For everyone at home that got sick I am very sorry!  Sickness has been going around like crazy here because of how cold it has been, it is a very different kind of cold than we have in Utah, but I am not really sure how to explain it.  This week I have heard the statement "We are very allergic to the cold"  or I get asked "Are you allergic to the cold"  I honestly had no idea that it was possible to be allergic to cold.  Learn something new everyday?  Not really convinced still that you can be, but I will just keep smiling each time I hear it, because it just makes me smile! I am so amazed with the strenght that each of you have, I for some reason am slow (tarbaby if I may) and have to do things the hard way to learn sometimes.  Mom you always do so wonderful with your lessons!  That sound like an amazing talk.  If I have time this week I will find some stuff to add, I`d love to add something if I might:-) Gram and Papa, I am so sorry that you had to put Bubba down this week!  I like to think that they will be with us in the next life as well, because Gretta was another part of the family as well.  How is everyone doing at home? Everyone feeling better? How are the rest of the families on both sides?  Grandma and Grandpa Wilcox can e-mail me too.  This week in the life of Hermana Wilcox...Everyone and I mean everyone had Michael Jackson on all week long, it was super strange.  Also everyone is starting back to school this week, they go from January to October straight here.  Mom, Laura said that you can send things back with her, you might have to pay an extra baggage fee of 25 dollars or something, so I am not really sure.  I will get her number for you.  This last week we had a reunion with the leaders from each ward, and missionaries all together with the Stake President for the Plan of the Area, from the Area 70.  That was super different, seeing how things get planned from the area 70, but super cool.  Then we were also told missionaries especially sisters have to have a member with them each night after  6, so we are working on that.  And a priesthood holder has to make sure we make it into the house safely.  Wowza.  So investigators that we have real quick.  Trivett is 13 years old and Hna Treviño and I taught his Dad once before transfers.  We went back after transfers and I asked if his sons would like to join us.  Trivett is amazing!  He is such a smart youngman and reminds me a lot of Jackson, it is super weird.  But we asked him last night if he would be baptized this weekend and he said yes!  He has gone to all of the activities in the church and all of the meetings each Sunday and loves it.  For a young men's activity he said he would give a talk on faith and did it.  And it making a lot of new friends, it is so great!  We just need to talk to his Mom now, she is a nurse and is constantly working!  She told his Dad something that stopped him from progressing for now, and his Dad told his Mom that Trivett could chose whatever he wanted to do.  Trivett told us last night that he feels really good in the church and wants to keep going and learning and he told his Mom that and she was okay with it.  So now we just need her permission.  Then Gustavo Lopez.  He was in our Carpeta and hadn't been visited in months so we went to figure out why.  He is awesome as well and said he wants to be baptized, so tonight we are going to give him the date of the 27th.  Then Familia Guerrero they were a reference from a member.  I will have to tell you more about them next week.  Also Mom my companion goes home the 21st of Feb.  We have changes the 20th of Feb.  Pretty crazy.  Also for some reason everyone keeps telling me I am going to train next change, we`ll see what happens, ha!  Well I love you all, and I am so excited for all of the great things to come!  Keep smiling and working hard, and know that your Heavenly Father truely loves you all!  I was going to say something else but just forgot, haha. 
Have a Super Sparkly Day!
SLY
Hermana Wilcox

