Monday, February 4, 2013

Happy February!

Hey Everybody,

This week I guess could be described as a roller-coaster ride, but that's pretty normal now so maybe I'll just say it was another week in the mission (I think it's the same for all missionaries).

A couple of things to start off. Mom you asked about the weather here and, it's just like you would imagen. A summer day walking up and down sand dunes. Maybe a couple degrees cooler than Utah, but it sure feels hot to me. I live in a house with 4 elders, my companion Elder Aubrey, Elder Calle, and Elder Howell. Elder Howell in his own words is a ''stud of a muffin''. We get along really well and it helps that he loves Mumford and Sons as well as Imagine Dragons and for you music canaseur (sp?) out there Sufjan Stevens. His mom also has MS and it's just weird how that disease keeps popping up.

Two other cool things about Perú. As you can see from one of the pictures my feet have become the midnight snack (and lots of other hours during the day too) for fleas. I am one step closer to being a dog which is the good news, the bad news is that it itches pretty bad just before I go to sleep. When I scratch they bleed so, yeah. As my zone leader Elder Argandoña says ''Welcome to Perú!'' The other great cultural experience is the clothes washing down here. My first two areas have been great but last week something happened. I gave my clothes to the person to wash them and they came back dirtier than when I gave them. It's all part of the life down here though and I can just laugh about it.

Thank you to Tanner for your email last week, it really helped me a lot. I loved the talk ''His Grace is Sufficient for You'' by Brad Wilcox and it was awesome because my companion had it on his usb. Also the suggestion to read that talk by Elder Bednar in the April 2012 Ensign you ''nailed it''. Now to add to the list of greatness two articles I would really suggest that helped me just chill out a little bit this week and get to work. ''Forgiving Oneself'' by Elder D Chad Richardson and ''What Does It Mean to Be Perfect?'' by Elder Cecil O. Samuelson in the New Era of January 2006. I definitely recommend them if people are struggling with perfectionism or just wants to be happier. I have never had the problem before my mission so if anyone is reading this that new me from high school, know that I'm not so good at not worrying anymore, but I'm getting back there. And to top it all off Mom, my reading this week was perfect. I learned so much more than I ever have from the Isaiah chapters and 2 Nephi 25:23 really added to all I had read. I love thinking about you when I'm reading too. I love the Book of Mormon!!!!!!!!!!

Now really quickly about the people. This week we had two baptisms. The first one was a 14 year old kid named Antoni. He is so ready and when we asked him the interview question if he was willing to keep the covenants of baptism for the rest of his life he said ''por su puesto'' (you betcha'). He is just so awesome and he wants to go out with us because he loves the church so much. He has never really belonged to anything and his family isn't very close so he feels for the first time that his life has a purpose. The second was José and he's still a teenage boy, but he made a great decision.

Another great investigator is Isidoro. We met him last week from a member reference and even though he's a little slow to understand he gets what he needs to. He loved the church yesterday and said he's talked with about 20 different religions but just feels una tranquilidad (peace or tranquility I guess) he's never felt before and also he just feels happy. He is so awesome and I am so grateful for the time I've been given to get to know him. Heavenly Father really does prepare his children and I am so grateful to be a part of His work.

I love you all so much and am praying for you. Thank you so much for all of the prayers you offer in my behalf, I have really been strengthened this week.

Your flea-bitten, Perú lovin´amigo,
Elder Aaron Micah Wheatley


Antoni the man

My flea bitten feet!

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