July 28, 2014

So this week has been a riot indeed! We tore it up this week with members at lessons! So cool to see both the increase of spirit, and testimonies of those we took and those being taught rocket out! At one lesson we took 4 other bikers with us and raged on one investigator! So cool to roll with my niggas (probably should get out of that habit, but it’s cool here, they call me white nigga-its got its time and place with the bad boys, remember there is potential in all even gucci mane eh!) Marlon and Lucky came to church. Both progressing and we better hear of a couple baptisms this next month! Marlon is on date for the 9th of Aug and Lucky wants to get back on track. The spirit was on fire at church yesterday!! For the first time I have wanted to go family history work due to a talk called:"the parable of keys", I’ll send it in a next email. Awesome story. 

Anyways, so yeeahh, I’m just glad I’m able to leave this area better than I found it and with some good prospects for my boy Elder Sandy. So yes, transfer calls were this Saturday and we will be moved around on Wednesday! There is an apostle that once said,: "the gospel is to comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable." I feel the latter. I’m pretty comfortable with missionary life style and weaving traffic on a bike and totally smoking any Jamaican in a race! I am being moved to Montego Bay as a zone leader and being placed in a truck, probably doing just about as much driving as anyone on the island. We will cover in our zone like everything on the coast! Get to see all the pretty sites! Ocho Rios, Port Antonio, Savanna la Mar, Negril and of course Mo-bay! Tripling my house size and that's bout all I know! I’m scared to drive a brand new off brand truck with less than 100km on it! But the opportunity to serve, learn and grow I’m excited for and truly humbled. 

This week was cool, studies, prayers and hard work is great. I’m so thankful to be out here. Thank you for all your sacrifices so I could be here, hope I can pay back to all those that did so. A mission is hard of course, but the instruction, unforgettable. The shaping, creating and help from the master is spectacular, give yourself to God he will make a God or Goddess out of you, you and the world will and can’t make dross in comparison. I’m so thankful for the atonement and the opportunity to change! That even I like unto Ammon and his brethren seeking to destroy the church can change from that polluted state! Everyone has potential and it is our duty to help ALL that are placed in our stewardship. It won’t be easy but boy will it be worth it! Also reading the "keys parable" will open up some eyes as well! Love you all and have a bless week!!  (http://user.xmission.com/~westra/Parable_of_the_Keys.pdf link to the parable online)

Strong drinks with Pres. Singhs

How we make dumplings at basketball.

July 21, 2014

 I took some of your thoughts from it and formed it into my spiritual thought for district meeting. I was given 5 minutes but it turned into like a 30 minute presentation. It definitely was the highlight of my studies this week and I had many good ones! But my theme was taken from a quote " sometimes we expect million dollar answers to ten cent prayers". Some of what we talked about I’ll share with you. Pouring out your soul: the only way I could describe it is like an ice machine in a freezer. Your soul is the bin where it collects, the ice maker is God’s many revelations he is waiting to pour in! But until you press your faith jar up to the dispenser and don't POUR it out, he can’t feed you more! The problem is though as we are in Jamaica is it’s super hot and the ice that is in our faith jar melts. And since our faith doesn't last forever we have a crack in our jar. The problem or trouble is when we aren't repeatedly and consistently pouring ice into our faith jar, we can run out. And we all know the opposite of faith is fear, doubt, loss of hope and discouragement. So what should we pour out from our soul? Well Alma 34 talks about much that you can, but I like to bring Preach my Gospel into the spotlight and invite you all to read page 94. Pouring out your soul is work! If we truly did every night it would take a while, but the blessings are sweet! Enos is one example. I would say Ammon and his brethren another. When we speak openly and honestly with Our Father, cuz he already knows what we need, but there is power as we say the words and align our will with his will! And really as we continually pour out our faith jar can freeze over and stay full! But just like working out, prayer is One of the steps to have a strong spiritual side. Just like curling might get you some big biceps, but you got to do it all! We have to be balanced!! This is one great step to help us see each night where we are, where to improve, and then set goals and make plans with your maker and then when we wake up , we review and we go out and execute them! I learned nuff from that study. The scriptures are so cool. The more I read them the more I know I have to study! So much to learn. And still learning that attitude is essential. Alma 26 has been another hot study! So cool to see the vilest of sinners turning into great prophets and amazing missionaries as they push through their hard times with faith and hope and a determined love and recognition to their God! Without we are nothing! 

So other than that, we have been taking the youth out teaching a lot! We borrowed some of the driving missionaries’ bikes and used some food money to get some parts for the Pearts’ and that has been great. Fellowship and love is so key for conversion. With those this week we got Marlon to church who is progressing and Georgia came right after sacrament.. just a tad late! We got some other great things happening, but just to see the light in the ward becoming more bright is super! 

Well, transfers is next week Wednesday. Of course we get calls this Saturday to determine where. But we had interviews on Tuesday and Pres. Brown said its time for me to leave.  I asked “will I still be on a bike?”, and he said "you can still ride your bike". Ha, so that's all I have for you! Have a great week, love all of you! God Bless! 

Elder Wilkerson

July 14, 2014

Well, we had some good experiences this week Still no investigators at church, but  maybe there is something we are missing and need to learn. Gotta keep the hope kindling bright, every storm will pass and the shower of blessings will come! 

