February 25, 2013

Ola minha querida familia!!!

Well it was great to hear from the lot of ya. It sounds like things back at home are still trudging along. It is great to hear that everyone is still happy and loving life!

This was a really good week just to start off. Although really one of the most stressful one I have had in a while:) but a very rewarding all in all. As I had told you all we had the baptism of Edson this past week. He was so excited during this whole week I was just so great to see his willingness to do it. The day before his baptism he ended up getting polydizmo(which is the forerunner of the malaria). Oh he was so sick the day before, so we gave him a blessing and blessed him with the ability to get baptized. The next day he was feeling good enough to leave the house and jump in the waters of baptism:) by the end he look 100 percent better. Then yesterday his conditions had worsened and because of that he was not able to make it to church to get confirmed.. so we have it scheduled for next Sunday, and I hope he will be feeling better by then. When we past by on Sunday, he couldn't even get up from the couch that we found him on and he was steaming hot, but he says he is feeling better already.

This week we had a ton of really amazing lessons. We hopefully during this next week will get a lot of new families. We had been talking to a lot of people about references and what not so fingers crossed:) FYI If you haven't heard ANGOLA IS BECOMING A MISSION!!!!!! We had heard about a week ago and weren't supposed to tell anybody! When president called to tell us I was like WHAT!!!! I really wasn't expecting it to happen already! I will be able to say that I had 5 mission presidents on my mission. It is just so crazy.

Elder Dredge is doing great. Training has really been a better experience for me than I am sure it was for him. It will be great to get to work with him for at least one more!!! It is so awesome to have great companions. I don't think I have had a bad one yet!

Elder Wilhelm

February 18, 2013

Dear fam! (and anyone that wants to be included)

Good afternoon!! Thank you all so much for the letters this week. It is
always so great to hear from you and I can really feel your support.

Ha ha sorry mom and dad for the story:) it really wasn't a big deal. I
already got the stitches out and everything. It wasn't that big of a
deal. When it hit I didn't fall down or pass out or anything like that.
so don't worry about it:)

This week was a great week again here in the mission! It is true that
I did hit my year mark, but not yet the hump:) remember I did extend!
so I still have just a little bit more than a year left!!! haha This
year has been a very eventful little one. One that i shall not
forget. It has been filled with just strait joy:) and to recognize
that joy we need to know the bad (hence the generator). I am quite
excited to see what the Lord has in store for me during this next
year:) oh what an adventure.

So our investigators are doing great! We had 3 baptismal dates set for
this Saturday but 2 of them will be delayed until the 9th of March.
The one that is getting baptized is Edson!!!! Wow he is probably one of
the most prepared people I have ever met! I was able to be at his
interview with elder kealsey(that is the marine guy). He met all the
requirements of baptism easily! So we are extremely excited for him. The
two that got delayed were Alex and Erickson, But it is ok. They both
have an extreme desire to be baptized. There is no doubt in my mind
whether they will be baptized or not. We are actually going to talking
to Alex's dad for the first time ever. I am way excited he seems like a
really nice guy.

This week seemed to be a really slow week but extremely blessed. We
had a ton of dropped appointments during this past week but it all
worked out and found some amazing families!!! After Sunday, a man just
came up to us after his first time visiting the church and said "I
really like this church. How can I learn more":) the Lord is truly
watching over us and blessing us with a lot of people.

Well I don't have a whole lot more but I love you all so much and have
a great week!

Elder Wilhelm

February 11, 2013

Dear fam

Well it sounds like it has been quite a week back home. I will pray
for you all and I really do think everything will work out alright.
But it was great to hear from all of you:) thanks for all the
letters:)

Well my week was different to say the least:) This past
week had a district conference where a general authority presided. Yes
we had the all famous Elder Cook:) It was so amazing!!! FYI I do not
mean the Elder Cook of the 12... I mean from the quorum of the 70:)
He met with the missionaries separately on Friday during our
mission conference. Wow what an inspired man. I believe every single
thing he had said was not a repeat from past conferences he has had.
He didn't just get up and preach to us either. He got up and conversed
with us with during a discussion for several hours. I am so thankful he
came, his words were were comforting and reassuring. It made me
realize this is the Lords work and he will never let it fall. So I
shouldn't worry about what will happens with the Lords kingdom and just
focus on doing my part to help grow and establish it. Then it will
increase at a much rapid pace. I am so thankful for this church in my
life. There is not a thing in this world or out that could take me
from this gospel. This work will grow far faster or stronger than any of us
can imagine.

Ummmm:) one more thing I wanted to let you know:) I don't know if
president Kretley,, Thompson, or elder Cook told you yet, but... On
Saturday night after finishing an amazing priesthood session with
Elder Cook, my companion and I were making our way home.  We got off a
taxi and started walking over this bridge. As we were coming down on
the other side and departing from the bridge somebody (by accident or
not I don't know:)) dropped a frame from a generator off of the second
platform. You all knowing my luck with things like this:) It came
crashing down on my head. haha Ya, I must be the elder with the worst
luck out here in Angola, perhaps the world:) I didn't pass out or
anything but it left me with a pretty big bump on my head and 5
stitches. haha Ya I am an idiot:)

Well I love you all so much and I hope everything works out back home.

Elder Wilhelm

February 4, 2013

Caro familia!

Bom dia!!! como e? ta bater:) Hey hows it shaking with all y'all?
Thanks for all your letters this week. Its always really good to hear
from you all. It sounds like it has just been a crazy week back home.
Mom and Dad it sounds like you guys are about to explode with all the
things you need to do, but it always good to stay busy right?:)

So this week was great! We are still trying to do as much contacting
as possible but hopefully we will wear out our shoes rather than our
minds by the end of all this:) It is so fun to see some peoples
reactions to what we are doing. Most people think that we are Jehovah
witnesses though until we talk to them. They have been quite a few JWs
wanting to bible bash with us:) haha ya they don't know what they are
talking about half the time. It is so funny. Most of the time we just
kind of ignore them and keep walking. Although we have had a few
intense conversations with them:)

The other day while we were walking down the road there was this group
of 17 or 18 year old punks walking down the road causing a lot of
racket. When we were passing them one of them had the nerve to hit
elder dredge in the back of the head. Oh boy I was a little furious. I
turned around and started yelling at them so they would leave because
they kept trying to come back for more. In the end they decided to
turn and leave and that is when elder dredge and I made a speedy get
away:) ha ha Then last week elder dredge almost got robed by a bunch
of drunk guys that we walked past. Elder dredge is just having a rough
start! haha welcome to Angola:)

Our Investigators a doing great! We are really trying to find some
more families though. We have a bunch of young guys between 20 to 25
of age and they are all way sick, but we really need to find some
families that can support each-other. Edson has just sucked everything
in like a sponge so far and we are way excited for him and his
decision to be baptized.

Well thats all for this we but have an awesome week love you all!:)

Elder Wilhelm