Sick puppies - 6.27.16

howdy yàll.
(i wonder how people would respond if i said that here..)

shoutout to my ADORABLE family of syd, david, &kira.. your pictures kill me. :)

randoms..
not all of the sewers here are covered. well be walking and all of a sudden, my nose is filled with a ..different smell.
vinto is known for having LOTS of water (i guess our shower is the exception:p) & LOTS of apples. happiness!
i found a pack of peanut M&Ms, apparently theyre celebrating 75 years. im currently eating them and they are DELICIOUS.
theres a lot of people who abandon their parents when their parents get old. they carry them to the hospital and leave them there. super crazy.

other random.. hna custode got the chicken pox, and so weve been home almost all week. tuesday we went to the district/zone meeting, then lunch, then called hna hansen and she told us to go to the clinic.. well, she had it, and itll be interesting to see who in the zone she contaminated haha. yesterday was the first day we were able to both leave the house.

HERMANA CUSTODE!!
is a sweetheart. shes from chimborazo riobamba ecuador. shes my "prima" in the mission (hna cruz trained her). she completed 9 months in the mission this week. she loves music. she doesnt like romance but she likes writing romance novels. shes a mix between my two friends back home, justina gray & ethan gates (shoutouts to you both, hope youre doing well!). shes a sweetheart, and a blessing. :)

funny moments
"were going to travel in the hermano- perdón! were going to travel in the brother´s car.." hna neiza
i think every zone in CBBA knows hna custode has been sick with the chicken pox.. oh grillos..
"sometimes i hide myself" hna custode (we were walking, and i looked around me, and couldnt find her, and then she appeared in front of me).

blessings
i found my bank cards! wahoo!
i heard from lots of people how well my dad did in his talk on sunday, and that i was mentioned. if you see my dad.. tell him how great of a man he is. <3
elder wilstead is in my zone! hes grown a lot in the mission and hes a great guy. he and i are the only ones left from our group now. perserveramos!
e cortez, our district leader, is awesome. i have a ton of respect for him. he teaches very well. he also went out of his way to talk to hna custode and help her feel comfortable.
wednesday, the capacitadoras (hna casique and hna fuenzalida) came and i was able to leave the house for a couple of hours. hna funezlida was in vinto about a year ago, so she showed me some of the people we can visit. super big blessing.
i cleaned the house! its a nice stress reliever and i feel good.
hna beltran called me because she "felt like i was sad". whether or not thats true i dont know, but she told me that her hijita gives hugs like me- "you can tell when she hugs you that she loves you." i didnt know my hugs were like that but it was sweet of her to say that and shes an awesome missionary.
i have a CD of music and with this DVD player, the DVD machine automatically opens the folders of music and the music never stops.. literally. we put it in after studies and it played all the way until it was time for bed. i love music!! (no syd, i still havent gotten  your package haha)
hna custode talks to me, almost nonstop. with others shes super shy but she completely trusts and loves me and thats a huge blessing.
she also is willing to accept corrections to her english. shes super humble about it and has the goal again to learn english. :) she pronounces the words SUPER well, almost without an accent. shes awesome.
children.. they love me. i dont know why but i can be in the same room with children and the look and see me and literally come running to me. they hug me, they smile, and it feels like they know me. its always something super precious to me. children are angels on earth, just without the wings. :o
hno cristian, our líder misional, asked me for suggestions in how we can improve the obra misiona & the class of principios del evangelio. it was nice to feel respected, and we put a few goals.
hna marcelo is a temple worker and member of barrio colcapirhua/jardin. ive never been in the same ward as him but ive seen him around a couple of times for being in the temple and because he was in the ward of hna silvano/hna cruz. apparently, he told my bishop here in Vinto that i am an EXCELLENT misssionary, and hes super lucky to have me in his ward. its an awesome feeling that the members are talking highly of me, because theres a ton of gossip here in CBBA but the members can see that im pure in my wishes to work. :)

MIRACLES...
baby miracle.. the very first day with hna custode, and i know (at least part of) the reason im her companion and what i need to help her with. i KNOW that companionships are inspired and that the Lord´s hand is always involved.

