Good day to you all!
This week has been wonderful, very spiritual, but frankly, I am in Harare for Missionary Leadership Council so I have very little time to email. But just know I am happy, healthy, and serving well.
We have this amazing investigator named Simon. He is powerful. He is the only man coming to church as an investigator. And he has read all of the pamphlets we have given and understood them. It makes me happy. He has agreed to work towards baptism for the 21st of January, assuming his work schedule allows.
We have also found some wonderful less-active members who are so happy to see us. One of them is a brother who loves his Hymnbook and wants us to teach his family. Another lead us to other members we didn't know who wants their daughters to be baptized. It makes me happy.
I really wish I could explain further, but maybe next time.
I love you all. I know this is the Lord's work. He is truly helping us with it.
Have a wonderful week!
-Elder Wilcken
Saturday, January 14, 2017
Week Sixty-Five: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
And to all a good week.
This week is a brief email simply because there is no time.
Today we had to wait for an electrician to show up, then we had to help sister missionaries. Then we had to return for the electrician, then we got to email just now-now. And I have like 5 minutes left.
But this week was very good. We finally had a powerful investigator come to the Christmas Activity on Saturday, and then Sacrament on Sunday! it was amazing.
On Thursday we had interviews with President Mkhabela, then my companion and I drove to Masvingo for baptismal interviews (it is so far 392.8 km that day). Then on Saturday our district went caroling at a local hospital. There were like a dozen patients, and we just wandered the halls singing, but people seemed to enjoy it. Later that day we did a performance at the ward Christmas Activity. We sang Away in a Manger (with More Holiness Give Me as the 2nd verse), then Far Far Away on Judea's plains, then finished with The First Noel. And then later I did a solo-ish performance of I Heard the Bells on Christmas day. (I sang the first 3 verses, pausing to give commentary between, then after the 3rd I stopped and hung my head in despair. Then one o the sister missionaries sang "Then pealed the bells more loud and deep" and two more sisters joined in for the rest of that verse. Then all 4 of us sang the last verse together.)
And then yesterday was Christmas. We had sacrament meeting, and then Lunch at a wonderful family's house. It was a pretty good day. I've had a lot to do this week, but it has been good.
I love you all, this next year will be great. This week marks the end of my "Eternal Year". I will be coming home next year. Too soon.
Have a wonderful week.
-Elder Wilcken
This week is a brief email simply because there is no time.
Today we had to wait for an electrician to show up, then we had to help sister missionaries. Then we had to return for the electrician, then we got to email just now-now. And I have like 5 minutes left.
But this week was very good. We finally had a powerful investigator come to the Christmas Activity on Saturday, and then Sacrament on Sunday! it was amazing.
On Thursday we had interviews with President Mkhabela, then my companion and I drove to Masvingo for baptismal interviews (it is so far 392.8 km that day). Then on Saturday our district went caroling at a local hospital. There were like a dozen patients, and we just wandered the halls singing, but people seemed to enjoy it. Later that day we did a performance at the ward Christmas Activity. We sang Away in a Manger (with More Holiness Give Me as the 2nd verse), then Far Far Away on Judea's plains, then finished with The First Noel. And then later I did a solo-ish performance of I Heard the Bells on Christmas day. (I sang the first 3 verses, pausing to give commentary between, then after the 3rd I stopped and hung my head in despair. Then one o the sister missionaries sang "Then pealed the bells more loud and deep" and two more sisters joined in for the rest of that verse. Then all 4 of us sang the last verse together.)
And then yesterday was Christmas. We had sacrament meeting, and then Lunch at a wonderful family's house. It was a pretty good day. I've had a lot to do this week, but it has been good.
I love you all, this next year will be great. This week marks the end of my "Eternal Year". I will be coming home next year. Too soon.
Have a wonderful week.
-Elder Wilcken
Week Sixty Four: Almost Christmas
Hello my dear everyone,
How is the holidays? How is Christmas time? Are you all remembering Jesus?
It is strange to see how different things are in the city as opposed to the small rural areas. Last year in Bindura Christmas crept up like a thief in the night. This year because of being near Harare and Gweru, two larger cities, it has been pretty obvious that it is Christmas time. Garland in the windows, Christmas songs over the store loud-speakers, Pictures of "Father Christmas" saying "Ho Ho Ho", images of snowflakes and the such, yet it is warm and rainy season.
This "thief in the night" is very clumsy this year. We heard him driving up the street. we are watching as he tries to open the building and climb in.
