That's good news about the package, hopefully i'll get it soonish.

For those baptisms we have 3 people with dates and 2 other people that could possibly get baptized in February. We are working pretty hard to find new people and to keep helping the ward move forward.  

Wow monterey seems pretty fun,  a concert and all !!!!  Next week there's a big party here called Candelaria.   It's kinda bad, the whole city pretty much gets drunk. For pday we can only go to the church.  haha     

i'm doing good I know Puno pretty well now, all the streets and how to get around. the altitude isn't a problem and i'm used to the cold now, (even though we're in summer right now)!!!    I dont have a transfer niether does my companion. We are going to stay here for another 6 weeks.     We're  gonna have a couple baptisms in these weeks, i'm pretty happy for this.

 that's me looking out over Puno from a hill called Huajsapata

Hmm for reals your thinking about picking me up!?!?!?!    if not the mission may send me into LAX, they send the west coast people there now not Atlanta.  

wait whats the zika virus!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!????? i've never heard of that. there's no mosquitos here but A BUNCH in Puerto. and yes i ate a lot of fish there, i learned how to eat with all the spines haha 

I'm going to go back and study my patriarchal blessing.  President Harbertson said that this wasn't a coincidence either that the Lord has me here for a reason,  so i grow and him too.   

  

Love,

Elder Wilde

The Pipe Wrench

Oh my gosh, you finally found the pipe wrench, that's good, in MY tool box.   

The teaching pool is quite good, we have more investigators and less actives that we are finding.  We contacted a guy named Brian, that talked to the missionaries 1.5 years ago. He's excited and wants to learn more.  Another investigator Lizbeth accepted a baptismal date for February 6th,!!!  We're going to go talk to her parents about that.  Another investigator Erick is set for the 2nd week of  February, He's a very good kid that wants to get baptized so bad, but has to wait till he is turns 18.   There's a lot more people. There is some big news.   ELDER HOLLAND IS COMING TO OUR MISSION FEBRUARY 20TH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  we are all travelling to Cuzco for a whole mission conference. It's going to be so cool. We are all so excited.  

Sawyer really recognized me!!!! that's so cool!   Yeah here in my ward in Puno, the Elders Quorum is working good. Yesterday we visited with them in divisions. it was good I met a less active that I didn't know before.  They are working hard to get the home teaching set up,

When I was in Cusco (for 2 days), I just kinda sat in the office, and if someone had to go do something I went with them, other than that I was reading on the couch, before going out to work. it was fun there. I miss the temple. For Grampie the first thing we're doing in November is going to Skylawn (Cemetary)  and then Harry's Hofbrau.  Then I'm gonna start working.

It's good that the mission work is alive in the (home) ward, hopefully they've got people to teach. Next week I'll tell you what happens in the transfers.

Love Elder Wilde

Sorry I just have the worst luck sending pictures.

Surprise Trip to Cusco

 Thanks for the Christmas letter. I'm doing good here in Puno.  It doesn't get too cold here, because we're in the Summer, but everyday after the sun goes down it's best to wear a sweater, because the wind that comes from the lake is cold!!!!!!   

So surprise I went to Cusco this week!!!!!  I had to go for my immigration papers, it was a fun trip.  I was there for 2.5 days.  I worked with the office, I had a good time teaching there. There was a very good lesson with a lady that was very well prepared to receive the gospel. She had received an answer but hadn't been baptized because she isn't married (to her live in boyfriend).We challenged her to get married and she accepted and was really happy.    We're working good here; a less active youth came to church for the first time in a long time, he's gonna come back.   We're still working with investigators. A lady came to church for the first time and she really liked it, 

A member invited us over and cooked enchiladas they were super good and reminded me of home.

I'm doing good; this transfer is going by fast, there's 2 weeks left.

We are also studying President Hunter, it was a good class about being centered on Christ.  I like that talk from conference I'm working on having my clay on the center of the wheel.

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2015/10/the-joy-of-living-a-christ-centered-life?lang=eng

 We went to Juliaca. I'm there right now, its fun I got a big pizza with Elder Augat at Pizza Hut, I'm full right now!!  

I'm stressed on time, so I'll tell the deets,    I'm good.  The situation isn't perfect,  But it isn't as volatile as before.   I'm gonna keep moving forward,  I imagine my situation as a big concrete block, and a dude trying to break it apart with a sledge hammer, he's gonna see he can't, get tired then stop, Hopefully he'll get tired soon.

I went to a flea market and a found a girls camp shirt from the Rancho Cucamonga Stake (in California) and I almost bought it.  haha     

On the bus back from Cusco I was the only white guy, the rest were Asians. 

More next week.

Love,

Elder Wilde

It's good to hear everything is fine at home, and that the holiday's were fun.  I woke up New Year's Eve, because there was so many fireworks , and I took some pictures. They are crazy here with fireworks,  haha.  

The ward where I am is one of the biggest in Puno. There are lots of returned missionaries that help us out. There is a rm (returned missionary)  that was companions with a member from Patibamba.  It's a very small world!!!!!   When I got here the sector was focused almost exclusively in investigators. I'm working hard to flip that to a 50% focus on less active members, but it was kinda hard to start because my companion only knew one less active!!!!!!!!!!!!  so i got my hands on a directory, and we went to the pavement, walking street by street, looking for members, we are having success, because the people all have exact addresses, and if the person doesn't live there, or it's a family member, we contact them, and go back to teach them.  This is our mission focus now, I'm not seeing a bunch of success right now, but if we keep going I know we'll start going good, and fortify the ward even more.   For example, we found a less active adult, that is now married, (wife isn't member) and they both came to church this Sunday. There's a lot to do here, and we're always busy, 

How's our ward doing? 

Today we're gonna have a basketball tournament with the other zone in Puno, It'll be fun

love,

Elder Wilde

Wow it was so good to talk to you all on Christmas, seems like It was a while ago.  It's weird to think that one day I'll be talking in person with you guys again. haha

Sawyer sounds like he's doing good. in that picture he's there standing!!!!!!  gosh that LA trip sounds fun, I'm gonna be here in Puno...  Ii most definately remember staying on that military base. How could I ever forget that night, I just hope that if we visit there again, we stay in SLO not in the camp haha   take some pictures of  LA for me!!!

Why are you taunting me about Star Wars!?!?!?!?!  I want to see that so bad, I'm just hoping it doesn't show up while I'm traveling on a bus.   

For p=day we are gonna go to a big slide, then in the afternoon play soccer pronanly with the other missionaries. a normal pday here, the latins usually only want to play soccer. 

We've got some investigators.  There's a lady Ana.  Her family was baptized a little bit ago and now she would like to be baptized. She will probably be baptized in January, and there are more to come, Every day I know the sector better and better. I'm meeting more members and making new friends.   I'm getting used to the climate here, its rainy and cold.

Love,

Elder Wilde