Merry Christmas one and all

Merry Christmas one and all i do hope that snow begins to fall! (rhymes)

Well this was my first not white xmas but it was an awesome xmas. You all knowing that xmas is my favorite holiday for the spirit of xmas, the songs, the food, the family, and it all. Well, we were able to have a fun xmas here in beautiful paraguay. woke up xmas morning and i opened up the xmas gift that sally sent me that i put underneath my xmas tree drawing. we then studied a bit and got to church. sadly our golden investigator sergio couldn't go to church due to an allergic reaction of his daughter but he is going to go this following sunday si o si. after church we went to lunch and then got to work. me and my companion tried a new thing to get not only lessons but find people who would want to hear our message. we asked them if we could share a scripture about the birth of Jesus Christ and it worked!!! we found a bunch of new people who we can teach. that night we went over to a members house to eat xmas dinner which was a chicken friend stake (milanesa) a bit different but that's kinda what it is. a potato, beat, egg salad not to bad actually and sopa paraguaya. its a bread thing that you make with corn flour hard boiled egg cheese and onion. really good if cooked well. the big thing here is xmas eve or noche buena as they say here. all of the fam gets together and they start celebrating and eating around 10pm and all the big stuff goes down at 12am. 

this week we worked like crazy it was awesome. the best thing though was the company of the spirit of the Lord and honestly how happy i was. we have been receiving personal revelation for our investigators so much and it was great!!! its such an awesome experience when your sitting there and your talking but its not you talking its the Lord working through you. one example is heaven inspired questions. we were losing the interest of an investigator and we had to do something to draw him back in. i sat and said a little pray and then thought. i ended up asking ¨what makes you most happy in this life?¨ a simple question. he responded ¨i don't know ive never really thought about that.¨ then he went into ponder mode it was awesome!!!! i sat there and was just like wow this works and its amazing!!!!! I feel that I'm becoming a better tool in the Lords hands and I'm happier and happier everyday its amazing!!!!

it was also a grand pleasure to see and talk to all of you I'm so glad that you had a wonderful xmas. i love the ¨brigham is my favorite¨ shirts. i honestly do want one hahaha. thank you for all that you do and i am so grateful for all of you and love you so much. i was reading the scriptures and found another great one that is in Alma i think 12 or 26 not sure but it is the one when they say that i am nothing but with the lord i am strong. to be honest i am nothing but with the lord on my side i know i can do anything and ill be doing his will.

love you all and pray for you everyday!!!

love

Elder Wilson

christmas eve

Elder Parker skyped us this morning

and he looks and sounds great.

Special Change!!!! Hello Sajonia 1.2

Hey fam!!!!

So as the title indicates I have had a special change. Thursday i got a call in the morning telling me that I'm going to go to beautiful Sajonia 1.2 and a new companion, Elder Norton.

Elder Norton is a fellow Midwesterner from the land of milk and cheese. Yes Wisconsin. He is from the sun prairie ward, if blair and julie know it. he was born in minnesota, then moved and lived in chicago and is now from wisconsin!!!! crazy small world stuff. he doesnt know blair and julie but he does know the lake mills ward.

Sajonia is in the Asuncion stake and city it is  more modern and  nicer,  really. Very quite and very tranquilo. we are right next to the river which i love it is amazing!!!! its a bit hilly but good exercise. From what i have heard Sebastian and Elia were baptized this last saturday which is awesome!!!! its amazing how the Lord can change lives and now Sebastian and Marta are getting ready to be sealed in the temple next year. Here in Sajonia since it is an area that this half has been opened around a month and a half ago we are doing alot of finding and talking to new people. its really great because you get to find all of the people who are placed in your path by the Lord and you just have to do your part.

The last few days I've been thinking  about wanting to find the spirit and following the spirit. I really am coming to love the Lord more and more and wanting to find his help to guide me in all things.

Pics
1. Elder Norton
2. The River
3 - 6. 3 Bocas




this gospel is so true i love it so much and I'm so grateful to be here in Sajonia i love being a missionary and being able to preach the gospel. the church is so true and let us all have xmas cheer!!!

sorry for short letter next week will be longer and better

love 

Elder Wilson

Hot, Hot Day in December

Hello one and all!!!!!

The saying with the missionaries during this time is ¨oh its gettin hot. christmas must be around the corner.¨ yes it is gettin a tad bit hot in Paraguay even though I'm a bit more used to the heat it still kinda kills, but its all good. Most days are in the high 90´s or the low 100´s. we chug down water and now since me and elder mcgee are on diets and getting better at exercises we are chuggin down that ¨y¨ (guarani for water) it is pronounced as if someone just punched you in the stomach while you are saying ew. i hope that makes sense. 

despite the heat this week has been a  good week we have been workin a ton. this saturday we are gonna have 2 baptisms!!!!!! they are for Sabastian Martinez and Elias C. Sabastian is the husband of Marta who her and her kids were baptized in march. He is ready and he is excited its so awesome!!!!! Elias is the son of a member who was living with his mom before but now moved in with his dad and loves the church and is also super excited to be baptized!!!!! YAY!!!! 

