Missions are scary...at least for Mommas!

So.... This week has been, well, I don't know. It's been great! But very interesting. Last night I sat in bed trying to go over what the heck happened yesterday. I'll explain starting with Saturday morning.

Saturday morning was really fun. As you saw in the picture, we walked around in the cold. Soon after that pic was taken it started raining. Thank goodness for the umbrella from Aaron and Shannon. Shout out to them!

That morning I thought the number, "22" in my head. So we headed down to 22nd Street. We walked around and knocked on doors that we felt inspired to knock on. No bites but I just felt great and I had a really happy attitude about going out and working. Big smile the whole time. At noon we finally went back to the car cause we had an appointment with a less-active. It was an awesome experience meeting with him. He told us about he wants to go back to church but how it's hard because he's on a church probation of sorts where he can't take the sacrament for a full year after he gets over his two addictions he's struggling with. Then he told us what they were and we were able to help him and encourage him to keep trying-- You can imagine my excitement when I saw him at church yesterday.

So the rest of Saturday was full of service and going to see people and inviting them to church. We even got 2 people to commit to coming that I thought would never come. So needless to say, I was so excited.

Then Sunday. This is where it gets interesting. It starts out with me having a bad night's sleep because I was so anxious about our investigators not really showin up or having dreams about church going extremely bad and giving the investigators a bad taste in their mouths. Thankfully it was Branch Conference and it didn't start til 1:30 so even though I probably shouldn't have, I needed to relax and try to sleep so I went back to bed. When I awoke I read the Book of Mormon in Alma where Ammon was so filled with joy that he collapsed... We got a phone call from F... our Golden investigator, and he said that he was back in town and that he would be able to come to church. I was so happy! And knowing that my other investigators were coming I was filled with almost as much joy as Ammon when he met Alma.

When we got to church we saw those 2 investigators there and they already both had fellowshippers! People that they already knew outside of church! Thank goodness!

Then F... shows up with his 2 daughters! I was so happy! Joy was back and greater than ever.

Then... It goes south again.

After I helped pass the sacrament-- little branches haha-- I was called out into the hall. I was told someone was here askin for me. I was stoked, figuring that it was another one of our investigators. It was the kid that I had been playing ball with in the morning at the rec center. He was dressed in a jump suit wearing a backwards hat. I was curious why he was there seeing as when we spoke at the rec center the other day he said some weird things about the devil and stuff. So I decided after that we'd never go back. But maybe he just really wanted to check us out. So I proceeded to talk to him when immediately I just felt this dark feeling rush over me. He began saying some really weird stuff again and soon I find out why he's really there. Or why he says he's really there. His church is collecting jackets for a charity and he is coming to see if we'll donate by taking off that jackets that we were wearing right then to donate. I'm thinkin, "What the? Is this guy serious?" Anyway, this guy was acting super scary and weird. I tried my best to keep it under control. I thought that we'd get rid of him but he ended up coming to our class. In there he acted and said some more weird things. I felt so dark. And I felt even worse for F... and our other investigator A....

 

Well I'm not gonna go into too much detail. But he left after that class, had an interesting meeting on the way out where the Stake Prez shook his hand and I swear the Stake Prez looked right through this kid even without them saying any words. Well the Prez left and so did this kid. But it gets worse. He returns after church gets out. Looking for the Prez cause he thinks the Prez was disrespectful in his hard handshake and wanted to have a few words with him. Well after a few minutes of persuading and almost an argument cause we were trying to tell this kid that the Prez didn't mean anything like that, he finally left. I was kind of worked up inside me especially because I was worried about F.... All our other lessons were super spirit-packed and this one was crazy to say the least. But one thing helped me relax. F... went up to our teacher and started laughing and saying, "I feel for you man. AHAHAHAHA!" So I was relieved knowing that F... didn't get affected and is still cool.

So church was just a weird roller coaster. That kid just looked like a wolf and I know he was up to no good. But we had branch members who felt the same and we all talked about it so we're all on the same page and glad they backed us up.

Well the day didn't end there. It's 5 o'clock and we have an appointment with a less-active guy. It was so spiritual. We just started talking about normal stuff and he asked us if he could have a blessing. His ex-wife was falsely accusing him of bad stuff and wasn't giving him his son back. So I asked if I could ask him some personal questions. We talked for quite a few minutes and we discussed how to help. I asked how he was doing with temptations like tobacco and stuff and he said how he had gotten back on chew. I invited him to get rid of it and he hopped right up and emptied it out into the trash. I then invited him to offer a prayer in front of us and it was so heart felt and powerful. I don't know where I came up with that process but I guess I do... The Spirit told me.

After a very spiritual blessing you could tell he was comforted and back to normal and we proceeded to just talk and laugh and have a good time and the spirit was there the whole time. Very powerful.

But then it gets even deeper at our next place. We felt inspired to go visit this one lady member who wasn't at church and when she opened the door she just lost it. Crying like crazy. The apartment smelled like smoke and there was alcohol and just a really sad feeling. It turns out, not going into details, that her stepfather did some really horrible, nasty things to her growing up and that when she went to visit her family yesterday morning she started to tell them and they called her a liar and were angry with her. So when she got back she resorted back to old habits like smoking and drinking.

Mom, it was so sad.

But when she saw us she just lost it. We listened to everything for about 2 hours. She said that that was the first time she told everything to someone. Her kids didn't even know.

Anyway, it was just rough. I was even crying. But we talked and she gave us her cigarettes (broke them and flushed them when we got home-- that was fun) and when we left she said that she just felt so much better and was grateful we came over when we did.

You know, we missed dinner last night, but I felt full... as a missionary.

It was the most crazy day in my entire life. I was laying in bed last night just trying to figure out what happened that day.

It was something else and I sure am glad to be in Arkadelphia right now. It's where I'm supposed to be because of everything that went down yesterday. So forget baptisms and all this other stuff that make missions worth it for people. This was worth it for me. To be there for my brothers and sisters who need me most at their time of most need.

