Puno

Wow that makes me so happy to know that Sawyer recognizes me. Hopefully he'll do that on Friday. Hmmm Star Wars. Thanks for the package news, hopefully i'll get it this week!!!!   

About the skype call I'm kinda stressed about that, because I don't really know at what time, or where it's gonna happen. BUT I WILL CALL.  I may call in the morning or in the afternoon. it's a tough situation here. I'll try to maybe get my pension to communicate with you when it solidifies.

I got good news. I'M IN A  STAKE NOW!!!   In Puno there is 2 stakes. My ward had an attendance of 150 this Sunday.  I'm very excited to work with the members.  I have to get used to saying Obispo (Bishop) now haha. I've slipped up a couple times saying presidente.

I'm still getting to know the ward, it's pretty big. Little by little i'll know the sector better.    I'm very happy to be here. I cant get my ssd card in this computer, so I'll send pictures next week hopefully.

love Elder Wilde

Transfers

Hey so in short news!  I have a change but I don't know where or who I'm with. I'm calling the Zone but they don't respond. I know I'm not in Puno or Juliaca or Sicuani. I'm somewhere in Cusco.  I just got news!! I'm actually going to Puno Central.   I don't know exactly who my companion is I think it's a kid from Lima Elder Tucto.  I'm going to a District of all Latino elders, its gonna be great.....   

This week was good. We had lots of lessons and had good new investigators.  I went through the week saying bye to people, taking pictures. I gave my final testimony yesterday.  I had a talk with my converts last night, we had a cake.   Send me  picture of the tree!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gosh sorry I don't have much time.  I'll have more time next week from Puno!!!

love,

Elder Wilde

A note from Elder y Hermana Johnson

I received this today in my email from a senior couple that is serving with Michael.

11 diciembre 2015

Br & Sis Wilde:

We thought you may enjoy these photos of Elders Wilde and Enriquez at work in Abancay, where we were earlier this week.  Elder Wilde came to Cusco the same day as we did (he had been in the CCM for 6 weeks prior).  Actually I was initially a little dismayed at his lack of proficiency in Español after 6 weeks of intense study, but we saw him again in Puerto Maldonado a couple of months later, and he had zoomed past our fluency in that short time and is now understands the language exceptionally well both from conversational as well as fundamental levels.

Coming into the mission together has created a bond between us, and we always enjoy any opportunity to get together for catch-up on experiences or for work, as we were able to do in Abancay.  As part of his District Leader responsibilities, he set up two appointments for us with delightful families in his sector, and we had a very enjoyable and productive time with them.  Elder Wilde is diligent and faithful, and is a great example to his companion and the missionaries in his District.  

Thank you for raising and sending a wonderful son to serve.

Elder y Hermana Johnson

One year in the mission field

Jensen didn't get baptized. We pushed his date to  December 19th.  So I probably won't see it happen, but it's gonna happen for sure!!!  Barclay is doing very well.  He came to Church with us Sunday and really liked it.  He wanted to pay tithing,  it was great!!! haha   He also came to a baptism from another branch with us, that happened Saturday.  he is doing very well.     

Last night we went to the First Presidency Christmas Devotional. It was excellent. There was a mix up with the hour. We got there at 7 and it started at 8!!!  We were running back to the room cause I had to get the District Report. haha

Wow your Stake Historian (Mom). I shared that in Branch Council. They said they need to present a history report in January, and I was like, 'hey my mom's Stake Historian' this is super important you guys have to do it.

Gosh a ginger breadhouse looks pretty good right now!!!!   I heard that star wars 7 is coming out soon!!!!!!!!!!!  WHATS UP WITH THAT!!?!?!?!?!?!?

When are you guys going to cut down the tree?   I'm gonna pass Christmas in my new sector gosh  I'll tell you where that is next Monday!!   I can go to (most any area) but probably I'm going to Cusco, Juliaca, or Espinar.  Look up those cities.  Those all need new District Leaders this change.    I went up and shared my testimony with the Branch, it was pretty good. they think I'm not going to have a change!!!!!

Last Wednesday I completed one year as a missionary, I burned a white shirt, with some other Elders, it was pretty fun. I drank some A & W (Root Beer) and had grilled chicken to celebrate.  We also had a late Thanksgiving feast of giant hamburgers.  We still don't have a pension (meal person) and we're in charge of all 3 meals!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    I'm doing good but I've for sure lost some weight, I've just gotten skinny since I left the MTC,.   I'm doing good here with my companion, we're gonna work hard. 

My investigators are doing well.  We're gonna work hard to find new ones this week.  we gotta expand the teaching pool, we are going in circles again. Take some pictures of the Sierras I'm trying to help my companion understand where I live in California.

Thanks for the obedience advice Dad everything is under control, I get up at 6:30 AM and exercise everyday, and study,  all is well .

It's interesting  I've got more responsibility, to be an example and lead from ahead.  The District is good. I only have the Zone Leaders and a companionship of sisters, There's 12 missionaries in the Zone now.  The last change they closed another sector, Curahuasi, Can you ask President Weston, if he remembers Curahuasi??  I'm doing well,  I'm a little worried about the transfers but I'll go where He wants me to go even if it's super cold there!!!!   Theres a lot of District Leaders with 5-6 transfers in their sectors, just like me. There's probably gonna be a good amount of transfers.  I can go anywhere except Puerto Maldonado right now, so its kind of hard to guess.  

This week we were gonna have interviews but they got cancelled because of a protest on the highway, so were gonna have them for sure this Thursday.

