Its A Small World After All

Hola Todos

So I wanted to start out this email with some thing really funny that happened a few weeks and I just forogt to share.. sorry! So we shared the branch here in Puerto with Elders and rigfht now both of the Elders are gringos... my poor companion is the only Latin missionary but I think she enjoys it. Anyway, one of the Elders is Elder Willis... we had talked before and he told me that before his mission he studied at BYU but we did not talk specifically about classes or any thing. The true is.. I felt like I had met him before... like a familiarity.. but I thoughtmaybe I had just seen him campus or some thing.

Anyway, we were at lunch on day... the four of us.. and Hna. Silvera was asking Elder Willis what he had studied before his mission. Hetold her that he had just taken general classes to decide what he liked... like Archaeology... and so I asked him... who was your teacher and he told me short and a weird and I said.. when did you take it... and he got this weird look on his face and all of the sudden hes says... its you! 

And in that way we discovered.. after two months of sharing a branch here in Puerto... that he and I sat together... three days a week.. for an hours... in a class at BYU... and we did not recognize one another... so we laughed for a while about that and now my companion teases me all the time about that.. but anyway... I hope that put a smile on your face.

It was a really difficult week for us in the fact that no one wanted any thing... no one came to church.. except for Hno. Octavior who taught Priesthood and one of our other recent converts. It has been kind of discouraging but I am hoping that htis week we will see the miracles. 

this week I find myself in Volcan with Hna. Chavez.. only for P Day... so that is a blessing.. and its cold... for me.. I think its like 70 degrees... its so nice... 

I just wanted to share a miracle with you guys... so this past Friday.. I had to stay in the house for like three hours because my foot hurt so bad because it was so hot... so we stayed in and I iced my foot and kept it elevated and so when we left in the afternoon I was frustrated because we had stayed in and when we went to our planned lessons everyone rejected us and so we were walking int he street and i saw a family sitting on their porch. My companion was walking way ahaead but I felt super strongly that we should talk to them and so I walked over andstarted talking. Eventually my companion noticed and came back and the woman named Karen let us in. 

We shared the Restoration with her and she told us thatwhile we taught she had felt peace and we testified that it was the spirit witnessing to her that we we were teaching was true. We invited her to be baptized and she said tht she did not want to make the decision still because its a big decision and she wants to be sure but it was one of the sweeter moments I have felt in a long time because I could feel the spirit confirming to me that I did the right thing....

And so it is those little things that keep me going. I have discouraged lately but I am doing my best to pick myself up and keeping working... As Dory would say it.. just keep swimming... so here we are... and we are just going to keep walking and keeping talking to people hoping that someone will let us in.

I love this work. I love this Gospel. I love all the experiences I am having... the good, the hard,and the interesting. I know that God loves us and for that reason I have come here to Panama to share that love with people who are looking for it. I love you all so much and will talk to you next week.

Love, 

Hna. Wilson

Set, Camera, Lessons!

Hola a Todos!

So this week ws a really good week. We taught 45 lessons which is the most I have taught in a long time. 11 fo those were with members and so we are trying to work harder in that. We have been working wtih a lot of inactive families that have family members who are not members and we are still watiing to see the success that we know will come from that... it is just a little slower because we are working with people who had a testimony once and for some reason have forgotten it.. 

We went with the guy that wants to marry me... he did not come to church this week and told us that his brother in law does not approve of us coming aroudn the house because he is Hindu and it offends him so now we have to look for another way to visit him... but in the lesson after we sang the hymn he was all... Hna. Wilson you sing so beautifully.. I was so uncomfortabe... but the elders were there and so at the very least we were not by ourselves... who realy knows if he will get baptized but I believe that is possible... as always.. he just has to come to church.

I had divisions this week with one of the sisters leaders... Hna. Gonzales from Gautemala... she asked me if I wanted to train next transfer and I told her I would do what God wants me to do so maybe I will stay here in Puerto training... we only have three weeks to wait and see... who really knows... my only desire is that befofe my mission ends I can be with Hna. Chavez again... I know that if it is Gods will it will happen... in the mean time I am trying to lift where I stand as they say and work hard.

One of the funnier moments of the week was when we contacted... by accident... the cousin of the president of the branch.... he is super Catholic... like literally a practicing Catholic and ended up teaching us about how we are the salt of the earth and a light to the world.. we are going back in two weeks and its are turn to teach so that should be an interesting experience.

