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...

"...Not Only Do Mormons Believe In Baptisms For The Dead But There Is A New Reported Change In Doctrine In Regards To The Neccesary Baptism Of Automobiles..."

"...I just felt that I was going to get a call from them and then like 3 seconds later...the phone started ringing! But just wait till you hear what happened to them...." I responded with a groan and just grumbled, "...don't tell me it's the Gilmer 3rd Elders again...." Elder Trias replied, "oh yeah, and when I answered the phone all I heard was 'HELP!!! HELP!!! THIS IS AN EMERGENCY!!!'" I had just about reached my patience limit with the Gilmer 3rd Elders crying "wolf" and making a mountain out of a molehill like they always do.

They have learned that when we're doing something productive (which is always) we won't answer their calls. Then they'll text us, telling us it's an emergency and we'll bend over backwards to help them out, only to find that it is something super small and trivial. So I just sighed, "What is it now..." And with wide eyes and Elders Trias' 'Too-Good-To-Be-True' grin said, "Their car's stuck out in a flood in the middle of nowhere!" I thought it was another 'false alarm' and called the Elders to get the same response, telling me that they were stuck out on Gopher road in the middle of a pond...so to speak, and that the electricity in their car was shot and that the engine couldn't start. They just kept trying to start it, which I'm sure wasn't good, and then I reflected back on when I was stuck out in the middle of nowhere with good old Jimmy Downer....what a day that was haha.

So I asked them how high the water was and truly didn't believe them when they said that water was coming in the car from the floorboards, but then I asked them if they'd done the simplest part yet...push the car. We're trying to help these guys to stop being sissies, but they decided that they'd just spend their time on the top of their car...like jump out the windows when the electricity was still on, and sit on the roof. I feel like on the mission I have been able to become a more patient person, but I've definitely lost all tolerance for stupidity.

So we told them to stop denting in their roof and asked if they knew anyone that lived close to there. They replied that they didn't and so we told them to call their Ward Mission Leader (who they absolutely hate) and see if he can send anyone to help. We were having lunch with what turned out to be a family reunion (everyone's related so basically the Dixon family just chose a day to get together) . The whole family heard the conversations we were having, so they asked if they could help. As frustrated as we were with them, we were pretty stoked to see just how bad their situation was and decided, along with the fact that the two who wanted to help were firemen and they're going to help out better than anyone else, that we were going with the Millers to pick up our Elders in distress! We had just had a pretty intense lightning storm the night before and after grabbing the waders from the Miller's house, we pulled up to the boonies to see the that the Elders had tried to baptize their car. The pictures just don't do it any justice, and when you see them just remember that the car had about 400 more lbs. of missionaries sitting on top of it before we got there...so the car was that much deeper in the water.

One part that just makes President Austin cringe is that there was a truck that had pulled up before we got there and they jumped off the trunk and into the truck bed and didn't get wet at all during the whole excursion. He had hoped that they got soaking wet up to their chest. But when we got there, the Millers tossed the waders on while we put on the boots and they cruised out to the submerged car to...yup...open the door, put it in neutral, and push it to dry land. Which is just what we had told them to do. Again...my tolerance of stupidity. Absolutely gone.

So we go 4 wheeling across the Gopher Road lake and make it to the other side to check out the car...and as we started searching under the hood we even found that their air intake filter was soaking wet. The car was filled with water just about up to the seats and completely totaled. 

The water damage completely destroyed the electric work in the car and the best part is that the car was...only 6 months old. So we hooked tow line on up to the truck and I got to steer the totaled Corrolla up to the nearest members home so that we could leave it there to be towed off. 

Whoa boy did it push our schedule back, but it was a pretty hilarious experience! Their ward mission leader that they hate so much just came, took some pictures, and left them while posting the pictures on Facebook...which is just what they didn't want (blackmail haha). And it's a companionship that's been having some problems...okay lots of problems that we've been working with for a transfer and a half now and let's say that it was probably a Godsend that they got stranded together. So many lessons we can learn from that story and comparisons we can make to real life haha. A little “Water 101” for everyone... when water touches the bottom of your car, you're in danger of drifting off the road (which is a miracle that it didn't happen to them.) So when you see a pond covering your road, just go ahead and take another way to your destination. It'll save you 18,000 bucks.

