The Book of Mormon, WOO!

So ask me if I'm in love with Mexico. Woooo! I love the food, the people, the way people are all concerned about each other's welfare, and basically everything. Sometimes I find myself absently thinking about my future house or cooking Mexican meals in my Mexican house and then remember that I have to go back to America someday and will be cooking mac and cheese somewhere with carpets and glass windows probably. Darn. 

This week was the hottest so far, but we were luckily armed with a carton of ice cream, so that during studies when the heat enters your bones and saps all energy and life out of your body, I know just what to do, having been taught in all the learning of my father ;) 

I've been studying a verse of the Book of Mormon every day rather than a whole chapter. I didn't plan it or anything, one day I just started studying deeper. And guess what? The Book of Mormon is AMAZING. This book is filled with power in every word, not just because of the words themselves but because it is of God. The people writing were doing it in obedience to a commandment, by the spirit, Joseph Smith translated it and brought it forth by the power of God, and therefore every word has the spirit of the Lord in it. We can read one phrase, be it about wars, doctrine, dwelling in tents, and learn by the spirit what He needs to tell us. Sometimes it's actually obvious and the words teach us what we're looking for, and sometimes it's something totally different, deeper and personal, but either way we are going to learn because we are putting ourself in tune to learn by the spirit just by reading this Book and obeying this commandment. I've had so many experiences with this this week, and all I want is for these investigators to do the same! We should make this book a huge part of every day!!

The craziest people are here. And sometimes I let loose a little bit of my mother's Paiute-ness on them haha. Yesterday we were talking to a pastor in the street and he was goign on and on about how we shouldn't worship idols, and we were like, "um, we don't--okay." and how there was only ONE true church and the question was which it was, and we're like, "um, that's what--!" and he wouldn't stop talking. It's like he was holding hands over his ears and closing his eyes and shouting Bible verses as we stood in front of him with the truth in our hands. Finally I spoke super loud over his words, "WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW WHICH CHURCH IS TRUE?!" and he kept talking so we sailed out of there. Another brother the same day was talking our ears off about the importance of faith, and every detail of Joseph Smith's life, he'd read every book on the subject but had never come to church or anything, and he wasn't listening either as we talked about faith and how to develop a testimony. He started preaching about how faith is dead without works, and I said you're right, we need faith AND works, so will you come to church Sunday? And he said "I promise you nothing." And I suddenly like attacked him and said "WHY won't you promise?" He got a little shocked and said because if I promise I have to keep it, and I'm like, uh huh...why don't you want to keep it, and he's like, 

"I'll be there on Sunday, I'll be there, It's a promise." Eso, hermano. Good grief these silly people. 

Anyway, I'm learning a ton, loving life, praying for all of you and super super happy! I'm learning to be happy where I am and with who I'm with. My companion is amazing as are all the members, whether they're holding up their end or not. We can love EVERYONE and we will be happier if we can love the people we're with RIGHT NOW and stop thinking about other things or getting wrapped up in our technology and distractions. Love you all, stay strong push on!! Til next week!!

Hermana Wilson

Another Semana

Buenas!

This week was great. We're seeing a bit more success in our area and learning to work with the members a little bit better. I. has his baptismal date set for the 10th of May and we're going to invite A. tonight or tomorrow depending on when we actually have our first lesson with him. Explaining now.

I contacted A. in the street last week when we were on interchanges and he was nice and welcoming, besides all of them are like that so it's tricky to know which are actually interested and which are actually warmly and politely saying, "please get out of my life quickly." He told us to send a text someday and visit in the evening, and we recorded his information and promptly forgot about him for a while. Then Friday I was thinking of how to fill up the next week with new investigators and remembered his name, sent a message asking when we could visit, and he said tomorrow in the afternoon. It so happened Saturday afternoon was our family history activity we'd been planning for weeks, so something possessed me to say, "Tomorrow we have an activity in the afternoon, we'll pass by at 4 and pick you up and go to the chapel, see you tomorrow" or something to that affect. Not only did he agree, but he reminded us the next day and was ready at 4.

