Are your scriptures a souvenir or a practical tool?

Well... You about summed up how I feel about the Broncos going to the Super Bowl! THE BRONCOS ARE GOING TO THE SUPER BOWL!!!!! i can't witness it :/ BUT THE BRONCOS ARE GOING TO THE SUPER BOWL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Last night, every door we knocked on we asked how the game was going. ;) Both Elder G and I are Bronco fans. :D

Our Stake Conference was so incredible too! Best part was that I was able to see some folks from Arkadelphia that I haven't seen in almost a year, including an old investigator that is finally preparing to be baptized!!

Tell Sam to start practicing his basketball outside cause in 9.25 months I'm comin for him! :)

The count down has begun :P haha jk  Really though, January has been SOOOO LOOOOONNNNNGGGGGG! I hate that I can see the finish line. I was JUST getting enthralled enough in this work that I forgot about all things at home! haha.

Now for a review of this last week:

This week I had opportunities to learn patience, not with others, but with myself. I had to realize I wasn't perfect and that sometimes things don't always work out the way I want them to-- even if I asked, worked hard, and asked again. My weaknesses were seen clear as day and I wanted so badly for the Lord to take them and make them strengths. I gave them to Him. I gave Him time. I couldn't figure out why He hadn't made me strong in them yet.

I soon realized that the word "time" isn't limited to a day, a week, or a month. For all I know it could mean two years or even a life time. He just wants us to keep trying, be diligent, and continue in patience with an eye on the prize.

I also realized that when you pray for patience, you get the trials (opportunities to grow) that come along with learning it. There is so much potential here. We feel like we have found it but then it falls through our grasp. We have felt knocked down time and time again. We are bruised and bloody but for some reason we have found a way to stand back up.

Ultimately I have found it through Christ and His infinite Atonement. Recently I have found it through the scriptures. We listened to a talk by Hank Smith, that you gave us for Christmas, this last week and in it I learned that just like an investor in the stock market, a diligent student of the scriptures will only profit if a person takes the time and effort to invest: "The more I invest, the more I profit," he said.

He also asked, Are your scriptures a souvenir or a practical tool? How do we individually treat the scriptures in our life? Do we display them and cherish them like a souvenir without actually using them or are the scriptures used often in our lives to inspire us and bless us like a well-worn tool?

As I took these principles into effect this week, I looked back on my scriptures and saw all the markings I made in the last week and what joyed filled my heart as I realized how much more my scriptures actually mean to me now. I love them! I don't want to leave them. I learned to find the hidden message instead of just reading the stories. And that, right there, has opened up so many windows. I found such a joy and love and desire to not just read the scriptures but to search and to find the message within. I figure that if Moroni could only write "an hundreth part," these things have got to be so much deeper than we realize.

Honestly, a month ago, I was concerned for myself when I get home off my mission in regards to reading my scriptures everyday. I know I need to. But let's be realistic... With life in the way, I see myself being so easily distracted. Watching ESPN or sleeping in can and will appear more attractive than reading the scriptures. Quite frankly this disturbed me. I don't want to fall back into the real world.

If it wasn't for hearing that talk... I don't know what would've happened to me upon return to the real world. But, now, I have such a greater understanding of the scriptures and I have truly learned to cherish them. I am excited to see how this will affect not just my life, but the work here too.  I am "holding fast" to the iron rod and I am learning to do hard things.

I will eternally be gratefully for this opportunity to serve and to give full dedication to the work of "the salvation of thousands, the saving of souls, YES!" (Mission song)

-Elder Wheatley

p.s. I LOVE YOU MORE than the Broncos being in the Super Bowl!!!

The Holy Ghost Doesn't Stay Out After Dark Here

Hey Momma!

Just a quick note so that you know how I'm doin. Things are great!

We worked all day deep in Pine Bluff and loved every minute of it. People would've thought we were crazy for going there but I didn't feel the slightest bit scared because I knew that that is where the Lord wanted us to be. We weren't there after dark. That played a factor. Holy Ghost doesn't stay out after dark here. Anyway, so many people were receptive to the gospel and we found some solid folks.

We found a guy from the Marshall Islands earlier this week. Cool thing was-- a week earlier I found a Marshallese Book of Mormon in the other elder's apartment. It was really cool how the Spirit took over in our lesson. At first it was hard to even understand all that he said and us to him. But by the end we mutually understood each other like we both spoke the same language.

He had seen missionaries in the Marshall Islands before but his grandparents told him that we worshiped Joseph Smith. After explaining the apostasy and the restoration you could tell a light turned on in his head. "So Joseph Smith is a prophet. He's a prophet. I know it!" It was awesome!!

He was so thankful that he offered us a cup of coffee before we left.

Next up: Word of Wisdom!

Only problem is that this guy works on Sundays and his schedule is unpredictable the rest of the week.... We'll figure it out.

Basketball with Prez was really fun! I never have seen him in that light before. He just seemed happy. 

All in all: a really great week. A real turning point for me. I was gettin a little trunky and lazy a week or so ago but noticed what I was doing, or wasn't doing, and turned it around.

I Love YOU More!!!!!

-Elder Bubba

"And the next day it's run run run"

Hey there Momma!

I don't really know how to describe this week. If you were in it, you woulda hated it. But now that it's over it was a pretty good week. One day we would have an appointment at every hour or even less and we were just go go go and the Spirit was so strong. The next day: NOTHING. No one out. No one interested. Felt like the Spirit said, "Sorry bros. No one for you today. Check back tomorrow."

But then the next day it's run run run.

Every other day looked gloomy and hopeless. The key word was: Endure.

But the other days made up for it.

This week is gonna be bike week. :/ Usually look forward to it but... Not here. Not now. People think we're crazy for even being outside. Then we say, "We're from Utah." Usually settles it.

(We spend most of our time in Pine Bluff. We have one investigator in White Hall. Our apt is technically in Pine Bluff. We have to walk about a mile to get into White Hall city limits to do any work.)

We have been teaching some amazing people. This area is SO ready for the gospel. I think Pine Bluff could use another set of missionaries. The fruit is so ripe. Just gotta pick it.

We are working with a wonderful gentleman named A in Pine Bluff. It's so different and amazing teaching him because he internalizes every bit. We could teach him a whole lesson on repentance. We actually did. It's cool. He's not jumping into it like how most people would. None of our investigators are. They are all really taking it to thought and praying a lot and studying. Neat.

Well. That's it.  Glad everything is going good back home.

I LOVE YOU MORE!

-Elder Wheatley