CANADA Week 102-July 9, 2018

This beautiful family will be baptized this Saturday.

It was a special week at church this Sunday, because it was a fast and testimony meeting. Which means that anybody who wants can go in front of the congregation, and share their testimony of God and Jesus Christ and their Gospel. 

So the meeting had just started and Rahul, a sweet Indian man that was baptized last month, tapped my shoulder and asked if we could go up together to speak. It was one of the sweetest experiences for me to hear Rahul, who hadn't known about God 4 months ago, testify with confidence of God's love for us, and the joy he felt during his baptism. 

This Sunday as well was the first time in 2 years that I have held a child, because I was able to participate in a baby blessing for a cute Phillipina baby. God loves His children, and His Spirit taught me that again as I felt a piece of that love for this baby (Elizabeth).

Things have been crazy in the 4-man this week, and we have only locked ourselves out of our apartment like 12 times haha. We also made our moneys worth at an all you can eat sushi place, and made ourselves sick... We love doing Gods work here, and He continues to bless us. "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. (John 17:3)"

We love you, and have a good week!

Elder Wilson

Abiodun and Gift always feed us but don't like pictures.

The 4 man at the highest point of Montreal.

Us making a bad decision but loving it!

Elder Newman at his finest.

CANADA Week 101-July 3,, 2019

Well we wasted all of our time today at an all you can eat sushi place, and I feel as if I have a greater understanding of the scripture, " . . . the people had turned from their righteousness, like the dog to is vomit . . . (3 nephi 7:8)" Every time I go back I realize that I never should have haha.

This week we were put into a 4 man again, and it feels good. And hectic haha. We have quickly learned how to work together, and it is cool to see how quickly Elder Marsh and Elder Holman came to love the people that we serve here. But they are super lovable, which makes it easier.

One of my favorite quotes came from Belal this week. He is preparing for baptism Saturday the 13th of July, and he read in Mosiah 3, which talks about judgment for our works and our desires during this life. The actual verse says, "And if they be evil they are consigned to an awful view of their own guilt and abominations, which doth cause them to shrink from the presence of the Lord into a state of misery and endless torment, from whence they can no more return; therefore they have drunk damnation to their own souls."

Belal shivered and said, "So God will make me like a cooked chicken." We laughed and explained that the scripture explains that OUR guilt and OUR abominations cause US to shrink from the Lord's presence.

He paused and then said, "So I will make myself a cooked chicken . . . "

I know that God loves us, and desires our being with Him. He has provided us with a perfect plan, and gifted us with the precious gift of His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ. I know that if we repent (change), love, and obey diligently we will be able to enter into their presence after this life guilt free.

It was also moving day (half of the population changes apartments) this week, so we got lots of exercise, and sweated more than I have since last years moving day haha. Elder Holman and I finished all of them, but barely.

Have a great week, and give thanks for what you have. We love you!

Elder Wilson

CANADA Week 100-June 25, 2019

Rahul's baptism!

Rahul was baptized! It was humbling to see the Lord literally change the heart and desires of someone that you love. Now I need to be humble enough for the Lord to do the same for me . . . . I can testify of the feeling that the people of King Benjamin described when they said, 

"And they had viewed themselves in their own carnal state, even less than the dust of the earth. And they all cried aloud with one voice, saying: O have mercy, and apply the atoning blood of Christ that we may receive forgiveness of our sins, and our hearts may be purified; for we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who created heaven and earth, and all things; who shall come down among the children of men.

And it came to pass that after they had spoken these words the Spirit of the Lord came upon them, and they were filled with joy, having received a remission of their sins, and having peace of conscience, because of the exceeding faith which they had in Jesus Christ who should come, according to the words which King Benjamin had spoken unto them. (Mosiah 4)"

Do we have the faith to be healed?

We had a sweet experience yesterday when we were teaching 2 young men, and helping them secure a more solid future for themselves and their families. it was incredible to see that their needs (financial stability, health, peace of conscience, strong relationships) are all things that God strongly desires that we have, and, if we follow His counsel, has already promised to us. I know that when we are obedient to His commandments the windows of heaven will be opened and a blessing will be poured out "that there shall not be room enough to receive it (Malachi 3:10)"!

I know that He loves us and wants to bless us. What can you do differently this week to better receive these blessings?

We love you, and hope you have a fulfilling week!

Elder Wilson

Balut (a duck egg that was incubated for 18 days). It was crunchy because the bones had started to form, but surprisingly delicious.

President & Sister Phillips are headed home on Friday. We are so grateful for them!

CANADA Week 99-June 18, 2019

God has allowed us to see many miracles this week, but one of my personal favorites was with a man named Mahdi.

Mahdi grew up involved in a different faith, and transitioned to no belief, and has come back around to a hesitant belief in God. He has been through many difficult things that I can't understand, and he misses his family.

