February 27, 2017

I think I can I think I can!

Hey Y'all!

Wow another fast week in the books! Hard to believe that we are already half way through the transfer! I don't ever remember time going by this fast back home haha! I feel like February didn't even happen!

But anyway.. Even though this past week was fast it was filled with lots and lots and lots of door knocking. Elder White and I have been working our little missionary butts off and have found many potentials this past week so that is pretty exciting. So you all need to pray that we can get in contact with them this week ok? Thanks you guys are the best ;)

So, since we have been tracting all week as you can imagine not much happened. It was kind of a dry week for crazy stories wise but we did see some blessings that came from it which was pretty cool. One of the days when we were out working we were running out of time to knock and we were debating if we wanted to keep finding or not because we didn't want to be late to our appt so we decided to knock one more door and that door just so happened to be Brother Josh Jennelle! He and his wife are looking for a church and are both interested in learning more. We were able to teach him the Restoration! It was cool to see the blessings that come from diligence! God truly will bless us if we do what he asks. But ya that was a pretty sweet story right? Thanks ;)

Soooooooooo Yesterday at church I had the opportunity to speak about how I prepared for my mission and it actually went pretty well! Luckily I was able to make everyone laugh at a few of my stories and break the ice a bit. Speaking in church gets a little easier every time you do it haha. Ain't that weird? ;)

Well for my spiritual thought this week I feel impressed to share a quote with all of you that has blessed me on my mission. I heard this quote from Elder Hanson (love you buddy) and it has gotten me through a lot. So here y'all go:

"You are as far from Heavenly Father, as your knees are from the ground."

Never forget to pray when you are going through good or bad times. Heavenly father loves you and is ready to help you through life. lean on him and he will bless you. That I know!!!

Elder Wilson

The Huge pizza a member took us out to eat!!

Me and Elder Estes on exchanges this week :)

Me,  Elder Estes and Mark our ward mission leader :)

February 20, 2017

I will walk 500 miles and I will knock 500 more!

Hey Ya'll

Well Well what have we here?! Remember me?! I'm that guy that left last August! ya'll must have seem to forgot. good thing I'm here to remind you ;)

haha this week went by super fast! Elder White and I have worked our little missionary butts off to find some new investigators this week and have found a lot of good potential investigators that we pray that we will be able to pic up as new investigators this week! I have never knocked so many doors in my life but it has actually been pretty fun. The people in Virginia are very nice, so it makes the work get a long a lot easier :)

Cool story that happened though this last week we were able to pick up a golden investigator named Doug. How we found him was pretty cool though. So the people who live across from Doug are a part member family, Well one day we were going over there to teach them a quick lesson. When we got there we saw that they were talking to one of Doug's roommates so we started talking to him and he asked us to come over and teach him. so we set up an appointment to teach him, came back for the appointment and taught him. When we came over the first time we saw Doug but he didn't pay too much attention to us so we taught the lesson and left. When we came back the second time to teach him Doug followed us up the stairs and began talking to us and told us this huge shpeel of how his roommate was crazy and was doing a bunch of things he wasn't supposed to so Doug kicked him out and has no idea where he was. So we talked to him and he ended up inviting us in and the rest is history! he would have been at church this week but he got really sick and didn't want to get anyone else sick. He is super ready to learn and is ready for the gospel. I just like this story because its cool to see how the lord works sometimes. 

The rest of this week was just filled with lots of finding, Meetings, And getting to know the area! Virginia has been fantastic so far though :) 

For my spiritual thought this week I want to share a scripture from  3 Nephi 13:19-21, and it says;    19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and thieves break through and steal;

 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.

 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

The reason why I chose this scripture is because its so easy for us these days to get caught up in everything that is going on in today's world. But whats truly important is the things that will be with us thought he eternities. Such as family and friends. I want each of you to focus on the things that matter most in this life through out this next week and in the weeks to come. As you notice these blessings you will come to know how much your heavenly father truly does love you. You will also experience more Eternal joy then you ever will Worldly pleasure. I love you all and hope you each have a great week! 

Elder Wilson

The Roanoke Star!

Roanoke at night!

Virginia is for Lovers!

We tracted into this guy and he let us check out all of his trophies, This isn't even half of them!

More of the trophies. yes that is a monkey 

Selfie with Jesus ;)

February 13, 2017

Virginia is for Lovers

Hey ya'll!

