Monday. February 23. 2015-Week 29

Baptised Him on February 22, 2015!!!!! Rony Eduardo Santos Riategue‏

Mi Familia!!

Well this week sounds like it was good for you guys!! I'm so happy to hear that Tater's knee is healthy and that he's playing again!! Also tell James he's the man and for this week tell Mason that he is even more of the man!! Columbia that's what I'm talking about!! We are going to have such a huge group of Spanish speaking returned missionaries in Meridian!! 

This week was freaking loco!! We were so busy teaching and contacting and on top of it all we were preparing for the baptism of Rony. We made it to the night of his interview, Friday night, and he went and had his interview with one of our zone leaders and he did not pass. They said that Rony is more than prepared but he has some stuff in his past that he needed to repent of. So they schedualed him to have an interview with one of the counselors of Presidente Rowley the next day, Saturday. So Rony was really down like almost depressed so I decided I was going to fast for him, Elder Mauricio didn't because he told me he was too thirsty to fast hahaha. But this was a fast and a half. I prayed so hard and I just focused all of my actions into helping Rony to get ready for this interview. So we went to his second interview and Rony talked to Presidente Piva for like 2 hours and then he called us into the room. You could tell what had happened right when we walked in because Rony was smiling from ear to ear. Rony passed his second interview and we were able to baptise him the next day!! The service was awesome!! So many people showed up and the speakers were great and then I got to baptise him and wow entering the waters of baptism with Rony was one of the most amazing feelings I had ever felt in my life. Maybe because the water was cold and it was so hot outside haha but I'm pretty sure it was the Spirit!! Rony tried to dunk himself so I had to hold him up so he didn't do that haha I guess I didn't explain the whole process enough to him!! But what a day that was. We were all so dang full of the spirit and I saw the results of  my fasts and prayers and hard work and it was just such an amazing overall experience!! I love my mission and this opportunity I have to bring others unto our Savior Jesus Christ. I will never stop working!! I will do all that I physically and spiritually can to help bring many people unto the Lord. If we are doing the right and trying to accomplish Gods plan for us He will help us through the power of His spirit. 

So thats all for this week. But 2 things. Have you sent my package?? And if not I want my zebra tie!! 

I want to personally thank all of you for your fasts and prayers for Rony because the differnece was felt here. He is not only a strong member of the chruch through the work of Elder Mauricio and I but he is a strong member through the work of all of us together. We are one. We all have the same purpose and when we all work together there is no force in the world that can stop us from sharing the truth!! I love you all so much!! My companion is still lazy but a little less!! Read a talk from last general conference called Approaching the Throne of God with Confidence by Elder Jorg Klebingat its awesome and I love it so much!! Ok all that was random but I love you guys soooo much!! I am always praying for you and I'm here working to bring blessings to our family!! I love you all and hope you have a great week!!

Much Love

Elder Asher Dean Wilson

Our district goes too hard!!

My district

Hermano Geno a less active who teaches english in a university haha we talk in english all the time‏

Heck yes we cook!

This kids name is Brady and he's awesome!

Monday. February 16. 2015-Week 28

Elder Wilson, Elder Mauricio, and the Elders Quorum

Mi Familia!!

Hey guys!! I'm so glad to hear that everything is going great back at home!! I don't know why but every time I read your emails I just think you guys are so much stronger now that we ever were!! I am so happy that you guys are happy and feeling the amazing power of the Lord in your lives every day!! I cant wait to get back and see the differences in all of you. Sounds like Valentines went good and yes they celebrate it here.......I saw more Peruanos making out in that day than I would ever want to in my entire life!! But because they were all together walking around in the streets we contacted like 30ish families!! Hey every day has its ups and downs right haha?? Also you guys are going to California?? You never tell me anything haha;) That should be a fun trip. 

Ok so what a week this was!! I was as busy as I've ever been teaching and contacting and on top of all of that we had a reunion with Presidente Rowley and interviews with Presidente Rowley!! So let's talk about this interview with Presidente Rowley. That was definitely the most spiritual part of my week. I have never in my life felt the spirit so strong from someone in my entire life than Presidente Rowley, he is truly an inspired man of God!! So usually we get talked to about what we need to change and our problems in this interview but this one was a little different. I'm not going to say everything but you guys can rest assure that I am doing exactly what I need to be. Presidente Rowley told me that I have been a perfect example of diligence in my mission and that even though I haven't had a ton a leadership opportunities that I am one of the greatest leaders in this whole mission. Hearing all of that from him just really made me feel great because that just means that I am accomplishing the plan that God has for me here in Piura!! He also told me that I am a great reason for my parents to be proud. Wow....now it's just time to keep working and doing exactly what Presidente Rowley expects of me. 

