The Rains Came Down, and the Floods Came Up!

Hiya friends! This week was pretty dang good! Most of the week was spent finding (with not so much success), but we were also able to have some solid teaching appointments.

First off we saw Theoden and had a great meeting with him. He is doing so good and should be on track for the 23rd if things keep going the way they are. We will be seeing him again on Thursday, and his dad will be making us some Mexican food (enchiladas if I remember correctly)! Elder Thueson and I are pretty excited for that!!!

We also go to see David twice this week. Had a great Word of Wisdom lesson with him the first time. He seems really ready and willing to make that change, so that was a relief. I always get really nervous teaching that lesson. The second time, we started doing family history with him. We got him all set up with a FamilySearch account and started his family tree. In Falkirk, we lived right next door to the family history missionary couple, so it looks like that paid off. They would be so proud!

Sunday was an interesting day to say the least (and it will explain the title of this post). Saturday night into Sunday, we had really nasty rain storm. Super strong winds and pouring down rain pounding against our window. Driving to church was not fun, as many of the roads were flooding, and it looks like Scotland got some new lochs in their fields. A few families were not even able to make it to church because some of the flooding was so bad. Nobody's house got flooded, thank goodness, but the driving conditions were just not ideal. On the bright side, Lee, Theoden, and his brother, Fraser Lee, were all able to come to church!!! It was so awesome to see them all there, and it seems like they had a good time. 

This week looks busy! We have Zone Interview Training in Aberdeen on Wednesday. This means we will leave Tuesday afternoon, have the meeting Wednesday, and then get back Thursday afternoon. I am going to hate our car after this week. I am looking forward to being around other missionaries though. 3 weeks in isolation can start getting to your head!

Prayer List

-Theoden-Make 23rd baptismal date

-David-Church attendance

-Rebecca-Desire to change

-Donald-Desire to learn

Hope you all have a great week! I love and miss you all! Stay awesome and keep moving forward!  

--

--Elder Wilson

1-2) Mom, we shrunk ourselves!!

 

Black Whole Year

January 4, 2016

HAPPY 2016 EVERYONE!!!! I hope all of you had a wonderful (and safe) New Years holiday. As of January 1st, my Black Whole Year has begun. Translating that into normal, everyday terms: it is my first full year in the mission field. Crazy how fast 2015 went by. I still feel like it was just yesterday I was getting on that first plane headed to the UK. Time is a funny thing. Funny story about something we did New Year's Day. Every year, a group of youth in Thurso branch have a tradition called a Splash and Dash. It is comparable to a Polar Bear Plunge if you have ever heard of that. Basically, you go and run into the ocean or a lake or something in the winter and completely submerse yourself. So, we went and watched the youth run into the North Sea and come out complaining that they couldn't feel their feet. It's times like these I am grateful for the missionary rule that we are not allowed to go swimming.

With the ending of 2015, like most others, I have had some time to reflect on the past year. Boy has a lot happened. For starters, I was in three different countries this past year. Started off in the good ol' US of A. Then I flew across the pond to England. 2 weeks later, I sat on a coach bus for who knows how long and went to Scotland. Who knows where I will be this year. The next thing I thought of is all the amazing friends I have made. This past year, I have had the privilege of serving with 5 amazing people who I am now proud to call my friends (hopefully they see it that way). I have met countless others in my 4 areas who have made such an impact on me, and who I am so glad to cross paths with. And finally, I thought of how much I have changed since coming on my mission. I have learned so many things about myself and who I am and how I can improve. I have really seen the person that I want to be when I go home. Most importantly, I have seen my testimony of this gospel and of my Saviour, Jesus Christ, increase and strengthen so much and I would not trade that for any experience in the world. 

Now, onto the week! Got to teach Theoden again. His baptismal date, unfortunately, has to be pushed back to the 23rd of this month in order for us to fit in all the lessons. Other than that, he is doing fantastic! Then there is David. We started teaching him the Big 3 lessons (Word of Wisdom, Law of Chastity, and Tithing) beginning with the Word of Wisdom. Lesson went great and he is perfectly on track for his date of January 30th. In terms of new investigators and all that jazz....seeing not so much success. We have been doing a lot of finding (if you want actual numbers, we knocked 109 doors this week), with not so much success, but we keep pressing forward. I know that if we are obedient and diligent, that the Lord will help us and bless us. This is His word after all.

