Travelling

HELLO,

This week was really nice, mostly because my last 3 days it wasnt hot!!!!!!!!!!!!!  it was cloudy and raining.  My trip was normal 10.5 hours in the bus....  

I cant believe it, I have tried my best, and I have been able to help  lots of people.    I'm really excited to see you and the rest of the family in a day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the pictures, 

Love you,

Elder Wilde

Coming Home Soon

NOTE:  Michael will be completing his 2 year mission and returning home on Wednesday November 16th.  We are so excited!!!

Sunday was really nice. With my companion we took advantage of the fast, we went out early and invited people to Church.  Two new investigators, the dad of a family,  and another guy. They are doing well. The family couldn't come this Sunday but we're working hard there. We almost had 100 attendance in total.    We are so busy we are teaching so many people. It's hard to organize the appointments sometimes haha.   The pictures are me and my companion in the jungle,  the river Tambopata in my sector, and a family that me and my second companion started teaching, since I left the whole family has been baptized.  I'm going to eat lunch with them on Saturday.    

I'm going to search out my convert Oliver today, I'm going to buy some stuff in the market, and get ready.  

Love,

Elder Wilde

Working Hard Right Up to the End

How was Church?!?   What!!!!  When does Nathan (Reed) leave for Mexico (for his mission)?    This week we had a good conference Saturday morning a training from President Herrera and the assistants, it was nice.  After we ate cake for the monthly birthday's  and President hopped on a plane back to Cusco.   

This week we went to teach a family of investgiators, the oldest son Eric has come home from Arequipa, before the missionaries visited him. We were going to watch The Restoration https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2008-06-01-the-restoration?lang=eng with them but there was no tv remote and we could not change the language to Spanish!    So we talked about the Book of Mormon, the third oldest son, had read the 1st chapter and told us the story, we read half of the chapter with them, and they commited to read it and come to Church, we offered to drop by and pick them up.   Sunday morning we walked to their house only 2 kids Cesar and Aderson were ready so we went with them, Milagros (the mom) showed up with 2 more kids before the Sacrament, she liked it and said that next week she's going to bring her husband and 2 older sons.  We're really excited to go visit them this week.   

I'm doing fine, I'm coming to the reality that my mission will finish.  I'm going to start to tell select people this week, because this Sunday will be my last opportunity to take pics with people after church. My bus leaves the following Sunday at 9am.

I'm working really hard with my companion, We're finding lots of new people and seeing lots of miracles.

Love,

Elder Wilde

10/24/2016

It's great to hear from you, that's sad you couldn't go to church but I heard you do your own sacrament meetings??    That's nice that the ward came over to help out with some service, I'll have to see the yard when I get back. Send me some pictures of the dinner please!!!!!!!!!!!!    wow that concert sounds cool, and I didn't know that there is a new arena in sacramento!!! when did they build it?  I think I'm a little out of the loop but I expected that.

This week was really interesting,  A youth named Randy that I used to visit with my trainer (he was less active)  opened his mission call this Sunday. He's going to Bolivia. It's insane to see how stuff finishes, from visits I did two years ago, now he's going to be a full time missionary. 

I was in a work visit with a District Leader from the Zone (Elder Lopez) I was in his sector, and we were walking to an appointment , we were crossing an intersection, and as I was crossing I looked to the left and saw a motokar coming, I stopped in the street because I thought I recognized the driver , he pulled right up shook my hand gave me a hug and said' Elder Wilde what are you doing around here again?'   I was really surprised it was Ivan (from when I got in the motorcycle crash in my training and he took us back to the city from the boonies.)  I was so happy to see him , we talked for a while, we got his info because he is an investigator. He took us in his motokar, to the house we're walking to haha. I made the missionary swear to me that he would call him and take out an appointent. Today I'm going to do the follow up.    

This week we have a conference with President Herrera, I'll send pics of my last zone conference :(

Love

Elder Wilde

Meeting Old Friends

HELLO!!!!!