The activity was ALMOST a complete failure, although we'd made invitations, given lessons to excite everyone, planned with the elders in our ward and announced at every second, because NO members showed up, except Hermana Grofi and Elder Arrevillaga who were in charge of the activity. BUT suddenly we had this brand new off the street investigator who was interested and everything was all about him all night. He completed his four generations and had two names ready for the temple before he even knew what our church was, and Elder Arrevillaga gave this PRIME discourse on family history that blew OUR minds while explaining fundamentally to a newbie. Other members showed up an hour in and long story short (too late for that right?), A. now has all these friends, his four generations, attended church yesterday and has a family home evening tonight with a family, all without one lesson.

This week was semana santa, or the holy week. Instead of just Easter, they have Saturday of Glory and Sunday something and other days. I should have paid more attention to the names. But this means that the streets were absolutely empty this week because everyone ran for the beach and their families. We walked through a ghost town every day, but it was sweet. The people who were around were a little less busy and a little more open to listen.

It sounds like the rains should be starting soon also. We got a little glimpse of what it would be like when one day we were walking and suddenly all heaven let loose on our little heads and just from crossing the street for shelter we were soaked through. It was super fun, we were laughing so hard and you couldn't hear anything because of the sound of it. The thunder is the loudest thing I've ever heard and the rain is ridiculous, and everyone's telling me that that was a tiny bout of rain. I'm so excited.

 I hope everyone had a great Easter weekend and had time to think of the Savior's atonement. With the family history work we talked about vicarious acts, and the greatest of all was this sacrifice of our Savior. Because he suffered for us, we all have the power to change and have healing. Prayers to all of you this week and always! Love you!

Out with the Old and In with the New

Another week? That was so fast. This week we got to meet so many new people it was awesome. We kind of went for it and dropped all our non progressing investigators and went at finding new ones. Sadly we had to drop the family we love which was hard for me but hopefully it will wake them up a little and one day they'll receive the message a little better and act. It was crazy, I was praying and focusing my studies on what to do with this family one morning, and read a scripture in D&C that said something like, and if they will not receive you, leave him and do not return. And I was like, "what!?" If that's not clear I don't know what is. But we both feel really good about it and this week we were blessed to find two new beautiful families and have already invited both to baptism. We'll see what happens but we were definitely blessed.

On Monday night we had a lesson with a man I had contacted in the street. He invited us to teach him and his little girl, asked questions, agreed to everything we said, and when I invited him to be baptized, he said "Sure, why not!" And I was like, isn't your line, "I've already been baptized in the Catholic church and it's far too soon. A bible a bible we have got a bible..." Just kidding, it was awesome and we were like, well awesome! Let's get you ready!

I can't remember If I've already talked about Geraldo, but he's this funny 50-something year old man who was baptized at 14 and never attended the church or had a testimony. We contacted him weeks ago and finally recently found him home and he told us he would be at the church at 9 am Sunday, and there he was. We've begun teaching him from the beginning and it's the cutest thing, he LOVES the pamphlets and reads them every night, and whenever we teach something, he's like, oh that's in the pamphlet! And he has this neighbor who's this silent man with an underbite that would always have an excuse to come by when we were there, and finally we invited him in to participate and now they're this beautiful pair of excited old men that love learning about prophets and priesthood and watching the movies of the Restoration. So funny.

This week we got to watch the dedication of the Mexico CCM with all our area, it was shown to all the missionaries in Mexico and focused on working with members. It was beautiful and we're going to do it! It's hard to know how on both sides but we will figure it out!

Last night I was on the phone with the district leader when my companion started squealing in the other room and I went to find the HUGE cockroach on the wall. So with the phone in one ear and shoe in the other I smacked it and screamed at the same time, for a piece of its splattered leg flew into my eye, and of course she screamed as well, and the district leader was laughing so hard and told me to wash my eye out. So that happened.

