Hey y'all,
This week was something else!! It started out with some weather warnings / a tropical depression or so they say! But we all know, the Lord's work doesn't stop for no Tropical storm. Ain't nobody got time for dat!
This week was full of miracles. If I wrote them all it would be a book haha. I will share some of them though, no worries!
We went on an exchange with the New Orleans Zone leaders and I got the opportunity to go down there and work with a good buddy Elder Hoopes in downtown. It was so cool working down there, because I totally knew the area like the back of my hand. It was such a flash back to my first area. It felt like I was right back there loving those Nola peeps haha. Good people and good chirren :D We had an amazing exchange and saw many miracles. While we were down there we were lead up to the Gentilly area for some of their work and I completely felt like that was for a reason. So, I convinced Elder Hoopes to let me introduce him to the less active that I worked with named Grant Hiatt. If you remember him he was the guy that totally anti'd me hardcore, but then ended up having that amazing Ensign miracle and came to church the last Sunday I was there. Anyways, I had to stop by Grant's and see how he was doing. He was doing well, but unfortunately still in a custody battle for his kids. It seemed like it meant a lot to him for us to stop by so that was great!
So while I was down in New Orleans there was tons of panic about a big tropical storm that luckily just ended up being a ton of rain and no flooding. It was awesome though, because we just went out in the pouring rain and tracted!! (Pres. Hansen gave us the go ahead so no worries) We saw so many miracles it was unreal. We were soaking wet the entire time, but that made it that much better! Who wouldn't invite two soaking wet missionaries into their home during a storm?? Exactly!! No one!! Here is one of the miracles I will share: We knocked on this one lady's door and she opened it and was like, "this is weird, I just got back from visiting Salk Lake city yesterday. I took a tour of the tabernacle and saw the beautiful temple." We were astounded. What?? She was then like, "Yeah I was visiting family and friends up in Wyoming and then stopped by the temple square before my flight back." Elder Hoopes was like, "what part of wyoming?" She answered Star valley/jackson hole. Right where Elder Hoopes is from!!!! that was sooo cool. We talked with her for quite a while about sharing more of our message and she was super open to it. She couldn't deny that miracle!! We were truly sent there to that street for her. In the pouring rain :) Had we just called it a day because of weather we may not have ever talked to her! And then later that day we ran into two Hondurans that spoke no English, so I got to put my stuying to the test since Elder Hoopes didn't know any haha. Hey I did pretty well until I resorted to just reading the pamphlet haha!
We went over to see a lady named Alma that had gotten back from her mission about 3 or 4 years prior and she was going through a really tough time. Her family was having a few troubles, and she just couldn't seem to find peace. The entire lesson was in Spanish since she is from Honduras and so therefore, I couldn't understand a whole lot. Regardless, in the middle of the lesson I felt prompted to just try my very best to express the love that Heavenly Father had for her. Halfway through my testimony, I couldn't hold back the tears as I truly felt a heavenly love for her. I was happy to see that I wasn't the only one feeling the spirit so strong :) Although I probably slaughtered the words as I tried my best to speak in Spanish, I know that the spirit somehow told her what I was trying to say and that's all that matters. It was amazing.
We got invited to this African War Refugee day by a couple of the members in the ward and it was such a blast!! There was tons of just straight African food and they were just piling so much random stuff on our plates haha. I was already super nervous about all of this very interesting looking food when they just threw on a big ol' eete fish on the top Haha that was so nerve wracking let me tell ya! It was definitely a tender mercy to be able to get that down the pipe LOL. Anyways the food was super interesting, but pretty good! Extremely spicy though holy cow. I thought Mexican food got spicy, but man. It was unreal. (I will send tons of pics next week)
Lastly, Sunday was so incredible. So many of our investigators pulled through and came to church. We had 8 come and they all seemed to love it!! The Romero family all came and are so excited for their baptism in July. The Lord is truly working miracles in this area right now. I am just sprinting to try and keep up. It is amazing.
You come out here thinking you are only going to bless other's lives by sacrificing yours, but you end up seeing the blessings in your own life and finding who you truly are. I am truly finding my life. Through learning and slowly coming to understand what my Heavenly Father wants me to be, I end up seeing what I want myself to become. I know that this is the Lord's work and as we trust in him we will see miracles and his Hand. As Pres. Monson has said, "Don't lose your faith, because the Lord has not lost faith in you." How true this is. It doesn't matter how far we may find our self, because our Heavenly Father's outreaching arm is always extended far enough towards us; We just have to reach out and grab it!
Thank y'all so much for your prayers and support. I know this is where I am supposed to be, and love it. Have a blessed week!
Love,
Elder Wilson
