Homecoming (Stolen without remorse or permission from Meagan's blog.)

Seth came home from his mission in the Dominican Republic last Wednesday and it was a day to celebrate!

There are a million pictures and I have no apologies because it was a great day!

I think the thing that stood out in my mind the most were all the SMILES!!! Everyone was so genuinely happy. It was a little glimpse of heaven and I loved it!

Maren was a stellar poster board sign maker and almost everyone had a sign to hold up and a kazoo to make noise with. We were pretty darn loud. What's new, right? There was a big crowd with lots of family and friends at the airport. He sure is loved! 

Mom and Dad anxiously watching the TV screen at the airport. Dad timed it, you know, and once they show up on the screen you have 30 seconds before you see this...

Seth will speak in Church and report his mission Sunday, Nov 20th at 12:30 PM at the Tucson AZ West Stake Center  3530 W Magee  (Magee East of Thornydale)  Tucson, AZ

2 Days!!!!

Seth sent a short message today stating that his group (The missionaries he trained with in Provo and will leave with on Wed) was in the Institute in Santo Domingo taking a class on how to make a resume and how to take advantage of the Church's "Perpetual Education Fund"  (For native Dominicans who have served missions.)  He says he's anxious to get home but it doesn't seem real. 

He is threatening to hide in the airport instead of coming down the stairs when he gets here.  I told him we were going to hire a bum cab driver to hold up a cardboard sign with his name written in magic marker and WE were going to do the hiding.  He said if we did that he was going to wear the UGLY Dominican pants he had made there for pictures at the airport.

He has training today and then they get to do a little shopping tomorrow and he gets on a plane Wed at 4 AM.  He said to tell all his friends he will see them Thursday since we will be late getting home Wed night.
Can't wait, can't wait!
Tim
Seth will report his mission in Sacrament Meeting Sun Nov 20th at 12:30 PM at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints West Stake Center 3580 W Magee, Tucson AZ  (Magee just east of Thornydale)  All are invited and welcome.

The Last Letter

HELLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOO Family!!!

How are you all doing?!?! I am doing super duper well!!! So crazy to be writing my last letter home.  It hasnt really felt like I was going home until this morning when I woke up!!! Time has flown by.  I love you all soo much.

This week was great.  We got to do lots of service this week.  We went to the bishops house twice and got to haul piles of dirt around, def reminded me of the good old days working for Dad and Grandpa, especially when the Bishop´s wife came out AFTER we had already finished and said that thats not how she wanted it done.  Grandma would never do that :) hahaha  It was lots of fun.  Felt good to get dirty and sweaty again.  I really liked it because all the neighbors came over and were like wow this american really knows how to work.  Everyone thought that americans didnt know how to work.   It was pretty cool.  I def got some blisters though because it had been awhile since I had shoveled.  The Bishop here is amazing.  A very humble loving guy.  Hes kinda shy and out spoken but has a great love for everyone.  Last Monday we did a noche de hogar (family home evening) with his family and we made some banana bread and shared a message together.  I wish I had more time to work her with him and his family.  They really trust us and see that we are here to help him and everyone to progress in the Gospel.  As we were sharing in the Family Home Evening the Bishops wife told us that she really appreciated us and she said that she was going to miss having us around and that it had been along time since there had been missionaries like us in the ward.  It made me feel really good to know that people appreciate us.
Barbara is going well.  We had been praying a lot so that she could get a job because she had absolutely no income and last friday when we went to her house she was going off to a job interview and she was so excited and happy that Heavenly Father had answered her prayers.
Yon is going well. He is going to get baptised on Friday.  He is super stoked.  We taught him the principal of tithing.  I dont know if I already told you but he works on a water truck and wins about anywhere between 1.50 and 4 dollars a day 50 to 150 pesos..  His boss fired him when we told him he wouldnt work on Sundays but this week the guy gave him the job back.  When we taught him about tithting who took 50 pesos out of his pocket and said I want to pay my tithing right now.  We told him that he only needed to pay 10 percent and he said no I need the blessings of the Lord in my life.  We explained to him that the Lord only wants 10 percent and thats enough but I just thought wow look at this joven.  He made 75 pesos that day and wanted to give 50 to the Lord because he ¨needed the blessings of the Lord¨ He is a great example of faith.
Its people like him that make the mission sooo amazing.  I cant believe two years have gone by.  I have learned so much about God, life, love, and myself.  I am so grateful for the oppurtunity I have had to serve.  My testimony has been strengthen soo much.  This morning I finished the Book of Mormon and the New Testament.  I have learn to gain such a love for the scriptures.  They truly are our guide from our Loving Heavenly Father so that we can increase our faith and so that we can understand more the Kingdom of Heaven.  I love that the Book of Mormon is the word of God.  Without a doubt.  I invite everyone who dont know it to read it and to pray about it and Heavenly Father will reveal unto them the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon.  I know that Gods kingdom is here on the Earth again exactly how it was in the days of Christ.  With prophets and apostoles.  I know that the Plan of Salvation is perfect.  God wants us to return to His presence and has given us this Plan to make it possible.  Faith, Repentance, Baptism, Receive the Holy Ghost and endure to the end leads us to Eternal life. He is a God of Miracles.  I love how Moroni says it in the 7th chapter and Ether also in chapter 12 when they say that God is a God of Miracles because he never changes but if there are no more miracles it is because theres no faith.  Be faithful and we will see miracles in our lives.  I promise to all young men that if they serve a mission they too will grow to know these things with a surity.  All need to go.  It is an experience of a life time that will change your life.  I love you all sooo much thanks for your love and support.  I will see you next weds!!!
This sunday they will pickk me up and take me to the office and then monday we have to take a class at the institute and then tuesday the temple, interviews, and dinner at Presidents house and Weds at 4 am head to the airport!!!
love you all soo much
Elder Wilson