Also a side note the nastiest thing that I ate this week was a huge plate of chicken stomachs hahaha it wasn't terrible but not my favorite!! They don't waste anything here in Peru!!

Were still working with Rony a ton and it has been easily the most amazing experience of my entire life to witness his change. He started out as a drug dealing gangster and is now a dedicated member (almost member) of our ward. He goes to ward activities by himself, he reads his BOM a ton every day and he is just living his life in order with the Gospel. I have the amazing opportunity to baptise him this weekend!! Keep praying for him because this is going to be a tough last week. Satan is going to be after him more than any other time in his life!! I love this mission and the amazing opportunities that I have like this to see the power of the gospel!!

Well that's all for this week. I am seriously working my butt off. I wake up at 5:50 to excercise, then study, then teach all day until 9:00 and then just pass out and do it all over again. I love this mission and I will continue to work like this until I am walking into our house at the end of it all. This is the most important work in the world and you all need to realize that we are all missionaries and that your part at home is just as important as my role out here in the mission field!! I love you all so much and hope you have an amazing week!! PRAY FOR RONY!!!!!!!!

Much Love 

Elder Asher Dean Wilson

My apartment is way better than in Zarumilla and we always have running water!!

I work with the kids a ton I just don't have any pictures with them

Its still super super poor here but people have a little more money than in Zarumilla

Elder Wilson with his current companion, Elder Mauricio, and his first companion, Elder Orellana

Rony

Monday. February 9. 2015-Week 27

Mi Familia

Ok today was freaking crazy so I don’t have a ton of time to write. Today for P Day we went to Sechura (a city in Peru....actually a desert in Peru haha) and we went sand boarding!! Our whole zone went and so did Presidente Rowley and we sand boarded it up!! It was amazing. I’m sending pics. But ya we spent the whole day hiking huge sand dunes and flying down those suckers on snow boards!! I ate it so hard a few times but I guess you could say I’m basically a pro sand boarder now ;) 

This week was great. First off Rony is still progressing super fast!! He is living all the mandamientos we are teaching him and he is really doing everything that he can to reach his goal of baptism. I am 95% sure we will be baptising him the 22 of February but please keep praying for him, he needs all the blessings he can get right now!! We had a lot more success teaching and things are just going great!! We had ward conference this week and let me tell you we witnessed a miracle at that conference. Our ward is sorta not very motivated. They don’t get a lot of the things done that they should and we were really worried about how this conference would turn out so we fasted and prayed and I now have a renewed respect for the power of the fast. Our conference was amazing!! The church was clean (because we cleaned it the day before haha), the classes were great, the speakers were amazing, a ton of people showed up, and the choir sang like angles and that’s saying something because Peruanos are terrible singers hahaha!! So yes I was very pleased with this conference and this week. Were just going to keep working to make this area even better!! 

Sounds like your week went amazing!! Tate that blessing will help you in so many ways you don’t even know it. I read my blessing 2 or 3 times a week and I learn something new every single time. Live your life in a way to receive these blessings.......and that means stop getting the cops called on you!! Freakin criminal hahahahaha!!!! Also I hope you are practicing your spanish because you know what’s coming!! Elder Wilson round 2 in Misión Perú Piura!!!!! Perry I love that you’re going to Off the Field and kicking some serious butt!! I’m still not totally convinced that you’re the toughest Wilson though so well have to see when I get home!! Dad you are one hard working man. I am more and more impressed by you every single day with your work ethic, your love for your family and your love for the church. Never stop being who you are and keep leading our family with your example. Mom I have too many things to say about you but today I’m just going to say thanks for being the best mom in the world and I love you with all of my heart!!

That’s all guys don’t have time to answer all the questions so I’ll get to them next week!! Love you all so much and hope you have an amazing week!! I’m always praying for you!!

Much Love

Elder Wilson

The big orange this is like a bread heater because our house used to be a bakery. 

Jose Gomez Elders Quorum President

 

Monday. February 2. 2015-Week 26

Elder Wilson, Rony, and Elder Mauricio

Mi familia!!

