week 45

This week was a miracle. Our president has always said, ¨One day, missionary work will come to the point where people come knock on our doors and ask us if they can be baptized.¨

This week as we walked to an appointment we had a little old lady stop us and ask us, Excuse me, Are you missinaries? 

Yes, we are, we share a special message about Jesus Christ.

Will you please come to my house and teach me?

..... Yes of course we will. 

Her house smelled of cigarrettes and coffee, not a good sign, but then again, she let us in. I couldnt complain. We explained our purpose, sang a hymn, and said a prayer and began talking with her. We let her know that her loved ones were resting in paradise if they had done well in this life to follow Jesus Christ, we explained how Jesus Christ was baptized. She said, Dont worry, I was baptized as a baby, along with all my children and grandchildren, but I have stopped going to the catholic chruch due to a lot of hipocritical leaders I have seen. 

We explained again what we meant by baptism, emphasizing the way Christ was baptized, by authority and immersion. She said, Do I need to be baptized again? If you tell me I need to, I will. I dont doubt anything you two tell me, i know you are sent from God. 

Leticia accepted the invitation to be baptized the 15th of august. It was a miracle. then on sunday, Leticia came to church with us, we explained that if she felt, she too could share her testimony and that today, was fast and testimony meeting. She gladly stood up, walked to the pulpit and shared with everyone how God answers prayers. It was absolutely Incredible. 

Also, Our family, 3 of the 4 have accepted a baptismal date for the 15th of august and the 14 year old is at FSY ( efy for mexico) right now for the whole week, the ward got him excited to go and he said, yeah why not, so he is currently being mormon brainwashed by a bunch of crazy efy conselors! haha but in a good spiritual brainwashing kind of way. We  are hoping he comes back excited for baptism. 

Our zone is doing awesome and we have 12 batpisms planned as a zone for the same night. Its going to be a noche blanca, a white night.  August 15, my companion and I are responsible for 6 of those. It should be a very special couple of weeks. A big problem right now for two of those investigators is quit smoking. Keep those fighting this terrible addiction in your prayers that they can have a testimony stronger than their addiction. 

I love you all, If you have any questions i will be here a tiny bit longer

Elder Jacob Wilson

pitajaya fruit. I dont know if it tastes good but I think this is what starbursts are made out of. 

my zone 

week 44

This week we had the incredible blessing of finding a family of 4 who are ready and prepared for the gospel. We found the momma on Tuesday, she said she felt a tranquility and peace as she spoke with us, we taught the family on Saturday, they all accepted the baptismal invitation, and They all four came to church on Sunday. This has been a miraculous gift from the Lord. Also, this week we found an old man that has been to church many times, but never got baptized, and a young man (13) who prayed to know if he should be baptized and got the clear answer. yes. We are hoping to have 8 people ready to be baptized on the 15th of august. If not all 8 at least 7 of them appear to be really really well prepared. My companion and I are really excited for all the blessings we have been recieving and the opportunity to teach all of these wonderful people. As a zone we have planned to have about 14 people getting baptized on the 15th of august, its going to be a Noche blanca in Valsequillo. It should be a great experience. But we have a lot of work to do to make sure all these people are ready to make the covenent of baptism. 

News: Next month, August, is the same month in which I will be coming home. I saw that My generation is scheduled to go home around august 29th. THATS CRAZY! it seems like the time is going by very quickly. The weeks and days are long, but the months are going by fast. 

Other news: we had a great week, and I dont really have any other knews. 

Thanks everybody for your emails, and Grandma Carol, thank you for the money you sent me a while back, I am using it tonight to buy dominos pizza. 

Love you all 

Elder Jacob Wilson

ps I have pics but I left my camera at home... sorry. next week

Sorry

Sorry everyone I had a baby and got way behind. By the end of the week this blog will be updated.

