Hey everyone!! Great news here in Peru!!! Well we didn't have the activity for family research yet because there were problems with the scheduling of the stake activities but instead of having that activity on Saturday we had a really cool baptism!!! His name is Giorgio and he is 14 years old.  He never really progressed that much and had trouble reading, but he has progressed a ton lately and is a really great person and was happy to make the decision to be baptized.  His father is a less active member and his aunts and uncles are members so he has a little bit of support. The area has really changed a lot since I've been here.  The Lord has really blessed me and I have learned the importance of enjoying your time with your investigators and gaining their confidence and focusing on them. 

I don't know what else we are doing differently but the people love us and trust us a lot and are completing all of the commitments with us. My companion is really great and knows so much more than me when I started my mission. We work really well together and I hope we have another change together. 

We have another baptism this week on Thursday and her name is Madeley. She is 13 and knows a ton!!!!! about the scriptures and prayed about the Book of Mormon the first time we taught her and she received her answer instantly and has gone to church ever since and all of the activities too. Really people are just waiting here to find the truth and I know we have to do everything we can to try and find them and explain to them the truths that others don't know.

I'm sad to hear that our relatives passed away but I know that they are in a good place. I found scriptures in Alma 28:11-14 that makes me feel good about my family and the blessings that we have.

Until next week,

Elder Wilkinson

Hey everyone! How are you all doing? This week I've been great, but today just a little good. haha Right now my stomach is bugging me and I have a headache but I've been due for a little stomach problem because I haven't been sick for a long time. 

Anyways, I finished up at the dentist today and I had 4 cavities in total!! More than I've ever had in my whole life from one dentist appointment. Anyways, the total came to 400 soles, or like 120 dollars so it was kind of a lot. 

Anyways, Mom asked me what I wanted in my Christmas package and I think I've decided that the dentist appointment was my Christmas present. haha I was also able to buy a Mt. Dew and Dr. Pepper today. I don't need anything so don't worry about me. 

Anyways, I don't have much time to write but I love you guys and know that you are all safe and happy.

Anyways, all of the family Asto were baptized and it was a very spiritual baptism. President Turk told us it was one of the best and well prepared baptisms that he has seen in the mission so far. 

We also received more good news that the ground breaking for the Trujillo temple started. They had it this week and we were not invited but they told us right after they did it. We also had a stake conference with all of the stakes in Peru through satellite with President Monson and also Elder Kristofferson. ha We also received bad news that my mission president from the CCM, President Whetton, died last week in Salt Lake City. Apparently he had problems and went in for an analysis and found out that he had pancreatic cancer. They said he died very fast and suddenly and his wife, Sister Whetton, is having a really hard time with it. Please pray for her.

Anyways, we have a lot of people in our area that are really close to being baptized but they have a few obstacles to overcome. Thanks for your support and letters this week and thank for being my friends and family. Thanks for sending be the stories and thanks for supporting my recent converts through letters.

Until next week,

Your grateful son and friend...

Elder Wilkinson

The Asto Family
married and baptized on
September 15, 2011

 Ground was broken today on the new Trujillo temple!!! 

It will be completed in 2014

 President and Sister Turk at the groundbreaking!

Hey everyone, how's it going?

Good news!!!!

The Asto family is going to be baptized this Thursday!!!! They had their interviews today and they all passed and are really excited to be baptized. The parents aren't married yet so they have to be married before and we are going to do that on Thursday morning. They have been coming to church forever and we finally got their birth certificates from the mountains and they are all ready to go!!!

Sorry this key board stinks and the letters are missing so it's hard to write.

Anyways, we also have two more baptism dates for the next week that's coming up. One of them is Madalein, a 13 year old girl that is a genius! She is really, really smart and got her testimony right after the first lesson. She always reads the Book of Mormon and completes all of the things we ask her to do to strengthen her testimony. This area is really doing well and I hope all of them can be prepared for baptism before I leave this area because I want to see them get baptized. 

Anyways. I hope everything is going well with you guys and that you enjoyed your summer because we are just starting spring and I'm not excited for summer to come again.  I hope it's a little bit colder in my new area that I will have. haha

I don't know when Grandma and Grandpa come home but I know it's close to that time so I hope they enjoy their fun tour on their way back and I hope that they are all safe.