Doing what I do

Que lo que???
Hey fam how you all doing!!! I am doing super well here in los alcs doing what I do!!!
This week was a great week.  We had interviews with President and he decided to give music back to the mission!!! So for the last two weeks of my mission it is permitted to listen to music!!!  The only problem is that no one has any music because it has been banned for so long!!! But its all good!!! The interview went well.  President Rodriguez really cares about every single missionary and is very inspired!! I love him so much he has definently helped me out and I am so grateful that I have had several months to work with him.  Put him and his family in your prayers.
This week the work has gone well.  We have taught a lot and have found some new people.  We really want to find a family.  President is focusing on families. 
Barbara is progressing well.  She couldnt go to church yesterday because all of her family was over.  She is soooo awesome and sooo loving.  She lives in such a humble house.  Basically made of tin and boards.  You will see it when you come.  
We also met another family.  They are a family of four.  Weve only taught the mom and daughter that is 21.  They have a lot of interest and it was cool because they actually are taking what we are teaaching to heart.  The other day I started to think and was thinking wow, anyone who sits down, listens to what we say, gives us their attention and then reads the brochure from the church will feel of the Spirit.   The message makes so much sense and is sooo strong.  The only problem is that a lot of times people dont realise the importances of what we are saying. THe message is perfect.  Share with EVERYONE that is possible. 
We are still teaching Yon.  He is the Haitain whose parents died in the Earthquake.  He told his boss that he could fire him if we wanted to but that he was going to quit working on Sundays to be able to go to church...  He is experiences a lot of trials but showing faith.  He cant wait to be baptised so that he can do visits with us. 
The work is going well.  I love what I do.  I would be lying if I said I wasnt super excited to see you all in 2 weeks but I still love what I do and the people I work with!!!
I love you all sooo much thanks for all you do and who you are..
I hope water came today so that I can take a shower.................hahah I love light and water!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
love you all much
elder wilson

The week fleeeeeeeew by.

Que lo que familia
Hey I am doing amazing.  Another amazing week.  This week fleeewwwwwwwwwwwwww by.  I cant believe how fast it went by.
It was successful week.  Yesterday we had good attendance in church.  Barbara went and several of the references from altemeo went to church also.  One named fran went.  He is a cool guy.  He is an iron worker and has a rough life but is trying to find God.  He got to know the gospel through his neighbor altemio.  He is so amazing and shares with everyone.  Not everyone accepts a cita but he at least tries to share with everyone.  I want to be like him when I get home!!!
We had an intercambio and I stayed in the Area with Elder Alvarez.  He is from my group and it was fun to work with him.  It was awesome teaching with someone else who is in his last transfer.  We talk with power and authority like it says in Alma 17.  He said it was awesome cuz it felt like we had been working together for months it was great.
One day when we were with Barbara we were sharing with her and she stopped us in the middle of the cita and said, Ive been thinking a lot about things while sharing with you guys.  I have felt my faith grow.  She then said.  Those that dont have faith are like sharing the gospel with a rock.  I thought it was kinda funny her comparison but then later I was thinking aboutt it and its true.  Those that dont have faith and choose not to believe will never know of the goodness of the gospel because they choose not to believe.  We all have our agency. She says that every night she prays for our family and told me to ask you guys to pray for her too.  She lives in a very humble house and very humble circumstances but is a very faithful woman.  She has a baptismal day for the 26 so if all goes well you will be able to see her baptism.
Pablito got baptised on Fri.  It was crazy.  In our chapel there was no water so we had to go to another one.  We spent the whole day trying to get everything arranged but everything turned out well.  The first time he didnt go down all the way so the second time altemio held him under for a good while. it was hilarious.  then they were trying to unplug the font and they couldnt get it so Pablito started diving down trying to unplug it.  I had to leave the room becuase i was dieing laughing.  It was a great service.
Yesterday I talked in church. I couldnt help but think tha the next time will probably be back at home.  It felt good to talk.  I talked about the promise of God and how he always completes his promises.  I love this Gospel.   I cant believe my time is almost done.  I love the work and helping people come to Christ.  I really do love the people of the Dominican Rep and they will be a part of me always.  Those of you who are out in the mision take advantage of every single day.  Choose to be obedient and to love those you work with.  Even when they call you bad names :) hahaha
I Love you all soo much and thanks for all you do and who you are.  DO whats right and expect blessings and guidance for our Loving Heavenly Father.
Love
Elder Wilson

Working hard

HEY FAM how are you all doing??? I am doing great!! Loving life.  We played ball today for pday and that was fun!!! We tore it up.  Tell the elders that I am def down to play on Pday when I get home but theyll just have to know I am going to whoop them.  So all the candy has been eaten by us... gained 6 pounds from it.  That was cool. 
We have been working really hard this week.  We thought that we were going to have a lot of people at church on Sunday but they all failed us but thats ok they still have next week.  We met this pair that has more than 10 kids that are all fully grown and they all live close and they have a lot of interest so that is super exciting!!  They couldnt go to church because the mom got sick but they have a baptismal fecha for the 25 of Nov so if they keep progressing we could actually go to the BAPTISM (when we come back)!!!
Soooo basically I am doing well and the work is going well.  We are finding lots of people to teach and the members are amazing and giving us references.  They gave us one who has three kids but doesnt live with them and is down and is just trying find a purpose to his life.  He is amazing!!!
Sorry for the short letter!!! Everything is going amazing!! I love you all so much!!! 3 more letters!!!
Love Elder Wilson
Mom Tell (Aunt) Kim hi to (For) me!!!

God lives and loves us!

