March 15, 2013

March 15, 2013

Heyyyyyyy,

Disneyland! Flippin sweet! Thanks for sending those pics. Reese is hilarious. Miss you all tons! 

This week has been really good. I feel like it went by really fast. We have a lot of stuff to do here because we have changes next week and there shold be 21 missionaries getting here on Tuesday and on Wednesday there should be like 8 going home. So it's been busy, but really good. I like it a lot. Our ward is also awesome. They were so happy to see us and to have missionaries again in their ward. It's the ward of the mission president, too and there are also like 5 people who are from the States in our ward. It's like completely the opposite of Sabinas. 

Me, Carolina, and Elder Cisneros at the temple! (We were able to go because I'm like 25 minutes from the temple. It was so awesome. She loved it and is totally excited to go on her mission!)

I'll for sure let you know about the package. Right now there aren't missionaries there so we'll have to see if they reopen that area on Tuesday. There are a bunch of closed areas but this change they're going to open five of them. 

What else...I ordered mattresses this week, pass a whole bunch of references (like 70), organized a whole bunch of stuff, ordered a ton of materials, helped pay the light bills for the missionaries houses, made book where the new missionaries can keep picutres of their converts, and just stuff like that. That's about what my job consists of. I like it a lot. Everyone is always calling me for materials or references. I guess they call those referrals in the states. Either way. 

ME engraving numbers into the new cell phones

That's honestly about all I have to tell! My district leader from the MTC is here as the new assistant to the president, too. He just got here yesterday so that's been fun.

Everything is great with me. Send me more pictures and everything and I want to go on Space Mountain.

YOU'RE THE BOMB :D

Much love,

Elder Wheeler

March 8, 2013

March 8, 2013

Hello Family!

How's it going? I realize that today is Friday, but it is also my P-Day. This week on Tuesday the President called me and told us that we were being changed. I am now the Materials Secratery in the Mission offices! Woo!!!! So that's exciting! I got here about two days ago and our P-Days will be on Fridays. So now I will be writing on Fridays. But I'm totally excited. I've actually always wanted to be Materials Secratery so I'm very happy. Changes in the mission aren't until March 19, so they changes us early, and my old area will be closed for two weeks. It was a good area and I learned so much there. I hope and pray for their progress, but I am also very happy to be here. My area is called Sierra Madre, and it is the biggest area in the mission. It has been closed for a little while, so I will be opening that, too. It is also the richest part of all of Central and South America. My Bishop is from the United States. It should be awesome. My companion is still the same, Elder Estrada. He's going to be the Records Secratery here in the offices and will be opening the area with me, too. 

So that's whats new with me! I'm very happy.  Also, packages...I AM THE PERSON WHO RECIEVES ALL THE PACKAGES FOR THE WHOLE MISSION :D So if you send me a package (and hopefully you can send me lots of delicious food and snacks!) I will recieve them quickly.

Austen, I got your email you sent me by the way. Thanks for sending that. I just want you to know that you are the man. I know that life is not easy. I haven't been through the worst stuff but I have seen my fair share of crap but the most important thing is that we, often times, don't have much control over what happens to us. The thing that we do have complete control over is what we decide to do. There are those who are acted upon, and there are those who act. We have to be the ones who choose the good, who choose to do the right thing, and who choose to follow Jesus Christ. It's not always easy, actually, it's almost garunteed to be harder, but it's always worth it. Look at our Savior. He never, not even once, did anything bad. He never had a single bad thought or committed a single sin. He served and loved everyone and yet people spit on Him, beat Him, made fun of Him, made Him suffer, and eventually murdered Him. He didn't deserve it, and He didn't ask for it, but He chose what He was going to do. That's something that's very important to me and something I try to remember when I am faced with hard times or with decisions to make. When someone offends me, when something that totally sucks happens to me, or anything like that, that is when God trusts in us enough that we use our agency to choose to do the right thing. And after that decision, however hard it may be, is when he blesses us. I know that's true. So keep doing what you're doing. You know what is right. You have God on your side if you choose to. You're the freaking man.

But that's about all I have to tell. I mean, it's only been a few days. Thanks for being the best family that's ever lived. I love each of you tons. I got a letter from Brother Gygi, Deana, and Jake that were awesome. Thanks so much for writing and I liked what you all said. I hope things are going well for each of you.

Love and miss you all tons! Next week I'll send pictures. 

