Aaron's Mission to Peru: Happy Birthday Mom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!‏

Hola Chicos,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOMMY DAYNA WHEATLEY!!!

I hope you have the greatest birthday ever Mom! You will definitely be in my thoughts and prayers and it's crazy to think that a whole year has passed since the last time I wished you a happy birthday. So much has changed since then. It just amazes me how normal I feel here now. I was thinking about a year ago and how everything was so new. It was so noisy and dirty and smelly, but now it's all just normal. It's crazy how much we can all adapt in this life.

It's definitely not a perfect place this Perú, but we're all making it together. I keep being amazed by all the generosity that surrounds me and am so grateful to be serving my mission here. I know this is where I need to be and even though sometimes I get jealous of green in other peoples pictures, I LOVE PERÚ.

I loved the letters you sent from Conference -- thank you to Nomi, Uncle Jaret and Aunt Melissa, Uncle Steve and Aunt Michelle, Uncle Tyler, Mariah, Brianna, Mom and Dad for all writing me. I love you all so much!!!

This week we had a training and then interviews with President Archibald. It was so cool as he talked about the Infinite Atonement. I'm learning so much here on the mission and have come to love and trust in my Savior more than ever. I had a good interview too and he just helped me realize that sometimes I am trying to gather goats instead of sheep, or even worse, turn goats into sheep. God has called me to gather His sheep and President told me that I need to be more direct with the people. I need to help them ''activate their agency''. They need to decide what road they are going to take and if they don't want to go with me, then I need to move on and find the people who do. They aren't rocks or books and choosing wrong is at least choosing. Like Lehi said ''there are things to act and things to be acted upon'' and we as humans should never become rocks that just get thrown around. We can always choose. That was really cool and eye opening.

Also he told me that his great grandma is Agnes Wheatley and that he remembers going to family reunions in Don Ada or something like that. That's pretty cool to think that I'm related in one way or another to my mission president.

The best part of the week was by far being able to call Luis . He is the first person I baptized here in Perú and President told me I could call him. He had fallen off the face of the planet and no one knew where he was. He had moved and I was just accepting the fact that he had gone inactive. It was double hard because he was preparing to go to the temple with his wife. He can go November 3rd and I really wanted to go with him. So I find his number in one of my old daily planners. A guy answers and says that he doesn't know Luis. He then asks who's calling and I ask for Luis . He asks one more time so I decide to say and then just hang up. I'm like, it's Elder Wheatley and then a miracle happens. The man on the other line turns into Luis and says ''oh hermanito de mi corazón''. Yeah, so that was pretty awesome. It turns out he's faithful as ever and was worried because he had no way of contacting me and wanted me to be able to go with them to the temple. That was so amazing so I will keep you all updated on that. Moral of the story...miracles do happen. I was so happy and am so grateful that Heavenly Father watches over his children.

Happy Halloween this week and please tell the Aunties hi and that I love them. Throw in a big hug from me too please.

I wrote down Matthew 23:12 but don't remember what it says so go ahead and give it a read.

Oh yeah, and The Current Bush. I saw that Mormon Message and loved it so much. I'm gonna read that talk this week for sure. I hope you all have the best week ever and know you are all in my prayers. It's so great to hear that Oma is doing better and that BYU keeps up the good work.

Elder Holley reminded me this week...''how did you find me? We saw you from the village, Hola Nacho!'' What a great movie. I love you all so much.

Your Peruvian pal,

Elder Aaron Micah Wheatley