Week 43

My assignment as zone leader is exhausting, but its fun being able to go anywhere in the zone. This week we had two great investigators, Oscar and MariCarmen. They are both really excited and progressing well. I still dont know if Jazmin ever got baptized. I am hoping she did. If not, she will very soon. This week we had Interviews with President Stellmon, He is the best. I love that man. He is so funny, and he is always joking, but then he gets really spiritual and serious when its appropriate. I hope you guys can all meet him one day. He was talking to me about my goals, we need to have goodgoals, otherwise life is just a big tv and xbox and chips and soda, A lot of fun, but you dont really get anywhere and you dont get anything done. My goals now are to get my whole zone to have high, make-you-stretch-until-it-hurts kind of baptismal goals. We are in Mexico after all. People here are prepared and religiously minded. I am in one of the zones that is very easily satisfied. One baptism and yeah coke and tacos for everybody. but we need to get everyone excited and working and putting high, faith testing goals. My companion and I are trying to put the example. Our goal for right now is 5. Find teach and Baptize five people that the Lord has prepared for us. Also next month is the Mexico city temple open house, I cant imagine a better place for an investigator to feel the spirit, and then get baptized, and then Participate in the rededication in september. That is my personal goal. I want to have a family of converts that can participate in the rededication of the very building where they can be sealed together for eternity. That would be epic. It sounds like Emily is getting really close to having her baby, Cant wait for another picture avalanche on my email 😂 Baby henry is looking good, he looks alot like his super handsome uncle. I am regretting that I cut my hair because it is cold here. I wore a sweater this week. In mexico. In July. Its not cool. It has been raining every afternoon for about a week. Not much else, everything is going good and tomorrow I have to give a zone training with my companion and the Hermana Trainers in our zone. Should be a good first try. I love you all and have a great week! Elder Jacob Wilson Throw back monday... sorry everybody, I didnt take any new pictures except the one of the picture on my door. 😁

Week 42

I got sent back to the city!! My new companion is Elder Peñaloza from Tijuana and we are the zone leaders of Zona Valsequillo, the wealthiest zone in the mission. It is a huge change, the weather is a lot nicer here in puebla and it actually gets a little chilly at night. My sweaters are getting lots of use again along with my long sleeve shirts. My new house is super fancy compared to my last one and I have an oven so I will probably make cookies real soon again. I havent heard if Jazmin got baptized in Atencingo but she should have been baptized on Saturday. I have been really humbled and am really grateful for my new opportunity to serve but I am not a fan of the new schedule. I dont get to sleep quite as much and the other day we had a meeting that started at 6 am. I had to wake up at 4 to get showered and leave by 5 to get there on time. That sucked. But my zone is really great, and the Elders and Sisters here are working really hard and are really great. Also we have real american restaurants in my new area, burger king, carls jr. krispy kreem doughnuts, dominos pizza. Its almost like I am back home haha. But I have to be careful not to waste all my money because It goes really fast in the city. Last week I got a haircut in atencingo because it is hot there but here in the city I wish my hair was long again because now I am getting cold. In july. In mexico. This is ridiculous, I am going to die when I go back to Utah. 

All my friends are doing great in their missions, and Elder Scott still writes me to tell me he stil isnt married and next month he will be living in provo so find him and take him out to dinner in august.

My suit is getting abused now because I have to wear it alot more as zone leader so I might need to get a new one soon but there is a really fancy italian clothing store here so I am not worried and I will look super cute in a european cut suit. 

This week we had an investigator in church named daniela casanova and she is doing great. She said she really liked sacrament meeting but had to leave after and couldnt stay for the other hours (like one of my brothers I know..) But everything is great and I am feeling really happy and healthy and ready to serve the people of puebla. pic of my haircut in carls jr eating real american fast food. haha I ate a breakfast burrito.... and the view from my window

Love you all 

Elder Jacob Wilson

Week 41

Dear Family,

I found out last night that tomorrow I will recieve a change of area and companion. I dont know where or with whom, but I will let you all know next monday! I am excited for a new assignment, Elder Case and his future companion will do great and will take good care of this area and have lots of success. The baptism we had scheduled was changed to next saturday, all is well, she just had a family issue and asked to move the baptismal service to next week. I learned a great lesson this week. 

