Thursday, July 31, 2014

Week #5

Hola familia,

Thanks mom! I love you so much. Keep me updated. The bus drove by Provo High and I saw all the new buildings. So Weird!! I've only been gone for a month and it looks so different. haha. Yeah I see Zac Jarman all the time. I get the letters from Michelle [Isom] but I haven't been able to email Danny [Jenkins] or Dallin [Zibetti] yet. And I don't have much time today. My teacher is Hermano Glock. I love him. I'll make sure I take a picture with him sometime and with the branch presidency. I'll send the SD card home with Becca on Sunday or Monday or something. We go to the main campus for P-day and for devotionals. We went to the temple today and we saw the new movie. I'm glad what you said about line upon line. It's so true. The Lord is blessing us with more and more knowledge and I love when I figure that out. During study time I feel like I need to learn EVERYTHING to be able to teach people. But this last personal study I felt really peaceful and confident that the Lord will give me a testimony and bless me with knowledge little by little. And I know that he will bring anything to my remembrance that I'll need to teach people. How is everyone in the family doing? I haven't heard from Collin yet. Ella has written me more letters. And by the way, thank you so much for the letters. I didn't realize how much I'd cherish hand written letters as a missionary. They're great. Park City sounded great! Say hi to everyone at the wedding for me! I love all of you so much and I look up to you tons! I can't believe I'm leaving to Argentina in a weekish. There are so many things on my mind and there is one answer to all of them--HAVE FAITH IN CHRIST. So I try. I do my best at trusting in His timetable and His power and His atonement. And really, nothing else really matters. Serving a mission comes with a lot of ups and downs, but there is no doubt that I feel really close to the Lord. I've never talked to him so much in my life. I'm so blessed to be a missionary.

I was made District Leader this week until we go to Argentina. In a leadership meeting we talked about the principle of leading. Love, Discipline, Love. I loved it because it's what the Savior would do. He does at least twice as much loving as He does disciplining. Just in this last week, I've learned how to love Elders and their different view on things. I've learned how to show charity and patience even when it's hard. And I've learned how to pray for others. It's been a good experience.

Elder Groberg (Other Side of Heaven) spoke to us on Tuesday. In the movie, it said "But today, I can be the Lord's wind." Someone prayed for wind and someone acted to be an answer to the prayer. That's what I wanted to talk about. I have a challenge for everyone this week. Be an answer to someone's prayer. Be the Lord's wind. A lot of the time the Lord will answer our prayers through someone else's actions or through our own actions. Faith is action. 

Thank you for all the love, support, and prayers. I feel it everyday.

Love, 

Elder Bosco II



Elder Bosco II



Elders in the zone

Zone
Provo West MTC


Elder Jaren Hopkin and Elder Wesley Bosco- 2nd grade friends reunited as missionaries

Miller Field will have to wait for 2 years

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Week #4


Hola Familia,

Today marks one year for Dallin on the mission and one year since my surgery. Unbelievable. I can't tell you guys how many times the trial with my foot has given me strength on the mission. Even the little worry of not knowing spanish. When I first got surgery, I thought that I'd never be able to run again because of the way my foot looked. Well, sometimes I feel that I'll never be able to speak spanish fluently... Oh wait, I can run now. It just took patience, diligence and hard work and a LOT of Faith on the Lord. Oh wait, I will speak spanish, it will just take patience, diligence, hard work, and a LOT of Faith on the Lord. There's nothing I'd rather be doing with my life right now than serving a mission. I'm a little nervous to go to Argentina because it's the unknown. But I know that it will all be possible. Thank you for the letters, words of encouragement, and prayers. They help me out soooo much. 

This week during Sacrament meeting, Elder Swanson and I got called on to speak in spanish. The branch presidency chooses two Elders every week and of course we got chosen!! We spoke on Spanish. And to be honest, I wasn't that worried, I was prepared and I had it written all out. Plus, most of the people in there had no idea what we were saying so it was fine! haha. President Lindall (a president or a counselor the District Presidency for the MTC) spoke to us. He used to be a mission president in Argentina. He gave a great lesson on the Doctrine of Christ. What stuck with me the most was that he said that EVERYONE needs every aspect of the Doctrine of Christ. We all need it, so live it and share it! He also said to not worry about spanish. He promised us that everyone would be fluent in spanish. They will learn a lot in the field. He told us to focus our stress on something else. haha I loved that. He also talked about the mission and how exciting it is for crazy things to happen to you, but to never be scared because you are representing Jesus Christ. It was pretty cool. 