But Gweru is awesome. I love the place, the people, the area, and my companion. All is great.
This last week we had a super productive day the the area. We gave out pass along cards like crazy, and had 11 new investigators and many lessons. It was super amazing. But then our hearts broke on Sunday. Not a single investigator comes to church. The same last week, and apparently most weeks. It is a miracle to see even 1 at church. My heart aches when a chapel is mostly empty. But the Lord will provide a way for us. His work moves forward.
The rainy season is continuing. The zone is baptizing. It is a much smaller zone here, and I think our goal was 20 this month (established before I arrived) and so we are hoping to reach it. The Mission had a goal of 2000 for the year and as of this week we have about 165 more to reach that goal. Which would be awesome and a wonderful miracle. The last day for these baptisms to be counted for the year, is Sunday the 25th, when those baptized can be confirmed (since the following Sunday is January). A very fitting birthday-gift to the Savior I think.
I wish I had pictures to share today, but I do not. So I will share what was once shared with me last December.
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good week.
-Elder Wilcken
How is the holidays? How is Christmas time? Are you all remembering Jesus?
It is strange to see how different things are in the city as opposed to the small rural areas. Last year in Bindura Christmas crept up like a thief in the night. This year because of being near Harare and Gweru, two larger cities, it has been pretty obvious that it is Christmas time. Garland in the windows, Christmas songs over the store loud-speakers, Pictures of "Father Christmas" saying "Ho Ho Ho", images of snowflakes and the such, yet it is warm and rainy season.
This "thief in the night" is very clumsy this year. We heard him driving up the street. we are watching as he tries to open the building and climb in.
But Gweru is awesome. I love the place, the people, the area, and my companion. All is great.
This last week we had a super productive day the the area. We gave out pass along cards like crazy, and had 11 new investigators and many lessons. It was super amazing. But then our hearts broke on Sunday. Not a single investigator comes to church. The same last week, and apparently most weeks. It is a miracle to see even 1 at church. My heart aches when a chapel is mostly empty. But the Lord will provide a way for us. His work moves forward.
The rainy season is continuing. The zone is baptizing. It is a much smaller zone here, and I think our goal was 20 this month (established before I arrived) and so we are hoping to reach it. The Mission had a goal of 2000 for the year and as of this week we have about 165 more to reach that goal. Which would be awesome and a wonderful miracle. The last day for these baptisms to be counted for the year, is Sunday the 25th, when those baptized can be confirmed (since the following Sunday is January). A very fitting birthday-gift to the Savior I think.
I wish I had pictures to share today, but I do not. So I will share what was once shared with me last December.
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good week.
-Elder Wilcken
Weeks Sixty-Two and Sixty-Three: Trasfer 11/17 Was Last Week. And This Week.
Hello everyone whom I love,
How has been your last two weeks? You may have noticed a lack of any communication from Elder Wilcken last week. And that is because Last week was transfer day.
In the morning I had to pick up missionaries from both ends of our Zone to take them to the mission office, as well as take selfies with many people.
(here are just some of them)
And here is why I couldn't email that day, I had to get on a bus and travel to Gweru! (Elder Guajardo went to Bulawayo)
This is my "Interesting" face. You may define interesting.
Here is me and my new companion, Elder Mahlangu! (you may remember him from when he was in my house for two weeks then he got emergency transferred)
So I arrived in Gweru safely, and I adjusted well. And then On Friday we had a multi-zone Christmas Devotional. Each zone was asked to present a musical item. We did two. The first was Away In a Manger with the second verse substituted with the first verse of More Holiness Give Me. The second song was Far Far Away on Judea's Plains. And we again did awesome. SO awesome. President had our zone perform it for a second time.
Our zone at a practice for our Christmas Devotional Presentation.
Here is President Mkhabela as Santa Claus
I learned how to get selfies with many people at once.
My companion and I got a picture with Santa President.
And in general, this week has been great. I've loved it so far here in Gweru. It is a nice quiet city. Less traffic. Less stress. I'm still a zone leader. Our zone has 18 members now. (big difference from 29).
But it has been wonderful.
Now there is a sad note, my camera broke somehow. The lens stopped opening. And now it won't turn on. So I may not have pictures to send home for a while until I can find someone to fix it and or get a new one.
But anyway, I hope you all have a wonderful week. You are loved. Happy holidays, etc. Stay happy.
