Letter from Kelson - Week #2

Good Morning Sunny California!!! This is the one and only Elder Wheeler, coming to you Live from Heaven...I am just kidding. But I am in the MTC still. It is now time for our travel log update about how things are going for me and the people that I get to teach as a missionary for Jesus Christ. Week 1 was great I did a lot of study, teaching, EATING, and not a lot of sleeping. I was just so happy to be here in the MTC that my enthusiasm made up for the difference in my knowledge and what not. As the week went on, however, my enthusiasm began to diminish because I was so bored of being stuck in a classroom for somewhere around 12 hours a day. The boredom soon ceased, when we started to have to teach progressing investigators, and then random people we were assigned to faux tract into, and referrals from BYU. I have got to say that I think I have had to teach more in this past 2 weeks than I have in all of my church career teaching experiences to this point. Not only am I teaching more, but I am praying all the time, so this is how my day kind of goes. Wake up, Pray, go to breakfast, Pray, Pray, then begin study, Pray, begin class, Pray, go teach a lesson, Pray before teaching, Pray while teaching, Pray when finished teaching, Pray giving thanks for the use of the Spirit, Go to lunch, Pray,...And so on. This has been a time of much communication with God, and His Son Jesus Christ. I think that They would be tired of hearing from me, but they just keeping talking, and answering, and making my life just a little bit less stressful each day. I have the most exciting, and wonderful investigators that I am currently teaching, and each one of them are different in so many ways. I would love to tell you about all of them, but I guess I can save those stories for when I have stocked up on stories and have returned from my labours. There is this one, however, that I would love to expound upon right now. His name is Pat, and he is a person who is seeking for a church for his girlfriends son to be a part of so the young boy may know and have God in his life. The girlfriend is a Less-Active member, and they are currently living together. Pat grew up catholic, and has been going to the Jehovah's Witnesses for the past 3 years. This young gentleman has been a work in progress from day one, he has had questions that my companion and I have had to answer, without prior preparation, and he has been a worry of mine for when the time came for bringing up the Law of Chastity; only because he lives with his girlfriend, and they have been together for a long time, so I was worried about his disinterest as soon as we said he needs to marry before he get baptized. So we taught him the lessons of The Restoration, then we jumped to the 3rd lesson, which is The Gospel of Jesus Christ. When we finished the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we invited him to follow Christ's example and be baptized. He accepted because he was so happy to be able to feel like he could be completely clean, and have the Holy Ghost to guide him through his life. He was so Happy, and the Spirit was so strong that he didn't mind the fact that we went almost 10 min over on time. Since then we have taught him the Plan of Salvation, and we introduced Chastity. When we did, he was hesitant to make a commitment to keep this commandment, but he said he wanted to talk it over with Katie (GF). When we came back this last time, we finished the Plan of Salvation, and he committed to live the Law of Chastity, and he is scheduled to be baptized on June 5th. We are super excited for him, and it is just such a blessing and miracle to be able to see the change happen before my very eyes. I love this Gospel, and It does change lives!!!! For those who are wondering, my first companion of the mission is a young half-Asian, stud muffin of a man, that doesn't take crap from no one, and seems to argue with me all the time on the greatness of the game of Soccer, named Elder Marcus Shiotani. He is way cool, we get along just like brothers and we just teach with great unity and power. He is a testimony in himself to me, because I feel like I can't compare with his courage to be here. He has only been a member since he was 18, and that was somewhere around 1.56 years ago. And he has such a testimony of missionary work, and the gospel that I just can't keep up. However, because of seminary, what I lack in shear awesomity, I make up for in scripture reference remembrance. But once again I must Thank my Heavenly Father, because he has allowed the Spirit to take my learning through osmosis in seminary and let my mouth proceed forth with TRUTH. I feel Impressed to tell my Family, that I will not be calling home on Mother's Day, because there are so many Elders in the MTC they do not allow the calling home on mother's day, but I will be able to call home next Tuesday around 12.30 Ohio time, right before I get on the plane to fly to Cali. So Mom I am sorry, but no one is getting a call on Mother's Day. And you will have to wait until Christmas. I have so much I want to tell the family, and I am kind of bummed too, but I know the Lord will make everything truly worth while. Oh and to put and end to your worries I do not have any problem with anything that would cause me to come home, I just thought I would get your blood pumping in suspense!!! I am running short on time and need to e-mail other people, please give all my love to everyone, and I'll send you a picture as soon as I can when I get to Cali. I love Rhys!!! Yours in the Service of God, Elder Kelson Wheeler