WEEK 2 - PALENQUE

Hey Everyone!

Once again, email time is short. This week was a lot better than the first. A little less homesick, the days went by faster. God´s definitely helping me cope because if it were just me on my own, I´d be in Italy already crying my eyes out. I have a good companion, and the culture, appearance and traditions of Mexico are starting to become "normal" to me. I think that helps the most.
There are eight of us in the district, four sisters and four elders. Two of the elders are American. It is a relief talking to them in English at classes :) But Hermana Calva is my trainer. She´s very, VERY obedient. Like, even more than me. Imagine.... But she's a fantastic trainer! She's really funny, She only has a couple months left before she heads home. P days here consist mostly of laundry and grocery shopping, but tonight is super special because we will be showing the Church´s new video, #Hallelujah. Yay, Easter Season!

I haven´t posted pictures in a while so I figured it´s about time. I´ll send them in the emails following.

So the members feed us lunch every day here. Lucky us. Lots of lentils, caldos,  soups, rice, TORTILLAS. (Tortillas at every single meal, I kid you not.) It is obviously my favorite time of day.

I think I´ve tanned two shades in just these last two weeks. It´s freaking hot here but there´s usually a nice breeze to cool our sweaty bodies every couple of minutes. Very nice people here. They all smell good--except for the hippie tourists that come to visit. And me, maybe, haha.

They have macaws here, and iguanas. Beautiful big macaws that squack like a banshee. It's really ugly actually. But a lot of the other birds sound beautiful. The house-parrots even sing songs. No joke, they know the lyrics and the tune and everything. Very impressive.
One of the most surprising things for me was going up to talk to an old woman on the street, saying "Hey, can we share a message about Jesus Christ with you?" and getting "Sorry I don´t speak Spanish" as a response. Uh what? You´re clearly Mexican, and you don´t speak Spanish? Apparently some of the older generation only speaks Chol, some native dialect. Kind of a problem, but that´s okay, I´m sure they speak Chol in the Spirit World ;)

FIRST WEEK IN THE FIELD

National Park of Palenque

I regret to say that I have no pictures to send right now, but know that I am safe and sound in Palenque, Mexico. I´ve seen iguanas, macaws, lots of stray cats and dogs, and I can´t believe God sent me here. I know I´m gonna learn a lot. I already have and it´s only been a week!

I have an amazing trainer. Couldn´t even begin to list her strengths. She´s going to turn me into an awesome missionary.
Wish I had more time but I have to go fold laundry so I can get out and teach. It´s been a roller coaster of a week. Lots of emotions but most importantly, I know that God is right here with me, protecting me and reminding me about all the things He has and will bless me with. Pretty awesome :) I´m already over on email time but I wanted to mention how strongly I know that God is with us always and that He has all power to protect, to save, to love and to forgive.

Love you all and talk to you next Monday!

Hermana Wilson

MTC-WEEK 6

Our teacher Sister Richards on the bottom left with the pretty light brown hair and maroon skirt; and our other teacher Sister Imbler on the bottom right with the dirty blonde hair, black skirt. Love all these people so much!

This is the closing chapter of my MTC experience!

Since I'll be in Mexico on Monday, this last week involved much planning, learning and mental preparation, so not a whole lot of stories to share. But I must express my gratitude for the amazing experiences I've had here. I know that they've helped prepare me as much as possible for what I need to teach and express and do while I'm serving in Mexico.

One of my favorite things from the last week was District meeting. We had two very special ones: Monday involved talking about our families and Thursday was all about miracles--there were so many! I wish every one of you could relive the last six weeks of my life, especially those who haven't served missions. I've never been so full of love, never tried so hard to be patient, never received so much revelation, never been so engulfed by the Spirit . . . The Spirit testifies of truth. It also testifies of love. And I have felt that so much since I've been here. I hope all of you have a chance to experience it as well. I've felt it most strongly as I've studied the scriptures--all of them! So anyone can do that from anywhere they are, so do it!

My invitation ('cause Hey, I'm a missionary!) is for you to share a miracle or a favorite scripture with a friend this week. There are miracles all around us and I have loved finding ones to record every single day since I've gotten here.

Much love from Sister Wilson!

God bless! 