yesterday i asked the bishop for a blessing. ive asked every bishop for a blessing oncei get to a new area, for guidance etc. this bishop hasnt exactly been supportive to the misioneras in the past. if you are familiar with PME, the story in "working with members" is almost EXACTLY like the situation here- just add a few macanas, and you have it all. this area is a little herida. in the past missionaries were only sent here to "die" (when they were finishing the mission). theres lots of work to do! :)  BUT... back to the miracle..yesterday, the bishop thanked me. he told me that he has NEVER had a missionary come and ask him for a blessing. he told me he felt respected as my leader, and that he admires my desires to work hard and have the Lords support while doing it. he asked ME if there was anything HE could to do help.. he also offered to go on visits with us as long as we plan in advance.. it was awesome. it caught me by surprise completely, but im super grateful. i know that earning the bishops trust is key and that from there well be able to have success. :)

miracle number two... not to go into details, but one of my companions is now home, safe & in the arms of her loving family. i am SO proud of this companion. she has grown into such an incredible and strong person, a woman, and im honored to have the example of her in my life. <3 i know without a DOUBT that Heavenly Father loves His sister missionaries and is always with them. (DYC 84:88). <3

2 nefi 3:24
alma 40:11-12


were going to the temple thursday!! :) time to be spiritually re-filled & fed for the next three months! :)

may God be with you all and you all feel His infinite love...

--
Hermana Wilson

 papapapiñaa

hna custode has never played Uno before but shes already a professional and wins almost every time

  i fully plan on bringing chuño home for my family... made with feet... 

chachachachuño! 

 hijito de hna mikaela (MA), boris. hes SUCH a cutie.

 hna call.. i love her haha. she reminds (&looks) a TON like my friend stefani smith

 (love you mujer. <3 )

June 20, 2016

randoms..
hna ururi is STRONG. her punches are like rocks haha.

funny moments
"i think its better if we just bring the pizza over here.." hna brady
"the night before i left for the mission i went to my friends house and gave him a BOM and told him to read it. he asked me what was in it. and i thought.. PUCHA.. id like to know. " e Johnson
"what time of fun is it? bc my type of fun is... different" I. Brayan Perez Felipe