We are teaching a lot of men right now which is a blessing in and of its self! Mark Smith, and Marlon Archibald are some top investigators. Both have a word of wizzum issue, but are reading and are sincere when we meet. Getting them to church will be the next step! We got another bike so we can pick members up and take them teaching. Maybe a bad idea, cost a pretty penny, but really excited for that cuz fellowship is so key in conversion. The testimony, the question answering and personal experience from a native person is awesome. 80% of the converts that stay and join the church are through members. Super important, no matta how many missionaries we have in the world, if we don't have members to support and desire after this work (mosiah 28:3) as well, nothing will gwan! Guaranteed the crop will be meager, but as we teach the farmers and they can see the fruits of their labor we build some real machines for the lord, even hell shakers! (Alma 48)

President Singh came with us to see his friend Jackie. We had a strong spirit there as he bore testimony of importance of scripture study and revelation through prayer. We tore apart 2 Nephi 4. We all learned something new as the spirit pointed out cool things to us! The describing words used in the scriptures are amazing and so descriptive! In this chapter, I think verse 21, talks about a love that consumes our flesh! Consumes! That's awesome! Also the next verse talking bout at night he received his visions through much prayer! Are we receiving ours? Our guidance and revelation?! And it’s the spirit that played such a role in that lesson. In any lesson! Shall Not teach without. It’s a command. (d&c 42) 2 others that really stuck out this week in the scriptures was the spirit burned in their bosom or it pierced them to their souls 3nephi 11.  Nuff description? Burn or pierced. I’ve had both happen and these marks stay with you for life. If we allow the spirit in, it will bring these things to our remembrance and you won’t be able to get rid of them! That's so Powerful! We did a split that same night with the bishopric. Home teaching is so important. The faces just lit up when we came by. Several blessings as well. The members that have been active for like 20+ years say they can count on 1 hand the number of visits they have had.. only a few members even know where they live. Get familiar with your ward family. It’s your duty and privilege! 

The only other two events that stick out to me this week are a lesson we had with Gavin Duncan, a new investigator who after going through half of the restoration was convinced the world was truly in apostasy and needed a prophet. To his surprise we answered that! He is a teacher in his church and had a commitment this week to teach on justification, but next week he plans to come! Solid man! 

The other was a time when God led someone to us. We had about half hour before our next appointment and weren't shore what to do. I felt strongly prompted to stop in a lane and schedule appointments and that someone would be brought to us. Okay.... we did it and not 5 minutes later a young man came by and asked" hey can I ask y'all a question? What are you guys all bout, what do you do?!" Whoa, got Sean a new investigator who just came down from New York, also going to meet with him and his family this week! Tender Mercies indeed and only if we listen to those still small promptings that sometimes seem irrational and not going to lead anywhere. This is the Lord’s work and he knows what he is doing. We would ask a boss what to do before working, why not the same with the spiritual. The same applies, if we apply the knowledge we have obtained.

Have a great week. I love you all and may the work go forth wherever we are! Bless up!

Elder Wilkerson

July 7, 2014

I loved this week learning bout the Savior and His teachings. Man, it really is hard to be Christ-like CONSISTENTLY, but there are things that make it easier. And they are simple but take much HUMILITY! Sincere communication with loving Father in Heaven (and if anyone has tips on how to make prayers more meaningful, I'm craving for them!) Delighting in and applying your pondering of the scriptures, and following our leaders which might be parents, teachers, God or many others. OBEDIENCE to them isn't much of an option if we want the POWER in our lives. And really the pushing factor behind it all is LOVE and VIRTUE. Who are you truly doing all this for? Is it for God, your Family, Yourself? Are you wanting to do it, or is your thoughts and desires in another location, what would you choose if you had the Burger King motto always. "have it your way"? So many attributes to work on. So easy to be a hypocrite, and really that’s the only thing Christ ever condemned. It’s okay to mess up, but keep trying! It’s okay to fall short, set new goals! So I guess that’s really in a nut shell what I have learned this week. DILIGENCE is the only way! We have to do it all! It’s all important and that is what we are here for! To improve, to incorporate the characteristics of Christ into our lives! Thanks to the atonement we can. We can improve, we can CHANGE! We always are changing and NEVER have to stay the same the choice is yours! What will you do, what will you become. I invite you all  to do the Christlike attribute activity (from Preach my Gospel) once per month at least. 

Being on a mission has helped me realize this so much! EVERYONE needs this hope! Aand we GET to be a part of it. Let us help Our Father with His work! 

http://addictionrecovery.lds.org/videos?at=s&lang=eng&page-length=9&prefs=&start=1&v=MTE2OTI4NTI4NTU2Njc5MTYyMTktZW5n&cid=HPTH062614282

This video is sweet. We may not know and we won't know until we ask, until we share, until we testify. The Atonement is miraculous. I'm so thankful for it. I hope the rest of the mission I can share this more! It definitely takes diligence. It’s hard, but this is important. Nothing will bring us more joy! I love you all and am thankful for the change and hope you have given me in my life. Keep up the strong work in keeping the COVENANTS we have made. Love you all and have a blessed week!

Elder Wilkerson