April 19, 2016

I got my package last week on Wednesday. It was so awesome. Thanks so much for all the goodies, and for the hymn book. I decided to keep the hymnbook a surprise from my comp because this last weekend was transfers. (That’s why I’m writing right now instead of yesterday.) I wanted to see if one of us was leaving, and I left. As I was leaving, I hurried and wrote him a dedication in the front and hid it under some of his things so that he can find it later. I will be waiting for an email from him to see if he finds it soon. haha, It’s just under some things on his desk. Thanks again for that!

Last week was a roller coaster. Monday I was so distracted that I wasn’t able to focus very much in the letters. There was a huge miscommunication between me, the elders in the other area in our ward, and the zone leaders. One of the elders had thought that I was being a hypocrite for correcting him for something that I also do wrong. He completely exploded on me over the phone. It made me feel terrible and I didn’t know what to do. I was just feeling so emotionally bad after him ranting on me for about 5 minutes and it was just a misunderstanding. He got so mad at me but it wasn’t true what he was thinking. Anyway, after lots of help and advice from Elder Morales on what to do, and praying, I called back and straightened it out with the elder’s companion. Then we decided to get together on Monday afternoon to sort it all out. The elder, who is so dang prideful, did not want to accept his mistakes and my comp put him in his place for it. I treated the whole situation with the most humility and calmness that I could. I didn’t raise my voice or demand an apology. I didn’t say anything bad about him. We talked it out, and straightened out the differences. My many prayers were answered, and I know that the Lord and the Spirit were with me to be able to do that. It was a really difficult situation. I didn’t know what to do or how to correct these elders in the best and nicest way possible, but I had to do it as their district leader. I was completely helped and guided, and it all worked out. I felt so much better afterwards. That was something that I learned a lot from, like how to deal with difficult people and difficult situations. I left learning, and that’s what I like about it.

Things are great here. I just got transferred to the south of the mission, a province called Ica. I haven’t been outside of Lima for about a year. I’m excited to get to know the south a little more this transfer. My new comp is from Peru, a part called Piura, Elder Peña. He’s in his second transfer in the mission. I will be finishing his training here and we are opening up an area as well. I have also been assigned to be a district leader. President does not want me to relax these last couple months. That is evident :) I’m excited to be here and excited to work. The area that I left, I’m just so happy that I was able to leave it with lots more than what I found. We had 3 people getting ready for baptism in the next 2 weeks, and I’m so excited to hear how it goes with them. I’m excited for these last 2 transfers. I wanna give it my all, and not regret anything.

Some scriptures that I found this last week I want to share with you. I’ve read the dreaded "war chapters" of the BoM a few times already, but this time that I’m reading them, the spirit is helping me to find many awesome lessons that I had never seen before. Alma 44:5 - the last part, where Captain Moroni is testifying to his people that the only true happiness comes from the word of God. I love his short testimony about reading the scriptures to find happiness. Alma 46:39,41 - about being able to die happy in Christ, the only good way to be able to pass from this life with a smile on your face and peace of conscience. Alma 47:18 -  this one I find very interesting. The way that Satan works on us, little by little. Think about it for a minute. How is it possible to administer poison to someone "little by little" until they die. For me, you would have to give the tiniest bit first, so that the person can get used to the odd taste of the poison. Slowly give a little more, day after day. If he gave it all at once, then the person would most likely spit it out, knowing that it was harmful. But, little by little the king got used to the harmful poison and didn’t even realize that it was killing him, until finally, he died from it. It’s so interesting and so true. Just like in 1 Nephi 17:45 (I believe...) Where it says that Laman and Lemuel were past feeling. They didn’t even feel sadness or feel bad anymore because they were so used to their wickedness by that point.

Well, those are my interesting thoughts this week. I know that the Lord loves me and that the BoM is true. I’m so grateful for what I learn from that marvelous book every day. I love this gospel, and I know that the atonement of Christ can heal any wounded soul on this earth. If he will just give up his rebellious will and give it unto Christ as a sacrifice on the altar.

Love you mom. Talk to you soon!

Elder Wilson