REFINE US

"What if you woke up today with only the blessings that you thanked your Heavenly Father for yesterday?"

Elder Willes and Elder Sorensen

Hello everyone!!! This week has been another pretty good week here in the San Jacinto Zone. Elder Sorensen and I have been working hard, and have been able to find 5 new investigators this past week. We are finding them, but now we are working and praying so we can get some of them to church. Church is a big step for people. Sadly, none of our investigators were able to make it to church, but we are going to continue to work hard, and to help those prepared souls Come Unto Christ. Here is how my week went!!!

Tuesday morning we had our weekly district meetings and Elder Gossett and Elder Watson gave a great training. We all learned a lot! My mission reminds me that every day we can become closer to the Lord and every day we can make choices that help bring the spirit into our lives. Then we all gotta ACT. Get going and act on those special helps the Lord gives us.

We continue to teach Liam! He has such a strong desire to be baptized!!! It is cool to see a young kid search out and recognize God. Please pray that he can get to church so he can move forward. We had the opportunity to go on exchanges with the San Jacinto Elders. Elder Yang and I got to go out together!!!!! I love him. He is so awesome and we spoke Chinese pretty much all day which was nice! We were also able to sit down and teach Monse Lamas, who we met while trying to visit a potential investigator. 

This week I attended my first MLC (Mission Leadership Council)! All the Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders and APs get together, and we receive training. It was a really great day and full of the Spirit and learning. I want to be the best missionary I can be and every day I strive for this. President and Sister Hammon taught us a lot. I love them.

MLC

We also had another opportunity to teach DeeDee again this week! We answered some of her questions. We read through 3 Nephi Chapter 11 with her and the Spirit was so strong. The good news is, DeeDee's boyfriend, Ronnie also wants to learn and change his life around!

10 Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world.

11 And behold, I am the light and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning.

Any free time we had this week we went out doing some good old fashioned seeking with faith trying to find more people to teach! Sunday is always a great day. We didn't have any investigators that came to church, but we will. 

Something that was awesome that I really enjoyed from this past week's MLC was this, "Trials, hard days, hard weeks, and struggles are not to define us, but to REFINE us." I know that every trial, every hard day, and every hard week comes in order to improve us, and to help mold us into a better person. I am so excited to continue to work hard and to labor in the Lord's Vineyard. I love the Lord and I love His work!!! Love you all have a great week!!

Elder Willes

SHORT ON TIME...REALLY SHORT

Hello everyone!!! This past week has been awesome. Elder Sorensen and I have again found 9 new investigators. We are working really hard. Sadly none of our investigators came to church but I know the spirit is working on them. 

My email time is cut very short today. I don't have any time. Busy here and hot. I am so so thankful for all of the updates and prayers. Keep them coming. I love you all tons. I love this work. I love the Lord. Have a great week!!

Elder Willes

HOT IN HEMET

"Front porches, out in yards, doesn't matter. The spirit of the Lord can help and teach anyone who is listening."

Hello everyone!!! This week has been another pretty awesome week here in the good old California, Riverside Mission. We have seen many miracles and the Lord continues to bless us daily. Are you guys taking notice of all the small ways the Lord helps each of us every single day? 

Elder Sorensen and Elder Willes

We found 9 new investigators this week!!! It has been pretty awesome and we are excited for them. Hemet is super hot! Today was over 110 degrees. Well, everyday is like that but it has been awesome! We got to attend the temple today too!!!! It was such a blessing and I LOVE the temple. It is the best place ever.

At the temple

This week we spent any free time doing some seeking with faith trying to find more prepare people to teach. We spent a lot of the day on Thursday trying to visit the less active families in our ward. We had a lot of good visits that day and a couple of them came to church this past Sunday! We also had another good lesson with DeeDee this week.  Keep praying for her. We also had exchanges with the Fruitvale English Elders. Elder Frisby and I went out together and we had a really good time. We picked up 2 new investigators, Karen and Joseph, who we taught outside of their house!  We also had a great lesson this week with another investigator, Dominic, on his front porch. He accepted an invitation to be baptized on October 1st. Front porches, out in yards, doesn't matter. The spirit of the Lord can help and teach anyone who is listening.

Saturday was pretty great. That morning, we had our Weekly Blitz and Elder Yang and I went out together. That was fun being with him and speaking some Chinese. :) We were able to find 2 investigators for their area too! 

Sunday was awesome. One of our investigators came to Church! Liam, a 16 year old kid, came to church. Isn't that so cool to think about? Elder Sorensen and his former companion have been teaching him. Liam is on date for baptism on September 10th and we are super excited for him! 

