"Fully Invested"

Hi Momma!

This was a good week. I wish I could remember all that happened but I am COMPLETELY mind blank. Sorry. All I know is that the week went very well, Gary was baptized, and life is good. Gary is the coolest person ever. He is someone I've learned lots from. He is not a respecter of persons and does things that he knows to be right, not just doing what the world says. I'm excited to see him progress even more in the gospel. He is going to be a great asset for this ward.

I'm reminded every day of how many days I have left. The adversary keeps telling me that I've worked hard for 23 months and that I'm allowed to relax and has given me every reason and opportunity to take a break. I'm tired, everything makes me nostalgic for things back home, and there is now no one solid in our investigator pool. BUT... it's not over til it's over. (that's something you taught me, Momma). I'm not gonna slow down.

The weather outside makes me feel SO good. I just wanna throw a football around with some friends. I am happy to hear about BYU and I want to go to a game SO bad but I am happy I'm here and wouldn't trade it for anything (though a byu ticket would be tempting jk).  Momma's side note: He doesn't realize we have tickets for him for two games when he gets home!

Life's just a roller coaster at this point-- I'm happy on some days and completely drained and ready for Provo the next. But I just gotta keep truckin. I'd like to finish my mission strong so that I can say that I have no regrets. I am gonna take on the motto from BYU football a few years ago, "Fully Invested."

I do love this work. How blessed I am to have this opportunity to devote, strictly, this time to the Lord. I am eternally grateful.

-Elder Wheatley

the photo is of Gary and Elder Durham who baptized him

"I will be forever grateful"

Hey Momma!

Short one today because there is not much to say.

Things are great.

Got my new companion. Elder W. He's a Visa waiter and I met him his first day when they were passing through Pine Bluff. His companion used to serve there so he was showing us some people he used to teach. What a blessing to be able to serve with him. He's someone I know and we are getting along great. He's been out for eight months so he knows what he's doing. 

As for the work, it's SO slow! But we feel good and confident in the Lord and the blessings He will provide as we work hard.

One HUGE blessing is that G is getting baptized on Saturday the 20th! Everyone is so excited for him. He requested that Elder D, a missionary who served here awhile ago, baptize him and I confirm. I'll send you a picture of the 3 of us. I really like him. He's going to be a great member.

On the night of the 20th, I'll be going down to Conway to see the baptism of another G, who I taught last year, and who Elder D is currently teaching. haha.

We had Stake Conference and after the Saturday session I was almost in tears because I reconnected with members from various wards, realized how many friends I've made with fellow missionaries, and it hit me how short of time I actually have left. A week ago I was "antsy to come home trunky" but now I realize how much I love it here. But I'm sure once we start working again and doors start slamming I'll be ready. haha.

I love the things that have taken place the last two years. I've learned the gospel in a way that has opened my eyes and makes me want to be a better man. I have met life long friends, learned lessons, and gained insights that I could have in no other way but by serving. I will forever be grateful.

-Elder Wheatley

ps... I love you more!

Missionary work is LEGIT!!!

Hey Momma!

I'm gonna finish in Choctaw! Good thing. I don't wanna pack, unpack, and pack, and then learn a new area for six weeks. I'm stoked. I love this place. Hard, tough work but I like the members.

This week was a great testimony builder for me. One of our investigators received a call from his mom a few days before his baptism, anti-ing him. He was bombarded with negative thoughts and false ideas, he lost his testimony of the restored gospel, and was thinking about just "feeling it out" for a while before getting baptized; but we all knew that if he did that, he would fall away. We invited him to fast with us.

I hadn't used fasting throughout my mission like I should have. I knew it was a good thing but never put forth the effort outside of Fast Sunday. A couple weeks ago we felt prompted to fast for a different investigator who had been "leveling out" and seemed to be turning into an eternal investigator; that he might have a desire to be baptized. Before we even began our planned fast we heard, via his girlfriend, that he thought he might be ready, though he hadn't expressed it to us yet. We decided that we needed to continued as planned to fast. The next lesson, after the fast, we invited him to be baptized, and he accepted and set a date. He is still going strong and plans to enter the waters on the 20th of this month.

Seeing this and feeling prompted to do the same with this other investigator, we not only fasted, but invited him to fast with us. He immediately accepted, putting his halfway eaten candy bar down.

That next day, the day before his baptism, we visited with him to follow up on the fast. He poured all his extra time into the Book of Mormon and had plenty of questions for us. After helping him find the answers, the Spirit leading the entire discussion, he was confident and ready to be baptized.

While I know that not every prayer or fast will be answered in the way that I want it to, I know and can testify of the power that fasting brings into the life of those whom the fast is in behalf of.

-Elder Wheatley

  

ps.. missionary work is legit. I love talking to everyone. The feeling you get when you chase someone down and share the gospel with them is awesome! haha.

Freak! Did I tell you? I'll keep it short... In my eye exam I was able to share the gospel to two workers! I even shared the WHOLE first lesson and first vision with one of the guys. He was legit and seemed very interested. A member took us there and when we got in the car he's like, "What were you and the worker talking about for SO long?"

I thought to myself, "So long??? I was in and out of there. Quickest eye exam ever" I looked at the clock and it had be two and a half hours! haha.

