This week

So SOMEbody (definitely not my mom ;) ) was wondering what a zone leader does and what his responsibilities are. I guess I didn't really put a lot of detail into my last email. So basically it is a lot of the same responsibilities as a district leader but you're held more accountable and more responsible. We have to do call ins nightly and report them to the assistants to the president, and on Sundays call ins take FOREVER. we start at 8:30, and go until 10:30. Strictly talking about numbers (new people that want to be baptized, people that came to church, etc). Then Mondays we call the assistants and report all those numbers for about an hour to them. (things get filtered as they go up the line, district leaders get all the info, then call us with the things we need to know, then we filter those and give them to the assistants (what they need). Then they spend the rest of Monday until about 4 they call President. So it takes forever.

Then we go on exchanges with the district leaders and the assistants. We're going on one tonight. 

hopefully that's enough!!

Zone conference was Wednesday. That's where President Moffat, the assistants, and the zone leaders teach things to the other missionaries in the mission. It takes forever. 9 until 4:30!! But it was really really good. I got a lot of good insights from the others teaching, and I know the others did too. The zone conference was kind of centered around planning and teaching skills. That's what the mission really needs I think. Because without plans, nothing will get done. At least nothing productive, haha. 

Kirsten got baptized!! That was a really good experience. It was pretty nerve-racking though, because we weren't sure if anyone else was going to show up. President Swain and President /Sister Moffat! There were only about 10 people there. But then at 6:05, all her family showed up. There was easily 70+ people there. Satan worked hard, but God will prevail!! ;) The service went really really well. The spirit was super strong! President Moffat and Swain complimented us on the interlude (the time when they're getting dressed) we read the Joseph Smith History account of the 1st vision. That brought the spirit into the room really strong. :) I'll include a picture of her baptism!!

We're working on finding new people to teach. We fasted to find new people, so I know it's just a matter of time, now. :) We're focusing the zone on teaching people that don't come out to church very often to try and get them to come. The Lord will bless us when we take care of the people He has already given us. Can I just say that I am so glad to be a missionary??? The broadcast on missionary work Sunday was so awesome. It gave me such a huge excitement to go out and serve the Lord! And get as many people as I can to know of the truths that I know. I know for a FACT that this Church and Gospel is Christ's restored Church from the one He set up when He was here. Maybe we as missionaries aren't perfect teachers, but the Spirit is. So when we put ourselves in a position where the Spirit can radiate from us, they'll be able to recognize that we are servants of the Lord. I love you!!

Elder Wilson

 Stefanie's baptism!

Kirsten's baptism!

The Kings of NorCal

My new companion is Elder Ahrens. He's from Lincoln California, about 15 minutes away from me! We know a lot of the same people which is pretty tight. He and I get along really well which is always a plus. We work hard together too. Being a zone leader now I have to make sure that my area that I'm in is in top shape, and then also make sure that the areas of all the elders and sisters in the zone have theirs up to speed too. So that's a lot of responsibility but I can definitely rely on the Lord for help.

Elder Ahrens doesn't have brakes on his bike so it's really fun for me to watch him trying to go down hills hahaha. There's a HUGE one coming from our house into the area, and so he has to try and slow down by going on the rocks and grass and everything he can on the way down. I had to stop in the middle of the street to stop cars from coming while he flew down through the intersection one time that was crazy haha. 

Jed Heath took Elder Franco out to lunch at a place called Joe Morley's before I left last week after emails. He's a really awesome guy, I'm gonna miss him. And we had dinner at the Hoerster's which was also super good. They had steak! That's a really great family that I'm going to miss too.

We did service for a lady in the ward on Saturday morning. She was really appreciative of it. Then later on that day we had a baptism for a girl named Stefanie. She's 17 but doesn't act like it. She could probably pass for 20's. She apparently had been taking discussions from the missionaries for 7 months. So that was probably a really good feeling to be able to finally get her baptized! She is super solid though. She gave a speech thing at the end of her baptism, and gave a talk in sacrament meeting the next day at her confirmation! It was father's day and so a lot of the talks were about fathers. (happy father's day dad!!) Then also, the primary sang the first verse of the army of helaman song. during the chorus of it, the young men and young women of the ward got up and sang the second verse. During that chorus, the ward choir and us missionaries got up and sang the third verse and the last chorus! It was super super powerful. A lot of people in the audience were crying. :) So that was cool! We also have another baptism coming up this Saturday, Kirsten. So hopefully hers will go well and I'll be able to tell you about it next week! I love all of you so much!

