Repent Repent!!! For The Kingdom Of Heaven Is At Hand!!!

"Repent!" (Slam!) "Repent! For the Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand!!!"

Yeah, it may not be the greatest contact of 2014 since we saw the door slammed in our face after I got out the first "Repent!", but at least I haven't been beheaded for giving it a try haha. 

So as y'all have asked I did get to speak in Stake Conference and it went awesomeeeeeee!!! And you can take this part out when you forward it onto other people just because I don't want to make it sound like I'm into myself, but I love sharing and hearing accomplishments with from the family so I'll give y'all the low down haha. 

This past whole week I have been polishing and putting my talk together just the way I wanted it. I've had about three weeks to write it and just had ideas passing through my mind for what seemed like just a couple days, but I finally was able to buckle down, and as hard as it is as a missionary, set apart some time at the computer where I can do nothing but focus on the talk. I was so nervous as I really didn't know how to start it all off and get what I wanted across, but it felt so great to just keep getting ideas and just write and write and write and see it all come together and get some structure. 

President Austin is a stickler for time and told me that my 10 minutes translates to "9:59 is great, 10:01 is very bad." When I practiced my talk for the first time, I looked at the stopwatch and saw that I'd made it to 24 minutes and thought "well, time to just chip tons off! So I took out stories and got it to 16 and then to 14 then to 13 then to 11...then 10:39....then 9:36!!! I felt like such a baller haha it was so tough to choose which parts I wanted to keep or toss after having so Much good stuff, but I finally got it ready after tons and tons and tons of practices (and writing it down word for word...now I know why the General Authorities look so good on General Conference-- they have it prepared straight up and don't have to just stop and think...that's all done behind the scenes.) Then I found out later on, due to the distance that it takes to get from all the ends of the stake to Gilmer, that the Conference would be broadcast to 3 other buildings and more homes...so covering the three states we have. I practiced and practiced and prayed and practiced and prayed some more that I'd be able to take advantage of this opportunity to speak on Member Referrals (as President Asked me to) and win some points for our Elders to get more people to teach and help the members hasten the work of salvation. The time finally came and as we left tracting (which we did just to keep me cool and keep my mind busy) we got a text from the Gilmer Elders saying "Less than one hour before you are subject to humiliation and rejection from the whole stake....Good luck"

It was too funny but nerve racking too. I was sooo ready for it and again I just remembered how much I love speaking! It's a thrill and normally turns out super well and feels like such a relief when it's done. I thought that President was jipping me on time, but I had a lot compared to everyone else and I spoke almost right before President. But once I finally got up there with the cameras and everything, it felt saweeet! Speaking to multiple states with a packed Stake Center and other buildings and homes, it felt super legit!!! It was especially funny seeing everyone I knew crack up as all the people that spoke before me were super quiet and soft-spoken...and then comes me ready to go lock stock and barrel!!! I was so excited and I've got it recorded because I thought it would be cool to hold onto later on in life haha but I'll let yall listen to it later. I had to drop a couple bombs on them and do some calling to repentance, but it turned out fantastic and we've already seen tons more invitations and referrals since then! It was the best and especially when I was quoted in a few other talks, but the part where you can tell that I've been here forever is when the Primary President spoke the next day and quoted me from when I gave a training to the primary presidencies around the stake a couple months ago. President Austin also called me out in his talk and said, "Elder Wilson, when you head back home in these next couple weeks you need to know you're still under covenant to be a member missionary and I want to you tell me how many referrals you've given by April..." haha so now the whole stake knows that I'm leaving.

And as you can see from Cody's e-mail, we got him down here and it felt like I was introducing family to all my friends out in Gilmer and starting to realize how much time I don't have down here. It's getting crazy, but thanks so much for yalls prayers because they're working! Pray that I'll get something started with the hispanics out here or that I can see miracles with them or something! It's so tough around here with like Zero hispanics but I want it to start up so bad! 

