St. George, UT!!

Hey so it looks like I'm going to Saint George until I get my Visa. It's crazy because they gave me my flight plans for Mexico City last Friday and just today I got these new flight plans so now I leave September 2nd and I still fly out of Salt Lake City to Saint George so that's barely an hour. They don't know how long I will be there, but it's for some reason and I don't know why. All I know is it's for a reason and the Lord needs me to go down there first.

- Elder Wolford

St. George, UT Mission

Hey so it looks like I'm going to Saint George until I get my Visa. It's crazy because they gave me my flight plans for Mexico City last Friday and just today I got these new flight plans so now I leave September 2nd and I still fly out of Salt Lake City to Saint George so that's barely an hour. They don't know how long I will be there, but it's for some reason and I don't know why. All I know is it's for a reason and the Lord needs me to go down there first.

- Elder Wolford

Last Letter from the USA

Querido Familia,

 So it looks like I'm leaving this Monday August 31 and I was blessed with a straight flight from Salt Lake to Mexico City and it's about 3:57 long so it's almost like going to Indianapolis. Thanks for the box of stuff and gracias for my Spanish PMG right now I have one that is flipping huge and is a pain to have. Well the time has finally come for me to leave the MTC and head off to Mexico it amazes me to see the new missionaries come in and I'm leaving because when I first came in I thought it was going to be a really long time before I got to head out, but it's already here YEAH!!!
 I have grown really close with my district and I love them so much, all of them have helped me in times of need and I love when they want to come talk with me about whatever. It has really been a blessing in my life to be able to come to the Provo MTC and not the Mexico City and I'll tell you why. There were multiple times when I thought ok why was I sent here, what I'm I supposed to do? It took some time to figure out why I was here and what I needed to do. I have built really good relationships here and would love to continue them después mi misión. My companion Elder Smith tells me all the time that I'm a blessing to him because he said he wouldn't know how to do it with just him and my other comp and the funny thing is I told him the same thing. We came to the conclusion that his is a trail for the both of us to overcome and prepare us for our companions in the future.
 There is another reason I was sent here I think, but I'm not going to share it with you at this time just because it hit me pretty hard. Anyways wow Haha apparently Maddie Phelps said some pretty funny stuff about me when she got her wisdom teeth out. Ok this past week I have done a lot with getting other Elders out of the residence and on their way as well as trying to learn as much as I can and the funny thing is we study all day long, but yet it's not enough time. All I want to do is learn as much as I can before I head out. The Nashville Tribute band is pretty good huh I really enjoyed it when they came for that one devotional and word on the street is that Elder Bednar is coming today to speak so that will be awesome.
 I have learned so much here and I have felt so good being here I talked to a Brother who went to my mission and he gave me so much advice for when I get down there like put socks in the baptismal font spout so that the water will be light green instead of dark green with bird feathers and other things as well as a cool little trick to make warm water for showers. I had a great time hearing things about where I will be  in a week. I can't wait to talk to you and hear how things are going and tell you some things.  Even today there is so much stuff I don't understand, but I know if I stay clean and do what needs to be done the reason will come when it is best for me. Siblings keep your grades up and work hard and make the most of it. I love you all and The blessings I have seen are so wonderful. Everyday gets better and better.

- Elder Wolford

Nashville Tribute Band

Querido Familia, 

 Ok so this Sunday for the devotional we got the chance to sing and listen to the Nashville Tribute Band and it was so cool look them up the got some really good songs. One of the best ones is called " I was born" mom and dad listen to verse 3 closely because there is a line in there that is perfect for why I'm here. This band was so good and they brought me to tears a few times through their music please look them up also look up "Missionary work and the Atonement" on YouTube it's really awesome. Mom today was the first day I got my haircut from someone other than you and at first I was a little concerned that nobody else could do my hair, but he did a really good job and hopefully you get the picture. Oh and that other one is my teacher that has helped me so much. Anyways my companions are Elder Smith and Elder Gwilliam I'm pretty sure I already shared that with you and I will send you pictures of both. That's so crazy that everyone is already starting school make sure you all work hard and Gabe you will do great in junior high you will like it more than elementary school trust me. So Justin comes in tomorrow and Mitch left this Monday for Russia crazy huh. It amazes me how much I have learned here and how much I still need to learn. I haven't heard anything about my visa hopefully it comes in time for me to leave when I'm supposed to or I might be here longer. It actually happened to an Elder in our zone, but it was because there was to many people in his mission and he had to wait another week for someone to go home. Thanks for all the letters and I got Grandma Brenda's as well as Aunt Ashely, Tiffany, and Jamie's. It makes my day and I love to read them when I get them. I have this quote on the back of my favorite picture of Jesus that was painted by Liz Lemon Swindle. The quote is by Elder Bruce R. McConkie and it says, " I AM CALLED OF GOD. My authority is above that of kings of the earth. By revelation I have been selected as a personal representative of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is my Master and he has chosen me to represent him. To stand in his place, to say and do what he himself would say and do if he personally were ministering to the very people to whom he has sent me. My voice is his voice,and my acts are his acts; my words are his words and my doctrine is his doctrine. My commission is to do what he wants done. To say what he wants said. To be a living modern witness in the word and deed of the divinity of his great and marvelous latter-day work." I love you all for ever and ever.