Love, Elder Wilson

Getting Transferred...

Well, I found out that I'm getting transferred! Elder Franco will be staying here and he will be getting Elder Bowie who is the one that Elder Turner went to when he left me! So that's kinda cool. Another cool thing is that I will be companions with Elder Ahrens, who is from Lincoln California. It's gonna be pretty cool I think! He's a good missionary and a cool guy from what I've seen. I'll be in the bennion zone again (the city of Taylorsville). And I'll be a zone leader there! Pretty intimidating but I think I'll be able to pull it off. If President Moffat and the Lord trust me to be able to do it then I can do it. :)

Well it was another good week this week. Makaleigh and Deeannaka are going to be baptized this Thursday which should be really good. I really hope that I will be able to make it back to see them get baptized, but if I can't oh well. All that matters is that they get baptized, right?? Elder Franco will be baptizing Makaleigh and I was supposed to be baptizing Deeannaka but I might not be able to since I'm getting moved.

Elder Franco signed my journal and wrote a rap in it! I won't embarrass him by putting it on here but let me just tell ya it was pretty funny! haha. :) It's gonna be sad leaving him but I'll still see him around in the mission. 

This week wasn't super eventful, but it was a really good week. This transfer flew by with Elder Franco. That's what happens when we get along well I guess!

Love, Elder Wilson

This was the all mission p-day that happened last week.

Da na na na na na na na na na FRANCO!

Haha what can I say, I'm out of creative ideas for the subject title. But Elder Franco and I are getting along pretty well. I cut his hair this morning! We were going around to the many garage sales that the wonderful state of Utah puts on around here, talking to people but also looking for things. ;) But I found a hair cutting kit brand new, and got it for $5! So I tried it out on Elder Franco and it didn't turn out half bad! I even faded it, Dad! ;) This week a Jehovah's witness came up to us and tried to offer us some "reading material". We asked him if he wanted some "reading material" from us instead, and he's like no thanks guys, I'm good and walked away. haha it was funny.

Okay before I lose any of you for this being too long, I want to tell you a miracle that we had!! Sunday. We found out from his family that Nick didn't ever come home the night of his baptism, and so he wasn't at church with the rest of his family. We stopped by his house, and nobody was home. Eventually we went back to the church, worried about him and what we would do. So elder Franco and I prayed, (basically begging God to give us a miracle). We confirmed Aubrianna which was admittedly hard to focus on with all the chaos going on. But directly after that we went back to the house, hoping he would be there. Still no answer. So we turned around and started heading back down the stairs disappointed a little, but right then NICK WALKED UP THE STAIRS!! God answered our prayer. It felt so amazing!! I'm sure that it helped that we were fasting for miracles/ baptisms in June!

Aubrianna's and Nick's baptisms went really well. The Spirit was really strong! Aubrianna and Nick are going to be good members of the Church for sure. It's exciting to see them progressing! Aubrianna looked so happy before and during the baptism! Nick after I baptized him gave me a big hug while we were still in the water. He's a good guy. He and Roy live in a really rough part of the town, and I hope that they don't grow up like the rest of the people over there. Drugs, alcohol, smoking, gangs, etc. Seems like I'm back in California!! ;) 

We went out to lunch with President Moffat my mission president on Thursday. That was pretty awesome! He takes the missionary companionships out to lunch if they hit what is called the standard of excellence. That is basically a set of numbers per week that he sets that have to do with things like baptisms, lessons taught, new people found to teach, and so on. But we hit it! It was pretty awesome. We also hit it this last week as well too! :) Elder Franco and I are doin' WORK! ;) haha. No it really is just the Lord doing it, it seems like we're just along for the ride. :) 

Today for p-day we're having an all mission activity thing from 3 until 8. We don't know much about it, so I'll let you know what happens next week. :) 

Man there is so much more that I want to talk about this week! But we're low on time. So that is the main important things from last week! I love you all

Elder Wilson

Nick's baptism! 

Aubrianna's baptism

 Before his haircut

 Halfway through his haircut. We almost kept it!

after! :)