I did have a really good week. We did not have a baptism, but the week was still really good. We helped a lot of people out.  We taught a bunch of people, I'm teaching Vanesa and Limber my first pensionista, we're helping them read the book of Mormon.  We are also helping another young man from the ward to get ready to go on a mission, he goes on visits with us and wants to learn more.  WHAT, hey could you send me Jonah's email please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We didn't have that many investigators in church but a good amount of less actives came, we're working hard with them. 

About traveling I'm pretty sure I'm gonna get home later, because of flight delays etc,   I can't wait to see Sawyer,  Mom you too thanks for writing me, 

We went to Cusco this week and I ran into Elder FIncher(I trained him in Sicuani), well after his training he was asigned to be District Leader and train a new missionary!!!!!!,  thats a picure of Elder Yangali(mi nieto) Elder Fincher(mi hijo) Elder Wilde.

Have a great week.

Love,

Elder Wilde

General Conference

It's great to hear from you.  Yes I did enjoy General Conference!!  I took a lot of notes, I watched it in English with an Ecuatoriano Elder Ordoñez because there were no other gringo Elders in the zone.  He really liked to hear their real voices for the first time in his life. He understood the majority of it. He said he's not going to watch in Spanish anymore.  I heard part of Elder Uceda's talk.  There were some mechanical problem's with the broadcast so I missed part of the first session.  But I heard half of his talk. He is a really powerful speaker, he came to Cusco when I was in Abancay, we traveled to see him.  He also came to a conference in Abancay and I talked to him for a moment after the conference, he speaks really good English.  He learned it in his mission.  He was area president here. 

     
Mom I hope your doing well, I'm doing fine here just sweating a lot, WE HAVE TO GO EAT APPLE DONUTS!!!!! wow I hope you keep doing better with your treatments. 

Here in my sector we're working really hard we're finding a bunch of new people I'm excited to keep working but I know the end is right around the corner. I don't know what I'm gonna do.  I'm talking to the office about travel info, Are you sure that they didn't send you it already?  but they are going to send me my itinerary next week.  I'm getting into Sacramento at about midnight Wednesday (11/16/2016)......

                                                         that's a picture of our Zone

Love,

Elder Wilde

More Baptisms - September 26th

The baptism was great.  Lucero was baptized and it was a really nice experience, she said she just felt so happy. My companion Elder Peña performed the ordinance.   Also some other people were baptized I'll send a group photo also!!!!

My Sabbath was really interesting it was cloudy so the city felt like a sauna.  We visited a lot of families, we were working and walking a lot.  We visited a convert family because the dad had gone to work in an illegal mining camp, and we went to talk with him about  all the dangers that are out there. He understood, we were direct.   We also visited some investigators a family that has listened to the missionaries for 3 years, we are going to try to get them going again, and excited.  I'm also visiting my ex pensionista from when I started my mission, the goal is to get them married before I come home, they want me to baptize the husband, I can't believe it it's insane. One investigator came to church Xiomara she has a date for 10/7. She's really excited.

Puerto is doing really well, we are all working really hard to meet our goals and go over them. I'm going to take a picture of the zone, this week and send it home. This week are the transfers, 3 missionaries here are finishing also. I'll write about it all next week. Tell everybody hi from me.

Love,

ElderWwilde

Machu Picchu

Yeah so In a brief summary I left Puerto Sunday morning and I got to Cusco at night (11.5 hours on the bus) the next day I got up at 1 am and we got ready and took a bus, to a place in the sacred valley called Ollantaytambo. From there we took a (narrow gauge) train to Machu Picchu pueblo, we got there at 6 something, Then we took another bus to the ruins, it was so cool when we showed up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  We started climbing, all the other tourists were slow, and tired we pretty much ran up the mountain because we're  all used to more altitude. Machu Picchu is about 2000 meters and where I was in Puno is 3800 meters.  WE explored the whole city I took a LOT of pictures, we finished early so with some elders we entered in again. WE went up Machu Picchu for a SECOND TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I WENT UP TWICE!!!!!    It was a blast.  There were so many people here  I heard so many languages there.   It was amazing I'll show all the pictures when I get back.  I was really tired we left for Ollantaytambo at 6:30 and we got there 8:30 ish, then we couldn't find the bus to take us back!!!!!!!   We were starting to get worried but we found the guy, we got back to Cusco at 11 at night.   Now some Puerto news.