We taught him about this life and its purpose. We testified of life after death through Jesus Christ, and before we were able to truly explain, he remembered. He remembered things about his life before coming to the earth, he prophesied of life after death, and he joyed in Jesus Christ. Someone that he didn't know before. He messaged us yesterday saying that his life is changed.

I truly know that Jesus is our Savior. I know that the Holy Ghost teaches us truth and helps us to remember, if we are worthy of his company. God rewards us according to our desires, so let us desire that which will make us truly happy. 

Another man we are teaching has started to exercise righteous desires because of Jesus Christ. He committed himself to move a mountain, by stopping smoking. Previously he had been smoking on average 40 cigarettes a day. He whittled it down to 1 a day over time. Yesterday he handed us the last pack of cigarettes he would every buy, as well as his lighters. He walked away a happy man. A light man.

This week we got to travel to Ottawa as well, and it was beautiful to see the countryside, and it reminded me a lot of the United States... it felt good to come back to Quebec haha.

Have a great day! We love you!

Elder Wilson

CANADA Week 98-June 11, 2019

Nous autres.

Hola Hola

This week we sent Elder Fourie off, and Elder Newman and I were left to hold down the ship. It was quite a flight back for Elder Fourie, and he was still messaging some of our friends here in Montreal and sharing scriptures that he was reading on his voyage. We wish him luck in Australia.

We were reading a story about an ancient prophet living in the Americas and his teachings to some people. He invited them to be truly happy through following Christ. It was interesting to note that in this invitation to peace and happiness he made mention of God or Jesus Christ over 50 times (Alma 7). Are we as willing as Alma to recognize God in our mundane activities?

This week my belief of the importance of families was fortified. I have seen families struggling and individuals struggling. I have seen happy families and happy individuals. But nothing is stronger than a family unit that is centered on Jesus Christ. Heavenly Father placed us in families to learn and grow, and wants us to do our part to culture a loving and familial environment with those we are close to. 

Living prophets and apostles of Jesus Christ have warned us to strengthen our families. Their words are in this email, and I invite you to read it and ask yourself, ''What lack I yet in my efforts towards making a Christ Centered family?" (Families don't always have to be related by blood). As you do so, the Lord will magnify your righteous desires, and you will recognize a change that needs to be made. 

Some cool experiences lately:

- I watched Abiodun cook like 7 chickens at once for a Nigerian party, and they lit on fire

- I saw Quebec for the last time, and this was the only time I saw it without snow

- We learned some Inuit

- We helped a man who was falling off a cliff, because he dove to save his phone. 

We love you.

Elder Wilson

Quebec in summer time.

Elder Newman in the library because I didn't take any pictures this week . . . . 

CANADA Week 97-June 4, 2019

Hola la familia! Sorry I am writing this in like 5 minutes on my phone, but it was beautiful today, so we took advantage of it.

Elder Fourie will be going home this week, and Elder Newman and I are lucky enough to stay together for another transfer. God has let us see that He leads His work here, but He lets us participate. 

Elder Fourie got bit by a horse today, and as he was struggling and we were laughing, it was easy to feel that this life is good. Nephi taught a simple truth over 2000 years ago.

"But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance"

If we have the desire to see the mercies of the Lord, they are daily. Every day, and in almost every action we take. 

We were speaking with an older couple that had recently overcome an addiction, and they said it was as if they Lord had simply taken it from them... But it required their prayers and exercising faith. 

See His hands this week, and enjoy your days! God sent us here to be truly joyful. We love you! 

Elder Wilson

We climbed Mont Royal.

The horse.

Robert and Barbara and Brother Stubbs.

CANADA Week 96-May 28, 2019

Elder Petit.

The Lord is constantly showing us His love if we are looking for it. It has been sweet to see how He blesses us according to our faith and diligence. One of these examples happened this week when Pierre Yves and Armand (who took a trip to Utah) just happened to meet with Elder Gong at church. They were baptized in Quebec just about 2 months ago, and speak very little English, but I am sure that they felt his love.

The Lord invites us all to come unto him and promises us that His hands are always outstretched. We need to remember Him in all of our doings so that we may say like Nephi, ''I know in whom I have trusted.''

This week we became a trio. it has been fun to add Elder Newman into the mix, and we have had some incredible experiences. We have seen that God prepares His people to receive His word. All we can add is our faith and strength and minds. 

We love you! From Around the world haha. (Elder Newman-Scotland, Elder Fourie-Australia, Elder Wilson- Idaho). A tantot!

Robert & Barbara.

The Trio!

I drew a kangaroo on Elder Fourie's pancake.

The famous Joji. He snagged Elder Fourie in the back.

Pierre Yves with Elder Gong.