I was calling a sister in the ward to see if she would be able to accompany us to a lesson with an investigator and her 5 children, I accidentally called another sister in the ward with the same number who happens to be less active right now. I panicked and just put an appointment with her not knowing what to say to this less active sister. I was kind of dreading the lesson due to the family drama she had brought up in the last lesson and her husbands completley apathetic attitude. Also, I didnt want to be in a members house on a Sunday afternoon with so many investigators we could be teaching. But I decided to try not to be too pessimistic. This specific sister had been praying that the Lord would help her, but nothing had come. Until I accidentally called her, she decided that was the Lords answer to her prayer. We started talking with her and she explained her frustrations with her husband and how he didnt want to go to church and he wanted to drink and he wanted to enjoy his youth. She is only 20 and her husband is 17. Both converts to the church. The sister told us how her greatest desire is to go to the temple, but she cant because her husband is not worthy. She explained how she saw her older sister leave the temple after being sealed and her face was different. She asked her sister what was in there, what is it like? Her sister told her she couldnt say because it wouldnt be right, she needed to experience it for herself, she need to see for her self the beautiful temple. This sister with tears in her eyes explained how the only thing she wants in the world is to go inside and see all the beautiful lights and crystals and to recieve the blessings of the temple and be sealed to her daughter and husband. I told this sister, the Lord would provide a way. I then asked her Hermana, have you done absolutely everything you can to get your husband worthy to go to the temple? Is there anything else you can try? She told me yes, I then promised her, Hermana, if you do those things, if you can check off the last plans and go to the Lord and tell him you have done ALL THAT YOU CAN! He will make miracles happen so you can go into the temple with or without your husband. We cannot make him be righteous, but we can do our part, we can do all we can, and then only then, only after doing all you can, we Can ask the Lord to help us. I promised her she would go to the temple one day if she continued to be worthy in spite of those around her. She told me she would drag her husband as far as he would let her. She promised to do all she can. I hope you can all see the wonderful blessings of the temple, and the importance they have in the lives of saints everywhere. I hope you remember this sister and her determination to go just one time to see the beautiful lights and crystals of the temple so she can know what lies behind those sacred walls. What really was significant to me was the fact this woman lived in a two room house with her mother, brother, daughter father and husband. They all slept in one and had the kitchen in the other. Her house was full with all their Liahona magazines, and the humble home was just cinderblock with a tin roof. I imagined how absolutely amazed this sister would be to walk into the celestial room and to see how beautiful, clean, and incredibly well made the temples of God really are. A temple, at least for her, would truly be a heavenly refuge that her own home will never be. I hope you all can feel the importance of temples and make goals to go and dwell and work in the house of the Lord. I know you all are doing great. Are you doing ALL THAT YOU CAN to get to the house of the Lord? so that the lord can make miracles happen?

I love you all 

Elder Jacob Wilson

Week 40

Hey family, baby salchicho is cute. But he needs to open his eyes more or they are going to stay like that and I am going to have to give him a new nickname like happoness or cheeno. But megan and tyler rice, bien hecho. Esta bien bonito su nuevecito bebe. I hope everyone has had an awesome week. This week was one of the slowest hardest weeks I have had in Atencingo but still a really good one. We found our family of 5 after having lost them for a week, turns out they went to a mormon fathers day activity in another city nearby while vistiting family. They loved it and now want to get baptized even more. We also still have planned to baptize Jazmin the 4th of July. America!! Elder Case and I have had lots of success, we have about 15 investigators that could potentially progress to baptism, they just are having a hard time progressing. But I know that the work here is moving along well and that this branch will one day be its own stake. I just hope I can help that move along. The members here are great and they have been taking really good care to watch over Arlette and Miguel since their baptisms. Miguel gave a talk on faith on sunday haha he didnt know how to end it so he just said thats my talk, and thats all thanks. haha it was good so I just yelled amen and then the Branch president explained to him how to end a talk on the stage in front of everyone haha. But he did a great job. I drank alot of pepsi this week, just thought I would let you all know. next time you drink pepsi, I probably will be too. So just think of Atencingo and Jakeypoo every time you see the pepsi logo this week. Also, we had a really great new investigator named Alejandro, he says he wants to turn his life over to God and came to church with us on sunday. He has a bad foot and cant walk so we had to get him a ride and then carry him up the stairs to the Sacrament Meeting on the second story but he said he loved it and I think we have found another Golden Investigator. Heres some really beutiful pics and a sneak peek into the Atencingo mansion of the missionaries. 