The real highlight of last week was being able to have the baptism of Devin and Brennen Smith, the two sons of the Smith family that we have been working with for a while. 

They'd been inactive for most of their life and haven't been sealed or nothin’, but they're an awesome family that got offended a while back and just straight stopped coming. They came one day and we swooped on them and have been teaching them ever since. One of my favorite parts about teaching them of the Restoration was when Brother Smith talked about how they're descendants of the Prophet Joseph Smith, which really got me thinking the day of their kid's baptism. I remember studying the life of Joseph Smith a while ago and Truman G. Madsen taught of how active and busy he was in his calling as the Prophet of the Restoration. Many of the Apostles and other members of the church would say, "Brother Joseph, what about your family? How are you going to take care of them and grow their knowledge on the Gospel?" Joseph Smith would reply in essence, "The Lord will take care of my family." It's a statement that has always made me wonder given the fact that almost all of his family apostatized and formed one of the first large break-offs from the Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Then it dawned on me that the Lord was blessing us and giving us the opportunity to be apart of him taking care of the Prophet's family. As they become active and sealed in the temple, they have the opportunity to do the work for their family members that didn't take the steps to live the Gospel in their life, and all while staying true to the words of the Prophet of the Restoration.

I love this church, love this work, love Texas, miss California, especially miss my family, but I can't wait to talk to y’/all this week! Merry Christmas and remember Elder Ballard's invitation during the last General Conference: "We are not asking everyone to do everything. We are simply asking all members to pray, knowing that if every member, young and old, will reach out to just “one” between now and Christmas, millions will feel the love of the Lord Jesus Christ. And what a wonderful gift to the Savior."

So who have you reached out to this Christmas season? We all love giving gifts, but always remember your gift for the Savior.

Les Quiero y Feliz Navidad y Kwanzaa!!!

Elder Wilson

Clap Clap Clap Clap!!!" Deep In The Heart Of Texas!

Hijole!!!! Se puede decir semana buenisima?!?! So I'm not sure how hard the Texas Ice Storm hit the news around the states but it's been a pretty big deal out here. 

We were pretty lucky out here in Upshur County and dodged a bullet as the Ice Storm somehow jumped over us! Out in Dallas they got 3 inches of ice and in our surrounding counties in East Texas we got 3/4 inches. So in response to that all the leadership in the Stake got together and decided that for this past Saturday we were going to cancel all of the planned activities and just mob Paris Texas (the largest city in the stake that got hit the hardest...25,000 people...yup, largest) and just do service there all day. So that's what went down all day this past Saturday (except for a couple Baptismal interviews say what?!?!?!?) At first I was thinking it was going to be a ton of people showing up with little service to do and turning into government construction while one person works and 10 start to watch...but as we started to roll on through (with Grandpa Bill driving us so it was a miracle we made it alive) we saw tons and tons of descruction! I couldn't believe how messed up that town was as the weight of the ice brought down thousands and thousands of trees and power lines! It had happened a week ago and they had just barely cleared the streets to make it possible for people to travel through town and as far as work goes...there was more than plenty to suffice for our group of 240 that had gotten together on such short notice! It was way awesome since our goal was to get at least 175 which we obviously dominated and it was quite the experience helping a town that was so far down in the slums. Everyone we talked to asked if we had met them before and owed them from previous favors...yeah that town is just dominated by drugs and we would have to check half the houses we worked around to see if there was anyone that even lived there. We did a lot of clearing yards, chopping wood while Grandpa Bill would say about every 5 minutes, "....this pile right here would make some good firewood...." and then he'd go off to try and convince all the black people down there to use it instead of waste it. I was sure he was gonna get shot somewhere along the line, but we all made it out alive!