Hey Family how are you all doing!!! I am doing amazing. It was an amazing week with tons to do!!! We were super busy all day everyday so that was awesome. I am in an area where its easier to find people to teach so we've been teaching a lot more and I love that. They members here are awesome. I love them I feel like they have really accepted me quickly. It rained several times this week. One day it just started raining really hard while we were in a cita. It was a tiny house with a tin roof and a humble family that lives inside. There names are Angel and Argentina. We have taught them several times and hope to be able to get them to go to church next week. But as we were teaching I kinda just sat there and looked around and thought wow... this is a once in a life time experience. The rain was falling soo hard on the tin roof and water leaking on us and lightning striking everywhere. It was an awesome storm and I just sat there and said a little prayer in my head thanking my Heavenly Father for allowing me to serve a mission and share the gospel with everyone. Who would've thought that I would be in a random house in the middle of nowhere with a humble family sharing the gospel. A tear or two rolled down my cheek. I felt so happy and was reminded in that minute that God lives and He loves us and that His Restored Gospel will go through out the land to ALL people. I love what I do. There is a member here his name is a weirder name but he is one of the stronger members here. He was baptised 20 years ago and is a worker in the temple. He is super amazing. There is a kid that hes taken in as if it were his son and we are sharing with the kid. He is thirteen. We go over there a lot and share with the kid and with the family. The member is like 60 years old. After we shared one night he gave me the best compliment I have ever received. He told me that who knew that I would be a leader in my life. Both in the Church and in my family. He said that when I pray he feels that I really am talking to my Heavenly Father and that I bring the Spirit into the lesson. He said that he can feel the love that I have for the Gospel, for the people of the Dom Rep, and for the work and most importantly for the Lord. He said that he can see this love in my countenance. He then went on to say that he thinks ill be an apostle one day and I just laughed but told him thanks for the compliment. I know that we don't do everything to be recognized but it made me feel good that he could see all that in me. It def made all the sacrifices of the last two years worth it. On Friday we had to go to get a couple married. We left at 530 am and didn't end up getting back to the house til like 5 in the afternoon. It was def difficult but the Lord helped us get it done!!! That same lady got baptised yesterday before conference. She is amazing!!! They are a cool couple. They will def get sealed in another year. He was already a member and he baptised her after the wedding. As we were walking the streets one night this kid of 19 years called us over and asked us what we do. He said he wanted to change his life and be a follow of Christ. His family lives in Haiti and he is here trying to make some money but doesn't have any family here. He has a hard life but really has a desire to change. HE doesn't know how to read but decided to sign up for school and learn. He always puts an alarm on his phone to remind him of our citas and he says he just sits there anxiously looking down the road to see if we are coming. He went to conference yesterday. Along with 6 other investigators. The Bishop really helped us out and went to pick them up. I thought of Keato a lot in conference cuz it talked about Peru a couple of times and dad when they talked about Japan. ITs so cool to think were all doing the same thing it all parts of the world. I loved conference. So many great talks. I read in the Sep ensign about how we should prepare for conference and pray to find answers. I was thinking hmm.... what can I pray about. I am kinda in an awkward situation. One month left in the mission... dont know what real life at home will be like. Still have a month left so then I decided that I would pray to know what I should focus my last month of study on. There were sooo many talks on the importance of the Book of Mormon. I love elder callisters talk. Elder Eyringñs too.... i liked the one that talked about the importance of time management. I really want to work on that when I get home. Elder PAcker telling the youth to listen to paretns and leaders. Isecond that one. I love you all sooo much. Thanks for your love and support!! Keep it up and do whats right!!! Love you all Elder Wilson

For Elder Gardner

wWHHAHT?!?!?!?? elder gardner is married?!?!!?!? tell him congrats. i dont know if you guys remember but he was my first zl in azua and we did intercambios together and he helped me out a ton. i seriously love that kid to death!!! hes one of my best mission friends. will you tell him through the blog that I love him and congrats on getting maried and that i will follow his footsteps shortly Ñ=} hahahh

Last Transfer...... Going to Los Alcarrizos with Elder Carruth

Hey Family how are you doing!?!?!

I am doing super duperly amazing!!! We got transfer calls last night and I am leaving!!! I am going to los alcarrizos and I will be with Elder Carruth.  I lived with him in San Juan way back when when he had a hard comp and I was district leader so we had lots of conversations and so we are pretty close.  He is a great kid and very obedient and a hard worker.  I couldnt ask for anything better.  I am excited to just go in there and work hard for 6 weeks!!


To be honest I was keeping track of all the things I wanted to write down for the letter this week.  I might of accidently left my agenda in one of the investigators house so I dont have that list with me!!! :) hahah but its all good because starting tomorrow it is a new agenda.  The last one!!! I cant beleive I am in my last transfer.  Now I am officially the oldest group of missionaries in the mission!!!


Last night we had a fireside in the church. I have to tell you all a story of what happened.  So here the church is three stories tall.  Sacrament Room is on the third floor.  There were a bunch of kids making rucus down stairs and being stupid so I went to yell at them and they started getting worse and started banging on the polls and making a ton of noise.  I look up the stair case and see 3 grown high priest running down the stairs.  The leader of the High Priest group is like 50 years old and he is sprinting down the stairs almost falling like 5 times and at the same time is taking off his belt.  He opeens the door and sprints after the kids whipping them with the belt as he goes!!! it was so funning.  I am thinking you would have to be here to think that it was funny but it is so dominican.  I love the culture here.  He was running pretty quick too!!1


I talked to Pres about coming back like you guys asked me to do.  He said that parents can even pcik their kids up but has to be planned out with time.  He said that he had never been told that you couldnt do it.  But he also said that the way we are doing it has nothing to do with the church and I wont be a missionary so theres noo problems with it.


I had a few more things that I wanted to share but I honestly cant remember what they were because I lost my agenda but I love you all soooo much.  I know that this gospel is real and true.  The scriptures are the iron rod that leads to the tree of life1!!! take advantage of them and make time for them!!! I love you alll sooo much!!!


Love Elder Wilson


Ps... i might have seen that the Dbacks clinched a playoff birth... youll have to keep me update on the them and tell Bishop Bishop to root extra hard for me!!


I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!

