Learning Through Challenges

Hola familia!!!

hope all is going great and smoothly up north. things are going well here down south. the heat is kicking up again which is nice. sad to say but after living here for the last little while i have gotten more used to the heat. i can say that my old thick Minnesotan blood is almost gone. everything is getting a bit more chilly everyday. its ok though. 

this last week we saw a bunch of miracles. we were able to find a golden family that is a part member family who lives in the perfect spot. RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE CHURCH!!!! how perfect is that. it is arnaldo and blanca who just had their first kid about 5 days ago or so. he is a member as of 5 or so years. got baptized in ercanacion which is on the other side of the country closer to brasil and argentina. this week we really have been focusing on working with the spirit. to have him constantly with us and to be able to follow the impressions that we receive. a big thing that I'm personally trying to do is listen to the spirit more in the lessons so it is less teaching a lesson and more teaching the person. this week we were able to go on divisions with some other missionaries in our zone and we had two great spirit powered lessons. after we told them about the first vision i asked them how they felt in that moment. every time they said that they felt something different. there is a promise in 'preach my gospel' on how if we confide in the spirit and that we focus in seeing the spirit work in them we will be able to see the progress and the spirit will testify to them the truthfulness of Christ's gospel.

having that be our focus we are working more on how we are going to be helping people come to church on Sundays so that they can be baptized this month. we are working on this with the entire zone. some stress comes when things aren't turning out as they should but as long as you depend on the Lord and find what he wants you to learn it is all good. as my favorite quote "circumstances don't determine  happiness". just gotta put on a smile and be happy and do what we gotta do. declare the true restored gospel of Jesus Christ. This week is going to be amazing i know that it will!!!

i know that this is Christ's true church on the earth and i am so blessed that i have this opportunity to be able to serve him everyday and to dedicate myself to this incredible work. i know that the book of mormon is true. i love you all and you are always in my thoughts and in my prayers!!!

love

elder wilson

The How of Things

Hey family how's ya all doin?

You gotta love having energy. 
You gotta feel good when your all excited and ready to break the limits. 
That is how we have been and how the mission is at the moment. 

today we just got out of a meeting with all of the ZL, AP´s, and Pres. Agazzani talking about the "how to" of things. it is so amazing how the mission prepares you for the future. everyone has vision things that they want to achieve and goals that they want to reach. We as a zone -it is to have confident, challenging, exited missionaries who plan efficiently with the members to baptize every week. our other goal is also to have 22 baptisms as a zone. while i am one for getting all excited and bringing in a lot of energy and wanting to be positive and happy. you do gotta sit a back and say "ok. that's what we want. so how are we going to get it?" plans, plans, plans. the how to of things. whatever goal one has in life they can reach it. it being the will of God NOTHING is unreachable or unbeatable. what must be done is consult with our Father in Heaven and create those plans to help yourself, family, work, friends, or whatever it may be grow and reach that goal.

the biggest goal is for us to become as God is. that truly is the purpose of the gospel and missionary work. to help God's children become as He is. To reach that our Father has set his goals and plans that we must follow if we are to reach our desired goal. For me that vision that goal is to become as God is. Exaltation. All of this goes through; having faith in Christ, repentance, baptism (by someone holding the authority), receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end (making more covenants like endowments and temple sealings) to reach that final destination.

this last week though was amazing. HUMBERTO WAS BAPTIZED! it was a miracle and so amazing! he has been meeting with the missionaries for over a year. they have visited him then left for for a bit and back again for the last year or so. i know and testify that elder pastul (my current companion) was sent here to baptize humberto. the change in him was truly amazing how he humbled himself to ask God if the Book of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith was the prophet that was called to restore Gods church on earth again. the day he came was amazing and i had the wonderful blessing to baptize him. i cannot express the joy and the spirit that came into me after the baptism it was just wow. you can't describe the feeling, all you can know is that it is God confirming the truth. Sunday he got sick and went to the hospital and wasn't going to be able to come, but then 20 before the sacrament meeting was gonna start they let him out and he came flying to the church and was confirmed what a miracle. God is calling His sheep to His fold, and what a joy and blessing it is to be apart of it.

well family i love you and pray for you daily. know that i know that this is the true church of Christ on earth. the priesthood authority is real and being a worthy priesthood holder is so important because with out the priesthood we can't live with God again.

i love you all and send my best!!

