WOW!

Hola,

            HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!!!!!!!!           

I hope this birthday is the best one you´ve ever had. You definitely won´t ever have one like it again with two of your kids out on missions. Know that I´m sending my love your way and thinking about you on your happy day.

It´s so crazy to hear about all the crazy things going on back home. I got a letter from Eve at the MTC but I didn´t have her address so hopefully she might read this and see -- CONGRATULATIONS on your mission call! I have no idea who else is working on things. I think I read in Andrew´s letter that Kristy is working on her papers too. I got a postcard from her, but once again no address. So thanks for both of those letters and I hope everything is going well for them.

I would love to hear what´s going on with Hillary and Aannaliisa too. You said last week they were thinking about starting, just keep me updated. Matthew, Katherine, and everyone else too. I´m so excited for everyone! I love my mission and even though there are times that are hard the things I´m learning are far worth it. I remember one time that Charlie wrote it´s easier to change things you want to change on your mission than after and I know I´m setting a pattern for the rest of my life. I love studying the scriptures and the language and am so grateful for this time Heavenly Father has given me to become the person He wants and needs me to be for the rest of my life.

I´m feeling more comfortable with Spanish and then something always comes along. I´m not sure what the people think about me but they definitely don´t think they need to slow down. I find myself a lot of the time just nodding my head or laughing when everyone else laughs. I´m looking forward to, and working hard for the day when I can understand what they are saying. I don´t know if it will be funny to me but at least I´ll be able to understand. I guess that´s part of the culture. It´s so different but I´m learning to accept and embrace it.

My camera isn´t working with the computer right now so I´ll try to send photos next week. I can describe Perú a little though. It´s a bunch of 3 or 4 story buildings right next to each other with gates and the whole 9 yards. The only real green is in parks and there are plenty of them. The soccer fields are concrete and everyone loves to play. The people are friendly and we´re doing our best to talk to everyone. When I see someone on the street I try to imagine how the gospel could change and better their life. I know the gospel is the answer to every question and I want to share it with everyone.

 

The mail here is ridiculous just so you know. It costs almost 3 dollars to send one letter to the US so when I send them I´ll try to consolidate them. I´ll probably have to send them to you and then you send them to the people if you can Mom. Sorry about that.

Also packages. I guess they come through most of the time but if anyone sends them ONLY USE USPS (THE POST OFFICE). The other ones cost a ton of money to retrieve or something like that.

Yep, I have a member that cooks and washes my clothes.  We can eat at other places too but no lettuce or strawberries or some other things. The water bottle I brought with the filter is perfect and also we have big jugs of water in our apartment.

We go to the temple once a year, I think in May, so I´m grateful that we at least get to go. I miss going every week though.

One real cool experience this week was with an investigator in another area. I was on exchanges and had no background on her at all. I just started talking and my mouth was filled. I couldn't say everything, but I could say everything that I needed to. It was a great gift from a loving Heavenly Father and I know the gift of tongues is real because it´s present in my life. I´m working hard to learn the language, but I´m also trying to give myself some time to adjust.

I think that´s one of the greatest lessons I've learned this week. You have to give yourself time to adjust. Heavenly Father doesn't expect us to become the person He wants us to be over night. I´m learning and growing everyday.

One more thing, just for fun. DOGS! I think I've seen enough dogs to last me 50 lifetimes. They´re everywhere and it´s just crazy. They´re not dangerous or anything but it kind of gets old when you get barked at all day long. It´s the Lord´s work though and I love it. The buses are crazy too, but I don´t need to go into any more detail. You already know Mom, it´s just every time I hope no one dies! I´m not afraid for my life just for the people running across the street.

Hello to the George´s, especially Jon-Michael and welcome home Sean.

Thanks for all your love and support. Have the best week ever!

Love,

Elder Aaron Wheatley

A Few Pictures

Aaron with his companion, Elder Claros, from Colombia

The last of the Special K Cookies -- Thanks Brianna and Oma!!!

The city

View from my window

Gotta Love Peru

Hola Everybody,

Thanks so much for all of your letters. I loved them so much. It´s so fun to hear about all the things going on back there in the good ol USA.