During a devotional this week, T.C. Christensen spoke to us. He showed us clips from 17 Miracles, Ephraim's Rescue, and others. He would then tell us the real story behind movie and it was really cool. Today is July 24th! And I'm so grateful for the pioneers. They were amazing. Also, Elder Ellis spoke to us from a Quorum of the 70 for another devotional. He has 9 kids, 8 have served, one is serving now. 29 grandkids. Leaving Ella Mae was hard enough, haha, but leaving 29 nieces and nephews would be insane!!! Hopefully when I get back, Ella will have some cousins. (Cough...cough...Amber...cough...Karissa....cough..) Haha I love you all!

One last story. While teaching an investigator about the Savior Jesus Christ, he (Gabriel) started telling Elder Swanson and I about when his son had cancer and he had to show faith in Christ. His eyes filled with tears, and mine did a little too. The spirit told me a sweet thing in that lesson. I remember thinking, there are going to be people in Argentina that have more faith in Jesus Christ than I do. They're so ready for the gospel. They will teach me more about the Savior than I know now. But I have something that they don't have. The gospel of Jesus Christ is more than a religion, it's a way of life. And these people want more than anything to learn it. They want to return to God. But they don't know where to find it. Never take the gospel for granted. It's such a great blessing in our lives.

Thanks for all the packages and letters and the carrots Amber haha. And especially pictures. They mean a lot. And always remember to never take the gospel of Jesus Christ for granted. It's a tremendous blessing.

Love Elder Bosco II






Thursday, July 17, 2014

Week #3

Hola familia,

Since the West Campus is all Spanish speakers, I'm so used to saying "Hola". It's kind of weird saying "Hello" and " Thank you" haha. This week was similar to last week. We have the same schedule each week. But I did learn a lot more Spanish and I did learn a lot more about how to begin teaching a lesson. It's a tricky task as a missionary. To be able to sit down with someone you don't know and to TRULY love them and to tie their life into the gospel. The easy thing about it is that the gospel connects to everyone's life, and the Spirit is what connects it to them. So really, if you talk about the gospel with the Spirit, you will be great friends with everyone. We have three progressing investigators right now and we just taught the Restoration to one. The Spirit was strong. It was great! Each day we teach someone. Our first fake investigator is our teacher now. It was a pretty cool experience.

I got to go to the temple today for P-Day. We did an endowment session and we saw an old video with the ASL version on the screens. So I got to read the script. (Which I loved by the way) I just love the temple. It gives me so much power and confidence as a missionary knowing that I am doing what the Lord wants me to do with my life right now.

For the devotional on Sunday, Richard I. Heaton shared about Charity. He said a statement that I want everyone to think about this week. "Charity will always require Sacrifice." Think about that for a second. When I think about that, I definitely think of Mom. She sacrifices so much for me and our whole family. Why? Because she has charity. I was reading in the Book of Mormon in Alma 26: 31-35. [31] We can witness of their love towards their brethren and also towards us. [32]For behold, they had rather sacrifice their lives than even take the life of their enemy. [33]And now behold I say unto you, has there been so great love in all the land? [35]Now have we not reason to rejoice?.... Their love for their brethren was what converted them to the Lord. They were willing to sacrifice, and their sacrifice brought rejoicing. That rejoicing led to a deeper conversion. If we truly want to become like Christ and have charity, then what are we willing to sacrifice for it? Are we willing to sacrifice our pride? Our sins? Our time and talents? The greater sacrifice will bring greater the charity. Charity will ALWAYS require Sacrifice. That's definitely something that I need to work on and I know that through Christ, I can have more charity for everyone.

Thank you for all the thoughts, prayers, emails, letters, and anything else you've all done in my behalf. As a missionary, I can truly feel that love and it means the world to me. Being set apart as a missionary is such a great blessing. We truly are set apart from the things of the world.

Remember charity will always require sacrifice.

Love 
Elder Bosco II

Thursday, July 10, 2014

Week #2 (First P-Day)

Hola familia!

What a week! It was definitely such a long week but I noticed so many blessings during it. Whenever times get hard, I find great strength in remembering how much support I have from everyone at home. The MTC is great. I'm constantly busy. I'll try to answer every question that people have asked me, but honestly, I don't remember all of them.

