January 26

This week was really great, with lots of miracles to help boost us in the work. First off, we had interviews with president Searle and I got the surprise of getting interviewed for my ecclesiastical endorsement, which was a good experience. The second day of interviews President and Sister Searle invited my companion and I to their hotel to eat breakfast with them. It was really cool because they stay in a super fancy hotel here in Valledupar.

A couple weeks ago, we were walking and I felt like we had to visit a less active lady that I visited once with Elder Abad, but I didn't remember where she lived and there was no record. Then this Sunday I saw her in sacrament meeting. It was really cool to me to see how God coordinates everything and He told us to go visit in the moment that she was prepared. This week we'll be able to go visit her.

We have a couple families that are really progressing a lot. One is a family of deaf people named Dana and Yuliano. Dana has been going to church for a while but Yuliano went the first time this week. He wasn't going before because he couldn´t get there on time, but this week he bought a $500,000 (about 250 USD, a fortune here) to go with Dana. They have to get married but they're progressing a lot. It's another miracle from this week. Plus the miracle that God helps me translate the classes and the talks into sign language so that they can understand, even though they can't read. It's hard but really it's a miracle.

Another miracle from this week has to do with Santos and Ana Dilia. This week with interviews and everything we were only able to visit them once, but they went to church on Sunday. I was so glad to see them and it helped me know that we have to keep fighting for them, even when sometimes I doubt their progress. I know they have a huge potential and that´s why they're helping.

I also had a great experience in the zone this week. There was a companionship that wasn´t meeting their goals and my companion called and told them that they had until Saturday at 5 PM to meet certain goals, like 4 new investigators with a baptismal date, etc. And if they didn´t meet their goals, we would go to their area and meet their goals with them. So Saturday at 5 they weren´t ready and we went to their area and in 45 minutes God blessed us to meet all the rest of their goals. They were really excited after because it helped them (and me) to strengthen even more our testimony that God helps in the work. Well love you all!

Elder Wilson

January 12

This week was a little tricky because of the time we spent in leadership council, but this time they decided to send us back to Valledupar a day early, so even though we got back at midnight on Wednesday we were able to work one more day.

Santos and Ana Dilia are doing okay. They didn't go to church again this week and we were really sad about that. We passed by their house on Sunday in the afternoon and we were super sad to see that he fell back into an old addiction that he had been beating. So we are going to work really hard with him to help him stay strong and keep fighting for his salvation.

Andrea Quintero is doing great as well. She got called as a sunday school teacher with the assignment of translator of the gospel principles class for the deaf members of the class. I've talked about Alfredo, a deaf recent convert who attends that class, and we have a couple of deaf investigators as well. One went to church this week for the first time, which was great to see. I love that God is so merciful that He has prepared a way for all of His children to hear the gospel message, not just the ones that can hear. It's been great to see how the gift of tongues has helped me to learn spanish sign language as well, even though there's still a lot left for me to learn!

We are trying hard to improve our work with the members, because there are a lot of people who could easily go to church with the member's help. There are a lot of great members here, and a ton of recently returned missionaries who want to help. The most dependable ones are the returned sister missionaries in fact. They're great about bringing investigators to church.

Well I love you all and hope you're doing great!

Elder Wilson

January 5

This week was really great because we were able to spend a lot of time proselyting. My companion and I had the goal of teaching 50 lessons even with the errands we had to do for the zone, and even though we didn't reach our goal we taught 48 lessons. The sad part is that now we have to spend 3 days traveling for leadership council and I won't be able to spend all that time teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. But leadership council isn't a waste of time, just a different use of time.

We are teaching a really great family whose names are Santon Caicedo and Ana Dilia Coronel. They are awesome. Just that they're living in free union I guess it's called in English. They used to always go to church, but they hadn't gone for about a month. This week they went again for the first time in a while, and we were really able to see how they were excited about the message again.

We have had a lot of investigators go to different cities lately for vacations, but they should all get back this week, which is great because we have really missed teaching them and a lot want to get baptized. 

I still haven't got your package but I called the office today and I think they'll give it to me while I'm there this week.

Last week I woke up one morning and my cell phone was all discharged and when I plugged it in again it wouldn't start charging. So my companion and I have gone this whole week with just one cell phone between the two of us. It's really hard in the accountability reports (I think that's the English name) each night.

Sorry but sometimes I don't really know what to write about since I do the same thing all the time. I'm super glad to be here in valledupar as a missionary, I love you all, and I hope you're all doing great!

Love,

Elder Wilson