Christmas parties, writing songs as a remix to "Deep in the Heart of Texas" titled "Deep In The Zone of Gilmer"...I know...super creative right?? Just wait till yall hear the lyrics. We found out we're not allowed to watch a movie on Christmas...but I'll have plenty of time to do that way later...so we watched Ice Age as a mission. Classic, especially after two transfers with Elder Stead who sounds just like sid the sloth. We also stopped at another taco shop in Longview...but it didn't have tacos de lengua....sad day.

And the work still rolls on as we more than tripled the amount of new investigators that we normally get a week! The Smiths baptism will come up this Saturday while a couple people that we worked with that have moved away will be getting baptized out in the city and by a couple different companionships, but it has been the greatest opportunity ever to teach the gospel to them! It's such a thrill and I'm just soaking up every minute of it! I'd love to write more but I've got a Sister that's leaving on a mission in a few weeks so I've gotta make sure I can write her and keep her busy preparing the best she can to become the best Missionera that she will be!

Les Quiero!!!!

Elder Wilson

Los Tres Estados & Some Of That "Hasta Que La Muerte Lo Separe..." - Preacher Wilson

And for the moment you've all been waiting for......(drumroll please.....).................

Me quedo aqui! I think they can just about count me as a resident here in Gilmer because I'm still stayin! So the way it worked out was that we were in Stake President's report this last weekend, and during the meeting President Austin asked President Durrant, "Now President...I'm gonna politic and plead with you for a minute. I want to know if you can leave this companionship here for at least another transfer..." and then just went on to explain his reasons why and all that jazz. President Durrant replied, "Got it noted..." and then proceeded to say "Elders, you know that whatever President Austin asks for becomes law." And now the rest is history haha. Everyone thought I was going to leave and it's super rare for a missionary to stay in an area for 5 or more transfers, but I can't lie, President Austin is a boss and to know that he still wants to work with me just got me even more stoked, so I'm ready to go and get-er-done...lock stock and barrel.  

One of our added requests in Stake President's report was to re-open the De Queen, Arkansas area...or at least to build up to it. And you wanna know why????

Well this last week was spent in the farthest corners of our Mission...uncharted territory in Oklahoma and Arkansas!!!! It was sooooooo sick! There are only a handful of Texas Dallas Missionaries that have ever been to Oklahoma and an even smaller amount have ever been to the widely heard of but never seen...De Queen Arkansas!!! I felt like Marco Polo as we crossed on over into areas that haven't held missionaries since 2008! (I know it doesn't seem that long ago but 6 years is 3 lifetimes to a missionary.) All I've got to say is wow...that place is absolutely beautiful!!! If you think that the East Texas landscape is cool just wait till you get farther into the Southern States and see the Trees and mountains....but even more breathtaking.....TAQUERIAS!!!!! And where there's taquerias...there's MEXICANS!!!!!!! There was enough Spanish work there to satisfy the dreams of any Spanish missionary...and tons more! It felt so different to be there and join a select group of Elders!