blessings...
ex-elder preslar told me that my sisters voice sounds exactly like mine. :) syd... youre a superhero to me. i love you. <3
hna patricia, investigadora, accepted to be baptized the very first lesson. shes definitely prepared. <3
h ururi shared with me how she felt about her family, etc... i was super happy she trusted me to open up. i cant change the situation but it makes a difference knowing someones there for you.
we had a lesson with hno jhalmar and hno adriel about the restoration & the sacerdocio. the spirit was strong and we put goals with them to prepare themselves to recieve the priesthood. when we asked when we could return, jhalmar said "mañana?" so awesome. before, the familia crespo escaped from us.. now, they WANT us to come and teach them.. <3
in a different lesson with hno jhalmar, he was passing through a difficulty but didnt feel comfortable sharing what it was. i opened my scriptures and shared a couple of verses with him. at the end of the lesson, he told me that i had said what he needed to hear, and i had answered his question-without knowing. the spirit is definitely a real thing and it definitely can lead us to the asnwers the people need.
hno sergio went on visits with us. he was an awesome example in teaching with inspired questions. it was amazing to see how he helped teach the investigator with almost just questions, and how he was able to find the doubts of the people through questions. its definitely an inspired way of teaching.
in teaching about Noah, i learned more about God´s love for His children. He always provdides a way for us, we just need to listen.
Bishop Delgado didnt want me to leave the area. he was surprised i was already leaving because all of the missionaries that get sent to tiquipaya always stay for 6 months. he thanked me for my service and i felt his love and respect. <3 its one thing to have the members realize your service, but another thing completely for the Bishop to love &want you to stay.
saturday was great. hna litzi got baptized, for one. shes a true convert. she has a super strong testimony. it was a beautiful service. she was super nervous. it was something beautiful in helping her feel calm before the service. i know for a fact God was speaking to her through me.
after the baptism we had the ward activity, Sueño de Lehi. it was such a great activity. :) we set up the "iron rod" (string) and led them to the tree of life. but there were rods that branched off of the rod, and misleading voices.. it was super funny to see who went were. the bishop and his wife got to the tree of life, but not their kids. :p it bonded the families and bonded the ward. at the end of the activity hno eduardo mollinedo told us that this is the first ward activity hes felt the spirit and truly enjoyed himself, and he knows that everyone else did too. :) we had an awesome turnout of MA, Is, and members. :)
hno eduardo came up to me later that night after hearing i was going to be transferred (we got transfer calls early bc of bloqeous outside of CBBA) and asked if it was true. i said yes, and he got teary eyed. he thanked me for my service and everything ive done to help the ward and the people of Tiquipaya. it shocked me. i almost never talked to him, and it surprised me that he thought so highly of me and noticed what I did.. but he definitely did, and i got tears in my eyes too. im so thankful for him. he now has one year as a member and is one of the wards true two converts. hes an awesome leader and is going to continue helping a lot of people.
we left the activity in tears, after a little incident that happened in offending a member.. it broke our hearts.. but an hour later, we got a call from that member asking us for his apology. he told us he loved us, and he was sorry. i have NEVER heard him say "te quiero" to ANYONE, not even his wife/family. it was a humbling and sweet experience.
sunday, eduardo duran was in the capilla before i was. saturday night i gave my testimony to the family duran that THIS is the true church, and the have DIVINE potential, and they should continue in their way back to their Savior.. and sunday, almost all of them came. :)
the lesson in relief society sunday was on the Lost Sheep. they passed out sheep to the sisters and had them write the name of a MA, close their eyes, and think in that sister/lost sheep. in front of the room, the teacher, hna urui and i sang the himn about lost sheep. i CRIED. the MAs in tiquipaya, and the CRs that dont come/have the support they should have, are a super soft spot in my heart. but at the end, i bore my testimony on the importance of going and rescuing the lost sisters. that i can feel the love our Heavenly Father has for them, and that they should pray to have that same love and do something about it. i bore my testimony of the family of God. i dont remember what else i said but the sisters left with tears in their eyes and committed to do the work. ojala que hacen caso.
it was an interesting experience getting cambios and knwoing i was leaving. i had time to say goodbye to the ward. after church we took LOTS of pictures. almost every single member came up to me and said goodbye and thanked me for my love and help. it was incredible to hear from members who i had no idea i had an influence on them.. it definitely made me realize that people are ALWAYS watching me, and that yes, i am helping them. i felt so much love from the members.


milagros..
1hna burnham (from the CCM) is in the ward with Hna Urui´s family. i gave her their information and shes going to look them up. :) such a small world but it tells me that He is always aware of His children. <3

2e garcia, h ururi, h males, e macas shared their testimonies in ENGLISH in the last zone meeting.. it was so powerful. the mistakes werent even noticed, the Spirit was too strong it overpowered everything else. theyre such examples to me of strength and faith. <3

3i had time to say goodbye to Lourdes. we had a lesson, ended, and it wasnt until after the closing prayer the tears left my eyes. i know without a doubt she is one of the people i was meant to find here in Tiquipaya. we sat there on the floor of the chapel and i cried and she held me. just hearing her heartbeat is a miracle. she could easily be dead, but she isnt. shes alive. shes strong in the church now. shes an angel. <3

4marcelo garcia was brought to the doctor, and he is getting FREE treatment. he has suffered for YEARS of a strong case of epilepsy. hna innocencia couldnt even leave the house bc he could never be left alone. BUT, now he has the right medication/dosage and he hasnt had a single seizure in two weeks (before it was every other day, every two days, and a week of recuperation). hna innocencia is going to be able to go to church now. :) it is truly a MIRACLE and i have so much joy for this family. i know that God is pleased with hna innocencia and her faith to come back to church and read the LDM everyday and He is answering her pleas. <3 it testifies to me that its true what Elder Holland says about blessings ALWAYS coming to the faithful, just maybe not when we expect them.

