Missionary Letter #53

I have a confession to make, I have been sick.

It's been terrible. Don't ever get sick. You think you don't smell like a sick person but in reality you do. Especially when it's so crippling that thinking about your own name gives you a headache (also headache sounds so petite compared to how I felt, I think a better term would be headcompressor)

Luckily I have prayed and gotten over it, with the aid of the mission's insurance card (which was awesome, I walked into the doctors office and was like. "Yeah I need to see the doctor, and I'm an American." and the little asian ladies at the desk were like , "130$ just to see doctor." and I said "I've got an insurance card," and they said "We don't take those' and I threw it down and they looked at it in awe and said "We take that.")

Apparently the only other people who use the insurance the church uses is NHL players. So I was treated very well. I told the Doctor I thought I had strep, she said she didn't think so, took a swab and tested it and then came back and told me I did have strep...

So I've since gotten over it, but it's been a long recovery process, I finally told my companion that we needed to go and do something because if I followed that doctors orders for another minute I was going to lose my mind, so we went out and had some great missionary experiences, we talked to this guy named Davis for probably twenty minutes on the street about his relationship with God. Super fun, great guy.


Anyways, now to transfer news, I'm staying, and bringing a greenie to the field. I'm so excited. I've told President I wanted to train for so long and now finally I'm going to!!! Honestly I can't wait for this transfer, I haven't even met who my new guy is but I'll be sure to send plenty of pictures next week so you all can see my son :)

I hope all ya'll have a great week.

Loves

Elder Wolford

Missionary Letter #52

So this past P-Day we had the chance to go to Toronto Island, super fun place, imagine a run down Lagoon with a beach and a lot of bikes and frisbee golf. Especially when you bring one of two frisbees, (Frisbi? Fribapods?) and practice your throws.

As we were walking by I turned and saw two big chairs, I turned to Elder Staheli and said "I have waited my whole life to sit in a giant chair."

It's been a really good week though, I've had a lot of fun/interesting experiences and I've learned quite a bit this week about myself and the Lord, I've asked questions and I've gotten answers. I love this gospel and the church that it sustains.

Take care and be safe

Loves :)

Elder Wolford

P.S Sorry It's not as long as normal, I don't know why but I can't seem to ramble on in writing today, I'll give a lot more this next week ;)

Missionary Letter #51

This week has been a firm fantastic. Starting off the week we had a ton of rain and thunderstorms, Luckily we were able to dodge getting soaked a couple of times, but that leads into a story

STORY-TIME

After an activity me and my companion were walking back, we were tired and sweaty and wanted nothing more than a shower and a cool drink.

The Lord answered our prayer and hit us with a surprise rainstorm.

As the direction we were walking happened to be in the direction of the church we decided to take refuge there, running up to it we saw that a member in a ward was sitting outside in her wheelchair getting soaked. The church was locked and she didn't have a key to get in, her bus was coming to pick her up. So we got her inside and waited with her until the bus came, (after the rain had stopped)

Drying ourselves off as best we could we took our companionship study there at the church because we had a lesson there in about a half hour. Since English is my companions second language we wanted to roleplay how the lesson would go. Just as that happens the Spanish elders show up, and they are doing companionship study as well. I ask if they would like to help us roleplay. They said yes, and Elder Staheli was our investigator. We taught about the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and my companion started of the lesson by asking, what are your feelings about Jesus Christ?

It was a super good roleplay, we learned a lot, and at the end the Elder Staheli told us that a month ago he'd been really struggling and had never quite gotten over it but that the lesson we shared really helped him. "Elders, this lesson was not for your investigator, it was for me."

I love that guy so much, he made me cry it was so good.

If that rainstorm hadn't happened the day would not have gone the way it did, I'm grateful that the Lord works in mysterious and sometimes not so mysterious ways.

The great moments here are a dime a dozen, along with crazy moments. I'm gathering many Toronto stories, and for the sake of propriety I won't disclose them.  This work is true and I am so glad I am able to be apart of it.

Also shout out to my man Christopher who just got his call to Yakima Washington! I'm super pumped to share mission stories with each other when we're both back.

Hope you all are safe and sound and happy.

Elder Wolford

Missionary Letter #50 (and video!!!!)

So this week we had a couple of exciting things happen.

