6 More Weeks

Hey Everyone! 

I hope ya’ll are doing great! This week we had transfers and I am staying in the office for 6 more weeks. By then I will have been here for 6 months! Time flies. 

To be honest this week passed so fast and there weren't many crazy/cool things that happened so this email is gonna be short. 

We were very busy trying to get stuff done this week before transfers happened. We received 10 new missionaries and they all seem like they will do great things! 

We didn't have much time to study this week which was rough, but I did find that any time I was able to read in the Book of Mormon I felt immediate peace. I love the scriptures so much and I am so grateful for all they do for us. 

As the new year ends I am looking back at 2023 and can't believe it has all been spent as a missionary here in the DR. This has for sure been one of the hardest, longest, shortest, most rewarding years of my life. I am beyond excited to see what the next 7 months have in store. I love and miss you all! 

Elder Wilde 

Some People Change

So as I was sitting here thinking of an email title I just started to say the name of Kenny Chesney songs. “Some People Change” was the song I picked for my title. Sadly this week that meant people changing for the worse:( 

Our friend Dariel and most progressing investigator told us last night that he is tired of coming to church and just doesn't wanna meet with us anymore. He said he wants to be friends, but he just doesn't feel like doing the church thing. It was sad, but I know God has a plan for him. As I think of how much he has changed since we met him a few months ago I realize that even though he isn't baptized (yet) Jesus Christ still had an influence on his life for the better. 

Christmas time on the mission is weird. My emotions just go crazy lol. Some days I am like "yeah I could miss Christmas every year it isn't even that bad" and other days I am like "wow I wanna go home right now" so basically I'm crazy. Haha kidding. But for real Christmas is amazing because of our Savior Jesus Christ. 

We had a Christmas activity this week for the mission. It was split up into 2 different days for half of the mission one day, and the other half the next day. A perk of being in the office is that we got to go to both. President Bretón talked about the Atonement of Jesus Christ and I have never felt the spirit so strong before. That was one of the moments when I thought "I could miss Christmas every year". 

As time goes on I realize how short 2 years really is. I'll be home in about 7 months and I can't believe it. I know that's still a hot minute, but truly time is quick. Even though Some days are harder than others, I wouldn't trade the mission experience for anything. 

I want to share a story that I read in a book that my companion has. It's called "I knelt to Pray" by Sterling W. Sill. 

I knelt to pray as day began

And prayed "O God, bless every man.

Lift from each weary heart some pain

And let the sick be well again."

And then I rose to meet the day

And thoughtlessly went on my way;

I didn't try to dry a tear 

Or take the time a grief to hear.

I took no steps to ease the load

Of hard-pressed travelers on the road;

I didn't even go to see 

The sick friend who lives next door to me.

But then again when day was done

I prayed, "O God, bless everyone." 

But as I prayed a voice rang clear

Instructing me to think and hear. 

"Consult your own heart ere you pray;

What good have you performed today?

Gods choicest blessings are bestowed 

On those who help him bear the load."

And then I hid my face and cried,

"Forgive me, Lord, for I have lied.

Let me live another day

And I will live it as I pray."

I really love this story. It made me stop and think about how I pray. I hope you could all learn something from this story. Prayer is a powerful thing. I know that it is a tool that God has given us. If we use it correctly we will be an instrument in the Lords hand. 

I love and miss you all! I hope you have a Merry Christmas! Don't forget the reason of the season:) 

Elder Wilde 

La Navidad

This week was a pretty basic one. We are still trying our best to help Dariel enter into the waters of baptism. He has 12 straight attendances to church. He is changing so much and I know he will be baptized one day! 

I had a really cool experience on Thursday night. We went to the church for an activity and after I had the opportunity to do a Baptismal Interview for a 14 year old girl. She is so ready for baptism. The spirit was SO strong and it reminded me of how amazing this church is. I was having a rough day but that interview changed my perspective and turned the whole day around. 

