Monday. May 16. 2016-Week 92

Doing service with Elder Culaca.

Conference with Elder Culaca!

Mi Familia!!

Ok I was thinking that today could be another one of those days when I just answer questions because you guys have like 20,000 of them!!!

This week was good besides that fact that we got sick!! To answer another one of your questions we do have a lady that is cooking lunch for us every day but one day she gave us some baaaaaaad food and it really messed us up!! I mean one minute I'm sitting there just fine and the next minute I am full on sprinting to the bathroom because there was some serious fire coming from down under!! So I was really bad for a few days (I seriously lost like 7pounds!!) but now I am ok but poor Elder Culaca was worse. One day we were out in the street contacting and talking to people when he just took off running around a corner. I went to see what had happened and he had thrown up and was really bad. I asked him if he needed to go back and rest or what he wanted but that guy just looks up at me and says that even though he had rice grains stuck in his nose from throwing up he wasn't about to go home and rest because there was work to be done!!!! Freakin boss!! So we just kept on keeping on for the whole week and we were very blessed for it. 

Things with Elder Culaca are sweet!! He is a bro just like Elder Gandarillas was and we have already become really good friends in this short time. I am still waking him up super early in the morning to work out and he just walks around now flexing his muscles hahaha!!

Our apartment is really nice!! The nicest I have had in my whole mission. We haven't had a single problem with it and the only thing that could be a little bit uncomfortable is that our bathroom is so freaking small!!!! I have never seen a bathroom so small in my whole life!!

The people that I am loving in our ward are many. We have like 15 returned missionaries that are always going out on visits with us and helping us to find new people to teach and they are all awesome. We are also helping a few families to get to be a little bit stronger in the church and they appreciate it a lot. For example this week 2 older men in our ward died. We didn't even know them besides from the blessings we had given them and the families asked us to give the talks at their funerals. It was a really cool experience for me because I felt like I was also playing my part in the funeral of Jaja. So ya just doing all that we can to strengthen the ward. 

Our area is really interesting. It is full of churches and other missionaries. The people that we are finding are sometimes really "hard of heart" but that is why Elder Culaca and I have just been focusing on loving and serving everyone. Christ said that he can identify those who are his disciples by how they show love to others. So something that we did this week is go with a huge moto and pick up a huge pile of broken bricks and cement in front of the house of a family that we are teaching. It took us like 5 hours.......but it was awesome because we could just serve the people and honestly that is just my kind of work!! But yes many, many people are taking very well to the message that we are teaching and showing their faith by following it. 

We are teaching a TON of people!! The list would be too long to put here but here's a few.

Luis - He is 20 years old and is awesome. He has been looking for the truth for a long time and he is sure that he is on the correct path now. He also plays a lot of soccer with us haha!!

Fam. Anton -  We did the service project for them. They are going to church and reading and all that good stuff but really struggling with work. Work is just tough to come across here in Paita. They are really good to us. 

Kenji -  He is 15 and loves the message. He has invited us to teach his whole family and now his whole family is listening to us too!! He is an artist. 

Rosio - She is the smartest person I have ever taught in my whole mission!! She is all questions and doctrine and we have been able to answer all of her questions and she is still going to church but just waiting for that answer from God. 

This last conference with the Rasmussen's was great. I loved seeing them and talking with them and I also gave my last testimony in this conference along with Elder Mooring and Elder Spencer and Elder Volcanes from my group from the CCM. It was pretty sad but just awesome to see how far we've come. 

Well that's all for now. I hope I could answer some of your questions. I love you guys sooooo much and hope you have a great week!! The church is true!!

Much Love

Elder Wilson

Monday. May 9. 2016-Week 91

Elder Culaca and I.

Lunch!

At the beach after some serious futbol!!

A classic with Elder Ayala!!

El Distrito!

Mi Familia

Hey guys!! We just got done having a serious soccer extravaganza!!!!! We found a sweet little field right on the beach and just went hard!! But now after waking up early to work out and then play soccer in the sun all morning I am dead......like sleeping on the wall while writing you guys and poor Elder Culaca can't even keep his eyes open!! But ya it's been a good P Day. 

