23 November 2015 Letter

Hey everybody!

News!! Well, I got transferred to a new area and a new Stake. I am in the Santa Clara ward in the Vitarte Stake. It is the biggest stake here in the mission. There are 26 missionaries and like 10 or 11 wards. My ward has four Elders, so there are two companionships. We live in the same apartment building and it is a load of fun.

My new comp is Elder Escribano from Perù, Chiclayo. He is 20 and has 18 months in the mission. This is his third mission, as he has been reassigned, and had a few problems in his mission(s). I am here to help him, just as he is here to help me. I know I can learn a lot from him. He is a great guy and very spiritual.

The other Elders in the ward are cool too. Elder Birkeland from Orlando, Florida and Elder Flores from Arequia, Perù. I am still learning the area, how to get around, people's names and all that fun stuff. We eat breakfast in the room here and do all our own laundry which is time consuming but fun :)

This week we found a lot of new people to teach. This area is interestng. There are some normal parts. SUUUUUper poor parts and a rich part with a golf course. We haven't gone there yet and probably won't be spending much time there. We have a baptism this Saturday and hopefully another in a few weeks. Alex is 17 and has always accompanied the missionaries, is the son of a convert, but never wanted to be baptized. He was very cold on the subject. This past week, right before I got here they challenged him to baptism and he accepted! So now we are preparing him like crazy, teaching him every day so he can pass his interview this Thursday, even though we already know he will pass. He is a cool dude.

We are working hard because this ward is not very supportive. They just recently opened up my area so we don't have much. We are going to organize a bunch of activities and cool ideas to encourage the members and get them to help us out, 'cause no matter how good the missionaries are, if the ward isn't right there with them the whole time, it is suuuper hard, and even if some people get baptized, they will easily inactivate right after.

There is a lot of work to do here, but we are going to work hard.

Also, super funny thing - well 2.

1. a girl hugged me after a lessons where their whole family was crying in a first lesson when we knocked on their door tracting... I had no idea what to do.

2. My comp was comps with Elder Ysla in Arequipa, Perù while they were both waiting for their visas to leave the country. Elder Ysla served in our ward when I left on my mission. We are going to try to do a get together here in Lima! It is a small world!

Love you all. Thanks for the support.

Elder Wilcox

Elder Escribano, or as I sometimes call him:

Elder Escribaño

#ElderWes

16 November 2015 Letter

This week was rad because we actually went golfing this past Monday on a super nice course. I will try to send you pictures. In the week we were able to go to the temple with Erick and plan two marriages for two couples that we be married and then baptized. One of them is Norma and Juan, the Cajavilca parents, after so much hard work. The other is Max and Pamela (Pamela ya es miembro) [Pamela is already a member], a couple that has reunited after some drastic and miraculous changes and steps. This work is full of miracles, kinda like the New Testament, well... all of the scriptures.

I really don't know if I will be transfered. We saw President this week in our stake center and talked a bit. He only said, "We will see you too soon... maybe in the next week. Or maybe not. Who knows?" Thats helps me a lot. So I have just had the goal to work as hard as I can no matter what happens. I'll go where He wants me to go.

They will give us the transfers right after we all finish writing home. Darn Zone Leaders! So you will all have to wait to see what happens.

 Love you guys and I want to testify that I know this work is necessary and precious. It is very dear to me. My calling is one of the most important things to me apart from my very own mother. I know everything I do is blessing the lives of others. What greater joy could I possible feel?

Stay tuned!

Elder Wilcox

#ElderWes

9 November 2015 Letter

Well this week has flown by super fast. We worked super hard and have really seen the fruits. In the past weeks we have been able to "rescue" about four inactives from inactivity and are now coming every week after we taught them all the lessons and they were interviewed by Bishop Luis. We have also had an amazing baptism and have about four people with baptismal dates for the next transfer. I am content with my work here because I know I am giving my all and so I know that the Lord is also content with me.

We have transfers this next week so this could be my last transfer here. But the truth is that I really have no idea if I am staying or going. I have had impressions that I am staying and others that I am going. I really want to stay here because I love this ward and this area. Thanksgiving and Christmas are both in this next transfer and I would love to stay here for those holidays. This holiday season is interesting and it really is a bit difficult. Maybe we can find people 'cause they are with their families and all that stuff but lots of people use that as an excuse to not listen to us. We are just starting out but they are already selling Christmas stuff and it is getting hot again (yeah, weird, I know).

Something that I have really learned is that no effort is in vain. Every thing we do has consequences. Some are immediate, others take time, and others are eternal. I just heard about three people from my last ward in Portada del Sol that are getting baptized. The funny thing is that I found two of them and started the teaching and thought that they would never progress or that they weren't ready. Maybe I will be able to go back and see the baptisms but I am not sure. I know that planting that seed was my job and the reason I was in that area.