Prayer List

-David Grant (investigator) Pray for church attendance

-Lee/Naomi/Theoden (less active/investigator) Pray for Church attendance

-Kevin/Rhona/Donald/William (potentials) Pray for sincere desires and return appointments

Thank you all for your love and support. Here is to an amazing new year! Hope you all have a wonderful week! Stay awesome! Keep moving forward!

--

--Elder Wilson

 

 

Ringing in the New Year

Dunnet Beach

 

Tis the Season to be Worldly

Hi everybody! So this weeks email will be a little bit shorter again due to shorter emailing time.

 

As some of you may have heard, this week was Christmas!!! For missionaries it truly is the most wonderful time of the year because it is the one time of the year we get to be in the world as well as a part of it! First off we get to skype home. We only get to do this twice a year, so it is a really special time. So much fun getting to talk with my parents and brother. I also got to see my puppy!!! The second reason Christmas is amazing is because we get to watch real movies. This year, we watched Minions, Toy Story 3, The Santa Clause, and some other movie that I can't remember the name of. We also got spoiled by members. Got some ribs and two traditional Christmas dinners (turkey, potatoes, desert, the whole shabang)! So much fun! And what's even better is we get to do it again for New Years. First movie on the list is Inside Out. Can't wait to watch it!

Well, now that I have gotten my fun side out of the way, let's get spiritual. My last companion was a really amazing writer and wrote a couple poems that he showed to me. Well, I decided to try my hand at it as well, and this was the finished product. I hope you like it! 

 Cast On Him

Elder Cody Wilson

"Come unto me...and I will give you rest"

These words were spoken by the very best.

I'm on my knees and with the strength I can bear

Begin to cast on Him my every care.

My trials and struggles, my sorrows and woes

The harder I pray, the more the pain goes.

He is perfect, the Son of a God,

yet He willingly walked the path I now trod.

He knows me just like I know my best friend

and by my side He will stay till the end.

I continue to speak, and the worries they fly

as I ponder in amazement that for me He did die.

How did He do it? Endure the pain of it all?

When through the problems I face, I can barely stand tall.

I finish my prayer, and utter amen.

Now it's time to face the world again.

The trial's still there, the struggles and woes,

but the path I now walk, I don't walk it alone.

He's by my side, sharing the load

as we trudge, step by step, down that endless road.

We walk together, with me on His right

for His yolk is easy, and His burden is light.

Prayer List

-David Grant

-Lee/Naomi/Theoden

-David

-Rebecca

-Rhona

-Donald

Thank you all for being amazing! And love and miss you tons! Stay awesome and keep moving forward. I will talk to you all in the new year! Happy 2016!!!

----Elder Wilson

1) How we are spending Christmas 2) Santa found me in Scotland 3) Mormon wine

How we are spending Christmas

Mormon wine

 MINIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Santa found me in Scotland!

Spreading Christmas cheer with cake mix cookies made by yours truly

 

It's Christmas!!

Hello everyone, and Merry Christmas! Hope you all had a wonderful week before Christmas and that you are remembering why we celebrate this beautiful time of the year.

 

So, we have a bit of a shorter emailing session today due to the holidays but here are some noteable events from this past week.

 

First, we got to see our investigator David. Had a really great lesson with him, during which he agreed to prepare to be baptised on January 30th!! He still has a few concerns and issues that need to be worked through, but they aren't anything that some praying and teaching can't fix.

 

Theoden is still on track for baptism on January 9th. The only issue is getting him to church. He is only 9, so he can't get to church on his own, and he has a lot of family struggles that make it difficult for all of them to make it out. Please pray that he will make it to church this week so that he can make his date!!

 

Other than that, we have been finding our butts off. Had 3 straight days of nothing but knocking doors, so you can imagine how fun that was. We did find 3 people who are interested though which is great. The only problem is that they are all women, and we can't get in to teach them without a man. Proves to be a bit of a problem.

 

Prayer List

- Theoden (investigator)

- Lee/Naomi (less active)

- David Grant (investigator)

- David McKinnon (less active)

- Rebecca (less active)

Thank you all for your love and support and prayers! Hope you have a Merry Christmas, and remember what the greatest gift is. Stay awesome and keep moving forward! Love and miss you all!
--

--Elder Wilson

 

Steps of Whaligoe

Companionship selfie

Elder Thueson being.....Elder Thueson

Ain't it pretty?