Love ,

Elder WIlde

Dinner with President Harbertson

Folsom Lake looks crazy low in those pictures. Does the water even reach the dam anymore¡?¡?

This week we worked a lot, but we had a very small attendance, kinda disappointing but yeah.  We have an investigator that is progressing good he reads the Book of Mormon everyday, he understands it and loves it, his name is Barclay, his problem is coming to Church, We're gonna get him to come next week for sure.   Our other investigator Jensen he came to Church, and he's gonna be baptized in December also.    

The dinner with President Harbertson was going to be tomorrow, but they postponed it to the 19th, after the transfer. If I get transferred to a zone that's already had their dinner, then I'm gonna get the  short end of the stick. and not have a cena navideña en el campo misional (Christmas dinner in the mission field). But yeah I'll see how that goes.     

For Thanksgiving we were gonna go eat hamburgers with another pension, but we got there and there was no hamburgers, so I ate rice with a fried egg.

In the Branch there's this lady who says her dreams always comes true, and she told me she had a dream, and that my companion is gonna leave and I'm gonna stay here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   We'll see how accurate her dreams are in a little bit. haha   

I'm doing fine last week we went to Pachachaca again but it was still fun,  with a Mexican in the zone were gonna make tacos next week!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love,

Elder Wilde

Studying the Book of Mormon

It's crazy to think it's Thanksgiving this week.   hmmm sooo for my package, could you send me another usb drive, just like the same deal. cause.... someone stole mine. Could you send lots more conference music, and Mormon messages. It good to invite the missionaries over to eat, we don't even have a pension (person who makes meals) right now. but I only have to put up 2 more weeks. ahaha 

Wow Sawyer sounds so big right now I can't wait to see him next Christmas, and you guys!! Next week we are having a dinner with President Harbertson and I'm going to have 1 year in the mission.  I'm gonna burn a shirt Wednesday night. The work is going very good in Patibamba, We try to have a member or 2 with us everyday, when we visit people, and it is really working, my district is really working hard. We're focusing on finding people, and teaching them, like lots of people. In the first 3 weeks of this change we've taught 64 lessons to investigators. We taught the family of a convert Alvaro, he is getting ready to go on the a mission, so his family is more interested. We are going to talk with them during the week,  they're a very nice family.  

We also have another investigator Barclay with a baptismal date for December 26 , we found him, he prayed that day and felt he received an answer and said he would get baptized he believes in the Church. We are very excited for him and Jensen. They're probably going to get baptized after I leave, But I'll know I put in my part to help. 

Well I decided to discuss the Book of Mormon in District Meeting today.  All last week I  was studying and preparing. I've come to have a greater appreciation for the Book of Mormon, and I've read it  and studied it every day since December, and I know that it is true, and that was reinforced to me this week when I studied and testified to the people I taught.     

I'm doing good here in Patibamba. I am going to work till the end, of the change. I was reading the Liahona, and I read an article from a stateside missionary, who was in her sector for 4 months and really wanted a change and I laughed for a long time cause I'm in my 5th transfer (about 7 months), 4 months is nothing.  I'm kind of going crazy here though.  My companion says I talk in my sleep now, in English and Spanish, I was teaching someone the other night ahaha!!   I know my sector super good, like every little street that exists.  

Have a good Thanksgiving and send me pictures of all the food!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love,

Elder Wilde

Parable of the Sower

Yes we have a baptism coming up  for December 5th for Jensen, he's very animated. He came to Church Sunday and he told everyone about his date, he was very happy at the church.  He is progressing very well.  

We had another part member family come to Church. They really liked my talk I gave about the Parable of the Sower, and I applied it to the Branch.  Everyone at Church is like " hey you've been here a while right" they joke saying I'm going to buy land and live here now!!! haha  The dad is not a member and his wife is less active but is  coming back .  We went and taught them after Church, we taught the restoration but emphasized apostasy so that he understood, the need for a restoration, it was very good. We read Moroni 10:4-5  he said he'll pray and that if he  feels an answer he will be baptized, a lot of progress, with him in weeks, they are not married so they'll have to do that also, but the wife will help alot with that.

Wow everything at home sounds pretty  fun.  We're having a Mission Night Saturday, I'll send pictures next week.

                                  It was raining in the valley next door so I took a cool picture

It's good to give service; we always look for chances to do that.  I gave a talk about the Sower in Matthew 13, it's one of my favorite parables, because Jesus explains it right after!!!!  He usually didn't do that, I spoke to the Branch, about the 4 types of seeds, and how we should be seed #4, that fell in good earth and gave fruit. It's very interesting.  I would recommend, and also the talk by Elder Oaks from April 2015.  It was a hit with the folks here. like 20 minutes almost. 

I was meeting with my converts and they told me about the (Paris) attack it sounded crazy, I hope they take appropriate actions to counteract  it in the future.  Very sad stuff

In the mission I've become an amateur electrician. haha,  For the electric showers, I'm going to install a new one in the room today I'll send a picture of the install, I use the wire splicing and other stuff I learned working at the Porters, and stuff  I've  picked here, like using lots of Teflon to replace broken seals!!!

I hope everything is fine, I'm good here even though last week I started to hit a wall in Patibamba (too much time) but I got over that. 

Love,


Elder Wilde

All good here in Patibamba

Here in Patibamba we don't have a pension (meals included with room) anymore soooo we eat in restaurants or have Top Ramen in the room now.... its kinda fun!!!   

My companion is a computer guy from Lima, he's a pretty funny guy. He made money for his mission by playing video games!!!He was also in my sector in Puerto Maldonado and baptized that family I found!!! It's been real nice to talk about all the people we know and how me and my mission dad made the foundation for some good branch growth.  When I left it had 80-90 attendance now it has 130!!!!!!!!  I'm excited for that, Puerto really wants to be a Stake soon.