¡Feliz Cumpleaños! I want to help others get to their missions or on their missions knowing how much it will help them, and our brothers and sisters all over the world waiting for this message!  Well this week I looked for shoes yesterday, but for some reason I have HUGE feet.  Haha it is pretty hard to find shoes my size here, it is really pretty funny. I tower over many people here, which is really weird, so clearly my feet are larger as well. This year for my birthday I am pretty sure I will be in this area still, but with a new companion.  I am killing off my companion right now (which means she is going home this change).  She is from Honduras, and we are doing great.  Weird enough I knew I was going to get her as a companion.  About five days before changes I looked at Hna. Treviño and said we are going to have changes and Hna. Cuellar is going to be my companion.  She laughed and said I was just thinking that!  Sure enough she is my companion.  She is great!  Very quiet at times, but I don´t mind.  She is willing to laugh and helps me with my Spanish which is good.  I think she has been a sister that has changed a lot in her mission, because I have had a couple of sisters ask me how it is going, and were worried.  But she is great!  We can all change so much, I surely have a lot to change, so I think it is important to just love.  Mom and Dad both told me that before I came out, and Dad told me if I ever get frustrated with a companion find a way to serve them, shine their shoes, do something.  That is exactly what we should be doing anyway, serving them, so I thank you both for your advise!  I am not sure what else you would like to know about her, so ask if you want to know more:-) Well we had cleaning checks this week and we got 100%!  What up!?  Turns out I am a clean person, who´d of thunk?  That is all I will say about that right now.  Funny story of the week we were knocking doors and a group of maybe 10 year old boys, 4 of them, see us and say Hey Baby I love (lub) you.  Really, starting off young...But I have come up with a new game, many people will say weird things to us in English, so if we feel safe around them we are going to ask them a simple question in English.  So far they just look at us weird and laugh. A recent convert moved to Nicaragua this week, and we had our last lesson with her and her kids.  It was really hard to say good bye, and she thanked me for all I have done to help her and her kids, and was bawling when she gave me a hug.  It made me want to work that much harder knowing that I actually am helping people here, even by doing just the little bit that I can, and trying my hardest to always have the love of Christ with me.  Elder Christopherson is coming next week!  All of the missions in the city get to go, I am so excited.  I was so excited to see and talk to Daneese!!! But we were told this morning that President doesn't want us talking to other missions and wants us studying in the Book of Mormon in the chapters that we have for that morning, which is great and I will do it.  Maybe wink from a distance!  But it will be great hearing him speak!  We had a safety meeting this morning and I just thought I would remind to not put anything online that would hint to where I am.  And if you get a phone call ever asking for money because they have me, call president Brough immediately before doing anything.  I am so grateful to be here, and so grateful for each of you!  My Heavenly Father has truly blessed me with amazing people in my life!  We have a family and a 14 year old we want to baptize this month, but I will share more information about them next week.  Pray that they will feel of the Saviors love and know this is the true Gospel of Jesus Christ and will know they need to be baptized.  I love you all, and can´t thank you enough for all of your support!  Hope you all have an AMAZING week!!!
Have a super Sparkly Day!
SLY,
Hermana Wilcox

Holy cow!  I can not believe that 2012 has come and gone!  It flew by so fast, and from what I hear this year is going to be a whole lot faster!  It was so good to hear from everyone on Christmas!!!  I didn't realize it was going to be SO stinkin' hard to hang up the phone!  I wanted to grab it and just keep talking!  Next call I want to do it a little different and have a short little conversation with everyone and then be on speaker with everyone.  I felt bad that I didn´t really get to talk to everyone and that I did most of the talking:-) So Hna. Marenco that lost her baby last week is doing great!  I was really trying to figure out what we could share with them that would help them.  We went over Wednesday night just after she got home from the hospital to share a message of hope and faith.  They had such a different spirit in there home that was filled with faith and hope!  It was so cool to see the difference!  I thought we were going to walk in and she was going to be super bummed out, but it was very opposite!  They are so grateful to the Lord for showing her that they can have children if they do all they can to prepare for the temple and live the gospel of Jesus Christ.  She has been told for 14 years that she can´t have children, and then they had this miracle.  They brought up the experience we had with them, and she told me she kept thinking oh yeah okay maybe in another 14 years, but then from what I found out it happened right after you guys told me that.  Then we had a lesson with them last night and the Hermano said to me that Our Heavenly Father knows what he is doing and puts certain people in our paths for reasons.  He said he had no idea why they moved here for a time and plan on moving back to Nicuragua (not sure how to spell that), but now he feels that it was because they were supposed to meet me.  They told me they will never forget me and really hope to stay in contact with where ever we go, and that I am a very special person to them.  I just wanted to cry all night last night, because it just shows me once again that although I might not be able to clearly express everything I want to, I can still show them the love of Christ by striving to have the spirit with me always.  Then this last Sunday we had a lesson with a menos activo, that only had a little while.  So we were trying to figure out what to share with her that would help (it is the Family that got offended by the other family we asked to have a family home evening with)  Hermana Cuellar (my companion) sat there looking at me, then all the sudden the scripture Mosiah 2:17 came to mind.  We talked about that and asked her what is one thing she can do to serve this week, then another thought came to mind, you need to help her do something kind to the sister in the ward that has offended her.  So that is just what we are going to do!  I was so grateful to have the spirit with me, with out it there is no way I could have come up with that. We found a 13 year old this week named Tribet that came to church with us, and seems really excited!  I am super excited about him and will keep you posted! I made some cheesy pancakes and my companions have thought I am crazy...and then they try them! TASTY!  I had a dream the other night that my companion Hna. Treviño stole the little bees off of my flip flops, and I was SO sad, luckily I still have them, but it was very funny and random.  The poinsettias here are HUGE and they have them year round, I have a picture for you but no way to load it and send it right now. Thank Brother and Sister Harrison for all of their letters I love them, and it is always fun to hear from home!  Gram and Papa thank you for your letters as well! Thank you each for all of your love and support!  As missionaries it is really cool to feel that!  KC HAPPY BIRTHDAY next week!  The big 21! Sparkling Cider here you come, woah!  Well funny story of the week, it has been so blasted cold I have been wearing two sweatshirts, and socks, but the other day when someone asked about the cold (this was still with Hna. Treviño) Hna. Treviño said she was wearing two shrits, a sweatshrit and her coat, and I said what I was wearing, but instead of saying socks I said the word for underwear.  I even knew the difference!  Maybe they all needed a good laugh, because they still are laughing about it!  Well I love you all!  Keep the stories coming!  I love hearing from you all!
Have a super Sparkly Day! And a Sparkly New Year!
SLY,
Hermana Wilcox