We can see this every day and I know this is an eternal principle. Nothing we do is in vain. The saying really sounds better in Spanish, "Ningun esfuerzo es en vano." There is probably a better translation for that. We have to do everything possible that we think or feel or are prompted we should do so that when we walk away (transfers), we are happy and the Lord is happy for us. I know this is true.

Love you all and thank you for the prayers.

Elder Wilcox

#ElderWes

27 October 2015 Letter

Okayy... So this past week was kinda cool.  We really didn't think that Erick would be able to be baptized last week 'cause he didn't have all the lessons but we were able to meet with him enough and he passed his baptismal interview on Friday and Saturday he was baptized.  It was really cool and he was already converted to the church before his baptism so I really am not worried about him falling away.  He seemed so happy the next day at church and he has already changed in the short time that I know him.  I will send pictures.

Also, another experience we had was on Sunday night (2 Sundays ago), a guy showed up to the church when we were supposed to have a lesson with Erick, but he didn't show up.  So we had the opportunity to teach Max, really we just talked with him.  He is the boyfriend of a less-active member named Pamela.  They have a 1-yr-old daughter and they have had problems before.  He told us through sobs that they had separated again (this was really the first time we talked to him) and that it was bad this time and how he just didn't want to lose his family.  That it was the only reason he was happy.  That he didn't know what to do and he just felt like the only other place he could go was the church.  We have been visiting him and his family and it doesn't look like they will be back to together, at least not for a long time.  But he has a baptismal date for the last week of the transfer and is really showing real intent and a sincere heart in wanting to change and repent. He isn't a bad guy, he really is a great guy, but it is inspiring to see the lengths he is going to to get his family back and to show his wife he can change.

I love being there for people when they need comfort, help or love.  I love helping those who need it.  I think of the beatitudes that Christ taught and how we can be so blessed for following them.  I feel a true happiness trying to be more like Christ and just doing what I think and feel he would do.

'Cause that's my job.

Thank you all and love you all.

Elder Wilcox

#ElderWilcox

19 October 2015 Letter

Buenos dias todos.

Well this week was pretty cool.  Something that happened during that last 3 or 4 weeks with Elder Cornejo is that we got so caught up in baptizing our investigators and taking them to the temple that we almost forgot that we had no others ready or close to being baptized.  So the last three weeks we had to look and look, contacting and knocking doors a lot.  It was really tough and we weren't too stoked about the work.  Now, Elder Altamirano has cheered me and the area up and we are preparing a baptismal service this Saturday for a 23-yr-old dude named Erick Silva.  He is super cool.  He just showed up to church one day.  And now he is making sacred covenants with our Heavenly Father.  We also have a few more with dates:  Nicol (17), Miguel (14), Yamer (18), and Cristian (17).  It is exciting.

We also watched this video that my comp has about the sacrament.  I am not sure what it is called.  [video title supplied in separate message:  'El Sacrificio y la Santa Cena']  Something like Sacrifices and the Sacrament.  It is kinda an old video but super cool.  It talks about the relationship between the sacrifices of old and the Sacrament.  It really made me treasure up more the sacrifice of the Savior and what the Sacrament really means.  I think about that video always in Sacrament mtg and it is amazing how I feel.

Erick is the one who hopefully will be baptized this Saturday.  He is 24 and a great guy.  Yesterday as we talked with him wondering why it had been so hard to find him to teach him, he told us he was way more busy at work now and it would be harder to teach him Monday-Friday.  We were both a bit bummed.  Then he told us it was because he had asked for a change of schedule at work where he would have to work way more in the week so that he could be sure he would get Sunday off every week.  I was frankly stunned and I think my comp too.  We hadn't even taught him Dia de Reposo [Sabbath Day].  It was so cool to see the change this dude is making in his life, even before we teach him.  The Spirit can make people change.  I know that for sure.  I love this Gospel and seeing the change it makes in people.

I love this work.  I love this Gospel.  I love you all.  I love everything.  Yes, even rice :)

Elder Wilcox




#ElderWes

12 October 2015 Letter

Well, this week was super cool!

First of all, we had transfers! Monday night, Elder Cornejo was able to say goodbye to a good amount of people.  A member from the YAS took us out to eat too.  That was a real treat!

Tuesday we went to transfers in La Molina to drop off Elder Cornejo and to pick up my new camp, Elder Altamirano.  He is 19, from Trujillo, Perù, loves sports and everything I like, has 10 months in the mission, and is our district leader.  Also, I now am the Zone English teacher which should be a blast and a good learning experience.

This week we worked super hard.  He is whipping me into shape.  We have been a few weeks now, like four, without anyone with a baptismal date but finally this week we have been able to find two guys who have committed to a date this 24th of October.  One is Cristian and the other is Erick.  They are 17 and 23 and are super cool.  If you could pray for them as well, that they can receive answers that they should be baptized, I know it would help, and make the difference.

I am really looking forward to this transfer and know we can do even more here in Ñaña.  Thank you all for your support.  And for your prayers.  I am gonna need them especially with this new assignment to teach English every week.  If you have any good ideas for learning or know good games to play, I am all ears.