Wow a lot of stuff went down in Idaho this week!! First off Tate I am so dang happy to hear that you will be back on the field in no time!! Don’t go too fast and make sure you do all the exercises you can to strengthen it up and then get back in there and kick some freakin butt!!!! Also Perry had an awesome week!! Skiing and a part in the play and she’s going to start off the field!! Wow that little girl can seriously do it all!! She’s gonna grow up to be one of a kind and amazing. Tell Damen to get better for me and tell him I’ll be praying for him and also a big congrats to Lauren and Maise for joining me out in the mission field!! Also all 3 of us are going to be getting back right around the exact same time!! How many missionaries does our ward have out in the field?? I love hearing about your trips to the temple that place is amazing so never take it for granted. Go as much as you can and always just focus on the feelings you get from the Holy Ghost because I promise you that you can receive so much revelation in the temple.

Also the Super Bowl sounds like it was a good game pero yo odio the Patriots!! I miss football sooooo much:(

So about my area. I really do love it like a lot!! The work is going amazing here and I don’t know if that’s because of the people or if because we are doing a better job of teaching haha. Our ward only has about 85 people that attend every week and about half of them are returned missionaries so that’s pretty cool. My bishop’s name is Obispo Sosa. He is about 40 years old and is actually half crippled. I don’t know exactly what happened to him but I do know that he served a mission and that he is a man very in tune with the spirit. My pensionista se llama Hermana Jaime. She is great and so is her food but we just don’t have a great realation with her like we did with Hermana Rebecca because she’s never really around but that’s ok:) Also I am still serving in Peru so it’s still hot as heck haha but not as hot as Zarumilla. 

You asked a question about the CCM. Ya the CCM didn’t teach my anything!! All we did was play ping pong and watch Mormon Messages in español hahaha but I have learned a heck of a lot out here in the mission field!!

This week was a good one. We still have just been working our butts off and we are meeting new people to teach and also our investigators Rony and Olivia are advancing like crazy!! I am so excited for them and I really almost know that we will be baptising Rony for sure and hopefully Olivia. They both know that this gospel is true but Olivia just has a really hard time getting to church.......even when we pass by for her house haha. We’re really going to work on teaching her about the Sabbath Day haha.

Also I got nailed by another water ballon this week hahaha we were sitting in a resturante eating and BAM I got nailed haha they just love soaking white people!!! But no we barely ever eat in resturantes just every once in a while.

I am also still working out hard every day but I prolly only weigh about 170 pounds right now!!

We did a big service project this week. It was a clean Piura thing so we went around sweeping streets and raking up trash and all of that good stuff with about 150 missionaries and about 500 other Peruanos. It was a great project and I got to see my boy Mooring so that was awesome!! I haven’t seen him forever but he’s doing good and still working hard!! I swear he will be one of my bros for life!! I went and worked for a day with the leaders of our zone and that was good. Always good to learn from them . My castillano is coming along great and I can really teach these dang lessons and speak with everyone now.  

I encourage you all to make reading as a family a huge huge huge important activity in your days. I promise you that our family can be way stronger and this is one of the best ways to do it. Read, ponder and pray and amazing things will come to pass in your lives. I have such a strong testimony of the scriptures because I have been reading them like a mad man haha. They are true, they are the words of God and they change lives. Read and then share what you learn with others. Prepare yourselves siempre to be ready to share the gospel because we are all missionaries!! 

So ya I am officially done with 6 meses here in Peru. Wow let me just say that these have been the fastest 6 months of my life and if it gets faster I might as well already be sitting at home haha. I love this mission and I have loved every single second of serving it I have learned so much and I have felt and seen the spirit change lives and that’s why I have a little question for you guys. What would you think about me extending my mission. I am still a long ways off and it’s not for sure but I just want to hear your opinions on it. 6 months down 18 to go!!

So ya this week was good. Keep praying for me and my area and my compañero and we will be just fine. I love you all so much. You guys really are so important to me and that’s one of the reasons why I am here. To strengthen our family!! I hope you all can feel the blessings of my mission in your lives. Well that’s all I’ve got. The church is true and I love you all!!

Much Love

Elder Asher Dean Wilson

Best Part: We now know for sure (almost) that we will be baptising Rony. He is amazing and is feeling the spirit soooo strong!! Keep praying for him!!

Worst Part: Well it’s not really bad for me but my zone leader got robbed this week right down the street from my house!!

Funniest Part: I got nailed by another water balloon while sitting in a resturante

Most Spiritual Part: Our fast this week. We fasted for a lot of things in particular and we saw basically all of them come true!! 

