Week 6 in Jamaica! Merry Christmas!

Alright! So, Merry Christmas to All Yall back home in the States! 

This week has been a blast!! We started off by having the Mission Christmas Party on Wednesday and I probably gained 40 pounds that night! Haha just kidding! But for real though I ate soooo much there! We received our presents, played songs, games, we ate, drank, and were merry because we knew that tomorrow we knew we weren't going to die! haha! A lot of back and forth in taxis, a lot of "Merry Christmas" to people who don't believe in Christmas, a lot of green, red, and white, a lot of smiles and much more! I can not type all of the things that happened out here because of my weakness in typing (Moroni). But! I am grateful for all the Christmas joy that has been spread through out our areas because we really did spread the Light of Christ this Christmas and it meant sooo much more to me now that I


am representing Christ in Jamaica! I am sharing the light of Christ with every one every day! People may not like the light but it is my purpose to invite others to come unto Christ by having faith in Jesus Christ and in his Atonement through Repentance, Baptism, Receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and Enduring to the End. I love doing the Lords work. 

This week we had two baptisms!! On Christmas Eve!! They were so cool and reverent even though it was at the beach! Don't worry I took pictures mother. haha! One of the new members after being baptized took a jug and went and filled it with the ocean water to take home! It is a reminder of his baptism and man did it mean a lot to him and the branch here in Junction! The other one who is older, started swimming and acting like a little kid! He was so happy! It was truly amazing and humbling to watch this baptism. Christmas day was even better though. I got to Skype my family and see all of their smiling faces! Christmas on Sunday is Amazing! I didn't like it when i was littler because I had to stop playing with my toys because we had to go to church but now its a wonderful opportunity to truly remember Christ on Christmas! Later that day we went to the senior missionaries home and had a small Christmas Party. We had a small Christmas dinner, played games, signed journals for those leaving our district, and went caroling! We went to this house that had TONS of lights on it! I have a video that i will send for every one to look at! It was awesome! 

Before I go I just want to leave you all with my testimony that I KNOW this church to be the true church, I KNOW that Joseph Smith was the prophet to restore it back on this earth for the latter days, I KNOW that the Book of Mormon is true and evidence that Joseph was called of God to restore His ONE true church, I KNOW that the power of prayer works in mysterious ways but no matter how big or small they are Heavenly Father will always answer them, I KNOW that the Holy Ghost is there for EVERYONE if they will just open their spiritual ears to listen to what It has to say, and I KNOW that by following Jesus Christ's example and footsteps we can find peace and happiness for our lives forever. The Gospel of Jesus Christ in never ending, never failing, never changing, and will always be here for us. I know that the Lord can and will change our lives for the better. All we have to do is align our will with His. Strive to follow the Holy Ghost, strive to follow our brother and Savior Jesus Christ because it is through him that we are all saved. I love this Church and NOT ONE THING will change my mind or make me fall away. I leave these things with you and to any one who needs it, in the name of our Loving Savior,

 Jesus Christ, Amen.

I LOVE YOU ALL!!  

Elder Wilding 💚💛

Companions and Mommas

Elder Christensen's mom sent me this AWESOME picture of Austin!

How awesome is it that we can share things back and forth with

our missionary's companions families?  I am so grateful for this Momma!

It's awesome to talk to her and hear each missionary's stories of the week

and to be able to send pictures back and forth of our AWESOME missionary's!

I will forever be grateful to her son for teaching Austin and being a great

companion and friend to him! She has raised an amazing young man!

