October 23, 2017

Talofa!

Hey Y'all!

Hey long time no see right? haha I hope you are all doing good! things here have been amazing the past few days! we have had a lot of fun and have gotten a lot of work done! Running two area is a bigger piece to bite then I expected but I'm excited for the challenge and I know that we will be able to gettir done!! haha so my boys name is Elder Manu, He is from Lacy Washington and he is currently visa waiting to go to the Sydney South Australia Mission! The three of us together have had a hard time breathing the past couple of days because we have been laughing non stop! I love being blessed with companions that I can be 100% my self with, Makes the mission that much better!

So not too much has happened this past week other than the fact that the three of us have been going out meeting people and trying to get to know a lot of the investigators in the Wytheville area, unfortunately the missionaries who were here last transfers got really close to all of their investigators and which has made it hard for us to meet with them cause they are scared to get close with us and then have us leave. So that has really been our only challenge.. other than that things are going great! I feel Blessed that I know my heavenly father is there and loves me and will help me do things that I my self cant do alone.

Quick crazy story... Last night a member in the ward asked us to come over because they are having some demonic problems in their home so they asked us to come over and check things out, when we got there and walked in the house things felt off but nothing too crazy.. as we were talking things just felt worse and worse so I asked if I could say a prayer for the family and the house and while I was praying everything was calm and felt good and I wasn't worried anymore, so we closed the prayer and left and said that they could call us if they needed anything or if it kicked up again. as we were leaving we all felt the need to go back to the house. when I was getting in the car I felt something and at first I thought it might have been the evil spirit but when I turned the car back around to go back to the house I new it was the spirit telling me to go back to the families house. when we got back we met charlie (the husband) out side and told him why we were back and he immediately took us inside and told us to walk around the house and see where it might be. anyway long story short we walked back to the babies room and just felt a weight that I have never felt before and it was something I would never wish on anyone, any way long story short we cast the demon out of the house.. and it jumped on us and followed us home and last night when we were praying we heard steps running up the hall way and when I hurry and turned around I saw someone standing partially in the doorway. Sooooo ya we now have a demon in our apartment. haha so pray for me. 

Just remember that the church is true and no matter what you are going through or what you are experiencing the gospel is the ONLY thing that can mend it. the Savior is reaching out to you RIGHT NOW. Grab his hand and live a life of peace. I love you all!

Elder Wilson

Fall Colors

The Rex Theatre

The Trip Ship

October 18, 2017

God Loves Us

Hey Y'all! 

Well what a week its been! so much has happened this past week, there is a lot of change going down here in the Galax/Hillsville area, But I'm pretty excited for whats going to happen. There will be a lot of growth and a lot of good times. My next companion will be one of my favorite missionaries ELDER BURGENER!! He was my ZL in my last area and we were good buds right off the bat! He grew up playing baseball and is a lot like me. I already know we are going to be able to get work done and have a blast. Me and him will both be training a brand new missionary that will be here temporary because once he gets his visa he will be going to the mission he has been assigned to! So a trio will be a lot of fun. On top of all this we will be working both Wytheville and Hillsville and Galax. So as you can see we have a lot on our plate and will be busy 24/7 which will be really nice! Between both areas we have a chance of close to 5 or more baptisms by the end of this next transfer! so there is a lot to be excited about!

Last Tuesday we had interviews with President Lindhardt and they were wonderful. He told me that I was the only missionary in this mission that he felt could handle this situation of running two areas and training on top of that. So I felt like that was a pretty big complement. I left that interview confident and ready to serve with my heart might mind and strength. I'm grateful to have a mission president that cares so much about us and takes the time to get to know each of us! I know that this is the lords work and that he is hastening it right now! 

due to the big change going on we had to do a 2 day exchange in Wytheville and I got to know all of their investigators and all the people that they work with, I have already gained such a love for these people and I have already been praying earnestly for them. I have been really worried that I was going to get a companion that was going to be hard to work with and that wouldn't be good for the area and sure enough he heard my cry and has blessed me with a great companion that will be able to help me achieve the goals that I see for this area. He truly does answer our prayers if we trust in him and keep his commandments.

