Learning to Love My Companion

Bonjour, cher famille!!

First off, that's awesome about the quilts haha. You and your quilts, mom. :)

Kaysen, that's awesome! Keep playing hard, okay? There will be times that you might miss something and some people do get really upset like that kid. Just brush it off and do better next play or next game. Okay? You're just learning the sport. Don't let anyone bring you down. :)

That's so awesome about the football game!! Tell Ky I said congrats and good luck against Tooele. We're so gonna beat Tooele. They're always rubbish. ;) (as Elder Elvidge, my district leader from England, would say) But um, tell Levi I said good luck in that game. I know that he's a GREAT player! I hope he's on varsity!!

Sharing time sounds like it was fun :)

I know who Brad Wilcox is!! He was supposed to speak earlier but didn't come because of the snow :P

My week was a roller coaster, emotionally and physically. I was pretty depressed and discouraged at the beginning of this week. But I got working harder and I got happier, which I never ever thought working harder would make me happier...I always thought it'd just make me more tireder. ;) ha. Um...things with my companion are weird. But I've realized most of the problems we've had are because of pride issues (haha me...  :P) and just little stupid things. Today during the temple session, I prayed so hard to be able to love my companion and after the session, I had this overwelming feeling of love for him. It was so amazing!! So I feel like we're cool now. :)

The language is hard. But I'm starting to get more confident with it now. I can bear my testimony now!! And now, instead of giving up and resorting back to English, I search really hard to find the words that the Lord would have me say. The last lesson we had, I was able to come in without having things written down and just bear my testimony. I even was able to challenge our investigator to read in the Book of Mormon and to Pray about it!! I was able to say so many things I didn't even know I could say!! The Lord truly works miracles. This week we started TRC (I don't know what that stands for) but we go in and talk to a member about the gospel. The member is just themself, instead acting like an investigator. The first person we talked to in TRC was a lady in her mid 20's. She plays music!!! I was able to talk to her about music stuff in French!! It was so COOL!!!

I head out to France on Sept 16. I CAN NOT wait!! I've gained 5 pounds here already!! :P I'm trying to eat healthier though. And I'm gonna start running like 20 minutes during gym time so I can eat whatever I want. :D hehe Just kidding, I'm not gonna eat whatever I want, I'm gonna eat healthy. But it's crazy to think that I've been here 3 weeks already!! I feel like I just got here this past Wednesday!!

Things with my district are going so well this week!! On Tuesday, after the devotional, Elder 1 (Elder 2's comp) FLIPPED out at Elder 3 and Elder 4...who were having some MAJOR issues. So we had a district meeting right then about the Elder 3 and 4 issue and resolved it. Our district is doing a LOT better this week. :)

So I don't know if I've told you who has come and spoke with us yet so here goes: We've had Elder Richard G. Scott, Vai Sikahema, and I just completely forgot the others..haha. But this Tuesday is being broadcast to the other MTC's (just like with Elder Richard G. Scott) so I'm pretty sure we're gonna hear from one of the twelve or possibly even someone from the 1st Presidency!!! :D

I don't know if I've told you this either, I go to the MTC choir every Sunday!! I love IT!! We sing in each Tuesday Devotional, this week we'll be singing an Arrangement of Lead Thou, Me On. I'm stoked!! It's so powerful!! Um..so this week I went to go audition for a musical number: How Great Thou Art (I was singing it and accompanying myself) but the people in charge wouldn't let me audition because the judge doesn't like people accompanying themselves and I just made up the piano part. The judge wants to see sheet music. :P I guess I'll just make sheet music for it after the mission. And record it. :) ha

As for the scripture, I really like James 4:7. But I'm going to search more and find a different scripture :) I want a longer one on my plaque.

I love all y'all!! :)

-Elder Wilsôn

A Few Pics

 Elder Wilson was greeted by this missionary who just happened to have been his roommate the previous summer at a BYU Cross Country Camp! Tender mercy #1.

Meeting high school friends at the MTC makes a missionary feel right at home!

Hello, Elder Castagno. . .  (tender mercy #2)

. . . and Elder Fonger from Grantsville! (tender mercy #3)

Here is Elder Wilson's room and his companion. His companion likes to study and wants to be obedient. Tender mercy #4.

A Little Homesick

Mommy and la Famille!!

Okay...so first, the language is coming...alright. It's pretty tough. I definitely know that I can't learn it without Heavenly Father's help. I'm learning so much though!! I really can't wait to go to France and be fully immersed in the language!!