To end, I contacted a house this week because it was painted the favorite colors of Hna. Chavez and for that we found a family that is really great... they accepted fechas so we will see how they progress this week and hopefully they come to church. 

Sorry that my English is so weird. I am writing people in Spanish in other emails and I am stressed for time so sorry but just know that I love you guys so much and the church is true. Until next week. Pray always. Be obedient. And keep on keepin on. 

A Baptism, A Marriage Proposal, and a Four Hour Walk

Hola todos!

So the title of my email pretty muchs sums up the great week that I had here in Puerto. It is the strangest area I have ever been in but it is also one of my favorites... it is such a rewarding place because everyone told me when I came things like it was a dead area, that I was not going to baptize, and that everyone is crazy. Well the last one might be true but the first two definitely are not.

First we went and visited a Hno. named Eduardo.. he has been a member for twenty some thing years and has been with his wife for fifty.. she is not a member and has only ever listened to elders. She will be around starting the 16th so we are hoping to find her at home and visit her.. maybe she will baptism numero 2 for the sisters her ein Puerto. But his man has such a strong testimony. When he offered the closing prayer basically all he said was.. Heavenly FAther... I just cant thank you enough for your church and for the sisters that came to visit me.. he learned to read and write through sisters in the church and he is one of the most humble and grateful men I have ever met... we are praying for the baptism of his wife Noemis when she comes back from Boquete the 16th...

We had a really high church attendance this week.. well high for Puerto.. it was 55.. which is awesome... we are praying to see 70 in church by the end of the change which means we still hav esome work to do.. but it is so great to the branch growing. We had the privielege of hearing testimoniews from almost all of our recent converts.. it was really special and the President of the Branch was really happy with every thing.

Another miracle in Church was a little girl and her uncle and sister. Family Tomas... they live supedr far away and cant come that often.. but this Sunday they walked to church.. They started walking at six in the morning so that they could arrive to church no later than ten.. they walked for four hours to go to church so I never want to hear from anyone that they dont go to church because its to far.. the 11 lyear olad girl told me that she wants to get baptized but she is worried that she will get baptized and not be able to go to church after... we are going to take a two hour bus ride to go visit them this week.. if they can walk to churcdh we can take a day to visit them..

The last miracle of the week was of course seeing the baptism of Hno. Octavio and swee his confirmation on Sunday. He is so happy. He finished the Book of Mormon the day before his baptism and when he shared his testimony he swaid... in 1966... I thought I had found the Lord.. but now I know... that I really have found Him.. I cried.. it was so special.. and we are going to talk to him this week about the priesthood and every thing.. it really what this is all about.. how great shall be your joy if ye shall bring but one soul unto me.. he is a very special soul... here are some pictures from the baptism...

To end on a funny note.. I curled my hair for the baptism and let my companion do my make up because hse wanted to.. so later when we went and visited a less active we instead found her borther and he asked me if I could marry a Panimian... I told him no and we started to leave.. out of no where he yells.. I want to get baptized.. so of course we went back and he accepted a baptisimal date for the 22 of February... we went back to visit his sister.. who is one of our recent converts that night and taught him about the First Vision. He told us that he knew it was serious and we are going to go visit him again this week with a member. The funnier part happened when we were walking home after the lesson with him and he called us and said.. hermanas.. I have a friend here who wants to get baptize with me... and I said.. great just remember htat in order to get baptized you have to come to church.. we will see you both on Tuesday.. I dont know if its true that his friend wants to get baptized but we will see what happens with that.. at the very least I hope that put a smile on your face today.

Well thats all for now.. I know there are mor ethings tha happened this week but I cannot remember... we are working in a very different way this transfer then I ever have my whole mission.. we almost never street contact.. instead we are hunting the less active and inactive members and teaching their family members.. we are also asking references from everyone.. I am hoping we will begin to see the fruits of our efforts very soon.

I love you all so much.. thisd work is amazing.. I loving it.. I cannot believe ten months have already come and gone.. I know this is the Lords work and that the Church is true... Jesus Christ lives and he loves us... remember to pray always and keep on keepin on.

Love you All!

Hna. Wilson

First Fruits

Hola! 

So here we are... another week come and gone in beautiful Panama. Almost another month really... I cant believe that we are already finishing January of 2014....  the time goes so fast and I am working to enjoy every minute of it.