Preaching to the Choir

Hey Fam how are you all doing?!?!?
I am doing well another great week in the mission.  Sorry that I didnt respond to all of you but time is short today.  I love you all soo much.
This week was good.  We didnt find many new people to teach.  One day we lefty with the elders from the CCM and I was with one that was even taller than I am.  All their shirts are very white.  Its kinda funny!!! haha
We are teaching this girl named Berenice.  She is way cool she is 20 years old and is very interested in the chruch and already knows a lot about the Book of Mormon.  So basically on Sunday we had stake conference and we were looking all over for her and couldnt find her.  The actual conference was in a different chapel and was broadcasted to our chapel.  So when the choir got up to sing I looked and saw a girl that looked really familiar and I was like whoa!! thats berenice!! She was singing in the choir!!! She made a friend at churhc that lives close to her and that friend took her to sing in the choir.  I thought it was pretty cool.
Yesterday we taught quiet a few lessons.  After a whole week of basically not finding anyone, yesterday we met two people that had been praying for guidance to know which of all the churhces they should join.  That same week we contacted them so I am really excited to see how their progress goes. 
We are working hard and trying to find new people.  Members are the best tool!!! Do all you can to find references for the missionaries!!!
I love you all sooo much anbd thanks for who you are and all you do!!!
Love you lots!!
Sorry for the short letter but the good part is ill be able to explain it in person pretty soon!!! Love you soo much thanks for your letters and support!!!
maren and mugs and jake and dud sorry for not writing you but love you lots!!!
thanks for ur letters!!!

Love
Elder Wilson

Up or down?

Hey Family hows it going?!?!?

I am doing marvelous!!! We went to the temple this week and it was amazingly wonderful!!!  I love that place and know that it is the house of the God.  I love the Spirit that is felt there.  Answers to our prayers can be received there.


As for this week we are still trying to help Yanely receive an answer.  She is def investigating a lot and that is good because when she does receive her answer it will be that much stronger!!! She will be an amazing member of the church.  As we were trying to teach Yanely about how an answer will come I was reminded of the time when Oliver Cowdery was wanting to translate and the Lord told him that he needed to ponder the matter in his Heart and then pray to know and God will make his bosom burn if it is right but if its not that he will send him a stupor of thought.  I felt strongly to share that with her. 


Ive read a lot in D and C 121 too and I love that chapter.  Joseph Smith´s plea to the Lord asking where he is and then says, Hijo mio paz a tu alma tus.  (My son, peace be unto your soul) And then says his afflictions will be for just a  moment.  I dont know how it goes exactly in Englsih but that scripture is soo comforting.


I really really enjoyed my studies this week.  I am reading in Romanos and I absolutely love it.  I am also reading in Alma (Book of Mormon) from the chapters 20 to 40 and I love it soo much.  I really enjoyed chapters 34 and 37.  How easy it is to listen to the word of Christ and put it in practice.  Talks a lot about the Faith and how we can strengthen the faith.  I love the Book of Mormon it is the word of God. 


So funny story for the week.  Yesterday I went to go to the bathroom and the toilet seat was down!!! The toilet seat is a little gross and I hate having to lift it up so I yelled out saying Im just going to start peeing on the toilet seat and Elder Farra said dont do it or I will hurt you!! and i said then QUIT LEAVING THE TOILET SEAT DOWN!!! and he just died laughing and he was like wow I dont think I have ever heard that in my life!!! and I said huh??? and he said, Youve been living with men for WAY too long because youre supposed to leave the toilet seat down not up!!!   I had totally forgotten that that was polite.  For me it was more polite to leave it up so its easier to go to the bathroom!!! AYYY the mission!!! haha
I love you soo much family!! I have the best family in the world!! THanks for everything!ª!! Until next week!!!
elder wilson

I sent Seth Green Hornet masks and rings.  Hopefully, they will be given to kids....

Elder Bentley has 3 months in the mission and has a connection with Seth. Kaylene Day's sister's best friend is his mom if you follow the algebra of all that.  Elder Bentley apparently read Seth's blogs (All) after he got his call. 

In the DR, there are tailors that make pants very cheap.  Tom McCook says Seth told him he was having some UA pants made.  We're worried.

Santo Domingo temple trip

Elder Urry, Elder Day, others

Happy BDAY HALEY!!!

Primary Answers

Hola Familia
How are you all doing?  I am doing just amazing!!! Yanely went to church yesterday and is progressing.  She still hasn't felt that she has got an answer but I felt like we should leave her the newly released Joseph Smith video so that she could understand his story a little more.  I got to watch a part of it last Tuesday.  Sometimes we forget all the pioneers went through and how difficult it was for them.  It definitely strengthened my testimony as we watched it.
This week we worked hard.  We got lots done and are finding some new people.  We are also working with a family in the ward that def has some marriage problems.  Its kinda weird being a 20 year kid trying to give 40 year old people advice on how to get along.  Its just all selfishness.  If they could forgot trying to fix the other one and fix themselves first it would all work out.  Elder Price and I used to talked about that a lot.  Becoming the ideal person before demanding that someone else be it.
We had a conference with President on Friday.  It was amazing!!! I really enjoyed it.  He is such an inspired man!! It was with Elder Cornage too.  He is of the Area Presidency.  We learned about the importance of faith and what is faith.  How do we show faith and a lot of things like that.  I really liked it.  Faith is a CERTAINTY of things that are not sure.  A conviction that they are true.  We can better are faith by doing the simple primary answers.   Study scriptures, go to church, pray, and BE OBEDIENTE.
I love you all soo much and thanks for all you do!!! I will talk to you next week.
Love
Elder Wilson
PS... go on missions.  Every young man needs to do it.  IT is sooo worth the price and God will truly guide your life as you serve a mission. It is our way to show him that we trust in Him because we put everything behind and he provides the experiences that we need and opens opportunities that wouldn't be possible if we were to do what we think is best for us.  love you all

There is a place called zona colonial that is supposed to be pretty cool to visit when we come back.  And another place called the conde or something like that.
What happened to bullseye??? haven't seen him for awhile?

PS.  Before I forget, next Monday I will be on early because our Pday is only going until 2 because on this weds, the 8th we are going to the temple so the President has asked that we work next Pday so that we can sacrifice a little of our time to be able to go to the temple.