-Elder Wheatley

Top o the morning to ya!

First off, haha, I gave a talk on Sunday and when I got up there the first thing I said was, "I feel it appropriate to say, Top o the morning to ya!" (In my accent of course) Funny that you said the same! I also told them that probably as we speak my mother is making green eggs and ham and green milk for breakfast.... I had an orange and a granola bar.

Sharon, a recent convert

I'm doin awesome! We've really stepped up our game and have gotten out by 10 every morning! We've been blessed to meet so many different people and i'm losin some weight and I just feel very fulfilled! We have been walking quite a bit to save miles. We don't want to go over. We went 508 miles over last month and were told that the car was going to be taken away but we still have the car and we're trying to prove worthy to keep it.

So have you heard of aquaponics???? It's the coolest thing ever. I think it'd be a perfect thing to start. I wanna "bring it back" to Utah. Look it up. It's sick!

Here's a story for you...

 

It was Saturday night. 8:40pm. An appointment falls through. The Elders sit in their charcoal Chevy Malibu contimplating their next move. "Let's just call it a night," proposes Elder Wheatley. "Naw. We really need to see someone and get some numbers," replies the veteran, Elder Kowalk. Elder Wheatley scrolls through the contact list on the cheap and dimmly lit mission cellular phone and makes a couple calls with no success. The Elders look defeated and with a sigh, Elder Kowalk agrees to call it. But wait! Elder Wheatley has put it in his mind that they need to see someone and once he has put it in his mind to do something he's gonna do it! Lest we forget Tough Mudder?!

Elder Wheatley recalls the oppertunity he has to speak tomorrow in church and thinks of an investigator that he wants there but said he wasn't gonna go to church this week. No matter to this determined Elder. He has the gift of persuasion does he not?!

So they head over to the projects, a place they have never been to after dark. A scary place in the light yet all fear has left this young gun and with the goal in sight he continues forward.

 

Now just need water and a willing participant!!!!!We aren't giving up!

Some how, some way, in their diligence, the Elders receive a blessing from on high. Not only did this investigator, through a little bit of convincing, agree to go to church that next morning, but so did his fiance, and his little brother who is a less-active member.

The Elders roll out of the projects victorious. And with an orange for breakfast tomorrow.

That's what's up:)

Unfortunately it turns out that the investigator and fiance didn't come... haha. What the flip?! Oh well. At least the less-active brother and his member mother came. She's been wanting us to get him to come for a couple months. So that's a plus.

Anyway. It was just an awesome week. No real bites but I feel like we succeeded.

If I had more time i'd also tell you about how we helped Bro. Bill eradicate the squirrels from his attic and then boarded up the holes where they got in. I'll just leave it at that. It was kinda sketchy but oh the excitement! haha

Love ya more!

-Elder Bubba

Missionary Sunday

3/12/13: Adam's been called to Johannesburg huh? Lucky. That'll be cool.

What do they need more bleachers at PHS for? Nobody wants to watch Provo High Football. haha

That was a cool pic of the Tabernacle. Looks crazy! Can't wait to go through it!

So glad to hear you're doin well. Water makes all the difference. I'm just sick of buyin water cause the water out here tastes like bleach. Although it is convenient to just grab a bottle and not worry about washing it. So I don't know why i'm complaining. haha

I have a small crockpot so i'll try to make a small batch of that jelly/bbq meatball stuff. We made chicken and it was really good for our first time.

Speaking of jelly.... I hate this Welch's garbage! Can you send me some cannery jam please? That stuff is the best and I sure do miss it. Also.... I wouldn't mind more crunchy peanut butter. I bought some creamy stuff out here cause it was super cheap ($1.50) but it wasn't as good as crunchy and the crunchy out here runs like $4.

Well this week has been great. A lot faster than last week. It's probably cause I tried to get ready on time more.

We had some GREAT lessons! The first one with Amboline House. An old lady who we found a referral from 2010 for. She's Methodist and a very prominent in her church BUT she's been diligently tryin to read the Book of Mormon even though she doesn't really understand it. So when I finally opened my mouth to ask if she'd be baptized it took me by suprise when she said that if God told her, then she would. She said, "Well yeah. If God told me, of course I would." So i'm really hopin and prayin that she'll pray. You tell a lot of people to pray and ask about the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and they just pray asking the Lord to keep us safe. So they don't really pray about what we ask them too so it's kinda difficult.

The other awesome lesson was with Fabrice. The guy that just walked into church one time wanting to know more. We met him at the church and gave him a church tour and it was the most powerful lessons i've ever taught. We answered all of his questions and we even talked to him about baptism right in front of the baptismal font with the doors open. It was a really spirit filled lesson. He is reading all sorts of literature except for the Book of Mormon. We just gotta work on that. I can't blame people. The Book of Mormon isn't the easiest book on the planet to read. It's not super hard either, it's just not very fun unless you really get into it. I have real faith that he'll get baptized though. Awesome guy. He understands almost everything. The only thing he struggles with is the literal gathering of the ten tribes on the American continant and that Heavenly Father has a physical body. But those things are so nit picky that we don't need to dwell on them so much right now. I think he'll get over those small things. He likes the feel of this church and he agrees with the "most important" doctrine so that's real good.

A black guy said he had mad respect for us white guys goin into the projects every week where there are guns and we're the only white people to visit his member wife.

It is a very sketchy and scary place but ya gotta do what ya gotta do.

They are going to be taking away our car for 2 weeks at a time and putting us on a car-share with some other Elders cause we went 508 miles over our miles limit last month. It wasn't our fault that we went that far over. They made us drive up to Little Rock seven additional times.  I'm ok with biking except for the fact that we have legit investigators 20+ miles away (one way on the highway). I can't imagine how many miles it would be on the back roads. I wouldn't mind spening a day biking just to see one investigator but my companion doesn't want to. Can you blame him? haha

I'm trying to see if anything else happened this week....