Our mission Christmas activity is coming up next week, and it's so close to Christmas day! I am so excited!! Although being away from home for three holiday’s is difficult, I know that this is where I need to be. In the DR we don't get snow, but we do get rain ;) It has been raining A LOT these last few days and has been a little chilly so it has made the season feel a little more like home.

I really don't have much to say this week. I hope we can all remember Christ during this season and serve others. It’s a great opportunity for all of us to Light the World and to just serve. I love and miss you all! Keep up the good work everyone!

Elder Wilde 

Working 7 to 3, 3 to 11, 11 to 7

For those of you who know the songs of the GOAT Kenny Chesney will understand my title. Basically as the office Elders, we are constantly working. Even during P-days :) so fun. 

This week we had a lot of random things to do, but we were able to get it all done. Some of the things we had to get done included a trip to Mao yesterday. It was fun going out there and seeing some mission buddies. We needed to fix a few things in some houses and then we had to move some fridges and washing machines. It was a good day. That's kinda the day in the life of us, moving washers and fridges lol. 

One of the highlights this week came on Tuesday when we got to work in our area for an hour and a half. In that hour and a half we found 2 people who we are gonna return to tonight. They seem like very promising people. We walked by their house and then we had the feeling to go back and talk with them so we did and they were very accepting. They even set their own return date! We hope they can progress. 

As I've been in the office I have come to realize how much I love normal missionary work. As in teaching in an area daily, for the entire day. It’s a privilege that we get as missionaries to teach people the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. Yesterday when the news came out about Elder Patrick Kearon being ordained an Apostle I remember how incredible it is that Jesus Christ really does guide this church. I am so grateful for the modern day Prophets and Apostles. Listen to their advice. It will bless you forever. 

I love this Gospel. If I didn't I wouldn't sacrifice 2 years for it. I know Jesus Christ lives and loves every one of us. The Book of Mormon is an amazing book. It's unreal to me how much peace one can feel by just reading the words on its pages. I love you and miss you all! 

Elder Wilde 

Week Full of Everything!

Well this week was actually a lot crazier than normal. 

To start things off on Monday night we were at the mission home and President told us to go to Cienfuegos to check out one of the houses to see if it could fit 4 Elders. Now Cienfuegos is said to be the most dangerous area In our mission, so we were excited/nervous to pull up in a truck with clear windows at 9 o'clock at night lol. But we did and started calling the Elders. After about 6 calls and a few texts nobody would answer. So we waited until finally they pulled up in a car of a member and got out and proceeded to tell us that they had been robbed. This dude pulled up on a motorcycle and loaded a gun in front of them and pointed it at them and took their phone and keys to the house. It was a miracle we were there so that we could take them back to the office to find the spare keys and to get them a new phone. We hadn't planned to go there at all, but President Bretón wanted us to go that night and clearly it was a blessing that we did. 

Apart from that, we had to do 2 moves this week which were very tiring but we got them done. We were supposed to do 3 but one of the moves fell through. 

On Thursday I had a pretty rough day. I think I got food poisoning, so I was out the entire day. Friday Hermana Bretón made me go get my blood drawn to see if I had Dengue. Luckily I don’t, but I had to stay inside the whole day Friday to recover. It was unfortunate cause I wish I could have left the house. The plus side to staying inside all day, is that I was in the house with a buddy of mine named Elder Stapelman, who actually has Dengue. The plus side is that we had some fun conversations and got a lot of rest. 

If there is one thing I learned from staying inside for 2 days it's that I love and appreciate missionary work so much more. It really is a blessing to teach about our Savior Jesus Christ to all people we come in contact with. I would like to challenge all of you to share your testimony with someone at least once next week. A testimony is a very powerful thing that can change lives. 

One last thing I wanted to share this week is how amazing the priesthood is. Thursday night I was feeling super sick, so I asked my companion and one of the AP’s to give me a blessing. I truly felt the spirit so strong and know that priesthood power is real. 

Love and miss you all! 

Elder Wilde