January 13, 2014

This week for the work was very well I must say. We have a small teaching pool of 4 female and a male! But 2 are working towards a date and 1 came to church! Her name is Najay, but we call her Lucky! She’s 17 and reads well. We left her with the introduction to the Book of Mormon and she wouldn't let us come back till she finished it! During the lesson she is just thirsty for truth! And we ended up reading the testimony of the prophet! She is just tearing it up and is good friends with a less active who is starting to come back out!! That is kind of our focus right now. We have enough Priesthood brethren for a stake in Kingston, but they are all less active so we are trying to bring back like crazy, having many family home evenings throughout the week, and priesthood visits!! We had 5 back at church the last 2 weeks and we are looking forward to another 5 this next week which is successful auto family, the Johnson's! Sweet family.. we read Alma 7 with them this week and just about every verse someone would stop and talk about something. The spirit was just super strong and opened up a lot of hard hearts, especially the father’s, as there was a family fight the night before! Also working with a less active named Sis. Edwards who is living with another member. We got to read D&C 121 with her and I guess the testimony I have received this week is the scriptures in teaching. If we get an environment for the spirit to testify on things they need to do better, it comes to them out of the scriptures! She realized she needed to be a better mom and example! Great! So many great things happening out here! This work is hard on most every day but really, really rewarding. Can’t deny it. We have also been working with the less active Copeland family and 5 other people in that family who aren't members.. really being receptive.. as long as we really love these people no matter who, we have something they need that is urgent. We can’t force it on them, but build their trust to hug it right into them, to the point they know there is something more. It’s working so far and the response is thrilling!! Ashawni is the only male we are working with, but he is friends with the Pearts. Solid fellowship and he hungers after the knowledge of scriptures, respectful great kid! Just gotta get him to church!! But along with the urgent analogy, Pres brown shared that in church this week. this will show you a bit about hard hearts in the country. Elder Martin got hit by a car this week and had to have a 5 hour brain surgery. but is doing great for the hit. But that was in Linstead and he needed to get to Kingston for the operation. President Brown rode in the ambulance and the whole 50 minute ride the driver was on his horn. He had the sirens on, but until he was on their bumper people didn't move and sometimes people still didn't move out of the way.. even for an emergency vehicle!! Shocking, right!!! Long story short, he compared it to the gospel and missionary work. This is the fulness of times, He is at the door! Sometimes we are all too casual about spreading the gospel, but its urgent! It’s an emergency! People need our services and instead we are clogging up traffic and not doing our job. It’s the little things.. all you got to do is invite them to church or to hear your missionaries.. it’s easy, they are your friends. Will you save your friends? 

Crazy to think ‘bout what he said. When you look at it we don't have time to be missionaries part day. No one does. We got to be ready at all times to give every man answer for the reason of the faith in us! If we serve, we forget about our problems! Burdens become lighter and we become stronger. The time is now. Just like the prophets have said, you just invite ONE person, then they do and we start a wave! It’s easy. The members are doing it here and it’s getting exciting! Just cuz some areas are more established doesn't mean their work is cut out for them. Elder Strickland(a great fellow missionary) told me this week of a story in Haiti where a member of the Quorum of the 12 went to establish another Stake and asked what they have. They said they had 5 stakes and ready for another. The General Authority said from my looks at it looks like you have 5 misSTAKES to me. took them all apart and made back into districts. They are Stakes again fortunately, but just really showed me how we must keep moving forward. This is not a life to rest in. This is Our Test! This is the race! We cant dog it! I have a lot to do, lots to make up for, but we must do it together! It’s 2014! It’s going to be a great year, we're going to get a lot done! We will do our best! I love you all! Thanks for your support to me and the prayers. I know I would be doomed without them. Man! The gospel makes you happy if you apply it! Nuff love!

Elder Wilkerson