Letter from Kelson - Week #23 - The Lord has crazy things in store for me!!!

Good Morning From Sunny California!!!

I am suffering from an overabundance of writers block right now...Grrr Ok I think I am ready...

So this past week was one that started off like any other...with P-Day!!! It went like any other p-day, relaxation with a hint of fun. Then the week took off...and then soon died; we had 6 scheduled appointments this week with some really solid people...at least we thought they were solid and they all fell through. Gosh that sucks a lot!!! But with lots of opposition comes great blessings in the near future. After this long week of crappy flaky appointments we had a miracle weekend. It started off on Friday and ended NEVER!!!

Our success started with a great lesson to a couple kids named Nick and Ryan who are children of a Recent Convert. We taught them a lesson using a Teabag and a lighter.  It was awesome (If you want to see it have your local missionaries demonstrate it for you...I think they may know what I am talking about). Afterwards we watched a Mormon Message about the Priesthood because they wanted to know how to become deacons so they can pass the sacrament and so they knew what the Aaronic Priesthood meant as far as responsibility.  So we watched the video and we discussed the topics and invited them to be baptized. They both accepted, but we need the Father's permission to baptize them because he is not a member. So we kind of alluded to the fact that they need to be baptized before Elder Leavitt and I leave the area...mainly Elder Leavitt because he goes home in 4 weeks. After our serious discussion we slowly...actually rather quickly changed from talking about life eternal to killing each other with NERF guns...these Boys are super chill and super funny. They had their weapons ready and they just let us have it...but we didn't stand idly by while they pummeled us with darts, we stole their extra guns and fought them to the death. It seems that after about 15 headshots little boys don't die... well that's just great because we ended up losing in the end because they kept bringing out more guns and they just destroyed us...plus their dad jumped in and helped them, lets just say that I have a few red marks between my eyes, he was a great shot. 

Then on Saturday we helped someone move into our Ward who is super missionary-minded so we plan on going over there to see if they have friends for us to teach. After the move we received a call about a family that is interested in the gospel, from our very good friend Brother Vosper. This guy is super legit. He helps the missionaries all the time and he has this business that is about to take off and go global. He is using a Chinese fruit to make a sweetener comparable to sugar and 10X healthier for you. It is called Monk-fruit...I think. We had dinner with him and then we talked about this family that he had for us to teach...they came to church and we have a follow up appointment with them on Thursday!!! After we left we went to the Pfeifers...so our Nerf war was actually Saturday...my bad.  

Sunday was great; we had 7 people to church and it was fast and testimony meeting...What a great Day!!! I love hearing everyone else's testimonies and how the gospel has strengthened their life and helped them come closer to Christ

Some quick info about my new area...I am in a Car (Elder Leavitt drives because he is the senior companion) which means planning is harder because there is not a 30 min travel time, it is more of a 30 second travel time. Because I don't get the continued exercise from riding my bike I have to find other ways to receive exercise, like using the Workout room located in our apartment complex...it is super nice, and there is a dry sauna too so I can sweat off those extra pounds. Along with these precautions I have been blessed with very well off members who like to spoil the missionaries by buying them groceries...and they tell us that we can only get the best, no generic crap...I am not complaining at all because I have been using these stipulations to eat healthy and help me keep my weight in check...that and Elder Leavitt is going home and he says he needs to lose 10 pounds before he walks off that plane. He is quite the helper in keeping me healthy. 

I had some questions posed so I will try to answer them in a timely manner...

I attend church 3 times each Sunday, which means I am in church from 7:30 in the morning to 5:00 in the Evening. In a Mormon service we have 3 hours of church per meeting, the first is Sacrament Meeting (1 Hour) and then we have Sunday School (1 Hour as well) and then we split up into Men and Women Classes i.e. Priesthood and Relief Society (1 Hour). On Sunday's because I cover 3 different congregations I attend the first 2 classes in each ward and the last class only during the last ward's meetings...if that doesn't make sense see my attorney and she can take care of the confusion...i.e. my mother!!!( Thanks mom) From this information I may have answered all the posed questions...Man I'm Good!!!

I love being here in an area where the work progresses through the members of the church. Every area should be like this because the members are where the most success comes. To all the members that read this e-mail I would exhort you to make a Mormon.org profile and join the many who love being a member, plus I would ask that you Like on Facebook the local stake Facebook page that way the loudest noise heard about the church comes from positive sources and not the opposite. We as a people are really great and love to be thought of as great people, but we are not thought of that way by lots more than we know. We need to help the world see that we are truly representing Christ and trying to follow as closely as we can. We may stumble, we make mistakes, everyone does... that is part of being human, but I know this to be true that if we stick to the basics of the Doctrine such as "Faith, Repentance, Baptism, Receiving the Holy Ghost, and Enduring to the End" as well and the 2 great commandments "Love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart, Might, Mind, and Strength...and Love thy Neighbor as thyself" those who think we are the worst people to walk the earth will be proven wrong in every aspect. 

I love this Gospel and I am willing to sacrifice everything for my Savior and all that he teaches me...Isn't that so cool!?!?!? 

Share the Gospel and the Lord will bless you even more than he already has!!!

Love,

Elder Wheeler