Change 14 Week 4

Hey! This week was good, me and my comp worked and worked and worked and thus far we haven't seen the fruits of our labors but we're hoping to soon. My new assignment as a district leader is forcing me to miss time in my sector, pretty much 3 times a week I have to go to another sector to check up on someone, or to do an interview. I really enjoy helping those in my district but iIam losing a lot of time in my sector and I am now realizing that it's not as easy at it looks. On top of everything I have to set the example for my district, because they look up to me as a leader. As of right now I am still learning how to manage everything but I know that we will start to see some blessing, some people that have a sincere desire to listen and act upon what we teach them. This weekend we had a baptism and we were happy to help someone enter the waters of baptism this month because everyone else that we had looked to be progressing but in the last minute they didn't want anything. I was really upset because we were going to have 2 baptisms this Saturday but my investigators don't want to fulfill their commitments and there's noting that I can or could have done. It was a bummer but we're going to keep working hard and we're hoping to see some results this week. Seeing as we basically have nothing, lots of new people and lots of looking. I'm excited because we have the support from the ward and my convert Gregory likes going with us to visit out people. He's pretty much the only one that doesn't study or work all the time, and he's got a great testimony so we always go get him to come out and teach with us. He doesn't even have a month baptised and this last week he went to the temple to do baptisms and he has a calling in the ward. He loves the church and is excited to have a calling and do it well. This week me and my comp have been doing better, we are getting along well. We're still not to where I want to be but we're doing good. I have been helping him talk more and more in the lessons and he likes being able to participate. I remember when I started I used to hate talking in the lessons, I just wanted to listen and share my testimony. Not that I don't want anyone else to talk, I just want to teach all the lessons myself. Well I know that things are going good back home and I'm still waiting to find out when I will be heading home but they haven't told me the date yet so you will all know as soon as I know!! I love and miss you very much!!! ELDER WILSON

Last Package From Home

Kyler asked me to send him a couple of things before he comes home in December and I sort of dropped the ball on this, so they are going out later than I had hoped, but hopefully they make it in time:)

It felt very strange to be mailing the very last package we will send him today, it seems like he just left!

I must admit that I'm not sad about it at all!! We are very proud of him for his duty and his hard work, but we are super excited for him to come home! We've missed him so much!

Change 14 Week 3

Hey everyone! So this week was pretty good but then pretty bad at the same time, but I'm keeping my head up and my compeven let his head get down. So we had a bunch of new people the first week that my comp got here and they were all looking like baptism prospects and we were stoked, but investigators have to attend church to get to know what it's like and receive the lessons. We were teaching the lessons and we got them all committed to going to church yesterday and no one came, not one person came to church and it was one of the most disappointing moments of my mission because now that they didn't come to church they can't get baptized this month. My companion is a new missionary and president wants all the new missionaries to know what it's like to have success teaching people bringing them to church and then baptizing them, but my investigators aren't fulfilling their commitments so I'm a little worried, but my comp is good. We're getting better, little by little we're gaining more and more confidence with the things here in the mission, he's really eager to see the people we've found get baptized, but with patience we will be able to see the fruits of our labors. We have gotten along good lately, I'm happy with where we are and I think that it will only go uphill from here which is good. My district is doing good, I have to do 3 baptismal interviews this week starting today! It's a cool experience being able to verify if people are ready for baptism and all that, it's something that I pretty much always wanted to do. Basically my numbers aren't that great but we're happy and working hard, what else can I do. Last night we got a call and were informed that my comp and I were to be interviewed by the mission president today and that we had to take a bunch of stuff and all that, so we got everything ready and I thought that it went really well. My comp got a little test and messed up on his Spanish a little but when I was in my second week I couldn't really teach an entire lesson either and that's what president asked him to do. Anyway in my interview president asked me about my family and about how I'm doing with my comp. I really enjoy working here in my sector and so I asked president if I could stay here till I go home and he said that sounds great, so hopefully I end up staying here till December when I will be coming home. This week we're going to have a baptism, a little girl who's mom is an active member, she's really awesome and the ward didn't do anything to get her baptized when she was 8 so now we're teaching her and she's going to be baptized now that she's 9. Other than that we're just going to be doing the normal working, talking to people getting people converted. Oh ya we also had an activity this last Saturday, we played soccer (Ecuadorian style) and it was awesome, no investigators showed up but we had fun with some members!!! I'm really not good at soccer but I like to try. I love and miss you tons!! Have a great week!! ELDER WILSON