Elder Wheeler

March 4, 2013

March 4, 2013

Hey Fam,

Thanks for writing! Sounds like things are going well at home. 

Also, HAPPY BIRTHDAY SAVANNAH! I got the package from all of you with the drink coasters from Outback (which were totally hilarious btw) and all of that stuff (thanks for sending that) and saw the Christmas card from all of you. And Savannah is totally not a kid anymore! SO WEIRD! But happy birthday, I hope you have the best birthday ever and I miss you and I love you tons. YOU ROCKKKKKKKK :D

This week was pretty good. I actually have gotten kind of sick again, but I think it's just the flu. It's made it a little bit harder to do all the things we want to do, but either way we're still doing what we can. Hopefully it'll be gone soon. 

Also, we started teaching classes this week to the members to help them be more prepared to share the gospel with people they meet, answer questions, find oportunities to share stuff, etc. And three people went. But either way, I think they're good. The three that went liked it so hopefully next week we will have more people.

 We cleaned the backyard of some members that are coming back again!

We painted a house of some members and a non member!

I love you all tons. You're awesome. I miss you tons, too. 

That's honestly all I have pretty much of things that have happened to me this week.

Talk to you soon,

Elder Wheeler

February 26, 2013

February 26, 2013

Hey Fam,

Glad to hear things are going good. Thanks for the email, UD. Austen, you´re the man. I miss you all tons!

This week wasn´t too bad. We´re trying some new stuff in the branch like an ongoing game to try and help the members share the gospel a little more as well as Missionary Capacitation classes to the members to help them feel more prepared to share things about the church. Hopefully they´ll go well. It´s the first week for them both, so I´ll let you know. We also have someone named Jorge, who is the boyfriend of a member who says that he wants to get baptized on the 24th of March! So that is also exciting because it has been a while since I´ve met someone who actually wants to get baptized. I may not be here in that time, but it is good news either way. 

Cool sky.

Also, it looks like our mission will be splitting in July. Because of the change of the depature age of the new missionaries, there are going to be 58 new missions in the world, and eight will be in Mexico. So on July first the Monterrey Mexico West Mission will divide in half, creating the Mexico Saltillo Mission. Right now, my area pertains to the Mexico Saltillo Mission but I have a feeling I´ll get sent back to Monterrey before the mission splits. Either way, I'll let you know. 

As for other things, everything is pretty much normal here. They gave me the chance to give a talk yesterday and told me five minutes before sacrament meeting (hate that) but it turned out okay. The members here are a lot of times difficult to work with, but what´s new? Packages, I haven´t recieved any...so yeah...don´t know anything there.

But anyway, I´m pretty sure that´s all that´s new with me. It´s super windy today. Sometimes I feel like I live in a crazytown and that there are too few normal people, and then I relaize that it's true. But life is good. I'm glad I'm here, even if I miss home like freakin' crazy!

 Basic look of my area.

Dogs. There was 17 dogs following us on Tuesday.

Thanks for all you do, fam.

Much love,

Elder Wheeler

February 19, 2013

February 19, 2013

Heyyyyyyyyyyyyy :D

What's new, fam? Everything here with me is going well. Thanks for sharing what you did with me, Aunt Steph. Sounds like everyone is doing well. Roc, 8? What the old? That's totally crazy. Also, Happy Birthday to Granny Dinah and Aunt Deana! I love you!

Well, this week was a little rough work-wise because we had to drop all of our investigators. We taught them almost all the lessons, almost all had gone to church, but in the end, for one reason or another, the just don't want to be baptized. I literally think the things we could have done more are very few. I wrote them all letters, we taught them and the completely understood the doctrine, they just didn't want to change. It made me feel sad because I don't know what more I could have done, but I hope that one day, when they really need God, they will know exactly where to find Him and what they need to do. It's this sort of thing that has happened to me a lot lately, but my purpose is to invite them all and make sure there's no way that they can misunderstand what they need to do. From there, it all rests on them. They've felt the spirit and they know it's true, too. So one day.

Anyway, this week my comp hurt his leg and so he walked around one day with a flippin' cane and I died laughing all day and took pictures because it was totally hilarious. 

Apart from that, really the week was pretty uneventful. We looked for a lot of less actives, I hate stray dogs (literally just random dogs follow us everywhere. Sometimes there are up to seven at one time. It's not okay.), and that's honestly pretty much it.

 Me, looking for someone's address in a line of houses in the middle of nowhere that do not have numbers. The only way to do it is knock on their doors and ask if they know the person we're looking for. Classy.