Mom I need a huge favor. We are going to have an activity on genealogy next week so I need you to email me a cool story and maybe a funny story from our ancestors and if you can research where our last name comes from and our descendants also and any other cool things.  But you have to email it this next Monday because I don't have time to receive a package. Thanks everyone!! 

I know that the church is true and the gospel was restored. I know that our Father in Heaven answers our prayers and that we are happy when we pray. In 3 Nephi 17 it says that when the people prayed with Jesus they were so happy they couldn't stand and that Christ was also full of joy. I know that sometimes we feel that way too.

Until next week,

Elder Wilkinson

Leadership Training

September 6, 2011

Hey family,

I don't have much time to write, but thanks for writing me this week. We had 2 baptisms this week!!! Melissa and Cynthia Arenas were baptized this week and the baptism went really well, probably the best baptism I've seen in the mission.  About 40 people came and we had about 7 investigators at the baptism.  We are still working on the paperwork for the marriage of the Family Asto, but the family is still really excited for their baptisms.

Well, I don't know how much money you put in my bank account mom but next week I am going to need a little bit of money because I'm going to the dentist because I have a few cavities that have to be filled.  My leaders said that the cavities are about $30 each and that I can send you the receipts so the insurance can maybe cover them.  

Anyways I got a very interesting phone call Saturday night from Sister Turk.  She wanted me to explain all of the funny things that she found in my room.  She found my little black lady statue that someone game me in Guadalupe, the public telephone sign that we found with Elder Shaw, and the weird fruit that the pensionista gave us.  

Anyways, not much else happened this week, but the ward is really happy and is growing a lot.  Our convert Santos is really happy and seems completely different now that she is baptized and has the Holy Ghost.  She learns things a lot faster when we teach her and she is always a lot happier.  She was also blessed because her ex-husband returned her two children and they are going to study here in Trujillo with her.  

Well I feel bad that there's not much to say. I'm just glad that I get to write this letter on my mom's birthday!!!! Thanks Mom for all that you've done for me and all the support that you've given me during my mission.  I love you tons and know that the people in Peru are blessed for your sacrifice and for raising a child to become a missionary, and to leave your son for two years.  haha  I don't miss home, but I do miss you!!!!

Thanks for everything!

Your grateful and lucky son,

Elder Wilkinson

The Things We Find...

I copied this entire post from Sister Turk! 

We love her and we are glad she loves our missionary!!

The Things We Find...

The Laureles Zone was having their

 Tuesday morning meetings

 so I popped in and got a few keys

to go check out some of their rooms.

Surprise!

I just found out the story behind 

this funny little ceramic piece.

Elder Wilkinson recieved this from 

a family in Guadalupe.

He has babysat this for 7 months.

This is a tough item to haul 

from area to area.

It's holding a lint brush and 

some other sweet treasures.

These are not surprising... 

some Elders think that sunflower seeds

are one of the main food groups.

They are a staple around here.

But I am not sure what food group

 that long green thing belongs too.

I will have to do a little asking around.

The Elders that were with me 

were saying that 

it might be aloe vera... 

No, I know what that looks like.

I think this has big seeds

 inside that go in soup. 

I found out that it is a Peruvian

 fruit called Guayas.

Their pensionista gave it to

 them and they love it.

I found this picture below on the internet.

It shows what it looks like inside.

Interesting.... I need to try it.

Elder Facer had a flashback in this room.

These were his push up bars 

that he brought from home.

But after hauling them 

around for awhile,

the thrill was over so...

he gave them to Elder Edmunds

who has been home from 

the mission for a while.

We know that Elder Retamal

 has had them.

So has Elder Shaw. 

You know that they have been

 passed down through

several more Elders before ending

 up with Elder Wilkinson and Bulmini.

And now Elder Facer was cracking up 

as he saw them here in this room. 

Why they have a public telephone sign...

 I don't Know.

They gather some funky stuff.

But I do love seeing the quote 

that I gave them when we arrived.

"Do you want to be a bird that walks

 or a bird that flies?"

It is up to each one of 

us what we do with our lives 

and what we do with our mission.

His quote says that he wants to Fly...

100% Obedience!

Thank you Elder Wilkinson.

Now don't you feel like you know these

 Elders just a little better.

Elder Bulmini and Elder Wilkinson...

Thanks for letting us share

 your room with the world.

Elder Bulmini is from Uruguay and 

Elder Wilkinson is from Utah.

They are fantastic missionaries.