-Elder Wilcken
PS: I was there when the 50th stake in the Africa SouthEast Area was created, the Harare East stake. And the Stake president was the one I guesed it would be, President Maziofa. from Damafalls, where I was serving. We had dinner at his house after he was set apart.
How has been your last two weeks? You may have noticed a lack of any communication from Elder Wilcken last week. And that is because Last week was transfer day.
In the morning I had to pick up missionaries from both ends of our Zone to take them to the mission office, as well as take selfies with many people.
(here are just some of them)
And here is why I couldn't email that day, I had to get on a bus and travel to Gweru! (Elder Guajardo went to Bulawayo)
This is my "Interesting" face. You may define interesting.
Here is me and my new companion, Elder Mahlangu! (you may remember him from when he was in my house for two weeks then he got emergency transferred)
So I arrived in Gweru safely, and I adjusted well. And then On Friday we had a multi-zone Christmas Devotional. Each zone was asked to present a musical item. We did two. The first was Away In a Manger with the second verse substituted with the first verse of More Holiness Give Me. The second song was Far Far Away on Judea's Plains. And we again did awesome. SO awesome. President had our zone perform it for a second time.
Our zone at a practice for our Christmas Devotional Presentation.
Here is President Mkhabela as Santa Claus
I learned how to get selfies with many people at once.
My companion and I got a picture with Santa President.
And in general, this week has been great. I've loved it so far here in Gweru. It is a nice quiet city. Less traffic. Less stress. I'm still a zone leader. Our zone has 18 members now. (big difference from 29).
But it has been wonderful.
Now there is a sad note, my camera broke somehow. The lens stopped opening. And now it won't turn on. So I may not have pictures to send home for a while until I can find someone to fix it and or get a new one.
But anyway, I hope you all have a wonderful week. You are loved. Happy holidays, etc. Stay happy.
-Elder Wilcken
PS: I was there when the 50th stake in the Africa SouthEast Area was created, the Harare East stake. And the Stake president was the one I guesed it would be, President Maziofa. from Damafalls, where I was serving. We had dinner at his house after he was set apart.
Week Sixty-One: Baptisms in the Rain
Hello everyone, how are things?
It is very rainy here. The rainy season started a lot earlier this year. I think last year it was around January. But with our area of only one paved road, and probably hundreds if not thousands of dirt roads, it can be quite interesting. Now you can define interesting.
So today is MLC Monday, meaning tomorrow the Zone Leaders will meet together to discuss how the mission is doing and the such. Other than that, next week is transfers. (which is why MLC is this Tuesday instead of the first Tuesday of the month). So the report for our zone is we did amazing. We got 38 Baptisms out of our goal of 66. Now why is that amazing you may ask? Because that is still 38 sons and daughters of God who got baptized. Which is always amazing. But also because we still managed to get that many despite many being rained out.
So for example, this last Saturday we went to Queensdale in the morning to support the first baptism there in nearly two years (from our records). The day started with the wedding of the baptismal candidate to her husband.
Then she got baptized, by her husband.
And then by the time they got into the water it was raining.
Then we had to travel back to our area, and deal with a whole bunch of excitement with he rain and mud and pakaipa. In fact our baptism was scheduled at 2 in Damafalls. After many weeks of having no water, we finally had water. But now we had too much water and the weather made the outside baptism undoable. So we traveled to Tafara and once again baptized there.
This is the Vale Family, a wonderful family introduced to us by Brother Madziro.
And then following the baptism I suddenly felt like I was in school again.
But despite the difficulties, all went very well.
And now it is time for me to prepare for tomorrow. So I hope you all enjoy the week.
-Elder Wilcken
PS: also the LDS Christmas Initiative "Light the World" is starting up this week! be sure to check it out at mormon.org
It is very rainy here. The rainy season started a lot earlier this year. I think last year it was around January. But with our area of only one paved road, and probably hundreds if not thousands of dirt roads, it can be quite interesting. Now you can define interesting.
So today is MLC Monday, meaning tomorrow the Zone Leaders will meet together to discuss how the mission is doing and the such. Other than that, next week is transfers. (which is why MLC is this Tuesday instead of the first Tuesday of the month). So the report for our zone is we did amazing. We got 38 Baptisms out of our goal of 66. Now why is that amazing you may ask? Because that is still 38 sons and daughters of God who got baptized. Which is always amazing. But also because we still managed to get that many despite many being rained out.