This week has been awesome. I am excited to continue to work hard and to Labor in the Lord's Vineyard. I love the Lord and I love His work. Got to attend the temple today! What a special experience that was! I love the temple and the sacred work that goes on there. Keep working hard at home. Elder Sorensen and I are excited to continue to work hard and to help as many people as we can Come Unto Christ. Love you all have a great week! 

Elder Willes 

WEEK ONE IN SAN JACINTO

Hello everyone! This week has been another great week here in the good old CRM and we have seen many miracles. This week has been absolutely crazy and busy but a good week overall! Hemet is VERY hot and very dry. I got the Hump Day Package. Thank you so so so much!!!! You guys are the best!!! We went and got some Cold Stone ice cream that night to celebrate. Elder Sorensen is awesome. He is from Elko, Nevada and has been on his mission about 13 months. He is a really hard working missionary. I love that about him. He literally reminds me of Timothy Corey. He even looks like Timothy  too! And talks like him. Elder Sorensen is awesome and we get along great. He has been serving here in Hemet for about 3 transfers now, so he knows the area pretty well. Our Zone has 10 missionaries and 2 Districts.

It is interesting approaching people in English. My English has gotten worse and sometimes I say things using Chinese grammar that make no sense. I do miss serving in the Chinese area but know that there are people here I need to find. We are working really hard and found 7 new investigators from this past week!!! 

Elder Sorensen and Elder Willes

On Monday night we went over and taught one of our investigators, Chuck. We taught him a little bit from the Restoration and invited him to read from the Book of Mormon. Chuck is African-American, and has some concerns about the Church, but we have answered his questions, and he has accepted an invitation to read the Book of Mormon! Please pray for him to continue to progress as well as reading from the Book of Mormon! This will help him. We also had a lesson this week with Ryan. His wife is a less-active member of the Church. We taught him a little bit about the temple and how through the Gospel of Jesus Christ families can be together forever. It was a great lesson! 

Thursday was pretty awesome. That night had a lesson with Carlos and his girlfriend Jessica. We met Carlos this past week while out seeking with faith. He said that we could come by again so we went and taught him and Jessica about the Restoration! It was pretty cool and we are hoping that they can continue to progress!  Friday night we had a lesson with Gabino, an investigator that we picked up this past week. We also met him while doing some good old seeking with faith. The days are long and hot but pay off when you get to teach and share a message and can feel the spirit. Friday night we also went by and visited Brandon, another one of our new investigators from this past week! Brandon is a former Marine and served in Afghanistan. He has had some very select experiences that have strengthened his belief in God and his faith in Jesus Christ. We taught him half of the Plan of Salvation. It was a great lesson! I love these people. Please pray for them.

Saturday we tried to visit some of our potential investigators and lot of some good old seeking and seeking. We gotta keep looking for those who are looking for goodness. 

Sunday was super great!!! That afternoon, we went to see a referral that we had received from the Spanish Elders. Her name is DeeDee and she is awesome! She is very prepared and has a strong desire to Come Unto Jesus Christ. She accepted a baptismal date for October 1st! We are going back this week to teach her again. It was a huge Miracle! That night we also had a lesson with Ryan, another new investigator that we picked up from this past week. Ryan is a baller. He also is a truck driver, so he is pretty busy with his travel schedule. We invited him to be baptized but he turned down the invitation...for now. Please pray for him! 

The rest of the week was filled with DLC and DDM Meetings. Elder Watson, one of our District Leaders gave a good training on the importance of the Book of Mormon. We also met with Brother Mackie this week who is our Ward Mission Leader. He helps us a lot. Any free minute we spend out walking and talking with people. 

For p-day today we went golfing. It was pretty fun. I shot a 45. It was the first time in over a year that I've golfed.

I've gotta get back to work. This week has been pretty awesome. Elder Sorensen and I are very excited to work hard and to bring the prepared souls in the San Jacinto area to Come Unto Christ. Love you all have a great week!

Elder Willes 

I'M HEADED TO HEMET ... ENGLISH SPEAKING

Elder Willes and Elder Jensen with Bao Jie Mei who has returned to her home in China

Hello everyone! This week has been another great week here in Eastvale. I love Eastvale and I especially love the Chinese people who I teach and serve with here. On Saturday morning, I received a phone call from President Hammon and was called to be a Zone Leader. I will be serving in the San Jacinto Zone, and my companion will be Elder Sorensen. I am very humbled and excited to have this opportunity! I am very sad to be leaving Eastvale and will really miss serving the Chinese people, who I have come to know and love so much! I am just going to work my hardest down there. I am going English so please pray that I don't lose my Chinese! I guess like most good experiences in our lives, this is very bitter-sweet.

