Letter from March 22, 2011

 Dear Mom,

 

  You're kidding me?! Casey Ward's boyfriend was baptized and I wasn't there?!?!?! That's disappointing, I wanted to be there, oh well the Lord needs me here for now.  ...

  It's been raining the past few days, but the sunshine has finally returned.  I'll make sure to take some pictures of P-day today, it should be an interesting one...we're having a basketball tournament between some of the zones and ours is pretty fired up about it.  I think some people have even gone and gotten jerseys...Oh, two points of interest I'm looking forward to:  May 1st Elder Bednar is coming to speak at the Sweetwater Stake conference so if I'm not transfered before then I get to meet him! And, on April 26th Elder L. Tom Perry is coming to meet with both the Carlsbad and San Diego missions so I get to go up to Del Mar and meet him! Two Apostles within the space of a few days? Who knew we were so blessed?!

   And lastly, there was a promise that President Donaldson told us when we first arrived that has really helped me stay here.  He told us that when he was getting set apart he heard a very specific blessing pronounced upon him.  President Monson told him that if he served faithfully that the Lord would bless him with the best missionaries he had to offer, and that we would do more to hasten the work of the Lord in these last days than any other group of missionaries.  That blessing has shown me that I am where I am supposed to be.  I have been prepared by him to serve here in San Diego, and that I will bless many of our Father's children while I am here.  I am where the Lord WANTS and NEEDS me to be.  I am my Father's child and, to quote Jesus Christ, I am about my Father's business.

  I love you Mom and hope you and everyone else know that I pray for you daily.  I miss ya'll, but I'm not quite ready to see ya'll again yet.  I've got some work to do, and some miles to walk before I can see ya'll again.

 

Love,

 

Elder Sean Michael Wise

A note from a friend

Debbie got this note yesterday from a friend of hers that lives in San Diego.  He lived in Virginia near her family while she was growing up.  He's in the Chula Vista Stake Presidency.


From Paul Norris:


Met Elder Wise this evening at the Mission President's fireside - I asked one of our elders where he was, he was practicing in the Primary room "Oh That I Were An Angel" with several elders. Listened and then introduced myself when they finished (forgot to bring my camera...), he is looking good and happy. Their number was the closing song of the fireside, tremendous!! You have a great, faithful son and we hope someday we will be fortunate to have him within our stake - you've done good!!

March 15, 2011

For Family:

 

  A new day, a new week and a new family letter!  I hope all of ya'll are enjoying life and glorying in our Heavenly Father who loves us.  These past weeks have been going by a bit slower than normal.  Lemon Grove has become my dusty little home, but it seems like my brothers and sisters just don't want to talk to me.  I must be the outcast in the family, who knew right?  We seem to be finding people that we can't talk to, not out of unwillingness on their part, but we can't speak their language...I really should learn spanish.  We hand them off to the Spanish Elders than go on our way finding more souls who's worth is great in the sight of our God. 

  These past two days we've been having a traning meeting with our area and another area called an MTE, which stands for Missionary Traning Experience.  What happens for this training is we get the chance to hear from and most importantly learn from President Donaldson in the mornings than go out the rest of the day and really apply what he taught us.  Companionships are given a "Coach" from another companionship that goes along on an exchange with them to help them really aply the principles taught.  I was fortunate enough to be sent on exchanges with another Elder who is in the same training program as I.  We were in the same district in the MTC and it was interesting to see how different our training has been going and how much each of us have learned.

  I want all who read this to know that I have a Testimony of the things I am teaching to others.  I know that I have a loving Father in Heaven who loves me dearly and wants the best for me.  I know he wants his children to return to live with him again and I know that all can do so as they accept the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ and follow his example.  I know that we have a Prophet on this earth who recieves divine inspiration and that he does so on a daily basis.  I know that if we pattern our lives after his and after the Saviour's that we will not only become happier, but we will have a peace that nothing else in this world can provide for us.  I know the Book of Mormon to be the word of God and as it says in the introduction, "a man can become nearer to God by abiding by its precepts than any other book," and that it is the "most correct" book of any now published on this Earth.  I know, and I know that God knows it and I will NOT deny it for ANY reason. 

