12/28/15

The work decided to blow up on Tuesday... So I will just take you through our day.

We started off door knocking, and about an hour and a half in, we scared the heck out of this poor young woman, so her boyfriend came to the door. We stated our purpose and asked if he was interested and he said "yea totally," went in, grabbed his jacket, then came and sat on the step. He was probably in his mid 20s, and told us about how he used to be very involved in church as a teenager, then went the way of the world in high school. He admitted he was miserable and wanted to come back. God had been sending him messages, especially the last few weeks, and our visit was the climax of it. We taught him the restoration which he was very excited about. Way solid young man... I hope things work out!

After this we had a lesson with Meg, who has been struggling a little lately. However, we had an awesome lesson with her on the gospel of Jesus Christ and she definitely felt the spirit. We felt prompted to invite her to be baptized, and she committed to February 20 :) So excited for her!! Later that night, we had a lesson with a new potential named Roni. We met her the night of General Conference, but finally was able to set an appointment with her. She was brought up Catholic but stopped attending church as she got older. She has lived next door with the missionaries for a year now and is very curious about us and what we do. We taught her the Restoration, which went very well, and we committed her to be baptized on March 5.

So happy for this area, and how well its doing... On Christmas we picked up a new part member family, and the one we are already working with is doing well. Details may have to come another time. I remember how apprehensive I was when we were white washed in, that the work wouldn't progress, and now, everything is picking up speed rather quickly.

As many of you know, this is my last email as a missionary, which is pretty shocking for me.. It still doesn't feel real that everything comes to an end in two short days. My mission means everything to me. Missionary work has become everything that I am, and the gospel is my life. Everything about my life has been changed and will never be the same. I don't think I fully realize how much has changed for me. I have noticed that becoming like Christ needs to take time to take root, and His attributes come so slowly, that you hardly notice you are developing them, until you look back. Now I am in no way close to being like Christ, but I am thankful that I am getting closer. I love the Lord, and am coming to know him better. Like Ammon, "I cannot say the smallest part of which I feel." You know, I guess it doesn't feel like its ending, because its not.  In this church, we serve because of covenant, not calling, and I am his in whatever capacity he wants me to serve. Thankfully, being a missionary has become more than a title, but who I am. 

In the words of 2 John 1:12: "Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full." I love you all! See you soon  :)

I will really miss this title... 

With love 

Elder Wheat

My Posterity!!

Elder's Christmas Picture!!

12/21/15

This week has been a flurry of experiences and emotions, and it amazes me how fast I forget. I will start with the more casual yet wonderful experiences, and will conclude with the more sacred.

This week, Elder Cornelison picked up his first son Elder Boyack. He is 20 years old from a place called Monmouth, Oregon near Salem. He loves singing, ukelele, and exercise so safe to say we get along wonderfully well. He is a good kid. Have to be honest though, it is so weird being in a trio, especially when I am not the senior companion. It will be a growing experience for me to simply sit back and observe in a companionship. Elder Cornelison has been super impressive. The growth, maturity, and confidence I have seen in him over the last week has been insane to see. He is a different man than he was even a week ago. He has helped me to see that I have so much to improve.

We were only able to work only 2 days in the area this week, but we saw an awesome miracle. We had an appointment with a part member family, and we weren't sure what to expect. Usually it goes that the non member spouse isn't interested and you end up sharing a short spiritual thought, but this one was different. Not only did they keep the appointment, but they made us the BEST quesadilla I have ever had, and they invited there Daughter and 2 grandkids who wanted to learn. The member just moved in 3 months ago and didn't know where or when church was. His wife has investigated before and already knows the church is true by the power of the Holy Ghost. Their daughter asked US how to download the Gospel Library app, and their grandkids, ages 8 and 9 are the cutest things on earth. The basically said, "Hi! Nice to meet you! Please come in, eat our food, and teach our family." That is LITERALLY the missionary dream. Picking up 4 new investigators is not a bad way to finish off our greenie's first day.

Now for the special part of the week. On Tuesday, I got to go to the temple with the departing missionaries, many of whom are very close friends of mine. It was one of the best days of my life. It was filled with the Holy Ghost, and I won't ever forget it. There is something special about being with a faithful and obedient group of missionaries who have served faithfully. It was an honor to be with them. Being in the temple... there are no words. It just felt so good to be home. That truly is a house of God. For those who don't know, the temple is very special to us as members of the church. It is the closest we can get to being in heaven in this life. The only place that comes close is the home. I went with the intention of going to the Lord, and asking him if he had accepted my offering, but I didn't even need to ask before I got my answer. The entire time I was there, I had a fire in my heart that seemed to whisper, "You already know."

I honestly don't understand why the Lord would accept me sometimes. My character has so many holes and my effort often has so many lapses. There is so much I yet lack. All I can pray is that I have become everything the Lord has wanted me to be through my mission. I was reminded this week of a truth I learned previously. The longer I serve the Lord, the more I become aware of the immense distance between the Lord and I, yet, ironically, I feel closer to him than at any time in my life. I love him. I owe Him everything. I wish my actions would reflect the desires and feelings of my heart, but I suppose that is what life is all about! That's why a Savior was born.