Yesterday was awesome talking to you guys!! Crazy that it was the last time that we are going to be doing it while I am here in the mission. You guys all look super great and sounds like all is going well with the life. So ya I really don't have too much time to write today so I just want to write what I was thinking the other day. 

There is a man that I really look up to named Bishop Duckett. Yesterday he just came to my mind and I was trying to remember all of the things that he had taught me during his time as my leader and being mothers day I remembered something really cool that he had told me before. It was in an interview with him and he sat me down and asked me a question. He said, "Have you ever seen an angel in you life?" Well I was pretty sure that I had never before seen an angel or anything even close to and angel so I told him, No. He then went on to tell me something that I will always remember. He said, "Well you are wrong there because every single day that you see your mother you are seeing an angel." He then told me that mothers are heaven sent angels that are to love us, help us, and guide us and that they deserve to be treated as such.

I can say that what Bishop Duckett explained to me that day is nothing but the truth. Mom you are a heaven sent angel that has done nothing besides bless my life since the day that I was born. You just loved me and did all that you could for me. I love you mom and I hope you never forget it. You are and will always be the #1 for me. Hope you had a great day and that you felt my love all the way up there in Idaho!! I thank the Lord daily for having the greatest mom in the world.

Well that's all for now but we'll be talking soon!! I love you guys and just keep on keepin on!!

Much Love 

Elder Wilson

Monday. May 2. 2016-Week 90

Mi Familia,

What's up Wilson Fam!!!!!! Sounds like the life hasn't slowed down at all back at home!! But that's ok because maybe you're starting to feel a little bit of what we are feeling here in Paita!! I have honestly never worked so hard in my entire life!! When we get back to our room at night poor Elder Culaca always says "Elder Wilson.......me vas a matar!!" Which means Elder Wilson.........you're going to kill me hahahaha!! We have been putting ourselves to the ultimate work test and the blessings are really starting to come. 

Tater keep up the sweet soccer playing bro!! Hope you guys kill it in state cup this year. Take care of those Nationals fools and keep practicing because my soccer skills are almost unmatched right now haha!! 

Ok so about the pictures of my house that I sent. I don't know if you saw the pictures of the bathroom very good. That sucker is so dang small!!!! I seriously can't even get in there to go to the bathroom!! I have to go in sideways haha but ya besides that it's a really nice house. And no cockroaches!!!

Well all the missionaries in my zone have officially started calling me the dinosaur because I am old as dirt here in the mission........it sucks getting old let me tell you haha!! But ya it is really weird being the oldest missionary in my zone but it also has given me a ton of teaching opportunities to help the younger missionaries to learn how to do it right. I think for that reason Jedi Master would be more appropriate than dinosaur!!

So as for my week......

7 Yea, verily, verily, I say unto you, that the field is white already to harvest; wherefore, thrust in your sickles, and reap with all your might, mind, and strength.

8 Open your mouths and they shall be filled, and you shall become even as Nephi of old, who journeyed from Jerusalem in the wilderness.

 9 Yea, open your mouths and spare not, and you shall be laden with sheaves upon your backs, for lo, I am with you.

 10 Yea, open your mouths and they shall be filled, saying: Repent, repent, and prepare ye the way of the Lord, and make his paths straight; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand;

D&C 33: 7-10

Well that is just about how I want to explain this week. We as missionaries don't have control of how many people accept this message, we don't have control of how many people go to church and we sure don't have control of how many people accept being baptized but we sure as heck do have control over one thing and that is how many people will hear this message. There are many responsibilities that we must complete to be true representatives of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ but if we have any sort of desire to complete with His will we must be willing to share what we know with everyone. Young or Old, Male or Female, from whatever religion or background they may come from we must present every soul with the opportunity to accept this message in their lives so that they too can reach this fullness of joy that we have experienced through the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. 