When I left the District Conference had a good attendance,  and we were getting the zone ready for the baptismal service this Saturday. Our investigator Lucero is going to be baptized on Saturday she's really excited and getting ready.  It wasn't that hot this week it was in 40 C a little above.  I'll send pictures of the service next Monday.

Mom I hope your fine and that you feel well in your treatments.  I love you.

Elder Wilde

September 12th

Thanks again for the package. I love it !!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah we got back from Cusco, on Wednesday afternoon, just in time for lunch. We started working right away to make up for the lost time. We worked really hard this week, and we were able to still meet our goals even though we were in Cusco a couple days.  The picture is me and Elder Choque from Bolivia he's the only other elder from my group that's a Zone Leader. He's really nice, We're buds since Lima.      

This week we found more people and we're going to keep working as hard as we can, I leave this Sunday in the morning to travel to Cusco. I'm coming back Tuesday (maybe on plane for zone leader percs haha) and we're gonna keep at it here.      It's great to be out here mom, there is sometimes some zone stuff to do, like plan meeting or take sick people to the hospital, but it's all part of the job.

I know you'll be well mom, Don't worry, .  Next p-day I'll be in Machu Picchu.  I'll try to write Tuesday.

Love,

Elder Wilde

The Work Progresses and a Trip to HQ in Cusco

Thanks for the letter mom, it makes me sad to hear about all your treatments, but I know it's so you get better faster. I know that everything will come out fine. I know how it is I'm starting to get tired too, but I just keep going I don't really know how. I count that as a blessing, to keep going because I'm doing it for a purpose. 

Yes I just got the package!!!!!!! thanks so much  I love it  I picked it up yesterday. Oh yeah I'm in Cusco right now. The plans changed and we traveled yesterday after the 3rd hour. Took a plane to Cusco.  Some more news is that I'm going to go to Machu Picchu in 2 weeks.  I'm really excited for that I'll send a bunch of pictures.  

Mom don't worry I'm always going to work hard, I've done that since I started and I don't plan on stopping or slowing down the pace. We're seeing lots of miracles and experiences here, we know that so that's why we work to find our mission or purpose here.

Mom I'm praying for you, and I know prayers are answered, we just need to trust in the Lord and accept his will.     I`ll send pictures with families next week. The river Tambopata is really low that's a picture out in a dock by my sector and the other is me in the mission office with Julie's package she sent me.

We are doing really well we're coming out of a slump with power and the same with the Zone we're finding lots of people and teaching them, lots of families. We have a family with a baptismal date for September 24th they are very happy. We are planning a big service in our District because in the Zone there are 17 people with baptisms scheduled for the 24th!!! We're working really hard the Zone is trying it's best and we are having a lot of success that hasn't been seen in a while here. I know missionary work isn't about numbers, but it's usually an indicator if people are working good.  

With my companion we do a daily follow of the Zone about how everything is doing with the District leaders and Friday we have an in person meeting with them and they go over their Districts progress and we exchange ideas about how to help the Zone. I'm doing well I'm happy. My Zone is the best. We've got the best leaders helping us, and we're all in the same cause.

Tomorrow we have the Misson Leadership Council, we will address problems and concerns in the mission with the other Zone Leaders, Assistants, President and the Sister Trainers,

They say that there is a big agenda ,  there are a bunch of new leaders now,     I`ll write about it next week

Yeah this week my Pensionista's fence fell down and I fixed it up by prying out the old nails  and flipping the boards. I only had a hammer hahaha but it's a nice fence now.

Yeah I'm ready to work at home.

Love,

Elder Wilde

This week was pretty good it was hot but not as hot as it was before, it was cloudy some days so there wasn't that much sunshine!!!!!! 

We got the sisters' room ready and they got there fine. I also picked up my companion Elder Peña it is really hot for him because he came from Puno to the jungle, and he's never been in a hot sector before. haha

This week we've been working really hard to find new people, we've found a bunch of new families, and they have a lot of potential, we'll keep visiting this week.  Next pday I'm probably going to write late because I'm going to travel to Cusco for the mission leadership council. but I'll write!!!!!!!!       

hmmm about classes I'll talk to Laura about that and find out a solution, but what does credit hours mean??????