So for example, this last Saturday we went to Queensdale in the morning to support the first baptism there in nearly two years (from our records). The day started with the wedding of the baptismal candidate to her husband.
Then she got baptized, by her husband.
And then by the time they got into the water it was raining.
Then we had to travel back to our area, and deal with a whole bunch of excitement with he rain and mud and pakaipa. In fact our baptism was scheduled at 2 in Damafalls. After many weeks of having no water, we finally had water. But now we had too much water and the weather made the outside baptism undoable. So we traveled to Tafara and once again baptized there.
This is the Vale Family, a wonderful family introduced to us by Brother Madziro.
And then following the baptism I suddenly felt like I was in school again.
But despite the difficulties, all went very well.
And now it is time for me to prepare for tomorrow. So I hope you all enjoy the week.
-Elder Wilcken
PS: also the LDS Christmas Initiative "Light the World" is starting up this week! be sure to check it out at mormon.org
Week Sixty: I Don't Go to the Gym, I'm Just Naturally Like This
Just kidding, we go to the gym. With approval.
Dear everyone, whom I love dearly.
How are things? Things are well. Especially since the rains have filled up people's wells. haha.
But so we started going to a gym at the start of the month.
But don't worry for us, because there is a clinic right across the street
But yes, it is all 4 of the elders in our house.
We actually tried to keep it secret for a long time, by just not telling those who didn't need to know. But people have started to notice.
Though President knows, he still was shocked when he saw me. "Elder Wilcken, you've lost weight" to which other missionaries said "I was thinking the same thing"
Here is a picture of a puppy I found. I didn't keep it though.
And here is a wonderful family we are teaching and hoping to baptize soon.
But other than that, things have been pretty great this week. We have been working with brother Madziro a lot recently, and he has been such a help to us. He truly loves this gospel. He set up a whole day of appointments for us tomorrow in a neighborhood that one of his friends lives in. It is amazing.
Also on Saturday I was needed to preside at two different Baptisms. One in an area called Epworth, and another in Mabvuku, in the same day. It was a great experience. However at the one in Epworth, it was said "Elder Wilcken presides on behalf of the Bishop" and then later "We will now have closing remarks from the Bishop" The missionaries chuckled at that slip up.
And in other news, time is flying so fast. It seems like just yesterday I came to Harare East but now it has been almost 18 weeks.
I am not ready to go home yet, I honestly feel I have so much more to do.
Anyway, have a wonderful week you all. I love you so much. I pray for you frequently. But honestly, not as much as I pray for my investigators. I hope you understand.
-Elder Wilcken
Dear everyone, whom I love dearly.
How are things? Things are well. Especially since the rains have filled up people's wells. haha.
But so we started going to a gym at the start of the month.
But don't worry for us, because there is a clinic right across the street
But yes, it is all 4 of the elders in our house.
Though President knows, he still was shocked when he saw me. "Elder Wilcken, you've lost weight" to which other missionaries said "I was thinking the same thing"
Here is a picture of a puppy I found. I didn't keep it though.
And here is a wonderful family we are teaching and hoping to baptize soon.
But other than that, things have been pretty great this week. We have been working with brother Madziro a lot recently, and he has been such a help to us. He truly loves this gospel. He set up a whole day of appointments for us tomorrow in a neighborhood that one of his friends lives in. It is amazing.
Also on Saturday I was needed to preside at two different Baptisms. One in an area called Epworth, and another in Mabvuku, in the same day. It was a great experience. However at the one in Epworth, it was said "Elder Wilcken presides on behalf of the Bishop" and then later "We will now have closing remarks from the Bishop" The missionaries chuckled at that slip up.
And in other news, time is flying so fast. It seems like just yesterday I came to Harare East but now it has been almost 18 weeks.
I am not ready to go home yet, I honestly feel I have so much more to do.
Anyway, have a wonderful week you all. I love you so much. I pray for you frequently. But honestly, not as much as I pray for my investigators. I hope you understand.
-Elder Wilcken
Week Fifty-Nine: The Rains Came Down and the Floods Came Up
Hello Everyone!
I don't really have pictures this week. Sorry.
But what I do have is stories!
So basically we started the week with no car. At all. So we walked to our area each day. It was far. One day I am certain we walked much more than 10k. But then it started raining. And we still had to walk. And then one evening, we had the wondrous news. There is a balm in Gilead. Or more precisely, a car available. So the car was delivered Thursday evening.