That's what Elder Culaca and I realized this week more than anything else. We are in a new area and trying to get to know new people and it has been sort of hard. But after studying and reading and praying and fasting the only thing that came to our mind is to do what this scripture says. So this whole week we opened our mouths and we shared the gospel with everyone!! Not a person would pass us in the streets without hearing what we had to say and we honestly tried to knock every door in our area. Well obviously there was a lot of rejection that went on but you would be amazed with all of the amazing people that we found!! We found multiple families, we found 20 year old kids passing through some serious problems that asked us for help and we saw many, many miracles along the way. The icing on top of the cake was that this Sunday we were able to bring 8 people to church with us!! To think that we are just starting with mission work in this area and now we have almost 10 investigators going to church is amazing to me. So in the end of it all if you are ever thinking of sharing the gospel with someone and are trying to figure out how, when or to who just trust in what the scriptures say. Open your mouths and they shall be filled.

Ya I really do love this area and our branch is super strong!! It's full of returned missionaries!! They have all been really cool and have gone out visiting with us and I don't know but we are preparing ourselves for great things here in this area. 

So as for skype. I have no idea how we are going to do it. In our area there really aren't too many members that have internet haha so well have to see what kind of place we can find to do it. Just know that I will mostly likely be calling Sunday in the afternoon but I'll call before to let you guys know when. 

So that's all for now. I am loving this new area and Elder Culaca is a boss!! I honestly couldn't be any happier than I am right now. Just loving life and serving the Lord. I love you guys and well be talking soon!!! Have a great week and pray for Rosio, Kenji and his family, Pier and his family, Vanesa and Billy, Hugo, Edgar, and my area!!

Much Love

Elder Wilson

Monday. April 25. 2016-Week 89

With Elder Culaca!

My church building.

Welcome to Paita!!

More Paita!

My area . . . . desert!

Our place.

Bano!

Fishin!

Mi Familia

Well guys it sounds like you had a seriously busy week. For sure it is one that I wish I could have been there for but I know that I am where I am for a reason. Reading all of the stories of what happened was honestly super special for me. We have such a strong family. Every single one of you played a huge part it sounds like and I am sure that Jaja was right there with you all as you honored her because I sure know that I felt her spirit here with me. 

Today we went fishing!!! I'll send pictures but lets just say that round one of fishing in Paita kicked our butts hahaha!!

This week has honestly been super crazy for me. Its been a loooooong time since I've just had the chance to work all day every day proselyting but this week I finally had the opportunity and we took advantage of it!! We visited, served and just helped every single person possible and we are already making some serious head way in this area with a rough history. This branch hasn't baptized anyone for much more than a year but we are about to change that!!!! The work will move forward. 

So Elder Culaca is awesome!! He is from Lima, from a part called Callao, and he is 18 years old. Finally a companion that is younger than me haha but it does make me feel kind of old. He has 6 months in the mission and he is just super full of energy. He has had sort of a tough time starting his mission up but from what I have seen of him he is super strong and ready to just share this message with everyone. We are going to be like Alma and Amulek in Ammonihah. Full of the spirit and ready to serve the Lord. He also wants to work out with me every morning! It is awesome because he just goes for it even if I am doing some sort of crazy work out because he say that he's gonna get BIG hahaha!!!! He is going to be an amazing last companion and I know that we are going to get some serious work done together. 

Well as you guys know we are opening our area so we really showed up here without anything. We didn't know the members, we didn't really have any investigators and we had no idea even where our area was but we are really starting to figure it all out. We are working in a very, very humble area that is full of people!! Like more people in this area than any other area that I have ever seen!! So we just started off doing what we do best. Knocking doors and talking to everyone in the street. We managed to get into a ton of homes and share this message with a ton of people and families and many of them have already showed a huge interest to learn more. It's sort of a hard thing to open up a new area but it has been a cool experience to just start from nothing so that we can see the difference that we make here during our time in this area.

We had a super cool experience last night. Usually we have to be in our room at like 8 pm on Sunday to report how our week went but as we were walking home Elder Culaca just looked at me and said Elder Wilson I think we should knock this last door. We haven't knocked it yet and we still have a little time. I said heck yes and we went for it. Right as we were knocking our district leader called us to report but a 20 year old kid named Alejandro opened to door and invited us in so we decided that we would report a little bit later. We taught him and he explained that he was religious but has been searching the truth for a long time and he had never known where to look before we shared James 1:5 with him. "If any of ye lack wisdom, let him ask of God." He said that he believes in God with all of his heart and that he believes what we taught him but is going to ask God first to make sure it is the truth. He told us that he wants to learn more and that he believes that God sent us to him so that he can find the truth in this life. When we left we called our district leader, only like an hour late haha, and he was a little upset I think but let me tell you sometimes you have to choose better or best and I am sure that in this moment we chose best. Always listen to the spirit and be ready for him to show you where to go and what to do and then just do it. 