I hope you all have a Merry Christmas. In the most recent Ensign, Elder D. Todd Christofferson suggested that we all take a moment to be still, and just think of nothing else than the serenity of that first Christmas night. Forget everything that will happen in his subsequent life, and yours, and realize that He was the Son of God. By so doing you will remember that you are a child of God also :) Love you all!!

Elder Wheat

My Gingerbread house!!!

The Trio!!

I'm training.... AGAIN!!!! 12/14/15

Ok... well I am not really training... but my son is.. and I get to help until I go home!! I really look forward to being in a trio again. I feel like I am just going to be that awkward grandpa that's staying at your house for Christmas... and they just can't wait for you to leave haha But man am I proud of Elder Cornelison.. The man is prepared, no doubts about it. 

The work slowed down this week... but things will be improving. We have a lot of good potentials waiting to be picked up. The next two weeks are going to be crazy with going to the temple tomorrow, picking up the new missionary on Thursday, zone conference the next Wednesday, and Christmas shortly following that... I am just looking forward to working. I had an experience this week where I became very overwhelmed with all that I have left undone. I was very frustrated by all I still hold back, but after prayer and study, I had a realization. We can be holding nothing back in the Lord's service and still be imperfect, as long as we are still trying. This is what the Savior died for. If there is ever evidence that the Savior can cover for and complete our offerings. it would be my life and my mission. 

Life is good. I have been so blessed in the Lords service. Yesterday I got to see Jennifer and Maddi again, and it is seriously like seeing family.. I am so thankful I came to Michigan... I thank the Lord every day. Sorry this is so short.. I will do better next week... I love you all!!

Elder Wheat

The District

Gotta love Michigan sunsets. If there is anything good about rain, it usually brings a view like this.

12/7/15

You know... a lot has happened this week, but at the moment I can't remember any of it. 

I will start with the obvious miracle. MIKE WAS BAPTIZED!! The service was awesome :) He asked me to speak, and I had a very cool experience. While I was speaking I got to see something no one else did. He sat at the front so only I could see his face. Some were wondering if Mike really was doing this for the right reasons, but as I spoke about the miracle of what he was about to do, I looked and saw him wiping away tears. He is such a special man :) Can't wait to get them sealed to his wife. 

Some of you might be wondering or remembering what it is like to be a missionary in the position I am in. By way of talking about the elephant in the room, I have a little over 3 weeks left as a missionary. To be honest, it is a huge flurry of emotions. It is a mixed bag of terror, excitement, and sorrow. There is a lot that I am looking forward to about being home, but last week, I had a moment where I realized this won't last forever. I have given two years of my life to these people, but I feel like I have also given them my heart. Its been a very overwhelming week. You are constantly worrying and reevaluating yourself, wondering and realizing that your aren't giving enough. The imperfections become much more glaring, and more condemning because you have so little time to correct them. For me, its like I am taking my final exam, then forgetting everything you have studied. It becomes a test not of what you have memorized, but of what has truly sunk inside. In short, it becomes a test of what you have learned, but what you have become. 

The work of the Lord moves on, and I am realizing I need to spend less time worrying, and more time being grateful. It's been my blessing on my mission to work with and support those who are experiencing things that only Job of the Old Testament would understand. We have and investigator who has 6 kids under the age of 9, who was married to an incredibly evil and abusive man, and is in the middle of divorcing him. That only scratches the surface of what she is experiencing, and we are the ones who she turns to for answer. It gets very overwhelming at times, especially since we are only 19 and 20 years old, and don't have, nor ever could have the life experience to say or do anything to help. It is a miracle to me that this works. It never ceases to amaze me. It is life changing to feel the spirit work through you, and as the words come out of your mouth, see the look on their face of, "Did that seriously come out of the mouth of a kid?" Remarkable. Absolutely remarkable. 

I love it all. I am going to miss it more than I think I now realize. My only prayer is to finish well, and to give what the Lord deserves to receive from me.

Elder Wheat

Back in downtown!!

Mike's baptism!!!!

11/30/15

I wrote something this morning that describes my feelings this week:

The aching grows stronger

The longer I yield.

But I did not come for ease, 

I came to be healed.

The path I am on,

Christ has been here before.

And when I see affliction

He sees a cure.

A Savior or a Surgeon?

Perhaps He is both.

Who does not care for my comfort 

As much as my growth.

Cut on thou Great Physician

Lest in my haste

The pain to this point 

Would be but a waste.

Cut on thou great physician,

I plead as I kneel.

That I might yet be,

Perfected and Healed.