MTC-WEEK 5 ENGLISH VERSION

This was a week full of miracles! I can't even name them all, let alone describe each one, so I'll try my best to prioritize:

Miracle #1: Temple work. Our Spanish branch gets to go to the temple every Saturday and I cannot believe how many answers I've gotten each time I go. The key is to ASK. And if you can't go to the temple, just pray sincerely--find a quiet spot and talk to God as if he were right in front of you and know that He hears everything. I mean EVERYTHING.

Miracle #2: Girl Talk and naps. Sister Freckleton and I have a propensity for drifting into the subject of marriage and our futures and study abroad trips. There was one day when we were feeling particularly exhausted and totally intended on a nap but ended up talking for the entire hour of nap time instead. Best break ever. As a missionary, you appreciate every break you have and you appreciate it even more when you get answers and free therapy out of that break.

Miracle #3. WARNING: Ummmm this one is a little gross so it is only for the strong-stomached and those who have humor similar to mine. You won't appreciate it if you don't enjoy a good toilet joke every once in a while. So feel free to skip this one. So here's the story: Hermana Freckleton and I promised our investigator that if she quit drinking coffee, we'd quit sugar. Great idea, right? No. And of course I'm so freakin' motivated. That same night, the minute we get home, I say firmly and very audibly, "Let God strike us down should we break our promise!" And I was being dead serious because I really wanted to experience a little of what Ivette  (our TRC investigator) was about to experience while trying to quit coffee. That was last Thursday (10ish days ago). Fast forward to Monday; so I've been off sugar for 4 days. Up to this point I am feeling really . . . well, desperate for sugar. So while my companions aren't looking, I sneak a chocolate (maybe two) into my mouth to satisfy myself. Guess what happened the next morning? I woke up at 6 AM, went into the restroom and didn't leave the toilet for 40 whole minutes. I'll leave out the nasty details because you simply can't appreciate it unless I'm telling the story in person, but just image me being really sick in the stomach. Bad things happened. I felt constantly on the verge of vomiting for the next two hours. And then I was fine. Weirdest thing ever. Later that day after I was feeling all happy and grateful that my good health had returned, I sat for a second and realized God was definitely listening to me. Seriously, God hears everything.

Miracle #4. Praises for the Weather. My district says that I must have a really close (and humorous) connection to God because about 3 seconds after I said, "I just love all sorts of weather! The sky is always beautiful" (at this point, it was a beautiful, cloudy, brisk day!), God immediately sends a hailstorm. No joke. HAIL. I screamed and ran for cover as my companions laughed behind me. But I really do see weather as a miracle. All sorts of beautiful show up in every different kind of weather. Even when it's hailing.

Miracle #5. Elder Rasband came to the MTC. If you don't know who Elder Rasband is, he was just called last October to serve as an apostle in the Quorum of the Twelve. That's a big deal. When he showed up to speak at the MTC for a Tuesday devotional, my heart was beating so quickly, I couldn't stop smiling and when he walked about two yards in front of me and then looked me in the eyes and smiled, all I could think was, "I cannot believe this. I'm sitting right in front of an Apostle!" Like, Peter/James/John/Andrew/Philip/Bartholomew/Thomas/James#2/Matthew/Thaddaeus/Simon kind of apostle, except this one is on the earth right now!!!!!! The love of God just radiated from him. I can't even explain it. Watch General Conference in April and listen for an Apostle's "I love you." That's what it feels like. I'm pretty sure there were angels in the room.

There are more but these are all I have time to explain. Hope you all look for the hand of God in your life. I know it's there. No doubt about it!

"And it came to pass that after I had prayed and labored with all diligence, the Lord said unto me: I will grant unto thee according to thy desires, because of they faith." Enos 1:12

Mucho amor,

Sister Wilson 

MTC-WEEK 3 ENGLISH VERSION

Almost done with Week #3!

It has been a crazy fun week at the MTC, mostly because I was in a very giggly mood (let's be honest, am I not that way all the time?) But seriously, so many funny phrases I must list:

• "Brother Norton, can you explain how to make comparisons in Spanish? Like, 'Today was better than yesterday.' Or, 'They say I'm like a raccoon.'" -Elder Chappell
• "Dios tiene un cuerpo de carne y huevos." -Hermana Strode (translation: God has a body of flesh and eggs)
• Please go to Youtube and look for a video about Canadian border patrol that goes something like this, "Hey you people! Stop crossin the border! Get in my truck!" Hermana Strode quotes it and it never gets old...
• "I've hit a wall..." -Hermana Stephens, followed by a series of giggles and stomping around the room as if trying to shake out her slap-happiness.