Elder Wilson


Pictures

1. Me and Elder Stewart (Idaho)
2. HUMBERTO WAS BAPTIZED ON SATURDAY!!!!!

Zaballos

sorry to be late - had a problem posting

Hey family!!!!

i hope that all is going wonderful there in beautiful naperville/watertown/DC/ wherever you may find yourselves.

things are going great . we were able to have a great zone conference with 113 missionaries last weds. it was so incredible. we had the wonderful opportunity to be able to meet and listen to Elder Jorge F. Zaballos of the 70 and his wife. It was incredible! it was one of the most spiritual and uplifting zone conferences of my life. Elder Zaballos is the first counselor of the area Sur America Sur which now consist of Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Chile. The talks were incredible. The hna agazzani talked about real growth in the church through edifying the kingdom of God. Pres. Agazzani talked about using all members to find new investigators not just the active ones and how to use some new lists and tools that we have out here. there was then a great musical number put your shoulder to the wheel which brought a great spirit. then the Hna Zaballos spoke. she honestly reminded me of mom. she was so happy, loved talking about her children and the power of the gospel. she really gave us this big amazing pep talk. one thing that she said that stuck out a bunch which is something that i have always heard was, "remember who you are" then i added remember what you stand for. its funny in a great way how that thought always comes in my head. i always say it to the AP´s when they leave the house. we honestly always need to remember who we are. We are all sons and daughters of the true and living God. we are representatives of Him and His Son Jesus Christ and we must always act accordingly.

this week i don't believe that i have ever fasted and prayed as much. there were two people who needed a boost this last week. one was Aide from Libertad 1.2. we have never seen anyone more prepared than her. she has a rock testimony but due to her parents she couldn't get baptized this week but she will soon. another was don pico. a great man who recognized his answer from god that he needed to be baptized. due to opposition in the family he was not baptized either. it is a bit of a trial. you give all that you got and the final result didn't come through. you are still a successful missionary though. when you give it all you will be able to stand blameless before God in the last day. this week though we are going to work ever harder and smarter to help incorporate the members more and help build temple testimonies (testimonies that will carry people to the temple). it is such a blessing to be apart of this work.

another huge miracle is Humberto. he was going to get baptized last month but he didn't have a firm testimony of the restoration. now after much faith and prayer he does and he is going to be baptized this week. what a blessing from the Lord.

the mission is amazing. the best two years to become the man/woman that the Lord wants you to become. the key though is humbling yourself to let it happen. its happening to me. i have a new mentality for so many things. I'm more bold and confident. i can testify to people and call them to repentance and to be baptized unlike before. its not because i did something amazing. its because the spirit is guiding me and helping me.

the church is true and the prophets receive revelation.

i love you all so much and pray for you daily

elder wilson



Photos:
1. say hello to elder pastul! and richard
2. Roberto and Mirta during the wedding
3. Roberto and Mirta with all of there family that came
4. Roberto and Mirta right before the baptism
5. ya! we made mexican food!!!!! it twas good

Miracles Happening and People Progressing

HEY HEY HEY!!!!

things are going wonderfully here in beautiful ka´aguy rory!!! 