First day in the MTC was crazy. Wearing Elder Bosco has so much power. I represent Jesus Christ in everything I do now and it's on my chest! I love it! 
The fourth of July was weird, I'm in a little bubble and even though I know how exciting it gets in Provo, I never really felt it. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. We had a devotional and got to watch 17 miracles. I'm so grateful we got to watch that because it put into perspective the sacrifice that I'm making right now. 
Sunday was probably my favorite day. Because it was fast Sunday, we had a mission conference. And I learned some pretty cool things. A few weeks ago, all the new mission presidents were here and so all of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles were here. They made a new rule while teaching. All five lessons before baptism and all five lessons from Preach My Gospel after baptism. This is to really help convert the investigators. The rest of Sunday was great and full of the Spirit. The rest of the week has been similar. Sleep, study, eat, study, study, study, teach (in Spanish), eat, study, sleep. hahaha. 
My companion is Elder Swanson and I'll send a picture with the rest of my District. He's extremely smart and even though he didn't play sports, he knows a lot about them. He's a funny kid. President Pickering is our Branch President (He reminds me of Bishop Salmon and I love him) with Bro. Hughes and Bro. Hartman. Pres. Pickering served in Finland mom. haha. Oh, and I'm so glad for the study habits that I created before my mission. I've really learned to love studying the gospel and it's given me a great head start in Spanish. I do get overwhelmed because I know where I want to be in the language. But the language will come with time. On Tuesday, Elder Anderson from the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke to us about the Holy Ghost. I want to bear my testimony about the Holy Ghost. With it, everything is possible. Without it, nothing is possible. I've gained that knowledge so much just within a week. God has given us a member of the Godhead to dwell with us--so pay attention to the promptings you receive. We also sang in the MTC choir. I needed that. Be Still, My Soul touched me. A blessing from God for sure.

The west campus is great! the gyms are literally bubbled tents that are blown up. (I'll send a picture). We call the west campus Spanish Land because only Spanish speakers are here. The rooms are bigger and it's less crowded. The cafeteria isn't as big but it's still delicious. And don't feel like you need to send me anything. I have plenty. And if you really want to, surprise me with something. I'm not picky at all. Our classroom is an apartment. It's kind of interesting to see how the Church has transformed this place into an MTC. My zone is great. Sorry if I didn't get to answer any questions, I'll try to next time.

This gospel is true and the work is moving forward. I'm so grateful to be apart of something so great.Thanks for the prayers and letters. They mean the world to me. 
And Vamos a Argentina!
Remember to always follow the Spirit.

Love,
Elder Bosco II
Elder Swanson (My companion and District Leader)

  Elder Chronister (His dad is Mike Chronister played football for BYU)

 Elder Bowen (He's such a humble hard-worker. He broke his ankle a month ago and still does rehab in our room)

These white bubbles are the gyms. They are incredible! I'm buying one when I get home haha!

My District: (L to R) Elders Dworshak, Wilhelm, Christiansen (he reminds me of Mike Holland-he makes me laugh so much),  Papke, Bosco, Swanson, Chronister, Bowen

Monday, July 7, 2014

Wesley's Farewell Talk June 29, 2014

Let Your Faith Show by Elder Russell M. Nelson

I’m so grateful for everyone here today. I feel your love and support and I’m grateful for your examples to me in getting me to this point in my life today. My testimony of the gospel is what it is today because of my family, friends, and leaders. So thank you.
Elder Russell M. Nelson counseled us this last General Conference to Let Our Faith Show. I’m going to share with you my favorite definition of Faith: D&C 6:36- “Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.” Looking unto Christ in everything we do is the only way we can show true faith. Christ tells us to “doubt not, and fear not.” The opposite of doubting is having confidence in something. And Elder Nelson teaches us “faith is the antidote for fear.” So when we are told to doubt not and fear not, we are taught to have faith and confidence in our Lord Jesus Christ. We can have that faith and confidence in him through what he promises us in the scriptures. D&C 98:3- “…and all things wherewith you have been afflicted shall work together for your good, and to my name’s glory.”
I have truly seen this promise fulfilled in my life and I know that my trials have worked for my own benefit and have testified of the infinite glory of the Savior’s Atonement. Elder Nelson said, “ I will say that one of the realities of mortal life is that our faith will be tested and challenged.” And I’d like to share with you my trials of faith that have allowed me to let my faith show in serving a mission.