I love it here in Perú. I´ll try to write it all in the time I´m given. Oh yeah, so I´ll be writing around this time 10:30 every week. Well probably like 10:40 because here they like to be late to everything, but I´ll get to that in a minute. Also, I´m only supposed to email immediate family so I´ll try to write some good hand-written letters to everyone. I think the post is pretty good. I got a couple letters this week that I guess were waiting at the mission home for me. I got the one from Dad, but not from you Mom. Thanks so much for your emails though. And please send the mail to the mission home, I really have no idea how to get mail at my apartment.

My first experience of Perú is indescribable. It was night -- the streets were empty and it kind of looks like no one lives here. It´s a desert so there aren't very many trees and pretty much every house is run down. I was so excited. We slept at the mission home and in the morning went to the chapel for changes. The driving there was crazy and pretty much I've been smiling ever since. My Mission President is a great man and he made me feel really comfortable. My companion looks like a gringo but he's from Columbia and he´s been helping me a ton with my Spanish. Everyone is really surprised when they hear I've been here for less than a week and that makes me feel really good. And then we start talking to someone on the street and I can´t understand a word. Well, that´s an exaggeration.

The people here talk really fast and I hope they're using words that I don´t know because if I've learned them they don't sound the same. We were riding in a bus one day and it was a little crazy. I thought about it and I would compare it to being in Chicago or New York, the poor part of town but not very dangerous, and you can't speak English. I just started laughing -- I love it. The people are so nice even if I can't understand everything. They are so friendly and even though I wish they would talk a little slower sometimes I still love them. The buses are crazy and I´m glad my companion knows the area. The ward is really helpful and the food is fantastic. Everyone said it would be really hard and I can see that, but really I've just smiled and nodded all week long. Heavenly Father has blessed me so much to be happy.  Tell everyone that goes out it can definitely be hard but a smile changes everything. I just laugh at all the craziness. (Also drinking so much Inca Kola add!) The people are always offering food or drink and I hope my teeth don't fall out. ¡I've been brushing really well!

Also I wanted to give you my address so you could look it up on GoogleEarth or something like that. my address is Jr Las Encinas   554 I guess in Lima or something like that. Maybe Fiori, I really don´t know. We´re on the very edge of the mission touch Lima North which is just south of us and I think east of us too. I just remembered that you could probably just look it up on the lds website ward thingy. The ward is Fiori and the stake is Trebol. Hopefully that works if not I´ll send some pictures to give you an idea.

If you see Daniel Wheatley before he leaves please tell him I love him and he´s going to love his mission. Also, I can´t remember if I ever got the address for his mission. Also tell him congratulations on Tough Mudder. He´s going to be a great missionary.

Yesterday was my first Sunday in Perú and it was also my first talk in the mission field. It was crazy. I don´t know, I guess I don´t get nervous first, because the Spirit comforts me and second, because I know it´s going to be bad. All the people say poco a poco and that´s what I´m doing. Learning little by little. One man we´re teaching gave me one of the greatest compliments of my life. His nephew had just prayed and I said the things of your heart is what God wants to hear because He is our Father. Then the man put his arm around me and said "he only says a little but what he says arrives, it arrives" or "it comes" would be better in English and he pointed to his heart. The people here are so nice and I´m really not being fair. Some of them talk really well and I understand what they´re saying. The gift of tongues is real. It´s such a blessing from God.

Oh yeah, so I had no idea what I was going to talk about and I figured it would probably turn out the same if I prepared or not because I can´t speak. I just talked really simply and shared two of my favorite scriptures 1 Nephi 11:17 and 2 Nephi 2:24. I also talked about being called to Perú and how much I love it here. It was really simple but the people smiled back and I think they understood.

Pretty much I love it all. Some things about the culture are a little hard for me. It´s such a different world down here. Things aren't as clean, the streets are crazy, and they talk for forever. I think it will help a lot when I really learn the language though. I´m so excited for the day when I don´t have to say como or just nod even when I don´t know what´s happening. I know it will come in time though.