this last week we were able to see the wedding and baptism of Roberto and Mirta. I would send you a bunch of pictures but unfortunately we are on the computers today that you can't connect anything to them. one day though you will see it. the spirit was there and it was amazing. we were kinda nervous to start because not that many members had arrived but when the baptism and the wedding came along there were not a ton of members but the right members were there. Roberto is a security guard who works nights and comes to church right after work which is incredible!!! he has a lot of faith and wants to follow the Lord. it is so amazing how through the spirit and the book of mormon all can come to know that God's true church has been restored to the earth again. Mirna is going to have their first child in about 5 months or so. its going to be such a blessing to have your children be born into the gospel. i know because i have seen the fruits of it. we are also planning for two more baptisms this week. and another wedding!!! Petrona and emilio are going to get married and he is going to get baptized, and then tomorrow we are going to get the permission from a parent of a miguel martinez who wants to be baptized as well. so many miracles happening every day and truly the lord is preparing his sheep to hear and recognize his voice. what a blessing it is that i have to be a missionary to declare this gospel and invite my brothers and sisters to come unto the savior!!!!

this last week we had an amazing lesson last monday night. we contacted a man on the street and he asked us for the book of mormon. we asked him if he would read it and he said of course so we gave it to him and set up a visit. we got there monday night and it was the most simple yet amazing lesson in the world. the spirit wasn't super strong or powerful but you could tell that he was there testifying to this man the truth of the restored gospel of christ. after explaining the book of mormon and the restoration to him we asked him what he was feeling. he said that he was feeling this different warmth inside of him and that something inside of him was just telling him that he needs to read the book of mormon because it will help him come to know the true church of christ. WOW!!!! his prayer was even more amazing. sadly we are not sure if he lives here in asuncion or in ciudad del este but either way he's gonna get baptized. 

another miracle, we were walking down the street searching to find a family prepared to receive the gospel. we contacted some kids and a man pulled by and said. hey are you guys mormons. with a huge smile -  we said yes we are. we are the missionaries. he told us how he wanted all of the pamphlets and books that we could give him. we gave him a book of mormon and invited him to read it to know if it was true. he told us that he worked in park city for four months and has alot of friends who are members. he doesn't live in our area, but the lord has prepared him and si o si he is going to be baptized.

just some short thoughts and fun stories. things are going wonderfully this is the lords work i have no doubt of that. this is his church and the book of mormon is true. testifying of its truthfulness just brings something inside of you that you cannot describe. on weds we are meeting Elder Jorge Zaballos of the area presidency it is going to be incredible!!! i can't wait. its going to be a spiritual and revelation waterfall!!!

love you all hope all of the start ups of school stuff goes well!!!

always in my thoughts and prayers

Elder Wilson

All Is Changing

HEY FAMILIA!!!!! MBA´ETEKOPIA CHE FAMILIA KUERA!!!!

felt like spicing it up a little bit and giving you guys some guarani to start off. it says how are you doing my family. a very nice way to start. 

well things are changing here in the mission. i have a new companion now  Elder Pastul . from El Salvador an absolute "capo" as we say here. a hard working, very knowledgeable, great leader, and wonderful missionary. He is 20 was baptized with his family when he was 9. got a great knowledge and love for the gospel and knows how to baptize. it is crazy all of the changes that are going on here on the mission. there is a quote in PMG that says if we want to reach higher goals and see better results we need to change how we doe things. not really a quote on quote but the general view. every zone leader companionship changed. everyone has a new mentality and we are working in a more efficient way with the members. 

tomorrow we are going to be having a zone meeting. not really a zone conference. it is when the ZL get all of his zone together and we share what we got from our big meeting and share it to them so that we are all on the same page. it is going to be incredible! the spirit is going to be so strong we are going to receive so much revelation and are going to be finding more of God's children who He has prepared to enter into the waters of baptism. 

roberto and mirta are excited and so ready for their wedding and baptism this saturday. Nestor and Mirna (recent converts) are helping them so much. you can just see the power of the spirit working within Nestor he is incredible i have never seen anyone so converted in my life. he just has this huge desire to share the gospel. last night he pulled us aside to talk to us how he wants to help us more than he is and to go out and do home teaching and everything to help activate the ward and share the gospel. hes got a fever!!! and everyone is going to start getting it because it is contagious (don't know how to spell). we are also working with a partial family who are planning on getting married and the husband baptized on the 25. the zone is exploding as well we are so blessed to have so many wonderful leaders and missionaries in our zone who are declaring the gospel of Christ with all of their might.