There are four principles that I’ve gained a strong testimony about that will let our faith show that I’ve learned through these trials.
1. Pray
2. Read Scriptures
3. Have Faith in Christ that everything will work out
4. Press forward serving others regardless of the circumstances

Anxiety
Many of you don’t know this, but growing up, I have struggled with anxiety. I had a hard time leaving my parents at all and I always knew that serving a mission would be difficult for me. My mom came to elementary school with me and would be in the classroom helping my teacher with work so that I wouldn’t have to leave her presence. I went through 7th grade struggling only a little to find out that I hit rock bottom during my 8th grade year. I came home crying every day and going to school each day was a struggle for me. Thankfully, my mom took me to a psychologist who was her mission companion’s husband. Looking back now, I’ve realized that I needed to go through what I went through. Talking to Dr. Paul saved my faith in Jesus Christ. The first day I went, he showed me a game. He drew 15 lines on a white board and told me that whoever crossed out the 15th line would win. You have the option of crossing out 1, 2, or 3 lines at a time, and then the other person takes their turn. No matter who started, he beat me every time. He then told me how to win the game and he told me to beat him. He told me to go home and beat five other people, and then to share with them how to win. When I went back the next session, he told me that just like he showed me how to beat that game, he was going to show me how to beat my anxiety. Instead of prescribing me to drugs and to things that would trick my body into feeling better, he prescribed me to the scriptures and he taught me how to overcome my illness with faith. I will never forget the scripture that he shared with me one of the first times I met with him.
 He pulled out the Book of Mormon from his bookshelf and read this scripture: “And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.” (Ether 12:27) Ether’s counsel to us was exactly what I needed to hear in my life. The promise that my weakness would become a strength almost seemed impossible but I knew that It could happen with faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It has been an ongoing process for years, but I’ve seen throughout my life how my weakness has become a strength. The promise that “all things wherewith you have been afflicted shall work together for your good, and to my name’s glory” had and was being fulfilled. This trial had worked for my good because it was turning me to the Lord.
I relied on praying to Heavenly Father and studying the scriptures. I made it a daily habit and it was something that I wanted to do everyday in order to receive the comfort that I needed. Elder Nelson said, “The scriptures provide one of the best ways to find our course and stay on it… We can gain great knowledge from the scriptures and obtain inspiration through prayers of faith.” The first way I have let my faith show in preparing for a mission is by praying and reading the scriptures.

 Foot
 Another trial that helped me show my faith was going through my foot injury. The reason it was so difficult for me was that it brought back my anxiety because I wasn’t able to be active and play sports. I was constantly worried that it would never get better. Through many months of pain, I still wasn’t sure what to do with my foot. The thought of foot surgery scared me to death. Just three days before Dallin left on his mission, I received a call from Dr. Faux, my foot surgeon, telling me the results of the MRI. He concluded that the results had been the same as they had been months earlier and that there hadn’t been much improvement. He gave me two options over the phone. First I could push through the injury and hope that it would get better (but that’s what I had been doing for 8 months) and he didn’t think it would get better OR I could have surgery on my foot, which would take out the bone with the inflammation, and he would fix the skeletal structure of my foot. He felt that surgery would be best but he warned me that it might result in me not being able to jump as high or run as fast. But he told me that no pain is always better than pain. As surgery came out of his mouth, fear filled my body, but only for a few seconds. Just as my fear and anxiety reached its max, a peaceful feeling filled my body. One that I can never forget and I felt the Spirit tell me that I needed to get surgery. As that week went on, I felt constant comfort. I did as Dallin left on Wednesday and I did as I got surgery on Thursday. I’m so grateful for the Priesthood blessing I received before Dallin left on his mission. I was promised that I would be healed through Dallin’s service in the Netherlands and Belgium. I felt the Spirit tell me that it will all be okay. Just a few weeks after surgery, I woke up in the middle of the night scared to death and full of anxiety. I called my mom in to my room and just started crying. I told her that I didn’t think that I could do it any longer. The physical and emotional pain was so overpowering at that point. My dad came in and comforted me. Even though he didn’t know exactly what I was going through, he told me about his injuries with his shoulders and how tough they were for him to get through. My parents encouraged me and promised me that they’d be with me every step of the way, regardless of what happened with my foot. That memory means a lot to me because it showed me how much the Savior loves me. He knows exactly what I am going through, and like my dad, He lets me know that He has been through it too. And I could feel His love and support every step of the way. I learned that when we have faith in Christ, everything will work out.
As I rehabbed with a lot of hard work, I returned to basketball and started playing. During the Christmas tournament, my other foot started hurting like my left one had months ago. It scared me. I didn’t know what to do because I wanted to play, but not if it meant that my right foot would get injured. Once again, however, the Lord blessed me. Driving to the hoop, I got knocked down and landed awkwardly on my wrist. I broke it. But it was a good break and I was only out for four weeks. I couldn’t play basketball until it healed and it gave my right foot time to get better. At this point, I didn’t care about playing sports anymore. I just wanted to be able to serve a mission with a healthy body. I received another Priesthood blessing from my father and Bishop Salmon. The Lord promised me through them that I “will be able to serve a full time mission when I turn 18.” Once again, I felt the comfort of the Spirit tell me that everything will be okay. When we have faith in Christ, everything will work out. And I can testify to you today that it worked out. I can testify that Christ’s Atonement is infinite in measure but specific to everyone’s needs and desires. He definitely cares enough about each of our struggles and desires to bless us.