Change 14 Week 2

Hey! This week was pretty good, we had a lot of success here in the work with me and my new companion. In my time here I have been working really hard to establish a good relationship with the ward members so they give us references and that's basically what makes my job a whole lot easier and more enjoyable when we're working with the members. When me and Elder Flores got here the members had to get used to having elders and not sisters here in the ward but we're finally making good friends with some of the families and the ward is starting to come around helping us with our work. We have established what are missionary work Sunday, when we get all the members that we can and everyone goes out to knock doors to talk to the people and get references. That way me and my comp can just worry about teaching the people and getting them progressing and all that. What I haven't been able to create is a great relationship with my new companion, he's from Provo and he doesn't really like the way that I do things. We have some different points of view and it's been alright just not the same as some of my better companions like Elder Flores. The reason that I am writing soo late today is because I had my first leaders meeting, which is where the district and zone leaders in the whole mission come together and basically measure how we're doing and what we need to do to improve. We had to be there at 8 this morning and recently were getting back now at 3:30. So I pretty much lost out of my free day and probably just going to print out my letters and write everyone back next week. I'm sorry but I'm having to fulfill my new responsibility as district leader. On the up side in my sector we had a great week, we met a couple new people and there families and we're looking forward to helping them a lot here soon. We're going to continue working with the ward to try and have all the help and support that we can because that's really where the success is! I'm going to keep working on making friends with my companion, I think that outside the mission we would be cool, but as for working together here we have kinda had different thoughts. Anyway I hope that everyone is doing well, I love and miss you tons!!! ELDER WILSON

Change 14 Week 1

Hey there! Well I'm a little sad to tell you that Elder Flores is no longer my partner in crime, we had changes and he got transferred to Machala to be a district leader and senior comp, leaving me here alone. On the upside he was really excited to hear about his new calling as a senior comp and responsibility as district leader, and I'm excited to be here in the same ward because i too was called to now be a DISTRICT LEADER and on top of that I'M TRAINING AGAIN!!! Apparently the lord and President Montalti were happy with the work that me and Elder Flores were doing, because we both got moved up to bigger and greater things. My comp hasn't come in yet from Peru where he is currently in the MTC, I will be going to pick him up tomorrow and then we will be getting to work. This week me and Elder Flores had a good time working and we made a lot of progress with the member and they are really excited help us out in the lords work. We got some members to go out with us this week to knock doors and get us some new people in the program, it was a huge help and even though we aren't seeing immediate results, were looking forward to a very bright future here in Sta. Monica. This Saturday we had a conference with Elder Christofferson (of the 12 apostles) and it was pretty cool!! I really enjoyed hearing his testimony, and remembering that he is a special witness of Jesus Christ really made me appreciate the once in a lifetime chance that we had. I took tons of notes and was glad that we had a good meeting but he didn't come with a prepared class, he asked questions and then based on the missionaries questions he shared doctrine and testified. it was a good meeting and I was happy to be amongst soo many missionaries, that are here to serve and love the people. anyway I was sooo excited for my convert Gregory who you all heard about that recently got baptized, well as it turns out he has been working in the temple doing baptisms and helping some members work outside in the garden. He was invited by a couple members and he is just loving it, and this weekend elder Christofferson did a meeting for single adults so Gregory went to church in the morning(another ward), then to the meeting with the elder and then came back to our ward (whereas we attend from 3-6) for priesthood. He had never come to church in a white shirt or tie but this week he came in a full suit and I was soo happy, he has progressed soo well and was excited to have had the experience that he has this weekend. We are looking forward to working with his friends and family, so they can come unto Christ just like he has and feel the joy that the gospel brings to all of us. Sunday night came and I was dreading the phone call that came late, but it came and Elder Flores had to go, but one door closed and now I'm opening 2 more being a trainer again and now district leader! I didn't think that president would put me in a leadership position but I must be doing something right! Anyway thanks for all your support, I know that your all away on vacation but I know that you will make up for your absence next week. I wait to hear from you!! love and miss you tons!! ELDER WILSON