This week we are gonna work hard on finding new investigators and President Harbertson told us the best way is through less actives. I'm going to apply that in my District meeting tonight and we are going to have crazy success here.  the whole mission is going through a cleaning process. They told us in the Zone meeting that if we want success we have to be clean first to have the Spirit then we will see miracles. I'm going to start a new self analysis and see where I can improve. they're really focusing on this. When Elder Uceda came he called the mission to repentance but I guess we still haven't learned...    I'm gonna do my part for the least.

I went to Cusco and I had a blast!!!!! I went with Elder Jensen, we went to the plaza and found the 12 angle stone!!!  Our trip was pretty much just taking bad selfies haha.  The training was good and I got back to Patibamba with Elder Enriquez Thursday afternoon.  My companion finishes his mission in may, but hopefully I'll be in Cusco by then!!!!

 We've got a good amount of investigators, but the problem is getting them to church, they never come, I call and go to their houses but manan kanchu suerte!!! These couple weeks, in my District I'm going to focus on asking references, contacts, and new investigators, so we can have more baptisms before the year ends!!!  We've got a steep mission goal but I know we can get it .

 For P-day we are going to this Mirador (vista point)  and It'll be my 6th time there, cause I've been here so long and everyone else is new to the Zone, but its fine 

All good here in Patibamba.

Love,

Elder Wilde

Dia de los Muertos

So I got my transfer, I'M STAYING IN PATIBAMBA FOR MY 5TH TRANSFER (another 6 weeks) !!!!!!!!! yeah,  but I'm going up as District Leader (leader of a small group of young missionaries) this change.  It's a new responsibility but i'll do my best to fulfill my new job.   I get to go to Cuzco for training, it's going to be a nice little vacation to Cusco-topia. and I have a cell phone now.

My companion Elder Largent left Saturday, and I've been in a trio with the Zone Leaders. It's pretty fun and they are both from Utah.  I went on divisions Tuesday and I got ice cream with Elder Jensen. 

It's very likely with the plans I have i'll have some success this change. I'm with the Zone Leaders in a trio and we had a Family Home Evening and we shared the video about the currant bush and Hugh B. Brown. I then shared dad's business story, about how he was growing so good then about 8 years ago God 'cut you down' (blessed dad with difficult and humbling situations and circumstances) so that he would be what he wants him to be.  The less active dad really liked it, and the rest of the people. (Note from Dad:  I am glad Michael has the wisdom and maturity to recognize the value of those circumstances and how things that seem bad at the time can actually be good.)

My new companion is Elder Enriquez. He is from Lima, I met him in Puerto Maldonado he was in La Joya on the other side of town, but after I left he got a transfer to my branch!!!! So it'll be good to hear from him about my old sector.

                                                       Elder Largent leaving for home

Halloween sounded fun, I was pretty surprised that they celebrate Halloween here. I got candy so I'm fine. haha.  Yes the children went trick or treating to the stores, in costumes, but Sunday November 1st is the Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead), and all the branches had pretty low attendance because everyone went to the cemetery. We had 56 people Sunday in Patibamba.

The investigator we lost contact with was a guy named Barclay. We're gonna search out Ader this week though.  We have a new investigator that has a baptismal date set for November 28th. He's a very good guy and wants to learn more and have a better life. And were gonna help him do just that.   

We fasted 4 times. and now Patibamba is opening up a lot, with a new emphasis from the Mission about 6 week planning the work is going to progress a lot here.

Yesterday we went to a house, a person opened the door and I saw he was very hammered, and he then spoke in English and said ' Sorry, i"m soooo drunk' then shut the door. we laughed so hard about that.  I'll send some pictures from Cuzco next week.

                                                     That was our last dinner with mamicha

Love,

Elder Wilde

Multi Stake Conference

This Sunday was pretty interesting...   we had a Multi Stake Conference of Peru and Bolivia and nobody knew!!! We told as many as we could and Saturday night I went to the clerks office and printed signs to put on the gate, we waited for people in front of the church and told them to come back at 10:00 AM.  We opened it and i was getting worried about the transmission. The satellite system was not receiving signal, I was counselling with the leaders and they said we can go to the other chapel.  I said we would never fit 4 branches there.  So to quote Grampy 'I came in and took it all over' I left and went to the clerks office, I unplugged the computer from the monitor and went to hook it up to the projector. and I started to tell the people what to do and they listened!!!!!! it was so funny, we ran a cat 5 cable out of the clerks office window and I had some one get sound cable and around the chapel to get internet to the computer with the projector.  Then we got the conference from an internet stream, and just in time,   It was good Elder Andersen spoke and Elder Nash. My mission leader Elder Silverio was sitting by me and he told me in the conference, 'usted le gana en castellano' (a real compliment) it was a classic line from my 71 year old mission leader.

The other week we also had a mission wide fast to help us out, it was very good and we had a personal fast this week, When I fast this Sunday i will have fasted 4 times this month!! gosh , its like nothing now to fast.  