5when we were waiting to change companions at the church, i was talking to another missionary on the sidewalk. all of a sudden, a motorcycle that was passing slipped and the father, mother, and little child (age 2?3?) fell and skidded. my feet moved before i realized, but in a second i was there at the crash scene. i had a rush of adrenaline and lifted the motorcyle and juan crespo had the same reaction and lifted the woman and her child to safety before the trufis and other cars killed them. it was incredible that we were there right when they needed us. it all happened before i had time to register, but it was definitely another miracle from a loving Father in Heaven.

when it comes right down to it.. it hurt to leave Tiquipaya, its my favorite area, ward, and bishop so far.. but i know that I fulfilled what the Lord asked of me, to "leave the area better than i found it." i know that theres going to be at least 3 rescues this month, and even more baptism within the next two.. i know the people are in great hands with hna ururi, and in the Lord´s as well. <3

its incredible to me the experiences i can go through in just such a short time. i know that the Lord is shaping and molding me into the person He wants me to be. some lessons are more easily learned than others but I´m learning everyday and so incredibly grateful to have this opportunity to serve Him and His children. <3

--
Hermana Wilson

 obra misional at the tree of life! :) 

(with.. one random investigator that wanted to be in the foto with us.)

BARRIO TIQUIPAYA. <3 they truly became like a family to me. 

(taken after the ward activity, Lehís Dream)

henry& andrea gutierrez, edwin duran, e tatum, juan crespo, hna wilson, hna ururi, eduardo mollinedo, hno rocha, limber duran, e obregón, jhalmar crespo

oscar garcia, familia gutierrez, hnas tiquipaya, judith & sarai garcia

  a service project way back when with the familia crespo, shown is margarita and jhalmar

la hermana is hermana litzi, conversa of the elders but SUPER strong woman and has a STRONG testimony. :) 

june 6

randoms
three worst smells in the world (in order) are 1, places where chickens are bred 2, dead bodies and 3, coca- ive met them all here in the mission.
i have made it through the mission with one year-free of joining the brownie club
when people guess what country im from (besides the US) i have heard: brazil, italy, england, canada, colombia, and peru (just kidding, i havent heard peru, but just one month more of improvement on my spanish and ill be there)

funny moments
"i dont like this church! im never coming back!" -some random teenager that came to the ward starting the fast together, he participated in the fast and was too scared to eat anything even though he was super hungry bc he thought he would be cursed.
"maybe this time shes going to let us milk her cows!" -hna wilson "NO! im going to pee myself!" hna ururi
papito said that when im going home, the plane isnt going to  be able to take off because ive gained so much weight. :p

blessings
hna brady gave me an attachable hippie braid for my hair on my one year mark bc im her "argentinan hippie". :) love that woman.
i flet the spirit super strong studying the talk on consegrated missionaries. it was awesome to see my progress and im super animated to improve even more. it was also fun to look at the areas to improve and see the strengths of my past companions and to see what each of them helped me with. i think hna ururi has helped me with them ALL.
we got lost in montesillo, a dangerous part of our area, but nothing bad happened to us even when we were coming down the mountain in the dark.
hno jose gives free soup to people who dont have food. <3
 i gave the lead to hna ururi in planning for the next week, and it was awesome. i had something brought to my mind or heart and knew its what the person needed or the action we needed to take, but i didnt say anything, i just waited for hna ururi.. and each time, she said the exact same thing that the spirit told me. it was awesome seeing the she truly does work by the spirit, and that we can both be in tune in our trio with Him.
i wrote on the back of a foto of the temple for juan and meri crespo, and i was FILLED with the spirit. i know that God loves them and wants this temple marriage &sealing for them. the trick is getting them inside.
the baptism of the bishops son, fernando, was simple but super beautiful and filled with family. juan crespo and the familiy duran were there as well. :) the bishop invited us to their family luncheon afterwards, and i felt the love of the bishop. he respects us and is grateful for us in the ward.
on our way home, we ran into eduardo maraza. he tried to hide his tears from me but i know him too well and im in tune to those kinds of things. it was a miracle we found him, i know it was God´s will, and it was beautiful to see him leaving with a smile on his face. that kid has the world on his shoulders, but i know without a doubt his Father in Heaven is well aware of him.