Transfer calls were this mornin so i'll be here for at least 6 more weeks. I was very relieved. I didn't wanna get sent somewhere else cause there is some unfinished business I need to attend to here. Like baptizing Fabrice. I couldn't sleep at all last night. My anxiety was so high cause I was worried that I would be sent somewhere else even though they wouldn't have my companion take over this area after only one transfer. So next transfer I could possibly be leaving cause my companion could very well "die" here. He only has 3 transfers left til he dies (or in other words, till his mission is finished).

Well there is nothing else that I can think of at the moment. I'll probably think of it when I finally leave. haha

Work is doin great and so am I! The Lord is really lookin after me.

I love y'all so much and I can't wait to get back and give y'all a great big hug! I'm not trunky at all. I am excited to be serving an honorable, full 2 year mission and i'll be excited when the time comes to return home again.

-Elder Wheatley

For service this week, we helped butcher a cow who died giving birth

Still lovin it!

3/5/13: Well things finally did slow down this week and I was just happy to know that things would so that when they did I wouldn't be too upset. It was hard trying to "fight" to try to keep them up but looking back it still was a good week regardless of the week prior to success. I kept hearing, "Just hit the snooze button once. Nothin bad will come from it." Then the next thing I know it's an hour and a half later and i'm beatin myself up goin, "What are you doin?! AHHH! You're so stupid!"

 

Finally my body must've had enough cause yesterday morning I felt sick and started throwin up. I felt misserable. But I tell you what, i'm happy for 3 things: 1) That i'm gettin over it now 2) Learning to get a bucket and 3) for the awesome members of this Branch. We called and told our Branch Mission Leader that we wouldn't be able to make it to church and buy the 2nd hour a Sister in our branch brought over so much stuff for us. Looks like she went to the store and got like 50+ bucks worth of food for us. It's awesome. More stuff than we will ever use. Soup, jello, pudding, sodas, bread, immodeum, pepto, buttermilk (yuck!), bananas, yogurt, crackers, apple sauce, gatorade, and all that good jazz. And everyone was texting us asking if we needed anything. I got a blessing yesterday night. We got breakfast delivered this morning, and dinner tonight. We got a gallon of ice cream dropped off at lunch. It's just been incredible.

My comp is probably the most happy cause of all the food he gets cause it's too much for me and because some of it I wouldn't be able to eat.

I wish I could give some of the ladies in the branch a HUGE hug! They deserve it.

Well my companion is awesome. Hard worker. Really gettin me goin as a missionary but is cool and not pushy. He's from South Jordan and everybody loves him. He's very smart with the scriptures but doesn't get too deep with the doctrine like the last guy did. I never had a good feeling when people started talking deep doctrine. He's just super cool and is showing me how missionary work is supposed to be done. I feel like we're a power house combo when we teach. We both like to and know when to goof off and when to be serious and we feed off of one another which can get fun sometimes. It's good that i've had chill companions cause i'm worried that if I get an Elder XXXX that i'll throw him up against the wall. haha. hopefully kidding of course. (Elder XXXXX was a super letter of the law and nothing else missionary)

Anyway, we're getting along just great and I hope that we don't get "the call" next week. Next week is transfers. A short five week transfer for some reason. It's gone by SO fast and I like how successful we've been.

My new trainer and I...

Tell Andy Hernandez I said he's awesome and good luck and tell him I said, "don't let her take away your bike!"

Aaron Wheatley wrote me a letter. How do I send one to him? Is it a different proccess? More stamps than normal? Or completely different proccess?

I LOVE YOU MORE MOMMA!

-Elder Wheatley

On Cloud 9

2/25/13: If I can remember I'll ask the Prez about the temple blog. I thought the pic you sent when it was on stilts was pretty darn cool. There is a young family from Provo in our Branch who I call my Home Town Homies that showed me a similar pic after I got yours.

You looked so good and happy in Hawaii! Hope you're still happy in freezing cold Utah! (sarcasm included)

 

Well, all is awesomely well here. No drop from cloud 9 yet! We've been working super hard and the blessings from Heaven are flowing in! For a quick example, we received 4 new, legit investigators last week! That may not seem like much, but it is for here! And that branch seems to just be awesome in support and referrals which was something I thought they were terrible about before. I guess it just took good, hard working missionaries and a change of my heart for me to realize how awesome they really are.

And you wanna know the truest, most amazing blessing we recieved from the Lord?-- A gentleman from Cameroon walked into Sacrament meeting yesterday and sat in the back. A total stranger I've never seen before. Right after the prayer the Branch President hopped up and went right over to talk to him. He then handed him over to us and that is when it got good. He came to the next class with us and in that one-on-one class with us and the branch mission leader, we were able to teach him the restoration and answer a bunch of questions he had. The spirit was SO strong! The whole day it was. Anyway, he seemed to agree to everything we said.

He said he wanted to find a church to raise his two kids (2 and 4 years old) in and the way he found out about us is awesome. He said that he is living in Little Rock but his girlfriend lives down here with their kids and they've been trying to work their relationship out for a couple years. So as he had been down here with her he noticed a book on her table. He asked about it and she said how some church boys gave it to her. He asked if she had read it, she said no and knew nothing about it. Well he kinda left it at that but upon his next return, he had been thinking about the book and noticed it still sitting there. This happened again and on the third time he finally opened it and read bits and pieces. He decided he needed to check us out.

I remember his girlfriend. We attempted to visit her many times but she didn't want to let two men in seeing as there had been some bad things goin on in Arkadelphia, like the murders and everything. I don't blame her. But we left her a Book of Mormon and she said that some day she'd come and check us out but didn't want anyone over. I didn't think that she'd ever come. Remember, this was like 3 months ago, probably within the first weeks I got here.
Well this guy, Fabrice is his name, googled us to learn more. He said how he realized it probably wasn't the best source but he read about us on Wikipedia. (I've read wikipedia's page on us. It's not bad.) He said he liked our sense of community and focus on family.

