Letter from Kelson - Week #19 - Ahhhhhh!!!!! Just Kidding
Good Morning From Sunny California!!!!
It is a beautiful day in the lovely land of California. The sun is shining, the trees are blowing in the wind, the people are just lining up to be baptized, and it all happens to be a manageable temperature of around 90 degrees.
This past week has been super FUN!!! Elder Forsgren and I have been getting along like 2 peas in a pod, except for a little quirk of mine that I need a lot of work on. I have this inability to accept other peoples' service and charity. I can give it all day long, but then when people offer things to me, or try to serve me I just shoot them down and it makes them feel bad...I don't do it on purpose but it just happens. I am working on that and by small and simple means am I learning to become a service receiver, not a provider...hehe
Anyway, like I said, this week had been super fun. We have been going crazy with people who want the gospel. This week we taught 19 lessons, which if you think about it isn't really a lot, but then you think in terms of where my first couple of transfers we were happy with 12 lessons and half of them were Less-Active Recent Convert lessons. This past week only 5 were RCLA's and the rest were lessons with a member present or other. We really hit it hard this week, and we worked hard to put forth the effort so we could receive the blessing of having the Spirit guide our lessons. SO the good news that is coming from this week, we have 3 possible Baptisms in the month of September, we have dates set and people committed, all we need to do is keep teaching them, help them overcome their hurdles and lead them straight to the font in the Stake Center. Now, the even cooler thing about these people, is they are all part of a Ward that hasn't seen a baptism in 2 years, and before that it was 2 years prior. We are super excited and grateful for the blessing that the Lord has felt us worthy to receive as we teach His children. We and our Zone (Big area of Missionaries combined to work together) are praying everyday for the success of these lessons, because not only does it look good to our Mission President, but these people who have been prepared and shown the way to their Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, are accepting the Ordinance that will not only change their life forever, but provide a happiness that can only come through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I love this Work!!! It is fun, exciting, full of struggles and tribulation, has up times, down times, some in between times, laughter, sadness and it has times that make this little old Elder who thought he had the world revolving around him grow into something that he could never have imagined. I find myself growing in love and tolerance for the people here. Before it was kind of hard, because I saw the lives people would be living and I would think to myself "WHY?? and HOW???" but now that I have been here for almost 5 months I realize that these people were not as well blessed as I was to have a family that loves me, and to have no need to worry about where my next meal was coming from. I grew up in a sheltered place, no matter how I look at it, but that still doesn't change the Love our Father has for these people, thus I am here spreading His word Among those who will listen.
Everyday I have new experiences, everyday I have new stories, everyday I am shown a tender mercy from the Lord, and everyday I am able to get up at 6:30 and workout, make breakfast, study and then go out and teach all day non-stop, and then come home and have the energy to be wide awake and alert until 10:30 that evening. I have to say that some mornings are harder than others or I feel like a Zombie during the day, I knew that would happen, but there is a higher power that gives me strength and energy to do these many extraordinary things everyday.
If you don't mind I have a challenge for all those who are reading, and this is a full spectrum challenge not just a member of my church challenge. Go out and buy a notebook or a journal, then place it in a well trafficked place in your home. In this book I want you to write what you are grateful for, and it is open for anyone to write in. So when you walk past and you have something you are grateful for write it down in the journal. At first it may seem like only the big things go in, but as you become more aware of the many blessings you have received, the little things will appear too, plus an overwhelming Joy will fill your heart and mind as you understand that you have been very well blessed whatever your current circumstance. We all have different blessings, but they all have one origin...Cool huh?
I love being able to serve you, by serving my Heavenly Father, I also love hearing about the many things that those who are reading these e-mails are taking the time to take care of my family. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!
Now I depart until next week!!!,
Elder Wheeler
P.s. My mission president didn't say who to vote for, but just that we needed to vote...just for everyone's peace of mind... but I will say this.... GO NADER GO!!!!
