CANADA Week 18-November 28, 2017

Mom this is your Christmas card pic... Jk you might actually want to take this one of the group email, and don't ask what is on the plate haha. I only sent it because I don't have any other pics... Haha love ya!

 Halo! Sounds like you guys had an awesome Thanksgiving (I did cry a little when I saw the pictures of Tucanos) and it's good to see the fam all together! It's crazy trying to stay even a little bit caught up with you guys while I am here, but thanks for all of the pics and emails!

This week we had to bust out the boots and scarves because the snow came down haha. And I guess once it sticks it doesn't go away until summer. But it is still awesome! It also has started getting dark around here at iterally 4:30 and it is hilarious because we go out on the streets and there is not a single soul, and when we knock on doors most people are seriously already in bed! I have learned that Canadians just hibernate through the winter. Some of our investigators have even started to say that lessons at 5 are too late for them haha. It is probably pretty similar for Elder Cook but maybe it is just the Frenchies. 

The Ottawa squad. 

We are near the end of the transfer, so this week we had 2 exchanges with the Zone Leaders (Elder Lundetta and Elder Vanderwaard), and they were sweet. I actually left our area for one of them, and it was English speaking again! Sometimes I think that I like French better haha. Elder Lundetta is a little elder from Ecuador, and Elder Vanderwaard is a Belgian. We are still all rooming together, and we are all from different parts of the world, so we have some of the most interesting discussions and meals haha. And oftentimes we will be speaking in 3 or more languages... It wouldn't really make sense to anyone else.

Oh and Alfred make the decision to be baptized on Jan 6th! He's seriously a stud and I love the guy so much. I don't remember if I have already explained him or not, so I'll do it again. He's a young man from China (17 years old), who has been living and going to school in Canada for almost 2 years. He met Elders in China, and they never actually taught him, but it was enough for him just to walk into church a couple of weeks ago. I am super excited for him, and I hope I get to stay here another transfer so I can be there to support him, but we will see. I'll tell you guys what happened next Tuesday.

And it is almost December! It is an important and beautiful time of the year for everybody. I hope you all get a little into the Holiday spirit, and have lots of fun. I will echo the words of Elder Howell by inviting all of you to check out the Light the World Christmas calendar and initiative that the church has given. I love you guys!

Elder Wilson

From Mom: Tate! It’s a good thing I love you unconditionally because your picture taking skills are horrendous!!! I mean, for the love of Pete, you took a photography class!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

From Elder Wilson: You just don't understand their beauty haha

CANADA Week 17-November 21, 2017

The snow came for real this week, so we snagged a pic, and then struggled to de-ice our car.

Hullllloooo les gens! Another week cruised past, and it was awesome! Sounds like da fam is doing good, and I wish I could have gone to the temple dedication with you! I haven't been able to go to the temple since I got to Canada, and I miss it, so go there lots for me. I wish I could tell you about all of the people that I met this week, but I would never finish, so remind me later haha.

The bus with my old comp from the MTC Elder Furness.

Elder Renlund came to speak to us this week! We woke up early Saturday morning and loaded onto this big bus with all of the other missionaries in the Ottawa zone and made the road trip to Montreal. For some reason the heating on the bus was broken, so it was freezing inside. I did what any good missionary would do, and slept the whole time haha. I woke up with frozen feet but we were there and life was good! It was super cool to enter the church where we would hear from Elder Renlund because all of the Montreal missionaries were there, and there were so many! I also got to see all of my MTC district (Besides soeur boyle) and they are killing it. I don't have tons of time to speak about Elder Renlund, but he had 3 main points that he wanted us to know as missionaries:

1. He thanked us for our choice to serve and the work we do.

2. Affirmed the fact that we were assigned to our specific mission by prophecy.

3. President and Sister Phillips were also called by prophecy and they really want what is best for us

There is a ton more that he talked about, but it was so great to see how appreciative he was for us, and how straightforward he was with his message. He spoke with faith and a sure knowledge, and it is something I will never forget. 

Big thanks to the awesome people in our ward who sent me notes and pictures! It made my week! But I think you guys might have the wrong idea of what kind of growth a missionary is supposed to have on his mission...

I had another exchange this week! for the first time in 10ish weeks, I left Gatineau! I went to Ottawa with Elder Anaya for all of Monday. It was an English area, and I love French, but it was pretty freeing to be able to speak without restrictions haha. Missionary work in Downtown Ottawa was certainly different, but there were miracles all the same. Elder Anaya speaks French, Spanish, and English fluently, so we could speak to pretty much everyone. It was great to meet all the people there, and I was sad to go, but I'm also happy to be back in Gatineau. The Frenchies here are now my people!

We were waiting for an investigator outside of our apartment, and we decided to be creative with our contacting haha. Yes that is our number and nope ma even though I love you, you can' call me haha.