I don't know what else to put except for, it was just an incredible lesson filled with the spirit. He also came to priesthood and participated like three different times! And he'll be there next week.

I'm stoked. This really was a blessing from God. He was prepared and that was exactly what I was praying for.

This last week was just PACKED full of so many opportunities to teach and be taught. I'm so thankful to be out here right now. This is missionary work and i'm lovin it. ba da ba da da! (McDonalds jingle- get it?) The Lord is just raining down blessings and oppertunities and I'm glad we're doing the things we're doin to receive them.

-Elder Bubba

Star Struck...

2/18/13: This week has been crazy good. As you know, we met with Elder David A. Bednar. Awesome. Yeah, I shook his hand. When Rachel sees a JoBro -- That was me. I think I almost fainted. haha jk. (Note from Dan's Mom: for those of you who don't get that last thought, sorry -- for those of you who do get that line, ROTFL)....  But really though, it was the most spiritual experience of my life. So cool. No words really can describe. The neatest thing was that my testimony in Jesus Christ grew just by looking at the guy. I don't know why but it did. It's like I could see him dressed in a robe walking next to Jesus. Neat, neat, neat. I'm so blessed to have been able to experience that.

You asked, Mom, if that was the spiritual food I needed? Are you kidding? That was the spiritual buffet my spiritual sumo wrestler needed!

Well everything else that was good that happened this week pales in comparison. haha

I really have been blessed with this new companion. There is something different about the feeling of missionary work with the old guy and now with this elder (besides the fact that we didn't do much before). I love it now. I WANT to do it now. And the "world" isn't getting in the way. I don't care for all the worldly things. I mean I still do, but less of it. And I'm working on getting better. I don't worry about it as much. My priorities have changed and I love being out on a mission. Not because I'm out on my own and I have "freedom" like I felt before, but because I have such a special opportunity to share the most wonderful thing in the world with people. I wish I was one of those who could express themselves through words cause I want you to know how awesome it really has been and the change I've felt in my heart and in my soul.

Before I forget. Thank you so much for the Valentine's package! Wow. I didn't think that I would get all that stuff! I'm so blessed! The shirt! Momma, I love it! But what the heck?! How am I supposed to beat that??? Geez! Check mate! (Note from Dan's Mom: family inside joke)

I almost cried when I saw the GPS. I can't believe Bekkah and Jonny would sacrifice something like that just for me. I'm trying to figure out how to thank them.

Anyway, It really was a great package. Thanks for the deodorant. haha. It may be old and it may not even be mine but it'll do the trick. haha. (Note from Dan's Mom: Thought I sent him new deodorant, but apparently somehow an old stick of Sam's deodorant got put in his package - ha ha)

My cleats, I was so stoked about. I love the feel of them so much that I wear them to bed.

So I don't know if it happened this week or last but I was looking through the area book and found a referral from 2010. We decided to go see if we could find it and lo and behold, the person still lived there, was excited to see us, and is having us back this Saturday. Yay referrals!

I also had the idea to get the Branch list (sounds funny compared to Ward list) and to meet with the members to go over each name and see what the deal was with less actives and who they were and to then go visit them. It's gonna be great. We are meeting with one of the old Branch Presidents on Wednesday.

Everything keeps getting better. (We even are getting an exterminator to come out for the bugs and mice on Thursday!) I just am kinda scared cause everything is so good that I don't wanna fall again. I'll keep doin my best and trying each day to continue to improve. I'm so blessed to be out here. Scared at times when it's darker outside and there are a bunch of black people but I really am enjoying it. I still have tons to work on and because I know that it helps to humble me. This whole mission experience is doin a pretty darn good job at it.

I love you guys and thank y'all for your support. It really has made the difference.

Much love

-Elder Daniel Charles Wheatley

2/11/13: So everything is going awesome! I got a new companion on Wednesday. Great missionary. He's teaching me things that I should've learned three months ago! It has been so great these last few days. A lot more spiritual. My perception about missionary work and being a missionary has changed SO much! I'm gettin it now. For the first time since i've gotten here I didn't think about home for a whole day like I had done every single day before. The spirit has been so strong and we are working with haste. No more lazying around and relaxing at people's houses for hours on end. We get in and get out. I love it! I prayed to Heavenly Father that I might get a companion who is chill and patient but wants to work and will lead me to becoming better. And that is exactly what I got! We are doing what is right and I just feel so much better about myself and about how the work in Arkadelphia is going to progress.

We went to the John's for dinner the other night and instead of just eating, layin around, playin games, and then leaving to do whatever-- during dinner we talked about the branch, who we could see to try to bring back, we talked about what we can do and about what they can do, etc. And after dinner they even took us down to a little old lady's house and we met and talked with her for a little while. Lo and behold... New Investigator!

We even were able to get a real, full lesson in with Vivian and, even though she said she wouldn't, she "got bored," and came to church! I never would have thought, I knew rather, that she would never even have the patience to sit down and listen to what we have to say before. But the other night, when we were at the Lambert's, were we normally just stay there the whole night, my companion hinted to me that we should probably get going, and because we left we were able to get ahold of a guy that we haven't been able to get ahold of ever and we got a return appointment and we were able to go get that lesson in with Vivian. <-- Run-on sentence but I don't care cause i'm just that excited!

I guess I should tell you who he is. Elder Michael Kowalk from South Jordan. He was Elder Draper's trainer and Elder Draper is already training-- So what does that tell ya?

The first thing we did when we got back to Arkadelphia was clean the entire house.  And you know what? It helps so much to live in a clean house. My anxiety has gone down so much and I just feel at peace. It is clean and I feel like it's a place that representatives of Jesus Christ can live in.

I am one happy missionary.