Dad I sent a picture of some questions and I would love for you to send me the answers as soon as possible because I get to be an investigator and I want to know how it was for you when the missionaries came an talked with you. Again look up that song I told you to in the beginning and listen to the 3rd verse it's my favorite for a reason and I want to tell you thanks for what you have done as well as mom, but thanks for the decisions you have made. I love you and I know something will come when it is best and when it's right. Thank you so much for the fan it really has saved my life hundreds of times on hot nights and thanks for the Wolford name and pictures I have already shared it with my companion from England.

Love you all and can't wait to hear from you again keep it up and do your best. Say your prayers and study the scriptures and smile. The power of a smile goes a long way. 

Love

- Elder Wolford

Please don't be Me!

Querido Familia,

 Well it is going really great the branch presidency just told me this last Sunday I don't have to be the district leader anymore because there are assigning it to someone else. I was so excited, but yet saddened that some other pore sucker had to take on the responsibility. It's ok though because they pulled my companions and I in a separate room and told us that we will be the new Zone leaders over all three districts. "Knew it!!!" I told myself that after they said we need new zone leaders in a week or so, it was exactly how I knew I was going to be the district leader the first time. This is how it went for both in my head. Watch they are going to ask you to be the district leader / zone leader, but please don't be me please. What do you know it happened both times crazy huh. We don't have any sisters in our entire zone which is probably a good thing because some of these Elders might have a hard time focusing on their studies, but we have a whole lot more coming in the next few weeks as the other districts leave. Dad there is an Elder here going to Louisville Kentucky and I think Evansville is part of his mission. His name is Elder Weeks and he know one of my friends Kate. Anyways the MTC schedule is finally normal to me and everyday seems to go by faster and faster. Yesterday we had a lesson with our progressing investigator and our lesson was on the Plan of Salvation. The previous lesson we gave him the pamphlet and asked him to read it and think of any questions he might have when we were to return. So when we did he had questions about El mundo de los espíritus y Reinos de gloria. So we started to explain what they were about and why they were important and after twenty or so minutes we realized we had one minute left to teach and were about to wrap things up, but Our investigator had another question so we stayed seated and listened to what he had to say. Basically he wanted to know how happy families were apart of this plan when there is so much adoption, abortion, single parents, and he said in Guatemala sometimes the just leave them on their own. My companion Elder Smith and I didn't know how to answer that in Spanish and it's hard enough to explain in English, but Elder Gwilliam started saying things that just worked and as I looked into the eyes of the man that we were teaching tears stared to flow down his cheeks one after another. The spirit filled the room and it was such an amazing experience to be apart of even though I didn't say anything. These past few days have been pretty normal other than the absolute chaos it was to plan what everyone in your district is going to do in class for the whole week. Oh yeah an Elder yesterday while he was teaching his investigator was explaining how we are baptized by water then by infierno which means Hell. So he told the investigator that he will be baptized by Hell. It was funny. Earlier this week I got to play volleyball with an Elder who is going to play with BYU when he gets back it was a lot of fun because we played 2 against 4 and we wrecked honestly if we would have played six we still would have won. I got a letter from Grandma Brenda and Aunt Ashely today it was the best because Grandma put these folded up paper arms in the card to give me a hug it was great. Today we went to the temple and one of the names I had was Isaiah it was awesome because he came from a place only a few miles away from where my companion lives. Well I'm going to try to send some pictures hopefully you get them. Love you all so much and can't wait to talk to you again.

Mom that's crazy that you cooked all that food and great job everyone for helping. Dad I'm starting to do more push-ups and pull-ups every time I can because you never know when I get to Mexico I might have to climb walls and run from dogs. Haha. 

Madison keep me updated on how you are doing with volleyball.