P Day with Elder Huranga and Elder Clawson, both from my group at the CCM.

Elder Mauricio and Elder Wilson

Monday. January 26. 2015-Week 25

The new district

Mi familia!! 

Well this was the craziest, funniest, most sad, most happy and definitely the most spiritual week of my mission so far. 

Lets start off with that it is carnivals here and they do the whole crazy pelting with water balloons thing haha. So we were walking down the street one night and we heard something go whizzing by our heads so I turned to look at where it came from and BOOM!! I got nailed straight in the throat by a water balloon from the third story of a building!! I’m not even kidding it hit me straight in the front of my throat and it freakin hurt!! I was laughing so hard and we went running away trying not to get hit again haha freakin kids. Gotta love Peru.

So now for the more real parts of this week. First off 4 people died in our neighborhood this week. 2 random people and the other 2 were investigators. I really didn’t know them but I felt so sad when they died. Like seriously it still makes me so sad just to think about it. So we attended a funeral service this week and wow the spirit was so strong there. One of the sister missionaries in our area gave a talk about the power of the plan of salvation and how his whole family has the chance to see him again after this life and wow I don’t know if I’ve ever felt the spirit so strong in my life. There was not a dry eye in that entire room. I have such a strong testimony of the plan of salvation because I know that our God is a loving God. He will give whatever he has to keep us happy with our familias and I am so grateful for this because I know that we will all see Gaven again after our lives here. 

We also set two dates for baptism this week!! We will be baptizing Hermano Rony Santos this 22 of Feb. and we have a goal to baptism Hermana Olivia Ordinola that same day!! Olivia is a little tougher to get to listen and we really need her to find her testimony for herself but Rony has seriously been prepared for us by God. He has been into hard core drugs for about the last 15 years and he is just sick of it. He told us he has been waiting for someone to help him change his life and in all of our lecciones the spirit is seriously soooooo dang strong!! He is going to church, he is reading and he is really feeling the spirit!! This gospel changes lives!! I know it does and I see it working on people every single day!! I love this gospel and this work!!

Well that’s all for this week. First off I want to ask you all to pray for Rony and Olivia. They are really working to change and see if this gospel is true and that means Satan will be working extra hard to tempt them so your prayers can help them so much!! Thanks!!! Thanks for your email mom. Trust me I can feel your love all the way here in Peru. I have learned so much from you guys about how to live the right way and now I am just applying what I am learning in my life. Thanks for your great examples to me and if you are going to follow anyone just put your faith in Jesus Christ and follow His spirit. I love this church and I love this gospel and I love all of you soooo much!! I hope you all have a great week and I will talk to you soon!!

Much Love 

Elder Wilson

P.S- 2 of my favorite scriptures: Ether 12:27 Alma 26:12 

Monday. January 19. 2015-Week 24

No pictures this week from Elder Wilson. So I found this one from one year ago. He was rockin the stache and was SO exhausted from a week of finals.

Mi Familia

Were at a different internet so I can’t send pictures this week so next week you’ll get lots!!

Well you guys were right in thinking that this area is different cause wow it is nothing like Zarumilla!! The first crazy thing here is that everyone here studies english so tons of people want to talk in english!! I still speak in castellano basically 24/7 but tons of people here and my companion know english!! Ok so my new area is awesome!! It is smaller than my area in Zarumilla but I already love the people!! We are also working with a lot more menos activos which is good but different. But we are also progressing people como investigadores. We don’t have many investigadores because Elder Mauricio and his old compañero were trunkies and didn’t really work hard at all in this area. So about that yes Elder Mauricio is a trunky. He doesn’t want to work really at all and he wants to watch movies and listen to the radio and lots of things like that so it’s been a good but hard first week. I have really been sorta ruling this relationship with an iron fist haha!! I have to wake his butt up in the morining and make him study, I have to drag his butt out the door to teach and I basically do every single one of our contacts. Ya its sorta hard but I have noticed that even in this short amount of time together he’s already starting to get better!! He’s starting to teach a lot more in the lecciones and he’s helping me plan and ya good stuff haha. I got a letter from Presidente Rowley basically saying to be an example and to never stop working hard and that I’m here because he has a lot of faith in me. Wow that was good to read and really has motivated me to work even harder!! There is always something more that I can be doing and I will not stop doing as much as I possibly can until I get hit by a truck and can’t move or something like that hahaha. So I really have a lot of love for Elder Mauricio but I’ve just got to get him back on track. 

