January, 28 2015

So this week I would have loved to send more pictures but as part of my crazy adventures last week I forgot to tell you that I also had a pretty dumb moment.  Sister Gardiner and I bought last minute saris before leaving Maurice (because I LOVE traditional Indian clothing it is so beautiful and I couldn’t help myself:D) on Monday but the top is just fabric and you have to get it sewn.  We bought them Monday at about 4:30 and then tried to find a seamstress who was willing to sew it before eight o'clock the next morning when we had to leave to go to the airport;)  I little bit mission impossible but we found a man who was willing.  But that meant in the midst of packing/preparing/calling and arranging things we needed to wake up early Tuesday morning to be able to pick up the saris;)  We did and it turned out super beautifully and we were quite pleased with our caprice, but later I was punished accordingly;)  We got to the airport and when they weighed my "carry on" (a large plastic grocery bag stuffed full of my flute, my ukulele, my scriptures and miscellaneous items) it seemed to light to be normal.  I looked inside and about had a heart attack when I realized that I had left my purse somewhere and it was too late to do anything about it.  Luckily I had my passport in a separate little purse so at least I could board the plane, but we called the tailor and found out that I had left my bag in his little shop that morning when we were picking up the saris!  Oh quel malheur!   My purse has my money, my scriptures in French that are all marked up, my camera, etc x_x  but that is okay.  The Conrads (the senior couple) were able to pick it up so it is at least safe and I will be able to pick it up either when I go back or when someone else comes back to la Reunion.  But until then I feel pretty ashamed and like a little orphan;) 

There was a new sister (sister woods) that got here last week from Oklahoma:)  She is super cute!  She already speaks French fairly well.  She is about 6'1" with curly black hair and is going to be trained by sister Liu who is about 5'1" and super tiny:D   ADORABLE!  Things change super quickly here.  I was going to be with Sister Isham but sister Woods doesn’t know how to drive a stick shift yet so sister Isham went down to St. Pierre with them to be in a threesome, and now I am in a threesome in St. Denis with Sister Thomas and Sister Olivarius.  It has been fun:)  Things are going well surely but slowly.

We met a lady last week who gave us a super nice compliment in saying that she could see the light in our eyes and that maybe one day she will come closer to Christ herself.  I hope so too because I know that it is the only way to be truly happy:) 

I hope that you all have a great week:)

Love,

Sister Wilson

January 20, 2015

Bonjour!  I hope that everyone is doing well.  I can hardly believe it but as of this morning I am in Reunion again in St. Denis.  I learned about it on Sunday that I would be leaving.  At first I heard it was just to accompany soeur Gardiner who will be going home tomorrow night and that I would be headed back in a week with Sr Isham.  Then I learned but this was true but that after one more month we would be coming back definitively because the senior couple is going home.  And then I heard that Sister Isham's visa will probably not go through and so I will never be going back (at least not as a missionary) and at that point I think that my heart broke.

These past two weeks were some of the most incredible weeks of my mission.  I can’t believe that Soeur Gardiner and I only spent two weeks together because there were so many things that happened.  We had so many member referrals which means that people introduced us to their friends and family members so that we could share with them the Gospel of Jesus Christ (we have been working for a few weeks now with all of the families in the branch and the fruits have just started appearing), so many people have been getting their testimonies and the answers to their prayers, accepting baptismal dates, and coming to church.  And then (like I already said) I learned on Sunday that I would be leaving again and it was extremely hard for me.  Just when everything seemed to be blooming we left and I fear without the follow up a lot of the progression will slow down, but I know that everything is in the Lords hand and he knows and takes care of his children.  I am not really sure what will happen to me now but I will try to accept wherever I am and do my best.

Sister Gardiner has been a good comfort and support for me and gives me little motivational pieces of advice;)  It’s true that it’s better to be sad leaving a place then to feel like ''yep okay, bye.'' I love the people that I met there and will miss them but saying goodbye is a part of this life.  I can’t wait to be all together again one day in peace and happiness with our loving Heavenly Father and I hope that everyone will be able to make it.  I have had so many incredible examples of selfless service since being on a mission and I hope that I will always remember what is most important in life and that is people.  People and love. 