December 24th

¡¡¡FELIZ NAVIDAD TO ALL!!!  I am so freakishly excited that I get to talk to you all tomorrow!  Since no one e-mailed me this week,  I also get to open my exciting packages tomorrow, which is another something that I am excited about!  Well the 'end of the world' was this week.  Nothing happened in our area that we know of, we felt that we needed to stay in the main city where we live that day, so we had to change some appointments, but it ended out working pretty good.  I don´t know what you all have heard this week in the news, but yes two sisters were missing in our mission for just over a day I believe.  We really don´t know anything and probably won´t know anything, but all week long members have been calling to make sure we are okay, and people have been stopping us in the street and so forth.  It has been weird to see that even though Satan is trying to work so hard, he seems to be opening windows for us to share a message.  Wednesday night I felt super weird like something was wrong, then we received the call first thing the next morning to pray for the sisters that were missing.  We didn't even know they were in our mission, we were just told they were in Central America.  That entire day I kept thinking I know it is my last companion, I just know it is her.  The next day first thing in the morning we got a call saying that they had been found and were with President.  Then a couple of hours later our Cocinera and her two girls came over to make sure that we were okay, and just sat there hugging me and they told me they were positive it was my companion.  We have goals as a mission that we need to accomplish, because they are the goals that our Heavenly Father knows we can accomplish.  Because of that Satan is working extremely hard, that happened, there have been a lot of missionaries sick, assistance to church has been hard, and so many other things.  We just know that we need more faith than ever right now as companionship, districts, zones, mission, and from our families at home.  I  can see why the families grow and have blessings now while they have a missionary or missionaries out.  They have to exercise their faith just as much, families are a huge part of the work, and our first or one of the first messages to people is that We have a loving Heavenly Father who has given us all, especially families.  At times it may be difficult in the family, but I am so EXTREMELY grateful for the family that my Heavenly Father has blessed me with!  I honestly couldn't have asked for a better family!  I have learned to much about family here on the mission so far, among many other things, but so much centers around the family in this gospel.  I pray that I will become the best missionary, daughter, sister, granddaughter, neice, cousin, and friend that I can be.  It is going to be a rough journey because I have a lot to learn and change, but I need and want to do it.  Grandma and Grandpa, Gram and Papa, I am so extremely lucky to have you all close around me as well, to hear and see your testimonies.  I want you all to take the time and read in the scriptures, go to the temple, read talks from the leaders in the church, and read in Preach my Gospel.  So many people here don´t have a family like I have been blessed with, but I know I am here to help them realize that they do have a family, that we all have a loving Heavenly Father, and older brother Jesus Christ.  I am so grateful that we were raised in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and I truely hope that one day I will be a fantastic Mom, just like Mom and Dad have shown me. Know that I love you all, and I am SO excited to talk to you all tomorrow!  Have a WONDERFUL time with Karm and the rest of the family for me, and play a bit it the snow for me to, and eat!  LOVE YOU!  Tell everyone hello and hugs!
SLY,
Hermana Wilcox