Last Monday after our p-day finished up, we stopped by Rocky's house to visit him. He answered the door and let us in! We had the opportunity to teach him about the Restoration and picked him up as a new investigator! It was a great lesson and we were pretty excited about our visit. This week we also taught Shanon about the law of tithing. She is progressing quite well and we are just trying to work with her in order to set a baptismal date. Please pray for her. We had another lesson with Jacky. It was really great and he will most likely be baptized this next Sunday, August 20th. Please also pray for him. 

Jacky and Elder Willes

Thursday morning we drove to Lake Elsinore and finally got to meet with Evangel again! We taught Evangel and her daughter Blair more about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and it was awesome! Evangel still has very strong faith and we are excited to continue to help her! They took us out to lunch after our lesson and that was pretty fun!!! On Saturday morning we had a super awesome lesson with Johnson, his wife Suzy, and their daughter named Katy. We tracted into them a couple of weeks ago and they came to church last Sunday! It was a great lesson and it is so cool to see the way the Lord helps us to find people who need and are seeking Him.

Other info from the week - On Tuesday morning we had our weekly "DLC" and "DDM" Meetings. I gave a training on receiving revelation through the Book of Mormon. It went pretty well, and I felt the Spirit really strong! I am also happy to report that Elder Nelson and I won the "Clean Car Award" for the 2nd Straight Time!!!!!!! #Back2Back :) Haha that was awesome. English class continues to go really well. And on Friday morning we had some good old service at the Jensen Alvarado Ranch again. That was pretty fun! 

Sunday was another amazing Sabbath Day!!! We had 3 investigators come to church. Jacky, Shanon, and Apple all came to Church! It was so awesome and I felt the Spirit really strong as I got to worship with all of them! The Lord loves these people and so do I. After church, we drove to Riverside, to have another lesson with Louise! She is doing so awesome! She has read all of 1 Nephi in one week!!!! She is progressing very well, and will be coming to church next Sunday. Overall, another super awesome Sabbath Day!

I've had another pretty great week here in the CRM. I hope you all are having a super good week wherever you are. I am excited for this new opportunity this upcoming transfer. Please pray that we can find those souls in Hemet, CA, that are ready so that we can help them come to know the Savior, and Come Unto Christ. Love you all have a great week!

Elder Willes

ENDURE TO THE END

Hello everyone :) This week has been another super awesome week here in the California, Riverside Mission! We have seen so so many MIRACLES, and the Lord continues to bless us everyday. We are so excited to continue to work hard and to labor in the Lord's Vineyard. The most amazing miracle is that Bao Jie Mei was baptized!!!!! From beginning to end it has been such a special experience. More details on that to come! 

Miao Di Xiong, Elder Willes, Bao Jie Mei and her daughter Grace

Monday Night Bao Jie Mei called us, and said that she would be going back to China on Saturday, August 12th. It was a little later than expected, and she expressed her strong desire to be baptized. On Tuesday night we had another lesson with Bao Jie Mei and we taught her about the word of wisdom and the law of chastity. It was another pretty great lesson!!! That same night, we met with Miao Di Xiong to discuss Bao Jie Mei's situation. 

After contacting President Hammon about the situation with Bao Jie Mei quickly leaving to go back to China, the most important thing that President Hammon requested was that she had fellowship, and could attend Church in China. Otherwise, she wouldn't be able to be baptized at this time. That night, we found out that Bao Jie Mei lives in a smaller city in China but we could still email one of the church leaders in China and figure out if there is a Group of members there near her small city. Miao Di Xiong told us that it wasn't likely, but we could still try. That day, we fasted for Bao Jie Mei. We knew that she was so prepared, and had faith that she could be baptized on Sunday. 

On Wednesday Miao Di Xiong called us, and told us that they DO have a Group of members in Bao Jie Mei's City!!!! It was a Miracle. Once she gets back to China, she will be able to attend Church!!! We have met with her everyday this past week to finish teaching her. 

On Friday we went on exchanges with the Eastvale English Elders. Elder Gulbranson came to our area to be with me, and Elder Nelson went to their area. That morning, we had another lesson with Bao Jie Mei. It was a great lesson and she expressed her strong desire to attend the Temple, and help her husband and friends learn about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Sunday was so awesome too!!! We had 6 total investigators come to Church. Bao Jie Mei, her daughter Grace, Apple, Jacky, Shanon, and Ada all came!!! Directly after church, we had the opportunity to attend Bao Jie Mei's Baptism!!! I had the privilege of baptizing her, and it was a special experience. The Spirit was so strong, and I know that Bao Jie Mei will be an awesome member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She bore her testimony and said that she will Endure to the End!!! Truly we saw a huge miracle this week.

