To Bolivia & Beyond! : 7.11.16

Randomcitos!! (hows that for spanglish stormii? Haha)

I saw the first topknot in over a year today. Why do those exist?
Hermana custode has family from Italy and shes probably going to go live there after the mission (family problems) and so I have a place to stay as well and perhaps I will have a free ticket as well. :)))) dreams DO come true. <3
speaking of hna custode.. shes going to ask permission to change her placa to say "hermana ñauñay", her moms last name instead of her dads last name (custode). so... have fun saying that one, momma. :) haha
Theres lots of old railroad tracks in (part of) our area, I like to follow them . :)
The only places in CBBA with air conditioning are the movie theatre and the MORMON TEMPLO (ganamos)
When 9/11 struck, they showed it on all of the televisions here. 2 bolivians died.
the people here dont respect the bolivian flag like they do with the US flag in US
Evo has a sign/salute…
Its only been 5 years since Boliva (CBBA por lo menos) has had religious freedom. It used to be required for people to be baptized and confirm catholic, everywhere. Our mission leader told us about how he had to do it too. Theres lots of schools and high schools that are taught by nuns here.
We have zone conference Friday! Im super excited but itll be sad to hear my trainor´s last testimony (hna ipanaqué). Elder Ortega, hna jonovich, and elder robbins are also going to be giving their goodbyes. Its crazy to think that the next zone conference itll be me…. So weird…

Funny moments
1“wow my placa is dirty.. a ver… can you read ´la iglesia de ..´?” yo
“no” h custode
“pucha.” Yo
“but… tampoco, i cant read hermana Wilson. I need my glasses.” H custode
2 when presidente and hermana hansen were visiting viazon, the people went up to hna hansen (they had a trip planned in 2 weeks for the temple) "hna hansen......will you make us cookies???". shes country-famous. :)
3 "check out her pants" yo
"hey, might as well take advantage while you stilll can" h custode
"as in before she [etneres the temple]?" yo
"exactly" hna custode
4 "i always told my grandma i only wanted a little bit (of food).. and she always gave me a MONTON" h custode
5 "this is way too much energy for me... i was always the type of guy that said óh theres a party going on over there? yeah better if we just stay home" e robbins
6 "were going to go to the stake camp 2 times each year now!" pres castro de estaca alamos
(screaming from the MMJJ and HHJJ)
"freak... if someone told me i had to go to scout camp two times each year, id be so mad.." e robbins
7 "are the members goign on visits with you?" hno jorge de estaca
"no.. once in a while" zona QC
"ah, si.... once in a mes" hno jorge (sounds better in spanish, sorry)

blessings

hna cicotte sent me about 3 separate emails last week. I LOVE YOU. <3
a member left to go on visits with us for the first time since ive been here! whoo!
even though i was alone in the mission home while hna custode had her interview with presidente hansen, i didnt feel scared or uncomfortable. theres such a special spirit in the mission home. its the only place besides the temple im okay alone.
looking at old fotos of missionaries who have already gone home in the mission home... theres been so many that have truly had a lasting and forever impact on me and im grateful for their examples (i wont say names but you know who you are. <3)
when we were leaving the mission home pres hansen shook my hand and all of a sudden got this super concerned look on his face "hna wilson i should have asked, are you doing okay? do YOU need anything?" it caught me off guard and i told him no kind of embarassed. but i felt his love for me and so that was a nice moment.
papito was in my temple session and offered the prayer. :) it was super special having him there and his prayers are always so sincere and humble. i didnt get to say hi to him but he gave me a nod and a smile and i returned the smile and that was enough,.
hno marcelo made me a placa that says misión bolivia CBBA and a scripture on the back! its so pretty! and its free! :)) probably goign to be my favorite recuerdo from the mission.
h custode, if she hears or sees i need anything she IMMEDIATELY gives it to me, etc. shes super aware of me and is quick to help. its way she expresses her love.
im getting better and redirecting the topic when it gets off topic in lessons
hna lopardo sent me a package from tupisa (with toddy hee hee) and in her note said i changed her world, thanking me.. it was super special and humbling to read. I LOVE YOU HNA LOPARDO!
we talked about the expiacion in the zone meeting and looked up scriptures and formed inspired questions to go along with it, and the spirit was super special and strong. president is inviting us to teach more about the atonement, what it really is, and help the people feel that same spirit to progress towards baptism and be true converts. i think thats what vinto needs.
president castro me saludó with a smile and even though he didnt say anything i know he forgives us and was asking an apology.
hna neisa made us bread with cheese in the middle and DANG it was good, even when in the morning it was infested with ants.. i hate ants.. thank you for the fact were changing houses, again..
hno marcelo came to our correlacion and is such a great leader and example of happiness and being positive. im super grateful i have this opportunity to work with him. :)
i made a suggestion in consejo de barrio and the bishop and other leaders looked at me and said "wow. that was definitely the spirit talking. thank you hermana." and i know they respected and accepted it, something that isnt always there.
my prayer was answered in a way i wasnt expecting to earn the confidence of the bishop&/ward.. he called us sunday morning and asked us to give talks. we did, and hopefully their hearts were touched.
when alvincito spilled the orange juice all over the table and kitchen i just jumped from my seat and helped neisa clean and then hna custode and i did the dishes and we just kind of didnt give her the option to stay upset, and she was happy again. service works, friends.