 During the week one of our best investigators moved to Lima to study.....  I'm gonna leave a big note in the area book for the elders to look for him in a year though!!!     We talked with Cesar yesterday and he is still doing very well. We went over the Plan of Salvation with them, and he was very interested in how to follow Jesus here in the earth.  I talked about being baptized and authority and I feel like he is understanding more.   He had a question about original sin, and I was pretty direct stating our belief that babies are born clean, not dirty from sin. It was a very good lesson, he had some questions and we are going to try to get him a baptismal date next time we go over. 

another good thing that happened, so in that picture you could see my desk this week, for my studies I was just looking at maps and the area books and the directory to try to triangulate old investigators and less active members. We're having success finding them. And we were looking for a member named Lady, I went to a tienda (shop) to ask if she lived there, and they said she did and we started talking and I asked her if she was a member and she isn't!!! I was super confused for a second. It turns out she was investigating the church 4 years ago but didn't get baptized because she was a minor, and she is a completely different lady that I was looking for and we're teaching her now, I think if i stay another transfer i'll probably baptize her.   Good stuffs happening in Patibamba, the less actives we teach tell me there are way more people than before in the branch. I may get a transfer next week, i'll be sad to leave, but i know i've left the branch better than i got it in may.  I've seen miracles here, and also many sad occurrences, Patibamba has helped me be a better missionary and person, it's been a small refiners fire. I feel ready for whatever sector the Lord sends me to next.

so last p-day we went to Ampay again ..... super fun hike.....  those are some homes we found in the mountains where people live, it was crazy to see those living conditions, its like they're in Incan times still.

Love,

Elder Wilde

District Conference

We are working hard here in Patibamba, and I'm sure this time is gonna go by super fast 2 weeks.My companion is just in shock that his mission is ending, and I'm just going to help him as much as I can.

The city is fine now, they came to a conclusion with the protesters.  In the Zone Conference this week we saw pictures from President Harbertson's mission and from when he went back 40 years later and found all his converts.  It made me feel happy for all the seeds I'm spreading here in Peru that will grow with time for me to see their fruits in some years.

This Sunday we had a District Conference, and last Sunday the Branch President said it started at 10 but it actually started at 9!!! Many people showed up late, and I'm sure some did at 8.  We watched it on a screen from the other chapel in Abancay.  Our investigator did not come, he said he got dragged into some last minute project and couldn't come, we hope to get him, and his friend whom we started teaching this week to church. We had a real good talk with his friend and he really liked the Restoration, and had read a little bit of the Book of Mormon, that his friend lent him.   we also went to some other investigators this week that we hadn't visited for a while, when i asked the dad if he had read the Book of Mormon, he said he was finishing up 1st Nephi!!!!  It was very good, we are going to keep working with this family, The dad is very open to hear us, he had some questions and we started explaining the Plan of Salvation a little, and he said he wants to know more about that the next time that we come.!!!

Today we went to Ampay again and I don't know why. it was the same lack and a hard hike. That is why I'm writing later than normal. I'm trying to send pictures but this computer won't accept my camera. I'll keep trying.

I'll keep killin it here.

love,

Elder Wilde

In church we had 79!!!! and hopefully it keeps going up. I'm trying to get the branch to make home teachers, cause that's how you get sustainable growth, and stakes not districts.  We beat another branch for the first time in attendance yesterday, We are working with a  less active convert that the sister missionaries baptized her right before they got pulled out. We are also working to advance a member to the Melchizedek Priesthood. he should make a good contribution to the branch, and we're trying to get the guys out on missions. 

So we found a family of investigators and we aare teaching them, the parents are married and are open to learning more .  The dad's mom and siblings are members so he has already had exposure to the Church.  We're gonna talk again Wednesday.  Our other investigator Ader has a baptismal date for November, and he is reading the Book of Mormon. he's really cool!!! He went to Cusco this week so he couldn't come to Church, so we gave him a tour of the chapel and he said he's for sure coming next week, and we are gonna start teaching some friends of his too.  In rescues we are working with a less active brother that's coming back and hes going to get the priesthood and a calling in a bit, and we start teaching one of his less active daughters and her non member husband. (they came to Church yesterday).  We had a good week and this one will probably be good also.

(For his next box from home) some stuff  I've thought of is rice krispie treats, candy canes, extra black shoe laces. and like small plastic foto album things of the family. oh and 5 gum!! I'll write if I think of more.

For your companion question Elder Largent is my 4th companion in the mission field, and I will receive my 5th companion in the first week of November.

So about this riot they were planning it pretty much fizzled because of heavy police reaction. We walked through the plaza one day and it was just full of hundred odd riot police with guns and shields. it was so quiet you could of heard a pin drop there!!!!!  the next day we had to get to the other chapel, but there were no buses or taxis or people in the streets, so we went on foot, it was eerie, While walking a person yelled 'mira gringos¡ in a mad voice, I turned around fast and saw it was a member from another branch jokin' around with us!!! My heart skipped a beat. 

hasta la proxima semana.

Elder Wilde

General Conference Gringo Party

Yes I enjoyed the (General) Conference a lot, all the talks were great, and we had a gringo party to watch in English!!!  It was great to hear the prophet even though I am worried by his decaying health. But the Lord is at the helm in the good ol' ship Zion.  We went up to Abancay from Patibamba to watch conference with the other missionaries of the zone. I really liked elder Keetch's story about the shark barrier, I took a lot of notes in my study journal.  

The work is progressing in Patibamba and I feel in the months I've got left here that it will get even better.

The situation in Apurimac is getting a little tense, there is a mine out in a Pueblo, and last week there was a confrontation there, and there's 4 dead and many wounded. They are planning to riot this week and shut down transportation out of Abancay. There's been an increase in military air activity over Abancay this week. I hadn't seen helicopters before this week. so we've got special rules to be home early.

Something I'd like for a future package is something called a 'mission belt',  they look pretty cool!!! and old spice deodorant,  just thinking out loud, and toothbrushes some with good bristles.

love, 

Elder Wilde

Church Attendance

Attendance was 73 at church yesterday. We have lots of room for improvement. Another member commented to me that there is a lot more people than before, so I'm happy.  