Well what a crazy five days its been! The drive out here to Vinton was super long! we left Charleston at 11 and I didn't get here until about 5 o'clock! It was super long but I got to see a lot of beautiful country which was awesome. Cant complain about that right? The area is awesome though we are right next to down town Roanoke which is the biggest city in the mission! it reminds me a lot of SLC which is always nice :) 

So leaving Ashland was a lot harder than I expected it to be! Saying good by to everyone who I had grown to love definitely wasn't as easy as I thought it was going to be. One of the greatest things about being a missionary is getting to meet such wonderful people. But having to say goodbye is easily the worst part. I just look forward to the day that I get to go back to the wonderful land of Ashland KY! That area will always have a piece of my heart! 

Since I wrote you guys only a couple of days ago and since I haven't been in the area for too long I don't have a lot to write about but I promise my letter next week will be better!

For my spiritual thought this week I wanna talk about what I learned in Stake Conference this past weekend! So last Saturday night we had the wonderful opportunity to go to the adult session of stake conference and listen to one of the 70's speak. Elder Paul Sinclair (who is a fantastic speaker) told a story that stuck out to me in his talk. He was telling a story about how he was going white water rafting down a river and when he was preparing for it he noticed on the packing list it said to bring a rain jacket. He said he thought that was weird because he knew he was going to get wet so why should he wear one anyway? Well he decided that he would just bring it anyway just to see what happens. Well while he was on the raft he got soaked right away so he decided to ask the guide why he was asked to bring one if he just gets wet any way. The guide laughed and said that it wasn't to keep him dry, but instead it was to keep him warm while he had water splashing all over him! He than began to mention how this is a lot like how heavenly father blesses us. We are expecting it to be in one certain way and we hope that its the way we want it to come. But sometimes we are too prideful to look for the blessings that heavenly father things are more important for us at that time. It was a great point because I know that we as people do it all the time. So I want to challenge all of you to try your best and look for ways that heavenly father has blessed you differently than you thought he would and THANK him for it. as you do so you will notice the many blessings that heavenly father has given you in your life. I love you all and hope you have a great weeek!!

Elder Wilson

Last pic with Ray Brubaker my recent Convert

Patty one of the ladies we taught

Zack a Recent Convert I helped teach!

The Brown's one of my favorite families!

Andrew!

Saying by to Evelyn, My mission grandma ):

The Sumpter's and their wonderful family!

The Transfer Train

Me and Elder White (He is from Herriman too)

February 8, 2017

From Kentucky to Virginia

Hey There, Ho There, Hi There :)

Well what a week and a half it has been! It has been quite the emotional roller coaster but The good out weighs the bad as it usually does!

So this week was my last week here in Ashland Kentucky! Tomorrow morning I will be going to the promised land of Virginia and will be serving in Vinton! I have heard nothing but good things about the area so I'm pretty excited! Hopefully I get to hear people speak normal English again lol :)

Well to start off I guess ill let you guys all know that we weren't able to have the Sumpter's baptism this week.. We tried our hardest to make it happen but it seemed like no matter what we did things just kept falling through. Though its hard and though I really wanted to see them baptized while I was here, I know that the Lord has a plan for all of his children and he will help them reach their goal of baptism. We are hoping to have them baptized by the end of this month!

This week we also found out that one of our investigators, Larry Dalton passed away. It was really hard to take in because I have gotten really close to him and his family since I have been here. So please keep his wife and family in your prayers!

Well now that the sad is out of the way, We were able to find some new people to teach and have gotten in contact with some old potentials that we found which is always a blessing. its nice to have people to teach. Teaching has become one of my favorite aspects of missionary work! I love seeing the gospel change people's lives :)

For my spiritual thought this week I want to give you a quote that one of the members in the ward here said in church this last week.

"Its not until the pain of NOT changing exceeds the pain of changing, that people will ever change."

Remember there is no growth in a comfort zone and there is no comfort in a growth zone. As we turn to Heavenly Father and form our lives to his will, we will become the person he wants us to be. Though it might not be easy at first, It will be worth it in the end when you can look back and say "wow I really have changed." I love you all so much! have a fantastic week!!!!! :)

Elder Wilson

I asked Kentucky what it thought of me and this is what I read right after ;)

This is where we do service, All those bags are filled with donated clothes!!

. Hey check out the size of this chicken ;)

Dabbin N' Stuff on the KFC!

Last day with Elder Stephans