 A sticky note that I found on the ground.

Me cutting wood with a machete for an hermano.

Your questions:

1. How many members are in your branch?

On the lists there are well over 400 but this last Sunday we had 67 people in church, inculding us.

2. Do you have an actual ward building?

We have a chapel that's about thirty years old. It's the only one here that hasn't been renovated because a lot of members are not paying their tithing. This district was fromed over 50 years ago. Our branch split from another about 30 years ago, so there are two chapels in Sabinas, and ours is the old, more scabby one.

3. What's your favorite thing to eat there in Mexico?

Honestly, a lot of the food is not even that good. Like most of the good food comes from the South. The things I like are Campechanas, Enfrijoladas (Southern so we never get to eat it), and burritos.

4. Why are we so obcessed with you??

:D

5. Did you ever get the package with the hand warmers and stuff in it?? We just mailed you a Valentine's package too so watch for that. :)

I still have not recieved any packages. Did you send it to my address or to the mission? We have interviews this week so it may come with the prez when they come, but apart from that I have recieved nothing.

6. What's your favorite sweet treat there?

Also going to be honest, all of the candy is gross. They put spicy powder on EVERYTHING and it is so not good. My favorite thing is called a Negrito and it is like a donut covered in chocolate and has a picture of a black kid on the front with an afro. Completely racist and basically the bomb.

7. At the 711 there can you get american stuff like mt dew or flaming hot cheetohs?

There aren't any 7 11's here. They're only in Monterrey and I am over five hours away from the city of Monterrey (I'm actually in a different state), but the don't sell Mountian Dew. It's almost impossible to find. They do sell Dr. Peppers there. And flaming hot cheetos are in all the gas stations, but they are not as good. They're all cheapy, like, they taste like they cut a lot of corners and costs to make them. So I never buy them. Ever.

Anyway, that's pretty much me! 

Thanks for being the bomb.

Much love,

Elder Wheeler

Just had to remember this truck and it's trailer twin.

February 11, 2013

February 11, 2013

Heyyyyy Familyyyyyy,

 Me and my comp in a lesson

 Me and my comp and a dog that always follows us.

Me and Elder Juarez cleaning someone's Patio (He's Elder Mikkelsen's comp who went with us one day)

Your email rocked. You're all totally hilarious. The outhosue is for real. My comp is the man. Totally funny. He should be a Senior Companion because he teaches almost better than I do. And he has almost for months, so he'll have a good mission. The week went pretty well. We totally worked our butts off and out of the ten people we committed to go to church, investigators and less actives, two went. But that's okay because they were really happy that they went. They're a less active couple who are super young and want to get sealed in the temple. We've worked with them for about a week and a half now and they look like they will come back. Sometimes it's tough because in our branch there are less than ideal conditions for recieving less actives or investigators aka very, very, very, very, very few people even care that they are there or even acknowledge their existence, but we try to prepare them for that before they go because we don't go for the people, but for God. 

Also, Samantha had a baptismal interview and committed to go to church, read 5 minutes from the Book of Mormon everyday, and pray everyday. Then she did not go to church. So we'll go and see her tonight. It's sad because I really want these people to progress, and I feel like we explain everything and that they understand it all, but in they end they just choose not to. But our job is to explain it all to them and let them make their choice. I'd feel like a fool if they all got baptized and then just stopped going to church anyway. President Hinckley says that we can baptize the whole world but if they don't remain active, it makes no difference. But anyway.

So yeah. Oh, more good news. The Mission Prez called me yesterday and told me that Carolina got her mission call! She's going to the Mexico Guadalajara Mission and leaves in April! I'm totally excited for her. She's awesome and will be such a good missionary. 

Also, there's a guy sitting next to me in the Ciber (or internet cafe) who is rapping in like a raspy vocie. I could die.

A little more of my area.

But I think that's all I have to tell for this week. Really, I feel good about all the stuff I do here. I'm happy. I obviously miss home and you guys tons. I hope everything is going well. Thanks for always emailing. YOU'RE THE BESSSSSTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Much love,

Elder Wheeler

February 5, 2013

February 5, 2013

Heya Fam,

Thanks for the emails and the updates from this week. Sounds like things are going well. Austen, you're flippin hilarious. Savy, you sound like you're totally growing up! Dylan, you're just the bomb, dude. Reese, well, you didn't write me this week, but I love you :D

I could not believe that someone would have this on their vehicle here, so I took a picture.