I got an interesting letter this week. it was from two people. one was an update from Kevin Robinson and his fam, and the other one was from Parker Maurice Wilson, me. i learned a couple of things. first is that I'm grateful that  i learned how to write in english because before when i was 15 i couldn't at all. i am more grateful that i am where i am right now because that is what i wrote in my letter. that i should be on a full time mission serving the Lord bringing the plenitude of His gospel to everyone. now I'm going to write myself another one for the next five years to see where i will be. its a good day to have a vision.

well fam mission work is the best work. I'm tired and hungry at times but it doesn't really matter because when you have people excited and willing to receive the gospel all of your tiredness and hunger just fly away. i am so grateful for this gospel. I testify in the name of my savior Jesus Christ that it is true and that this is His true church. the atonement is real and changes lives, it has changed mine so much. looking back two years ago i was a completely different person than i am today. i have changed for the best and will continue because my vision is set and clear. Return to live in the celestial kingdom with my Father in Heaven, my savior Jesus Christ, and my future wife, children, and family. Nothing else is more important.

love you all and thanks for all that you do you are always in my prayers.

Elder Wilson
!

Good way to start, good way to begin

hey family!!!!

well this week was one of the best weeks of my mission! we had so many miracles happen. this last week we had back to back baptisms. on friday tamara who had listened to the missionaries for a year was baptized and the spirit that was there was so incredible. even though there were not a lot of people in attendance of both baptisms there were the right people. for tamara there was a bunch of the young women, and for Mirna all of the people who have helped her and Nestor enter into the waters of baptism were there. 

monday was just amazing because of our council for leaders like I mentioned before. this week we were just all over the place working with the members getting everything all ready and it was amazing how smoothly things really went. it was such a blessing from the Lord. we had a noche de hogar (FHE) with Nestor, Mirna, Luis, Norma, Sofia, Marcos, and Nestors relatives and the spirit was so amazing. This last week Nestor blessed the sacrament as well with baptizing his wife. the spirit that was there was amazing. this sunday at testimony meeting was the most spiritual and powerful that i have been apart of. people just went up there and testified. that is truly what a testimony is - testifying of the truth and promising others that they can receive the same. i love what one of the missionaries said, "If you are reading the Book of Mormon, i congratulate you. if you are not reading it, i invite you to repent and to read it, and if you have not yet had the opportunity to read it. i promise you that by reading it you can come to know that this is God's  true church on earth." I testify of those words. the Book of Mormon is the key. it is everything. it is what makes it or breaks it. it is so incredible that through the Book of Mormon we can resolve all of our problems and answer all of our questions and doubts. 

later on today we will figure out changes(transfers). it is totally up in the air. no one knows what will happen. all we do know is that there is going to be a lot of changes this transfer. the work is still the same though, you still do the same work and the same things are expected of you. go out and testify of the truth and baptize God's children. that is why we are on our missions to baptize. Pres. Agazzani talked to us how we are not the judges and we cannot judge. all that he said is to teach well and baptize which is what we must do. John 3:5 is quite clear. it doesn't start off with just an automatic invitation. we gotta start with the small things. the invitation to an activity, to listen to the missionaries, go to church, go to mormon.org, and other things. i honestly believe and testify that through small and simple things great things do come to pass. so my invitation is for us all to do that small and simple thing to help the Lord's kingdom progress. there is never something too small or too big. it all is part of the same vision and the same goal. 