miracles and highlights
1the stake MMJJ/HHJJ camp was this week! we went as missionaries to recieve them coming home because there were 21 investigators who went on the 3 day trip (8 from vinto!!!!) and guess who i saw?! HNA ARLETE, my investigator from la floresta! hna custode has the picture but pucha. i ran to her and didnt let go of her for at least 3 minutes, shes one of my favorites and i was so happy to see shes still participating. :)
2 all of wednesday. we went to the temple and i think i learned more this trip than any other time ive gone to the temple. it was incredible and i had experiences ill never forget. i also had the most stressful taxi ride of my LIFE getting there. he got to our house 40 minutes late, drove incredibly slow, didnt know how to get there, and we had to backtrack. i dont think ive prayed so hard in a long time, maybe all my life that wed get there on time.. and guess what? we arrived 6:14 am (we had to be there by 6:15, session at 6:30).i felt like heavenly father was probably laughing at me.. "esta niña.. tranquila.. vas a llegar". that, and inside the temple as well, and other experiences from that day, showed to me that He never is far from us. even if we feel alone.. He is always there and He will always bless us with His mercy and love. i felt so much love from above, and i didn´t even realize i needed it, but i did and it was such a tender mercy. i also realized that the celestial kingdom (or salon celestial while still here on earth) is the ultimate goal and it really doesnt matter what happens along the way to get there. the peace we will have there, and the joy we will have in the presence of God the Father and the Son , will be incredible and we will literally forget all of the trials and pains and sicknesses beforehand. it was special waiting for and being there with hna custode, and i hope to have each and every one of my companions, converts, family members, etc there with me. THAT will be heaven, will my loved ones in the presence of un AMOROSO Padre Celestial...
3i had a literal "predicar en el camimo" moment yesterday. we were walking from church to the pension and we ran across the first part of blanco galindo and were waiting in the middle divider gap when a woman and her hijito and ice cream cart ran and joined us in the gap. there between passing semi trucks she asked if i was from a church and i explained who i was and why i was here in bolivia. finally we were able to cross and we continued talking with her but in a more private and peaceful setting and she shared with us that her husband passed and she often finds herself without hope or desires to continue on, she so sad and struggles providing for her 4 kids. i felt the power of the Spirit testify to her through me that she WILL see her husband again and there is hope to be together as a family forever gracias to our Savior Jesus Christ. when we left her she had a glow in her eye and a smile on her face. its incredible that He can put us right where He wants us and if we choose to open our mouths and share this message, miracles happen and lives are changed. i dont think i or any other missionary will ever regret opening my mouth and sharing this message to one of His children.
4 during the sacrament, i realized that THIS is the highlight and the miracle of every week. how often do i mention highlights and miracles that have happened in my week, but how many times do i mention the sacrament? i think i and everyone, sometimes we forget how truly special it is to take the pan and agua each week. pondering my Savior, i felt once again the power and love of His eternal sacrifice and un gratitud imenso for Him. i promise that anyone who takes the time to truly ponder and reflect during the sacrament Jesus Christ and is Atonement will have a powerful confiermation of the Spirit and feel His love.

i know this is the true Church. i know He lives. He is the message of hope i carry in my heart every day.

te cuidas,
HERMANA Wilson.

juan 21:17
juan 7:17
DyC 18:10-16

--
Hermana Wilson

i love to see the temple...

day or night, no importa

I LOVE HERMANA CUSTODE. :)

zona quillacollo! :) (thank you hna hansen for helping us not be attacked in a foto with demasiado elderes)

back row: elder van skyhawk (yes thats his real last name) , e fernandez (brazil), e wilstead (everywhere), e riquette (colombia), e crosby (utah), e robbins (also utah), e risco (peru), pres hansen (CA)

front row: e mondaque (santa cruz bolivia), e cortez (ecuador, LD) e tovar (lima) h custode (ecuador) hna wilson (CA) e coloma (chile) e cortez (peru) hna hansen (CA)