Well???????

Hi, Momma!

White Bible says no pets -- Psh!

I love hearin about the week back home. Wow. I am so proud of Sam. An Eagle Scout and a High School graduate! He's got more credentials than me! Tell him I just think he's the coolest!  

Anyway.... My Week.....

In one word: "Well?????........"

Haha. My weeks been great besides the fact that (ready for this?).... we don't have any investigators.We're tracting all day using a method that hasn't worked but we are required to do so by El Presidente (no new investigators for 3 weeks now!). 

Our investigator has gotten cold feet the last two weeks both within 30 minutes of baptism and her guests waiting for her arrival at the church. A. didn't show up to church because he was going to go running instead and told his friend that he didn't want to go to church anymore. Anti-ed for sure. E, who had a solid baptismal date for last Saturday, left town without telling us (no phone) and now has been gone for over a week and a half.

UCA Boxing Instructor lives in Conway -- legit!

But to be real honest, although this week should be getting me down, I feel great! Happy. Energized. Gettin outta bed at 6:30 like i've been doin it my whole life. Spirit strong as ever directing my way. Opportunities presenting themselves as I put forth my own effort. I'm lovin this mission life! Hard? Yeah. Worth it? Heck Yeah!  Sweaty back, nose bleeds via dehydration, mosquito bites at all hours of the day. Over lookin it all cause this work is legit. 

Chillin?

It helps to be in an AWESOME town with AWESOME people and AWESOME support back at the Home Front. Somethin is goin on in this town. Gospel growin like crazy!  People think a "curse" has been lifted. Happy to be apart of it.

I'm doin great though!

I love you more Momma!

-Elder Bubba 

"It's about time, young man!"

Didn't hear from Dan until later last evening and that had me worried due to the horrific tornadoes heading toward him.  His first email to me said, "Mom's thoughts right about now, "It's about time young man!"  He was right!  I told him I was worried about the tornadoes in the area and he said, "shoot. i wrestled one of them yesterday.... showed him who his daddy was. thanks bro miller."  He had me laughing and, as he knows, once he gets me laughing, he's got me :)  Well, then he said, "I've never actually seen a tornado yet.  Kind of a bummer but it's a good bummer."  Silly boy!

Here is the rest of his "short" email this week:

Really though I am sorry it's taken so long. Crazy busy day. We even have to get to a lesson in a couple minutes. It really rubs me the wrong way when I can't write a full letter to ya. But there is work to be done and this mission is only for a short while. Sacrifices need to be made. I'm just sorry you have to be on the end where you don't get a real good length e-mail. But I think next week will be better.

Not much to talk about this week. we've been doin a lot of "finding." hasn't worked out too well. although... it has been fun. besides this wet-air business. the other day we went up to these people on their porch and right as we were about to leave (didn't say much, just handed them a card cause Mort was on the phone) their little 6 year old started askin me question about what we do. super funny kid. then he started askin me if I could dribble the basketball that was on the ground on my knees. I figured he ment juggle it so that's what I did. He thought it was pretty cool. Then I told him I could spin it and when I did that his face lit up! then he wanted me to dribble between my legs. so I did that and he was lovin it. Nothin came of it but it made "finding" and my day so much more enjoyable.

sorry not much but I gotta run.

I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-Elder Wheatley

Another beautiful week in Conway, Arkansas

So this week I really took to heart what Prez Petersen said in my interview about becoming a better missionary. It took some getting over myself but I realized he was right and let me tell you what happened...

We got back from District meeting and we were both drained. Mortensen wanted to nap but I was determined to show not only Prez but also myself that I could be that "4th missionary." I realized that I hadn't hit my peak of greatness yet but that I had so much more to learn. I needed to break down the wall that I put up when Prez pretty much told me I wasn't being a great missionary.  Mother's note: I asked Dan about this and he said that the President "didn't say I was bad but he told me I needed to become a "Preach My Gospel Missionary".  He continued on and said, "I have improved a ton but there is always room to get better and someone has to break me down so that I can get stronger."   So I got up off the la-z-boy and said, "let's go," even with nowhere in particular to go. We prayed and found a place to park, thought of an old investigator to follow-up on and started walking to save miles.



Alan's Baptism -- with Elders Wheatley and Mortensen

As we were walking the greatest thing happened... A car rolls up in front of us-- an outstretched hand holding a couple water bottles. Never seen the girl before. We thanked her for the water and started a conversation. Turns out she had met with the missionaries a few years back but lost contact when she moved and when she saw us talking to someone on the street, felt inspired to get us water. We asked if she'd like to continue taking the discussions and she was so excited to! She wanted to meet that night and gave us her address... so we thought. She gave us her building number-- but not her door number. So we prayed to know what door to knock on and the instant we ended we both said, "That one," pointing to door 1305.  We knocked and it was her.

Great lesson. Turns out she's still livin the Word of Wisdom from when the last Elders taught her. How cool is that?!

 

Elders Wheatley and Mortensen - Conway, Arkansas

 

We returned once more with a member, she came to church on Sunday (loved it), and we went back after church and set a date.

The blessing of just gettin out there!

Momma you would love her little 3 year old boy, Jeremiah. He's a character!

Well my week was exciting and full of growth.

2 things:

1) Baptism went great and Alan asked me to confirm him and church yesterday. The spirit was so strong. It just felt good.

Elder Shady!

2) I finally tried gator! SO GOOD! During lunch we went down to the fair grounds, cause it was Toad Suck Daze, and got me some gator!!! Another thing off my Bucket list.