Sometimes when we encounter trials, our first inclination is to pray that the trouble be taken from us. I have come to realize, however how short sighted that is. Some might say God is cruel because he lets the challenges persist, but which is more merciful? The doctor who stops mid operation, or the doctor who keeps going, no matter the pain it causes, because he knows its the only way to remedy the afflicted. I always tell the Lord I love him before I close my prayers, but sometimes I fear that it becomes merely words. I am learning that we show our love for God by being faithful to him, especially when we don't feel him close, or there at all.

All of this being said, I need to write about a great miracle that happened this week! Mike Hebert is a man we have been teaching since we got here. He was Elder Cornelison's first investigator. We have invited him to turn to God to know if this is the true church, but with his age and situation, I quietly feared he wasn't capable of feeling the spirit. Nevertheless, he has done everything we ask him to do, and this week he got his answer. When we first taught him, he got very emotional about the idea of eternal families, and desperately misses his wife who has passed away. Something seemed a little off in our lesson this week, and he momentarily got up to leave. When he came back, he said, "I did what you asked. I prayed to know if the church I was going to was the right one, and right after I prayed, I smelled perfume." We asked what that meant to him, and he said, "It was my wife" and he started to cry. I cannot tell you the joy that filled that room.. I felt like rising up and with a fist pump and a yell. He is getting baptized this Saturday, and asked Elder Cornelison to baptize him. It was even Elder Cornelison's birthday. Such a great blessing.

I must say all is well. All the problems of a mission can be solved with a little work. I must say I really don't like Holidays as a missionary, because we don't get to work like we want. It is going to be a good feeling getting back out and hitting the pavement for another week.

Elder Wheat

11/23/15

The Lord never does cease to answer our prayers. I apologize that my recent emails have been lagging. I suppose their is just too much to say and not enough time.

I wanted to briefly tell you about a couple of people we picked up this week and update you on some others.

We found a new woman named Christy who is the sweetest thing on planet earth. She reminds me so much of Sarah and Amber, two women I have previously taught. So submissive and humble. She grew up in church, but stopped pursuing it as she got older. Recently her two daughters have expressed a desire to attend church and so she has been getting much much more interested. A few days later, we knocked on the door. Its been a while trying to meet with her but things finally worked out. It was kind of a crazy lesson with all her kids running around, but it worked out well. She even let us wash her dishes! Score! Even with everything going on she definitely felt the spirit. She said the first vision gave her a feeling of hope that God is there and is watching over her. Such a great moment.

The other update I wanted to give was Meg. Her divorce proceedings have been as bad as she predicted, and all is barely being held together. We were finally able to meet with her, and shared how the savior can ease our burdens though Reading, praying, church, and covenants, and she was amazed. She would often laugh while we were teaching, and when we asked why, she said, "You are wise beyond your years." We extended the baptismal invitation and she said, "I already was baptized, but I have been wanting to get rebaptized, because I have a feeling the first one wasn't done right." Explained that feeling was because the priesthood wasn't restored yet and everything clicked. She isn't on date yet, because of all going on, but stay tuned.

PLEASE keep all of our investigators in your prayers. We have an awesome teaching pool, but all of them are going through very difficult obstacles that make their progression difficult.

Bonus story!!: We got picked up as investigators. Yes. You read that right. We got let in to this awesome young couples house, and they were preaching so hard core. The husband was on one topic and verse and the wife was on another. I had no idea where they were going. Apparently anything not written by Paul wasn't written to us, therefore we don't need to follow it. Ten commandments? Sermon on the mount? all irrelevant. They even gave us a pamphlet, a book to read with their number in it, and wrapped it up with an invitation to church and a bible study. Sound familiar? Just give them a preach my gospel and they are set to go!!

Life is good as always. The most difficult part of these last weeks is realizing how much is yet to be done, and worse yet realizing that it can't all be accomplished in 6 weeks. I am learning that the work never really is done. My mission may not end wrapped up like a Christmas present with a bow, but I can give it all I have. I wish I could do more, but I know that the grace of the Savior will complete my offering. Here is to being a finisher!

Elder Wheat

Ever heard of Marne? Neither has anyone else haha

Happy Snow day!!!!

11/16/2015

In walked the Geer family to church with there 20 year old daughter. The talked to us briefly and said, "By the way, this is Andrea and she is interested in joining the church. She even knows who she wants to baptize her, all she needs is the lessons." We were obviously pretty pumped about that.

It's been a great week. I have been praying for the Lord to remove the stumbling blocks of our investigators and he is answering. Mike Hebert is 77 and has a tough time retaining, but he is coming to church every week, poured out all his coffee without us reminding him, and even paid tithing yesterday. He is a different man than the one we found 2 months ago. I look forward to seeing what else will be done this week.

Reason number 789385 that I love Elder Cornelison. The man is always trying to improve. This week we found a new approach to door knocking and he was giving me suggestions to improve like a seasoned pro. We have seen a ton of success with it this week and are looking forward to getting back to work.

If I am being completely honest, the only time I am happy really is when I am working. It is the great secret to missionary service. I am doing the best that I can and not looking back. We will have some great stories to tell this next week.

Elder Wheat