May 13, 2013

I loved talking to the family for Mother’s Day. Sadly, when I was driving home (in the silence) I was thinking how much I miss you guys. That is the thing about missionary work. It’s work. I had the choice and I made my choice. I’m out here. I’m staying. No matter what I think or feel about homesickness today. I’m staying here!

Trevor, my cousin who’s serving in Japan, talked in his letter about exercising faith. He prayed that the elect would be guided to approach him. It sounds like a great experience. I want to find the investigators that the Lord has prepared. We have had many spiritual experiences that mean a lot in my growth as a child of God. We were having a lesson with a family that hadn’t come to church since 1986. During the whole lesson I felt prompted to bring up attending church. We had the lesson. When I said the prayer to close, my companion brought up coming to church. I was just thinking: “yes, he did it”. Then, I jumped in, and the spirit was so strong. I asked them to think about attending church this next week. We said “we'll get back to you” and we left it at that. I was bearing my testimony to them that attending church will help them so much. The spirit was so strong. The tears were just rolling down my cheeks. It was so powerful and I meant every word that I said. I love those kind of lessons. That’s a lesson I will never forget and that family is very dear to my heart.

Mom, it’s always great to talk to you. I really enjoyed skypeing with the family. There were things I wanted to say, but forgot. Here it is: Mom, I appreciate you more every day. In church we had a talk on Mother’s Day. A quote was read that I really liked. It was that people don’t really love if they don’t show their love. I hope I showed my love yesterday (as much as I could). I love you mom. Truly I do. Happy Mother’s Day.  

Bye

Xoxoxoxo (that’s love)

This is a portion of a letter David wrote to be shared with the ward, April 22, 2013:

It feels like I’ve been out on my mission for like a month, not almost 3 months. It’s going by fast! Tell future missionaries to live it up. You only get two years in the mission and it goes by fast. Parents give away a son for 2 years so that their brothers and sisters can come back to our Father in Heaven. It is worth it! An Elder in my mission put it this way: It is not just the best two years OF your life, it is the best two years FOR your life. The most rewarding thing I have done is just being out here and bringing people to Christ. The spirit that I feel every day is the most rewarding thing.

Funny story: I was outside looking at the trailer we live in. I asked my companion: “so you think I can get on the roof?”  He said “yeah” kind of sarcastically. I felt challenged and thought I’m going to do it. I got on the roof and I took a picture. But, then I didn’t know how to get off and somehow stained my shirt. Cool story, huh? It’s a lot funnier if you just picture me getting on a roof without a ladder. There you go. Now you are smiling.

Our area covers a branch. When I first came to the area the attendance for church on a good day was 23 members. Three months later we get around 40 members. You might think: “only 40”. But, that is a record for the branch. It is super exciting! When I first got out here, I was a robot missionary, by the book on how to do things. Although I do not break rules, now I am more myself. People see that we are just people. They are relaxed around us and they are comfortable with us. That is something that I have learned. You can’t be a robot. You  have to be yourself. People will be comfortable and be ready to receive the gospel.  

Elder Wilson