The Great Plan of Happiness and (This Land of Make Believe)

I love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I really can´t express in words all of my feelings but I will try to do my best. I wrote 10 pages in my journal just to get it all out and on paper. I hope you all will take some time to do the same. To write down all the things you are thankful for and how amazing God is.

 

Well I guess I should write, yesterday I found out that my Grandpa (Papa) has stomach cancer and doesn´t have long until his next and greatest adventure yet comes. It was like all the breath was sucked out of my in one breath but when I breathed in I was feeled with comfort and peace. The Spirit really is the Comforter I promise you that. The peace I have received has been unlike anything else in my entire life. It´s the most amazing feeling and it comes from our loving Heavenly Father. I´ll get back to all of this but I want to tell you about Perú a little.

 

Last week we went into the city center and it was one of the coolest experiences of my life. Well first, congratulations to Riley on your call to one of the most beautiful places in the world, but Mom I know I´m supposed to be here so I´ll just take a long vacation in Italy some day. I loved seeing the architecture in the city center and thinking I was in Italy for a little though. Also, congratulations to everyone else on your mission calls. I can´t remember them all but first and foremost Hillary this week, I´m so excited to hear where you will be serving. Verina, Kristy, Miriam, Bentley, just everyone. I´m so excited for you all. And that announcement about 4 weeks for other languages and 1 for natives is just about the craziest thing I´ve ever heard. He is hastening His work and really wow! When you get out in the field and it´s the hardest thing you´ve ever done, don´t be discouraged. I don´t really know how to say that. I guess I can use the words of my mission prep teacher Chris ´´it´s the best two years, but it´s definitely not the best 730 days´´ You´re not always happy, but the happy moments are worth the pain and take away everything bad.

 

Okay, back to the city center. We got to go up on a hill and could see all of Lima. Let me say that the air here is disgusting. It was so smoggy and you gotta love it. I ate a double whopper at BurgerKing and that was one of the best things that has happened to me here in Perú. I love the food, but really nothing compares to a good ol burger. I will definitely be looking forward to some BurgerSupreme when I get home so to all of you still in el fabrico (the factory as the call it down here because Utah produces so many missionaries) enjoy yourselves a good burger or whatever is your favorite treat. We went bowling and that was crazy fun, but probably the best part was just speaking English with my friend and brother Elder Sines. He´s from Draper and he´s a gift from God. He´s helped me adjust so much and I owe him a lot. I only wish I can help some poor struggling new missionary some day like he helped me. Well, I don´t want you to think that I´m dying or anything, it´s just nice to have people helping along the way.

 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Everybody I hope you enjoy yourselves. I will be thinking of you all family but know that my heart is full.

 

I want to talk some more about Papa now. Really, you don´t need to worry about me at all. I need your prayers but then really I just need you all to be happy. I know Heavenly Father is watching over us all. I felt peace immediately and I want you all to feel the same. I prayed last night for a miracle if it was according to God´s will and my mind was enlightened. I realized that the miracle has already happened. The miracle is the life that Papa lived, is still living, and the legacy he will leave. The miracle is the time we all had and have together. The miracle is that we can love and be loved. The miracle is that we can be together forever (which I don´t understand at all, it´s just so amazing). The miracle is that we know the Plan of Happiness. The miracle is the Atonement. The miracle is that ´´the sting of death´´ can be swallowed up in Christ. The miracle is all we have been given from a loving Heaveny Father.

 

I really can´t put into words my feelings. I am full of light, peace, and joy. I don´t really want to say I´m happy but like Dad said yesterday I know I´m going to look back and say ´´wow, that was awesome, I learned so much. It was hard but I learned so much´´. I want you all to know that you can receive the same feelings that I have. I think you already have received them just from all the time we got to spend talking yesterday. Just love and laugh together. It´s a hard time but we can´t stop doing the things that are most important like reading our scriptures and saying our prayers. I love writing it all down like I said before and I hope someone else can be helped that way too. When we focus on all our blessings there is no room for the bad.

 

President Dorius gave me a blessing yesterday and it was one of the sweetest and most tender moments of my life. He barely even knows me and he´s never seen or talked to Papa in his life but he knew by the Spirit what will happen. I don´t want to go into too many details, but I think everyone should receive a priesthood blessing because it will bring so much peace and comfort. I am so so so so so grateful for all the worthy priesthood holders in our family. I know the words come from God. I know He loves us and wants to comfort us.

 

I also wanted to write some things I´ve been studying. Tanner wrote about a devotional in the MTC that said we can all study together to feel closer. I´ve been reading in Alma and of course Alma 17 is extremely special to me at this time in my life. I also studied in Alma 29, well right now I´m in Alma 43 and I´m trying to read 6 pages a day so I can finish for Christmas. Then I´ll probably start over and read 3 pages a day so I can finish for my birthday. I invite you all to read with me this week if you want or to just share what you learn from your own reading. I also want to share James 2:26 which I think was written about Papa. ´´For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also´´. He´s the greatest example of work I have ever known and will probably ever know. He has shown our God by his works that he is ready to inherit (or build more likely as we talked about yesterday) his mansion in heaven. I´m so excited to see what he can build with the most amazing materials I could ever imagine. I really don´t understand what it´s like being together forever, but I know it´s the happiest thing ever because I know that God loves his children.

 

Now back to the mission. For all of you going out when it´s hard just remember that your companion is human. They´re imperfect but they´re trying. Sometimes I wish I had a perfect companion but then I realize it would be so weird to have a companion that wasn´t human. Just work your hardest and I can promise you that you will grow in ways on your mission that aren´t possible doing anything else. Like Mariah told me I would encourage you all (especially on your missions) but really throughout all your life at the end of the day look back and see all the MIRACLES. I want you to write down all the things that you´re grateful for but I also know there are MIRACLES everyday and we just need to look a little harder to find them.