Week 5 in Jamaica

Okay so this week was a lot smoother than last week was! But to start off i want to say that i have finally read through the Book of Mormon! That is my first time reading the whole thing and man was it cool to feel the Spirit when i finished reading it! It testified of truth and i challenge EVERYONE to read through the whole thing, ponder the message it contains, then ask Heavenly Father if it is true. And i can PROMISE you that He WILL tell you that it is true! I know he can do that for everyone who reads it and asks with a sincere heart and a real desire to know the truth. Anyways! This week we lost an investigator's baptismal date... We have not been able to see him because he is always working. Also his desire to meet with us has started to slacken.. But we cant force any one to meet with us so its all up to him. The other two missionaries here in Junction will be having two baptisms this week though on Christmas Eve! Elder Dawson and Elder Callister. This branch here is going to grow here in the next few months and i can not wait for that day when we will get our own building! We will be baptizing them at Treasure Beach! I can not wait for them! Alright so the Mission Christmas party is this Wednesday so I will be getting my packages then! But I'm not going to open them all that day, I'm going to save them for Christmas morning haha yay for Christmas in the Mission Field!! Hopefully all of them arrive by the time that rolls around! Omar cut my hair... The first time I have had anyone cut my hair and it HURT! He used this little comb thing with razor blades in it and it like ripped our hair out! It is patchy in the back but oh well! It's just hair, it will grow back! The people here are weird when it comes to Christmas. There are a few people who put up a few lights but a lot of people here don't do that and i don't know why. But also a lot of people here don't celebrate Christmas because of either their religion or they don't believe that Christ was Born on that day. Which shouldn't matter but oh well. People are weird haha! My Comp and I were called Rasta's this week and it was so cool! This Rasta man riding his bike past us looked at us and was like, "Aaa Rastaaa" as we rode by us haha! We were like, "what in the world..." but we were called Rasta's!! And we are WHITE!! Anyways haha, well almost all of my shirts are stained because of the red dirt here... When it rains it makes it muddy, duh, and then the bikes flip the red mud onto our shirts and they do not come out!! So i have red stains on all of my shirts haha... Um for Christmas trees they use what ever they want haha! Spiritual thought for the day: God does not put trials in our lives that we can not overcome. All we have to do is ask for His help.

Love you all and Merry Christmas from Jamaica!!! 

Yours Truly,

Elder Wilding

 This is Elder Christensen...they didn't get a picture of

me getting my hair cut.  Omar is our barber...haha

Week 4 in Jamiaca

Okay so this week has been crazy! So to start it off i just want to say that the taxis here are crazy! They pack four ADULTS in the back seat of older Honda civics and travel at crazy speeds! Holy Cow its crazy! Every time i get in one all i can do is laugh because how ridiculous it is! Okay so keep that in mind for this next part. My companion and i had to go to Kingston twice within three days of each other just so we could sign some tax papers for me to go to the Bahamas for missionary work. Not a guarantee that i will be going over there but the paper work is done so i could go. Anyways, We met with the office elders who would pick us up in Mandeville where me and my companion had to taxi to from Junction. It is an Hour ride from junction to Mandeville in a packed Taxi! Then another two hour drive from Mandeville to Kingston with the office elders in their pick up truck. It was sooo hot in Kingston! Junction and Mandeville are the coolest places in Jamaica. So we don't have enough members for a ward in junction so we have a branch. We had our Branch Christmas party this last Saturday and man was it awesome! The food was sooo good!! The Jamaicans know how to cook some good chicken! Sorry Dad almost as good as yours haha! I recorded some videos to send to you guys so hpefully they load so i can send them! We have four baptisms planned but i dont know if they will all be ready by the time their dates roll around... Oh well God works at his own time! While in Kingston i got to see Elder Morris who was with me in the MTC! And the other for missionaries who had to visa wait will be here next transfer which is about Three weeks! I can not wait for them to get here! They are currently in snow so when they get here it will be a huge change for them! I heard a song with Elder Holland talking about missionary work and the Atonement in the background an man did it hit me in the feelings! I just love Elder Holland's talks and how he uses his authority to share the gospel! I love how he gets emotional over it all and it made me realize that i was starting to become like him. I am a very emotional person for all of you that know me. But I have started to share the gospel with authority like him and i love the affects of it! I want to become like Elder Holland! Anyways here are some pictures! I love all of you guys!

Peace out from Jamaica
Elder Wilding

 They found a Wendy's .... AMERICAN food!  haha


A couple pictures from Elder Christensen's Mom
The first picture must be where they have Church

Week 3

​Hey guys!