I'm glad you like the pictures I send. This week was pretty good. We have an investigator named Samantha who looks like she'll be getting baptized this Sunday! I found her sister on the list who is a less active and that's how we found Samantha. Three weeks ago they both came with us, but haven't been able to make it again, but we hope for the best with them and I really want them to be able to stay in the church. She's 18 and her sister is 17 so they could use the direction. And Gema is now in Alma in The Book of Mormon. So crazy, but she still hasn't gotten permission to come with us to church. We'll keep working there and I'll tell you what happens. 

As for other news, well we had changes and my new comp is Elder Estrada from Nicaragua! He's a good guy. He's a convert of three years and lives with his cousins at home because his dad died and his mom left them. He's a good missionary. He's got three months in the mission and tells me that his last comp treated him like crap. It'll be a good change. He's a good missionary and knows why he's here, so I'm happy. This change will be seven weeks (they're usually six) because of all the changes in the MTC so yeah. Different. 

My new comp.

 An outhouse (I knew you'd appreciate this Aunt Steph)

A street corner that reminded me of Tron

I honestly can't think of anything interesting to tell you that's happened this week. My comp is just getting to know all the members and everything. I think he'll be here for six months, too. 

Anyway, I'll answer your questions:

2- What were some of the members talents?

The members...Well one played the flute, a lot of them sang songs, some kids danced, someone who's not a member played the violin, some Christian lady told like a refective story? I don't really know how to describe that in English. My comp drew four different people in like ten minutes and it was really funny. An old guy got mad because my comp drew him a little older than he looks. That was about it. One person told jokes. It turned out to be the best activity we've had so far. This week we had the Karaoke Night and it was okay. There were about 45 people there. Few less actives. Fewer non members. This week will be sports night with music and ELOTES!

3- What did it smell like inside the bear suit?

It smelt like nothing and a faint smell of...sweat.

4- Do you like living with members? Who are they and what is their situation?

Living with the members is good. They're an old couple and are going to move to the US sometime this year, like in the Summer where their kids live. They're really nice and I think that we help them out more by living with them than they help us. It's good for them because we make them go to church every Sunday and answer their gospel questions and stuff. And sometimes they buy us food to cook, which I do a lot of cooking by the way. Only for breakfast. Their names are Demetrio and Isabel Wislar. Demetrio is a total cowboy and totally funny. He always gave my last companion crap fro eating all of their food and being too loud and sleeping all the time. 

5- Why are you the cutest boy ever??

6- Does the family you live with cook for you?

Everyday we eat with members from the branch and like once a monthish we eat with them and so they cook for us then, but apart from that it's very rare, but they do buy us like potatoes, oranges, bananas, and stuff like that every once and a while.

With mission leadership, I haven't said anything about it because there's nothing to tell haha. I told you that I got made a Senior companion at six months and I have been a Senior Companion ever since. I trained like three changes ago and I get all the missionaries that just finish their training pretty much. President tells me that I'm an irreplaceable missionary, but I don't think he wants to make me some type of leader because it's been a long time since I've baptized anyone. Being a leader isn't important to me. I just try to do the best that I can wherever President want to put me. I'm happy and content and I really am working hard. I actually don't think I've ever worked so hard in my entire life. Although I obviously really would love to have one of my investigators be baptized soon, I know that everyone makes their own decisions on whether or not they want to make the convenants with God that they need to make to be saved. I couldn't tell you why it's been six months since I've had a baptism, I've spent a long time thinking, evaluating, and working my butt off, but I feel like I've come to learn a lot about accepting the will of the Lord in my life. Maybe I want to find a family every single week and have them all get baptized and have the branch completely change here and have all these people really live the gospel in their lives, I know that God knows what he's doing and has His plan. I'm just here to help make that happen and it's my job to always be ready to do anything He needs. I'm always trying hard to listen to the Spirit for whatever impression that I am told, just trying to be an instrument in His hands everyday.

I think that in these last six months that I have not had a baptism, I have learned more than in my entire mission. A lot about staying positive, a lot about diligence, a lot about having the Spirit, and a lot about submitting myself to the will of the Lord, whatever that may be.

So yeah. That's basically all I have for this week. Hope your birthday ruled, UD. Miss all of you tons! Thanks for everything you all do for me. If it weren't for you guys, I do not think I would be here. The mission is good. Say hi to Car for me. Tell Nick to shave. 

HEART YOU

Elder Wheeler