Dear Family of Elder William Packer Wilkes
It is with appreciation that we inform you that Elder Wilkes has been called to serve as an Assistant to the President in the Guatemala Guatemala City Central Mission. I know this calling comes from God. He has become a tremendous example to all the missionaries in the field.
As an Assistant, he will have a tremendous influence on the entire mission. I will rely on his counsel and love to better the people of Guatemala.
We appreciate having Elder Wilkes as a missionary in the greatest work on earth. The Lord has and will require much from him.
Yours Faithfully,
Melvin G. Markham
Elder Wilkes in Guatemala
1/26/16
So Greatful to Be Apart of it
Well things are going very very well here... I don't have a ton of time left but honestly we are seeing so many miracles. This last Sunday we had a baptism!! His name is Fausto Vazquez and he is 22 years old. His family is very catholic and did not want him to get baptized. But he really chose to follow Christ. He is honestly so excited about life and he really wants to serve a mission. We honestly have seen so many miracles...Here are a few...
We found a lady who had gone to the temple open house in Honduras and then never found missionaries...we gave her the Book of Mormon and she is in 2 Nephi now. She went to church yesterday. Also, an 80 year old lady showed up at church after the first visit. Haha. She is getting ready for baptism on the 7 of February. She told us that she secretly has always wanted to be Mormon...Yesterday we were knocking doors and we found a less active of 22 years that recently had 3 dreams telling her to go back to church...she told god in a prayer that if the elders came and visited her in her house that she would return and that she would take her whole family...she has 6 children that are not members...her husband died a year ago...Anyways yesterday through the spirit we showed up! The sprit was strong. We have about 10 investigators like that right now. Sometimes I don't know why God is blessing us so much. I just know that there are so many people here with giant needs. If we can help them have a real repentace then God will give us more.
Like elder Renlund said... things are really incredible when we realize things aren't about us. This is the lords work. Everyday I feel so grateful to be apart of it. Also in sacrament meeting my companion and I spoke...but the way his name is Elder Cacares from Panama. It helped us out alot with the ward. Well i love you all.
Elder Wilkes
We found a lady who had gone to the temple open house in Honduras and then never found missionaries...we gave her the Book of Mormon and she is in 2 Nephi now. She went to church yesterday. Also, an 80 year old lady showed up at church after the first visit. Haha. She is getting ready for baptism on the 7 of February. She told us that she secretly has always wanted to be Mormon...Yesterday we were knocking doors and we found a less active of 22 years that recently had 3 dreams telling her to go back to church...she told god in a prayer that if the elders came and visited her in her house that she would return and that she would take her whole family...she has 6 children that are not members...her husband died a year ago...Anyways yesterday through the spirit we showed up! The sprit was strong. We have about 10 investigators like that right now. Sometimes I don't know why God is blessing us so much. I just know that there are so many people here with giant needs. If we can help them have a real repentace then God will give us more.
Like elder Renlund said... things are really incredible when we realize things aren't about us. This is the lords work. Everyday I feel so grateful to be apart of it. Also in sacrament meeting my companion and I spoke...but the way his name is Elder Cacares from Panama. It helped us out alot with the ward. Well i love you all.
Elder Wilkes
Changes
Well today I really don't have a lot of time. Yesterday I did have changes and I was changed. I was called to be the new Assistant to the President. I am just thankful for the opportunity that I now have to learn to love each and every missionary in the mission. Things are a lot different now... I drive and car and that is super weird. Honestly I can't think of anything because my mind is racing right now. Just know that I love all of you.
Elder Wilkes
Elder Wilkes
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| One of my favorite converts. That metal thing in the back is his house. |
1/19/16
A Miracle on Sunday
Dear Family,
Well sometimes it is crazy how fast time pases here. I am getting close to only having six months left here in Guatemala and that is so crazy. Things have been going good here and I am slowing figuring out a little more what I am suppose to do. This last week we had a bunch of emergency changes and my companion left. He is from Panama and his name is Elder Casares. He is such a good guy. We both had the same trainer so that is pretty funny.