Love you all

Elder Wilson

Week 39

Hey everybody, this week we got Jazmin to accept a fourth of July Bapismal date so the only thing I will need is red and blue shoes and I can celebrate our countries independence with all of you from the Baptismal faunt! Other than Jazmin we have two almost atheist Investigators who are actually very open and willing to pray, unlike most catholics, quite an interesting paradox. Any suggestions on how to help a single mother and a young man feel the that God exists?

I was super excited to hear this week that by thursday we will have a new member of the family. Be sure to tell him all about his best friend in Mexico. I will be his favorite as soon as he sees me haha 

This week it has been hot and a little bit slow as far as the progress of our investigators. Jazmin is becoming a golden investigator, she really has caught the Spirit of service and gives us so much food. I at Popusas this week at her house, this really good food from El Salvador with Pineapple chile vinegar on it. It was surprisingly a good combination. Also, I cant eat food now if it isnt spicy, spicy is essential for any flavor, anthing else just tastes so bland. There goes my american taste buds. I am really loving this area, Atencingo is just a really great place to find investigators because all the other churches here are really crazy, they charge you to get in, they treat their members really poorly, or they are just super corrupt and have crazy false traditions. 

 All the preachers drive new cars except us. I think that is why people like us. 

The big challenge of this week was not getting sick from all the times people gave us food. I ate way too much this week.&Also today I wore jeans, It is so weird to wear jeans after so long in dress pants, I absolutely hated it. Why are jeans supposedly so comfortable? They are so tight, and itchy and hot, Dress pants are better. 

I may sneak on here sometime on thursday to see my new nephew so send me pics as soon as you guys have them, I will just ask some member to look at you guys on facebook on their phone or have them go onto my email for me or something, I cant live with that surprise for 4 days. 

I love you all, the best hymn in spanish is number 50 and I cant write you all individually because I was eating homemade donuts and so I dont have much time. 

Try not to completely forget about me when the new baby is born and if I dont have emails from you guys next monday because of the bebecito I will go on a 6month email fast to punish you  Have a great week and enjoy your summer because I cant really go swimming and stuff. 

Love Elder Jacob Wilson

Week 38

Hey everybody, I have great news. Our family of 6 that came to church has 4 people who are on track for baptism and we have 2 others who are very close. The work here is going great, and the converts Miguel and Arlette have been coming to church and participating actively in the Young men and Young womens activities. Everything is going great here and the only complaint I could have is that the cockroaches here are insane. We have so many in our house. We kill about 5 to 10 a day. We havent had anything too exciting happen this week. Just a lot of lessons. We taught the family of 6 all the little kids love us and they are reading in the book of mormon and saying family prayers. They are going to be baptized this month I think, except for the little ones because we dont beleive in infant baptism but if I was a catholic missionary it would 6 baptisms for sure. They are named mama mari, and kids, laura 12, christofer 10, luis 9, victoria 4 and nigelli 3. They are actually a lot like our family, Laura is exactly like emily, just younger and mexican. and then christoffer and luis would be like megan and lindsie and nigelli and victoria would be me and tyler. They all live in one big bedroom with a bunkbed and a bunch of other beds all in one room and the kitchen and laundry in the other room. It is so much fun to teach them and they all love us. here is my comp and a pic of the roaches we have killed this week. Elder Cases family lives in kansas so if anyone goes to kansas they can go give them a visit. Love Elder Jacob Wilson
 