Wow thats crazy that everyone is getting home from their missions now, (question=where's brad howell at?).  One day I'll be there. haha  Yes I heard Elder Scott passed away, not a surprise, but still sad. It's gonna be a historic Saturday afternoon session with 3 new apostles!!!  I'm going to watch all the sessions, in English in the church building in a gringo room on TV. I'll be there takin notes and having a gringo party 

Our investigator didn't make it to church this week, but we taught him during the week and he is doing fine, We are going to talk more this week, but we are happy here in Patibamba.  

Nothing to eventful happened this week, and I don't take as many pictures as I did in Puerto because there isn't as much cool stuff, just adobe buildings, etc...   It's gonna be a good week.

This was a sisters birthday so we had a small party, cake was pretty much the highlight of the week. We're going to play basketball today.

love,

Elder Wilde

Follow that bus!!!

Yeah I had a good week I was a little nervous but i didn't end up getting a transfer today!!! Yesterday we had 67 at church;up from last week. Teaching is good.  We got a new member in the branch and he has been back from the mission for 2 weeks now, and he is always out working with us, I'm trying to get him as our new mission leader.  

We went to the terminal to say goodbye to all the finishing elders and we said goodbye then the zone leader Elder Jensen yelled ' Sanchez has the cell phone!!!!'  We started chasing the bus on foot for a couple blocks but it wouldn't stop, so we flagged down a taxi. I jumped into the front seat, and yelled' follow that bus!!!' so we went around the city chasing it until we caught up then they threw the cell phone out the window to us.   We were standing there and Elder Jensen said' lets go eat ice cream' it was so fun!!!  

I'm going to be with Elder Largent as he finishes his mission in November!!!

I will be here a minimum to the beginning of November but I will most likely stay here until about halfway through December. 

I think cuy (guinea pig) kinda tastes like weird ham,

so weve got a super good new  investigator. He is from Quillabamba and we found him contacting. We brought a returned missionary with us and it was crazy they are both here in Abancay studying the same major(5 years here).  Yesterday we taught the Restoration and he accepted it and when I was explaining what the Book of Mormon was he asked for a copy to read, so I gave him one right there, he's gonna read and pray about it. We feel like he is very likely going to get baptized.

On Saturday we had a big branch mission night we got a projector and watched some Mormon Messages and John Rowe Moyle (Mormon Pioneer and a settler of Alpine, Utah). Then we played games and had refreshments, like 30 people showed up so it was a success!!  hopefully they will all pass the word about activities.

Thanks for that email of us when we were little its crazy how time goes by.   So I'm gonna keep working hard here in Patibamba, until December mas o menos (more or less)!!

                             That's me with one of the elders that finished this transfer

love,

Elder Wilde

Chuno with noodles and chicken and Cuy (guinea pig)

I found out that the part member family that we started teaching does not live in our sector. We have to pass them to the other missionaries. What happened was I had the wrong limit on my map so I thought they were in Patibamba. darn

Yesterday we were walking and we had a really good contact with this guy, he started talking to us then we walked for a bit, he wants to come talk to us, i feel like he's a good guy that can progress!!!  and he's in our sector!!!!   My companion likes old John Wayne movies, and I explained Fail Safe.   In Patibamba we have the bus terminal in Abancay, so whenever an Elder comes in at night we have to go pick him up. On Saturday an Elder showed up from Andahuaylas, we picked him up and (it was our landlords birthday, and they invited us after dinner to what I thought would be just cake... ) so we ate dinner then went back to the room, they had Chuño, with noodles and chicken and  then Cuy (Guinea Pig).  We were all so stuffed!!!haha 

Wow that sounds crazy with those fires, I always explain that about where I live in California. My landlord  likes Bonanza, could you send the pictures from the Ponderosa Ranch?

ooh something about sending me shoes: this sister in my branch has family in Fresno. They are going to come visit in October. They said they could bring shoes. If you called and said you have a son serving in Abancay. You could arrange how to get them the stuff.  I think this is the best shot we got!!

In Patibamba we are doing good. We are finding new people still and more less active members, next week is the end of this transfer so we'll see if i stay here more time. My companion finishes next change, so if I don't leave I'm here till December. jajaja 

  

I'm slowly eating the goodies that came in my packages and having a good time here.

                                       this picture is my whole zone from last p day, 

                                     Boiled corn with ground up cheese  yummy!!!

Love,

Elder Wilde

Hot Springs

Wow it sounds like Sawyer is doing pretty good and sounds like a blast to have around.  We are teaching this family and the mom is less active and the dad isn't a member.  His son and son's wife came to the last lesson, and we taught about the restoration. The dad is an ex detective, and wants to see all the evidence, and his son just told him he needs to have faith and went on for a bit, the son basically said everything I wanted to say, but couldn't out of respect. Then after it was a nice spiritual lesson. Hopefully they will progress.  That's an example of a new family we are working with.    The pictures looked cool, and thanks for the usb!!!

                                        That's a photo of my sector Patibamba 

To answer that question I don't know that Hermana from Hawaii. The thing is the 2 zones I've been in are isolated and we don't really have contact with the other zones, so I don't know that many people in the mission but i'll ask around.

We had a good week, we are still teaching people and finding more every day. I'm using the directory and the maps I have of Patibamba to make geographic lists of people to go look for, We are just starting out but I feel we will have success in that.

OH AND I GOT YOUR PACKAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!  THANKS FOR ALL THE FOOD AND IT WAS JUST SO COOL TO GET PACKAGES.   I also got one from grandma and grandpa. The picture is with the combined packages.  