-Elder Bubba

p.s. Momma, you're gonna love this. There are some people out here that are trying to get food storage together and have asked my help because I talk about you and ya. So if it's possible, could you get me a list of what you need for a 72 hour kit, to a 3 month supply, to a year supply. What brands, where to get things, pics of our food storage for examples, etc. I know that's A TON to ask for but there are some people who are really excited. I have this feeling that one of the reasons I was sent hear was to help people get their food storage ready. I know that sounds stupid but it's what I feel. I was SO suprised at how much information I was able to spit out. I guess I did learn something. And it's exciting. I just wish I would've learned more. There are a lot of things that I wish I would've listen to you more about. haha. One of which is working in the community garden. Oh the fun wake-up calls you get on your mission right?

What was that stuff we sprayed on the melons when they started getting that white stuff? Was it a Vinegar and water mix?

if anybody asks.... I love Burger King gift cards. just sayin. We get coupons sent to our house! Coupons like KOO-pons, Not Q-pons ;) haha.... I also need to WARSH the car! ahaha

I had a list of things to ask you about but I forgot and i'll probably remember when I get off.

2/4/13: Well just a quick update this week. We have so much to do today in getting Elder Flores prepared to leave. He got the transfer call this morning. I'm gonna be taking over Arkadelphia. Prez promised me a really good follow-up trainer. Can't wait. Elder Flores has been showing me around and taking me to see people WAY out in the boonies and just getting to know everyone I haven't met yet.

It is sure gonna be nice to have a fresh start but in a familiar place so that it's not too overwhelming.

We were supposed to have Branch Conference yesterday at 1:30 but one of the Bishops in a different ward's daughter got hit and killed while riding her bike on her mission. So sad. People looked at the "bright side" and said stuff like, "at least she's going to the celestial kingdom because she was on her mission." Well I thought to myself that that's not necessarily true. Just because she's on a mission doesn't mean she was doing the right things. Which then made me think about whether or not I was doing the right things. So it was a real eye opener. I need to continually check myself even if last week seemed so good. I can't let myself relax and have the possibility of sliding back down again.

So one kinda sad but happy thing did happen this week. John (a golden investigator) finally left Vivian and moved back down to Texas. It's sad because he really did feel the spirit last week at church and he wanted to go back to church with us again yesterday (he left saturday night). But it's happy because Vivian really is a pain in the butt to live with and treats him like scrud and is verbally abusive. I'm very proud of him. I hope he is able to find a church in texas.

Well I gotta run.

I love you so much!

-Elder getting fat like a real, Bubba

Happy New Year - 2013 Begins!

1/7/13:  It's been a real up and down week. It's been good to me cause i'm trying to get better and the Lord is helpin me along the way. But what stinks is that our top investigator, Jennifer, returned her "Mormon bible" and told Sister Bazzel she doesn't want to talk with us anymore. Man.

She was SO promising. I knew she was gonna be baptized. She was gonna be MY first baptism. I felt such a real connection with her. The spirit was always so strong in our lessons. She always called Sister Bazzel to read the Book of Mormon and ask questions over the phone. I don't get it.

Also another one of our investigators, April, who was kinda gettin shady, told us through her kids that she never wanted to see us again. My feelings are just all outta wack.

Welcome to the field, right? This bites.

 

I do have to tell you one thing. I bore my testimony yesterday. One of our recent converts made a deal with me that if I go up, she'd go up. I'm really glad I went up. It was a very spiritual testimony meeting. Did I ever tell you about Sharon? She's a neat lady. Crazy. But I love her. And i'm glad I had her to make me go up.

 

People blame me for the freak snowstorm we got... NO JOKE!  But I don't care because it's SNOW! 

 

1/14/13: I really have taken everything to heart and started to, "Do Work." In fact, the other day I took a few hours and contacted every, single referral I could find in the phone, the area book, and the referrals we get in the mail that are scattered all around the house. I then made a list of all the names and all the information I had of them and all that jazz. Now it feels like all my ducks are in a row and everything is running smoothly.

Well Prez also talked to my companion and told him that he was going to be transferred and that he needed me to train soon so to accelerated his training. I am happy to say that he really has stepped it up and things are really looking up. We've been doing actual missionary work for the first time since i've got here.

Amazing how prayers work and how things can change within one weeks time.

 

So I have a couple fun stories.....

On Tuesday after district meeting we went on an exchange with the Hot Springs elders. I went up to Hot Springs with Elder Jacobson. Cool guy. He's from Orem. Well that night we went to the gas station to fill up the car. It was only like 6 pm but it was dark already. We were both standing outside the car when this really shady, really scary, gangster looking, black guy approached us. Almost sounding upset he began to tell us this story about how a couple months ago he asked two of our guys, with black hair, that were dressed like us, driving this same car for a ride. They said they couldn't give other people rides.

After asking his name I said, "That's right, Trey, we aren't aloud to give other people rides."

Well he then told us about how, he didn't do it and didn't want to go back to jail.

At that point he turned his head and I noticed the tattooed tear drop under his eye. Seeing this, along with noticing his growing more and more upset, is when I started to shake in my Sunday shoes. He asked if we could give him some money, if we, "really are people of the Lord."

"Missionaries don't carry much money, Trey. All I have is like 2 cents."

"That'll do," he responded extending his cupped hand towards me.

In my mind I froze. I did have 2 cents, but it was in the same pocket as my $18. As I reached for the pennies I prayed that the bills wouldn't come falling to the ground as I pulled out my hand.

Thankfully they didn't.

But soon as I thought we were in the clear, Trey stopped in thought and then said, "Wait. How did you pay for the gas?"

The gas card. We explainded it only works for buying gas after he asked us if he could use the, what he thought to be a normal credit card, to buy some chips. His next question, or demand rather, "Buy me some gas then."

Thank goodness I can talk my way out of things.

I ended up asking him, "You wanna pray? That's all we can do."