I testify that this is God's true church here on the earth. That He and Jesus Christ appeared to a boy of 14 years to restore the truth here on the earth again. Revelation is real. From the revelation that Prophet Monson receives for all of us, to the individual revelation that we all receive for ourselves in our daily lives. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and it testifies of the whole truth. This gospel just fills you. you cant describe it. everyone searches for that one thing that fills them. at times they find something that last for a couple of minutes, a couple of hours, days, months, or years. But only through the gospel of Jesus Christ can we find that peace and calm and happiness for the eternities.

Thank you all for all that you do i love you all so much. HAPPY BIRTHDAY JUNNIE B!!!!! can't wait to meet her one day she looks so big!

you all are always in my thoughts and in my prayers.

Love

Elder Wilson

Baptism, baptism

Hey fam how's it all goin?


Just got out of a leadership meeting with all of the ZLs, AP, and Pres. Agazzani. It was incredible! we are taking everything and putting it in the water. It was the most incredible meeting, just filled with the spirit of inspiration, revelation, and discernment. We are starting a whole new way of working, with a whole new page; and we are going to be baptizing every week here in every area!!!! With our diligence and obedience the Lord will bless us with His grace and we will see so many miracles.

This last week we had a bunch of miracles happen. one of the coolest was our practice that we had at district meeting. it was me and elder schone teaching elder wistinsin (UT). the practice was teaching the restoration and always testifying. it was incredible the spirit that was there was one of the strongest that i have felt at a district meeting. me and elder schone did a normal teaching a lesson in 8min pace for the first part of the lesson and then when we got to the restoration we slowed down and let the spirit work its wonders. it just came in time and time again stronger and stronger testifying to all of us that the boy Joseph did see God the Father and His only Begotten Son Jesus Christ, and that the true church of God was restored in its fullness to the earth through a modern day prophet. that honestly is the thing that we all have that we must share. as it says in the scriptures why should we hide our light in a bushel. we gotta let it shine out. be a bright example and declare the restoration of Gods true church to everyone. we all have it and they all need it. the priesthood authority has been restored and only by that authority can one be baptized so that they can enter into the kingdom of God. if they don t they will not be able to. so how important that we share this joy, this eternal happiness, this strength, satisfaction, and love with all of our brothers and sisters throughout the world? uber caduber important. that is why i am so grateful that everyday i have the opportunity to declare this gospel and happiness in this beautiful country of paraguay.

this week though we are so blessed because Mirna is super excited for her baptism!! due to some health problems she couldn't do it two days ago, but now she's ready and excited more than ever. watching her and nestor grow is incredible. Nestor is the most converted man that i have ever seen in my life. his testimony is so strong and he just wants to share it with everyone. him and mirna after church came with us to teach a couple that came to church and he just testified and testified. he wants to help them get baptized!! also there is a girl named Tamara who has been listening to the missionaries for a while. her sisters, cousin and brother were baptized but she wasn't. after going to a youth activity and having a wonderful spiritual experience there she went home and said to her mom, "mom, i want to be baptized." her baptism is scheduled for friday. WHAT AMAZING MIRACLES AND BLESSINGS FROM THE LORD!!! it just shows how activities can help someone come to know the truth of this gospel. it is so amazing!!!!

last but definitely not least i want to give the shout out to my wonderful mother and brother blair who are going to be completing another amazing year on the 1st. i am so grateful for you guys and all that you have done and continue to do. you are the most amazing examples for me. mom has helped me become the man that i am today and blair has been that perfect example helping me have a vision for who and what i want to become. that you both have wonderful birthdays.

i testify to you all that this is Christs church here on the earth. that it was restored through the prophet Joseph Smith. The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ and by reading it was can really come to know who he is. Today we have a living prophet, Thomas S. Monson who talks with the Father and the Son. The priesthood authority has been restored so that all man kind may be saved through the ordinances of the gospel. first we must take that key step of baptism by immersion by someone who holds the authority and then be on the path to go to the temple which leads to exaltation.

i love you all and thank you for all that you do

Elder Wilson

wedding party

baptism party

FHE party

Mbeyu party

Wilson invasion party