So Sunday I ran into the same gringo I ran into 13  months ago!!!!!!!!!!  He was from Lodi.  We had a big talk he's pretty cool, I'm going to stay in contact with him when I get home,  

. 

Mom I hope  you'll keep getting better and be happy.

Love

Elder Wilde

This week was pretty good it was hot but not as hot as it was before, it was cloudy some days so there wasn't that much sunshine!!!!!! 

We got the sisters' room ready and they got there fine. I also picked up my companion Elder Peña it is really hot for him because he came from Puno to the jungle, and he's never been in a hot sector before. haha

This week we've been working really hard to find new people, we've found a bunch of new families, and they have a lot of potential, we'll keep visiting this week.  Next pday I'm probably going to write late because I'm going to travel to Cusco for the mission leadership council. but I'll write!!!!!!!!       

hmmm about classes I'll talk to Laura about that and find out a solution, but what does credit hours mean??????

So Sunday I ran into the same gringo I ran into 13  months ago!!!!!!!!!!  He was from Lodi.  We had a big talk he's pretty cool, I'm going to stay in contact with him when I get home,  

. 

Mom I hope  you'll keep getting better and be happy.

Love

Elder Wilde

I'm glad to hear that your doing well with your recovery, and that everybody knows what they're doing. 

So my companion Elder Niaupari is in Cusco right now, to go home. And my new companion is Elder Peña he's from Bolivia, he's a quiet guy. He's coming from my sector in Puno to be Zone Leader here, I'm going to hear about how Puno Central is doing, I'm happy for that.   We're also opening up a sector here, right now I'm trying to get all the stuff the two new sisters will need, bed frames, desks, a bunch of stuff!!!

The baptism of Nicole was really nice, she was  a little nervous, but I baptized her just fine, she was so happy, I didn't listen to her testimony because I was still changing in the bathroom when they had her talk, I was kind of bummed but yeah that's life, I also confirmed her Sunday morning, in Sacrament Meeting. 

Another investigator is Lucero she is progressing and her boyfriend is a member and she came to church yesterday for the second time, The problem is that her parents are super religious to another church and said they will throw her out of the house!!!!  yeah it's an interesting situation.   I'll inform more about how the zone is doing!!!

Tell me about everything at home, I looked at a calendar today and I realized that I'm going to be home in like 3 months!!!!! I'm going to Machu Picchu this change also.

So my new companion is a quiet Boliviano, he's a new leader, and had like 2-3 months as District Leader so I'm going to be helping him a lot .

 Right now I'm working on opening a sector that's been closed for almost  a year, it should be interesting!!!

We are working with the Branch and District to get stuff moving, it should be good, we're working to get the Zone better. to meet our goals!!!!

Love,

Elder Wilde

How's the church doing? I'm doing fine, we had a baptism this week and we have one planned for next week,  We're working hard to find new people. It's my companions last week so we put a goal to have 100 street contacts to go out with a bang. haha 

We have several more potential investigators to be baptized, It's looking bright.

This is  going good we're working with the branch council to help it function better.  I went to my old branch and I visited a bunch of people that were dropped by the way side, and now I'm showing the Elders where they all live to give them more chances.

This week an Elder fell playing soccer and his leg got so swollen that we took him to the hospital and they said he had a mass of dead blood growing in his leg and that we needed to take it out. We consulted Cusco and they said go for it before there was an infection so they operated on him cut it open and so much blood came out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I took a video of the whole thing, I'll show it at home. but he got cleaned up and he rested for a couple days and now he's fine.

I'll write about the baptism next week and who my new companion is.

The baptism on Saturday went really well, there was a lot of people there, and refreshments!!!!!!!!!!   My companion Elder Niaupari baptized her , without mistakes. haha   It was a really good experience. She bore her testimony after and there was a very strong spirit there.