Tomorrow Elder Matchett will be going home and will be finishing up his two year mission. I'm grateful that I had the chance to serve with him, I was able to learn a lot of things that will bless me for the rest of mission and the people that I come in contact with, I know that nothing happens by chance and that I was called to serve with Elder Matchett at this point of my mission. How grateful I am for modern day revelation.

For my Spiritual thought this week I want to talk about the importance of Obedience. Now normally I'm not one to talk on this topic because I know no one cares to hear about it but I feel a special need to this week considering some of the stuff that I have heard about with not only family but friends as well. in the book of John the savior him self talks about the same importance he says:

 If ye love me, keep my commandments, John 14:15.

How simple is this teaching? I love how the savior can teach in such child like ways. If we truly love our savior we should be more than willing to keep his commandments. He promises us that if we do so that he will open up the windows of heaven and poor out blessings upon us. how can we expect the savior to bless us if we aren't willing to show him that we are there and ready to follow him? I wish each and everyone of you to take a step back and look at all the things you struggle with and do your best to conquer them this week. and always remember, obedience brings blessings, but exact obedience brings miracles. act now and see miracles. I love you all

Elder Wilson

The District...I am the only one staying

Me and Elder Matchet hiked the Cascades today.  No I din't fall down the waterfall this time

A senior couple Elder and Sister Dean that was in my first district in KY met my grandma on their way home in Nauvoo!

October 9, 2017

Happy Fall Y'all!

Hey Y'all!

Just wanted to start by saying sorry for not writing you all last week... Elder Matchett got a migraine so we were in for the rest of the day which is always rough for the companion that is not sick cause you just have to chill and twiddle your thumbs haha, but I was able to read some talks and the Book of Mormon so all is well :) 

Things here have been going pretty good to say the least! Hard to believe that we are already approaching the last week of the transfer. and Then i'll be sending Elder Matchett home to Texas and will be getting a new companion. I am excited for Elder Matchett and know that he will do great things in the next step of his life! Hes a good guy and I'm grateful for the time that I have had to serve with him. 

The work is going pretty good down here in Galax, The week prior to conference we were having a hard time figuring out what to do for the Friday evening, and just decided that we needed to leave our night open just in case something pops up and someone needs us. Well anyway the day went on and it came down to the evening time we were about to go try someone when one of the members shot us a text and asked us to come help one of his friends move. because we had an open night we were able to go help his friend Big John move. His wife had just left him so he was trying to get out as soon as possible and because we were able to help him, he was able to accomplish that. when the night was over we asked if we could go visit him and he invited us up the following Tuesday. so we showed up with James Kohl the member who told us about him and taught him, his mom, and his step dad, the message of the Restoration. The spirit was so strong, I could feel it and I know that they could feel it! When the lesson was over we invited Stephen (John's step dad) to pray for us and in his prayer he told Heavenly father that he knew that we were sent to their house for a reason and he asked him to let them know why and what steps they need to take! I love sharing this gospel and I love when people can recognize who we represent. I love being able to stand shoulder to shoulder with my savior and testify of him and his Gospel. It truly has blessed my life!

That's probably been the highlight of my week and of course how could we forget about Conference! Is it just me or did you guys feel blessed to have such a spiritual feast from our wonderful modern day Prophet and Apostles?! I loved the theme of conference. I love that everyone talked about having faith and not giving up. WE CAN FIND STRENGTH IN CHRIST. He loves us and he wants to help. We just have to be willing to let our pride down and trust in his arm and know that he will be there to pick us up. One of my favorite quotes from this last conference comes from Elder Stanley G. Ellis' talk "Do We Trust Him? Hard Is Good!" The quote is:

"hard is the constant! We all have challenges. The variable is our reaction to the hard." 

The hard times will come, Nephi and his family had many hard times, but they always chose to follow and look to the Savior, and those who didn't perished. I hope you all look for ways that you can trust in Christ and know that he will be there to lift you when you need it. Read the Book of Mormon, Pray, and go to church. I love you all and hope you have a great week!!

Elder Wilson

Fall Colors