Sorry it's not long this week, I've been writing slow. But about "Later." We've been talking a lot about how "Later" means "Not Ever." (Like from Princess and the Frog.) It's really true and we see it in our investigators. The ones who want to make commitments later on are the ones who never progress and we're all just wasting our time. Same with us. When we get these ideas of how to help them and put it off, it never ever happens. So it's so important to do NOW! I've started trying to hurry and do every thing that I know I need to in the moment, and it's super hard but it's starting to work. Do you like how two weeks ago I said I would talk about this later and now you see what happened. Anyway. God lives and He loves us!! I felt the spirit so much this week as we taught the Restoration over and over again, and I know Joseph Smith is a prophet! I love you all and pray for you every day! Until next week!

Hermana Wilson

Conferencia Woo

[Tapachula, Mexico. Monday, April 7, 2014]

This week was a good one! General Conference was WONDERFUL! We got to attend all four sessions, and I almost understood! It was actually really cool to listen in Spanish because I didn't understand all the words as well but understood the messages, so the spirit could teach more than usual. I don't know how to explain it. My notes are all spiritual impressions rather than their actual words and it was very special.

We invited the father of the family L. to come and actually test it out, to see if there is something more to this church, because we've been teaching them for so long and they're really not progressing. He says all of our messages are bonito and he has good desires but doesn't understand really that this is IMPORTANT and that they've got to come to church. Every week we pass and they say they'll come in five minute and don't. But we figured out the mother is really what's standing in the way because she doesn't want to and he doesn't want to go without her. So this week we invited him to come alone if he needs to and take responsibility for his family. I think something finally touched him because he thought for a long time and said he'd come. We passed for him Saturday morning at 9, and he wasn't ready so we said we'd come back in ten minutes. 30 minutes later he was in the same place with sleeping kids and no wife home. He promised he'd come in ten minutes and we left without much hope. But the messages of conference were beautiful and about an hour in, who walks in the door but B. and his two kids, all awake and dressed up! We were so happy, and the moment after he entered, all the talks centered in families and the last one by Elder Eyring specifically talked to investigators who had been brought by the missionaries. He listened really attentively and I think was actually touched. I told him since he missed the prophet he'd have to come the next day too, joking, but he said he would! That was such a special experience because we've been praying for them for so long and we know angels were pushing him out the door. We'll see what happens.

Today we had a taxi driver who told us he wrote music and began immediately to sing in a voice much like my grandpa Wilson's. I just thought I would include that so he could know he has a copy in Mexico.

We were really low on lessons again this week and contacted a ton. It was hard to always know where to go but I learned a lot about following the spirit and we met some really interesting people. One time I contacted and she responded in English. You'd think, this is perfect because I speak English. Turns out I don't anymore. It was amazing how hard it was to only use American words and talk about the restoration in this language. Whaaat? She was from Florida and had already talked with the missionaries, read the Book of Mormon and decided we were all crazy. It was kind of sad because she had desires to help her children but didn't recognize it when it came.

But. General Conference wow right? I loved all the talks, especially Elder Uchtdorf's that talked about having gratitude as a part of who we are, not just being grateful for THINGS. It should be part of our nature as it was Christ's. I know that as we try to be more like Him we will find more than we've ever had and He will make more of us. There was something so powerful to me about apostles quoting passages of the Book of Mormon, verses I use every day. Apostles, prophets, Book of Mormon, the Spirit, they all testify of each other, and they ALL testify of Jesus Christ. He lives and He loves us and He has done everything so that we can change and have help with our burdens as Elder Bednar said! I love you and pray He will be with you all throughout the week!

Hermana Wilson


[From Dad:]
Incidentally, the reason this blog post was delayed a week is that Linette and I (Randy) were on a cruise with some friends from our neighborhood.  You may recall this artistic picture that Kelsi sent while at the MTC:

Well, we noticed that we had bought the same Speedo brand water shoes at Costco as our friends the Elmes, so of course I sent this picture to Kelsi: