March 31, 2014

This week has been an interesting one! My comp is all bout the work.. its kinda bi-polar, but I have had many spiritual uplifting experiences this week so it’s my turn to push him again as we work up this next hill! I've really been behind in my journal. Sometime in Savanna-la-mar I plateaued and things haven't been the same since.. just got a little lazy due to "heeding" others (1 nephi 8) but as I’ve started doing the little things.. time is picking up and things are working out so nice. I’m getting caught up on my journal, only 6 weeks behind now... and starting to study early again. It’s been really nice and so helpful in the week! We had many good lessons this week. Had to teach them with a member present.. cuz my companion, I love him, but having bad days wouldn't say anything during lessons.. and it would really sour my attitude. But my testimony of the scriptures has grown so much. After each teaching appointment whether it was down time of 15mins or 5, I would whip out my scriptures and pray and read.. and all feelings of bitterness, anger, frustration would leave. Scriptures are powerful. I wish people honestly would just take 15 mins a day to prayerfully study and apply them and there is no way that you would miss the spiritual manifestation that they are true! That God truly loves and cares for us!  The prophets care about us! So excited to hear from them this week!! 

Had a trade off with Elder Bateman this thursday evening and we had a family home evening lesson. I taught on testimony and everyone just pitched in.. and it was powerful! Learned that everything we do is backed by a testimony of some sort. Like where to send our kids to school, where to shop, what kind of car to buy. Everythin! Testimonies are sooo important and it’s important that we share them! Just like if you know that this doctor office is the best, and will give the best service and price.. you will sometimes spend hours to convince a good friend of that! It should be the same with the gospel! We know what is best, and we share what we know! Be bold, be brief, be brilliant! 

Really been trying to remember my calling this past week, and the power and spirit has been tremendous! It’s been a while since this strong and it feels good. My favorite chapter in the Book of Mormon is 1 Nephi 8.  It sometimes feels as if the iron rod goes through the spacious building. We really have to "cling" to the iron rod. Have to. And as we do that we won’t "heed" those things of the world calling out for our attention. 

I was also given the opportunity to give some blessings this week.  It really is a serious effort we have to make to be ready for the spirit to speak. D&C 88:81 consistent desire to have the spirit is key.  This week I really felt it especially during prayers. Sometimes the spirit is weak.. sometimes it’s awesome! And I can totally feel it guiding me. Guess that is one of the challenges, looking for and following the spirit. Feels good to be moving forward again and not plateaued or staying the same! Thanks for the prayers. They are felt and needed. We have no one progressing right now... but soon come conference, better help with some faith building!! Love you all and hope you all have a fantastic spring break and merry April fools tomorrow!!!!! Bless up! Nuff love! 

Elder WIlkerson 

More painting at Sister Segrees home!

3,2,1..chop, chop, chop

Finsihed product between our race to the end! My side went first.

March 24, 2014

Round 2 - A little higher

p-day entertainment.. lay on the floor and throw coins in the fan trying to hit your companion! fun right?

So transfers came this week and me and Elder Carter are blessed to have another transfer together!! We had a really good week this week and have learned a lot! Seeing a lot of tender mercies in our area! 

Monday we were able to met with Kimone.  She didn't feel like she was in the mood to watch the Joseph Smith video like we planned, but we felt if she watched she would feel the spirit and feel much better! She did watch, and it cleared up many doubts from anti mormon stuff she has been given! She is receiving a lot of family opposition, but has a lot of faith and feels that what she is doing is right! And you can tell the spirit is working on her! She wants to meet with us more and is bringing great questions to the table! My faith is also increasing that we are able to answer her heart felt questions that people are seeking for for long time! Pretty awesome to be part of the True Church of Christ! :) We were able to get her to institute and that really was good. We scheduled for lots of young adults to be there and give her a warm welcome, the class was good and she said she would be there every week! She didn’t make it to church due to sleeping in, but felt bad and she and her 7th day cousins will be coming next week!! Exciting stuff! :) 

Zone Conference for the missionaries was on Tuesday! Boy, it was really good! It was mainly focused on the gospel of Jesus Christ and how it is our purpose to teach it and with the temple in mind with the enduring part and really teach towards covenant keeping and not just ordinance doing! Really good, I learned lots! One of my favorite and sad parts was Elder Ruesch sharing the importance of using time wisely. He loves numbers and mapped out our mission and showed that we only really serve a 6 month mission! like so: 2 years broken into time spent for us and the lord is rough: 8hrs sleep, 1.5hr morning prep, 2 hr study, 2hr, lunch and dinner, .5hr daily planning, 1hr prepare for bed, 1hr p-day(using the 7 day time), 1hr(being generous) for weekly planning church+other meetings, and 1hr for misc. traveltime, unexpected events and time wasted.. = 6 hours to proselyte per day! Wow!! Hope we can remember that!! Time is short.  He also did another study on our time from god.. if we live a 85 year life we are only approx. 2 hours away from God!! What? Boy, that’s crazy! Really cool though!!

Georgia is one of our other top investigators!  We were able to talk to her bout baptism covenant this week and she is working towards Easter Sunday for baptism! She has a large family that we want to start working with as well.. they weren't too fond of the idea at first but they are coming around, thanks to a strong reach out from the branch!! The members here are just so awesome and really starting to pick up in their responsibilities!! She came to church and enjoyed it. She is our progressing investigator right now! 

Another is Shane! He is 17 and has a lot of deep questions as everyone out here is required to take religion.. tha’ts gotta be hard cuz its all twisted towards the teachers opinion!! But it’s good, it really gets them thinking and they are easier to teach!! He will be coming to church next week, but hard to meet with, we can only see him once a week! 

Natasha is doing well too! She moved back in with Jovus, but the same senario happened again and she is living with the Peart’s again.  I think that is her final decision. Sister Peart has been so good to her and has got her a job at the school she works at so she can start moving forward with her life again!! So cool to see the changes in these people’s lives!! She came to church as well, just need to get her a date and she is solid!

Those are kinda our top brothers and sisters from the week!! A blessing indeed! We also have some others that we are kinda working with, but not going anywhere right now. Just keep nourishing, and thinking bout them through the week and help the branch help them and some good things will happen as we gain the Lord’s trust once more!! It’s really been a blessed week. I haven’t been sleeping too well, but I guess that’s something else to keep me humble and lookin to the lord and quite frankly I’m okay with having those experiences. It’s better to be kept at a happy medium than hitting a high and forgetting and having to start at rock bottom! One of the challenges is to learn to balance it all and still press forward. Thankful to be on this earth learning at this time! Goodness our heavenly father really does love us! I know my family loves me! Thankful for the support! The mission is rough, but learning oh so much! Hope I can be of help to those that strengthen me and my faith as well!! Doubt not, fear not.  Love you all and hope you all have a stupendous week!!! Nuff love, bless up!

Elder Wilkerson

March 17. 2014

This week was short! We had zone meeting this week on the atonement and making sure we are applying the gospel as we teach it! It was really good! The other thing that occupied our week was Service!! It was great and found many potentials through it! We moved chalk stone from the street up to a 3rd story home that we have been working on every week since we got here!! Started on the first floor and now we are nearing the finish. also chopped yard and trees for President Peart (one of which I fell with as a branch snapped as I was chopping it further up which was dumb cuz it took me like 15 minutes swinging at it.. but tender mercies of falling with machete in hand 20 feet and only walking away with a few bloody scrapes!) We are going to finish off that big old gunip tree next week!!! Also washed clothes, chopped yard and raked at a less active’s house in which we found a family we are going to go see next week! So an awesome week according to physical labor and tender mercies of people being there to have hearts softened and want to learn more of what we are about!

Grandma Brown and Jovis

One of our big focuses for the week was a testimony of the Book of Mormon. Many members don’t even study daily due to us probably baptizing them without that focus! So we have read 1 Nephi a lot this week as we start to clear that up and teach better with it! What a powerful book in conversion.. and as  they gain that testimony early on, the other doctrines can be taught in 10 minutes and so much more receptive! Many of our investigators moved to another area so we need to find again - can never be content with what we have it could be gone any minute, no security! It was also cool to use the Book of Mormon to confound the wise. Haha.. I know my bible pretty well as I do love the bible bashes, but this one we got in with 7th days this week, I really wanted to help them understand so every time they asked us to explain something we referred back to knowing if the Book of Mormon is true and just bearing testimony and inviting them to read. After awhile they finally excepted the challenge and asked if they could come to church! Sweet! "Be bold. Be brief. Be brillant. Book of Mormon!" The spirit wasn’t really there and we were able to help them acknowledge that.. so slowly one person at a time we will bring them the truth!

So the week was pretty sweet. I’m looking forward to tomorrow - we are having zone conference in Spanish Town! But to finish the week off strong, we had the opportunity to speak in church on missionary work for 10 minutes each. Got that call Saturday night so that was great, haha. I focused most of mine on being a friend and serving using Preach My Gospel pg 160 and 168 and also a talk from M Russell Ballard last conference! So excited for that as well! Thanks for your love and support! Keep praying and studying those awesome words of God! Liccamor!

Elder Wilkerson

March 10, 2014

This week for us was awesome as we planned with faith every day and got much accomplished as we were able to work on some serious goals and exercise our faith in our members as well! We didn't have a single lesson without a member this week and it helped NUFF!! We did service a lot this week and that also lightened the week. We mixed concrete for Pres Singh, painted for Sister Segree, and framed a house with Bro Lamee! (thanks dad for showing me what’s up, it could have been worse..) We really realized this week we gotta take it back to the fundamentals. Our investigators know a lot but our doing those small things and with members present it’s starting to get in their heads and we are seeing some progression. but I think a big lack was our faith so it’s almost like starting over in a sense. But as we focus our studies on our lessons that day. have a serious comp study, and think bout/have daily contact with investigators, things start to happen!! Crazy huh! It’s all in Preach My Gospel! Guess I don't know it too well or have forgotten due to lack of studying it. so again I have put away Jesus the Christ and other books like that to focus on the basics and boost my faith back up in the basics and hopefully keep it that way!! It’s hard to be diligent.. but I think once we really humble ourselves, follow God’s will and the Spirit, we forget ourselves and time flies, the work goes better and in the end even though we are more tired we are more happy and satisfied! When the going gets too hard to stand, we kneel until we collect that strength to stand and get moving forward again! I’m starting to figure that out, maybe I'm slow, but hopefully it sticks!! We have really been trying to focus on what the Lord wants us to do with our time, to look for those people placed in our path and help them, love them and nourish them x19(Jacob 5) until they progress!! We had a few opportunities to do that this week! One of the tender mercies of this week was Kimone. She is 21 and is in year 3rd year of law school and is smart and interested. We met her on the road a few weeks back and got her number, but were getting no response. She called us on Thursday and was ready to give up! (We have been sending out motivational quotes every morning to our phone book) she felt like we actually cared and could help. Luckily, she was right next door to a member’s house we were at and just heading to a family home evening. We took her with and was able to have a great talk bout the Book of Mormon and a little bit on prayer. She left the following day to Ochi, but has read the restoration pamphlet off, started Book of Mormon and spent a few hours on lds.org and has great questions! Super prepared, super blessing! As we trust God, we increase his trust in us, and opportunities arise unexpected, but we are prepared for them. We then get more responsibility, but in turn more blessings I would say! As long as we continue to look at things positively and with faith things seem to always work out! We had two other investigators at church, but none progressing at this point, soon come!! Just a blessed week overall and I can’t believe how short time is getting already! But just make the days count and don't count the days I reckon! Well, hope you all have a spectacular week, and keep your head up, no matter what!

Elder Wilkerson 

Painting with Sis. Segree

out of power..old school jamaican, be prepared!!

coal iron

March 3, 2014

It is a weird feeling to be on the downhill side of the mission. I still feel like I just left the MTC to be honest. I have learned so much, but everytime we have a meeting I remember just how far I still have to go and how I wish I knew the things being taught before the mission started! But that’s how we learn and progress! A pretty awesome plan our Father has set out for us indeed! We had an alright week! You know as Gordon B Hinckley says:" those that keep a positive attitude tend to find that things always work out." We had some interesting experiences this week and i would say some very uplifting ones as well! 

Monday to start the week was great, and to end it we went and saw a less active family and talked about the Gospel and watched a talk from President Monson. I learned a lot and sounds like they did as well! The spirit was so tangible there and in result more of the family came out to church, but we ain’t got the father yet. Soon Come!!! Their Faith is growing and it is the First step. Without it we don't progress! The lessons, scripture reading, praying and all the gospel has to offer must start with faith or it does us nothing! This is a big concern that we addressed for our zone in zone meeting on wednesday. We have had like 2 baptisms in the zone last month and we all learned bout faith and needing to repent and REMEMBER the big guy in charge, that only through trust, relying and working through Him would we find success! Also had a thorough rebuking in (helaman 12:1-5) talks about how quick we forget him after he blesses us soooo much!! It’s terrible.. but we do it.. and now that we recognize it hopefully we never forget it! Also learned about planning with faith, think as if our investigators are going to succeed and learn, and come to church, and read and whatever else! Think positive and throw out the doubt, cuz that’s where we were faultering. Great spiritual infested meeting :) 

On the like more mixed side of the week, we had an awesome weird-me-out potential investigator situation pop up. It is true that God works in mysterious ways! Elder Carter had a doctor appointment this week and right before we left to it, it was pouring rain and wasn’t going to let up! So hey, whatever, that’s when we look best as dedicated servants of the Lord, riding through flooded streets on our bicycles! So we head out and get to the doctor soaking wet! We go in and try to shake off but still look like a mess. Anyway, we sit down and get comfortable and Elder Carter gets taken back and then one of the nurses comes out and tells me to follow her. she seemed a little irritated maybe cuz we got the floor all wet! Probably just thought we were the biggest jokes, but I finally follow her and she takes me to the end of the hall and into their wash room. By this time I’m totally weirded out and wondering where my companion is and what’s goin on. She tells me to undress and throw my clothes in the dryer with Elder Carter’s clothes and hands me a key and tells me to lock myself in there til the load is done and then leaves!! Haha, weird! And very nice! While I’m waiting I’m trying to study in this sheet (only thing in the room to wear) but couldn’t. I got prompted to write my testimony in a Book of Mormon and thank her. Pretty weird, cool experience! We are seeing her next week! So yah, think of it as how you want! 

And of no spiritual value I guess would be going to Usain Bolt’s restaurant (Tracks and Records) for 1 year mark with the other elders in Kingston. The food and service wasn’t too great, but the building was awesome and very distracting with futbol playing on every TV! Sorry, I don’t have a 1 year speech or anything.. but it was good to have some time to reflect on things I have learned thus far and how they will forever impact my life!! Missions are great! Expensive.. not as much as I guess you would pay to go to a camp to learn tons life changing goodness, but you don’t count the cost, you just go and learn and love! 

This week we got some good things done and started to focus on our investigators reading and not so much attendance and somehow it slipped and no one showed up, but had 8 less actives back! So even moderation in missionary work and balance as well can be hard, but it’s an eternal law I think :) So we had to push some baptisms back but we are still moving forward! 

Probably my favorite quote of the week is "dressing immodestly is like rolling around in manure, you get a lot of attention but mostly from pigs and flies!" Love you all! Bless Up!

Elder Wilkerson