It's such an awesome area that we chose to explore at the wrong time when the ice storm blew through (coldest place ever!!! All of y’all from the west coast need to get some of the humid heat and cold...it just cuts you straight through and freezes you from the inside on out.) But lucky for us we got to cruise around with the English Elders from Idabel Oklahoma in their truck and get to know the territory in 4 wheel drive....because all explorations have to be done 4x4. When we got there we talked to one of the two active families in De Queen (Guerrero and Mejilla, both of which are 100% mexican only spanish speakers that go to the Idabel branch and listen to the translation.) The looks on their faces were unbeatable when they found out that there were not only missionaries, but Spanish missionaries working in their area for the first time in 6 years! They got so excited as they related the glum history of the De Queen Arkansas branch that was ultimately shut down due to lack in Priesthood and confusion between half of the branch that spoke nothing but Spanish and the other half of the Branch that Spoke nothing but English. They told us about how difficult it is to drive the hour to church and to sacrifice the Gas money but bore strong testimonies of the importance of the Gospel in our lives and no matter what it takes to live it, they're going to do it. They gave us some referrals to stop by and teach while we were there along with their hot Canela Drink and we headed off on our way. There were four of us that convoyed around in the truck, and so I dropped off Elder Trias and Elder Rodriguez (one of the Mount Pleasant Elders that we got to exchange with Idabel) at la lavanderia to teach one of the Guerrero's referrals while Elder Carli (an English Elder that was born in Italy) and I left to end up knocking doors. The first door we knocked just once and it immediately opened like they were expecting us. So we asked them if we could come in, out of the freezing cold, to share a message with them. And it was one lesson down and a baptismal date to come right along with it. Elder Carli enjoyed sitting there and listening to 30 minutes of pure Spanish haha and as they say...ha sido un tiempo!!! When we left our lesson we saw that the Elders had tried to call us and get us to come pick them up. Once we met them at town square (which had only a million taquerias) we were planning on picking up some tacos....because tacos are like oxygen for me, and sadly there's no taco shops out in Gilmer or all of upshur county, but as we picked up Elder Trias and Elder Rodriguez, they informed us that the Mejilla family found out we were in town and wanted to feed us lunch! It was at this moment that we knew what it's like to be a General Authority. Once people know you're in town they can't wait to meet you and feed you and bend over backwards to help you out! So we cruised on over to the Mejilla's, and when we showed up she said she needed just a few more minutes to finish preparing lunch/dinner, so we decided that it would be a great idea to go make some contacts! So Elder Carli and I leave their house and walk right next door to start our tracting...and then again... We get right on in to start our next lesson. So I spent the next 45 minutes teaching while Elder Carli spent the time staring at something out the window and trying to see if he could relate anything in Spanish to Italian. We showed up a little late to lunch/dinner....but all I've got to say is that I've never lived so high on the hog (or I guess I should say high on the Razorback...haha I hope someone got that one) before!!! They sat us down and placed my favorite tacos right in front of me!!! We had a prayer, and then just breathed in the first few. Then Hermana Mejilla came by always asking, "Mas???" I would just say the word "Si" and three more would magically appear right in front of my face! I don't know how many times this process repeated itself, we lost count at 12...or it could've even been 15...but to say the least I fell in love with Arkansas that day.

Our voyage in Arkansas ended with even more contacting, getting into every door we knocked (quite the miracle) and hitting up all the Supermercados. We ended up leaving Arkansas with some flags, Razorback gear, and Luchador masks, and plenty of baptismal dates haha....living the dream in Action! So we're going to work on getting something started up there, but with the church being about an hour away and with almost no member support it'll be tough. All I've gotta say is that De Queen hasn't seen the last of us yet!!!!

The trip through Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas was hit with the cold and freeze storm way bad and lots of towns lost power, but as always...we just had to take advantage of it by drinking some hot cocoa and eating more tacos in De Kalb Texas with some contacts we made passing through. We found out that area of the 259 is out of our mission....whoops. The Jacksonville Missouri mission will enjoy those referrals!