On the spiritual side, two wonderful devotionals full of inspiration, revelation and great tips; for example, the question was posed, "What price will I be asked to pay for obedience?" I love that! Sometimes obedience is hard, but I want to always be one He can count on, like Abraham or Nephi. Also, this week I have learned how little I understand and how greatly the Spirit can work through me to help me as I teach and talk with investigators. Prayers have become more meaningful and I now wish that I had said them more often out loud than inside my head. There's something special about saying prayers aloud--it's almost like God answers them louder afterward than He does when you give silent prayers. And the example my companions set for me--I cannot express how strongly I KNOW that God put me with these people. THERE ARE NO COINCIDENCES. GOD DOES NOT ROLL DICE. He loves each of us and if we are obedient, He blesses us in every way He can. I lost track a long time ago of how many blessings He's given me. I wish I could pay Him back but I can't. I'll try anyway.

I have learned how essential communication is in relationships. Honestly, I think I'm preparing more for marriage now than ever before. I am with my companions every second--not an exaggeration--of the day and we don't always agree. But we love and respect each other, and as I've expressed my feelings honestly and openly, I've seen us grow closer. Pillow talk is definitely my favorite, though. You would not believe some of the stories I've heard :)

Anyway, that's pretty much all I have to say this week. Pictures to follow. Love you all so much. God be with you!!!

Sister Wilson

CEM SEMANA 2

VERSION EN ESPAÑOL

SEMANA 2

Una vez mas, esta semana fue fenomenal llena de experiencias espirituales y muchas risas.
Primero, recibí el llamamiento de Coordinadora de Música de la Rama. Es un trabajo en el que prácticamente no tengo que hacer mucho—por ejemplo, tengo que buscar voluntarios para que toquen el piano en la reunión sacramental, para que dirijan la música o presenten un numero musical, pero en lugar de yo buscar voluntarios, ellos me buscan a mi. Es el trabajo mas fácil del mundo. Al día siguiente empezamos a enseñar a investigadores en situaciones ficticias. Por el momento, Angela, Samuel e Ivette son nuestros investigadores. Les enseñamos a ellos por lo menos tres veces a la semana. Es increíble ver como el espíritu nos ayuda y guía durante las lecciones. Necesito compartir una experiencia del espíritu muy poderosa que tuvimos y no quiero olvidarla: Estamos acostumbradas al sentimiento de paz y entendimiento que el espíritu trae, pero cuando estábamos conversando con un grupo de elderes antes de una lección, nosotras (mis compañeras y yo) físicamente sentimos que el espíritu se alejó. Es uno de los peores sentimientos que he tenido y espero no volverme a sentir así nunca más. Este grupo de elderes fueron muy negativos y ninguno de ellos parecía estar aquí en el CEM por la razón correcta. Al instante que ellos se fueron,  la hermana Freckleton, la hermana Stephens y yo cerramos la puerta del cuarto donde estábamos y nos arrodillamos a orar. Apenas la hermana Freckleton empezó la oración pidiendo a Dios que alejara los malos sentimientos  que teníamos en ese momento y nos bendijera con su amor, inmediatamente sentí que se mi quitaba todo el peso que tenia encima. Sonreí con lágrimas en mis ojos durante toda su oración. Después de terminar la hermana Stephens comentó que ella sitió como si alguien más estuviera en el cuarto y lo sé porque yo también lo sentí. Pasamos de un momento incómodo espiritualmente a un momento muy especial. Quiero testificar de la veracidad del Espíritu Santo. Él es real y nos hace saber las cosas que Dios quiere que sepamos—así sea por medio de otras personas,  pensamientos, o sentimientos de tranquilidad y paz. Él nos da a conocer el amor eterno e incondicional de Nuestro Padre Celestial.  Los susurros del Espíritu Santo son lo mejor!
Como dije antes, también pasaron cosas muy divertidas esta semana, especialmente momentos vergonzosos con los errores del idioma. Por ejemplo, el Elder Sperry accidentalmente le dijo a un investigador: “Puede tener la pez y la felicidad” en lugar de “paz”. También la hermana Freckleton dijo: “Es mi cuerpo” en lugar de: “Es mi culpa”.  O la hermana Stephens cuando confundió la palabra tierra con tarea y dijo: “Vinimos a esta tarea” en lugar de “Vinimos a esta tierra”. 
En fin, hay muchas mas experiencias chistosa pero no tendrían mucho sentido escribiéndolas.
Quiero decirles que estoy muy agradecida por la oportunidad de estar aquí y saber que Dios está presente en mi vida. He sido muy bendecida con buenas compañeras y sé que no es coincidencia. Amo a todas las personas que he conocido. Cada una de ellas me ha enseñado mucho de lo que es la amistad, la sinceridad, el testimonio y la perseverancia. Una vez más, no quisiera estar en ningún otro lugar. Sé que Cristo vive y que gracias a Él, viviremos de nuevo y seremos felices si sólo lo seguimos.

