Week 6 - September 28, 2015

Hello, everyone,

I felt as if I would send one e-mail to all of you because we are all family and we are all going to see this message regardless.

A lot happened this week... A LOT.  I'm a pretty happy fun kid for the most part, but this week just tore me apart...The pope came to town which I know you are all aware of, this having happened everything was on lockdown mode. No busses, no trains, no nothing. This required us to walk more than ever. However I'll get to that part later.

First off, the worst thing happened last Monday after my P day ended and I was on my way to a lesson.  A little boy got hit by a car right in front of us... It was the worst thing ever. Everyone rushed to help the kid... It was so horrible, police/ambulances/tv people were there in seconds... The whole street was taped off.   That was rough.  Just put a huge damper on both of us.  Life is fragile. Can be taken away in seconds...

I don't know how much I can/allowed to tell you, but I'll just tell ya anyways. There was a 'little' robbery down the street from us at a convenient store, and the cops were there within seconds and the street was filled with cops and all the homies protesting of police brutality... However we were trying to get to a lesson and we had to get through that street... So yes two white boys in nice clothes walking through tons of blacks after this is going on... Scared out of my mind, multiple comments were thrown out here and there and yikes, I just prayed as I walked through it, "Keep me safe, keep me safe, keep me safe."  Just the most comforting feeling came down on me.  Picked my head up and walked through it, and that scary feeling was gone within seconds.  (*pounds chest* *points to heaven* I do that all the time, pre-lesson, after lesson, just all the time--Stephen Curry does it.)  I kinda picked it up.  Haha.

Anyways, so then the other day, we thought we got HOOKED UP by the

train because they came back after the Pope was done speaking, and so
we hopped on... Little did we know it went three stations PAST our stop...took us out to the middle of NOWHERE, and so we were already late to our appointment, and we turned the corner after walking a few miles thinking we found the house finally....... Only to come up to a 30 foot brick wall dividing the street... The wall went on for a mile.  Let's just say one or two words came across my mind... It was horrible.  Elder Andrus and I were just beyond mad at that point, and we were both starving, tired, hot, sweaty, so we both just prayed.  We didn't know what we were praying for--just help and strength... 30
seconds later then we got a call from Mike (5 month convert, blind guy) the sweetest most amazing man and he was like, "You boys want some cheese steaks?  I have some for ya..."  We just both started laughing...Yes, we do, Mike.  So we had to walk about three miles back, and my feet have blisters on them, but when I got to his house, we both just fell to the ground.  I thought at one point I was gonna cry, but I didn't.  Hahaha, but wow did vanilla coke zero ever taste so good... I was so thankful.

Anyways, we had a lot more walking to do after that, and when we got home, we went straight up to our room, clothes on everything just PASSED out on our beds within a few seconds.  Woke up this morning just dead.  Hahaha

Sunday started good though.  I gave a talk in Sacrament which I will attach at the end.  It went really well, I prepped a lot. Then we were talking to this lady in our church.  She's in her 60's--very difficult lady.  So the bishop called Elder Andrus and I into his office and was like, "The bishopric wants you two to visit her ..."  We were like, "Oh, good glory, shoot me now," but we did visit her.  Well we didn't.  We told her that we would come over at 4:00 but then that story I told about the wall came up, so we couldn't get to her.

 

So then she calls the bishopric just screaming to them about how we lied about coming over, so we went over around 8:30 Sunday night after our long day, and we brought her fudge because she mentioned how she likes fudge.  So we brought a tiny bit that we had left.  Went over to her house... We talked with her for about 15 minutes... Just stone cold person, I tried my best to be personable but NOTHING could work.. She is a work in progress.

Last rough part of the week - I was in a lesson in this house which is just a complete mess... disaster.  The people are less actives.  Anyways they only have three chairs in the house and the house was so much of a mess, we didn't want to sit on the ground or anything so we stood.  As I was sharing something, I felt something on my leg.  I thought it was Elder Andrus doing something silly like he typically does, but then something starts scratching/tickling... So I look down and there is a freaking mouse on my leg!  I almost LOST IT and went nuts... But all I did was 'drop my pen' go down to pick it up, and smacked the mouse off... Yikes!!!

The good parts!