 So this week we have got an investigator on date for baptism! His name is Michael and he is about 20-21sh idk for sure. But he is kinda of a slow learner... But he is set to be baptized on December 31st! He has accepted that date but idk if he will be ready by then, we will have to see! We ran into two Rasta men and they love us haha! One of them tells us about his dreams and how he saw God and Jesus and told him that Selassie is the mark of the devil haha! They other one, every time we see him he says,"Hey white guy!" haha The second one is always drunk and high so we don't try sharing the gospel with him because he isn't going to change his ways. But they both are so funny to talk too! We also found this woman named Sherona and she knows pretty much everything about missionaries and the church but she hasn't been baptized and isn't 100% sure that she believes that our church is the true church... She has been taught by tons of missionaries in the past so she is very smart! She just isn't 100% sure about our church. She is an awesome lady! She always tells us to stop by and talk but its kinda hard when we have to ride bicycles all over the place! We ride our bicycles about 5 miles a day! its crazy! But hey, put the Lord first and he will provide a way! This last Sunday was my first fast and testimony meeting on my mission and man did it mean so much more! Sorry homeward, not sorry haha there you go Jeff! But we start our fast Saturday night that way we can eat lunch the next day and so we have energy for the rest of the day. I have found out the importance of sacrament meeting now. Im kinda bummed that it took me so long to figure it out but i did it. I love the fact that we can renew ALL of the covenants that we have made with our Loving Father in Heaven and that we can repent EVERY WEEK! I love that i have finally experienced that and the Holy Ghost helped me realize all that! Since i have been in the MTC I have started to recognize how the Spirit interacts with me and my thoughts and feelings. I can now use the Spirit of Discernment on almost every one here and it really has started to pay off. We are starting to get more lessons, less people are falling through so we cant have meetings, people are really starting to show an interest in what we share with them! Also this last week we got caught out in the middle of a down pour!! The roads started to look like rivers! No Joke! I don't have pictures... I wasn't thinking of pictures at the time. I was more worried about not getting soaked but that didn't happen... I know I haven't been able to load pictures but here are a few!​

I Love you all!

Elder Wilding

The last 2 pics are from Elder Christensen!

Week 2 In Jamiaca

So this week has been crazy! We had a Zone P-Day and it was a blast! We played volleyball, rugby, soccer, and basketball! We also had our Thanksgiving Dinner! But before that, on Monday we had to move our P-Day to Tuesday because of elections here! It is crazy scary over here when one party loses! All the people of the winning party go out and party in all the bars(which are EVERYWHERE) and all of the losing party members go out and start riots! Luckily none happened while we were out! And I didn't hear of any riots or huge fights in Junction anyways so that's good! I can slowly feel myself getting out of shape... haha not good... But I do ride my bike up hill both ways so that's good for my legs! We are not allowed to go get gym memberships which kinda makes me mad but oh well. So we meet this man name Ricardo and he is waaaayyyy interested in what we have to say about our church! He is an Awesome investigator! we ran into this Rasta man, a man who smokes weed, has dreads, drinks, and doesn't not believe in Jesus Christ OR God!! They are so funny to run into because they don't know what they are talking about when they say there is no God haha! But the Patwa here is kinda hard to understand when Jamaicans are talking with each other but I'm starting to get the hang of it! "Whagwan ma yoot?" that is patwa for what is going on my youth. Madaya means I'm here or i am there. We are in  branch not a ward, our chapel is in a small plaza because we don't have enough members for our own building. YET. But we believe we can make it that far! The mission presidents goal or vision is to have a temple here in Jamaica in about 3-4 years! We can do it in the way he has things set up! Invite 10 people every day to be baptized, baptize about 35 people mission wide, have a church building in every perish, and so on! Its crazy! But hey, if it gets a temple here in Jamaica then i'll do it!

Thanksgiving was awesome here!! We had our own Thanksgiving! we had mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, beans, banana bread, cream soda! IT WAS AWESOME!! I loved it!!