So I have a new companion. Her name is Hna. Silvera. She is also from Peru like Hna. Caldas.. she actually came in the group that Hna. Caldas in and has the same time here in the mission... almost five months... she is a good missionary and I think it will be a good change together... she just has to adjust a great deal because she has spent the last five months in the city where the church attendance is up close to 200 and here its about 50.... so yeah... I think once she gets adjusted and learns to see all the little ways in which the branch is improving she will be happier here.

Another happy note is that Hna. Chavez and I are in the same zone. While we are still praying with all our hearts to be together again we have to count our blessings that we are closer and see each other once a week....

Okay now for the huge blessings that we saw this week. Apart from the fact that the branch is now holding ward councils once a week Hno Ocatvio is going to get baptized this week. We went and visted him twice in the last three or four days and he thanked us profusely both times for brinigng him to a knowledge of the truth. I wanted to cry.. it was one of the most special moments of the mission and I know I am going to cry when he gets baptized.... another rather humorous miracle that we saw with him this week was when we went we visted him on Saturday. He told us that the night before he could not sleep so he got up and turend the tv on and and found himself watching a movie about a missionary in Samoa or some thing....the more he talked the mor I thought... wow this sound s a lot like The Other Side of Heaven.... then my comp confirmed that it was and we had to laugh.. het alked to us for a good fifteen minutes about the movie and how excited he was to go to church and ask the class about the Book of Mormon and stuff... 

He is about as excited to be baptized as we are to see him get baptized.. he is a dream come ture.. I know he is one of the people I promised so long ago I would find here in Panama...

The other miracle that we had was with the Familia ATencio.. the mom came to church yesterday.. it is the first time in years and if my comp and I have any to say about it we are going to see the whole family in church this coming week... she left happy and so I am praying that when we go to visit her this week she will want to come back... the members noticed too which is good for us because they can see that we are working... 

Things are improving here in Puerto ARmuellas.... I am content... I feel like I had a great change with Hna. Caldas and that I am in for another great change with Hna. Silvera... thats all I have for you guys this week.... I hope all is well... the church is true and the works is moving forward quickly. Until next week.. with photos from the baptism... 

Love,

Hna. Wilson

Transfers and a Trip to Panama

Hola Todos!

I hope my email finds you all excellente this fine Monday morning here in sunny Puerto Armuelles.. its is so hot that I got sunburned the other day... hows that for January weather... anyway I guess I should jump right into it because I had an excellent week....

For the first time in a long time I do not have transfers... we recieved the phone call yesterday and my companion is leaving.. she is excited and I am excited. We had a really good six weeks together with a lot of miracles and I can already see the beginnings of the fruits that are going to come as a result of our work together. On a side note, I forgot to mention last week that I ate cow intenstines for lunch... it was... not that good... it was just like eating a fatty piece of meat and I would not choose to eat it again but we will see what they feed us.. 

Just wante dto send a shout out to my cousin Trevor... Happy Birthday Trev! I cannot blieve how old you are getting! 

Okay so I wanted to start by talking about my pride and joy here in Puerto... his name is Octavio..  we went and visited on Tuesday and he was really sick so we offered the elders to come and give him a blessing he accpeted and... bless the elders hearts... tehy came within a half an hour. When the elders gave him a blessing he told us that he felt some thing very similar to what he felt when he read the Bible for the first time.. some thing that he cannot explain... we testified that it was the spirit telling him that all of this was true... that al came from God. 

He came to the baptisimal service of an hermano named Margarito.. I talked to him after the service and he accepted to be baptized the first of February... he came to church yesterday also and when a member had a question about the Book of Mormon he basically bore a testimony... wihtout realizing it... about the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon.. Elder Willis was teaching the class and when Hno. Octavio stopped talking Elder Willis was all chocked up as he testified to Hno. Octavio that he already knew it was true... pray for him please.. that he can overcome whatever obstacle Satan is going to put in his path to keep him from getting baptized. He is so ready... the only thing he lacks now is time until the baptisimal date.. we will finish teahing him all the lessons this week... I am so excited... I definitely feel that he is one of the people that I came her eto Panama to find...

We also went with Familia Atencio this week and learned that they do not hav ea testimoy of the Book of Mormon... so we are going to work it out with members so that they can go with us to read with them and if we can find someone willing... that they can go and read with them also... 

We also visted a less active member that served a mission like 10 years ago... we shared a lesson with her about setting goals for the New Year and crying she told us that she wanted to go to the temple because its been almost ten years since shes gone... the branch is going to the temple on the 14th of February so our goal is to get her there...