Until next week,

I love you MORE!!!!

-Bubba

Miracles coming...

Hey Momma!

Last. Week. Was. HOT! Like boiling. We worked so hard though and the people of Greenbrier were great. They gave us water and rides and everything else under the blistering sun. We had no immediate results but then again, I've never seen the Lord work that way for me. It's always been more like Ether 12--receiving no witness until AFTER the trial of my faith.

The results came Sunday when we had two miracles. I can't write about either of them on my blog, but the tender mercies of the Lord were very apparent.

Things are going good. It's hard but I'm happy.

  

-Elder Wheatley

These are the folks I really like to teach...

Hi Momma!

This week went great. We had a ton of success-- first time in forever here!

We are teaching some legit people but it'll take some time before they are ready. These are the folks I really like to teach. They ask questions, search for answers, and are truly wanting to KNOW. These are the souls that will remain.

The main guy we are teaching is middle-aged man. He is dating a member. He examines every word we utter-- so we weigh very heavily each word that comes out. He is a very strong individual and won't be easily swayed. He has been coming to church since last year. When I got here I felt strongly to "put him on pause," even before I had the chance to sit down with him and evaluate the situation. I think he was relieved and maybe a little burnt out on forceful missionaries. So for the first 8 or 9 weeks we didn't even really say boo to each other. Then I felt prompted that it was time. I approached his girlfriend and him about having supper and a sit down afterward. They accepted and from that second we hit it off. He is awesome. He's a spiritual truth seeker and wants to know it all before he makes a decision. After the first sit down we extended the invitation to retake the discussions and he readily accepted. We have taught the first three lessons, very in-depth, and I have seen the change in him. The Gospel changes people. No doubt about it. He isn't ready for baptism yet. He still has some underlying concerns but I put complete confidence in the Lord to help him through his struggles to the point where he will be ready to make the commitment.

He's so cool in fact that he picked us up from a meeting in North Little Rock, an hour plus drive away, and took us out to eat afterward. Pray for him and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints will have another solid member.

As for transfers, calls were this morning but neither of us got one. Round number three together. 

Love you,

-Elder Wheatley

"How many friends did I share the Gospel with?"

I had a pretty good week. Friday, during weekly planning, really made my week. Last week you could probably tell I was getting frustrated. This area is so small and we are running into the same people over and over again. We decided to try places where missionaries have never been before but the houses are few and far between-- very far between. The other day we were tracting a road (a highway really) and in our 4+ hour block we maybe knocked and/or passed 20 homes; and we were soaked in sweat to the point where it LITERALLY looked like we jumped into a swimming pool. I was frustrated because I felt that that was working harder not smarter. But what else were we to do? Granted, we found a few potentials, but that's it.

So the reason why Friday was so good was because during weekly planning I realized that all the investigators we have were from members-- and they all have really good potential. It's gonna take them a little while to get to baptism but they will get there. I am so grateful for this ward. I feel like they have really done so much for us. I know member missionary work is hard but they are truly trying. We can't expect things to change over night. It takes persistence. A lot of missionaries don't realize that. We can't just expect the members to 1: trust us the moment we get to an area; 2: find a billion people for us to teach right away; or 3: even know how to do member missionary work. I look at myself back home and ask, "How many friends did I share the gospel with?" That really puts it into perspective and helps me be a lot more patient. Besides, we can't just jump on people to take the lessons.

Ok, enough of my ranting. I'm just grateful for where this work is starting to take itself. It's hard when your Zone Leaders are on your back about not finding enough "new investigators" and you're doing your best, but it'll all be worth it at the finish line, when you've tried your absolute best, and you look back and see the effect you've made. The next 99 days are gonna be hard. But if I work harder, when all is said and done, it's gonna be so sweet.

Yesterday one of our "new investigators" (who one would describe as a hardened Marine) told his wife (a member) how our first run-in with him went. "When they first came over I was being really rude and was gonna run em off... but then they started talking about my bike (motorcycle), and that got me," he said pointing to his heart.

It was a cool testimony builder on how, we need to find common ground and become friends with these wonderful people; not just treat them like "lifeless objects disguised as a baptismal statistic" like Elder Holland says.

I love you more!

-Elder Bubba

Tired... but not giving up...

Hey Momma!

This week-- tired.

I've been doing the best I can. I'm working hard, being obedient but nothing has been changing. Yet, I hope. I've always been optimistic. I think of Pine Bluff where we went two whole transfers with hardly anything and then BOOM! But even knowing that, it's still frustrating when you're wearing yourself out day in and day out and not seeing any results; and the joy of the satisfaction of working hard is wearing off. 

This is what I love about my mission: I learn to do hard things. Even with no rewards I learn how to have patience, determination, perseverance when it really doesn't matter. It matters, yes, but I'm talking about: my house isn't about to foreclose or my kids aren't going wayward. You know what I mean? It's hard. And for what-- myself?? No. For others. It's an incredible feeling. I can't see anything changing day by day (like braces straightening teeth) but I know the end result will be great. So, yes, it's hard. I'm ready to take a break. Some days October 21st can't come soon enough. I'm tired. But I will endure to the end.

Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life.

I love ya more!

-Bubba