 Bro. Rich
Someone who I look up to a lot that I can see has great faith in Christ is Patriarch Rich in our ward. He was diagnosed with cancer about 2 years ago. Since then, his circumstances have been difficult. Though most of us can’t see it, he is in a lot of pain. Yet his faith in Christ makes him happy. His testimony is one that I wish to have someday. He knows that everything will work out. He has been a great example of teaching me how to let my faith show. He has shown me how to press forward serving others regardless of the circumstances.
 My mom has always taught me that when I am feeling down and sorry for myself, that is the time when I need to serve others the most. She is one of the best examples of that. There is no better way to let go of selfish worries from our lives than by serving others. Serving others will fill us with the Spirit and help us feel love for everyone.

Onion Field- President Eyring
 A great example of this is a story told by President Henry B. Eyring. This is President Eyring’s account: “He was nearly 80 and had bone cancer [talking about his father]. He had bone cancer so badly in his hips that he could hardly move. The pain was great. Dad was the senior high counselor in his stake and he had the responsibility for the welfare farm. An assignment was given to weed a field of onions. So Dad assigned himself to go work on the farm. He never told me how hard it was but I have met several people who were with him that day. I talked to one of them on the phone and he said that he was weeding in the row next to Dad through most of the day. He told me the same thing that others who were there that day had told me. He said that the pain was so great that Dad was pulling himself along on his stomach with his elbows. He couldn’t kneel; the pain was too great for him to kneel. Everyone who has talked to me that day has remarked how Dad smiled and laughed and talked happily with them as they worked in that field of onions. Now this was the joke Dad told me on himself afterward. He said that he was there at the end of the day. After all the work was finished and the onions were all weeded, someone said to him, ‘Henry, good heavens, you didn’t pull those weeds did you? Those weeds were sprayed two days ago and they were going to die anyway.’ Dad just roared. He thought it was the funniest thing. He thought that it was a great joke on himself. He had worked through the day in the wrong weeds. They had been sprayed and would have died anyway. When Dad told me this story, I knew how tough it was, so I asked him, ‘Dad, how could you make a joke out of that? How could you take it so pleasantly?’ He said something to me that I will never forget and I hope you won’t. He said, ‘Hal, I wasn’t there for the weeds.’ “Now, you will be in an onion patch much of your life, so will I. It will be hard to see the powers of heaven magnifying us or our efforts. It may even be hard to see our work being of any value at all. And sometimes our work won’t go well. But you didn’t come for the weeds, you came for the Savior.”
 As we serve others regardless of our circumstances we will be able show our love for the Savior and let our faith show.

 I made a goal before I got my call to bear my testimony in the language that I got my call in. So here I go:

Yo sé que este evangelio es verdad. Me bendice mucho mi familia. Yo sé que José Smith es una profeta verdadera. Tenemos el Libro de Mormón por medio de él. Yo sé que el Libro de Mormón es un otro testamento de Jesucristo. Sé que Jesucristo vive, y Él padeció para mí y para todas las personas. Él tiene mucho amor para cada uno de nosotros. Yo sé que podemos tener la vida eterna a través de Jesucristo. Y podemos vivir con Jesucristo y nuestro Padre Celestial otra vez. Y yo digo estas cosas en el nombre de Jesucristo, amen.

WEEK #1

Wesley went into the Provo West MTC (formerly known as Raintree and WyView Apartments)
on Wednesday July 2, 2014

We will post his first letter when we receive it.... Thank you for your love and support

His address is:
Elder Wesley Bosco
AUG12 ARG-BABL
2023 N. 900 E. UNIT 804
Provo, Utah 84602

or you can use

Dearelder.com
West MTC
Unit# 804
Mission Code: ARG-BABL
departure date: Aug 12