I also had the chance to give a really cool blessing to an 80 year old man this week. He is one of the first members of the church to come to Paita and everyone knows him. His children, grandchildren and great grandchildren are missionaries and members of the church. He is dying of cancer and the doctors have told him that it's just a matter of waiting but he is in pain. So he asked the sister missionaries to call us to give him a blessing so that he could just be in peace. So we went and I had the opportunity to bless him and the spirit was just so strong. We blessed that man with the love that the Lord has for him and when we finished he wasn't squirming or crying but he was just in a calm rest. The power of the priesthood is the power of God. He has called us to bless his children with it and we must be ready to do so. Super super cool experience.  

Well that's all for now. I love you guys and am super proud of all of you. You are always in my prayers and I hope that you keep me in yours. Pray for our area!! 

Much Love

Elder Wilson

P.S I am not sick anymore but I have like a hard core runny nose for like 10 days now!!!!

Monday. April 18. 2016-Week 88

Mi Familia

Well it was transfers today so I really don't have a lot of time because we have got to go and unpack and we are opening this new area so we don't know a single person or a single street or anything at all hahaha!! It is going to be a serious adventure!!

This last week I have actually been super sick but nothing to keep me off the streets. Just pray for me so that I can get better. It was really hard saying goodbye to la familia Llacsa and Kevin, Raul and Yolanda but they are so strong and I know that they are going to be amazing. Keep them in your prayers.....ALWAYS!!!!

My companion is awesome!!!!! We are just going to give it all in these last 3 months. We are going to work until we cannot work anymore and then we are just going to keep going because that's what the Lord expects of us. Our house is actually super great. I'll send pictures next week but it's nice. We are not working in a ward any more but in a branch. Paita is a district and not a stake so it will be interesting to work in this. 

Ya just going to end with my thoughts about jaja.  (Asher's grandma, Susan Wilson passed away unexpectedly on April 16, 2016. He asked me to read his thoughts below at her funeral.)

So as for my memories of my grandma: In the course of my life I have felt so blessed to be the oldest grandson of such an amazing woman. Her love was pure, her spirit was strong and her faith was truly inspiring and is something that has helped me set a straight path for myself in this life. I will never forget her singing to wake me up in the morning when we would stay over at her & Papa's house or her always having time to go and watch me in my sports tournaments or especially all of the cards and emails she wrote me during my time here in the mission. I will miss her wild sense of humor, love of s'mores hahaha, crazy antique store shopping stories and just the way that wonderful woman carried herself. She was truly special because she just loved with out restriction and lived without guile. I feel no doubt or guilt in saying that I had one of the best grandmas in the world because she would always make us the most important thing in her world. In thought, in word and in action she was a loving grandmother but also a dedicated servant of Christ. Our prophet Thomas S. Monson has said, "Death is not the end. It is putting out the candle because the dawn has come." I feel pain, I feel sadness but I know that she is with the Lord. This life only lasts for as the Lord sees fit to give us. Her time came before many of us ever would have thought or wanted but I know with all my heart that because of what she did here in this life we will be able to reunite the family once again in a not to far future day. Jaja (that's what I've always called her) I love you with all my heart and I thank you for your light and example that you shined into my life. I will never ever forget you and you will live in our minds and hearts until we meet again. You have set the standards very high for this family and we will not fall short of what you expect of us. I thank the Lord for another guardian angel watching over me as I finish my mission. I love you Jaja!  

Much Love

Elder Asher Dean Wilson 

Monday. April 11. 2016-Week 87

Mi Familia!!