And yeah we've had members praying for us since conference. President Austin has been a boss about hitting that principle home and it's really overwhelming but very empowering to hear your name prayed for in every meeting and the trust that they have in you. I'm gonna miss it. But Cody came on over for the night and slept over to save time so that he didn't have to drive up and back to Gilmer again for the Stake Conference. Super crazy haha and he still feels like he's been out forever...6 months is nothing. I asked him all sorts of questions about the family and all that Jazz and he'd just say that he's been out too long to know...cry me a river haha. But it's pretty cool being out here with him, getting him sent out here and we get to do exchanges all the time! It's gonna be balla!!! I truly felt part of the happiness that Alma and the sons of Mosiah felt in Alma chapter 17:2 that he is still my brother in the Lord, ready to serve alongside us out here in the Gilmer Stake!

Well I could go on forever and ever but so many crazy stories and too much good stuff going on out here but send me Rach's addy out in Wisconsin sometime so I can send her some in field love! Gotta go baptize the world! Les quiero muchisimo! Estamos ensenando como un negotio de nadie! Que les vayan con Dios y vean milagros cada dia como los mensajeros del Senor!

Elder Wilson

"Time Flies on Wings Of Lightning"....Looks Like It's Time To Improve The Shining Moments

Elder Trias: "So what do you think she's doing right now???"

Me: "Well she's probably crying right now as it's starting to sink in that 18 months of her agency  have been signed over!"

(5 Hours Later...)

Me: "Man she's probably got the biggest headache right now just meeting your teaching and getting stuff thrown at you nonstop!"

(At 10:30...)

Me (thinking): "Well Rach...good luck sleeping. You're gonna need it..."

It's been super weird to have Rachel report as a missionary while I'm still out doing what she's being trained to do (in a way shorter time...still can't believe she'll hit the field within a couple of days), and I've spent a lot of time thinking about her which makes me reflect on what it was like to start the mission. As I look back I can see the changes that have happened since and how everything seems to have taken a 180 degree turn, but then again I'm also stuck thinking "Man...it feels like I was there just a couple months ago." The worst part about it is when It makes me think about how much time I have left and all the missionaries that I've met that I always thought we're so old and so experienced, and had about 16 months in the mission...and it turns out that this last week I've started my last transfer, a point that every missionary just dreams about until they get there. Then it's just a nightmare thinking about what you want to do and how you're not going to have enough time to get it all done and how you seemed to have just gotten the hang of things, and the time to wrap it up is coming all too soon. And the worst part is all the questions that people give you like "What?!? You really only have 6 weeks left?!?!" or "So are you excited to go home??? Are you going to miss the Mission???" (This one should be a given to everyone, we haven't seen our family for 2 years/18 months so of course we're excited, but everyone misses the mission and everyone knows its going to be the greatest part of your life so of course you're going to miss it!!!) And then the worst one is..."So what are you going to do when you get back?" Answer: No clue!!!! Every time I've planned something like that it seems to fall through so I figure the best way to take it is crossing that bridge when it comes haha.

But the best question is when people ask "So what are you going to do for the rest of your mission????"

Answer: "Treat it like it aint nuthin but a G thang!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

You heard it! This time (like the last 22 months of my mission) is being lived up out here in the chosen pueblito of Gilmer! Besides, we've got way too many people to baptize between now and March to just set it on Cruise Control so here's the names I need you to pray for!

Mason Hutton 

Jimmy Aguillon

Sarah Plata (y familia!)

Connor Myers

Jacob Walker (and that his family will come and get baptized too!)

Lynette Harroff
Samantha Harroff

Carlos Riveroll

I could go on and on but I gotta give yall the low down on the G-Unit! I still remember the days when I could fit a whole weeks summary in an E-mail, but nowadays I just don't even know where to start and couldn't even put a dent in everything that's going on...

It looks like our old buddies in the Ku Klux Klan have been enjoying themselves and making their propaganda known as it was spread all around Upshur County this past Martin Luther King Jr. Day! Their thoughts on Blacks we're being posted all over different businesses, lawns, homes, posters, the whole 9 yards. The Chief Wizard (at least I think that's what they're called) claimed ownership of it all on the news (without revealing any names or anything...but I may have a few suspicions as to who it could be...) It wasn't too long ago that they had a huge riot up on the Gilmer Square with the cloaks burning crosses. Gotta love our freedom of speech out here in America, especially in the South!

