September 26, 2016

Hey y'all!

Well this was another quick week! I swear the weeks are starting to go by faster and faster! but hey I'm not complaining haha. Ashland this last week wasn't quite as wild but it was still good! I got to run the area for the first time with one of our zone leaders this week and it will really well! everyone Ive served with so far says I'm already pre-trained which is crazy because I feel like I know nothing still but hey what can you do haha. My trainer thinks I'm going to flip and train after I'm done being trained but hopefully that doesn't happen yet because i don't think I'm quiet ready for that yet haha.

This past week we picked up 4 new investigators which was really awesome! its always so good to pick up new people to teach especially when the ones we have start to go down hill. but hey that's mission life right? people out here are just so content with where they are at in their life that they are to scared to make a change but that's why we are here! one of the ladies we found this week, her name is Susan and wow is she awesome! my comp found her when he was on exchanges and he said she is super ready for the gospel and said she wants to be baptized ASAP! he told me that last time he had an investigator like this, he was baptized in 3 weeks so hopefully that is the case! I really hope she commits because the gospel would bless her life so much!!

Like I said earlier nothing to crazy happened this week but it was still an awesome week and I'm starting to love the people of Ashland more and more everyday. God is great

Also feel free to send me pictures of you guys anytime.. haha I miss seeing peoples faces!!

Love you all and hope you guys have a great week! stay safe!!

Elder Wilson

Crazy fog in Huntington, WV

No one answered this door after I knocked.

My father doesn't like car selfies ;)

September 19, 2016

Hey ya'll!

Wow this week has been pretty crazy!! To start off we taught a total of 14 lessons this week which is super good for our mission! we are seeing a lot of success which is super nice! I have already gained a lot of mission stories and this is only my first area haha. yesterday me and Elder Wasden were walking around down town Ashland and we walked past this place called Winchester inn. Well this place is known for prostitutes and while we were walking by one of them came over and asked that we would pray for her. We didn't think it would hurt anything so we did it and after when we walked away she smacked me on the butt haha! I couldn't stop laughing it was so funny! On another note we got invited to a lunch appointment from a catholic lady that lives near by and when she showed up she said that she had a surprise for us and that surprise just so happened to be a Catholic Priest! haha Elder Wasden and I looked at each other with the look of "Oh boy here we go" this lady has been known for trying to convert the elders to Catholicism. In fact she even told us that. anyway as our lesson went on, we were talking about each of our religions and we were answering all of the questions that they had. I learned so much about the catholic church and have a whole new level of respect for its members. they were so kind and so open to what they had to say and were willing to answer all of our questions that we had as well. Its so cool when two religions can find common ground on having a love for our savior Jesus Christ. this week we also had another chance to read through the book of Mormon with one of our investigators named Andrew! he is such a stud and has such a love for the gospel. we hope that we can get him baptized here soon so he can keep progressing! 

The spiritual thought that I want to share with all of you this week is to always remember to be an example to others around you. Many of us go through out life without knowing who is watching us and who is looking up to us. so I as we keep our thoughts and our actions pure, we can be that light and that role model to help others find their way through their trials.

I love you all so much and hope you have an awesome week! look forward to hearing from you all!!

Elder Wilson

selfie in front of Poages landing days! super fun carnival that lasted all weekend! lots of ITL

ITL=Invite to Learn

haha gotta get a selfie with Donald!!

Cant go wrong with a nice mug of homemade root beer!! 

Late night selfie with my trainer(dad)

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So my letter from Robbie had this little bit that I though was good showing how the Missionaries are protected.

"I also got to hear gunshots go off about 5 blocks from where I was so that was pretty exciting. gotta love serving in the ghetto! I'm not too worried about it though because one of the biggest drug dealers that lives here says that we are family and will protect us no matter what so I'm pretty comfortable here. haha he also invited us to have dinner with them on Christmas. Which I assume would be pretty wild because the dude is a pretty crazy man! "

September 12, 2016

Hey Ya'll!

well this last week wasn't too special.. all of our investigators that we normally teach canceled on us at least twice so it was kind of a frustrating week, but it went by pretty fast which was super sweet.