Anyways we have pretty much been knocking on doors all day long day after day.. just because I never really got to know the area before my other companion left. But we have seen a ton of miracles. This Sunday we are going to have a baptism! His name is Fausto Vazquez he is 22 years old. He is the investigator who called us on the phone my second day here and asked us to come over....he is reading the Book of Mormon like crazy and understands very well.
This last week we did see a huge miracle though... when my new comp got here we decided that we were going to baptize on Sunday. We had no one. But we decided that we could do it. Anyways after looking and looking in every part of our area we found a 16 year-old who was the next door neighbor of the second counseler of the ward. He had been going to church for four months straight and had been living all the commandments...his parents just had not given him permission. Anyways we fasted and on Saturday we went to visit him and found his dad. We built a good relationship with the dad and then asked to talk to his wife about his signing the baptismal record. Anyways he signed it on Sunday and Moises Cruz got baptized on Sunday afternoon! Little did we know all of the young men in the ward were fasting for him so he could receive permission to get baptized. I know that the Lord knows what He does. He knows what it is that he wants us to do. Well I love you all.
Elder Wilkes
Well sometimes it is crazy how fast time pases here. I am getting close to only having six months left here in Guatemala and that is so crazy. Things have been going good here and I am slowing figuring out a little more what I am suppose to do. This last week we had a bunch of emergency changes and my companion left. He is from Panama and his name is Elder Casares. He is such a good guy. We both had the same trainer so that is pretty funny.
Anyways we have pretty much been knocking on doors all day long day after day.. just because I never really got to know the area before my other companion left. But we have seen a ton of miracles. This Sunday we are going to have a baptism! His name is Fausto Vazquez he is 22 years old. He is the investigator who called us on the phone my second day here and asked us to come over....he is reading the Book of Mormon like crazy and understands very well.
This last week we did see a huge miracle though... when my new comp got here we decided that we were going to baptize on Sunday. We had no one. But we decided that we could do it. Anyways after looking and looking in every part of our area we found a 16 year-old who was the next door neighbor of the second counseler of the ward. He had been going to church for four months straight and had been living all the commandments...his parents just had not given him permission. Anyways we fasted and on Saturday we went to visit him and found his dad. We built a good relationship with the dad and then asked to talk to his wife about his signing the baptismal record. Anyways he signed it on Sunday and Moises Cruz got baptized on Sunday afternoon! Little did we know all of the young men in the ward were fasting for him so he could receive permission to get baptized. I know that the Lord knows what He does. He knows what it is that he wants us to do. Well I love you all.
Elder Wilkes
1/12/16
Fun in Boca Del Monte
Well it sounds like everyone has sure had a great week. Things have been very good here. It has been very interesting to be able to learn new things and to have new responsibilities. I do not actually go to the office that much so that is a huge blessing. The Church just recently sent out new instructions on leadership in the mission which just says that we should just be working all of the time. So we do a ton of divisions and work with a ton of missionaries and that is about it. Our area is not looking to hot because no one has really worked in it in a while. But we have already seen some good miracles. On my second day here we were just knocking on some doors when I got a random phone call. Well it turns out it was an old investigator who the missionaries had visited before. Anyways we went and visited him and he went to church on Sunday... so he should be looking for baptism in this month. But it really strengthened my testimony that the Lord wants us to be successful and that he wants us to also have fun.
I have not crashed the car yet. It has actually been pretty fun to drive again. It is a little different because there are no rules or anything, but it has all worked out. Well I love you all. I am not promising that these letters will be good for the next 3 months when I am in here. We really have a ton to worry about. Also sorry I can't send photos. My memory card has a virus right now. I love you all.
Elder Wilkes
I have not crashed the car yet. It has actually been pretty fun to drive again. It is a little different because there are no rules or anything, but it has all worked out. Well I love you all. I am not promising that these letters will be good for the next 3 months when I am in here. We really have a ton to worry about. Also sorry I can't send photos. My memory card has a virus right now. I love you all.
Elder Wilkes
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