My new district is vacon, its 4 elderes y 2 hermanas and my new ward is great but very few people assist.......for right now!! My goal is to have that place packed every Sunday by the time I’m done here!! I’m also part of the ward choir and I basically have the lead part singing in spanish hahaha!! It’s a great way to strengthen the ward though. We have people that show up to choir that don’t show up to church so it’s a good way to work with them.

So my new area is great, I’m happy, I’m healthy (working out like a freakin champ every morning!!), and I am working as hard as I can to share this amazing gospel with every single person here in Peru!!

Ok so I freakin knew Ohio State would win 1. They’re from the Big 10 2. Oregon can never finish haha man I miss football so dang much!! Glad to hear everythings going great at home and everyone is happy!! Read, pray, help others, go to church and always put the evangelio de Jesucristo first in your life and watch the blessings flow.

Oh ya dad thanks for the letter. I miss you a ton and don’t worry I will keep working hard and tell the whole church crew I say que tal!! 

So that’s all for this week. Just working hard and loving the people of Peru. If you can please pray for Hermana Olivia Ordinola and the Familia Fernandez for me were working really hard to set a date for them!! I love you all and hope you have a great week!! This church is true I know it with all my heart!!

Much love 

Elder Asher Dean Wilson

It’s not raining any more

My new apartment is way nicer than in Zarumilla I really like it

I still want new sunglasses and possibly a new small sports type bag I could use for proselyting 

We have a pensionista who cooks and washes our clothes for us just like in Zarumilla.

Monday. January 12. 2014-Weel 23

Elder Wilson with his new companion, Elder Mauricio.

Mi Familia!!

It’s official I did not have a transfer.......oh wait ya I did haha!! I am done with my time in Zarumilla and am officially a missionary in Piura. I am in the actual city of Piura about 5 minutes from the airport and the house of Presidente Rowley (by the way he finishes his mission in June). My new area is called Jorge Chavez and it’s in the area Castilla Piura. It’s been a long day of traveling and packing and unpacking but I am settled in and ready to learn my new area!! My new compañero is called Elder Mauricio. He is 20 years old and from Lima, Peru. He is a great guy and I am way excited to work with him but he has been know to be a trunky so I’ve gotta be careful and keep him focused and working. Even with his history he is the lider de distrito here so I will be learing the ropes of how to be a lider de distrito this transfer. This area is night and day different from Zarumilla!! It’s all big city here, like they have resturantes like pizza hut, burger king, chilis, etc., and all the houses are way nicer and wow it’s just way different!! We went to shop for our food today in a store called Totus, basically like the Costco of Peru, and it freakin blew my mind!! I bought PEANUT BUTTER!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can buy peanut butter from a store right down the street!!!! So ya it’s gonna be a lot different here but it will be awesome. Mom you would be very happy because our house is way nicer and there is no mold on the walls and our bathroom is actually usable haha. So ya as I learn the area I will give you some more updates but I am way excited to be here and I am going to work as hard as I possibly can to change this area through the power of this gospel!!

So I had to say good bye to everyone in Zarumilla this week and that sucked!! I visited 3 familias my final night in Zarumilla and they all just cried their eyes out and it was so hard. Hermano Francisco, the husband of hermana Rebeca, is a manly man and he cried like a baby!! It was just really hard. When you dedicate your life to serving these people it is just terrible when you have to leave them. Every single one of them basically said that I have to come back after my mission and visit them and one of our investigators actually said that if I leave his familia was going to stop investigating the church!! So I talked to him and changed his mind on that but this is how I can see the success of my mission. I know I haven’t had any baptisms but I know that through this gospel I have changed the lives of many of the people of Zarumilla and that’s what it’s all about. Baptism is so important but what’s more important is making sure that every single person in this world feels the love that our Savior has for every single one of us. I love this work.

So ya all is well and I am super excited to work in this new area with Elder Mauricio. 

So glad to hear your week went good!! Sounds like you all kept busy and I’m glad to hear it’s nice and cold at home because it is hotter and hotter hear every day!! So that’s all for this week but I love you all so much!! Don’t worry about me because I think I’ve finally got this mission figured out haha!! I hope you all have an amazing week and I really like this scripture 3 Nephi 5:13!! I love you all so dang much and miss you like crazy but I love this work so I’m gonna stay here for another year and a half haha!! Love ya all!!

Much love

Elder Asher Dean Wilson

Familia Ramoz ‏ 

Familia de Liliana y Genaro ‏