February 25, 2008 - Alma 32:37

"And behold, as the TREE begineth to grow, ye will say: Let us nourish it with great care, that it may get root, that it may grow up..."

Hello one and all. We've had a great last few days here in Chaparral. Thanks to everyone who wrote me, Mom, Dad, Kate, Chris, Emily, Aunt Jannet, Ryan. I really appreciate it and it's awesome to hear from all of you. It was especially awesome to see pictures of baby Eva and how much she's growing so THANKS!

Well Saturday was kind of a big day. Things had been getting steadily and steadily worse here in Chaparral. A few days ago the seat on my bike broke so I had been riding standing up for a few days and my back and legs were sore beyond all belief. We lost most of our investigators due to one reason or another. No one had come to church and nothing was looking up. Things kind of topped off Saturday morning. I was really tired and sore and a little bit discouraged as we set off in the morning. Our first two appointments ditched us and weren't there, and we had about three contacts in a row where we got yelled at, topped off with one where we got cussed out and driven off someone's property.
I was really depressed. I looked at my companion and could see in his eyes that he was really feeling the same way.
"We need to take a lunch." I said.
We went home and ate a bit and then both retired to different sides of the trailer to read, pray, and medidate a little and see if we couldn't recieve some encouragement from the Lord.
I flipped open my scriptures and eventually was lead to read Alma 26:27 "Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst they brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success."
Well I really didn't feel the depression lift from my heart at all but I took it as a promise from the Lord, and came out with enough resolution to just push along, (if not exactly with a heart full of song) knowing that as I did so the Lord would bless me with success in due time.
Well the rest of that day was amazing. We found nine new investigators, a few of whom are DYNAMITE! and really really prepared to hear the gospel.
In particular, one investigator, who we thought had dropped us because her gate was always locked and we couldn't get ahold of her, called us and said she wanted us to come back by so we could teach not only her but her sisters also, and that lesson was really really powerful.
Her sister recieved a couple of discussions from the missionaries a couple of years ago and then decided she didn't want any more and sent them on their way. Strangely, she said she recieved a testimony from them. She said "As I watched them leave my house I felt the most awful feeling I've ever felt before and I knew I was doing something wrong and that their message was true." (not an actual quotation because she was talking in Spanish but more or less).
That was an awesome lesson for me in "No effort goes unwasted." It's true, I suppose that there are a lot of missionaries who plant many many seeds whose fruits they never see. That lesson has helped me to keep my chin up when things aren't going so well.

By the way I keep recieving questions about Chaparral, what the weather is like, if there's any grass or trees, etc. etc. Strictly regarding the weather of the area (The people here are wonderful) I will quote an Elder who served in Chaparral before "If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy...you won't find it in Chaparral". That is definitely a slight exaggeration but Chaparral is a very desolate and dry town.

Well I better be going but I'm healthy, happy, and excited to be here serving in the great Arizona Tucson mission. I appreciate all of you who stay in contact via email and snail mail letters. I have the most amazing family and friends in the world! Especially family! I love you all so much.
The restored gospel is true! Joseph Smtih was a prophet and Jesus is the Christ, the eternal god manifesting himself unto all nations! It's all true!

Love,

Elder Wilson