blessings & miracles
1 we found hna damiana fuentes! (CR that never comes to church). she is officially not working anymore in the bakery, which means she has time to be visited and time to go to church on sunday. :) its a sad story how it happened but its a blessing in disguise.
2 i had a view of heaven. not literally, dont tell my mission president im talking apostasy.. but on monday night in the group- family home evening and sunday at church, it was FILLED with people we´ve been teaching and visiting- Lourdes, the familia duran, the male members of the crespo family, sein, etc.. asi is how i want to be in heaven. with everyone. in one place. seeing them interact, with a smile on their face, and participating of the blessings of this gospel.. it just warmed my heart, and reminded me of my interview in the CCM when E. Hansen told me that people are going to run to me from the other side of the veil and thank me for helping them and their families come to the Gospel.

i know this church is true and i know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ unites us as one big family of Him, filling our hearts with His love and Holy Spirit. i know im here in bolivia searching for my lost brothers and sisters and i know that with His guidance i´ll find and bring them back to His loving arms.

alma 34:35-38
luke 18:18
mosiah 4:10
Dyc 28;16, 12:8, 24:7-9
alma 349:4,9
gal 6:9
3 nephi 27:21m27

te cuidas!
HERMANA wilson

perdóname

aaalrighty, ive slacked on these emails.

ill send this week´s email next week before i forget the last two (or is it three?) but what you CAN know from this week is:

i left hna ururi (who is now a capacitadora, YES!) in tiquipaya and am now in Vinto, zona quillacollo, estaca... ALMAMOS! (my first stake <3 SUPER excited to see everyone in stake conference). my area is HUGE, it is kilometro 15-22 and both sides of blanco galindo with the two cerros included. it used to be three separate areas but now its just us. were the only hnas in our entire zone. my comp is hna custode (second hija of hna cruz). its awesome because we were already friends so that takes out the step of getting-to-know-your-comp & we can just get right down to buisness. :) i have 6 weeks to learn the area bc hna custode is leaving. elder wilstead, from my grupo, is in my zone, so thats a positive. it broke my heart to leave tiquipaya but the ward showed me so much love and i have peace because i know im leaving the area better than i found it and in great hands (hna ururi, possibly the best sister missionary i know.)

trying to keep an open mind & a smile on my face. thank you for all of your support!! :)

te amo muchisimooo, (la vacita)

--
Hermana Wilson

 salteñas as a distrito omni

rocking our district shirts. :) 

 NDH with grupo familiar- familias garcia, vidaurre, duran, & crespo (not present)

 we had a baptism! ....not. but the bishops son, fernando, got baptized. :) 

(obispo delgado, lirio, hijos favio y fernando)

 one of the worst smells in the world.... POLLOS...... 

25 mandarinas for 8 bolivianos, :) 

 dont take 2 jovencitas at the same time... they giggle the entire time.. 

enjoy your piña hna cruz. :) she dies this week.. 

 hna brady decided to come to the zone meeting matching me. :)

 its muscle... not fat... 

 you lift me uuuuuup....!

bamboo fights. they happen

 remember when i said tiquipaya is beautiful?

 loving my companion, the work, and life in general

 she made me one-year breakfast. :) 

burnt my holy socks.. skirts are too precious & hard to find to burn. 

we DESTROYED that garbage can, the fire got huge haha

 hna jhuly vidaurre. :) shes awesome, i love her with my heart. :) 

just part of the duran family

  hermanas have POWER! (&so does the LDM). more sister missionaries.. PLEASE put your papers in! its crazy how little we have in the mission now! we only get one hermana cada cambio!

hna valia jimenez. <3 

 elder rivera! de chile! hes in alamos now but still an awesome elder! 

hna ipanaqué is training, round 3! hna oliveros, 

shes AWESOME. i like my hermanita already. :) 

 walking home estrella. :) 

hnita alejandra duran. :) so precious

puppy love. SHES HUGE NOW

 hna mishel pakar is going to COLOMBIA!!! whoo! shes going to be AWESOME

hna mishel and prima pakar (our pensionista of a week, shes an angel)