We also had a great experience this week with finding new people to teach. As we were walking down this street i was praying that we could find some new people who are ready to receive the gospel. As we reach a top of the street we see this man and his wife sitting outside of their house. He flags us down and we start talking. he tells us ¨i am in a low part of my life right now and only God can help  out. Can you guys help me?¨ ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh being a missionary is soooo awesome!!!! those experiences are just ones that make you say wow this is awesome!!!! His name is Fabio and his wife is Analia. as we started teaching them - out of no where started popping out all of these other people. soon many of their cousins, brothers, and sisters came on over to talk with us!!!! 

So Christmas in Paraguay. Y'all knowing me know that I'm gonna look hard for the traditional xmas food or snack here. Here their gingerbread cookies are Pan Dulce. Pan dulce is a raisin bread that has other fruit put into it and they put a frosting thing on top. its pretty good. In my area there are a decent amount of lights as you walk down the street but the most popular thing is nativities. Almost everyone has one. They all look the same but that is the traditional nativity of Paraguay. There are some trees but they are all fake which is a bummer but oh well. The biggest celebration is done Christmas at 12:00 AM when everyone goes outside and blow up fireworks. Ever since november fireworks have been for sale. the most common is a firecracker. kids run around with these, light them up and throw them in the street; after a month or so you get used to it.

We gave talks this last week and mine was on how during the Christmas season we need to remember the main reason why we celebrate christmas which is to remember our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ birth. I am personally so grateful for the Savior. I am so grateful to be apart of his work and to share his gospel with his people here in Paraguay. The gospel is true. The Book of Mormon is the word of God. Families have the opportunity to be able to be together forever. I am going to do everything to be able to be with my family forever. I love this church it is the only true church on the earth.

I love you all and pray for you everyday. 

Love

Elder Wilson


Pictures:
1. The traditional nativity of Paraguay
2. The fun youth of our ward
3. Fam Martinez
4. Traditional birthday set up

fam martinez

traditional birthday set up

Quedando en 3 Bocas!!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY EDEN!!!

Hey everyone!!!!!

 

Well transfers came and went and still in good ol 3 bocas with elder mcgee!!!!

This last week we went on splits with the priests in our branch and it was awesome!!! I had the great opportunity and blessing with going with Javier Martinez. He is 17, a recent convert of 8 months, and just wonderful. We split the area up in two; and me and Javier hit the empedrado running. What was a bit of a bummer was that all of our visits fell, but that didnt put us down at all we kept on trucking ahead and just went around to find people to teach. We ended up teaching around 4 lessons and talking to a bunch of people. If we saw them outside or walking we would chat with them for a little bit and invite them to church or put an appointment for the next time we could pass by. It was great!!!! 

Later on in the week, we had a wonderful experience with the Martinez family (Javiers fam). Marta Martinez, a few years ago, got the same thing that grandma utah had which paralyzed all of her left side. When we were there we were teaching  a lesson on having faith in our prayers and putting in our part. She had lost all confidence in walking again and has been too scared to try it again. We sat down with her and her family to set a goal to have her start practicing walking so that she can walk around church all by herself without needing the help of her husband or children. Now she is all pumped and excited to be putting in the effort to walk again!!!! She has the faith and now she has the drive. Through faith truly anything is possible.

 

Can you believe that this last sunday was the last testimony meeting of 2011??????? I know that is kinda crazy stuff huh? It was a great meeting. Sadly there wasnt a ton of people but there was a great spirit. During the testimony meeting a few members mentioned the missionaries and the effect they had on their lives. Many times it would be us just passing by and saying hi or them seeing us on the street working. Like the advice Blair gave me before i came: our people are really watching us at all times and everywhere we go; which makes it even more important for us to be examples of Jesus Christ in all that we do and say.

 

Truly i am so grateful for all of those around me. they teach me so much and show me so many different things. nothing is big or small. I love this gospel and this church so much. I know that we all have a loving Heavenly Father who watches over us and cares for us all. He sent his only son to come to this earth to suffer for us that we may repent and come more unto him and be able to return to live with our Father in Heaven once again. Missionary work is one of the best experiences and blessings that i have in my life. I have learned so much and i have come so far and even though iv'e got a good while to go i know what i gotta do to get there. My thoughts and prayers are with all of you and i hope all of the best.

 

Love,

 

Elder Wilson