Los amo a todos,

La hermana Wilson

MTC-WEEK 2 ENGLISH VERSION

ENGLISH VERSION

MTC: Week 2!

It was another fantastic week full of the Spirit and so so SO many laughs.

It started with me getting called as the Branch Music coordinator. The job practically does itself--as in, I'm supposed to ask people to play the piano in sacrament meeting, conduct and give special musical numbers, but people come up to me and ask if they can do it. Easiest job ever. It continued the next day with teaching "investigators" in a role-play situation. Angela, Samuel and Ivette are our investigators for now. We talk face-to-face with each of them at least three times a week and it's amazing to see how the Spirit aids and directs the lessons. *** I need to share this because it was the most powerful memory of the Spirit that I have and I don't want to ever forget it: We are so used to feeling the peace and understanding that come with the Spirit that when a group of young men in the Training Center were chatting with us before a lesson, we (my companions and I) physically felt the Spirit leave the room. It was the second-to-worst feeling I've ever felt in my life and I never want to feel that again. These elders were so negative and none of them seemed to be here at the MTC for the right reason. The second they left, Sisters Freckleton, Stephens and I shut the door of the room we were in and knelt down in prayer. Sister Freckleton opened the prayer and I instantly felt, as she begged God to take away the bad feelings and bless us with His love, that a weight was being lifted off my shoulders. I was smiling during the whole prayer with tears in my eyes. Sister Stephens commented afterward that she felt as if someone else were in the room and I KNOW she was right. We went from a super-low to a spiritual High. I want to testify that the Holy Ghost is real, that He can tell us the things that God would have us know--either from other people, from thoughts, impressions or feelings, or simply in the comfort of Heavenly Father's unconditional and eternal love. I love that still, small voice!!!

As I mentioned before, we did a TON of laughing this week. Everything seems funny: like naming the 12 people in our class/district after animals (I'm a chocolate lab, BTW), talking for an hour into the night about "hot yams" and embarrassing moments and all our language mistakes--like the time when Elder Sperry accidentally told an investigator: "Puede tener la pez y la felicidad" instead of "paz" (translation: you can have fish and happiness); also, when Hermana Freckleton said "Es mi cuerpo" (It's my body) instead of "Es mi culpa" (It's my fault)--oh and the time Hermana Stephens confused the word tierrawith tarea (earth vs homework): "When we came to this homework . . ." And of course everyone laughed when we were in class and the teacher asked, "Hermana Wilson, como esta?" And I responded with, "Estoy feliz porque anoche tuve un sueno muy bueno." It would've been fine if he'd ended it there, but no he just HAD to ask if I'd share my good dream with the class. I said, "No, no es... appropriate" and I'm sure everyone assumed I had some completely carnal dream that I'd never confess out loud. Lies. It was just a pleasant dream that was not appropriate for the class. I told everyone afterward.

Joke of the week: "These bread-what-whats are so good." In Spanish, pancakes get called something like, "Panque'que's" so pan=bread, que'=what ...sooooooo... Bread What Whats!!!! yum.

There are so many other funny stories but they just wouldn't make sense unless you were here. I'll express how grateful I am for the chance to be here. And I know that God's hand is in my life. I can't believe how much luck I've had in roommates and companions. There's no way it's all coincidence. I love everyone I've met so much. They teach me so much about friendship and sincerity and testimony and endurance. I wouldn't wanna be anywhere else! I know that Jesus Christ lives and that because of Him, we will live again and we can be the happiest people in the whole world if we simply come unto Him.

Love you all!!! ❤

Sister Wilson