Photos

 This is Brenda. She goes out with us all the time and is leaving on her mission to Nicaragua this month.

 18 Weeks for me!

 This is what we call my Yogurt cups! I love them!

 This is Nancy!

 He and his amazing wife made us Creme Brulee!

 Hrn. Hernandez! We LOVE them!

 ALL the toilet paper here smells. I think it is because you put {text missing in email} it and not in the toilet. Merry Christmas scent!

 My 4 braiding skills

 At the temple

Basket Man! He has lots more, but I didn't get a picture before he took them off.

Well not to much happened this last week.  We found out the other day that we would have e-mail today and not tomorrow or later on in the week since we have the mission Christmas get together tomorrow!  We get to go back to the temple!  Since we have to leave our area at 3 tomorrow morning, the rest of the 4 sisters in our zone will be having a sleep over at our house, which means tonight I will be leading one companionship around tonight on splits and my companion will have the other companionship.

We found Churros about a month ago, but they come and go.  They are no longer here, but we had them twice while they were and Holy Smokes!  Churros here are different, and so good!  After you order them they put some sugar on it, and then you choose between carmel, condensed milk, chocolate, or syrup to put on top of it!  Delicious!  It is a good thing they left, but they are SO good.  We have smelled them when we are walking down a certain street, but we haven`t found where they are yet.  Then the beans here are so tasty too.  I don`t know why I haven`t told you about them before.  Our cocinera has made a few little batches for us to take home, this last time I have been sick so I haven`t been up to eating any. 

So Kerri Wadsworth e-mailed me last week and I didn't get to answer her in my e-mail.  Tell her thank you!  And it is the same address.  The buses here are terrifying enough!  I can honestly say I hate their driving here, but from what I understand the driving here is calm compared to other countries in Central America! 

We had a little tremble this week, my companion didn`t even feel it.  Now though everytime we have one we are supposed to call in.  I still have a feeling something big is coming, I just don`t know what or when. 

So I don`t think I told you this already, but we have a family that got re-baptized...long story, but it was in I think May.  Anyway they have since gone inactive again because of some things that have gone down in the ward.  Anyway we found out who the family was that was giving them grief, and we happened to see them on the street the next day.  They had been acting kind of weird around us, and we understood why when we found out.  So we stopped to say hello and see how they were, then asked if they would be willing to have a Noche de Hogar with a menos activo familia in the ward.  They said sure who is it, then we looked at each other and said Familia Huinil.  Their faces were HILARIOUS!  I wish I would have had a way to record it.  Then they said (very frantically) oh we don`t even know who that is,  (Turning to eachother) do you know who that is?!  I don`t know who that is, what is their names again?  Then we repeated, and they said are you even allowed to come to the other side (our ward is divided between the Elders and us, but we have permission to do things like that).  It was pretty funny, and made us chuckle!  We also had a member call this week with a reference.  He is awesome!  His name is Oscar, and he is from a smaller pueblo in our area.  The member has been giving him Liahona`s and such, and he just seems very excited to learn more!  We are going to go teach him and his family this week.  So more to come on him! 

