April 11, 2016

I got a package from Janeen and Todd this week that was from Christmas. It had been sent in November and I received it in April!!! Haha, it was hilarious. I got a pic of it so that you can see it! Please tell them thank you for me and let them know that I also got their Easter package which arrived on time. Thanks so much!

We went to the temple this week on Friday as a zone: meaning that today we don’t have p-day. We just have time to write the fams and clean the room, nothing else. The first time I went to the temple, I asked to be able to do a session in English because they do have the option for the American missionaries that come to the MTC. It’s a headset that they provide and I asked for one the first time I went to the temple. They told me NO because its only for the MTC missionaries. I was like, whatever. So this time, now that I can speak Spanish just fine, I asked about a headset. They gave one to me and to other elders as well. It was ironic. So, I did the session hearing it all in English. It was interesting and made me feel at home. Haha. Also, I had brought my patriarchal blessing to the temple to read it in the celestial room. It was neat. I really enjoyed the sweet peace and calmness that I felt there. I know that it is literally the house of the Lord and I’m so grateful for the blessing of having temples!! Yes, I totally forgot about it too, but Lima will now be getting its second temple. It’s gonna be so sweet! Lima will be the second city in the world to have two temples in the same city, second to Provo. Lima is super big though. Everyone is wondering where it will be, but no one knows yet. I felt the spirit so powerfully as I heard the announcement. It was an amazing moment for all of us. Earlier in the week we had invited an investigator, Ruben, who is recently learning about God and actually attending a church. He’s really interested and loves going to church. So, we invited him to come meet us at the temple after our session ended. As I left the temple, there he was waiting for us! It was great! I got a pic with him so you can see it. We went to the temple stores to buy stuff and he ended up buying like 50 soles worth of stuff. He really loved being there and he enjoyed the experience a lot.

This last Monday, we had a really great night. We had taught Ruben, and I just wasn’t feeling good in the lesson. I knew that I needed to get away for a minute and say a prayer, ask for forgiveness and for help to feel better to be able to teach. So, I went to their bathroom, knelt down and prayed. It was just what I needed to do. Leaving the bathroom, I felt so much better. Then we had another lesson with our recent convert Jimmy, and his sister Julissa. While teaching Julissa I felt so guided on what to say. It was amazing! The spirit was so strong that night, and everyone was feeling it. Julissa had been having a tough time recognizing the spirit, but we shared scriptures and talked about it, and she understood it. Then, my comp invited her to be baptized, and she said YES! It was a really great night! I really loved the experience! I’m so grateful for the atonement of my elder brother Jesus Christ that allows me to have second, third, and infinite chances in my life so that I might qualify for the spirit. I love the spirit. I love the way that it makes me feel!

On Tuesday, our mission president and his wife came to our district meetings. It was cool having them there, although to be honest, I felt like I didn’t prepare sufficiently that day but it all turned out great. We talked about extending commitments and promising blessings that the investigators really need in their lives so that they will keep the commitments. We’re trying to get out of the normal routine of extending commitments. It was great. That day I had an interchange with the zone leaders that went well. I got lots of help and advice and papers to help our ward council that just isn’t working. Now we’re gonna try and help the council to be more organized here. The day of the interchange with the zone leaders, they had scheduled a weekly meeting with the stake president, Pres. Arangoitia. So, I was present in that meeting. Pres. McGinn, our mission president, was also invited and he participated by skype. It was cool. It was awesome seeing the fire and passion that the stake president has for the work. We presented preoccupations to him and he would almost immediately come up with a solution. It was awesome. Also, he finally confirmed to us what we’ve been hearing for a while around here. It’s confirmed that in our ward, Nueva Esperanza (New Hope), they are going to put a new small branch in our area. Right in our area where we are working. It’ll be called Los Heroes (The Heroes) and it’ll be opening up in about 3 or 4 months. Super exciting. Pres. McGinn is also really excited for it too. I doubt I will still be here for it, but it’s awesome to know that the work we’ve been doing has been helping and good for something. After finishing the skype call with Pres. McGinn, Pres Arangoitia turned to us (mainly to me) and said: “Elders, this decision is something very new and I’m only telling this to you right now. The other Sunday I went to do visits with my Presidency, and we decided to go to Nueva Esperanza. Do you remember Elder Wilson that we saw you and your companion that night?” Me: “Yes President, I remember. Pres. Arangoitia: “And do you remember where you were coming from that night?” Me: “Yes President. We were coming from Maya.” Pres. Arangoitia: “That’s right. And I felt a really strong impression that night that something has to be done for those people in that area. So, me and my presidency went to do visits the next Sunday in Maya.” (If you will remember, Maya is a part of my area that is completely rural. It’s called “Invasions” because the people come from wherever in Peru, find a patch of earth, and build their houses illegally. Maya is far up in the mountains, making it hard for the people there to ever go to church.) “We saw thousands of people up there that have never even heard of the gospel before. We knew that we had to do something. So, thank you elders for all your hard work.” (Well, I hope you understood the conversation. It was awesome! To know that we helped in having revelation come to the stake president that day…so cool. We made history!)

Please know that the fact that we enjoy the blessing of running water in our houses is a huge blessing. You have no idea the struggle that some people have of getting water to their houses. A truck has to fill up huge tanks for them about 2 or 3 times a week and they have to collect the water in their houses through a hose. It’s amazing the sacrifices that they make just for water!! Also, we were teaching an investigator this week, and when I was teaching him and started to testify to him, he fell asleep! It was so funny. He told us sorry because he was really tired. Still, come on man. Anyways, I’m over it. Haha, it was hilarious!

I love you so much! Have a great week!

Elder Wilson

PS: about BYU. I’m pretty sure that I have to go Fall semester. I cant defer anymore and that’s my plan anyways.