P.p.s Mom Typos!!! I LOVE YOU!!!
It is a beautiful day in the lovely land of California. The sun is shining, the trees are blowing in the wind, the people are just lining up to be baptized, and it all happens to be a manageable temperature of around 90 degrees.
This past week has been super FUN!!! Elder Forsgren and I have been getting along like 2 peas in a pod, except for a little quirk of mine that I need a lot of work on. I have this inability to accept other peoples' service and charity. I can give it all day long, but then when people offer things to me, or try to serve me I just shoot them down and it makes them feel bad...I don't do it on purpose but it just happens. I am working on that and by small and simple means am I learning to become a service receiver, not a provider...hehe
Anyway, like I said, this week had been super fun. We have been going crazy with people who want the gospel. This week we taught 19 lessons, which if you think about it isn't really a lot, but then you think in terms of where my first couple of transfers we were happy with 12 lessons and half of them were Less-Active Recent Convert lessons. This past week only 5 were RCLA's and the rest were lessons with a member present or other. We really hit it hard this week, and we worked hard to put forth the effort so we could receive the blessing of having the Spirit guide our lessons. SO the good news that is coming from this week, we have 3 possible Baptisms in the month of September, we have dates set and people committed, all we need to do is keep teaching them, help them overcome their hurdles and lead them straight to the font in the Stake Center. Now, the even cooler thing about these people, is they are all part of a Ward that hasn't seen a baptism in 2 years, and before that it was 2 years prior. We are super excited and grateful for the blessing that the Lord has felt us worthy to receive as we teach His children. We and our Zone (Big area of Missionaries combined to work together) are praying everyday for the success of these lessons, because not only does it look good to our Mission President, but these people who have been prepared and shown the way to their Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, are accepting the Ordinance that will not only change their life forever, but provide a happiness that can only come through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I love this Work!!! It is fun, exciting, full of struggles and tribulation, has up times, down times, some in between times, laughter, sadness and it has times that make this little old Elder who thought he had the world revolving around him grow into something that he could never have imagined. I find myself growing in love and tolerance for the people here. Before it was kind of hard, because I saw the lives people would be living and I would think to myself "WHY?? and HOW???" but now that I have been here for almost 5 months I realize that these people were not as well blessed as I was to have a family that loves me, and to have no need to worry about where my next meal was coming from. I grew up in a sheltered place, no matter how I look at it, but that still doesn't change the Love our Father has for these people, thus I am here spreading His word Among those who will listen.
Everyday I have new experiences, everyday I have new stories, everyday I am shown a tender mercy from the Lord, and everyday I am able to get up at 6:30 and workout, make breakfast, study and then go out and teach all day non-stop, and then come home and have the energy to be wide awake and alert until 10:30 that evening. I have to say that some mornings are harder than others or I feel like a Zombie during the day, I knew that would happen, but there is a higher power that gives me strength and energy to do these many extraordinary things everyday.
If you don't mind I have a challenge for all those who are reading, and this is a full spectrum challenge not just a member of my church challenge. Go out and buy a notebook or a journal, then place it in a well trafficked place in your home. In this book I want you to write what you are grateful for, and it is open for anyone to write in. So when you walk past and you have something you are grateful for write it down in the journal. At first it may seem like only the big things go in, but as you become more aware of the many blessings you have received, the little things will appear too, plus an overwhelming Joy will fill your heart and mind as you understand that you have been very well blessed whatever your current circumstance. We all have different blessings, but they all have one origin...Cool huh?
I love being able to serve you, by serving my Heavenly Father, I also love hearing about the many things that those who are reading these e-mails are taking the time to take care of my family. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!
Now I depart until next week!!!,
Elder Wheeler
P.s. My mission president didn't say who to vote for, but just that we needed to vote...just for everyone's peace of mind... but I will say this.... GO NADER GO!!!!
P.p.s Mom Typos!!! I LOVE YOU!!!
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