 

You wanted to hear about my companion and some of the members. My companion is from Columbia but he looks like a gringo. He´s the only member in his family but they are really supportive of him. I guess the Church just isn´t where is family lives yet because they´re far out in the country. He found the Church when he was living in Bogota and a friend told him to go to the employment center. He was baptized 3 weeks later and he´s a real strength. The members here are all really nice I just wish I understood what they were saying more. Really though, after 1 month I have learned so much and I know the gift of tongues is real. I am so amazed at it all.

 

About a package. Really, the thing I want more than anything is peanut butter. You have to send all packages through the mail DO NOT USE UPS OR DHL OR ANYTHING ELSE ONLY USPS. I think the best thing would be to just use a flat rate box. Really peanut butter, honey, and some Snickers. I don´t know, I can pretty much buy anything else I need to here. Like Mariah wrote, more than anything I just love hearing from all of you. It´s fun to just hear about your classes or your work or anything, just be real. Your lives are so different from mine right now so everything is interesting. If you want to buy some piano books such as The Killers and Mumford and Sons and The Head and the Heart I would love those when I got home. And Brianna make sure you´re keeping up on the music for me. Oh yeah, that reminds me. Last week when we were bowling I heard ´´One Thing´´ by OneDirection and it was so fun to think about you.

 

I love you all so much!!!!!!!!!!

 

Know that I am filled with comfort and peace from the Spirit. I don´t know if you´ll believe me but you don´t need to worry. I am so grateful for all of your prayers though and I hope you receive strength from my prayers for you everyday too. I think it was Aunt Melissa that said ´´I hope you notice the blessings we pray your way´´ and know I´m praying them back for all of you too.

 

I can´t express the feelings I have right now. I know I´m where I´m supposed to be and I know that all that is happening is the will of God. I have never felt like this before in my life and I am so grateful for it.

 

I love you, wow just like yesterday.

 

Love your brother, son, grandson, cousin, nephew, friend, and whatever else I may be

Elder Wheatley

 

 

 

 

Great Week!

Hola Everybody,

Well, this week was my first baptism and I can´t even describe it. Elder Claros was sick so I baptized Hermano Luis. I didn't really want to because I wanted my first baptism to be really special, someone I had really come to love and helped along the path. I prayed and learned one of the greatest lessons of my life though. My thoughts were directed to my baptism and how I felt that day. I didn't know everything, but I knew I needed to be baptized so I did it. I didn't feel super special that day, well maybe because everyone was so happy for me. I was happy to be given the chance to help change someone elses life. I kept thinking about it and still felt it should have been a little more special. Then it came to me that it´s kind of like a birthday. It´s just like any other day but something special happened. You were changed instantly. That real change doesn't come until after some time though. You don´t feel 19 until after some time. I think it´s the same with baptism, receiving the priesthood, going to the temple, being a missionary, maybe getting married (not sure about that one). It was such a blessing to me to be able to help someone enter the gate and learn so much about the ways of God.

I´m so happy to hear that you had a great birthday Mom. And that´s awesome that you got to go to the temple on your special day. I really can´t explain how much it means to me that you would think about all of us missionaries while you were in the temple. I feel heavens help everyday and there´s no way I would be able to do this without the strength of heaven. I know Heavenly Father watches over His missionaries and all His children.

I´m also happy to hear that Halloween was great for everybody. What a fun time together and this next little while is just family packed.

The elections sound crazy and I´m praying that God´s will will be done. I´ll be looking forward to hearing the results next week, or more likely some member will tell me something. They always have some crazy news. Which reminds me about Hurricane Sally I think. It sounds like everything is okay, but I've been praying for all the people in that area.

Now time for the great firsts. I rode in a mototaxi which is a motorcycle taxi. It´s super fun, I guess it´s just all knew and exciting. First compliment on a tie, and I have to say good choice to Mom for the green tie that you thought was the best because someone here thinks the same. First crazy food. I don´t know if I wrote, but I was pretty close to eating chicken foot soup but she didn't want to serve me because it was cold. Well this week I ate Caucau which was really good. It was kind of like a really light curry. Well, I learned after that the meat was mondongo or literally translated intestines. I was told it was really cow stomach which seems better to me. Either way it was fine. I wasn´t super impressed but I really loved the spices so I´ll definitely eat it again.

How exciting for Mitch this week. Send my love to him and all the family. Like I said it´s a day that will change his life for ever. Also, way to go Aunt Michelle and Uncle Steve. I´d love to see pictures when it´s all done.

Hillary, I´m proud of you for facing your fear of needles to serve the Lord. I´m so excited for you and can´t wait to hear where you will be serving. It´s definitely not a walk in the park, but I've learned so much already and I know the mission is where I´m supposed to be. If anyone else is trying to decide, just pray. God will tell you what is best.

That brings me to Matthew. Pray about it and you´ll find out what is best. I think it would be awesome for you to go to BYU though. I would love to have a class with you or something like that. It was so fun with Charlie. I´m so grateful that we are all so close. Just pray and I´ll be praying for you too.

I´m praying for Nomi and Papa and Oma and Opa and all the family every night. I´ll be even more specific with Papa and Oma this week. I know everything will work out.

Thanks for all the love and encouragement. That´s crazy to hear about the MTC and all the other changes. Thanks again for all the updates.

Have the best week ever! I´ll keep praying for all of you and please pray for all the missionaries, we can´t do this alone.

Love,

Elder Aaron Wheatley

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