Another Mission bucket list opportunity I had to take advantage of was serving somewhere around Elder Bench. Since President didn't plan on moving me anytime soon I figured I'd just take the alternative route and bring Elder Bench out to the chosen Gilmer Zone! After all, it is in the scriptures..."Ask and ye shall receive, seek and ye shall find, knock, and it shall be opened unto you." Long story short, Cody is out here in East Texas baybay! The place to Baptize! He's truly gonna start living the dream! (posted on the new Gilmer Shirts)

We found Mexico! It's like an Inception sort of deal where we found a country inside of a state, but out in the middle of nowhere in this little campo we found the land and housing replica of Guanajuato. Just loaded with rabid Dogs, beer cans, Santa Marias, and Mexicans! The country ones are way different and a little more stubborn than the city ones and after a while, I think we found out why they were so hidden out there, but we'll keep trying to get things started with them.

This past transfer night was also crazy as we had to give a guy from Sulphur Springs his baptismal interview at 10:00 at night and it turned out I couldn't pass him. Had to be one of the hardest things I've had to do out here as I just kept feeling "I wanna see you go through with this so bad! But you need to be more prepared! Ahhh!" It was rough since every missionary thinks an interview is a guaranteed pass, but we're helping them get the situations worked out and we'll get it all worked out in no-time...but that's a to be continued story haha.

Well I love yall tons and  hope you don't feel as stressed out or tired as I do. Get me Rachel's address when you can! Les quiero mucho!!!

Elder Wilson

Still Cruisin in the 2014 Fusion Like A Boss!

Busy

wow thats pretty ironic since I saw Cody on New Years Eve as well. It was pretty crazy seeing someone from what seems like my other life out here in the mission field. And as far as my interview...the funny part about that was that President pretty much answered my question during our meeting. We have a part where we all do the 'Return & Report' from each of our Zones, and we were dubbed again as the highest Baptizing Zone, and every now and then President will throw in a little two cents on the missionaries that are standing or the ones he's talking to. So then he just stopped everything and asked me how long I'd been in Gilmer for, to meet my response of "an eternity." Everyone knows me well enough to get my sarcasm and that I love the place, but I'd told President in my e-mail that I wanted to meet with him and talk about going to a 100% Spanish area, and along with that everyone was expecting something to happen with me, and they were all sure I was going to move back to the city. But President talked about the success that we've had since I've been out in Gilmer and the results he's seen since I've been there and all that feel good stuff, which made me sure of what he was going to say next. Then he said that he was planning on leaving me there for my last transfer and talked about how excited he is for the momentum we've built up out here and the effect that you can have on an area when you're there for a while and the success that Elder Rodriguez had when he left him in an area for 7 transfers to finish his mission there