It's crazy how fast the weeks are going by now, the time is flying here in abancaycito.   

I noticed that after I leave appointments I'm just really happy like it just feels so good to help people out..

Last pday we went to Pachachaca and we went further to some hot springs in this crazy river canyon, there was just a pool of hot water it was insanely cool..

This pday we are not doing anything like that though, just sports...

love 

Elder Wilde

La Zona Andahuaylas

These weeks we have been working with an elderly couple. The wife is active but her husband hasn't come to Church for years. We had been coming and started to talk to him, he said he didn't come because of work. I suspected that was the tip of the iceberg,  We just talked about forgiving others, I was using the New Testament a lot, and all the examples there and he came to Church on Sunday for all 3 hours and participated in the classes, maybe a rescue in a bit.!!!  

I'm doing fine here, my Spanish continues improving, I got the Hayden's letter last week.  I did the math on your package, I should get it in a couple weeks.

I got a Book of Mormon in english from Hermana Harbertson, and I started reading this week in English for the first time since December, it's way harder than spanish!!!

That's good to hear that everyone is leaving to their missions.  This week was pretty good, we had less lessons but it was still good, President Harbertson came and we had a combined conference with la Zona Andahuaylas. It was very good, thanks for the Oak tree pictures. I didn't really take that many pictures this week, but it was just a normal week in good ol' dusty Patibamba.  An Elder came back to the Branch this week, and he served in Jake Cano's mission. He never met him, but had heard his name before. He´s a cool guy and will be a good help to the Branch.

I just want some pizza!!

Love,

Elder Wilde

Strengthening the church

Yes this week was good, I got us some cement, sand, and rocks and I mixed and poured the cement in our room to make some weights. It was an interesting project for sure.   

I don't know if I said before but Jamil is first assistant in the Priests Quorum now!!!  and we had the whole week in the sector and we had a lot of work. I'm starting a strategy to try to strengthen the church by reactivating the members that live super close to the church first and to strengthen the center before expanding to the boonies of the sector. I think it's working we had the best attendance in all my time here, and hopefully it'll keep getting better.  

Don't worry mom I've got some habits now like shining my shoes, writing in my journal, and shaving everyday.

 One experience that happened this week was with a part member family. We had essentially stopped visiting them for 2-3 weeks, and we stopped by and asked when we could visit and the wife said tomorrow at 6. We came, fully expecting them to not be there like normal, but she was there and we started talking, she said that last Sunday she was at home and remembered what I told them about praying with faith to god the Eternal Father to receive an answer. She then prayed for the first time in 12 years as a member and asked if the church was true, and then after she started channel surfing on TV and found an interesting station, called BYU TV!!!!!  She watched that for a while and they talked about baptismal covenants and studying the scriptures. She had a light bulb moment realizing what she wasn't doing. She asked me if that was an answer and I told her yes it was. We then talked with her husband who isn't a member and in the end of the lesson she prayed and it was very spiritual. She was crying during the prayer as she prayed for her family to realize the same things. The spirit was very strong there and was a very nice experience.  Sunday she came to church with her husband for the first time since I've been here.  

It was a very good week in Patibamba

Elder Wilde

I Don't Have Packages!

Manan kanchu paquetes    (Quechua=I don't have packages)    but they'll get here eventually

My new companion Elder Largent is from a small town outside of Tulsa Oklahoma, he's super tall and funny. We're doing good here and getting to work in the sector. we are working a lot to try to turn the branch around and get it on its feet. Yes, the family that we baptized is doing fine here. The dad goes back to Chalhuahuacha Tuesday and we're gonna keep visiting when he's gone. Jamil the son I baptized got called as 1st assistant in the Priest Quorum, and he gave his first talk. I helped him write it and lent him my scriptures for it, and it was bullet points not word for word!!!! We worked with some older guys that are less active, while their wives are active. It's hard we've got the confidence of one husband and we're gonna visit him this week. The branch was super surprised when I told them we were talking to him. They said he always hides when the missionaries or members show up. But we helped him move a big pile of rocks!! so it's different now.  We found a giant tarantula under a rock and I killed it with a stone, so bummed I didn't bring my camera! haha

Last night we went on visits with the Elders Quorum and it was good.  I found more houses to visit, and I printed a new directory, and a list of organizations to search people out. We should have success!  It's going good here and i'll keep up the good work. 

There's a lot of potential here and we just have got to figure out how to tap into it.   I'm doing good here. I'm teaching good and talking good too. It's weird to talk English now but super fun, My companion and I get along good, we know the same TV shows and music, talk about big green tractors, and other stuff. Wow t swift concert sounded cool.  

I've got my first companion that does exercises with me, its fun. We bought rebar and were gonna make weights!! Today we're going to play futbol at the church, yippee.  We want to go to Pachachaca and Saywite in the future, just google em

Elder Largent with our landlady Mamicha, 

All is well.

Elder Wilde

Our hot shower broke and I did some ghetto fixes.  I just don't want to get electrocuted!!!

   

Waiting for my new companion

The studio looks pretty nice.  These days I've been with Elder Paucari in my sector since Friday, and the page says my new companion is Matthew D. Largent, I assume he's a gringo!! my first!!  He's going to show up tomorrow around noon, and then we´ll get to work.  

 It was weird this week leading everything and being in charge. My companion is coming to be district leader, I don't know how much time he has but I think he has a little bit left.

It's always good to see a missionary come home and leave like Jonah and Grant.  My companion is going to see Grant in Lima when he gets off the plane!!!