He again extended his hands, one towards me and the other to Elder Jacobson. "Alright. Let's pray." The funniest/ kinda sketchy part-- Trey looked at Jacobson and with demand in his eyes said, "Bow yo head." I was already bowin with my eyes closed. Kinda stupid to close my eyes but that's what I did. I did, though, make sure I had his hand tight in mine as to make sure he made no sudden movements.

He gave the prayer and it was kinda crazy. He prayed again about how he didn't do it and please allow the judge to have mercy.

We then got in our car with a, "God Bless!" And got the HECK outta there!

One word, SKETCHY.

 

1/21/13: We went over to Jennifer's house. the one who returned the "Mormon bible" to Sister Bazzel and asked if she could tell us not to come over again.

Well, I convinced her to let us come in and talk about it only once. She allowed us to come in and we talked about what she was feeling. She told us that she hadn't read the chapter we gave her to read but she prayed and that she got her answer to keep attending 1st Baptist in a dream. Right then I actually used an analogy about the book of Mormon and basketball. Turns out she actually used to play basketball. It worked and she told us that she'd give us a second chance and continue to pray for a second witness. sorry for the brevity of the story but it would take forever to type what I actually said.

Here is an email I (Dan's mom) received from Bridgett, one of the people out in Arkansas:

 

. I know it's hard to be away from your family during the holidays for the first time. I never knew how much a young adult could eat. I'll have to remember that for when all my kids are teenagers. My kids love him to pieces. He jokes about coming back and being our babysitter as long as we feed him. I told him he would die if he had to truly watch them. They are 5yrs, 4yrs, 1yr, and 3months. Way more than a guy needs to handle. He has such a sense of humor on him. He talks very highly of you all. His testimonies are so touching when he speaks of you all. We encourage him to keep moving forward on his mission. I'm so proud of him for coming and serving to those who need to hear the messages they bring. If it wasn't for the missionaries coming to my parents we probably wouldn't be in the church today. It will be the hardest thing to let my children go on their missions. I hope to have the strength as you did for my kids. Love, The Johns Family

 

 

 

1/28/13:  So this week has been great. We really hit the ground runnin. We worked HARD! I woke up EVERY morning ON TIME to go workout. And the best part-- I felt wide awake. I wasn't groggy. I was ready to get to work! Amazing what prayer can do. I was praying so hard for the energy. And the drive and energy never subsided. Because of this, we had the best numbers yet.

Sunday was by far the best day on the mission. Three investigators showed up to church! 3! John and Vivian and none other than Bro. Bill! We never would've thought John or Vivian would ever come to church. They weren't even interested in the lessons. The only reason we know them is because Sharon (a recent convert) is Vivian's mom. John is Vivian's boyfriend.

John calls himself an athiest only because his Grandma "shoved religion down his throat." But he came. And he said he actually liked it. The best thing... he heard an apostle was coming down and said, "Wait. There are still apostles on earth?" Holy cow. You don't know the joy I felt when I heard that. Can't wait to further explain everything. I think he would now be interested in the lessons. He even wants to go listen to the apostle! How cool is that?

(David A. Bednar is coming to town! Woot-woot!)

I started this new thing two weeks ago at church where before church starts I go around to as many people as I can and shake their hand and talk with them and see how they are doin. All with a big smile on my face of course. It makes my day go better and starts out my week really good. I feel more connected with everyone there now. Just being friendly Dan is all I needed to be in the first place. It's really worked out well. I enjoy it. I think they do too. We have also received a bunch more referrals lately, when before we never had any, and I think that's why.

I'm super excited about getting out there and working. My comp is also working hard now because he doesn't want to leave me here in Arkadelphia with nothing. So he's showin me everyone he had kinda kept hidden, for some reason, from me. I think it's funny that now he is workin hard rather than before but I'm not complaining! We're actually working. Not being lazy or apathetic. I love it. Dang. Before it was like, I can feel your prayers helping me trying to feel better but I was still kinda depressed. But now it's like, Yes! And I take those powers and I'm a machine. I don't know if that makes sense. All I know is that I'm happy now in a different way. Before-- I felt happy, but it was a worldly happy. Now I feel a different, fulfilling kind of happy. Like a, "I'm doin what I'm supposed to and Heavenly Father is blessing me" kind of happy! I like this one a lot more.

I know it's kind of cliche but if you are doing all you can. Really, ALL you can. Heavenly Father will bless you so much! I know this to be true. I know that the power of prayer is crazy real. I also know that it doesn't matter how stupid you've been in the past-- You CAN make a turn-around. I know it because it has happened this week. I love my Father in Heaven and I know no matter what your past is like he will forgive you and help you make that 180. We have this special thing that His son did for us. It allows us to be forgiven and puts us on that path to make that change. How wonderful huh? I am a living testament of this. If I can, you can. I just wanted to bare that witness to you in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

 

Catching up on December 2012

12/3/12: Life has been pretty good out here. It's exhausting work. I'm litterally falling asleep in investigators' houses when it's later in the evening. I just gotta keep at it. I'm glad time is going pretty fast. I hope it keeps up.

It's interesting out here. No one wants to change. I can't blame em. They are happy with their religion and we don't even get a real chance to say anything before the door closes. I'm working on a quick 20 second overview of the gospel to spill to them and hopefully something I say will catch their attention.

I'm already missin bread pudding :( ......you know, they don't really have that great of food out here. It's just kinda average. Nothing Healthy Though! :/ I broke 160. :( So this morning I just ran and ran and ran and ran. Then played basketball! :) I'm NOT gonna buy new pants cause i'm fat! It's weird out here.... it's like people are offended if you don't eat seconds, thirds, forths, or fiths! And we eat at a member's house like every night! I guess I can't complain.

We're going to the Doug's and Bridget's after this to go hang with them and pick out a Christmas tree! People really are nice here though.

I love hearin all about the adventures at home! It seems like so much is happening now that i'm gone! haha geeze! I'll just have to appreciate it more when I get back.