Nine to go.

Hey Family how are you all doing!!! 
Just throwing it out there 9 letters left!!!
This week went well.  Started out wet because of the hurricane thingy but not too wet.  Just lots of wind!! It def made me home sick!! It made me think of the wind that there always is at Grandma and Grandpas house!!! The breeze that you can hear through the cottonwoods.  I cant wait to go to Benson.  And fish and camp!!!!   Tell mike congrats on the game.  Sounds like he is quite the player!!! that is awesome.
Things are going well here.  Yanely continues to progress.  She has gone to church 3 times now.  Her only difficulty is that she feels like she hasnt gotten a sure answer but at the same time she feels that she has felt a change in her life.  She has a fecha for the 17 of sep so we will pray so that she can receive an answer or so that she can reconize her answers.
I have studied a lot this week about the Priesthood after my interview with Presidente and reading about Pres Uchdorf invitation to read the seccions in DC.  Its so amazing that the Priesthood is here and real in the earth.  We are very blessed.
The work is going well.  We are working in a poor area that is crazily populated.  I will have to take mom and dad there when we come back.  But we wont carry much money with us :) haha
I love you all sooo much!! Thanks for your love and support.  I love you all.
I want navajo tacos with refried beans and enchiladas for the first meal!!! hahaha
Love you family thanks for your prayers and for your letters every week.  I have the best family in the world!!!
I love you alll sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much. 
Tell Ms. Romero congrats.  When is her wedding?? Is it after I get home??? If so tell her I will be there... if im invited :) hahaha
elder wilson

Hurricane Irene passes uneventfully

Hey sorry but letter for week goes like this

SE FUE LA LUZ


theres no light anywhere and where I am now has little light so I am going to send you this before it goes out!!

(Luz=light=electricity)  Tim


Know that I love you all very much!!!


Love


Elder Wilson

Just rain so far from Irene. H Mateo keeping us updated

This is a link to a Facebook thread that H Mateo has been using to update us as to the conditions on the ground in Santo Domingo today as Hurricane Irene passes.  Thank you Sister Mateo!

Tim

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10150344288416322&id=588151321


https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10150344288416322&id=588151321#!/permalink.php?story_fbid=10150344288416322&id=588151321¬if_t=feed_comment

Staying in Independencia. Elder Price se va.

Hey familia how are you all doing!!!??



So basically you all know that I am staying here in Indy. I am super excited. This week was really long and weird but went by really fast at the same time!!! Elder Price is gone. He is getting on a plane in less than 7 hours!!! They came and picked him up yesterday.




On tuesday we had an intercambio with the office elders. It was fun. I went with Elder Martinez in the office. It was nice driving around in air conditioning for a little bit!!! We were arrived to the house at night I was dry and not completely full of sweat. THat was kinda weird!!! haha and showered with hot water. That was even weirder. ANd with a shower head.. even weirder. Not sure how I feel about that.




So I am getting a new comp. Elder Juarez. I think he is from Salvador. He was in my zone in San Juan. He is a great kid. I am looking forward to it. I hope he kills me.




This week we taught Yanelis several times. She is sooo amazing. She is sooo opened minded. We left her the mormon.org site to dcheck things out about the church. She decided not to go to that site but to others and had all sorts of questions for us when we went back. But she accept all of the answers sooo well and prayed about it and said that she felt it was true. She said that about a month ago she was thinking to herself what is my purpose in life. She said she felt like a robot and that dshe wanted more purpose and meaning to her life. She said that when we knocked on the door she felt something inside her telling her to go talk with us. She accepted una cita out of curiosity and everything is going amazing. Says she feels a vibration inside her chest when we share with her. Her kids said that the ¨mormons¨must be very lucky because she never lets religious people in her house. She says she usually lies and says she doesnt have time to share with missionaries but for some reason she felt like she should talk to us. We exdplained to her that that was the Spirit impulsing her to accept us. I was having a little but of a hard time one of the days that we had a cita with her and I was praying all day that Heavenly Father would help me feel of His love for me. I just kept feeling empty but then we got to her house and shared about the Plan of Salvation and wow it was one of the best lessons of my life. The Spirit was so strong. As I was testifying to her about the Plan of Salvation I felt so strongly that the plan is real and that God loves us sooo much that he provides away for us to return to Him. It was def an answer to my prayers. IT felt so good. I had a hard time not just breaking down because I felt so warm inside. I love this work. Little moments like that make it all sooo worth it.

She went to church on sunday and the whole reliefs society went crazy over her. They all want to visit her now and teach with us in her home. Everyone is getting involved. I feel like is a needed spark for the ward members.

I also met Sister Hill in Zane and Susy´s ward granddaughter. She is going to Santiago mission but did intercambios with our zone while in the CCM.

Well thats about it for this week.

Keep up on your missionary efforts at home. If we are persistant we will find those who are ready. I love hearing about your experiences!! I love you all oh so much!!!!!

thanks for who you are and what you doo!!

love you

elder wilson

No hurricane? Let's check the roof during a lightning storm and the street drain just to be sure.....

Hey Family!!! How are you all doing!!!
I am doing super well!! It was definently a different week!!! So we kept hearing that dk emily was coming and that the world was going to come to an end because it was going to be huge. Long story short nothing happened. Dk she was going to enter the country tuesday morning, then tuesday night, then wed for sure but never came. We couldnt go out on Weds because it was supposed to hit directly Santo Domingo. It was one of the longest days of my life!! So we might have ended up crawling into the road drain in the front of our house. I was lying down in bed and then Elder Groll and Elder Price called me and said to go outside. Then they were like I bet you wont crawl into the drain pipe. I was bored enough to prove them wrong. Long story short all four of us ended up going inside it.

So Thursday they did let us go but it rained ALL day LONG!!! I iwas soooooo soaking wet. It was kinda fun but it was kinda a cold rain so not so fun at the same time!! It was hard because we basically lost two days and we had some important citas and we lost contact with one of our investigators but I know that we will be able to find her again.