1  We do weekly service at a place called PAL, which is a retirement home for the previous artists, comedians, and actors of the last generation (super nice place, I don't know how the previous missionaries got in, must be a miracle) anyways they invited us to serve an extra day this last week because they needed help doing a barbecue on the rooftop. (also super nice) anyways the residents mostly complained the whole time because it was hot and the food wasn't to their liking but we had a fantastic time. (It also has a super nice view of the CN tower) Like super nice.

2. In district meeting I got blindfolded and led around the gym. It was a presentation but here's the funny thing, Elder Callister (related to the general authority) was the voice I was supposed to follow, but if he stopped talking for five seconds I couldn't tell who was who, because his companion was so similar, so I got in a couple of tough spots but I made it. (Also don't let anyone tell you otherwise it is incredibly difficult to shoot a basketball blindfolded.

3. I had the funniest interview of my life with the Mission President, I'll spare you the details but it just affirmed to me that leadership is inspired.

4. Don't ask me why but for every investigator it seems like the first time they come to church is always on Fast and Testimony meeting. This week I had one of the more... interesting fast and testimony meetings but hey it's good to know that the church is true, and that the investigators that came had an uplifting time.

Anyways I've sent a video but ignore the part where I rebuke my family :) They've shared more information now and I'm content now.

Also, the life lesson this week is that make sure you have your keys before you walk out of the room with your keys and your bus pass, it is very important.
The Spiritual lesson for me this week is that we don't need to be perfect to achieve the Lord's work. I have found myself caught in a conundrum where I think I need to achieve perfection before I can do the Lord's work, not true. To quote Elder Jeffery R. Holland, "With the exception of his Only Begotten Son, imperfect people are all that our Father's ever had to work with. It must be terribly frustrating for Him but He deals with it..."  And so should we, for ourselves and for others.

Anyways I hope and pray that you've had a wonderful week full of merriment and such.

Also the word of the day is meandered.

LOVES!!!

Elder Wolford

Missionary Letter #49

I woke up this past week and realized that I'd been out a year.  Thus far it has seemed like this:

Time flies on wings of lightning.
Every day feels like an eternity but every week seems to be an instant.
Or more properly poetic phrases that say "what just happened??? five minutes ago I was back home reading epic fantasy novels like they were picture books and now I'm on a mission."

Just a few things I've learned...

Success, at least spiritually,is not based upon receiving desired results, but upon obediently and diligently keeping the commandments.
Always look both ways before you cross the street. Even if it is a one way.
Time goes by so fast, and we can't waste it by doing foolish things, yes repentance is real, but one thing that can never be returned is time, so make the most of it.

Keeping these three things in mind we found a guy this week who the Spanish sisters talked to and he came to ESL, my companion  and I started talking to him and, taught him the full first lesson and then said goodbye (we both thought at the time that the sisters were teaching him, which they were) the sisters call us back, tell us they can't teach him (because Spanish is his 2nd language) and tell us that he committed to be baptized!!!!

I was like "Well shoot we're gettin pretty good at this missionarying' stuff"

I love when, after a long day of absolutely nothing, you get something.

Anywho I apologize once again for the pictures, It's rough to get them on here because it takes a while for them to load but I promise I'll get them on.

LOVES!

Elder Wolford

Missionary Letter #48

It's my first week in the BIG 6 (especially big) and just so everyone knows, I'm not in the suburbs, I'm directly downtown. It's the biggest city in Canada (or at least in my mission) and boy is there a lot of people.

This week I've talked to the whole world, from America to India, Japan and Korea and China, a few from Africa and quite a few from Brazil (we have fantastic Portuguese members in our ward). It means there's never a dull moment in Toronto, which is both refreshing in the fact that you never have time to think about what's going on, but also really puts in perspective what's really important. Everyone needs the gospel, no matter where they are from or who they are.

That being said my companion is Elder Lee, he's from Korea. He's only been out five months in Canada so his English is pretty spotty at times but overall he's pretty solid. I'm actually really happy that I'm serving with him because he knows Toronto like the back of his hand. (And his ping pong skills are pretty extreme)

It's been a fantatic week for me and I pray for all of you and give you the best advice I know how.

Look both ways before you cross the street,
Don't say mean things and
Share your snacks.

Loves !!!

Elder Wolford​