Then last week I had felt kind of sick all week, but it was fine, then Friday we went to the city and back and I had been doing pretty well.  But then it really hit me hard.  I hadn't been able to eat anything all day that day except for sip on a sprite, and soda crackers.  Then my back and my stomach seized up and I was having a really hard time moving.  I got a blessing, and then I was on the toilet for a while. Embarrassing, but hey.  Our Zone Leaders told me that we should probably go on splits, since we couldn't get a hold of Hermana Brough.  So we did and I went with our cocinera and another sister in the ward went with Hermana Treviño.  Anyway, they had all of these remedy things to give me.  One was a children's chocolate medicine, I drank that and two seconds later (literally)  I was on the toilet with what we like to call BOO and green throw up filling a garbage can.  It was bad.  I like to say I have Enemigos in my stomach.  I don`t like them.  But I am getting better! Word spread like wildfire that I was sick, and then someone spread that they had to rush me to the hospital, which was not true, but funny to find out. 

Also 4 weeks ago Hna. Treviño and I found this lady named Nancy, that we knew was going to be baptized in 3 weeks, sure enough she was baptized last Saturday, sadly she was on the Elders side, but she would save lots of questions to ask us on Sunday`s, it was kind of funny. 

Anyway sorry it`s so long again, but here are some pictures!  Love you all, and I am so excited to talk to you in 15 days!!!  Hope the Christmas season is treating you all well!  And I`ll have more information on the calling thing next week!  Also will you keep Hna Treviño's Dad in your prayers for me!  He`s having a really hard time with health problems. Well Love you all!  Have an amazing week!  I pray everything is well with everyone, since I didn't hear from anyone this week.  Stay strong, and keep smiling!
SLY
Hermana Wilcox

Well it turns out I am on a computer again that I don´t know where the question marks are:-). 

Laura (the girl from Utah) and her family had us and an investigator over for dinner on Thursday!  Well it was lunch, and then we had a lesson with our investigator Carlos and Laura´s niece and nephew.  It was so tasty!  I got a hot pumpkin pie, it was so good!

I have to keep reminding myself that the Lord wants me here, and that I need to constantly check and make sure I am doing the things that He wants me to be doing.  Just make sure that you are doing the things that Heavenly Father would want to see you doing, and I know that will make you the person that He wants you to be.  Remember how much you are loved by not only Him, but your family here as well!  I can tell you though it is not going to be easy because Satan is going to work like crazy since you are trying to change for the better and do what is right.  I only know because he is working like crazy on me!  Scary thing is, is I know it is only going to get harder!  Stay strong!  Don´t give up hope, just work as hard as you can, keep smiling, and love.

Sounds like you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  It was SO weird not to be at home!  I had tortilla chips with cream cheese and salsa that day and thought you might be eating the same thing :-) 

This week I did a 4 braid on myself!  I can´t get the computer to load my pictures, so you´ll get lots next week and I will need to remember to take a picture of the braid.  Also I did two french braids in my hair, I´m moving up a bit, haha! 

Also we have been hearing wolves around here, and my companion keeps calling them woofs, it makes me laugh every time.

Cool story of the week, I had a rough day trying to figure out what to do with everything and we went to our cocinera´s house for lunch and she told me that she thought she needed to tell me and Hermana Treviño something.  When she told me my part I cried of course.  She told me she would never forget me because of the example I have been to her daughters.  Her oldest daughter is 15 and I met them both my first day here.  She told me that Maria Fernanda, the 15 year old after meeting me my first day was so shocked that it was my first day, and then told her Mom that because of me she wanted to serve a mission.  I have a hard time thinking that I am doing anything to help anyone since I don´t know the gospel as well as I should or the language to communicate.  That for me was an experience that meant a lot.  It is also amazing that even though sometimes I ramble off words that might not make sense with how I said them the people still let us in.  I know that it is only through the spirit that we get in to houses!  No matter where you are in the world, if you speak the language or not, if the Lord has prepared them for you even prepared them for you to plant the seed, they will let you in.  I can´t believe how important prayer is, and we are so blessed to know about it. 

Who ever reads this, please think of questions you have, or changes you want to make, or just want to feel love, whatever it is, think of that and then read Moroni 10:3-5.  Then sit there quietly thinking and pondering.  I get to go to the temple tomorrow and couldn't be more excited!  I love you all so very much, and I hope that you know that!  I hope you all have a WONDERFUL week!  To everyone that wrote to KC and I, I am working on letters back!  Love you all!
Hermana Wilcox