This Saturday we have another baptism of her step sister Nicole, she passed her interview, and she asked me to baptize her, It's a great privilege and blessing to do that this Saturday, I'll send a picture next week .yeah.  

This is my companion's last week he's going to travel to Cusco this Saturday or Sunday to go back to Ecuador. So next week I'll have a new companion!!!!!!!!!!   This p day we're going to play soccer, and that's why I really don't send much pictures because we only play soccer. haha  

I hope you keep feeling better and that all the medicine helps you get better faster. I knew everything was going to be fine!!!!!

Love,

Elder Wilde

August 8th

Yeah so this week we had the conference, It was pretty good. We're working hard here, it's really hot here, summer is just getting started!!!!!!!!! 

I know all will go well in your surguries mom, I'm praying and fasting for you.  I love you mom

Wow I know everything is going to work out fine with mom,  It's comforting to know that.   So we're going to have a baptism this Saturday and another the next one, we're super busy. Life's not as simple anymore, there's lots of stuff to do now. Now I'm on the receiving end, when I was District Leader, and I would call the Zone Leaders about something that was happening, and I thought they had all the magical answers, now I know exactly how lost they felt!!!!!!!!!!!  There will always be people who haven't learned yet.   We're coordinating a lot with the District and Branch to try to change things up so that there's more growth.

I'm doing fine.

love,

Elder Wilde

He didn't have dengue!!!!

Hey it's good to hear the camping trip was fun, it was pretty hot this week I wanted to be in the Redwoods not in the jungle. haha

This week had a lot of interesting events, first starting the week off, while I was in a work visit with a District Leader, and we got news that an Elder was sick and had dengue symptoms, so I called Cusco and they said get him to the hospital, we got him there and started doing tests, they came back with probability of dengue, but for me he looked a lot better. I called Cusco and told them the lab results, and that I didn't think it was dengue, but the President said to buy the medicine so I bought a bunch of medicine, for this kid, like the doctor said and HE DIDN'T HAVE DENGUE after all, just a really bad heat stroke. So what I learned this week was not to jump the gun!!!!!!

This week we had an appointment with an investigator with a date for the 13th, she introduced us to her step sister Nicole,  we talked gave her a Book of Mormon, invited her to pray, the next day we went back and her sister had explained to her the whole Restoration and she accepted a baptismal date for the 20th!!!!!!!  It was amazing. 

Mom I hope all goes well in your surgeries I'm praying for you !!

I have not received a package yet. but I'll call Cusco today.

I'm running into all the people I met before. I'm in the same internet cafe as one convert right now, and I just saw the other on the way here. I was crossing a street, and a person yelled at me from a taxi, I looked and I recognized Oliver, (I hadn't been able to find him yet) he was yelling at me, I instinctively  started to back track and I almost got taken out by a pick truck the was coming in really fast. !!!!!  Almost died!!!  But gosh I want to talk to Oliver so bad, he's not active, and I'm gonna have a good talk with him. 

  

We're finding a lot of prepared people this week it's really good here, President is coming this week for a Zone Conference on Tuesday and Wednesday.  It'll be interesting.

Thanks for all the info, its reassuring to know more.   I told Laura this but during the week for me it's hard to remember about mom, at first I thought I was bad, then I realized it was the Lord's way to help, and just be lost in the work here. I usually remember at night, before I go to bed, but during the day, I'm just soooo busy!!!!  

We're working hard here as a Zone to get the work going good again, the Zone was the best in the mission but it's gone down a lot, since my times.(a lot has happend)  We're trying to put the foundations for a Stake, work with the members and work on branch councils, get PEC going, and efficient home teaching. This is the way to get a stake. Not in my time, in the future, but we need to work with that goal in mind.  We're happy and working hard

Love,

Elder Wilde

Life is good in the jungle - July 25th

HELLLLLOOOO!!!!!!!

 Life's doing good here in Puerto.  To answer your question , it's so great to see all the people I met, I can't handle it almost!!!!!!!!!!  This week we flew to Cusco for a leadership conference. Every month we have this conference and we get to FLY there from here!!!!!haaha it makes me so happy not to go on the bus anymore (12 houts each way).  It was really good, we had a big conference of all the Zone Leaders there, we talked about how the mission was doing and how we can be better.

