Ah it was so good to hear from you all! I missed your letter dad. Dad if you could write your conversion story out and send it to me either over email or a letter I would greatly appreciate it! I also would like those Family History Documents as well haha.
Well it sounds like you all had a good week! I am so happy to hear that. Hey Bad A Gage, I like to party as well;) mine are just scripture parties hahaha. I am glad that you are having fun playing basketball! That's so good buddy. You just gotta do what makes you happy.
Ah Emm it is so good to hear from you! I can't believe that you got that much candy for halloween! That is so amazing. WE actually had a ward halloween Trunk n Treat here and it was soooo much fun. I'll have to send you some pictures. I even got to dress up!! I was a missionary;) haha. I bet you looked so cute in your costume! I hope you have a great time during dance! You'll need to teach me some moves someday.
AH I am so glad that you got my letter! It seems like they take forever to send and they aren't that cheap haha but I love hand writing all of you. I hope that you all liked your letters and I can't wait to get some back and get your responses!! Thank you for your email mom:) It makes me so happy to hear those things. I am so grateful and forever will be grateful for the companionship of the Holy Ghost. I am so glad to hear that the team won! That is so good. Hopefully things just keep falling into place for them. That would be amazing! I am super Jealous that you are going to a Mayday Parade concert. That is going to be so much fun! And thank you so much for the fro picture hahaha that thing cracks me up!
Yeah we had daylight savings last week and it's like completely dark at 5 now. It's pretty crazy. The sun never really gets super high in the sky.
Ah it has been such an amazing week in Stockport! I seriously feel so blessed to be here serving with Elder Bradley. Whitewashing has been a little stressful but I have honestly loved it so much! We have relied on the Lord so much and going to Him in mighty prayer and we can truly feel His hand in our lives each and everyday. I feel the desire to find and seek the Lord's lost sheep swelling within me. I want to find, teach, and baptise. I know that I am here in Stockport for a reason! Our ward mission leader, Brother Rushworth, is so great. He is so focused on member missionary work and what we need to do to get members involved and have investigators taught in members homes. I am so grateful for him.
We were able to find 9 new investigators this last week! It was so amazing. When appointments fall through, Elder Bradley and I make sure that we stop and say a prayer just thanking God for the opportunity to be able to be missionaries and teach the Gospel in this part of His Vineyard. Almost every single time an appointment fell through and we said a prayer, shortly after we would find someone on the street ready and willing to listen to our message. I was so amazed and so humbled. The Lord is watching over everything that we do and He is ready and willing to bless us and the people we come in contact with. I love Prayer with all of my heart. I love that I can talk to my Father in Heaven ANYTIME that I need to. And I should.
On Wednesday, Elder B and I were headed to do some finding before our tea appointment. As we got off the bus Elder B realized that the phone had fallen out of his pocket. We were a little bit panicked and unsure of what to do. We are whitewashing the area and if we were to lose the phone with all of the numbers of the Potential Investigators and Investigators that we had found it would have all been for nothing. We started asking people on the street if we could use their phone. Finally after about 20 people this nice old man at the library gave us his phone. We called our phone and it was off so we called the Sisters in our area and got the address to our tea appointment. We were unsure of what to do at that point and a little discouraged. We decided to go off in a little quiet place and say a prayer. We said a short humble prayer. We realized that it was in God's hands and that if it was his will then we would find the phone. So we just kept on doing missionary work. As we arrived to our tea appointment we walked in and brother Betts' said 'The sisters just called and they told me that someone has your phone'. We were overwhelmed. It turned out that 2 Elders from a different area got on the same bus that we were on and sat in the exact same seats and found our phone. It was truly a miracle. As I reflected on this experience I was overwhelmed with a feeling of love. Something just as simple as a phone and the Lord was there watching out for us. I believe with all of my heart that it was able to happen because of a humble prayer of Faith. He always provides a way.
We are teaching this young 16 year old girl named Courtney. Her Aunt is a member and comes teaching with us. Courtney has a desire to be baptized but her mom wants her to wait until she is 17. We were considering what to do and Elder B and I felt that we should all fast that her mothers heart would be softened. We also felt prompted to make her a promise. The promise was that if she would humbly and sincerely tell her mom that she wants to be baptised everyday this week that by the end of the week her mothers heart would be softened. It was a very Spiritual Experience. We are also teaching this man named Bryan who is in his 60's. He has beeen investigating the church for 18 months. We decided to basically start over with him. We taught him the restoration and committed him to be baptised on January 17 and he accepted. He needs to overcome his addiction to coffee and cigarettes so we need to rely on the enabling power of the Atonement.
I have never really thought a whole lot about the enabling power that the Atonement carries. Because of the Atonement we can be redeemed from our sins and transgressions but we can also be empowered to do things that we alone could not accomplish. We can overcome habits and addictions that our bodies alone can't overcame. WE can render more service and work harder then our physical bodies alone could handle because of the enabling power of the Atonement. I pray that I might have the strength to do and bare the things that I need to and I know it is possible because of the Atonement.
Please rely on the Atonement! The Lord will not take our burdens from us. But as we pray for strength to bare the burdens that we have. He will give it us. The purpose of this life is to progress. It is a life of progression. If we have hard things taken away then no growth comes. It is exactly like working out. And my favorite scripture on the subject is Matthew 11:28-30.
I am so grateful for each and every one of you and I love you all dearly from the very depths of my heart and soul. I testify that I am doing the Lord's work and there is no greater cause in the world. We truly hold the Pearl of Great Price which is there for all to obtain. All that is required is a broken heart and a contrite Spirit.
I hope that you all have a tremendous week! Again, I love you!
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo (Most of those are for Emm;)) hahaa
Love
Elder Wilcox
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