Hey guys sorry for not writing last week but it has just been super crazy here!! Thanks for all of the happy birthdays!! I feel your love and for the first time in my entire life I seriously feel a little bit old hahaha!! 20 is sort of a big one but I couldn't be spending it in any better of a place than here in the best mission on earth!! 

Last week we went to the beach in Paita with our zone. It turned out really good. We played soccer and snapped some sweet pictures and went freaking fishing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!FISHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It has been a dang long time since I've broken out the old rod and reel but me and one of my mission buddies got some stuff put together and went out. He is also finishing his mission so he has left me with all of his stuff so I can go again!!!!!

So today we left Piura at 5 in the morning to go to Tumbes with President and Hermana Rasmussen. We have interviews here Tuesday and Wednesday but President decided that he wanted to take us up early with him so that we could go to the famous manglades and see all of the animals and stuff like that. So we went and also some other missionaries went (including Elder Mooring and Elder Ayala) and checked it all out. Cruised around and saw some different islands and a whole bunch of crocodiles and lots of other cool stuff like that. After we were done checking everything out he took us all out to lunch for my birthday and then all of my buddies smashed a ton of eggs all over my head!! Like 20 of them!! Ohhhh how I love that tradition but how I hate it when it is my birthday hahahaha!!!

So as for the elections. This week they were supposed to pick a new president of Peru but it came down to a tie or something like that so they have to do another one in a few weeks. Everything was totally fine. There were tons of people all over the place and crazy die hard voters but they didn't want anything with us and it all turned out really good. We had to go home a little early on Sunday but besides that, just another normal day. This year was easy but in 2014 I had a crazy voting experience hahahahaha!! I'll tell yall about that one when I get home. 

TEMPLE GOING UP IN LIMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'M NOT EVEN SERVING IN LIMA BUT IT IS SUPER SWEET AND WE WERE ALL PUMPED HERE IN THE NORTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PERU IS THE PROMISED LAND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well in these last few weeks I have been up to my neck in stuff to do. We have had interviews and conferences and work visits and a whole bunch of other things to help president with and just about anything else that you could possibly think of. We have been tired tired tired but it hasn't slowed down our work at all because we just don't let it. I think one of the best things that I have learned here on the mission is the importance of organizing your time. With all we have to do we wouldn't have any time at all to work in our area if we didn't organize our time well but we have finally figured out our system to do it an we are working wonders!! This week we found 3 new families and a new man to teach and they are all just super interested in what we have to say. Some of them already have baptism dates and they are all reading the BOM!! The law of the harvest is in play here in our area. The more we work and the more we share this message with everyone (plant) the more amazing people that we are finding to teach through the direction of the Lord (harvest). But Elder Gandarillas and I were thinking of how the Lord has been helping us and what more we can do to receive more of his help and we came across a super well known scripture in Helaman 3:35.

"Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God."

Fasting and praying!!!!!!!!! If we want the Lord's help in our life we have to do things his way. All he asks of us is to have faith in His name and His son Jesus Christ and pray and fast with a sincere heart. We've been doing it and we have been seeing miracle upon miracle here in the work. My goal in life is seriously to just yield up my heart unto God like it says here in the scriptures. It isn't easy and it takes a lot out of us but through our ability to do it the Lord will be able to use us to complete with his plans here in this life. Just a little revelation that made a lot of sense to us this week. 

Conference was amazing!!!!!! I can't give you all my thoughts about it because I would never finish but President Utchdorf!!!!!!!!!! He is the best!! I invite all of you to dedicate time every day or 2 to study something from conference because it is where we can find answers. 

Prayer list this week: Wilmer Ituria (and familiy), Juan Truncos, Javier Abad (and family), Mario and Jan Carlos, and finally Kevin, Raul and Yolanda. They are all doing great but they could just use a little more of your help!!

Ok so like I said I'm in Tumbes so I've got to go. Thanks for being the best family ever and thanks for being so great to me on my birthday!! I miss you all a ton but I am doing what I need to do. Your always in my prayers and I love ya a ton!! 

Much Love 

Elder Wilson 

Monday. April 4. 2016-Week 86

Hey were going to the beach today so if I get to write you guys its going to be later. All is well!! I love you guys!! Keep conference in your hearts!!

Elder Wilson