Thanks for all your love and support. And above all else thanks for your prayers. I really see the hand of God in my life.

I love you all so much and am praying for you.

Love, love, love,

Elder Aaron Wheatley

News Flash!!!!!

We received a call from Aaron :0)  His visa has arrived and he will be flying out on Monday.  He is VERY excited!

Life Will Never Be the Same

Hola,

 

Alright, who saw that coming? General Conference was amazing! I knew it would be different watching it in the MTC and it was crazy. When President Monson announced that young men could serve at 18 people were cheering and then when he said young women could serve at 19 it was even louder. That part was crazy, but the rest of the time everyone was so reverent and the Spirit was so strong.

 

I want to know what all of you are thinking now that your life got flipped upside down. I couldn't stop thinking about it during the whole first session, well really all Conference. I was just thinking how nothing will ever be the same. I immediately thought about all the people close to me whose lives will be changed. I thought of Hillary, Aannaliisa, Matthew, Katherine, and so many of my friends. I hope you all pray about it and find out what's right for yourself. I also know that it's so important to really prepare BEFORE your mission. I tried to, but I could have done so much more. My suggestion is to read the Book of Mormon if you haven't and to pray about it. I know if you are willing to act on the answer that Heavenly Father will testify to you of its truthfulness through the Holy Ghost. I think the key is that we all have to be willing to act on the answer we receive. The other part is to read Preach My Gospel. I tried, but didn't finish before and now I'm almost done. It is an amazing book that was inspired and I know if you read it you will be better prepared for your mission and life in general.

 

I know there might be some concerns about the change, but I really can't think of one. I know this comes from God because "He is hastening His work". The whole Conference seemed to be about missionary work and the family. I think this has as much to do with strengthening the Lord's kingdom as it does to building and growing His kingdom. I feel like families will be strengthened so much and there can be no doubt in anyones mind that missionary work is what is required of us all. I know it's different for girls but I'm so grateful for you Mom and Dad serving missions and being such great examples to me. My goal was always going on a mission and now that I'm here I can't believe it. I really wanted to go when I was 18, but I know I wasn't ready. Heavenly Father had other plans for me. I had to do other things and most importantly make friends before I left. We all have to prepare at an earlier age and are expected to be more mature much faster. I'm looking forward to having 18 year olds in my mission and I think it will be awesome. That was kind of all over the place, but that's how my minds been going ever since the announcement. To all of you that are trying to make the decision I know that as you pray and listen you will make the right choice.

 

Other really cool thing this week. The talk by Elder Nash hit me in my heart. The pictures of Machu Pichu and just thinking about Peru were almost overwhelming. I'm so excited to go to Peru.  Of course there are times that I get a little nervous about the language, but I know I have been called of God and I know in His time I will get there. I still don't know where I'm going to be serving for the next little bit but hopefully I'll find out today. I think this will be a grand adventure, the ones they always talk about (well I'll be talking about it at least). I'm just so excited to go out and serve and love the people. Please pray for all the missionaries, and be specific for all my brothers out there. We all need heavens help and I'm so grateful for all the prayers said in my behalf.

 

I was able to host Tanner (Elder Christensen) and that was a special treat. We talked for a long time and I'm so grateful for all of my friends out here with me. I am strengthened by their examples of obedience and faith. I was able to see Elder Cannon last night before he left and I know he'll do great work in Germany. That reminds me, if you hear where people are going I would love to hear too, it's just fun for me to find out.

 

One of the biggest highlights of the whole week was seeing Uncle Steve and Charlie though. I purposely didn't go around the back of the temple because I didn't want to make it hard on anyone. It was so great to see them and I hope it didn't make things harder. I hope they gave my love to everyone because I love you all so much. My family is the greatest blessing in my life and that's what I kept thinking about all weekend long. Like I said before I know this announcement will strengthen families and I'm so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who is in every part of our lives. There's no way I could ever know all the ways He directs me and influences me but Elder Bednar promised that as we're all good boys and girls and try our best to do what's right we will be influenced by the Holy Ghost and most of the time won't even have known it happened. That was in an MTC devotional recording I watched and it gives me lots of peace.

