Well the weeks are really going by quickly. I am very thankful to almost be starting a new month.... That is all the difference in the world for the mission field. Sounds like everyone is doing well I am very proud of you Jamison for the effort you gave in your race.... (nobody even told how you guys did).
Anyways things are going good here for us. We really have found some good people lately... sometimes it is different here because we just have to find the people who are ready to baptized. A lot of missionaries talk about planting seeds but here they don't even give us that option. Anyways one of my recent converts on Sunday was called to be a teacher in the relief society. So that was really cool. I have loved being here in this area for a long time and the progress I have seen in the converts...
Anyways someone asked me what the biggest thing I have learned on the mission is. The biggest thing I have learned is how to present a message. Seriously sometimes I just think of the fact that missionaries have seriously been in Guatemala for a long time......pretty much every single door that we knock has been knocked before.......the difference comes from a missionaries ability to make the gospel look attractive.... you can see this difference in sacrament meeting speakers... Also the apostles are really good at selling what they have. Anyways that is what I have learned. I love all of you and hope that you have a good week!
Elder Wilkes
Elder Wilkes in Guatemala
10/20/15
Another Day to Preach the Gospel
Well it is that time of day again.... anyways things are going good here as usual.. Another day to preach the gospel. This last week was a very, very interesting week for us... A lot of learning and a lot of work to do. On the bright side me and my companion stayed together and that is a huge blessing for me. Lately we have not really had any investigators progress so pretty much we are starting from scratch...
We are teaching this one guy named Ismael Garcia. Everyone in town calls him Tarzan because he used to play goalie for a soccer team here in Guatemala. Anyway he pretty much reminds me of dad because he is like 65 and has a ton of kids.. His oldest sun is a convert and his brother is a guy that we baptized here in June. He is pretty dang funny! His wife hates us though. When we come into his house she will not even look at us. But the thing is if we can convert him to the church the entire city will end up getting baptized!! These small farm towns are fun because everyone knows everyone.
This last week though I have really been in a period of reflection. Over the past couple of months the mission has really gone well. We have had a lot of success and finding teaching and baptizing and retaining people has not been hard. This month we have not seemed to have done anything right. Sometimes we feel like we are doing everything in our power to help other people. Really we just can't seem to figure it our. Anyways yesterday I read John 21 and it really touched my heart. I know that as each and everyone of us look to make changes each and everyday that we really can become more like the savior and we can follow his plan. I love you all have a good week!! Jamison win state tomorrow.
Elder Wilkes
We are teaching this one guy named Ismael Garcia. Everyone in town calls him Tarzan because he used to play goalie for a soccer team here in Guatemala. Anyway he pretty much reminds me of dad because he is like 65 and has a ton of kids.. His oldest sun is a convert and his brother is a guy that we baptized here in June. He is pretty dang funny! His wife hates us though. When we come into his house she will not even look at us. But the thing is if we can convert him to the church the entire city will end up getting baptized!! These small farm towns are fun because everyone knows everyone.
This last week though I have really been in a period of reflection. Over the past couple of months the mission has really gone well. We have had a lot of success and finding teaching and baptizing and retaining people has not been hard. This month we have not seemed to have done anything right. Sometimes we feel like we are doing everything in our power to help other people. Really we just can't seem to figure it our. Anyways yesterday I read John 21 and it really touched my heart. I know that as each and everyone of us look to make changes each and everyday that we really can become more like the savior and we can follow his plan. I love you all have a good week!! Jamison win state tomorrow.
Elder Wilkes
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| A recent convert made this and put it on his wall. |
10/13/15
Find Excitement in Life
Well it is that time of week again... This week I cant send any pictures because where we are at does not have the option to do it.. anyways I am glad to hear that Baker and Jamison had good times at Homecoming! Anyways this is going to be rough because.. I seriously can't think of what to say.. I need more questions.
On the bright side I am staying with my area here in the zone so i am very excited for that! This will be such a good fun change. Anyways I have never stayed in this area for longer than 3 changes so I am exicted for that..