Merry Christmas Thurso

 

Family Reunion and a Sore Butt

Well this week has been pretty strange. We had an All Scotland Conference in Edinburgh this week, so for us up here in Thurso, that meant a lot of travel. We left Wednesday morning at 9 AM and drove for 2.5 hours to Inverness. Once there, we picked up some sisters who took a ferry from their area of Stornoway, and the 5 of us drove 4 more hours to Aberdeen where we spent the night. Thursday, we had to wake up at 4 AM and start the 3 hour drive to Edinburgh. At the All Scotland, we had the privilege of hearing from Elder Patrick Kearon of the 70. It was amazing!! Love getting to hear from general authorities. After the conference, we drove 6 hours back to Inverness and spent the night, and then finished our journey back to Thurso on Friday morning. Needless to say, my butt was super sore from sitting and driving for that long. I would be perfectly fine if I never had to sit in that car again.

Now to explain the first part of my title. Well, for those of you not familiar with missionary traditions, your first 3 months of your mission is the time when you are trained. Your first companion is your trainer and is also your father/mother (depending on if you are an elder or a sister). So, since Elder Blaylock was my trainer, he is my dad. Well, Elder Blaylock went home so I am now a missionary orphan. When I was serving with Elder Scharman he made a proposal: he was going to adopt me as his mission son and he would be my mission dad. I agreed and we had a weird adoption ritual that involved weird forms of oodoov (don't ask), fire, and string, and just like that, I had another mission dad. Well, at the All Scotland, we were reunited!! It was so great seeing him again and catching up. It's amazing how close you can get to someone when you spend 24/7 with someone for 3 months.

Sadly, this week doesn't seem too exciting. Lots of finding in the schedule, so hopefully we start seeing some growth here in Thurso. Oh yeah, before I forget, we got our moves call last night. I will be staying in Thurso with Elder Thueson for another transfer. Should be fun!

Prayer List

-Theoden (investigator)

- Neil (less active)

- Rebecca (less active)

- Rhona (potential)

- Shevonne (investigator)

- David (investigator)

Thank you for your love and support!! You are all amazing! Love and miss you. Stay awesome and keep moving forward! --

--Elder Wilson

 

B-day/Christmas package from home!!

Hi from Thurso!

The kind of places you go chapping in Thurso

 

One more thing...

Before I forget..... the church has recently released a new video for Christmas called A Saviour is Born. It is a short two minute video about Jesus Christ and how He is our Saviour. Check it out at christmas.mormon.org!

 

--Elder Wilson

Potentials for Days!

Howdy all! This week was actually fairly good in terms of the work!

First off, we were able to meet with Theoden (our 9 year old investigator) and teach him again. He is solid and should be right on track for his January 9th baptismal date!! 

We also had another good lesson with our investigator David. We brought up baptism, but he has a couple of concerns that seem a little bit challenging to overcome, but we will get there eventually! Next major step is to get him to church!

Got a new investigator this week named Shevonne. She is the mother of 3 and is currently in the process of finding a new faith (perfect timing)! Taught her the Restoration and she said that it all makes sense, so that is a really good sign. We also discussed baptism with her and she said that she is willing, but wouldn't commit to a date right there. Either way, super good!

Took our weekly trip to the Orkney Isles this week and after hours upon hours of finding, we found a super solid potential investigator named Rhona. She said her dad used to be involved with the Mormons and that she loves learning about new religions. We went back the next day, and her mom answered the door. Usually when that happens, they speak for their kids and say they aren't interested. However, she surprised us. She said Rhona was really looking forward to meeting with us, but that she wasn't feeling well and that if we had any leaflets for her to read, she would love them. YES!!!!!! She also said we could come by any time. YES!!!!!!!! We are expecting great things to come from that!

 

The rest of the week was full of finding, but we did find 3 other potentials. Their names are Karen, William, and Donald. Hopefully we can start seeing some good things start happening in this area. 

 

This week looks pretty exciting. We are driving down to Edinburgh for an All Scotland conference with Elder Patrick Kearon of the '70. That should be super good! Perks of being a missionary: you get to meet general authorities!

 

Prayer List

-David (Investigator)

-Theoden (Investigator)

-Neil (Less active)

-Rebecca (Less active)

-Rhona (Potential)

-Karen (Potential)

-William (Potential)

-Donald (Potential)

Thank you all for everything you do! Love and miss you! Stay awesome and keep moving forward!

--

--Elder Wilson

 

Italian chapel made out of old army barracks

Scenery shot

Trying to tan on a beach. No success