Things are going well with Yoana and Ana. They still havent gone to church yet but they will get there. They just have so many questions and its awesome because we can always answer them with the Book of Mormon and they always just say wway that makes so much sense!!! I love it!!

We finished up with the rich part of town and we are now it a poorer part of town. Its pretty crazy because there are just houses everywhere. On top of everything and its just a bunch of sidewalks that have a bunch of houses going up and down the hill. Its hard to explain but you will see when you come down here!!! After not putting citas for along time in the rich part, we put 13 citas in less than an hour in the poor part. When we left the area I said to Elder Price thats why I love these people soo much. Everyone is just so friendly and loving. I hope that those of us who are more fortunate dont blind ourselfs thinking that we dont need Heavenly Father and that we dont have "time" to do what He would want us to do.

It was really nice to hear about all your experiences this week sharing the Gospel. It made me more motivated to share. I really hope that Larry and Honey, the Webster's friends, keep progressing. The gospel is amazing and will bless them so much. I hope that we all continue to share. Even if its just a little and we can plant the seed in other peoples hearts. I love you all sooo much. I am so grateful for you all. Thanks for your amazing examples and love for me.

Like it says in 2 Nefi 29 God's work is not done and will not be done until the end of men. Work in the field!!! THanks for sharing the scripture from Mosiah 2:41. I actually read that this morning and loved it. I love chapters two and three. I love all of King Benjamin's address!!!

i almost forgot to tell about the baptism that Elder Groll and Elder Farra had it was a woman of like 50 years!!! It was sooo amazing and sooo spiritual and Yoana went and felt the Spirit it was sooo awesome!!! I played the piano for it and I played it well!!! The Spirit was def helping me!!! this work is aweseom!! love you all so much
hasta luego!!!

I love you all soo much!!

love

Elder Wilson

ps. Pops- use Preach My Gospel as much and you can with the young men. Help the to get to know the book. It is inspired and the guide manual.

love you all soo much
ps... add to the letter that I jsut got call from the kids papito from Sabana Yegua. He is getting set apart tonight to go on his mission. Hes leaving tomorrow to go to Guatemala!!!


Papito and Seth in Sabana Yegua Feb 2010

Risk and Reward

HEY FAMILIA HOW ARE YOU ALL DOING?!?!?
I am doing amazing!!!! It was a very hard but very amazing week!!!

Ok so first things first. I want everyone of you this week to invite atleast one person to listen to the missionaries and pray to know who it is and if they accept the invitation you need to go with the missionaries to teach them.

This week was amazing. As you know Weds and Fri we work in the institute. There is a senior couple named the Finlaysons and they are soo amazing. They are soo nice to us. We were talking to them about there marriage story and how they got to know each other. They love each other soo much and they are both so sweet. We asked him what the secret to their marriage was and she wasnt around and he whispered really quietly, "before you get married, you have to play the board game Risk with your girlfriend. Thats when the true her comes out" Apparently sister finlayson is like meagan when she plays games. I thought it was funny to talk to him about their love story and everything. THey are amazing people. I think they have facebook if you want to try and find them.

On Tuesday we had to do an intercambio to try and fix some companionship problems. It was fun I got to go with Elder Negron. It was fun to be with him aghain. The next day in comp study Elder Price and I were talking and were talking about how sad it is that people dont just get along. Selfishness and pride are the roots of all problems. We then got tlaking about life and how the mission helps one to be less selfish and less prideful. We started talking about our dreams and ambitions for our lives. It was a really great conversation and the Spirit was defininently there. We talked a lot about the beauty of Eter 12:27. How much of a blessing that is that God allows us to make our weaknesses become strengths. I really love and apreciate Elder Price. During our conversation he told me that he felt that I had taken the most advantage and gotten the most out of the mission than any other Elder he had ever met. I didnt really know how to respond to his comment but it made me feel really good to know that they person who I am with 24/7 feels that way. Made me feel like my efforts mean something. Dont get me wrong I have a long way to go still but hearing that from him made me feel really good inside. I sure apreciate that kid and his parents to for raising him well. They are lucky to have him home in a couple of weeks.

This week we taught Yoanna y Ana her mother and it was going well. We stil;l havent gotten them to church but we are working on it. They live on a third story and one day we had taught them an amazing lesson and I was totally stoked and so going down the stairs I decided that I would slide down the railing. IT went great until my foot got caught at the end of the rail. Lets just say that I ate it pretty hard. We were all laughing pretty hard. Big men dont fall gracefully.

This week was amazingly hard. I made more contacts than I had ever done before. Infact we did almost 50 more than I had ever done before. We are working it a rich area and it is just soooo hard to get into the houses. The very few lessons that we put, when we went back they were not there. We just knocked on doors all day everyday without teaching any lessons. From Sunday to Friday we had only taught 3 lessons when usually we would already be at or more than 20. I was very proud of us though because we were persistant and kept knocking and didnt get discourage. Saturday came around and wow we felt soo blessed for our work. We met 3 amazing people on saturday and we could really testify to them about the gospel. One was a 19 year old kid. You could tell that he was searching for the truth. We taught about the Book of Mormon and he, after we had finsihed our teachings, asked if the Book of Mormon had changed our lives. I just looked at Elder Price and he at me and we both smiled. We then both testified of the changes that have happened in our lives as we came to actually know the Book of Mormon. It was soo spiritual and although I already knew it, it was really nice to be reminded of the powerfulness of the Book of Mormon. Testifying to this kid that was searching for truth. I love the Book of Mormon and invite everyone to study it. It will fill what ever emptiness you have in your life. Give it a chance.

We also met a woman that has two kids that are 15 and 13. Lesson went really well. We had a return cita tonight with her but she just sent us a message saying she wont be there.