Week 37

Hey family, not much time, But this week was great. A family of six surprised us by showing up to church on sunday with a lot of good signs that they want to get baptized, we found some interesting new investigators. I am still in Atencingo, I dont know why mom thought I was leaving, I am still here, it is still hot but getting a lot better. We got caught in a crazy rain storm this week and got soaked, My new companion is from colorado and we get along great. He is quiet but at the same time he talks a lot, it is a weird combination but we get a long great. His name is Elder Reilly Case. and he wrestled in high school and worked as a welder on an oil field all summer. We are doing great. Still no news on Dulces parents, but the family of six looks super promising. The Lord is preparing the hearts. Also, this week Elder Fernandez took off for the Dominican Republic may his missionary soul RIP. Right now elder case and I have the goal of 15 baptisms in six weeks. One week down and we have about 7 people that look very promising. I love you and I promise a better email next week. Sorry no pics, we have a new rule and can only carry our cameras on Pdays and I didnt have time to take any. Love you all Elder Jacob Wilson

Week 36

This weekend was awesome, two baptisms and almost a third one. A visit from two more general authorities who speak with the powers of heaven, and two confirmations on sunday. Friday we were in Puebla to hear from Elder Craig c. Christensen accompanied by Elder Piper of the area presidency. Two Spiritual giants, they shared so many cool experiences and stories. Then We stayed the night in puebla so elder Fernandez could take an english certification test. Then on saturday we baptized Arlette, and on Sunday morning we baptized Miguel and then on sunday we confirmed them both. We had a third baptism scheduled for sunday afternoon but it was cancelled due to a revoked permission from an unhappy catholic father and a very intimidated mother of our investigator. She is a member in every sense of the word, but for now we will have to wait on her actual baptismal ordinance. Pray for Dulce and her parents so they can recieve the gospel in their homes! Other than that this week was full of bus rides, lessons, and also Interviews with President Stellmon, that man is like an ucle or a godfather, i am pretty sure there is some kind of family connection there. He is the best and he is from Idaho, there has to be a connection if we go back far enough. The Church is growing here in atencingo, all is going well and we have more baptisms coming soon. The best things that happened this week was after their baptisms the branch here threw a party for the new converts, two parties, two baptisms, all the youth were there and the new converts felt the love. It was a fantastic week full of great experiences. Love Elder Jacob Wilson

Week 35

Apparently the email I sent last week never arrived. I sent it again today. I dont know why it never came, according to my email you all received it last monday at 6. So its not my fault, blame the weather or obama or google or something. This week we have been preparing arlette and miguel and dulce for baptism. The three of them are ready and Miguel and Arlette already have a date. This saturday and sunday the 23rd and 24th. Dulce is having a small problem with getting permission from her extremely unkind and unnecessarily bitter father who is ´catholic´ but stopped attending five years ago. The catholics can be some of the worst people to deal with. first nephi chapter 14. Truth. Other than that we havent done much else. They are taking up most of our time, and the three of them are progressing well. Elder Fernandez is enjoying his last week of his mission and we are going to finish it strong and with success. It hasnt been quite as hot at night here thanks to the rainstorms. I literally took a shower in the rain the other night is was coming down so hard. It has been hot during the days, but the nights are cool and the rain is refreshing. I have been healthy and happy and doing well. Everybody keep being cute and talk to you next week.

