9 months

Hello mom!

I know, I can't believe that it has been 9 months. Ridiculous! I did get my whitening strips and my teeth are looking pearly white;) Oh speaking of that. I hate to be a hassle, but the deodarant that you sent me gives me a bit of a rash haha so do you think you could send me some dry stick Old spice the next time you send some?:) 

Oh I love the updates from my friends. Thank you:)

I remember my first Piano recital haha good times! That was a bit embarrassing. I hope that Brays doesn't quit taking lessons. I think that he would regret it if he did. I wish so badly that I was better at piano, and that I could sing. But that would a miracle for me to be a good singer;) haha

I love that picture of Emm and Abbie! They are rockstars. I wish that I could watch her perform. It sounds like she is getting so good! Sounds like you are all having fun haha.

I hope that I am making some progress. I want to be a changed person by the time my mission comes to a close. Which is still a long time from now. But I want to be a more converted man by that time.

We were actually able to watch that movie last Christmas! It is seriously so good isn't it? That story did remind me of us a little bit ha. I am grateful that you are my mother.

So for the call next Sunday, sadly we don't have a specific time set up as of yet, But we will probably skype sometime in the afternoon here between like 3 or 7. So that would be between 8 and 12 your time. I am sorry that is such a broad time window but we just haven't been able to set anything up yet. I will give you a phone call before I skype so just be prepared:) haha.

       It has been a pretty crazy week!! We have been so busy with meetings and interviews and appointments and organizing. We have had so much fun and such a jam packed week! Since Saturday I think I have gotten about 18 hours of sleep haha it's great:)

I cannot believe that another transfer has gone by. . . This one was a short one but I just don't know where it went. I blinked and it was past me. I have truly loved serving with Elder Robinson. I have never laughed so much on my entire mission. I know that I was so supposed to serve with him. We have seen so many miracles together and worked so hard in this part of the Lord's vineyard. I hope and pray that as he goes home he will find great success and continue on that path, the straight and narrow one, that leads to eternal life. It breaks my heart a bit that he is leaving but I know that I have made a life long friend and I am so grateful for that. Elder Robinson is a changed man.

I am excited to be serving with Elder Williams! We are going to have an amazing 7 weeks together and some amazing miracles are taking place throughout the zone!

One of my favorite scriptures is in the Doctrine and Covenants in 107:99-100. I find it interesting that it says we must first learn our duties in the office which we hold and then Act in All Diligence. We can be acting diligently but are we diligently spending our time on our true duties. There are always the Good, Better, and Best options. We are to learn our duty from the Lord, and then we are to act in all diligence, never being lazy or slothful.

The work has been going pretty well for us lately. The Lord is truly blessing us and answering our faith filled prayers! I feel so grateful and so humbled by everything that the Lord does for me. I can't even fathom how frequently and how greatly the Lord has His hand in my life. In all of our lives.

Sam and Paul are doing really well. They have come so far and things certainly have not been easy for them. These things never come easy;) haha. They are truly acquiring pure testimonies. They are scheduled to be interviewed for baptism tomorrow. Paul still takes a few puffs on his E cig every now and then so hopefully he can acquire the Faith to put it away for good. We are in a trio right now with Elder Lundell because his comp is on the Isle of man, but we all went over last night to have a lesson with them and Lois. We were planning on talking about the interview questions and going over the covenants that we make at baptism but I had a prompting to show the mormon message called Mountains to Climb. That clip is so powerful and the Spirit filled the room immediately. Elder Robinson then bore a powerful testimony and talked about he lost his best friend, his grandpa, since he had been out and he testified of eternal families. I then bore my testimony of the principle and doctrine and then Elder Lundell told his story. His dad was killed in Afghanistan when he was like 12 years old. He talked about how he just always prayed that his dad would come home but couldn't figure out why God wouldn't answer his prayers. He then bore such a powerful testimony on our life after death. How in the millennium he will get to make up for all those times that he didn't get to play catch with his father. Death is a part of life and just a short separation. The Spirit was so powerful. So powerful. Of course everyone was crying. Except for me. . . Haha just kidding. I'm a softy. Just a big ol' Teddy bear I am. It was such a powerful experience. The Spirit truly directed the lesson and it made all of the difference! I know that Elder Lundell was with us for a reason.

We also got to see Zito this week and watched a mormon message with him. He was feeling down and super stressed but when we watched the message, the entire atmosphere changed. He really felt the Spirit and his countenance changed. The things that the church produces on the internet are so powerful and inspired. We have them for a reason!! I would like to invite everyone to share something from the church on social media!

So this last Tuesday night we were in a meeting with our Stake President, President Fletcher, as well as President Ulrich and the new High Councilman of missionary work over our area which is the legend himself, John Teal. We were basically just discussing the work in the Stake and what is happening throughout the zone and the needs of the missionaries in each individual ward. It was a great meeting. Towards the end President Ulrich said, 'President Fletcher, I won't be able to be here on Thursday to speak at the priesthood session of Stake Conference.' President Fletcher then responded, 'Does that mean that Elder Wilcox is going to take your place?' . . . I thought he was kidding but apparently he wasn't haha. President Ulrich was happy with it so the next day I made a powerpoint presentation with a video on missionary work and basically our plan of action with each member throughout the stake

The presentation went pretty well at Stake conference. I was very grateful for the opportunity to be able to do that and I hope I was able to inspire some of the Stake leaders to really push the Europe Area Plan. I know that it is from God and that it is so inspired. Just imagine if every single member brought a friend to an activity, made a temporal and spiritual goal for the year, and found an ancestor to take to the temple! I think it would have an amazing effect take place in all aspects of the Lord's work. And I really love when people bring non-member friends to stuff:) hahah

I am also very grateful for the opportunity that I had to go to the temple yesterday. I truly love the house of the Lord and I am so grateful that we have one in our mission boundaries.

I also learned this week that Bryan Bibby got the Melchizedek Priesthood and that Jesse Jones is working on it as well!:) That was some good news.

This is one of my favorite poems. . .

When you get what you want in your struggle for self
And the world makes you king for a day
Just go to the mirror and look at yourself
And see what that man has to say.

For it isn’t your father, or mother, or wife 
Whose judgment upon you must pass
The fellow whose verdict counts most in your life
Is the one staring back from the glass.

He’s the fellow to please – never mind all the rest
For he’s with you, clear to the end
And you’ve passed your most difficult, dangerous test
If the man in the glass is your friend.

You may fool the whole world down the pathway of years
And get pats on the back as you pass
But your final reward will be heartache and tears
If you’ve cheated the man in the glass. 

We should not let our circumstances determine our faith. It is a hard thing to do but it is what can truly bring happiness into our lives. I would like to invite everyone to determine where they stand with themselves and with God.

Have an amazing week!! I love you so much and I will speak to you in a couple of days!:)

Love 

Elder Wilcox