Today we went to the Serpentario again, it was cool I took a boa picture again, I was a lot more awake this time, the girl that worked there, offered to loop it around my neck, but I was like nah I'm good, don't want to die today. haha

I don't have too much time, so I'll sum everything up fast. 1. We had a baptism 2. We have others planned 3. We were in part of our sector called Chapajal and we were walking and we decided to knock on a door, we didn't know we we just felt to. I presented myself and our message, the person, said yeah come in, they brought us chairs and we taught a family of 5 people!!!! it was so cool, such a good experience, it's something I like about Puerto, the people are so open, sometimes a little to much but It's the best.  Always give water or soda ...   

Yeah I hope mom is able to have good surgeries I'll keep praying for everything to come out all right.    

 I'm doing fine, just sweating a lot more than in Puno!!!!!!!!  I'll do better next week

Oh for my birthday, my pensionista got me a cake and did a small party, it was really nice.

Love,

Elder Wilde

                                                            A picture with the Zone

Back to the jungle

 It's hot here Just like it was before!!!!!! I'm just not used to heat after being in  the cold.   I'm glad you're all fine,  My companion is Elder Niaupari from Quito Ecuador, he's pretty cool.  We met a long time ago.  It's really weird seeing all the people I've met, and where they are now,  I walked in yesterday and I saw one of my investigators Melvin passing the sacrament, I was shocked!!!  I also talked to another family I found with Elder Segura that was baptized a little bit a go, I couldn't believe it, .   So the Elders in my old branch, are opening the sector like I did 2 years ago so they don't know anybody, so I went Friday to show them around their sector. I was surprised about how many people I remembered, and really happy to see them, and everyone was freaking out to see me.  I ran into my pensionista at the chapel the first night, she saw me get out of the motokar, and she started jumping, and we were both really happy.    We're working hard here in Tambopata it's fun,  and we're ready to keep the zone going good.  I'll send more updates next week. Sorry no pictures, I left my camera cable in Sicuani, but we're traveling to Cusco this week so I'll get it then.

Love

Elder Wilde

Faith

Mom and Dad,

Wow I honestly didn't see this coming at all.  But I'm fine. If there's anything I've learned it's to trust in God, and not lean into my own understanding.  I will be praying and fasting and doing everything I can to help.     From what you've said it doesn't seem super dangerous and hopefully we can get it out fast and get on with life.

Well I'll just tell you guys now I have a transfer to Puerto Maldonado, I'm going to a different branch it's called Tambopata. I'm going as Zone Leader to  the Zone where I started.    This week the ward had 98 attendance, and hopes are high, my kid Elder Fincher will keep up the good work here I hope.   

 I will keep working my best and try to be the best missionary I can be, don't worry about me, Dad just take care of Mom. 

Love you a lot,

Elder WIlde

This week was pretty good, not that many investigators came to church but we did have some less actives and more people came than last week.  

So President Herrera got to Cusco and we are travelling to Cusco today for a special mission conference to meet him. We are leaving at noon and getting back late tonight.  I'll write next week about how he his, he's young, he has 2 daughters 7, and 10 years old. The mission's gonna have kids in it now.    We don't have any baptisms planned right now, we have investigators but we are focusing on strengthing the ward and getting it working right now.  Elder Fincher is getting the hang of it  he's picking up spanish pretty good, its not perfect but its better than before haha.  Wow Sawyers gonna be 2 that's insane I want to see him so bad. !!!!!!!!   Wow the time is going by fast I'm almost halfway done training elder Fincher then I've got 3 months left.....

So yesterday I went to contact people in the Paza De Armas with my kid, and I saw two gringas there, they looked like adventists or something like that, they walked by and waved at us, and they were members from California and Idaho  here working for the church.  The Californian spoke Spanish pretty good she said she served in Argentina Comodora Rivadavia, I asked if she knew Jake Cano, and she did!!!!!!!!!!!  it's a small world, it was cool

We're doing good I'm going to write more next week about President Herrera.

Love,

Elder Wilde