This week we also taught and had another good lesson with Ada! She is doing awesome. We taught her the Plan of Salvation. Please pray for her, and all of our investigators that we are teaching! We also got to meet with Guns and Anna. We finished the Plan of Salvation with them, and they really loved it!!! We visited Jacky at work who made sushi for us. We taught Shannon. We had a home visit on Thursday with the Su Jia Ting in our Chinese Group. They are awesome! Jacky called us later in the week and told us he wanted to be baptized on August 20th!!!! It was so so so cool!!! Much of Saturday we spent out doing some good old Seeking with Faith. It was a good day.

Elder Nelson, Jacky and Elder Willes

 

Sunday afternoon, because Elder Nelson got sick, Elder Gulbranson and I went to visit Louise Lee, a referral that we had received a couple of days ago from some other missionaries. We taught her about the Restoration and she really enjoyed it!!! She is from Taiwan, and accepted a baptismal date for September 17th!!! Please keep all of our investigators in your prayers.

Sorry this email has been so long, but we have seen so so many Miracles and I wanted to share them with you. We are so so beyond blessed and I am so grateful for this amazing opportunity to Represent our Savior, Jesus Christ. I am excited to continue to work hard, and help people truly Come Unto Christ. Love you all have a great week!

Elder Willes

TALK TO GOD

Elder Willes and Elder Nelson

黃色的西瓜

Monday, July 31, 2017

你們好!!! 這裡是魏長老. I hope you all are having a great week at home. This week has been another pretty great one here in the Eastvale area! We have seen many miracles this past week and we are excited to continue to work hard! Here is how my week went down. 

Tuesday was a great day!!! That morning, we drove to Riverside, to have a lesson with a referral from a member. Sister Dietrich, a member in Riverside, has a daughter, who has a friend, (still following?) that is from ShangHai, China. We went, and taught her the message of the Restoration and it was a great lesson. Her name is Rono. At the end of the lesson, Rono said a prayer for the first time ever and I felt the Spirit really strong. It was really cool! It is amazing to see someone realize that we can really talk to God. That afternoon, we also had a lesson with Apple. We contacted Apple on the street about 2 weeks ago, and scheduled a time to meet with her. She is from Taiwan! It was a really great lesson. We hope that she will be coming to church this Sunday!!!

We had a lesson with Echo and Joanna Zhou. Joanna is actually a former investigator that we had to "pause" a while ago, because we couldn't meet with her. She came to our English Class this week and we taught her and her friend Echo too! We taught them about the Restoration. At the end of the lesson, Echo said that she wanted to pray about our message to decide if it is the right thing for her to do. Please pray for them that Heavenly Father can answer Echo's prayers and that she might recognize that answer!

This week I gave a training for our weekly DDM on the role of the Holy Ghost in Conversion. The Spirit was strong and helped us all o learn that day. Our English class is going well. It is pretty awesome and a great help to us in finding. We are doing our best to get as many people as we can to attend. We also went on exchanges this week with our Zone Leaders. Elder Williams and I spent the day together and we were able to pick up one new investigator for their area. We also had a lesson with a man named Skylar. It was really powerful. At the start of the lesson, Skylar was smoking a cigarette, and not really paying attention. A little bit into the lesson, he dropped the cigarette, and started paying attention, and answering questions. It was really cool to see the Spirit of the Lord work on someone. Such a cool experience!

Saturday was another pretty awesome day. That afternoon, we went to Guns's house, to have another lesson with him! We finished teaching Guns about the plan of salvation. Guns is very involved in his current Christian church, so please pray for him and his family that they can continue to learn and progress! That night, we had another lesson with Jacky! We taught him more about Jesus Christ, and His life. We were able to put him on date for baptism, for August 20th! Please pray for him, that his work will allow him to come to church on Sundays, so he can be baptized on that date!

Sunday was another awesome day. We only had one investigator come to Church. Bao Jie Mei came to church, and it was awesome! She expressed her strong desire to be baptized, but sadly is going back to China this next week. We know that whether now or in a future time, Bao Jie Mei will accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was a good Sabbath Day, and I was grateful for the opportunity to worship my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

This week has been awesome. We are really excited to continue to work hard, and to labor in the Lord's Vineyard. I love the Lord, and I love His work! Love you all hope you have a great week!

Elder Willes