(the one that finished about two months ago, came back two weeks later for a job and now he's engaged to a chick that was in the ward he finished in)...but as this was going on everyone just looked straight at me and from what they said, you could tell I was pretty surprised, and so were they. Besides, President normally gives leeway on what you want to do with your last 6 weeks and everyone knew that I wanted to go back to Oak Cliff and they were sure it was going to happen...but with the veto...I can't help but say that I was pretty bummed. After that we had a quick break from our 6 hour meeting and I decided that I was going to just make up some romance story between me and a laurel and tell that to President and I'd get Emergency Transferred out of there faster than my head could spin. (Which Reminds me of when Elder Browning wanted to make it home sooner for school and the Missionary department wouldn't let him leave a week early...so we just told him to say that he broke the Law Of Chastity and he'd be home in a heartbeat haha.) But then I saw the bright side of all this and President was still planning on having me meet with him. So in my interview we started talking about this next transfer, and I again expressed my desire to live the Hispanic culture again and how I was called as a Spanish missionary and how I don't want to use Spanish as just a fraction of the work. But we reflected again on the whole golfing story and how the Lord must have had something special planned to keep me the 6 weeks that he did, so he explained to me why he really felt impressed to leave me in Gilmer. It was really comforting when he said to me, "Elder Wilson, you have beautiful Spanish and it truly impresses me that you've been able to retain your Spanish the whole time you've been in East Texas," but then (as we all know that President is going to be a General Authority) he got into prophetic mode where you can just tell he's not buttering things up and said "and you're going to use that gift you've been given to speak Spanish like you do after your mission, but the way things are going in Gilmer I see no reason to move you." I know it was a really simple statement, but in that moment I felt more from it than just the normal, well duh I'm gonna use it because I learned it, but a little more than that, and whatever It may mean I don't know but it felt real neat. And after talking about all the reasons why I should stay we came to the conclusion that, yeah, leaving Gilmer would be for the experience and not the work of the Lord. Then I remembered all the improvements we've made since I've got there, and especially for all the things coming up. There have been people that we've been wanting to teach since I got to the area in June that we just started teaching this last week and that are ready to go. All the leaders out here can see these people having a great role in the church and its growth out here, and I'm just explaining this very broadly. And President Austin pulled out his Stake President card again and wants me to speak in Stake Conference which is the week after transfers so it hasn't really hit home yet, but I'm in my last area...and have been forever now. But since we've been back, I've been super grateful that I'll get to stay and see so many more miracles happen. I could go on forever about how some of this stuff is just starting now, and I woulda missed it if I was coming home on January 25, but it reminds me of that story where President Eyring was praying about whether or not he should leave Ricks College for another job offer, and when he prayed about it, he felt his answer saying “I’ll let you stay at Ricks College a little longer.” And with all the relationships that I've established out here, its been a relief for me to tell them that I'll get to stay. So with that we have lots to do and just what feels like not enough time to do it! And Mom, since you wanted to know the names of the people we are teaching (since that's kind of an old list...)

Mason Hutton, Jimmy Aguillon, Rod Henderson, Crys Henderson, Kaiden Henderson, Lynette Harrow, Samantha Harrow, Bill Sheuler , Tammy Sheuler, Grace Sheuler, Brett Howl, Brittany Howl, Jakobe Walker , Jacob Walker, Jaron Walker, Emilie Lewis, Tyson Lewis, Connor Myers, Jose Nunez, Maria Nunez, Veto Lopez, Araceli Lopez, Pedro Baraillos, Jamilton Baraillos

"Take your pick, we've got more" haha gotta love Emperors New Groove. 

But after the interview I felt really good about it, and we went to Oak Cliff again to visit some of my favorite Pupusserias and some of the members at an activity at the chapel. It felt really surreal to be back in there for the first time in almost 18 months and see what's changed, but it was a fun trip.

We also went up to Plano that day and chatted with Cody probably the same time that yall were kicking it with the Benches. But with that there's so much going on up here and I could E-mail forever but to tell yall the truth, (this being my 100 & somethingth weekly email) I'm just about done with this session. It's also freezing out here...22 degrees with negative one million wind chill...so thanks so much for the thermals!!! They're life savers!!! And I don't know how Rachel's gonna pull it off in the icy heart of the cold, but I'm stoked to see how it'll go down! Love yall! Keep it warm in California!

Elder Wilson

Merry Christmas Y'all!

All the packages coming on the 26 of December to make the Greatest Kwanzaa ever!!!

Mis amigos amados! Elder Quiroz (the one we're holding) is leaving in two weeks so we said our last goodbyes. We're the true veterans of the Mission (except for Elder Trias...he's a jovencito...) and the next oldest is...me

Jose Luis Garcia...or as we called him JLG!!! My first Ward Mission Leader in the field

I have learned the fine arts of the greatest Brisket man alive has ever tasted...all the secrets have been passed from a true Texan down to me haha whenever Brother Tefteller cooks a Brisket, we'll go over and I'll eat about 4 or 5 sandwiches...tooooo good, and he gave us a confederate flag license plate to put on our new car haha we'll see how that goes...