 

Have tons of fun this week with Fall Break and whatever else you're doing. Thanks for all the letters, I love hearing about everything. I hope you always remember how much I love you and how grateful I am for you. Have the best week ever!

 

Love,

Elder Aaron Wheatley

A Few Pics from the MTC

Another Week in the Life

Hola Everybody,

 

Before I talk about last week I want to talk about this week. I'm so excited for General Conference. It's always been two of the best weekends of the whole year and even though it's a little different now, I'm looking forward to it. It has helped me find another reason I'm glad I'm not in Peru yet because I still get to listen in English. What a great opportunity we all have to listen to the words of a living prophet. And what a great time as a Moulton family, and probably many other families, to get together and enjoy each others company. It sounds like getting together is becoming much more common now and I'm so grateful we're such a close family. I hope you all have fun at the new house and I'll be thinking about you. One thing I've really learned from the MTC is that when we go into things asking questions or having concerns in our mind that we need taken care of Heavenly Father will bless us. Whether it's before personal study, a temple session, or anything else God wants to bless us. So I add my voice to many before me to pray for something you need to receive from Conference and if you listen with the Spirit I know you will receive what you need. And don't forget to have fun!!!!!!!!

 

This last week was so awesome. It started last week when I was going to the temple. We went earlier than usual and things were going fine. Then a lady stopped us and started talking about all sorts of things. It was only a couple of minutes but a whole bunch of other Elders went in front of us so I was kind of feeling pressed for time. She let us go and then we were walking in. Right then I saw Tanner and it was amazing. He had told me he was going through the temple that day but I thought there was no way he would still be there when I would go. But God is loving and absolutely 100% guides our lives. I'm not sure what the time window was, but it was pretty small. It was perfect, and it was just a really nice thing in my life. Of course I would have lived without seeing him last week because I will for sure see him tomorrow, but it was just a "tender mercy" of God. I don't know very many things, but I do know He watches over and directs me as well as others. When I say my prays and write in my journal at night I try to look back and see the hand of the Lord in my life and it's always amazing to me all the blessings I have received in one day. I'm so grateful for His hand in my life.

 

I was reading an article called "Of the House of Israel" by Daniel H. Ludlow from the January 1991 Ensign and that name sounded really familiar. I think that might be the person that used to own the house but I wasn't sure. Either way it was a great article and it helped me think a lot about my Patriarchal Blessing. Whenever I read mine I am strengthened and remember how much God loves me and wants to direct my life. I'm going to try to read it more often and hopefully then I won't forget what I need to do as much.

 

On Sunday I watched a couple of talks by Elder Wirthlin. He speaks straight to my soul. I love him so much. I think there are so many different personalities in the brethren because they can all reach out in different ways. It made me think about all the different personalities in missionaries and how we've all been called to a mission for a certain reason. It doesn't mean anyone is better or worse, it's just that we're all different. Well, I watched "The Great Commandment" and if anyone feels like crying I would definitely suggest that talk. Also, "Come What May, and Love It" is perfect for me. I guess just find what speaks to your soul and try your best to keep it in your mind.

 

Now for a cool story I guess. (Or at least as cool as I can think of in the MTC from this last week) On Sunday night after the devotional you can watch old talks or sometimes church movies and last week they offered The Testaments in Spanish. We went to that and it was so awesome. It's a great movie in the first place and then Spanish just made it even better. I would love to say I understood every word, but alas I cannot. I did understand probably 40-50% though and I was really happy with myself. I think that's probably what it will be like in Peru. Super fast most of it going over my head, but when I relax I can understand the overall meaning. I'm definitely not fluent but for 7 weeks I feel great. I know I have been blessed so much by the Spirit to learn so quickly.

 

I hope everyone has a great week "at home, at school, at play" (and at work too). I love you all and am grateful for all your support and prayers. Thanks for being such great examples to me. I hope I can strengthen other people the way you have strengthened me.

Have the greatest week ever!

 

Con much amor,

Elder Aaron Wheatley