12/10/12:  I had to give a talk in church yesterday. I was told a couple days in advance but it's kinda hard when you are workin all day and don't have much time to prepare. But it was a good learning experience. I talked about Being A Light In The World. I think it went very well.

It's been very slow around here. No one has time or even wants to talk right now-- even our golden investigators! It's because of finals and work schedules around the holidays are killer. Mission president says that people's hearts are softened around the holidays but I don't think that's the case in a poor town like this. In fact, I think it's quite the opposite.

We do what we can though. And we're having a good time. It's rough but then again so was toughmudder. haha.

The other day we yanked a tree out of the ground with our bare hands! It was to help one of our investigators. The ground was soft due to a fire. It was fun. Sounds crazier than it actually was. I also helped nail up garbage bags over his windows to help insulate his house. The best part-- All this was done in my church clothes! haha. It was a sight to see.

12/17/12: All is GREAT out here.  I know you wanna hear about my teaching experiences and I have two I can share. It's really the hardest area in the mission so we don't get very many "real" investigators.

1: Jennifer is the babysitter for a less-active family in our branch, the Bazzel's. (Yeah... no wards... weird) Anyway, we asked Sister Bazzel if Jennifer might be interested in the gospel. She said yes and gave us her address. We went and visited her one night and she invited us in. We shared the message of the restoration. She loves to pray to her Heavenly Father, which is great because that's my favorite thing! So I was able to connect with her right off the bat. We started talkin bout wanting to return to live with our Heavenly Father and all that jazz. She really is liking everything we are saying.

This is what I wanted to tell you: I finally invited her to be baptized but she said she already had. So she asked if her baptism wasn't valid.... and my big mouth opened up and said, "I'm not gonna beat around the bush with you.... Nope. It wasn't." My eyes got big and I thought to myself, "What did you just do?! You idiot!"

 

But the most amazing thing happened-- we explained why (because we are the only ones with the proper priesthood authority) and she accepted! So she's gonna keep reading and keep praying and when she comes to know that what we are bringing her is true, she'll be baptized January 5th!

2: Scott is a less-active (hasn't been to church in a couple years). His wife is a non-member. Unfortunately she hates God because he took her parents when she was 7. It's gonna take a lot of work especially cause they don't let members in. But we stopped by on saturday just to visit Scott and see how he was doin. He was in his garage and we just talked about his new boat and his RC cars and all his "toys."

Outside on his driveway was his new truck that he just picked up. Guess what kind........

A 2001 Chevy Silverado! Just like Sierra! So when I mentioned that I drove the same thing back home he asked me if I knew how to take off the door panel. Off all things! The door panel! The thing I have taken off 3 times! So I showed him really quick and his eyes lit up!

Then he started asking me about other things on the truck and I could answer all of them! It was so exciting! I was and am so happy still! So was he! We really hit it off. I kinda felt bad for my companion cause he kinda just stepped back cause he doesn't like that kind of stuff. But Scott likes us and is totally willing to have us back.

He used to feed the missionaries at his work, Western Sizzle, all you can eat steak. But he stopped a while back. But guess what? He invited us to come eat at least once a month! I'm stoked. He's such a cool guy. He really is. And he has lots of potential to come back to church. I think he will. We just gotta keep goin back and being friends. I'm excited. Definately highlight of my mission so far!

12/31/12:  So..... you wanna know about the adventure I had this week?

Well... For starters... I wrecked the mission car.

No joke.

It was the night of Christmas and all down the road not a small car was driving, not even a.... Ok I don't have much time to think up an elaborate way to tell this story so i'll just tell ya straight up. It was about 5:30-6ish at night on the evening of the 25th of December. We decided to leave at that time because we didn't want to leave after dark because the likelihood that the roads would freeze would be higher.

Elder Flores handed me the keys and said, "You drive. I'm from California and just in case it starts snowing the guy from Utah with experience driving in snow should drive. Little did he know how wrong but as you will soon find out, how right he was.

Well we got about 5 minutes down the road and we drove right into a blizzard. There was no avoiding it. We didn't even have time to think if we should turn around. We left with no snow falling. And BLAM! Blizzard. We just were driving over this small hill. I was going 25 in a 45. Not accelerating or braking. The wheel was straight. Suddenly, and in slow motion, the back end of the car just started to slide out from under us. I had hit black ice and had no control of the vehicle.

We are now sliding sideways down this hill, in the other lane, head on towards none other than an oncoming, big 'ol Dodge Ram.

While trying to regain control, I realized it was inevitable that we were gonna hit this truck. It would have t-boned us plowin right into my door... But last second I abandoned trying to straighten out the car and yanked my wheel the other way to throw the back end of the car around and create less of an impact.

Luckily-- it worked. And only the back bumper was riped off of our car. Then we went spinning into a ditch and the front end of the car was submerged in water.

How awesome is this story so far?! haha

Well the blizzard had gone from bad to worse and it took forever for a black and white to get there. When he finally showed up we did all the stuff you go over after an accident as fast as we could and got the heck outta there.

The other guy had a small dent behind his door and a popped tire. Crazy thing was, he was riding with unpuncturable military humvee tires. Yeah. I punctured an unpuncturable tire.

Everyone was cool with everything and the guy was really nice. I didn't even get a citation which made me and the Mission Prez very happy campers.

Well the deputy took us (both vehicles) home. But we were about 16 miles from our house so he took us back to the people's house we were staying at before. We ended up staying there that night and calling the mission president the next morning.

The officer actually got stuck taking us home and had to be pulled out. He even had 4 wheel drive and 2 sets of snow chains. We left the car where it was because a wrecker couldn't come out in that weather.

Well we ended up stuck. At a members house. 4 nights. No electricity. I've never been happier to take a warm shower in my life. I was able to shower once while I was there but I don't wanna talk about it-- it was like jumping into that water at toughmudder all over again.