Second, San Fran was alright. I woke up at 2 A.M. to be to the bus by 2:30 A.M. On the way to the airport, there was a missionary that was going out to the field to Oklahoma. His name is Elder Web!! Remember Mr. Web from Mountain Crest High School that you taught with? Yeah. His son. That I went to Millville Elementary with. He was the starting quarterback this last year for Mountain Crest. We talked about some of our old friends and talked about how we used to play soccer together at recess and stuff like that. It was SO weird to get oot and aboot though. Bishop and Sister Cole were on my flight to San Fran. It was nice to see some familiar faces. The trip in all was THE biggest waste of time. We got to the French Consolate, verified that our name was spelled correctly, took a picture, then left. We went to the Fisherman's Wharf and ate there after. There was a crepe shop. I got a breakfast crepe. It was SO good!! It had scrambled eggs and cheese in it. Mmmhmm!! :) But it was such a long day!

Third, my first P-day was last Monday. We go to the Temple every Monday. :) It's great!! I HAVE to do laundry every week. Otherwise I won't have any clothes for gym. I did have to buy detergent and we just use the cards they give us to do laundry. It costs like 50 cents a load, so only like $1 to do all my laundry. My comp and I do our laundry together to save monies. On P-day, we just chill. We have gym Tuesday-Friday and PPE on Saturday, so there's not much of a reason to work out on P-day. :D

Things with my comp are going well. He seems very quiet and reserved. Maybe he's just not comfortable yet? We do have a good companionship though, so don't take that wrong.

The district is SO good!! We're all like brothers!! It's awesome!! Except there is one companionship in our district that doesn't get along...like at all. And we all feel the tension. So until that companionship learns how to love each other, we'll have that tension. But the rest of us are super close!! It's pretty great!! Although, everybody is really sarcastic...and it's kinda hurtful sometimes. It tends to make me feel like I'm not a part of "the group."

We have taught four lessons...except me. I've only taught three. The fourth lesson was taught on the day I went to San Fran. The first lesson was SOOOO awkward because we didn't know how to speak French very well...ha. The second lesson was TONS better!! We spoke it better...except when we'd ask our investigator a question, she'd respond...and we didn't know how to respond back...bahaha! But the third lesson was MONEY!! She's totes getting baptized!! ;)

Thank you so much for the package!! I actually received it on Saturday, but couldn't get it because the mail office place closed before I could get there. So I got it this morning after we went to the temple. :) Thanks SOOO much for the peanut butter, shorts, socks, and USB cord! So funny story, the USB cord isn't working on the MTC computers...so I don't think you'll be getting any pictures until I'm in France. Which, by the way, I leave to France on the 16th. It's one straight flight to Paris. :)

Um, so this week was tough for me. I got really homesick and really depressed and felt so alone. I finally just asked Heavenly Father to let me know that He is there and that He loves me. And just what I needed, I received a super encouraging letter from Tori Fawson. It was so supportive and totally made me feel so much better!! And then I got letter from Mommy and Jaret and that helped too! I'm doing so much better now. :)

Love y'all!!

-Elder Wilson

P.s. Keep sending those dearelders. I love getting letters!! :) they really help me a lot.

P.s.s. Will you and Daddy and Kaysen pray for me to have the gift of tongues three times a day? One of my teachers, Frere Saguibo, testified that if we pray for that three times a day, and ask our families do so as well, and we study faithfully, we'll be able to learn the language easier and quicker. So, please, help me out. :) thanks!! Je t'aime beaucoup!!

Au revoir!!

I Flirted With the Teacher

Mommy!! And ma famille. :)

 

Kaysen!! That's awesome!! Make sure you work hard. Oh and don't be afraid to slap anyone on the butt. It's natural ;)

 

Jaret, don't be lost without me!! Just...work out more?

 

That's sad to hear about dad's work. (It's a little stressful right now.) I had NO idea about that. Just remember to turn to Christ and He'll help you through it!

 

Okay so my P-day is Lundi (Monday). So that's your new favorite day of the week!! :) Um...my companion's name is Elder Hedquist. He's from Kaysville and ran cross country at Davis High. After the mission, he's running at BYU. He has a running scholarship. We went on a run during PPE (Personal Physical Exercise) and he...well, let's just say he's a beast of a runner. :D He has 6 siblings. An older sister, currently attending BYU, three younger sisters and two younger brothers.

 

August 15th is my departure date...to San Fran to get my Visa. Ha. I'm going to France September 17th.

 

My teachers...well the first few days, we had a temp and she didn't really give us much direction on how to study or plan or stuff, so my whole district goofed around a lot...my comp and I tried getting work done but didn't really know how or what to do. We got burned on Friday for being disruptive...because we didn't have a teacher. But Saturday, our first teacher came. Her name is Soeur Scott. She is really amazing!! Haha...so in French if you tu-toi someone (which is using the familiar form of "you") that is an authority figure or someone you don't know, it's like flirting with them...and we were using the verb etre, which means "to be." We were supposed to use the different conjugations for it and so we were just shouting out random things...and I shouted out Tu es blonde. Which means "you are blond." but...her face was PRICELESS!! I didn't mean to tu-toi her though...so basically, I flirted with the teacher. :P

 

The food...I'm gonna gain weight. I'm serious. I'm probably gonna gain like 10 or 15 pounds by the end of the 6 weeks. It's SOOO fattening. And there are doughnuts almost EVERY meal!! Don't worry, I'm getting sick of all the sugar though. It's disgusting!! I try to get une salade verte and a fruit every meal though. Oh...and the chocolate milk...it's AMAZING!! I love it!!! I've had chocolate milk for EVERY meal. I do get other drinks like water or powerade, but I always get my chocolate milk.

