Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Happy Days!

Hey Everybody,

We weren't able to go to the temple last week, but I hope you were able to. And if not just go this week. That's the amazing thing about living so close to a temple. We can go whenever and however often we want.

That's so fun to hear all about Brianna and softball, orchestra, a capella, and good ol' high school. Just make sure you keep on loving it because Timpview is the best. Sometimes I didn't realize it, but now looking back those were such fun times.

I'm glad to hear that you got to play games with Oma and Opa. Watch out for me when I get home though because 2 years absence should give me enough luck to win just about any game that I put my hand to. Farkle above all the rest.

I'm excited for Matthew to get his mission call. I remember almost exactly one year ago what it was like. I guess Thursday will make it exactly one year (March 21st). My guess is Perú, I just feel something about it. Make sure to take a video because I never want to forget what it was like when I opened my mission call. Wherever you are called Matthew, I know the people will be blessed by you. We are all so blessed to be your family and that's how I know they will be blessed.

Things sound like they are going great with Mariah and I'm excited to hear about the date. Also Charlie, it's about time you wrote me.

This week we were so blessed. We had so many new investigators and I really see the Lord's hand in his work. Josafat is so awesome! We were also able to talk to his dad and his sister. His dad (Javier) is a great guy too, but he doesn't quite get it. In the first lesson he had read The Restoration pamphlet and he told us that he know Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. He also said he knew the Book of Mormon was the word of God and he hadn't ever even seen a copy. He said he knew by the Spirit that it's from God. We gave him a copy and he has read 5 chapters, while Josafat has read into Jacob in less than a week. Josafat has a baptismal date for the 30th, but his dad for some reason or another still feels his baptism was done with the authority of God. We don't really know what else to do so we are going forward with Josafat and just hope that his dad will feel something. The really cool thing though was the first lesson. We went up this hill to get to there house. We entered and there was just one candle for light. I was thinking about how crazy that was and how we couldn't teach by candle light and then I thought. Yeah we can, this is going to be an awesome story

It felt so good this week just to work and talk with the people. I don't know who reads these emails, but if there are other missionaries I hope what I write encourages you in your area. I know sometimes when I read things I feel kind of inadequate or sad because here in Perú it's not exactly the same as your experiences, but I am so grateful to be doing the Lord's work with all of you. This week I relearned how much I love contacting. It's just so nice to talk with people and I'll make an extra effort to contact more this week. I hope the work is going forward in your areas and know I'm praying for all of you.

Thursday was Pi Day, and my oh my was it a good time. We didn't get to go searching for pie until like 8:30 and the two panaderías were out. So we decided to bye another pastry and then I remembered one more store. We went there and they had apple pie. We bought it immediately and then went on to buy some Inca Kola to mix American and Peruvian cultures. We just chowed it down and my companion said ''la gula'' or gluttony which is a capitol sin. It was so good though and so fun to think about those little traditions back in the good ol' US of A. I'm not going to miss a Pi Day for the rest of my life. It's just too good!

Now just a weird thought. We get to walk by Catholic churches everyday and they are so interesting. They are just massive and cool to me. We never go in, but I think after my mission I'll go inside back home. If you've had the desire to go in one, just go for it. Not really sure where that came from, maybe that's what walking around all day in the sun does to you.

This week I was able to finish ''Our Search for Happiness'' and I started ''Our Heritage''. It never ceases to amaze me all that the pioneers did for us. They sacrificed so much and I receive so much strength knowing they went through hard things too. The part about Zions Camp really struck me though, how the Lord needs us to pass through trials so we can prove to ourselves that we have faith in Him and will be loyal to Him. I want to study about Church history more when I get home. It's so interesting to me.

Last night it rained!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yeah, that was a pretty big surprise. It really was nothing compared to real rain, but it was fun to walk around in it none-the-less. I barely even got wet at all, but that's Lima for you.

This week I was reading in Alma about all that he went through to help the people remember Christ. I really liked Alma 8:10, 15, 16. It helped me remember that we can rejoice at any moment when we are keeping the commandments of God. I'll be making an extra effort this week to rejoice in all things. Alma and Amulek are also such men and there's no denying it. End of story. Such great examples who teach me such great lessons, although I haven't read it yet, I just remember from previous readings. They went through so many hard times and trials, but they ended up being so blessed. Usually I just remember all the good they did, but they had to go through a bunch of garbage to get there. Maybe I won't help as many people as they did come unto Christ, but I can be the best missionary I can be and endure my trials with faith in God.

I'm so excited for you Dad to be officially accepted into the program. Have such a fun time in Austria and Germany this summer. That would be so cool for you to ref some games. I'm also excited to hear about all that happens with your administration things.

I love hearing from all of you and hope you have the greatest week ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love your best friend forever,
Elder Aaron Micah Wheatley

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