Today we will play some soccer hopefully.  Pray for that too haha!!

Elder Wilcox

Elder Altamirano and me after the ward conference

The remainder of the photos are captionless:

#ElderWes

5 October 2015 Letter

Well, that was a super week.  Monday we did a gift exchange, watched Monsters University, and played soccer.  Way fun.  We only had three full days of work this week.  Two were occupied by General Conference.  I got to see every session, and all in my native language and live, which was a blessing.  More about the conference later...

Thursday we took a trip to the temple in the afternoon with Israel and Alicia, two recent converts who have been baptized in the past two months.  We had a great experience doing baptisms for the dead in the Lima temple and we got to be the witnesses while a member from the YAS accompanied us to perform the baptisms.  I saw that they really changed walking out of the temple, really understanding more about it and the Plan of Salvation, and the perfection in it.  I remembered how sacred and special the House of the Lord is and why we need to go there.

Our mission President always talks about how the goal is not baptism, but the temple.  I understand why now.  Baptism is only the third of five of the principles of the gospel.  Going to the temple to receive other saving ordinances and help others receive them is part of the last step - endure to the end!  Being able to not only help people receive a baptism, but also help them in the long process of enduring to the end is a miracle.

I love this work.  It is not the work of Baptism.  It is the work of Salvation.  I am really understanding and loving what Alma described as being an instrument in the Lord´s hands.  Or as someone described it in Conference: placing myself of the center of the potter´s wheel so He can mold and shape me, and helping others to place themselves of the center of the potter's wheel.

Love all you guys. I really do.

Elder Wilcox




#ElderWes

28 September 2015 Letter

Wow, busy past couple of weeks, but then again, every day here is super busy.  From the last week, like 2 weeks ago, I explained a bit about the highlights.  But we had a super fun English class where we played Jeopardy.  This week, I was in charge of English class, and we ended up playing a few games like charades and Pictionary.  It was a blast.

I think the coolest thing was when we went out to Huaycán with the new Elders and Sisters from the CCM (Missionary Training Center or MTC). I went out with 2 Elders.  They are both from Perú.  One is serving in his own country, and the other is going to Dominican Republic!  How cool is that?  Well, as we were there proselyting for a good 4 hours, they were just saying 'Hi' to everyone and walking with big old smiles on their faces.  I remember when I did my first in-field practice with Elder Manzanera over in Southern Lima.  We were so excited to be there and speak in Spanish and talk to people and just be missionaries.  I feel like that is something that a lot of missionaries lose.  I feel I have lost that enthusiasm a bit, just losing myself in the work, forgetting about my life.  I forgot how much of a difference it is to be here.  I had that contrast more a while back.  Yeah, maybe they didn't know too well how to answer questions or teach certain doctrines, and I had to help them, but they really helped me too.  I have set a goal to be more like that.  To be just more excited about my calling.  It isn't something I will ever have again.  I only have two years.  Well, I have already finished 1/3 of it!  I don't have much time to do my best.  I have to give it all and right now!

We all should have a better attitude about everything, realizing why we are here, having an eternal perspective.  This life also is only a short time.  And it determines, just like my time here, so much of the future.  Our future for us and for our families.  Our trials shall only be for a short time, and if we brave them well, we shall be lifted up in the last day!  I know that is a true promise.  We have to do our part so the Lord can do His!

Also, we had our stake conference last weekend, the 19th and the 20th.  My mission president and his wife go to every one in the whole year in all the 10 stakes in our mission.  A seventy came down.  It was super powerful.  Pres. Delgado, the first councilor in the stake presidency, spoke about how many times we think about how cool it would be to live in the times of Adam or Abraham, or Noah. How cool would that be though?  To see them and the things we only can read about in the Bible.  To see Moses part the Red Sea, to see Jesus performing his miracles, teaching to the multitudes.  To see Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery translating the plates, to cross the plains with some of the first Latter-Day Saints!  To live in any one of those time periods.  So amazing, right?

A few years ago, the church announced that it was time to accelerate and hasten the Work of Salvation here on the earth.  We have the biggest missionary force the world has ever seen.  We have the largest family history program the world has ever seen.  There are more members of the church today than there have ever been in the history of this world.  He said that Moses, Enoch, Adam, Abraham, David, Isaiah, Joseph Smith are probably up there looking down on us right now saying something like, "Man! I wish I could have lived in these times, when they hastened the work for real!  When they have over 85,000 full-time missionaries!  When the stakes of Zion were stronger than ever!  How cool would it be to live right now and be an instrument in the Lord's hands!"  We live in the Fullness of times!  We have all the tools accessible we have all things revealed unto us!  We live in an amazing time.

Put your shoulder to the wheel!  Push along!

Elder Wilcox

Multi-Zone Conference with Elder Godoy

Centro de Lima

#ElderWes