This last week was a little rough..... We found 5 new families. anyways none of the welcomed us back in to their homes after the first time when the spirit was so strong... so we have been working a lot on patience recently.
One thing that has really been worry me here in our zone is the excitement of our missionaries. I seriously feel like me and my companion are trying everything that we can do to help people feel excited. Really it makes me think of where we can find excitement just to live our lives. One of the problems with missionaries is they just fall into a routine. And really I don't think that life should be like that.. life is meant to enjoy and to learn and to grow and have a lot of bad things happen to you but still just know that everything will be okay! I love all and hope that everyone is doing well. I will try and write better letters..
Elder Wilkes
On the bright side I am staying with my area here in the zone so i am very excited for that! This will be such a good fun change. Anyways I have never stayed in this area for longer than 3 changes so I am exicted for that..
This last week was a little rough..... We found 5 new families. anyways none of the welcomed us back in to their homes after the first time when the spirit was so strong... so we have been working a lot on patience recently.
One thing that has really been worry me here in our zone is the excitement of our missionaries. I seriously feel like me and my companion are trying everything that we can do to help people feel excited. Really it makes me think of where we can find excitement just to live our lives. One of the problems with missionaries is they just fall into a routine. And really I don't think that life should be like that.. life is meant to enjoy and to learn and to grow and have a lot of bad things happen to you but still just know that everything will be okay! I love all and hope that everyone is doing well. I will try and write better letters..
Elder Wilkes
10/6/15
If You Love Me, Keep My Commandments
Dear Family,
Well it sounds like everyone is doing very well. Conference was really, really cool here. It is true mom conference is not as loved and appreciated here outside of the states. On Saturday the sessions were amazing and I was really learning a ton... on Sunday I honestly did not get anything out of it. The internet was not very good and so we had to watch it in Spanish. It is so hard to watch it in another language. The translators are really very boring.... but overall it was a really good time.
This last weekend we had the baptism of Jose Pablo to finish of his family. It really was a very sweet experience. Before he started coming to church he was a very heavy smoker... it was incredible to watch as he was changed by the atonement. As he left the water he said.."now i am clean" it was incredible to see and to hear.
Well this internet is so slow so I am really losing my patience. Today we had our monthly zone training and it was really fun. President Markham came and all of his 6 children were there visiting him. It was very cool to meet all of them. Anyways I really liked President Monsons message in priesthood. Keep the commandments. It has been so funny because all of the converts in our area will not stop talking about that. Yesterday we went to go pick up a convert to visit and he was sleeping, anyways he woke up and came out with his hair all messy and says "If you love, keep my commandments." It almost brought tears to my eyes. The gospel really is so simple. If you love me keep my commandments.
Elder Wilkes
Well it sounds like everyone is doing very well. Conference was really, really cool here. It is true mom conference is not as loved and appreciated here outside of the states. On Saturday the sessions were amazing and I was really learning a ton... on Sunday I honestly did not get anything out of it. The internet was not very good and so we had to watch it in Spanish. It is so hard to watch it in another language. The translators are really very boring.... but overall it was a really good time.
This last weekend we had the baptism of Jose Pablo to finish of his family. It really was a very sweet experience. Before he started coming to church he was a very heavy smoker... it was incredible to watch as he was changed by the atonement. As he left the water he said.."now i am clean" it was incredible to see and to hear.
Well this internet is so slow so I am really losing my patience. Today we had our monthly zone training and it was really fun. President Markham came and all of his 6 children were there visiting him. It was very cool to meet all of them. Anyways I really liked President Monsons message in priesthood. Keep the commandments. It has been so funny because all of the converts in our area will not stop talking about that. Yesterday we went to go pick up a convert to visit and he was sleeping, anyways he woke up and came out with his hair all messy and says "If you love, keep my commandments." It almost brought tears to my eyes. The gospel really is so simple. If you love me keep my commandments.
Elder Wilkes
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