We went to lunch this week with the family we baptized, it was very good, and the husband called from the mine in Chalhuahuacha to say goodbye.  This week I also gave a talk in church , they asked for 15 minutes, I gave them 20+ talking about Alma the younger and repenting.!!

Have not received any package or nothing for a while now, it's probably serpost (mail here).  My companion was in Cuzco and said I didn't have anything waiting.  I'll have more info next week about my companion.

So in good news my Spanish is pretty good now, I don't have communication problems and people compliment me on my Spanish.  A person asked me how old I was when a learned Spanish, I said 18, he was like how old are you now and I replied 19 he was like wow and where? Puerto Maldonado I said. Wow again.    I met my new companion in Cuzco once he seems like a cool guy, We are gonna go play pool today for Pday!!!

Love,

Elder Wilde

Zone Conference in the Incan Ruins

hey mom sorry I cant write too much today because I got your email right at the end of my time !!! sorry that sounds real fun in Cameron Park and tell Jonah hi from me.   I'm doing good here. Next Monday I'll tell you who my new companion is!!!

When I was in the ruins and in the Combi ride I realized holy crap I'm living in the freakin Andes!!!  It's so cool here and there's ruins everywhere and I'm learning more quechuan too. 

I go to the internet at 10 am my time and I'm there to 11 am, so it would be good to coordinate that.

My companion is Elder Valdivia from Mendoza Argentina and he finishes his mission next week!!!! super trunky

This week was interesting, Monday and Tuesday were Independence Day so nobody talked to us, and on Wednesday we went to Andahualyas for a multi zone conference with President Harbertson. We had the conference in the Incan ruins 'Sondor.'   We played capture the flag at the top of the big hill it was super fun, Hermana Harbertson almost pushed me off a terrace!!!  It was the first ruins I've been to in the mission, and won't be the last for sure. haha  

Yesterday my companion went to Cuzco to go to Macchu Pichu, with some other missionaries who are finishing their mission.  I'm in another sector Intimpas with a temporary companion also from Argentina Elder Paucari. Yesterday we had some good success teaching and the highlight was our last lesson. So my companion has 4 months in the mission so I'm the senior companion, and we went to the appointment and he said we were gonna teach Lesson 2 "Plan of Salvation". I didn't feel that is the situation and then the dad who is an admitted drunk invited his other drunk friend over cause he said he needed help in his life. We started talking and my companion said lesson 1 the "Restoration" but I felt "Word of Wisdom", I knew it would be difficult but I knew that's what they needed, For a moment I didn't know what to do but I was like I'm scared to teach this but it's what they need. It went very well and I challenged them to decide then to stop drinking. We have a follow up cita (appointment)  Wednesday. I'm gonna be in Intimpas until Thursday and then Elder Paucari is coming to Patibamba Sunday until our new companions come. It's gonna be an interesting week. 

Love

Elder Wilde

A Wedding and a Baptism

Wow you guys are back from camping already?! In like a week I'll have one year with my call!!!

It's good the blue sub(urban) is still living and now with air conditioning, that would have been cool when I drove it.  haha!

I haven't gotten anything yet (packages), but the zone leaders are coming back from Cuzco right now, so they might have stuff for me, I went to Cuzco Thursday but I couldn't get to the offices :(  

We had a conference with Elder Uceda in Cuzco. He had all these plans to do but he was like the spirit is telling me to change my message. He talked us for 4 hours about repentance. He did it without any notes, he was using greek and hebrew words to shows the history of repentance. and burned the Latinos for not learning English. he said its for fear and embarrasment. then he called us all to repentance, and just talked about that and obedience!! Inicuos habiamos sido (We had been wicked).   it was super cool in Cuzco.  

Elder Uceda told us his mission story and of the church in Peru. When he served in Peru there was one mission and there was about 6 Latinos serving in the whole country. There were two branches (small congregations) in Cuzco, one in Puno and one in Juliaca. He was called Branch President in Puno with the order to shut it down if it didn't improve. He got attendance from 6 to 120 and now there's two stakes there!!!!  all the missionaries were just shocked he's such a cool guy!!!  when he came to Abancay I talked to him in English and found out that two of his kids served in CA!!   

When  went to papa johns in Cuzco I ate pizza and got sick after because my stomach wasn't used to American food. first time since December.

 I went to a mall to eat with my friends from Puerto and when I walked into the mall I felt like I was in the states.   look it up its called Real Plaza!  

We went to the wedding almost all day Saturday, it was cool, and Sunday before Sacrament Meeting we baptized him, then he went and got confirmed normal. and his son Jamil received the Aaronic Priesthood!!!  

More good news, in Cuzco I heard from the Elders in my last sector (from Puerto)  that the family I started teaching there is getting baptized this week, shows how the work pays off in the long run, 

Now we got to get working because we don't have anyone else close, I'm doing good and my spanish is getting better too!!

 we had an light week lots of lost time in travel, and this week were going to Andahuaylas for a Multi Zone Conference, the ugliest bus trip in the mission. just look at the highway from Abancay to there.

 Love,

Elder Wilde

An Unusual "P Day", the Missionary's Day Off

okay quick recap.

I'm writing late because we just got down from a mountain we were up there all day.  We got lost for some hours, but we made it back to Abancay!!!   I'm fine just sunburned and very tired. We got up to 4000 Meters in the hike but we still didn't get to the objective .. search in google earth El Nevado De Ampay, Abancay, Apurimic, Peru.  that's where we were. 

                                                              That's a lake we got too.

Sorry I have no time it's late here. Everything is going good. the papers are all ready for the wedding and it's going to be really good. 