For the moment I will be working with Sr Isham here in St. Denis.  It should be great and the sun is shining hear which I love:) have a great week!

Love, Sister Wilson

January 12, 2015

What can I say about this week?  I wanted to cheat and just send pictures with descriptions;) but I forgot the cable to my camera in the apartment so now you will only have my words.

It was a very good week.  Monday night we got to visit a less active family for the first time, la famille St. Flour.  It was an incredible visit so filled with the spirit.  They have a handicapped son which has been a big trial for them, but we were all able to feel God's love for us during that lesson and love is such a powerful thing.  They are discouraged but they invited us to come back and I am excited to take part in helping them.

We have an investigator named Grace who has been coming to church for a month now and who has a baptismal date for the 31 of January:)  She is such a sweetheart.  She is a single mother of her twelve year old son Christopher (whom we introduced to the elders this week with his date and now they also want to be baptized:D ) and new the missionaries five years ago but sort of got lost in all of the difficulties that life threw at her.  It was her who called us back in November to come say a prayer in her new home.  Her desire to do what is right is such a huge example to me.  She is so ready and willing to make changes in her life to be able to come closer to Jesus Christ and we can see her light growing every time we see her:) 

Also, Patricia is Sister Avrilene's sister and has been taking the lessons for four months now.  She fasted a lot this past week and made a huge decision to move out of where she is living to be able to get her life in order and be baptized as well:D   She is an incredible woman.  When she walks into the room it gets filled with the spirit.  Sacrifice is such an important part of the Gospel of Jesus Christ's teachings.  It is when we are ready to give up everything to be able to do what is right that our heart can really have the change that we need to become like our Heavenly Father. 

We went to the funeral (catholic) of one of our investigators moms.  Her mom was old so it was not a big surprise but it was still sad for the family.  It was interesting to have a creole funeral -I am not sure why that was interesting to me- but creole is such a fun/funny language that it seemed out of place. 

There might be a cyclone here.  It came off Madagascar’s coast and is in the ocean on its way over.  Secretly I have always wanted to see a cyclone but maybe this was not a very intelligent desire.  All should be well we will just be staying at home today.  Anyways, things are going well here and I am keeping very busy and am happy.  I love love love the people here and feel very at home.  I hope that you all have a great week. 

Love,

Soeur Wilson


Tropical Cyclone Bansi- Currently just category 2
Of the two little islands in the middle of the radar, the one on the left is Reunion Island and the one on the right is Mauritius Island. 

January 5, 2015

Today we went on an awesome hike to a mountain that is called Le Pouce;  it was super hot but worth it and at the top we could see the whole island:D

Sister Isham went back to la reunion this last Friday and sister Gardiner came:  I have never worked with sister Gardiner but I know her well and am excited to get to work with her:)  it is going well and the only sad thing is that it is only for three weeks because she gets off her mission the 21 of January:  She is from Arizona; was also at BYU and is a music major on the violin:) she brought it on her mission and I LOVE listening:D

This little island just about exploded new year’s there were so many fireworks:  my dad would have so loved to be here; there are no laws against nor regulating fireworks and the party keeps going for five days every night there are fireworks and I heard that it was a mild year:  it was super cool:)  we went to bed the 31 and had set up our alarms to be able to watch a little bit of the fireworks but we didn’t even need them:  when midnight hit it felt like we lived in a war zone the explosion was so loud:  we ran upstairs and out on to the balcony/roof to watch:  it was impressive: a 360 view of fireworks:  I took a video but it didn’t do it justice:

I think the best thing about this week is that holidays are now almost over and things will be more stable again for the missionary work:  Everyone was at church again on Sunday and we had five investigators there and my heart was just happy:)  I love sharing the gospel and I know that it is true:  There is only one way to lasting happiness and it is thanks to Heavenly Father through his son Jesus Christ:

I hope that you all have a great week!

Love,

Sister Wilson