Craziest week ever.  We had the biggest snow storm in 80+ years and the first white Christmas in 20+. It wasn't the snow that was bad. This place has ICE! Ridiculousness!

Yes there were angels pushing that car. I also attribute it to dad teaching me how to mess around on snow when I was young.

Well now you know about my CRAZY week.

The bright side? Prez isn't mad at me cause I made him laugh as we talked over the phone and because I didn't get a citation. We'll be getting our car back in about a week and a half. They pulled the car out on Saturday and suprisingly enough, they were able to drive it back to Little Rock.

 

All is well now. We've been walking and because we were walking we went by this house and I said, "Let's go there." We were on our way to see someone else but I was told to go to this house. Turns out it belongs to this older Pentecostal couple. We talked for a while about what we both believe and they're pretty similar. They were just "so happy seeing young men goin out a spreadin the message of Jesus Christ." They loved us and want us back. They are so awesome. It's gonna be hard though trying to convert someone like that. We're just gonna take it super slow. I'm just glad I have a companion who knows the bible in and out.

 

 

Backwards in time... October and November 2012

Going back to Dan's first days and weeks in in the MTC and back then, he wrote "snippets" instead of "letters" so that is what I will do here as well:

Dan entered the MTC on October 23, 2012.  His first "email" was written on 10/31/12 (Halloween):

10/31/12:   "Well, it's been a week.... I guess that's how I can describe my experience so far.  It's been tough.  To be honest there was a time when I highly considered coming home.  But I remembered what Ty (Asay) said... Just make it to Sunday.  Sunday really saved me.  The MTC fireside was great.  It's still hard though.  I realized that I don't know as much as I thought I did about the gospel."

"It felt like college that first two days, then it got overwhelming...maybe that's what college is like. ha ha"

11/7/12: "Well, it has been SO much better over here.  I am learning tons and I've never felt so close to my Savior."

"The food isn't bad at all.  Buffet style all three meals is what's bad.  I have probably gained 5+ pounds.  Maybe... maybe not, but it sure feels like it.   We went to the temple today (my favorite place in the world).  After, we went down to eat at the cafeteria.  Second best food in the world next to my momma's!  I got one of everything and nobody thought I could finish it. But guess what?  I DID!  Now one of the Elders owes me a drink.  He put up 20 bucks but I didn't want to take 20 bucks from him so he just owes me a drink now."

"I want to thank you for your sacrifice.  I love this opportunity and will do the best I possibly can."

IN ARKADELPHIA:

11/14/12: "I'm in Arkadelphia!  It's really ghetto and my house is nasty smelly and dirty.  Believe it or not, because I can't stand it, I'm gonna clean the whole house on p-day.  I'm gonna spend some of my funds on cleaning supplies.  It's worth it.  It was crazy going directly to the store before I even got to the house and told to grab what I need for the week.  I'll be living off of cereal, burritos, bananas, and PB&J this week.  First thing I bought though...toilet paper.  It's crazy that I need to buy everything like that.  I have a huge running list of things I need.  Real good. Real life experience.  Things are great though."

 

Brother Bill

President and Sister Peterson - First day in Mission Home

"The people here are awesome.  Really illiterate and uneducated but really cool.  One guy we call Brother Bill has been an investigator for 10 years.  We just go over and read the Book of Mormon with him.  They've gotten all the way to Enos with him.  He doesn't understand anything.  We just read with him.  Good guy.  Typical black man that talks funny.  I love him already. I'm doing great and just wanted to let you know I love you more!"

"There's a Hatfields and McCoys going on around here if you know what I mean.  It's crazy.  You have to be very careful who you talk about when others are around."

In front of the mission home

Trainer, Elder Flores from Lemoore, California

"My companion is Elder Flores from California.  This is his first time training but he was just the Zone Leader.  Now he's the District Leader."

"We don't have anything!  So pancake mix would be useless.  Send a dishwasher!  We don't have one! :( I've been humbled."

11/19/12:  "Well things have been good here.  The house is still nasty and smells so ranky-stank!  But hopefully I'll be able to change that thanks to you Momma!"



The Ranky Stank Bathtub when Elder Dan arrived

"Things are a bit different from what I expected.  We don't really go tracting.  We get referrals and go from there.  I like this area though because we have a few families that like to have us over in the evenings for dinner.  It really makes it easier knowing that they are there.  All of them are awesome.  Last night we went over to Doug and Bridget's for dinner.  They are in the middle of nowhere so it's kinda fun.  You can be as loud a you want.  We sat around the campfire all night and roasted up hot dogs and smores.  We poured chili and cheese over our dogs.  So good!  Then "the kids" shot off fireworks!  That's the way I imagine my life when I'm grown up.  A big ole campfire to sit around, talkin with friends and eatin the American way!"

Arriving missionaries with the Mission President and Wife
 

"The work is fun though.  I enjoy it.  To this point I haven't felt homesick at all.  I like it.  I just miss the comforts of home.  A clean house and especially my Momma's cookin'!"








"I love you MORE than a clean, bugless house Momma!  And that's sayin' somethin'!"























11/26/12: "Since we're broke we're gonna catch a squirrel for supper.  I bought myself a lil crockpot and my companion is gonna teach me how to build a trap and skin the critter.  Yeah buddy....that's how we do it in the south..."

He wasn't kiddin.....

 "I can't wait to tell you all my stories when I get back.  It's only been 2 weeks but I could write a book.  I can't write them in my journal cuz I don't have enough time but as long as I don't have another head injury, I won't forget them!"

Elder Cowboy... hat from Doug and Bridget



Well, that gets us through November 2012.  Next installment will be the month of December....by weekend's end, I hope to be caught up.... It is a little more difficult than posting his sister Rachel's emails because Rachel writes an entire letter that she wants posted as her "journal" and Dan's letter is intermixed with writings to his family.... so I have to retype these. 

Until the December posts....