I hope you guys are all doing well, and thank you so much for the emails and prayers and support.

Love ya all!

Elder Wilson

Have an awesome Thanksgiving! and don't spoil the elders too much haha. I think I forgot to tell you guys that Canadian thanksgiving is in the beginning of October... I hope you have fun, I love ya. Oh and don't let Dad eat any more spicy food, I think he might die.

CANADA Week 16-November 14, 2017-La joie et la Tahitian

I realized that I didn't actually take any pictures this week so I snagged one of my brotha Elder D real quick. He is always scheming haha.

Bonjour ma famille! J'espère que vous allez bien (I hope you are well), and everybody else too! This week was insane, and super fun, and I will never be able to explain all of it haha. Thanks for all of your emails, it is nice to be able to hear from you guys, and stay at least a little up to date. And sorry if I don't respond to everyone, but time is precious here in Canada!
  

This week was really fun because we had exchanges, and my new companion for the day was Elder Maire. He is this little Tahitian guy, he's 25, and he is a stud! He converted at age 23, and even though only his Mom is a member he decided to accept the call to serve and left a year after his baptism. He has 8 siblings, and none of them or his Dad supported his decision, but he made it and stuck with it and he has been happy. I was able to learn a lot from him. I also was able to test out my French for real haha, because he doesn't speak English. 

Some seriously sketchy stairs that we have to go up every once in a while to see one of our friends. The picture doesn't do it any justice, but they wobble all over when you walk on them and they are super tall too haha.

I also wanted to write a little about a subject that has become important to me during my time here in Canada. It has been a short 3ish months, but I have met more people and devoted myself more than I think I ever have before, and I have gained so much from it. I have met people who have had more difficult living circumstances than I had ever really even thought of, like Elder Maire, and they taught me an important lesson. Joy is ALWAYS a choice, and it is not just a choice, but it is our purpose here on the earth. 2 Nephi 2:25- Adam fell that men might be and men are that they might have joy. It may seem impossible, but even in the hardest of situations we can choose to just take a little step back, smile, and move on. Elder Clayton expressed this with a simple sentence this conference that stuck out to me, he held up a M&M that his wife had just handed to him and said, "Life is good. It is like this peanut filled M&M." It was random and funny, but a simple truth. Life is good no matter the circumstances. Remember every once in a while to actually enjoy it. Oh and also read President Nelsons talk  `Joy and Spiritual Survival`. It has helped me out a lot on my mission, and it comes from an Apostle of God so read it.

Speaking of Apostles of God, Elder Renlund will be coming to our mission Saturday. We are going to get on the bus again Saturday morning to make the trip to Montreal, and I am pumped! 

Ottawa zone conference with Elder and Sister Clayton.

Side note... it was hilarious because we had interviews with President this week and he told Elder D to shave his sideburns, and he was so mad because he said they "made him look like Joseph Smith", but he is going to tonight haha. 

Thanks for all the support you guys give me, we really can see the effects of your prayers here! I hope you are all ready for another Idaho winter(or wherever you are...) because I think this Canadian one might kill me! Love ya!

Elder Wilson

CANADA Week 15-November 7, 2017

Our awesome friend Alfred who bought us Tim Horton`s for our lesson.

Hola! Another week flew by, and I am officially past 3 months all of a sudden... It is crazy to me, because it seems like no time has passed since I entered the MTC. But things here are so good! It is starting to get a little chilly here, and I don't think the rain has stopped yet haha. And I am an OFFICIAL Canadian now because we had our first snow a couple of days ago. It was pretty much slush so it doesn't really count.

This week we were blessed with a lot of people. I don't think I have ever talked so much in my life, and then you add in the fact that it was in broken French and you understand my week a little better haha. It was awesome! The people here are crazy, and hilarious, and oftentimes drugged, but they have so much potential. It has been such a great blessing to be able to tell these people about the Plan that God has for each and every one for us, and the blessings that come from following it. We have such a short time here to enjoy and grow, so always remember the things that are really important for you, and have joy. And don't forget to share the things that you know with others. They are important too. 

Just another typical suburban home in Canada hidden in a small forest. Elder D was very appreciative.

There are some exciting things happening here in Canada! Elder Weatherford Clayton will be speaking with my Zone tomorrow during our conference, and sometime closer to the end of November Elder Renlund is coming also. I am pumped! I am sure they will be sharing with us exactly what God needs us to be doing here in Montreal. We are pretty lucky to have the guidance of God and Christ in our lives through their mouthpieces the prophets and apostles. 

Sweet African food.

Thank you so much for all of your prayers and support. You guys give me the courage to go outside when everything is flooded and freezing haha. The work is great and God is greater. Keep on doing your part, and I love ya all. Oh and the Meridian temple is sweet! Use it lots for me.

Elder Wilson