Letter from Kelson - Week #14 - Holy Cow this is hard!!!

Good Morning From Sunny California!!! I am so unsure where to start this whole week and the update that I want to give to everyone who is reading. I could start at the beginning but then I am not sure if I would give justice to the real intense parts...I wish I was better at making decisions. I guess I'll start with the thing that took up the most time and move down from there... This week was a finding week, We spent I think everyday from 1-6 walking around our area just talking to anyone who would listen and anyone who didn't want to listen. We were very persistent. I think we walked maybe 25 miles this week, which doesn't seem like a lot, but you walk everyday like that and tell me how you feel...hehe After a long week of finding and searching we had very little success, which kind of sucks something fierce, but we had some interesting times as we went out and talked to some interesting people. Every kind of person goes out for a walk, we met up with people who have mental issues, we met up with blind people, we saw members of the church, we met people who had been baptized before they were ready to be so they don't attend church, we talked to gangsters, we talked to drugies and we also played a game of basketball with some middle eastern kids. All in all we tried really hard to find people to teach, but at the end of the week we found absolutely no new investigators. By this time I am already kind of feeling down about the work, because I was measuring my success on the amount of people we added and truly brought unto Jesus Christ. However, one thing I didn't notice is that through all of this contacting, and meeting of people we had actually taught many lessons. We hit a new record for the transfer in lessons taught. We hit all of our goals for lessons and people to church, and it turned out to be a successful week. I learned that I need to look at the bigger picture and stop fretting about the little stuff. We rocked this week and it was all because of the tender mercies of the Lord that we just so happened to teach so many people. My Words of Wisdom for all who read, and for my mother to plaster on FACEBOOK with the intro "Today's Words of Wisdom:" is Stop looking at the intricate details of the trials you are going through in Life...actually throw them out the window, because the greater picture that you are painting with "The Colors of the Wind" (Pocahontas) will show you that your efforts are not wasted, but are changing the very pattern in which your masterpiece is created. Then my mother should end the FACEBOOK status update with this "Now Enjoy Life!!! :)" (Got it Mom!?, Love you) If any of you are feeling overly touched by these words, that is great, but also I would implore you to read Alma 26 in the Book of Mormon, along with Moroni 7...And don't tell me you are not curious as to what they say, so look them up and enjoy them as I have. I have one more week as a greenie missionary and then I graduate to full fledged missionary who can do anything the Lord wants him to, without being in training anymore. "The Heat is On" Next week I will have a new companion, and My time with Elder Outlaw will end, but I must say that the Lord has inspired this work, because we are just like two peas in a pod and as we work together and talk things through we have success whether people accept the message that we share. He also has the uncanny ability to make me look back at what I may be complaining about and then tell me I am stupid and should go Repent for my Pride...I needed that a lot this week...oops. Sorry this letter is short and not very Girthy, but I didn't have a lot to elaborate on, but because I am such a nice guy I will leave you with my witness of Jesus Christ. I know that My Redeemer lives, I know that Jesus Christ, although perfect, was baptized to show us the way to obtain eternal life. I know that his Gospel has been restored to the Earth through a latter-day prophet. I know that even though the commandments seem restrictive at first, they are really only there to set us free from being subject to situations and heart ache that come from indulging in the desires of the natural man. I love this work, I love my Saviour and most of all I love YOU!!! My purpose is to invite others to come to the knowledge I have, my purpose is to add to the good in the world, not tear it down, my purpose is to show as many people as possible that even though there is evil all around there will always be a glimour of hope, there will always be a stretched forth hand to build them up and remove them from the evil. Christ has His hand stretched forth and will not reject you if you come unto him. We do this through Faith in Him and His Atonement, Repentance, being Baptized by someone holding the Priesthood authority of God, receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost and then Enduring this Life until the Master will say "The Work is Done". I know all of what I say to be true because I have searched the scriptures, I have pondered their meaning and I have ask my Father in Heaven for myself if these things are true...and alas he has told me YES. I leave this with whomever is reading in the sacred name of Jesus Christ. Amen. Love, Elder Wheeler