The next highlight of our week was an interesting experience to say the least, especially since we had seen a temple sealing only a few weeks ago. This past Saturday we got to see the worldly marriage ceremony, but I was able to see it up-close and personally! The Dawson family in Gilmer 1st Ward had a Daughter that was getting married to this mexican dude named Jimmy Aguillion, and almost all of his family spoke nothing but Spanish. So the Dawsons invited us to the wedding and asked if we'd translate it. I figured it would be a small deal and of course we'll jump on any occasion that allows us to use our Spanish! I assumed we'd be up with a bunch of people speaking and switching off, but once we showed up, the venue manager came up and asked us, "Alright so which one of y’all is going to be translating???" And Elder Trias threw me under the bus and said "He will!" Then he took off to go find someone else to talk to. I can't lie, I was probably more nervous than the bride as we got put up there as the center of attention. It was the first wedding I'd ever been to so I had no idea what in the world we were planning on saying up there. Luckily, it was Bishop Jones that was marrying them, so he gave me a little preview on what he was planning to say and I made sure that everything was all good and that I had the translation right...and right then and there, they tacked some corsages on us and we heard Canon in D Major by Pachelbel start to play in the cultural room. They had just rounded up the groomsmen and as the lady was whispering out the orders, she told the groom..."Hurry up and just go stand behind the Preacher!!!" So he scurried over to his spot right behind me while I stood behind Bishop Jones. Yup. Pleasure to meet y’all. Mah names Preacher Wilson. Or I could do the classic introduction of...the names Wilson....Preacher Wilson. Right after that Bishop Jones started walking... the first one down the aisle, with me right behind him. It was kind of weird since I barley knew the Dawson family and had met the Groom about 5 seconds before we started walking out (I originally thought he was one of the groomsmen...whoops.) But playing a large role in Strangers lives is what we're supposed to do as missionaries anyways so I was used to it enough haha. Then the bridesmaids and then the groomsmen came in while Bishop and I stood on the stand.  Looking over the crowd of 300+ people, half of which were Mexican, and the other half was Gilmer 1st ward, I wondered what on earth I was doing up there with Bishop. I was praying my little heart out that I would get this right, not mess up, and that my Spanish wouldn't sound so gringo...and all I've gotta say is that God decided to grant the gift of tongues at the right time!!!! Everything just seemed to flow as I started to remember words and my "r's" rolled like it wasn't nobodies business. For all they know I was born down in Chiappas haha. (And I only called the Bride by the Groom's name once! Straight put me on cloud 9 haha)

I'm not going to lie I though, it was kind of weird with the "who do you present" and "who presents the bride" and the lighting of the candle, but the saddest part was marrying them "only for their mortal lives." Bishop was a pro at it, but you could tell that it wasn't his favorite thing to do. After the whole ceremony and being the centerpiece of so many pictures haha, I talked with Bishop about how heartbreaking it is to marry a couple outside the House of the Lord. I'm sure all the nonmembers think we're crazy as we seem to mourn at weddings, but doing the translation and having to say everything exactly perfect and using all the correct words, I had to pay special attention to everything that was said. I still clearly remember the covenants that they made that day and got to see first hand just what they're missing out on. They covenanted that they would love, care, and cherish each other for this small span of mortality. That was it. Then I remembered the covenants that we make in the temple even before we're sealed. It seems like every step we take in the Gospel prepares us to be sealed in the Temple and to prove to God that we will keep his commandments and that we will not only stay faithful to him forever, but also our spouse. Family is a big responsibility and we have to work every day with families that are dealing with heartbreak because they aren't living the gospel. With the truths of the Restored Gospel and the Priesthood Power to perform the ordinances and live according to our covenants,  God has paved the way to happy families, the fullness of joy, and life eternal.

But as for now you're probably wondering what the happy new couple is going to think when they look back at their wedding day and see the pictures of them with Bishop Jones and...some random missionary??? Well that's what all the Gilmer 1st members asked...and all I've gotta say is that it's not the end of the story yet. When we were up there I knew that I was going to see them in a situation similar to this, but instead of Bishop Jones or me marrying them, it's going to be someone with the Priesthood to seal for time and for all eternity. So let me answer your question....what are they going to say when they look back at their wedding day and see the pictures of them with Bishop Jones and...some random missionary??? They're gonna say..."Yup...Bishop Jones and Elder Wilson....I remember when Elder Trias and him started teaching us....what do you think our lives would be like if they hadn't brought us the truth..."

Yo les quiero mucho y les extraño, pero tenemos un trabajo para hacer y andaremos hasta el dia en cuando todo esta logrado...

Elder Wilson!!!

P.S. Muchos felicitaciones a Rachel for the call to serve in Milwaukee Wisconsin?!?!? Much respect haha...I would die if I had to endure that cold! Your mission even stretches into Canada. So go mark the uncharted territory of Wetmore!!! I'm gonna miss you and I'm still a little depressed...okay maybe more than a little, but I'm bummed you're leaving before I get back, but I hope you know I'm super proud of you! Now go learn Wisconsonese you cheesehead! Enjoy the cows, love the Packers, tell the Bucks and the Brewers that they'll never be championship material, rep the Badgers hardcore, get tons of snow gear...and remember...."Oh Canada, Oh Canada!"