So I had to go to the city this week... which means eight hours in a bus one way... a 16 hour trip in the space of like 48 hours but we took the opportunity to go the temple and I recievedx an answer to a prayer in D y C 109:44. 

Anyway thats pretty much ll for now.. I am anxious to find out who my new companion is.... I feel so blessed to be hear... the branch is getting stronger every day I hope to see miracles this next change with my new companion. I love you all so much. I love this work and I love our Heavenly Father and our Savior. I know that every thing that we go through we go through for a reason... even the hard things.. and if we just keep our chin up and keep moving forward... it will all work together for our good. Never lose faith... never look back. The future can always be better than the past. 

Love, 

Hna. Wilson

The Distance Between Your Problems and the Solutions

Is the same distance between your knees and the floor...

Hola a Todos!

Como estan? Como le va? Que tal alla pues?

Okay sorry... for some reason I have developed the habit of attaching pues to the end of a lot of my sentences which has no significance whatsoever... I cannot even think of an English equivelent.... I think its more popular in Guatemala and places like that.... but suddenly I have been saying it and I dont know why...

Anyway, focusing on the week... it was a hard one in the sense that we dropped all of our fechas.... all six of them... for different reasons and we only had one person in church and thats because he came with his girlfriend.... and happens to live in our area.... we are going to visit him this week on Saturday... 

The elders in our branch hav ea baptism and we are singing a musical number... for some reason they think I sing well so I am stuck singing a duet with an elder... pray for me okay... that I dont like mess up the words or some thing haha....

I tihnk our most posotive investigator right now is Hno. Octavio... he still is not coming to church but accepts every thing we teach him... quit drinking coffee... is reading the Book of Mormon.... he basically has all the lessons and I am confident I will see his baptism this next change...

Speaking of changes... my companion has changes... we had interviews with President Carmack this past week and she will be leaving Puerto... I dont think I will be training but only God knows what is going to happen... lets just pray for someone who is ready to work because I am ready to hit the ground running... maybe not literally but you get what I mean.... there is a lot of potential and a lot of people waiting for the gospel here in the area... President Carmack did say some thing interesting though... there are two places in Panama where Satan has the strongest hold... here in Puerto Armuelles and in Colon... the area that I spent six months in... so thats an interesting observation... 

President Carmack also gave us the challenge to read the Book of Mormon from end to beginning... like starting with the Book of Moroni  chapters one to 10... then Ether 1 to whatever.... and reading like to finish with 1 Nephi before the end of March so everyone is occupied with that... its interesting... he wants us to start with the blessings and end with the invitation... some thing like that.... 

Anyway.... thats pretty much the update for now... I just want you all to know that I love you so much and that this Church is true.... that God lives and He loves us... there is nothing greater than to be His servant and an instrument in His hands to bring souls unto Him. Some times we dont think we make a difference but we never know.. it by the small and simple things that great things are brought to pass. Pray always. Be strong. And keep on keepin on. 

All My Love, 

Hna. Wilson

Feliz Año Nuevo!

Okay its late but Happy New Years every body! I passed it here in Panama sleeping and really it did not feel like New Years at all... without snow or any thing I feel like I wont feel like its the new year for a little while.. apart from writing 2014 whenever I write the date.. its weird to think about but its also been a good time of reflection and looking for ways to improve and change. Plus with only two weeks until transfer and high possibility of getting a new companion I am thinking a lot in how I am going to end this change on a high note. 

We had a really good week here in Puerto Armuellas... six of our fechas fell through but we were albe to put five more and yesterday... two of them came to church which means we actually have progressing investigators! Finally.... things definitely happen in the Lords time thats for sure... Ocatavio Herera... the investigator thats reading the Book of Mormon faster then anyone I have ever seen did not come to church this week but he did accept a baptisimal date... I could have cried when he accepted.... it was such a special moment... the trial is just getting him to church because he has really bad knees so its really painful for him to walk a lot and he lives really far from church. But Hna. Elefia... a sister who is evangelical and believes that every church has authority.. we re taught her the Restuaration and she accepted to be baptized on the 18th and came to church yesterday... she already has attended enough to be baptized this week but she lacks the lessons and the testimony.. pray hard that we see her baptism before my companion leaves!

So I got packages from 1st WArd and the west stake... the cards from the ward made me cry so thanks to everyone who participated in that... 

Anyway thats all for this week... sorry its so short.... I dont have a lot of time left but I love you all so much and will talk to you all next week... the church is true and God is at the head of this work!

Todo mi Amor, 

Hna. Wilson