I had previously called the silver Chevy's we used in this area "Stripling warriors" for they had many wounds, and even at times fainted for loss of blood, nevertheless they did not perish. In fact they are all still around and fixable. And they also often ran on Faith.
The new Chevy we received also had received many wounds, yet it was stronger. and better. And White. So I call it Helaman.
Then Friday night it rained so much. Like so so much. Non-stop all through the night and Saturday morning. We had to drive to Queensdale to give a sister a blessing, then on the way back we got a flat tire, at a fuel station. So we went to put the spare on and lo and behold it too was flat. So we had to roll it to another fuel station (in the rain) to get filled up. Then we learned that new tire was broken, and needed to be repaired. Finally after much struggle we put it on the car only to learn that the rim was the wrong size. It didn't fit our car. So we called the Assistants to bring us a new tire. This week alone I have changed 2 tires over 5 times.
Then the fun in our area, there was a puddle that stretched over 30 feet. Then I drove through it. Fortunately it had been taught to me you should never stop in water because it can stall the engine. So I kept moving forward through it. The water was much deeper than we thought and actually got up to the windshield at one point (from the flow, not depth). When we got out the other side our car was filthy, and the license plat was half off and upside down. We went to Brother Madziro's and he washed our car for us despite our protests.
Later we then had to pick up the other elders to go to a baptism in Tafara, and in the process got the car dirty again. Remember I have said there is only one paved road through Eastview. I was going to take a side dirt road from that paved road, put to our amazement the ground was liquid. Our car sunk about a foot deep in the mud, and we were going downhill off the paved road. about 20 minutes later and with the help of about 20 bystanders, they lifted the car tires to put bricks under and I managed to reverse out. Again the car was filthy.
Pakaipa
But in the end the baptism went well, we were late, but our investigator was there on her own to be baptized so it all worked out.
And there has also been a lot of thunder and lightning. It is cool.
But despite all the trouble, the week went well. Our investigators came to church, they are repenting, and the Lord is blessing us.
I love you all. Have a wonderful week. The Lord is mindful of all.
-Elder Wilcken
I don't really have pictures this week. Sorry.
But what I do have is stories!
So basically we started the week with no car. At all. So we walked to our area each day. It was far. One day I am certain we walked much more than 10k. But then it started raining. And we still had to walk. And then one evening, we had the wondrous news. There is a balm in Gilead. Or more precisely, a car available. So the car was delivered Thursday evening.
I had previously called the silver Chevy's we used in this area "Stripling warriors" for they had many wounds, and even at times fainted for loss of blood, nevertheless they did not perish. In fact they are all still around and fixable. And they also often ran on Faith.
The new Chevy we received also had received many wounds, yet it was stronger. and better. And White. So I call it Helaman.
Then Friday night it rained so much. Like so so much. Non-stop all through the night and Saturday morning. We had to drive to Queensdale to give a sister a blessing, then on the way back we got a flat tire, at a fuel station. So we went to put the spare on and lo and behold it too was flat. So we had to roll it to another fuel station (in the rain) to get filled up. Then we learned that new tire was broken, and needed to be repaired. Finally after much struggle we put it on the car only to learn that the rim was the wrong size. It didn't fit our car. So we called the Assistants to bring us a new tire. This week alone I have changed 2 tires over 5 times.
Then the fun in our area, there was a puddle that stretched over 30 feet. Then I drove through it. Fortunately it had been taught to me you should never stop in water because it can stall the engine. So I kept moving forward through it. The water was much deeper than we thought and actually got up to the windshield at one point (from the flow, not depth). When we got out the other side our car was filthy, and the license plat was half off and upside down. We went to Brother Madziro's and he washed our car for us despite our protests.
Later we then had to pick up the other elders to go to a baptism in Tafara, and in the process got the car dirty again. Remember I have said there is only one paved road through Eastview. I was going to take a side dirt road from that paved road, put to our amazement the ground was liquid. Our car sunk about a foot deep in the mud, and we were going downhill off the paved road. about 20 minutes later and with the help of about 20 bystanders, they lifted the car tires to put bricks under and I managed to reverse out. Again the car was filthy.
Pakaipa
But in the end the baptism went well, we were late, but our investigator was there on her own to be baptized so it all worked out.
And there has also been a lot of thunder and lightning. It is cool.
But despite all the trouble, the week went well. Our investigators came to church, they are repenting, and the Lord is blessing us.
I love you all. Have a wonderful week. The Lord is mindful of all.
-Elder Wilcken
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