For my birthday I bought ice cream and ate it with my companion in the room.

Elder Wilde

Happy Birthday!!

So the big news is Elida and Javier are planning to get married the 24th of July!!!!!! with his baptism the 25th!!!!!!  We're all super happy here to complete this family. We found out that Elder Uceda (Member of the First Quorum of the Seventy) is coming to Cuzco the 24th of July to talk to all the missionaries. So we don't know if we'll have to reschedule or what. We just hope it'll work out good.  

Another thing we did was a service project, we went to the chacra (farm) of the 73 year old guy in the branch to help him out because its terrace farming!!! real steep and easy to fall as an 18 year old. I learned how to irrigate like an Incan!!! We dug drainage ditches in the hillside, it was crazy cool. Sorry no pictures I didn't bring my camera there :(  and at the end he said he had a reference for us. We went and contacted it with him yesterday, and it was great. The guy said he was busy cause he's cooking, the 73 year old brother said 'papy yo sé cocinar te ayudo papito' and he was trying so hard to get in the door it was so funny. He said us men are good for our word, and your a man and said we could pass by this time.  and in the end he  was like 'soy viejo y esta haciendo un calor terrible, y estoy sudando papito, podemos pasar un ratitio (something like "I'm old and it's hot and I am sweating")?  The guy was kind of a jerk and just kept saying no so we left. But this old guy was way more bold than us, we learned a little from him!!!

Oh and a missionary from the branch left for the mission and there was a farewell, they passed a microphone around to say stuff, there, and so me and my comp went up together said some cliche missionary jokes then said we had to go eat dinner now.

another thing we taught family history yesterday at church and Grampie doesn't show up related to me. Something got unconnected when he passed I think.

thanks for the birthday wishes, it's weird I'll be 19 in a couple days. I'm probably not gonna have a party because here they throw an egg on your head for every year you have... so translation I haven't told anyone. I´ll buy myself something good on Saturday!!¡¡

about shoes how is that progressing??.  don't send inserts unless you already bought them, I decided I don't really need new ones. but for my 2nd year I'll need new ones. 

This week we started teaching a guy alver the restoration, he accepted it all, but he went to work in Andahualyas for a week, so we're going to pick up when he gets back. He's pareja is less active along with her family. 

So this week we were looking for a reference from another branch Las Intimpas, and it wasn't going good because the address was 'the corner by the bus terminal' but we were walking and someone yelled 'Elders!!!' we turned around and this lady was running towards us she is a member from Piura in the north by Ecuador, and is living here in Abancay. Her boyfriend doesn't like the church and doesn't want her to go, but was out working in the mines this day, she told us she saw us from her apartment window walking and ran out to find us, she said she prayed that morning to find the missionaries. I think we talked to her about 45 minutes, about advice and counseling pretty much. She said she'd come to Church with him  and she did and they stayed the whole time!!!  He is pretty closed minded but we've got an appointment Tuesday with them.  And then after we talked in the street we gave up on searching for the reference, and we started to walk up a street then found the guy!! Were gonna start to teach him this week!!

 It's starting to go better in the sector now, my companion  has 4 more weeks left in the mission. so I'll be onto my 4th companion soonish.

Love

Elder Wilde

The Exodus...Moving Day

I  don't have much time but here I go,

This week we had the exodus we moved all our stuff from our old house to the new one.  We called the zone and they didn't approve a moving truck. We were walking and I saw a truck so I went up and made a contract of 15 soles  ($4.75 US) to move us!!!!!  It took 2 ish hours saving 6 with the truck!!! we called it the truck from Heaven!! haha

We moved apartments because President Harbertson came with the assistants to every apartment in the mission and in the end we were told to look for a new apartment. I was so happy,  where we live now is 1,000 times better.  That's a pic when we were getting ready to move, the floor was like a old sailing ship. I think the Balclutha's deck is more level. and it had lots of other interesting aspects to it also.

Last night we fixed our hot shower and I showered with hot water today!!!!!  we've been having bad luck 'fixed' it like 3 times, but just bound the contacts together in the end! its nice not to get a headache from showering now  

This week my companion went to Cuzco for a meeting of District Leaders and he got a cell phone!! That's progress for Cuzco, they say in a year or so all companionships might have one too. 

We are working hard with the new family that we are teaching. We taught the Plan of Salvation Sunday and it went real well. They are probably going to get married in 2 weeks when he comes back if all goes well.

The baptism on the 4th went very well. Jamil and his sister Amelid were baptized and Sunday confirmed. I performed the ordinance for Jamil it was perfect no mess ups!! the service was nice lots of support, we are working with the father It's just a question of his work schedule at this point basically.  With the baptism it was an awesome fourth of July.

In testimony meeting Sunday a bunch of people bore their testimonies in Quechua and it was coolish, but I understood nothing. I can only greet people and super basic stuff. They always try to mess with gringos by speaking Quechua in the streets and then I surprise them with ' allianchu wayki' (the best translation we could find online is "make your meadow better" so who knows what it means) then they laugh and talk in Spanish.

I'm writing later than normal because we went to lunch with the family that we are teaching at a park place. We played volleyball and soccer after a big lunch!!

  

I didn't end up traveling to Cuzco but I helped load up the truck to go to Cuzco, I was in the rain for the first time since I left Puerto this week, but I still haven't sweat since I got on the plane in Puerto. that's in all seriousness.

The belt is nice but not adjustable it has holes. look for missionary belts its some company in Utah that sells them , and send pictures to confirm selection   

I got to run to District Meeting now.

Love,

Elder Wilde