week 34

Dear Family, this week was crazy, I got called on wednesday letting me know that Elder Fernandez would be my new companion, my companion was moved to nearby Izucar and Thursday I drove 3 hours in bus to Puebla to pick up Elder Fern just to turn around and come back. The following day we had a great lesson with a new investigator who is a friend of our other investigator, who is a reference from our ONe investigator with a baptismal date.(Dulce is a friend of Miguel who is a reference from Arlett who is getting baptized on the 23rd) We are hoping to baptize and confirm all three before Elder Fernandez leaves and then finish with a small tour of his old areas for his last Pday. It could be the most epic two weeks of my entire short life. It was awesome talking to you yesterday, try not to count down the days till christmas Also when we had the emergency change I was made district leader over our district of us and one other companionship in Huehuetlan. The other two in my district are possibly the lowest numbers in the mission. So it should be fun getting them up to a higher gear and having more success. My new Companion is from the Dominican Republic and will be heading home in two weeks, so we are going to finish his mission really really strong so he can go home and RIP. He sings like an angel, and we get along great. My old companion is still in my zone and I actually played basketball with him today. Sorry for not having much time today, Love you all and be good and read the scriptures and share the gospel with everyone.

Week 33

Hey family. I just wanted to let you all know I love you and that this week has not been super exciting so this one will be a bit brief. My new companion and I are working but when I got here, there was literally nothing, no investigators, no work to do, and almost no references for future Investigators. This has been alot like what happened when I started my mission. I am going to have to do a lot of set up work over the next little while. By that I mean we need some organization, some help from the branch and a whole lot of help from the Lord, and a large new pool of investigators. The good news this week is that the FreeMason who I was teaching with Elder Read is going to be baptized this Saturday and two more of the investigators I found with Elder Scott have a baptismal date for the 23rd. My son is reaping the fruits of our labors! The worst problem I have seen in this area is a lack of diligence on the part of the past missionaries. The area book ( all the records of who you have been teaching and their progress) have been absolutely forgotten for at least 6 months. It made me think, if I was the Lord, I wouldnt have given those missionaries any of my children to teach, if they arent going to take good care and take good records, I will wait for somebody else. I hope I can show the Lord He can trust us with all the best because if not, I dont think we are going to have much success here. I am feeling happy and healthy and also I feel optimistic for the future of this area, just not super happy about the present situation. Time for a good fix up. Love you all Elder WIlson

Week 32

This week has been a really good one. I have found so many members here that love missionaries. First off. Hermano ChaChaCha. He is a convert of about 15 years and has pictures with every missionary that has come to atencingo since his baptism. He is a great member missionary, always giving us new references to go visit and always says when people ask him Are you mormon? Me? No I am not Mormon, Mormon was a prophet hundreds of years ago, Im Eleazar, I am a member of the church of Jesus christ of Latter day saints. He has that kind of quick humor that always keeps you laughing. (the picture is Elder Juarez and I with him) I really love the members here, they all have such funny personalities. What I have seen here in Atencingo is there are two types of members, those that go to church, and those that used to go to church. It is about a 1 to 4 ratio of those who go verses those who dont. It is sad to see so many people stuggling to live the gospel after they have already promised to live it. A huge part of my success as a missionary I feel is going to be helping these people come back to the truth. In the book momma sent me, it talks alot about how when we tell people they need the church they dont want anything to do with you. But when we show them that the church needs them and also the Lord needs them to help build his kingdom. They feel a sense of responsablity, they come back and they do there part to build the kingdom of God on the earth. I hope to be able to find some success bringing back the rebellious lost sheep who decided they dont need the church. The thing is the branch here is small, they have a lot of callings that they just cant fill because they dont have active worthy members to fill them. So it is time to fill the empty seats, and bring em all back with a fiery testimony of the true church burning in them once again. I hope you all find time this week to visit some rebel from your ward, not to bring them to church necesarily, but to show that they are needed, loved, and most of all that they have a friend. The Church is true family. One more thing, Try and find at least 10 people that reject your offer to hear more about your church and have the missionaries visit them. If you complete your goal of finding 10 people who reject you, you are doing all the Lord asks of us. Which is to try, also somebody might surprise you with a yes and you wont be discouraged when you get the answer that you werent looking for. Reverse psychology. Love you all have a great week and the church is true. Elder Jacob Wilson