AFter a week of no success, just when we thought there wasnt much hope, Heavenly Father really blessed us. Just like it says in Alma 26:27 suffer with pacience and God will bless us. Ive studied a lot in this week about pacience. Pacience is always accompanied by success and being made instruments in God's hands.

I love this work. I love you all. Keep your heads up and remember that theres always someone in the DR that loves you. Take advantage of everyday. THis work is real. Allow Heavenly Father to do his part and happiness will come.

I love you all soo much

Elder Wilson

Ps there is another elder wilson that is new in the mission so if anyone sends letters make sure to put my first name

Letters and Motorboats

Hey Family how you all doing?!?!
I am doing amzing. I def cant believe that July is already coming to an end. Only one more month and the hot parts of summer are done here!!! I am looking forward to that but I cant complain too much because atleast in my house right now I live in one of the few houses that always has electricity!!!

I cant believe jake ran the jeep into the trailer and mess up the liscense plate. Can dk back up big old trucks but the jeep is too much to handle?? I never had any problems!!!

Other good news. Got some letters this week. One from dearie another one from brindy and one from Kasey. She sent a pic of the wildfires in AZ.... what ever happened with those??

So life is going well here. Yoanna is still progressing a lot and her mom is progressing too. They accepted fechas to be baptised but and planning on moving to San Cristobal. I love them because they actually read and undestand the message. ITs been a real testifier to me that the work is true. They read and ponder about what they read and by doing that have received testimonies that the Book of Mormon is true. ITs sooo simplle. We left them Ether 12 and they soaked it up!!!

I was reading the first presidency message in the Liahona about the family. I really liked it. I love my family and feel so blessed to have such a great family.

We had interviews with Presidente Rodriguez this week and they were good. I feel bad for him hes got so much to do. He really concentrated on our Spiritual well being and was a diffreent interview to what I am used to. I really enjoyed it. While everyone else was in interviews, the wife of Presidente was giving a health presentaion. At the end she was bearing her testimony and started to talk about her husband and how much she loved him and how much he shows her that he loves her. She started to get emocional and then said that she feels like her husband for her is an angel. I was thinking about that and was like wow I hope that when I have a wife she will be able to stand up infront of a large group and say that i treat her in such away that she considers me to be an angel. and that I can make her feel sooo special. I want to do that soooo bad. I want to be the best husband in the world and love my wife sooo much!!!

Yesterday, the last contact of the day was this crazy man that could dk had been given several gifts from God. One of them was that he could talk to crazy possessed animals in the jungle. As im sure you could all guess I asked him to talk a little. My favorite part was when it was the horse{s turn and he did a moterboat sound with his lips.

On Thursday we were walking to an appointment with the lopez family, the ones that are waiting for their visa so cant get marrried right now but as we were walking someone yelled Elderes so we looked back and they waved us over. IT was a lady that is a member and she invited us over for another day and we told her we would go by sat.... sat comes by and it was raining and we were soaking wet but we showed up to her house. She opens the door and just drops her jaw and said i didnt think you guys were going to make it because of the rain. And just kept saying oh my goodness oh my goodness. we sat down and started talking to her. This lady, although we had never met her before, took complete confidence in us and just started telling us her life story and all the struggles she has had. She completely opened her heart to us. She talked about how shes always been a slave to cigarettes and how shes always wanted to quit and how she sometimes quits but then falls again and how she knows that through Christ she can stop. This 60 old woman was just pouring out her heart to us. Bawling from years of pain and embarrassment. She says everytime she falls she just feels like shes failing God. I felt like I should share Alma 13;27_30 with her and then bore my testimony of the truth of this scripture. I told we all have struggles and all fair sometimes but that in this scripture God promises that if we inquire of the Lord and pray always that He will not allow us to be tempted more that what we are able to bare. I bore testimony of thetruth of it in my life and that I have been able to over come many of my shortcomings and difficulties by confieing in the promise. It was sooo awesome. When we left I told Elder PRice that thats why I love being missionaries. That lady doesnt even know us but could feel of our true love for her and felt comfortable enough to pour and her heart in desperation to find council. I love that part of the work. I love this work. I love my Savior and all He did for me. I am sooo grateful for the Atonement and this Gospel-

I love you all sooo much. Thanks for all you do and who you all. Keep on being so amazing.

Love you all

Elder Wilson

The Intercom

HEY FAMILIA!!!!
How you all doing??? I am doing very well. IT was a great week. Lots of contacting big building through intercoms but it was good over all. We had an amazing experience this week. We were contacting a building and this lady answered and said that we could come back and when we went back the next day we knocked on the door and a 25 yr old ish woman answers the door and says ¨hola¨and asks how she can help us. Being that we talked to her through the intercom we didnt know what she looked like and so we asked if she was Joanna and she was like yes, how do you know my name? and we said well we talked to you yesterday for the intercom and she was like no you didnt because i was not home yesterday. But she invited us to come in and we shared with her and wow it was a huge blessing in disguise.. We had contacted the whole week and hadnt had any success and then we taught her and she at the end said you know what? you two are answers to my prayers. I used to be close to God but Ive kinda stopped doing the right things but recently Ive been praying to God that He would help me to be able to put my life in order again and as I listened to you guys I really felt that you are an answer to my prayers. She just soaked in the whole lesson and loved it. Gave us all of her attention and could feel of the Spirit. It made me think wow its sooo easy.. If people will just listen to the message its impossible not to feel the Spirit. She was def an answer to my prayers too because we hadnt had much success. We have another cita with her tonight!! I am supèr excited to teach her. It felt so good to be able to help someone to realise what they need to do to come unto Christ.

LAst sunday elder price and I call Cristian and Francisca and talked to them. We committed them to go get an interview with the bishop to be able to enter in the temple.

So in one of the big apartment buildings we took advantage of that someoone was going inside so we snuck in the door and after we contacted everyone we went back down and the door was locked so we had to sit there for like 10 minutes until someone came and could let us out but dont worry I played it off pretty cool and told them we were just observing the scenery.

