such a great kid and his strength and positive attitude never ceases to amaze me:) 

FirSt DaY oF SchOoL!

A little update on Kolten...
Today is his first day of his senior year at high school! I can not believe how fast time flies! I wanted to share some great pictures (old & new) that Shauna and Connie sent to me! Enjoy:)

 First day of Kindergarten! 

During kindergarten year. Awww so cute:)

 First day of senior year!

Change 4 Week 6

Hey!
This week was pretty normal. Not that much different or out of the ordinary. Me and Elder Garcia are here enjoying what could be our last P day together. I'm hoping that we stay working together for more time, but he kinda wants to leave this sector because he has been here longer than me and wants a change. To me it doesn't matter because the work is the same and I really want to be stable and settle down whereas I can get to know the sector, the members, and the people really well. I always hear about people that spent 6 or 8 months in the same sector, that's pretty much what I want, but from what I have seen thus far the president likes to change me so I don't know what's going to happen or where I'm going to end up. Today we didn't get permission to leave, so we will be staying here in La Toma and spending lots of time on the computers because there's nothing else to do and it's super hot so we're going to enjoy the air conditioning. I hope that everything is good in the US. Write me and let me know how things are going!! I love and miss you tons!! ELDER WILSON

Week 5 Change 4

Hey! Not much to say because like every other week nothing has changed. Me and Elder Garcia are still here working hard. A little bit of news about the packages and me getting charged, I am going to continue to get charged, but it's not going to be $10 or really even close to it. They are going to charge me exactly what Ecuador charges them every time a package comes in which is like $2 or $3. This week I received a package from Grandma Connie and I'm really not sure at all how I got it because it was about 5 and a half pounds and didn't have a green sticker, but somehow I got it! It had a bunch of great goodies and stuff in it!! Summer is coming to an end for just about everyone in the states and it's pretty much getting colder here. I love and miss you tons! ELDER WILSON

Kyler sent me an email saying how awesome it is that his family takes the time to send him packages and letters and how grateful he is to have such an awesome family. He said that Grandma Connie sent him some very useful items that he would never have thought to ask for and that he already has eaten the 3 bags of beef jerky she sent! LOL He says she is great and he's really appreciates the time she took to put everything together to send him a box of goodies! 

New Rule/Regulation

Hi there,
I just wanted to let those of you who send packages to Kyler know that there is now a $10 fee deducted from his montly income for every package he receives. This is in addition to the postage we already pay. Because of this recent change, we will be depositing $10 into his account when we send packages so that he isn't out that extra money.
If you are interested in doing the same you can contact Shauna for his account information. Thanks!

Change 4 Week 4

Hey! So another week down! Last week we didn't have a baptism because no one went to church with us the Sunday before and if the investigators don't go to church they can't get baptized. Although we had two people attend church this Sunday with us and they will both be baptized this Saturday. We are super excited to have a good week. Not much is different, I'm still in the same sector working and sweating like normal. How is life going for you back in the states? We don't have anything else to do for the rest of the day so if you want to chat I will be on for awhile. Love and miss you tons!! ELDER WILSON