That same lesson, we thought it would only be Brother King, and our lesson was on the importance of reading the Book of Mormon, so that day Elder Andrus and I had like 20 minutes left in companionship study.  So I came up with the silliest/dumbest/funniest idea... I was like, "Let's make him a little journal he can record his notes in when he reads the Book of Mormon."  So Elder Andrus and I were like, "Well, none of us have a notebook..."  So we tore out like three sheets of paper and taped them together, and we were like.. "This is gonna get thrashed!"  So we took a part of the cardboard box that my mother sent out to me (Thanks, Mama) and we made him a book cover HAHAHA Oh my gosh!  When you see the pics, you're gonna die... Hysterical.

So, we give it to him in the lesson and (wait just one sec - I told Elder Andrus that I'm telling you about this right now.. He's on the ground in tears laughing). On the back of the book, Elder Andrus found this quote which you will read--anyways, I start reading it to everyone there and halfway through I just start dying of laughter... Tearing up, I couldn't hold myself together.  It was hysterical and they were like, "Wowwwwww  This is so beautiful, amazing.  I want one," so now we have to go make more!  Haha

We got one of our investigators to completely stop smoking cigarettes... So check this out - I'm on the phone with him, Julius.  He's 68 black guy... Anyways, I'm on the phone and I'm like "Julius, you want a slurpee?"  He's like "What the h*ll is a slurpee?"  I'm like, "Julius, I'm about to hook you up!" So we bring him the smallest size slurpee, and he just hated it.... He was like "Is this some kind of game you're playing with me?"  Elder Andrus and I are just busting up... So funny.

Good news!  Since Elder Andrus and I have been seeing a lot of success, they are taking the two missionaries in center city (downtown Philly) OUT and giving us that area too!  Now we get to spend p - day there as well, instead of only being able to go once a transfer.  So that will take place next week, I believe.

Anyways, this morning, like I said, it was a tough week, and so I just prayed before personal study and I was like, "Help me, help me, help me," to sum up my prayer.  Hah and so I started reading in Alma 13-15 -- Alma and Amulek were continually persecuted, mocked, starved, spat on for standing up for what they believed.  They were thrown in prison -- after being starved for some period of time, and having their patience tested, Alma was just like, "Alright, this is enough, and he says "How long shall we suffer these great afflictions, o Lord?  O lord, GIVE US STRENGTH ACCORDING TO OUR FAITH WHICH IS IN CHRIST, even unto the deliverance."  And they broke the cords with which they were bound....

The Lord had granted unto them power according to their faith which was in Christ," so after reading that I was like... "Parker, first stop being a baby, second HAVE FAITH.  Have I not been continually blessed in my life?  Then a poem that my father sent to me that I requested last week came to my mind to read (which I will attach), and man did I feel the Spirit.  I seriously just felt so at peace, calm and good and strong and was ready to attack the day!  This cool scripture came to mind:  "They fought for their lives, and for their wives, and for their children; therefore they exerted themselves AND LIKE DRAGONS DID THEY FIGHT."  I thought that was full of swag (yes I said swag, I'm still 18).  Anyways point is, fight, fight and fight some more - "for the Lord God doth visit his people in their afflictions."

Tough week, but I had help!  I also gave the lesson in priesthood session, and someone pointed out a wonderful example - Elder Wasden whom I live with said, "When trials come, you have two choices... 1. You can choose to face defeat, moan, be sad, give up and ask God why he did that to you to.  2. You can say "thank you" and take each challenge as a learning opportunity and as an opportunity to get stronger."  He spit some truth right there...

Last cool thing that happened and then I gotta e-mail all my peeps back home!

Twenty or so army men came walking by and I was like, "God bless.  Thank you so much for your service" and a few of them turned around and said, "No, Elders... We thank YOU for YOUR service" and I was like... "Ok,
that's also swag, but it was cool...." "When he are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God."

Later family, love you all.  Pray for my mother.  Pray for Elder Wilde, Sr.

Til next week!

ELDER WILDE Jr.

 

(A few more notes Elder Wilde shared with his mother.)

 

Time seriously flies out here.  It's crazy haha.  This week was absolute
CHAOS.... Yes, the Pope came to Philly.  Made things impossible, all
of center city (the downtown part of Philly) and South Philly (where I
serve) was on COMPLETE lockdown... MILLIONS of people.... It was
ridiculous.  Trains were shut down, public transportation was shut down,
too... It was just dreadful trying to get around.

I'm glad you're getting time to relax.  Dad tells me what is actually going on
with you - you need to get better!  I'm a momma's boy til the day I die
and I need you healthy!