Well, the time has come to say goodbye to a mission and work
here in Boston that I have grown so close to. I would have never thought that I
would have been able to accomplish so much in such a short period of time. In
these short two transfers, or 3 months, I have been able to teach a variety of
people but also have been taught even more than I could have imagined. It has
truly been a unique experience to serve in one of the most historical and well-educated cities in the world. As I have pondered about what I could write today,
I thought it would be most appropriate to write about the people and families
that I have grown close to and have been able to teach.
The Hsieh family has played a fundamental part in helping me
progress as a missionary and individual. Brother Hsieh is the Group Leader, and
I am grateful for the service and commitment he has towards the missionaries
and members that make up our group. Just as equally important, if not more
so, is his wife whom I have seen support him in his calling. I truly admire
Sister Hsieh who comes week in and week out. Sister Hsieh does not speak
Chinese and listens to the translation every week. Put simply, the Hsieh family
has taught me lessons of devotion and commitment in such a short period of
time, and for that I thank them! I am excited to write that in the coming
months the Hsieh family will double in size!! I recommended the name Bracken
(seems to be a pretty good name) for their consideration, but no hard feelings
if it doesn't make the cut! Thank you so much, Brother and Sister Hsieh!!
Brother and Sister Hsieh with Elder Wilde
For those of you who recall, I wrote about the Yuan family a
short while ago and the miracle that happened on our first visit with them.
Otherwise referred to as Helen and David, this family has been one of the most
amazing people to teach and grow close to. This past week, we had the
opportunity to teach and extend a commitment of baptism. We taught the second
half of the Plan of Salvation and emphasized the importance of eternal
families. As we neared the peak of our lesson and felt the calming presence of
the spirit, we knew that it was time to extended an invitation to be baptized.
As discussed before, we went to Helen and David's home, and I would be the one
extending the invitation. Before doing so, I turned to Elder Paiva and Elder
MacJanet and asked them to bear their testimonies of the Plan of Salvation. As
they did so, the feeling of the Spirit in their home grew stronger and stronger.
Finally, as they concluded, I bore my testimony, in a way that I had not
previously done. As I concluded my testimony, I felt the Spirit so strongly. I
extended a baptismal invitation to which they accepted. After extending the invitation, Helen
explained that they wanted to do it as a family. While we did not walk out of
there with a date for them, I knew that everything would be okay. I came to the
understanding on the car ride home of how much family means to them. Their
example made me reflect on the deep love I have for every family member and how
close I was to them. I love their family and know that their future is so
bright.
David and Helen Yuan with Elder Wilde
Finally, I want to close by talking about what I have learned
from my companions. First and foremost, they are two amazing missionaries, and I
have learned so much from them in a short period of time. I have learned two
valuable lessons that I wish to carry over in my missionary life and in my life
to come. The first lesson is one that I learned from Elder Yu. I have learned
to work smart. While I cannot proclaim that I am the smartest person or that in
these three months I have turned into the smartest missionary, I can say that I
have made great strides. I am grateful for the ways in which he has helped me
to perceive missionary work and how he has best helped me to understand ways in
which I can really care for those around me. To him, I will always be grateful.
Elder Ribeiro has also taught me a great lesson which I have tried to apply
more and more. Elder Ribeiro is always so happy. I couldn't figure it out. We
would be having the worst day, but he would still have the biggest smile on his
face. As I came closer to him, I understood a principle that he lived by. He
best illustrated this principle to me with a quote he heard some time ago. It is as follows:
"Life is like a roller coaster. It has its ups and downs. But it's your choice to
scream or enjoy the ride." We all go through hard and challenging days, but
I found that Elder Ribeiro taught me to enjoy the ride no matter the
circumstance. I love these two missionaries and will miss them as I leave the
Massachusetts Boston Mission, but know that they both have bright futures!
Elder Wilde with his two companions in the Massachusetts Boston Mission:
Elder Ribeiro and Elder Yu
It's been an amazing ride here and it truly has had its ups
and downs. Today, I will be literally going down under and cannot wait to write to
you about my new experiences. I am excited to to continue the work down under.
Who knows, I may even see old friends. I know that my PIC (partner in crime) is
down there and hope not to miss the opportunity to say, once more, "And
remember...the sun rises first in Pudong." Thanks to everyone that has made
this journey so memorable, words cannot show my gratitude that I have for each
and everyone of you that have been a part of my life in one way or another.
I love you all, and
hope that I can hear from you soon!
Elder Wilde
Elder Wilde
No comments:
Post a Comment