 

We have the early schedule...so breakfast STARTS at 6:30...and in order to be on time to breakfast, I get to wake up around 6. After breakfast we go to the classroom for french instruction. The teacher talks basically only in French. After that we have a little study time and then we go to lunch at 11. Then we have more instruction. Then we have dinner at 4. Then we go to classroom for study time/teaching which is where we teach an "investigator"...in french. It's HARD! But it's great. We have language study sometime too. Ha. Um...and lights out is at 10:30. I'm so tired from this schedule. I don't get enough sleep... :P it also doesn't help that one of the Elders in my room, Elder Diaz, has a watch that beeps around 3:53 every morning.

 

The first discussion we taught...was super awkward. There were so many awkward silences...it was great... :P but the second one went TONS better. I really felt the spirit so strong!!

 

About the Narnia Holes, a Narnia Hole is just any place that you could possibly hide something. I checked in every Narnia hole in our residence...NOTHING!! So my roommates, companion, and I are gonna put stuff in them all. I think there are like 4 Narnia Holes.

 

Do you remember that Liz Anderson girl that I met at the SNOW blast? Well, she wrote me a letter!! She totally digs me!! ;) Oh by the way, I LOVE getting letters...so you should put my address on Facebook so that the good-looking girls can write the good-looking soon-to-be-Frenchman. ;) But seriously. If you write me a letter, I can write back that night and you should get it in a couple days.

 

The letter you (mom) sent me about President Hinckley's mission was what I needed. I cried when I read it. I had had a terrible day that day (Friday) because that was the day we got chewed out...and my comp and I just were feeling so lost and discouraged. It totally helped me that night when I read it. The next day was TONS better!! :)

 

Well, au revoir!

Je t'aime. :)

 

-Elder Wilson

 

P.s. Ask me more questions. I love it!! :)

I Actually Made My Bed!

Bonjour Famile!

Comment vous allez vous? Ca va bien? (How are you doing? Are you doing well?)

The MTC is tres bien (very well) so far. It's only my first full day though!

My companion is Elder Hedquist. He's from Davis! He was a BEAST of a runner! He has six siblings: an older sister, two younger brothers, and three younger sisters. Elder Hedquist is a little shy, but he and I get along just fine. He's a smart guy. He enjoys listening and taking in lots of info. He also has a black hole for a stomach. Don't worry, though. He needs to gain some weight. #runnerproblems

The first day was AWESOME! Having Elder Winters as my host missionary was exactly what I needed. Seeing and talking to him helped me completely lose the nerves I was getting.

I didn't understand one word that was said  at the beginning of my first language class. It was scary! But as I opened my mind, I started picking up things I had learned from French class. JE VOUDRAIS ALLER A LA SALLE DE BAIN! (I would like to go to the bathroom!)

Well, love you lots! Pictures coming soon! By the way, I actually made my bed! Stay fly!

Elder Wilson

Setting Apart

Bryant was set apart as a missionary to serve in the France Paris mission on August 6, 2013, at 7:30 p.m. In the blessing, President Hale admonished you to leave the world behind. He promised that as you do, angels will be by your side. You will have people on both sides of the veil praying for him. You will be blessed with health and strength to do His work.

After the setting apart, Bishop Hutchins and the First and Second Counselor in the Stake Presidency were invited to share advice and counsel with Bryant.

Bishop Hutchins admonished you to pray fervently, like you've never prayed before. He also reminded you to leave everything behind. You don't need to worry about school, work, or girlfriends. He said that one of the adversary's greatest tools is discouragement, and he told you to not let discouragement take hold of you.

When you feel discouragement overcoming you, find a place to say an audible prayer. Bishop said that if you're not tired when you go to bed, then you're not working hard enough.

President Johnson reminded you to love the people, love the culture, love the country, love the food, love your companion, love your mission president, and love your mission. Let the people know you love everything about France. He said that you would find the people of France to be like M&Ms. They have a somewhat hard shell, but once you love them and hold them in your hand, they will melt in your hands.

President Vera said he's enjoyed watching you mature and grow up over the last year. He's watched you become more focused. He encouraged you to take that focus and now focus on sharing the gospel.

Finally, President Hale encouraged to go and have fun. Remember, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is joyful!

Wednesday morning before leaving for the MTC, Dad gave you a wonderful father's blessing. He encouraged you to focus your time and talents on your mission. He reminded you that we will be praying for you. You were blessed with the ability to learn the language faster than ever before by the Spirit and that you would not be afraid to open your mouth.

Called to Serve

video and copy of call