We do ALOT of bike riding and it suuuuucks!! I swear if I don't come home with shredded thighs I'm gonna be mad! The elders that i stay with are awesome! We all played sports except for Elder Callister.  Him and i get along really well because of how emotional we are haha. we sound like babies but hey, emotions show that we care! Church here is way smaller than back home but the sacrament is starting to mean a lot more to me than it ever did back home. I know that is bad to say but oh well. I am truly grateful for everything that I have had back home! But I am even more grateful for every thing I have here in Jamaica! We have a crappy living place but to a lot of people here, we have a really nice place! A lot of people live in concrete squares with no floors, sometimes no beds, and a lot of other things. It really shows how bad the poverty is here but no one cares! they all go about their day caring for others because, "One Love" that is what everyone says here! Its awesome! 
And I will be one of the first missionaries to go back into the Bahamas as soon as they open! 
Sorry I haven't sent much pictures... I will try to get some loaded today!

 Love you All!!

 Elder Wilding Out!✌

Me and my companion Elder Christensen
He's from Elk Ridge Utah

   

Our Thanksgiving dinner!

Week 1 In Jamaica

Hey Guys!

  So this last week has been crazy!! Okay so the day before i left the MTC was crazy busy with packing and saying good byes to all my district members then i didn't sleep that night because i didn't get finished packing until like 1 and i had to report to the travel center at 3 so i didn't sleep at all! So i get on the bus with Elders Udy, Call, and Morris to go to salt lake airport. We called home and told them about our plans then boarded a plane to Dallas. We get to Dallas and we meet this family who are also Mormon! We flew with them all the way to Florida! they were going to the Cayman islands! They bought us lunch and we got to facetime our parents a little bit but not for very long. 

   So we are in Florida and we say good bye to the family and i fell asleep on the plane rides so i don't remember them very much haha just take offs and landings. Its crazy! So I get off the plane in Jamaica and its like getting hit in the face with a heater! Holy Hot! We meet the Mission president and his wife as they take us to the mission home and we started driving on the wrong side of the road!! (for them it is on the left side not the right) People are walking on the roads like they own the place, cars are swerving to avoid the people and other cars! Motorcyclists are crazy! they zip in and out where ever they can fit! 

   So we get to the Mission home and they make us meatball sandwiches then we hit the hay because we are exhausted! We get up, shower, eat, then we have like an hour before all the elders show up so we can meet our companions! They show up and everyone is excited to see each other! We say our goodbyes then head off for Junction! 

   On our way to Junction it is crazy just like i explained before! We stop at a KFC!! Yaaaaaassss!!! They tell me to get the ginger beer i think its called. and it is like cream soda with A TON of ginger in it! Like it didn't taste anything like cream soda! 

    We finish eating and drive like 2 hours to get to out house in Junction! It is so crazy here! The culture is so mixed! Old beat up cars, Mercedes Benz, dirt bikes, bullet bikes! Its crazy! and it smells like weed EVERYWHERE!! 

    So we start going around getting to know the area and we have done that all week long. We met the Roach family and man were they excited to see us!! Like stoked! They were so willing to except a Book of Mormon and come to church this last Sunday but because they 2 year old son got sick so they couldn't make it. But i am way excited for that family! 

    It is so hot here! we have to ride our bikes up who knows how many hills! If i don't come home just shredded in my legs I'm gonna be mad! haha just kidding. But the dirt is red here and it is annoying how easily it gets on my pants! 

    Anyways i got to go! My P-Days are on Mondays so everybody knows! Sorry this email isn't that long but next weeks will be better and more in detail!

 I miss every one! Love you All!!

-Elder Wilding

p.s....He was having a hard time uploading pictures.  They may come later!

Made it to Jamaica

  

They made it to Jamaica!

Austins trainer/companion is

Elder Christensen from Elk Ridge Ut

They spent the first night at the mission home

and then had training meetings in Wednesday!

Sister Brown sent these to us!

Hopefully we will get an email from him soon!

A Few Pics