Last night we were at one of our investigators homes who was having a really bad day and he said that he was feeling stripped by a lot of things and was really struggling so we asked if we could say a prayer with him. the spirit was so strong in the room and it was so cool to see how touched he was by the spirit. after wards my comp had the feeling to offer him a blessing so I gave him a blessing. its so cool to feel the spirit work through us as missionaries! this truly is the lords work! after the blessing Andrew told me that he had a vision during the prayer of multiple angels standing around him and protecting him! it was so awesome!

Eastern Kentucky has been treating me well though and I'm slowly but surely starting to get the hang of things. I also go to go on an exchange with Elder Call this week who is one of the greatest missionaries I have ever met. we had an awesome time!

Spiritual thought of the week:

this last week we talked alot about faith. In Alma 32:26 it talks about how through faith in Jesus Christ we can come to have a perfect knowledge. faith is the reason why I am where I am today.  I know that as we have faith in Jesus Christ and his atonement that there is no reason why we can be happy in this life and the times to come. I challenge you all to put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ more this week and I promise you, you will feel happier each day you do!

I love y'all so much and think and pray for ya often. hope you guys have a great week!!

Elder Wilson

Gotta support good ole Kentucky!!

Hill Billy Flee Market!

Views of KY

Me and Elder call in the caves today!

District P Day!

The Apartment

September 6, 2016

Hey guys!!

Well this last week was fast but slow at the same time haha. we taught a lot of good lessons which was great! Me and Elder Wasden are really started to get to know each other which is a good time because we have had a lot of good laughs. We picked up 5 new investigators this week and plan on teaching them within the next two days. 3 of those people are a family called the Sumter's! they have been getting the lessons for a while but the missionaries that had them kind of burnt them out so they stopped getting the lessons for a while. But the other day me and Elder Wasden dropped by just to see how they were doing and we were talking to CJ the father of the house and he said that he thinks that they need to start getting the lessons again because he has noticed their life kind of fall apart with out the gospel in their lives which was such good news to us! they told us that they still have a testimony of the gospel and want to try it again, they have such amazing testimonies and will be amazing members if we can get them there. The other Investigator that we picked up we found last night! his name is Keith frost! hes a hillbilly from the hollers back in Kentucky and is looking for a church to bring happiness into his life. he told us that he had been to so many churches but said that he didn't like them because they all taught something different and the people were all hypocrites. He told us that he wants to find a church where people do what they say and live the way Jesus Christ would! which hey that's us! haha he said that he had been praying to find a way back to Jesus Christ and right after the prayer we knocked on his door! god works in amazing ways! I have never seen so many amazing miracles since I've been out on my mission. This last week we also ran Into a hillbilly flee market and we decided to buy some tazers which was pretty fun and now all we do is play tazer tag, which isn't very fun but its a good laugh.

Spiritual though of the week: This past week we have been teaching about a lot of examples. In 1 Timothy it talks about how we need to be an example to those around us and that we never know who is watching us. In Mathew 5 It talks about how if we keep and set that example we can be a light to others and help them throughout their lives. I know for me that If it wasn't for my family that I wouldn't be on a mission right now, but because they set that example to me and kept that light in my life that I was able to find my way back. One of our greatest examples that we have is Jesus Christ. I know that as we look to him as an example in our lives that we will never go astray. he loves us all so much and wants to help us through our good and bad times. I challenge you all this week to be an example to those around you. whether it be at work or at home or at school. be that Christ like example in those peoples lives and I promise that you that heavenly father will bless you all for it! I know these things to be true!

I love y'all so much and hope you guys have a great week. I pray for all of you each and every day. stay safe!!

Elder Wilson

Me and my Companion Elder Wasden!!

One of the Ponds that's in the park we tract in!

The view from out side our Apt!

Me and Elder Lodico on exchanges!!

Huge car that we always drive by!​