We are having a hard time getting hold of all of our old investigators- Evans and Aleini decided they would start plans to get married but after that havent gotten back into contact with them. I was really impressed with Evans because in one of the citas he said you know I really want to obey the commandments but I feel like I dont know them all so its impossible to keep them all. We took advantage and talked about the Law of Chasity and he ate it up and said that he really wants to get married because he doesnt want to live in sin. I was very impressed with that answer.

Well I am running out of time. Talking about plans to come back made me super excited!!! It will be lots of fun. I sure do miss you all lots and I hope you think of me Pops everytime you get a refill :) hahah

This Gospel is true. I invite everyone to let it form your life. SOmetimes we try to form our own lives with our little knowledge but by being obediente and worthy of God´s guidance o sea the Spirit, He will form our lives so that we can reach our full potencial. All we have to do is believe and have desires and turn our desires into ACCIONES!!!

I love you all soo much

Elder Wilson

PS. I didnt know the allstar game was in phoenix. Thats pretty cool. When I saw chase field I got a lil trunky!!!

PSS. Mom I want to play the violin when I get home do we still have it??

P(ee) Day news and information.... (TMI!)

Hey family how are you doing?!?!
I am doing great!!! REALLY WET and feel like a prisioner because we had to stay inside all day today for some riot they are doing to try and lower gas prices. But luckily where I live it is pretty chill and all.
So transfers were this week. There were basically no changes. Elder Negron got moved into my zone and is training. He is in Cristo Rey which is a very dangerous part of the capital so I dont know how he is going to survive there if he didnt like BANI! haha but we did an intercambio with them because its Elder Price´s last area so he showed them all around and stuff. It was fun seeing him again.
Sooooo on Weds we went to a members house so that I could use the bathroom. I had had to go for like 3 hours and I was dying! When i walked in there was someone already in the bathroom soooo I went for a little walk outside since it was already dark. First of all until then I dont think that I had ever seen a motion detector light in my whole time here!!!! Yah.... So they saw me as I was walking back in and asked what I was doing and they all knew exactly what had happened!!! But i played it off well but then one of the kids was like ok lets go shoot some hoops and I had to confess because I had taken my walk on the court. Luckily they are a cool family and just make fun of me for it. I dont tell them that mom used to always get mad at me for the same thing haha getting up and going outside when theres a perfectly good bathroom inside!!!
On Thursday we had a zone leader conference with presidente. He is sooo amazing and loves us sooo much. Its such a change but a change that is very appreciated. Everyone wants to work harder now knowing that he loves and trusts us. He gave a good presentation on faith and the importance of having a passion for what we did. It was an amazing message and the Spirit was very strong. Hes everything youd think off when youd think of a mission president. I really love that man.
I got a package from Vicki. Thanks a bunch aunt vicki :) I am def spoiled. I ate the skittles in one day..............
We are working hard and found a new investigator names miguelina she went to church and everything. I am sure she will get baptised. She is awesome.
I love you all so much. Sorry that theres not too much new this week!!! Even the Pday was uneventful. I love you all sooo much. Thanks for all you do and who you are. Remember that Heavenly Father loves us and knows who we are!!! Never give up hope nor faith. Faith can move mountains. Especially the everyday mountains we face everyday.
Love you all soo much
seth

The Purpose of Life

People who really understand the message know what are the things that need to change.

Hey Family how are you all doing!!!???
I am doing mighty fine!!! Really wet. Its been raining a ton. Right now its been pouring rain for the last 90 minutes of soo!! Our street will probably be flooded when we get home.
This week was amazing but pretty insane!!! It started off well. We are teaching a lady that is from Azua. Her name is Leonela and shes gone to church a couple of times but a week ago sunday she couldnt go because she was going back to Azua to celebrate a birthday party. I can't lie, I honestly thought that maybe she was going to drink and stuff there but when we went and visited her last monday she said that normally when she goes home she goes out and goes to parties and stuff but this time she had passed all the time with her family sharing stories and talking with her parrents. She said tht when people started drinking she had no desire to drink and people started pressuring her so she left and went to the park and sat at the park talking with a friend. She said that by sharing with us and learnign about Christ she has no desire to do stuff like that anymore. She says she wants to change her life. She wants to become someone. We hadnt even talk the Word of Wisdom yet but people who really understand the message know what are the things that need to change. It was a big blessing to hear her say that.
The other couple we are teaching names are Aleini and Evans. They are a haitain couple and are about 25 or 30. I sent pictures of them. They are soo amazing. We were teaching them about the Apostacia and they ask what will happen to all the people that lived in that time and didnt get to know the gospel. We then went in to the Plan of Salvacion and how God is perfect and so is his plan and that everyone will have the chance to get to know the gospel. That was the biggest blessing in my life this week. To be reminded that this Gospel is perfect and pure and that all we have to do is follow it and we will be happy.
I talked to Elder Price about Dad{s council last week from Alma 5 and to testify with power. We have been putting it in practice. This week has been harder because we have moved into a richer neighborhood and we are contacting a lot and not putting too many citas. But I know that Heavenly Father will provide us with peopel to teach!!!
On Thursday we have a conference with the new Presidente. Presidente Rodriguez. Wow he is soooo amazing and so inspired. He talks with love and one can feel that he really cares for them. I love the guy. He shared his love with us a lot and told us how much he trusted in us. We all left feeling really well knowing that the President loves us and trusts in us. I really admired the way he treated his wife and respected and loved her. His kids are amazing too. It was amazing. I am very grateful for him. I feel blessed to be able to finish with a president so amazing.
Other than that not too much new. We ate out today. It was a little expensive but worth it!! We all felt weird being in a real restuarant but it was way worth it. We will have to eat there when we come back.
I love you all soo much. Coinsedences dont exist. God.s hand does. Trust in him and do whats right and everything will come out right. I love you all sooo much thnaks for your love and support.
Elder Wilson

Pics to follow. Tim

Wilson and Price

Elder Price teaching piano

Elders Wilson and Price