  I am loving this work to which I have been called and I know that I will continue to do so as I keep my purpose in mind and as I, as I have dubbed it, keep the "Three L's" of missionary work.  I am Loving the Lord, I am Loving my Companion and I am most definitely Loving the People of San Diego.

 

Love,

 

Elder Wise4

More pictures

Sorry for the long break between posts.  Sometimes things just get a little bit crazy!  I WILL do better.  I promise!  I am glad to know that people other than Dave, Debbie and I are reading this, though!

Anyway, I'm posting some pictures that Elder Wise has e-mailed us.  I have also posted his letters from March 1 and March 8.  There was not a family letter on February 22.

Elder Wise and his mission president, President Donaldson.

Elder Wise with all the other newbies.

Elder Ispen, Sean's companion, and Elder Wise with Serena.  Serena asked the missionaries to baptize her.

Serena with her grandmother (left) and mother (right).  Serena's mother is a member, but her grandmother is not.

Baptisim of Jayden.  Jayden is the son of a recent convert.  Elder Ispen baptized him and Elder Wise confirmed him. 

Barbeque at the Lusson's.  Sister Lusson is a recent convert.  Sean had the opportunity to baptize her daughter. 

They may be missionaries and eagle scouts, but they still can't resist messing around with fire!

March 8, 2011

OK!

 

So let's see here, where to begin?  Ok, so last Sunday was the Baptism of Bibiana Adelina Gonsales the daughter of a recent convert Sister Lusson!  She asked Me to Baptize her! ME!  A fumbling, bumbling almost 20 year old who was so afraid I'd forget the words, or drop her in the water, or have to repeat everything, but what do you know, when the moment came to perform the ordinance I didn't even think, I just did and the words came and everything went perfect!  The Lord's hand is in everything we do and it is sooooo evident that he wants this work to get done. 

   Well, right now things are going ok, we're finding new people and we have about two people with a Baptismal date right now.  I'm tired all the time, but I'm having soooo much fun!  President Donaldson says that the reason we're tired is because we get the work, and we feel the responsibility that we have.  If that's the case then my body knows something that my mind is having a hard time catching up with!  Hahaha, well I love each and every one of you and I can't wait to see ya'll in TWO YEARS!!!  RWH!

 

 

Love,

 

Elder Wise 4

March 2, 2011

OK!  FAMILY LETTER TIME!!

 

  This last week has been amazing!!!  While it didn't seem like we have been teaching as much as we need to, Elder Ipsen and I have about 5 new investigators that we're planning on teaching this next week!  We've also given two Baptismal dates for two of our investigators.  One to Nathan for the 23rd of April (A long way out I know, but that's when he said he felt he would be ready), and one for Adelina this SUNDAY!!! AND SHE ASKED ME TO BAPTIZE HER!! Can you tell I'm excited?!?!?!?!  Hahahaha, I love my mission.  We took Pamela to the Temple last Wednesday for a lesson and she LOVED it.  She really is a choice spirit.  She called us yesterday, and it just so happened that it was my day with the phone, so I got to talk with her, but she started asking a question about 1 Nephi I believe chapter 13 v. 33-34.  While I was explaining the verses to her over the phone I hear her say, "Ok, that makes sense, that's where I am now, and if you had just made me read v. 35 to the end it would've answered all of my questions".  She heard me laughing on the other end and asked if I was laughing at her, she loves to joke with me, and I said that I wasn't laughing at her, I was happy because even though we never told her, she's already begun to apply the scriptures to her and she's receiving personal revelation from them.  We're planning on inviting her to be Baptized tomorrow so hopefully we'll have two this month!!

  Well, that's basically been my week, it's had its high and lows and the torrential rain fall we've had hasn't been helping matters, but it's been sunny and warm these past two days, and today was just too perfect a day not to go to the Temple, so we went through an Endowment session this morning.  And Ashley, I'm sorry, but I've decided to get married in the San Diego temple so....HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! You'll just have to wait till I'm sealed there! Hahaha, things have really been going great and I love receiving mail from ya'll.  Keep your eyes out, there should be some letters in the mail from me soon!

 

Love,

 

Elder Wise4