- Elder Wolford

My friend Mitch and Me

Elder Wolford and his Best Friend Mitch found each other at the MTC

Chilling with the Comps

Stuffed with Food and the Gospel

Dear family,

 

Oh my goodness I have so much stuff I want to tell you about these past few weeks. Let's start with the food here it's not that bad, but it is nowhere near being as good as your food Mom I mean not even close. I thought I would possibly lose weight here, but they feed us everything on this earth that causes heart disease and I'm a little worried that I could actually gain weight. They hardly have anything healthy here so I always try to get fruit and vegetables for every meal. Oh just the other day I noticed in the lunch room when I was putting my dishes away something was not right with the conveyor belt because on one side Elders and Sisters were putting their dishes on, but on the other side nothing was going through so I looked to see what the problem was and Lo and Behold there was a mountain of trays and plates piling higher and higher. Knowing in my mind this is not good at all I tried my best to tear down this mountain just like John Henry. My hands moving so quickly to solve this great trial I almost conquered Dish Mountain, but my efforts were in vain because my fellow Elders and Sisters kept adding to the mountain and had no clue of why the dishes were not coming out the other side. I finally got your package yesterday and it was like Christmas all the goodies, pictures, and letters was the highlight of my day. Honestly though I don't need anymore cookies and treats for awhile because I can only eat them when I'm at the residence. The pictures look great and yes I would love more all I need is another book to put them in. Ok those papers you sent me are crazy and yes that guy at Wells Fargo needs to come unto Christ and actually help people with their problems and not trick them into things. That reminds me of a quote I heard during a devotional from Elder Bednar he said, " Every time when a lesson goes well for an investigator we seem to say, "That was me", but when it doesn't go the way we hoped, " The woman thou gavest me." Ha I thought that was so funny. So far I love both of my companions and my district is so amazing. Everyone has a way different personality, but that is what makes it so fun and interesting. It's pretty difficult to look after 12 other people so Mom good job for all the wonderful things you do. Gabe, Eli, Isaiah make sure you do whatever you can to help around the house and help Mom out. 

   So last week I saw an Elder that came in on Wednesday and he had a tie pin that looked very familiar to me. I called him over to see it up closer then I couldn't believe it. He had the same arrowhead tie pin I did and I asked him where he got it. He said I got it through some of my family members and I asked him if those family members were the Denison's, he paused for a second and asked how I knew them and of course all I had to say was Dustin married my sister.  It's crazy how small this world really is. 

   Spanish is getting there um at first I was flipping out about it a little then I realized I have only been here for a couple of weeks and I already know way more then I did before. Now I can almost say the whole first vision in Spanish which is pretty cool. I have only been to the Provo temple twice and it's one of my favorite things to do here and so far I have seen all the new videos. I can't believe that I have almost been here for three weeks it really goes by so fast. My companion that is from England said something really funny the other day and we all promised to do it at least once while on our mission he said, " Yo bautismo usted!" In English it means, " I baptism you!" It's the straight forward approach. 

    Ok so another fun game that you can play as a family is called spike ball and it's very similar to volleyball. You have a small trampoline and a little ball. Four people can play at a time and you have a partner so it's 2V2 and you can only hit it 3 times and not twice in a row. Look for it because it's so much fun!!! That's pretty much what I do during my gym time, oh and I saw Mackey Trainer the other day as I was crossing the street and she started yelling at me. I just keep on going and she parked the car and tried to walk up and talk to me as I was playing spike ball. She yelled out Elder Wolford and I told her I'm not supposed to have visitors and that's when one of the workers said we don't want him to get into trouble now do we?

      Well I got to get going I love you all more than you could know and I'm comforted and glad that we have the opportunity to live together forever. It is now my job to help bring the light of Christ unto our lost brothers and sisters. This church is the true church because it is the church of Jesus Christ. Just yesterday I was asked a question during a lesson that really brought me to repentance and the question was when was the last time you complained? For some reason that hit me really hard and that's when the thought came to me. Wow I complain a lot like I'm tired or my back hurts, or why does this matter, then I remembered the story of Jesus when he was in the garden and how he asked his most trusted friends and apostles to just stay up one hour with him, but he found them asleep 3 times. I would be pretty angry. Our Savior suffered for all the pains, afflictions, and sins and didn't utter a word of complaint. Please read that story as a family and ponder on what you feel because it really is an amazing story. It shows how much he really cares for us even if we don't care for him. Again I love you all to the ends of this earth and more. 

 

- Elder Wolford